Health Check-up by God

I went to the Lord’s Clinic to have my routine check-up and I confirmed I was ill. When Jesus took my blood pressure, He saw I was low in tenderness. When He read my temperature, the thermometer registered 40 degrees of anxiety.

He ran an electrocardiogram and found that I needed several “love bypasses” since my arteries were blocked with loneliness and could not provide for an empty heart.

I went to orthopaedics because I could not walk by my brother’s side and I could not hug my friends since I had fractured myself when tripping with envy.

He also found I was short-sighted since I could not see beyond the shortcomings of my brothers and sisters.

When I complained about deafness, the diagnostic was that I had stopped listening to Jesus’ voice talking to me on a daily basis.

For all of that, Jesus gave me a free consultation thanks to His mercifulness, so my pledge is to, once I leave this clinic, only take the natural remedies He prescribed through his words of truth:

* Every morning take a full glass of gratitude.

* When getting to work, take one spoon of peace.

* Every hour, take one pill of patience, one cup of brotherhood and one glass of humility

* When getting home, take one dose of love

* When getting to bed, take two caplets of clear conscience

Do not give in to sadness or desperation for what you are going through today.

God knows how you feel…

God knows exactly, and with perfection, what is being allowed to happen to you in your life at this precise moment.

God’s purpose for you is simply perfect.

He wants to show you things that only you can understand by living what you are living, and by being in the place you are now.

* May God give you…

* For every storm, a rainbow

* For every tear, a smile,

* For every care, a promise,

* And a blessing in each trial.

* For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share,

* For every sigh, a sweet song,

* And an answer for each prayer.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” – Matthew 11:29-30

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

No More With Me

“I’m sorry. Please forgive me! I don’t mean to hold you up,” he said as he struggled to get off the escalator.

I’ll admit to it. There have been times when walking or driving behind an older person I’ve gotten impatient and upset. I’ve huffed and zoomed around them because I was in a hurry to get nowhere. Perhaps I’m more aware of it now because I see myself there one day soon. Today I saw myself in this old man’s shoes and it caused me to slow down, stop and ask for his forgiveness.

He was about five or six people ahead of me. I was in a hurry and saw him as an obstacle. I’ve seen people get off the end of an escalator and stop dead in their tracks, gather their things and suddenly there’s a pile-up of angry people behind them. You can’t stop an escalator full of people behind you. Like the Energizer bunny, they keep on-goin'.

This man was well aware of the challenge. He tried desperately to step aside. Fumbling with his small packages, struggling to gain his footing, you could see how troubling this was for him. “I’m sorry. Please forgive me! I don’t mean to hold you up,” he said as he struggled to get off the escalator.

I suddenly saw this in a whole new light. It was like I was watching my future. I felt sorry for him. I felt sick to my stomach because this man was apologizing to everyone when we should have been helping him and calming his fears.

One by one, people zipped around him. I heard a few angry comments whispered as one lady passed by him.

I saw me.

By the time I got to him, he was just about steady on his feet.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know there was more,” he said.

“No, sir. No more with me,” I said. This really hit me hard. I realized right then how sad it was that the world was in such a hurry. That, of course, included me. But…no more with me. Count me out.

This wonderful man paid his dues. For whatever time he had spent on this earth, he most likely walked many rough roads and too many important miles. Now he should be apologizing for moving slower?

My heart ached as I looked into his eyes. I wished that I could see what he had seen all those years. His face weathered from life itself, was creased and wrinkled. The small soft pockets under his eyes and the gentle lines that curved up and around them told me he had many happy moments, too. Those were traces left behind from laughter and a smiling, happy man.

“My friend, can I help you with those things?” I asked.

Hesitant at first, he finally said, “Well, yes, thank you!”

I placed my hand under his left arm and walked with him a safe distance away from the rush of people.

“So what are you shopping for, sir?”

“Oh, just a little something for my neighbour. She’s a young mother raising kids on her own. She’s always so nice to me. I thought a box of candy for Mother’s Day…” he said, stopping suddenly as he searched the inside pocket of his sports coat.

“Do you need something?” I asked.

“Oh, no. Here. I think I have it right here. I always carry them with me,” he said. Then pulling out a hand full of papers he shuffled through them and handed me a business card that read:

“John A. Pomicter

Friend to all…enemy to no one!

I said a prayer today and you were the answer. Thank you!”

“That’s for you,” he said. “Thanks for stopping to help an old man.”

