U-Turns

“Thanks for inviting me to go to church with you next Sunday, Uncle Al.”

Tim and his uncle were on their way to Bonny Lake. They had heard the fishing there was great.

“I…I don’t want to hurt your feelings,” continued Tim, “but . . . well . . . I’m not sure I want to get into this religious stuff. Besides, Mom and Dad don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Oh?” asked Uncle Al in surprise. “I thought you said that your parents wouldn’t mind if you went with me. You sounded quite interested last week. You even said the Gospel was beginning to make sense to you.”

“Yeah, but since then I’ve done a lot of thinking,” Tim said slowly. “I don’t think I feel like getting ‘saved’ right now. The crowd I hang around with at school wouldn’t understand, and I like being with them. Someday I’ll start going to church, but I think I’ll just go on the way I am for a while. I know I’m not perfect, but I’m not so bad, either.”

Tim’s uncle drove on silently for a few minutes. “Oh, no!” he exclaimed as they passed a road sign. “I was so intent on our conversation that I missed the turnoff! We should have gotten off this road five miles back!”

“Guess we’ll have to turn around and go back now, huh?” asked Tim.

But Uncle Al shook his head. “I don’t feel like turning around right now,” he said. “I guess we’ll just keep going this way. I kind of like this road, and the scenery is nice.”

Tim looked at his uncle in amazement. “But we have to turn around to get to Bonny Lake,” he protested, “and the longer we keep going this way, the longer it will take to get back. If we wait too long to turn around, we might not even get there in time to fish.”

Uncle Al smiled at Tim as he slowed down for the next turn. “You’re right,” he said, “and what you said just now is exactly what I’ve been trying to tell you about spiritual life . . . that when you’re travelling down the wrong road, the sooner you turn around, the better. If you wait too long, you might never get to your goal: Heaven.”

— Author Unknown

Meditation: Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’ – Ezekiel 33:11

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Prayer For Guidance And Protection To Those I Love

O heavenly Father, our protector and guide, You are the greatest Friend and joy we have! To be able to come to You in prayer like this is the most beautiful part of our lives!

It is not for myself that I want to pray today, dear Father, but for those who are near and dear to me and about whom I worry. You know what they are facing, dear Father. And You know most of all the deepest reasons why these things have come upon them!

And You know how I want to help. Truly I think it would be easier if I could only face what they are facing. But You know how helpless we are to help another even though we know what is just and right.

Only You are left, dear Father. Do be with them in all things at all times. Protect them from enemies and evil, my Father. Forgive them their sins and put love of others in their hearts.

O to make them happy in their lives at home, dear Father, and help them live as You wouldst have them live. Above all, put love in their hearts for You.

And thank You, my Father, for Your goodness to them and to me. Thank You for Your love and guidance and protection! May we honour you all the days of our lives. And be happy and uplifted even as I feel right now!

Amen.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: pray without ceasing, – 1 Thessalonians 5:17

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

One Solitary Life

He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman.

He grew up in still another village, where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was 30.

Then for three years, he was an itinerant preacher.

He never wrote a book.

He never held an office.

He never had a family or owned a house.

He didn’t go to college.

He never travelled more than 200 miles from the place he was born.

He did none of the things one usually associates with greatness.

He had no credentials but himself.

He was only 33 when public opinion turned against him.

His friends deserted him.

He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial.

He was nailed to a cross between two thieves.

When he was dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing, the only property he had on earth.

When he was dead, he was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race, the leader of mankind’s progress.

All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man on earth as much as that

One Solitary Life.

Do You Know Who He Is?

— Author Unknown

Meditation: Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, – Philippians 2:9

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

A Glass of Milk

One day, a poor boy, who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left; and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so she brought him a large glass of milk.

He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”
“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.”
He said, “Then I thank you from my heart.”
As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was also strengthened, as he had been ready to give up and quit before then.
Years later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life.
From that day he gave special attention to her case. After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business accounts unit to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge; then the bill was sent to her room.
She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words…
“Paid in full with one glass of milk.”
Signed.
Dr. Howard Kelly.
Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: “Thank You, God, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands.”
Meditation: Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back…And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. – Luke 6:30, 33
You will succeed in Jesus Name!

The King’s Highway

Once upon a time, a king had a great highway built for the people who lived in his kingdom. After it was completed, but before it was opened to the public, the king decided to have a contest. He invited as many of his subjects as desired to participate. The challenge was to see who could travel the highway the best, and the winner was to receive a box of gold.

On the day of the contest, all the people came. Some of them had fine chariots, some had fine clothing and fancy food to make the trip a luxurious journey. Some wore their sturdiest shoes and ran along the highway on their feet to show their skill. All day they travelled the highway, and each one, when he arrived at the end, complained to the king about a large pile of rocks and debris that had been left almost blocking the road at one point, and that got in their way and hindered their travel.
At the end of the day, a lone traveller crossed the finish line warily and walked over to the king. He was tired and dirty, but he addressed the king with great respect and handed him a small chest of gold. He said, “I stopped along the way to clear a pile of rocks and debris that was blocking the road. This chest of gold was under it all. Please have it returned to its rightful owner.”
The king replied, “You are the rightful owner.”
“Oh no,” said the traveller, “This is not mine. I’ve never known such money.”
“Oh yes,” said the king, “you’ve earned this gold, for you won my contest. He who travels the road best is he who makes the road better for those who will follow.”
Remember those words of wisdom as you travel the road of life!

Meditation: “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” – John 9:5

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Wisdom for Problem-Solving

An engineer in a car manufacturing company designed a world class car. The owner was impressed with the outcome and showered him with praises.

While trying to take the car from the manufacturing area to the front office, they realised that the car is few inches taller than the entrance.

The engineer felt bad that he didn’t put that into consideration before creating the car.

The owner was at loss on how to take the car out of the manufacturing area.

The painter suggested they force out the car and then repaint the few scratches this will cause to the top of the car.

The engineer suggested that they break the entrance and after taking the car out, they can renovate it.

The owner was not convinced with any of the ideas. He felt that it is not good enough to break or scratch.

The watchman, who has been watching all the drama, slowly approached the owner. He wanted to give an idea if they have no problem taking it.

They thought what is it that this guy has to say that the experts have not said. They allowed him, nonetheless.

The watchman said that the car is only a few inches taller than the entrance so if they let out some air from the tyre, the height of the car will reduce and can be easily taken out.

Everyone, there was surprised and clapped in appreciation of his ingenuity.

Lesson: Don’t approach problem-solving only from the expert point of view. There is always a layman perspective that may provide the needed solution. Everyone around your life has a key role in your life accomplishment. Don’t look down on anyone in your life.

Take note, everybody is important.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: Have you heard the counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself? – Job 15:8

You will Succeed in Jesus Name!

Heaven and Hell

A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, “Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.”

The Lord led the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man’s mouth water. The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.
The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. The Lord said, “You have seen Hell.”

They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was a large round table with the large pot of stew, which made the Holy man’s mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.

The Holy man said, “I don’t understand.”
“It is simple,” said the Lord, “it requires but one attitude. You see, the people here have learned to feed each other, while the greedy ones in hell think only of themselves.”
When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you!

— Author Unknown
Meditation: Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. – Philippians 2:3

You will succeed in Jesus Name!