June 14
Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet!!
In 1990, 86% of Americans claimed to be Christian and in 2009 the percentage of the faithful had dropped to 75%. Christianity is losing.
It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.
"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all." -- Laura Ingalls Wilder
"True repentance is to cease from sin." -- Ambrose of Milan
"They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel." -- Carl. W. Buechner
"You cannot reason with a hungry belly; it has no ears." -- Greek proverb
"Kindness makes a fellow feel good, whether it's being done to him or by him." -- Frank A. Clark
"Others can stop you at times--however, no one can stop you permanently--only you can do that." -- Ray Lammie
"One of life's most painful moments comes when we must admit that we didn't do our homework, that we are not prepared." -- Merlin Olsen
"It is far easier to leave angry words unspoken than to mend the heart those words have broken." -- Author Unknown
So far I've done alright, God. I haven't gossiped, haven't lost my temper, haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent. I'm very happy about this. But in a few minutes, Lord, I'm going to get out of bed. And from then on, I'm going to need a lot more help.
The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don't define them, or even seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them. - Denis Waitley
"Leadership is based on inspiration, not domination; on cooperation, not intimidation."-William Arthur Wood, author
"I have to have a raise," the man said to his boss. "There are three other companies after me."
"Is that so?" asked the manager. "What other companies are after you?"
"The electric company, the telephone company, and the gas company."
We never know what a tiny seed, planted at the right time (a word of encouragement, a deed of kindness), might become. "If you cannot pray like Peter, if you cannot preach like Paul, you can tell the love of Jesus, and say he died for all." On Father's Day next Sunday, if we are lucky, we remember our own fathers' love and support. Chances are it's not the big things that come to mind, but the everyday expressions of love which grew in us (like seeds) as we matured. Little things cast long shadows in the Kingdom of God.
I was getting to the point of my conversation when suddenly my train of thought pulled out of the station, leaving me on the platform.
My bathroom scales are also beginning to show signs of inflation.
It is so like our flesh to want to enjoy all the blessings and the benefits of our inheritance in Christ but not want to have to deny ourselves, make sacrifices, practice spiritual disciplines, or wage spiritual warfare.
If you’re not content with what God has already provided for you, you won’t be content with the things you think you want.
Don’t expect God to give you more if you haven’t taken possession of what He’s already given you.
Suspicious Delivery - There was an unexpected knock on my door, and like I always do I first opened the peephole and asked, "Who's there?"
"Parcel post, ma'am. I have a package that needs a signature."
"Where's the package?" I asked suspiciously. The deliveryman held it up. "Could I see some ID?" I said, still not convinced.
"Lady," he replied wearily, "if I wanted to break into your house, I'd probably just use these." And he pulled out the keys I had left in the door.
People grow and mature at different rates.
Thomas Edison's teacher said he could never amount to anything and advised his mother to take him out of school.
Winston Churchill was admitted to school in the lowest level classes and never moved out of the lowest group in all the years he attended Harrow.
Albert Einstein seemed so slow and dull that his parents feared that he was mentally deficient. One observer has said, "Great minds and high talent, in most cases, cannot be hurried and, like healthy plants, grow slowly."
A pastor was giving a lesson to a group of children on the 23rd Psalm. He noticed that one of the little boys seemed disquieted by the phrase "Surely, goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life..."
"What's wrong with that, Johnny?" the pastor asked.
"Well," answered Johnny, "I understand about having goodness and mercy, for God is good. But I'm not sure I'd like Shirley following me around all the time."
"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us." -- Helen Keller
"Before you begin a thing, remind yourself that difficulties and delays quite impossible to foresee are ahead. You can only see one thing clearly, and that is your goal. Form a mental vision of that and cling to it through thick and thin." -- Kathleen Norris
"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." -- Art Linkletter
"Courage is fear holding on a minute longer." -- Unknown
"While your children are growing up, they might forget some of the sermons you've preached or act like they're not interested in the things of God. But they'll never forget your example. Live above reproach and let the light of Jesus shine brightly through you." -- Gloria Copeland
"True repentance hates the sin, and not merely the penalty; and it hates the sin most of all because it has discovered and felt God's love." -- W.M. Taylor
A Salvation Army lassie was informed by a policeman that a local ordinance would prevent her from ringing her bells to invite contributions. But such a crude law could not stop such an inventive woman. The next day she did a brisker business than ever as she waved one sign and then another in the air. The signs said "ding" and "dong."
Once Upon a Time Once upon a time there was a bunch of tiny frogs who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower.
A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants. The race began. No one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as:
"Oh, WAY too difficult!" "They will NEVER make it to the top." "Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!"
The tiny frogs began collapsing one by one, except for those, who in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher. The crowd continued to yell, "It is too difficult! No one will make it!" More tiny frogs got tired and gave up. But ONE continued higher and higher and higher. This one wouldn't give up!
At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower, except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top!
Then all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it. A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal.
It turned out that the winner was DEAF!
The wisdom of this story is: Never listen to other people's tendencies to be negative or pessimistic, because they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you -- the ones you have in your heart!
Always think of the power words have. "There's life and death in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21). Because everything you hear and read will affect your actions! Therefore: ALWAYS be.... POSITIVE! And above all: Be DEAF when people tell YOU that you cannot fulfill your dreams! Always think: God and I can do this! If you fall down 10 times, stand up 10 times.