“My friend, you helped me. I discovered that I was unhappy with the world and I was part of the problem. Now I’ll be part of the solution. No more with me!”

“Then this was meant to be,” he said smiling.

“You know God sends me gifts every day and always at least one special person. You were my gift for today! Let’s go get some chocolates, my friend.”

— Author Unknown

Meditation: And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. – Ephesians 4:32

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

The Rancher and the Agent

A DEA Agent stopped at a ranch in Texas and talked to an old rancher. He told the rancher, “I need to inspect your ranch for illegally grown drugs.”

The rancher said, “Okay, but don’t go into that field over there…”, as he pointed out the location. The DEA Agent verbally exploded and said, “Look, mister, I have the authority of the federal government with me!”

Reaching into his rear back pocket, the arrogant officer removed his badge and proudly displayed it to the rancher. “See this badge?! This badge means I can go wherever I want… On any land! No questions asked, no answers given! Do you understand old man?!”

The rancher nodded, apologized, and went about his chores.

Moments later the rancher heard loud screams, he looked up and saw the DEA agent running for his life, being chased by the ranchers big Santa Gertrudis Bull. With every step, the bull was gaining ground on the officer, and it was likely that he’d, sure enough, get gored before he reached safety. The officer was clearly terrified. The old rancher threw down his tools, ran as fast as he could to the fence, and yelled at the top of his lungs.

“Your Badge! Show Him Your Badge!”

As hilarious as this story may seem, there is a profound lesson for us there on humility and lowliness. That you are representing a higher institution or occupying a privileged office does not give you license to look or talk down at others who are not so endowed.

No matter how high you may be in any setup, humility is key.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: Before destruction, the heart of a man is haughty, And before honour is humility. – Proverbs 18:12

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Traffic Ticket

Jack took a long look at his speedometer before slowing down: 73 in a 55 zone. Fourth time in as many months. How could a guy get caught so often?

When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour, Jack pulled over, but only partially. Let the cop worry about the potential traffic hazard. Maybe some other car will tweak his backside with a mirror. The cop was stepping out of his car, the big pad in hand.

Bob? Bob from church? Jack sunk farther into his trench coat. This was worse than the coming ticket. A Christian cop catching a guy from his own church. A guy who happened to be a little anxious to get home after a long day at the office. A guy he was about to play golf with tomorrow.

Jumping out of the car, he approached a man he saw every Sunday, a man he’d never seen in uniform. “Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this.”

“Hello, Jack.” No smile.

“Guess you caught me red-handed in a rush to see my wife and kids.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Bob seemed uncertain. Good.

“I’ve seen some long days at the office lately. I’m afraid I bent the rules a bit-just this once.” Jack toed at a pebble on the pavement. “Diane said something about roast beef and potatoes tonight. Know what I mean?”

“I know what you mean. I also know that you have a reputation in our precinct.”

Ouch! This was not going in the right direction. Time to change tactics. “What’d you clock me at?”

“Seventy-one. Would you sit back in your car, please?”

“Now wait a minute here, Bob. I checked as soon as I saw you. I was barely nudging 65.” The lie seemed to come easier with every ticket.”Please, Jack, in the car.”

Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the still-open door. Slamming it shut, he stared at the dashboard. He was in no rush to open the window. The minutes ticked by. Bob scribbled away on the pad. Why hadn’t he asked for a driver’s license? Whatever the reason, it would be a month of Sundays before Jack ever sat near this cop again.

A tap on the door jerked his head to the left. There was Bob, a folded paper in hand. Jack rolled down the window a mere two inches, just enough room for Bob to pass him the slip.

“Thanks.” Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of his voice.

Bob returned to his car without a word.

Jack watched his retreat in the mirror. Jack unfolded the sheet of paper. How much was this one going to cost? Wait a minute. What was this? Some kind of joke? Certainly not a ticket.

Jack began to read:

“Dear Jack, Once upon a time I had a daughter. She was six when killed by a car. You guessed it – a speeding driver. A fine and three months in jail, and the man was free. Free to hug his daughters. All three of them. I only had one, and I’m going to have to wait until heaven before I can ever hug her again. A thousand times I’ve tried to forgive that man. A thousand times I thought I had. Maybe I did, but I need to do it again. Even now…  Pray for me. And be careful. My son is all I have left. Bob”

Jack twisted around in time to see Bob’s car pull away and head down the road. Jack watched until it disappeared. A full 15 minutes later, he too pulled away and drove slowly home, praying for forgiveness and hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived.