In 1990, 86% of Americans claimed to be Christian and in 2009 the percentage of the faithful had dropped to 75%. Christianity is losing.
It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.
"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all." -- Laura Ingalls Wilder
"True repentance is to cease from sin." -- Ambrose of Milan
"They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel." -- Carl. W. Buechner
"You cannot reason with a hungry belly; it has no ears." -- Greek proverb
"Kindness makes a fellow feel good, whether it's being done to him or by him." -- Frank A. Clark
"Others can stop you at times--however, no one can stop you permanently--only you can do that." -- Ray Lammie
"One of life's most painful moments comes when we must admit that we didn't do our homework, that we are not prepared." -- Merlin Olsen
"It is far easier to leave angry words unspoken than to mend the heart those words have broken." -- Author Unknown
So far I've done alright, God. I haven't gossiped, haven't lost my temper, haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent. I'm very happy about this. But in a few minutes, Lord, I'm going to get out of bed. And from then on, I'm going to need a lot more help.
The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don't define them, or even seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them. - Denis Waitley
"Leadership is based on inspiration, not domination; on cooperation, not intimidation."-William Arthur Wood, author
"I have to have a raise," the man said to his boss. "There are three other companies after me."
"Is that so?" asked the manager. "What other companies are after you?"
"The electric company, the telephone company, and the gas company."
We never know what a tiny seed, planted at the right time (a word of encouragement, a deed of kindness), might become. "If you cannot pray like Peter, if you cannot preach like Paul, you can tell the love of Jesus, and say he died for all." On Father's Day next Sunday, if we are lucky, we remember our own fathers' love and support. Chances are it's not the big things that come to mind, but the everyday expressions of love which grew in us (like seeds) as we matured. Little things cast long shadows in the Kingdom of God.
I was getting to the point of my conversation when suddenly my train of thought pulled out of the station, leaving me on the platform.
My bathroom scales are also beginning to show signs of inflation.
It is so like our flesh to want to enjoy all the blessings and the benefits of our inheritance in Christ but not want to have to deny ourselves, make sacrifices, practice spiritual disciplines, or wage spiritual warfare.
If you’re not content with what God has already provided for you, you won’t be content with the things you think you want.
Don’t expect God to give you more if you haven’t taken possession of what He’s already given you.
Suspicious Delivery - There was an unexpected knock on my door, and like I always do I first opened the peephole and asked, "Who's there?"
"Parcel post, ma'am. I have a package that needs a signature."
"Where's the package?" I asked suspiciously. The deliveryman held it up. "Could I see some ID?" I said, still not convinced.
"Lady," he replied wearily, "if I wanted to break into your house, I'd probably just use these." And he pulled out the keys I had left in the door.
People grow and mature at different rates.
Thomas Edison's teacher said he could never amount to anything and advised his mother to take him out of school.
Winston Churchill was admitted to school in the lowest level classes and never moved out of the lowest group in all the years he attended Harrow.
Albert Einstein seemed so slow and dull that his parents feared that he was mentally deficient. One observer has said, "Great minds and high talent, in most cases, cannot be hurried and, like healthy plants, grow slowly."
A pastor was giving a lesson to a group of children on the 23rd Psalm. He noticed that one of the little boys seemed disquieted by the phrase "Surely, goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life..."
"What's wrong with that, Johnny?" the pastor asked.
"Well," answered Johnny, "I understand about having goodness and mercy, for God is good. But I'm not sure I'd like Shirley following me around all the time."
"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us." -- Helen Keller
"Before you begin a thing, remind yourself that difficulties and delays quite impossible to foresee are ahead. You can only see one thing clearly, and that is your goal. Form a mental vision of that and cling to it through thick and thin." -- Kathleen Norris
"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." -- Art Linkletter
"Courage is fear holding on a minute longer." -- Unknown
"While your children are growing up, they might forget some of the sermons you've preached or act like they're not interested in the things of God. But they'll never forget your example. Live above reproach and let the light of Jesus shine brightly through you." -- Gloria Copeland
"True repentance hates the sin, and not merely the penalty; and it hates the sin most of all because it has discovered and felt God's love." -- W.M. Taylor
A Salvation Army lassie was informed by a policeman that a local ordinance would prevent her from ringing her bells to invite contributions. But such a crude law could not stop such an inventive woman. The next day she did a brisker business than ever as she waved one sign and then another in the air. The signs said "ding" and "dong."
Once Upon a Time Once upon a time there was a bunch of tiny frogs who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower.
A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants. The race began. No one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as:
"Oh, WAY too difficult!" "They will NEVER make it to the top." "Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!"
The tiny frogs began collapsing one by one, except for those, who in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher. The crowd continued to yell, "It is too difficult! No one will make it!" More tiny frogs got tired and gave up. But ONE continued higher and higher and higher. This one wouldn't give up!
At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower, except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top!
Then all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it. A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal.
It turned out that the winner was DEAF!
The wisdom of this story is: Never listen to other people's tendencies to be negative or pessimistic, because they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you -- the ones you have in your heart!
Always think of the power words have. "There's life and death in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21). Because everything you hear and read will affect your actions! Therefore: ALWAYS be.... POSITIVE! And above all: Be DEAF when people tell YOU that you cannot fulfill your dreams! Always think: God and I can do this! If you fall down 10 times, stand up 10 times.
posted by joypastordon at 5:56 PM
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