Life is precious. Handle with care.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. – Matthew 5:44

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Emergency Numbers

Emergency numbers may be dialled direct. No operator assistance is necessary.

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

When in sorrow … call John 14

When men fail you … call Psalm 27

If you want to be fruitful … call John 15

When you have sinned … call Psalm 51

When you worry … call Matthew 6:19-34

When you are in danger … call Psalm 91

When God seems far away … call Psalm 139

When your faith needs stirring … call Hebrews 11

When you are lonely and fearful … call Psalm 23

When you grow bitter and critical … call I Corinthians 13

For Paul’s secret to happiness … call Colossians 3:12-17

For understanding of Christianity … call II Corinthians 5:15-19

When you feel down and out … call Romans 8:31

When you want peace and rest … call Matthew 11:25-30

When the world seems bigger than God … call Psalm 90

When you want Christian assurance … call Romans 8:1-30

When you leave home for labour or travel … call Psalm 121

When your prayers grow narrow or selfish … call Psalm 67

For a great invention/opportunity … call Isaiah 55

When you want courage for a task … call Joshua 1

For how to get along with fellow men … call Romans 12

When you think of investments and returns … call Mark 10

If you are depressed … call Psalm 27

If your pocketbook is empty … call Psalm 37

If you are losing confidence in people … call I Corinthians 13

If people seem unkind … call John 15

If discouraged about your work … call Psalm 126

If you find the world growing small and yourself great,..call Psalm 19

Alternate numbers:

For dealing with fear, …………………………. call Psalm 34:7

For security, ………………………………… call Psalm 121:3

For assurance, …………………………………. call Mark 8:35

For reassurance, …………………………….. call Psalm 145:18

All lines to Heaven are open 24 hours a day! Feed your faith, and doubt will starve to death!

— Author Unknown

Meditation: Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. – Isaiah 55:6

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Trust Your Needs

Years ago, I had crazy spiritual beliefs. I believed that if I wanted to be a holy person, I should NOT trust my needs. Because I figured my desires are most likely from the flesh, not from the spirit.

The message I received was this: “Fear yourself. Fear your desires. Fear your selfishness. Don’t trust yourself. Instead, trust God. Trust your group. Trust your leader. Trust the system…” Oh, what a terrible thing to believe! This is the reason there is so much spiritual abuse happening in religious groups.

Priests, preachers, and pastors love to emphasize this message: “Don’t trust yourself!” Directly or indirectly, they will ask their members to simply rely on the leaders’ wisdom and decisions. Unintentionally, they produce people who are infants in their emotional and spiritual growth. Instead of freedom, religion shackles us to immaturity. God calls us to be childlike, not childish.

God Trusts You—When Will You Learn To Trust Yourself?

Instead, we need to hear a new message. What message? That you’re made in the image and likeness of God! That you’re not just good. You’re very good! So trust yourself because God trusts you. He trusts you by calling you His child. He trusts you by planting His Kingdom in you. He trusts you by dwelling within you. He trusts you by commissioning you to be His presence in the world. He trusts you to love the way He does…

Wow! Believe me, when I pray, when I read the Bible, when I listen to God’s voice in the depths of my heart, I say “Wow!” many, many times.

And one way of trusting yourself is to trust your needs. Not your sinful needs. That’s what you need to deny. But your legitimate, valid, and God-planted needs. Meet those needs. Even your need for joy.

Some people view all pleasure as bad. Their unwritten motto: “If it feels good, it must be bad.” That’s not true. I believe life was given by God to be enjoyed to the full. To be savoured with delight. So taste. Breathe. Relish. Dance. Sing. Live!

Ever wondered why some religious people are so stuck-up, they don’t allow anyone to enjoy life? When we enjoy life, we allow others to enjoy as well.

Love yourself!

— Bo Sanchez

Meditation: Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. – 1 Timothy 6:17

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Letter from God

From: GOD

To: All those who believe in me

Date: Today and Everyday

Subject: Life’s problems

I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help. If the devil happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFJTD (something for Jesus to do) box. It will be addressed in MY TIME, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold on to it or remove it.

Holding on or removal will delay the resolution of your problem. If it is a situation that you think you are capable of handling, please consult me in prayer to be sure that it is the proper resolution.

Because I do not sleep nor do I slumber, there is no need for you to lose any sleep. Rest my child. If you need to contact me, I am only a prayer away.

As with all good things, please pass it on.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. – 1 Peter 5:7

You will succeed in Jesus Name!