A man's daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with her father. When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows.
An empty chair sat beside his bed. The minister assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit. "I guess you were expecting me, he said.
''No, who are you?" said the father. The minister told him his name and then remarked, "I saw the empty chair and I figured you knew I was going to show up."
"Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man.
"Would you mind closing the door?" Puzzled, the minister shut the door. "I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man.
"But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head."
"I abandoned any attempt at prayer,"
the old man continued, " until one day four years ago, my best friend said to me, "Johnny,
prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here is what I suggest Sit down in a chair; place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair."
"It's not spooky because he promised. I will be with you always. Then just speak to him in the same way you're doing with me right now."
"So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I'm careful though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm."
The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil, and returned to the church.
Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon.
"Did he die in peace?" he asked. "Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him."
"But there was something strange about his death. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on the chair
beside the bed. What do you make of that?"
The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said,
"I wish we could all go like that."
Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive.
I asked God for water, He gave me an ocean.*
I asked God for a flower, He gave me a garden.*
I asked God for a friend, He gave me all of YOU...
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Burned Biscuits (forwarded message)
When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner
every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she
had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening
so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely
burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if
anyone noticed!
Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask
me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that
night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that
ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing... never made a
face nor uttered a word about it!
When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom
apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget
what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then."
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if
he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and
said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real
tired. And besides - a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!"
As I've grown older, I've thought about that many times. Life is
full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I'm not the best at
hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like
everyone else. But what I've learned over the years is that learning
to accept each other's faults - and choosing to celebrate each others
differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a
healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.
And that's my prayer for you today... that you will learn to take the
good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the
feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able
to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!
We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is
the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or
friendship!
"Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep
it in your own."
So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine.
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind
of battle.
"Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point."
(AUTHOR UNKNOWN)
every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she
had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening
so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely
burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if
anyone noticed!
Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask
me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that
night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that
ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing... never made a
face nor uttered a word about it!
When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom
apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget
what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then."
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if
he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and
said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real
tired. And besides - a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!"
As I've grown older, I've thought about that many times. Life is
full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I'm not the best at
hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like
everyone else. But what I've learned over the years is that learning
to accept each other's faults - and choosing to celebrate each others
differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a
healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.
And that's my prayer for you today... that you will learn to take the
good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the
feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able
to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!
We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is
the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or
friendship!
"Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep
it in your own."
So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine.
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind
of battle.
"Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point."
(AUTHOR UNKNOWN)
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
The Silences of God
The Silences of God
(from “Experiencing God” by Henry & Richard Blackaby)
I went through a lengthy time when God was silent. You have probably had that experience too. I had been praying for many days, but God seemed to be totally silent. I sensed heaven was shut up, and I didn’t understand what was happening. Some people had told me that if God does not hear my prayer, I have sin in my life, but I had repented of and confessed all known sin. I could not understand God’s silence.
Do you remember a biblical person who had a problem like this? Job did. His counselors told him all his problems were caused by sin, while Job claimed he and God were on proper terms. Job did not know all God was doing during that time, but his counselors were wrong. God had another reason for His silence.
All I knew to do was to go back to God, believing that the God who was in a love relationship with me would let me know what was happening in my life when and if I needed to know. So I prayed “Heavenly Father, I don’t understand this silence. You are going to have to tell me what You are doing in my life”. He did – from His Word. This became one of the most meaningful experiences in my life.
I did not frantically search for an answer but continued my daily reading of God’s Word. I was convinced that as I regularly read the Word of God, the Spirit of God, who knew the mind of God for me – was in the process of helping me understand what God was doing in my life. God will let you know what He is doing in your life when and if you need to know.
One morning I was reading the account of the death of Lazarus (see John 11:1-45). John reported that Jesus loved Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. Although Jesus received word that His good friend was sick and at the point of death, He delayed going until Lazarus died. In other words, Mary and Martha asked Jesus to come help their brother when he was sick, and Jesus was silent. All the way through Lazarus’s final sickness and death, Jesus did not answer. They received no response from the One who said He loved Lazarus. Jesus even said He loved Mary and Martha. Yet He did nothing.
Lazarus died, and Mary and Martha went through the funeral process, preparing his body, putting him in the grave, and covering it with a stone. Still, God’s silence continued. Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s go.”
When Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been dead four days. Martha said to Jesus “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (v.32). Then the Spirit of God began to help me understand something. It seemed to me as if Jesus said to Mary and Martha: “You are exactly right, If I had come when you asked, your brother would not have died. You know I could have healed him, because you have seen Me heal people many time before. If I had come when you asked Me to, I would have healed him. But you would have never known any more about Me than you already understood. I knew you were ready for a greater revelation of Me than you had known before. I wanted you to experience that I am the Resurrection and the Life. My refusal and My silence were not rejection. They were opportunities for Me to disclose to you more of Me than you have ever known..”
When the truth dawned on me, I almost jumped out of my chair. I said “That’s what’s happening in my life! God’s silence means He is ready to bring into my life a greater revelation of Himself than I have ever known”. I immediately changed my whole attitude toward God. With great anticipation I began to watch for what God was going to teach me about Himself. Then some things happened that I might never have responded to without that readiness and anticipation.
Now when I pray and God is silent, I still pray through my sin checklist. Sometimes God’s silences are caused by sin in my life. If unconfessed sin is in my life, I confess it and make it right. If God is still silent after that, I get ready for a new experience with Him I have never previously experienced. Sometimes God is silent as He prepares to bring you to a deeper understanding of Himself. Sometimes His silence is designed to bring me into a state of absolute dependence on and trust in God. Whenever God is silent, continue doing the last thing God told you and watch and wait for a fresh encounter with Him.
You can respond to God’s silence in two ways. You can become frustrated, feel guilty or be impatient. Or you can expect that God is about to bring you to a deeper knowledge of Himself. These responses are as different as night and day.
Do you know what set me free? TRUTH. Truth is a Person who is actively involved in my life. The moment I understood what God might be doing, I adjusted my life to Him. I put away my discouragement and guilt. I quit feeling that maybe I was of no use to God and He wasn’t listening to me. I made the major adjustment in my life to an attitude of expectation, faith and trust. The moment I did, God began to show me how I could respond to Him in such a way that I would know Him on a deeper level.
(from “Experiencing God” by Henry & Richard Blackaby)
I went through a lengthy time when God was silent. You have probably had that experience too. I had been praying for many days, but God seemed to be totally silent. I sensed heaven was shut up, and I didn’t understand what was happening. Some people had told me that if God does not hear my prayer, I have sin in my life, but I had repented of and confessed all known sin. I could not understand God’s silence.
Do you remember a biblical person who had a problem like this? Job did. His counselors told him all his problems were caused by sin, while Job claimed he and God were on proper terms. Job did not know all God was doing during that time, but his counselors were wrong. God had another reason for His silence.
All I knew to do was to go back to God, believing that the God who was in a love relationship with me would let me know what was happening in my life when and if I needed to know. So I prayed “Heavenly Father, I don’t understand this silence. You are going to have to tell me what You are doing in my life”. He did – from His Word. This became one of the most meaningful experiences in my life.
I did not frantically search for an answer but continued my daily reading of God’s Word. I was convinced that as I regularly read the Word of God, the Spirit of God, who knew the mind of God for me – was in the process of helping me understand what God was doing in my life. God will let you know what He is doing in your life when and if you need to know.
One morning I was reading the account of the death of Lazarus (see John 11:1-45). John reported that Jesus loved Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. Although Jesus received word that His good friend was sick and at the point of death, He delayed going until Lazarus died. In other words, Mary and Martha asked Jesus to come help their brother when he was sick, and Jesus was silent. All the way through Lazarus’s final sickness and death, Jesus did not answer. They received no response from the One who said He loved Lazarus. Jesus even said He loved Mary and Martha. Yet He did nothing.
Lazarus died, and Mary and Martha went through the funeral process, preparing his body, putting him in the grave, and covering it with a stone. Still, God’s silence continued. Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s go.”
When Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been dead four days. Martha said to Jesus “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (v.32). Then the Spirit of God began to help me understand something. It seemed to me as if Jesus said to Mary and Martha: “You are exactly right, If I had come when you asked, your brother would not have died. You know I could have healed him, because you have seen Me heal people many time before. If I had come when you asked Me to, I would have healed him. But you would have never known any more about Me than you already understood. I knew you were ready for a greater revelation of Me than you had known before. I wanted you to experience that I am the Resurrection and the Life. My refusal and My silence were not rejection. They were opportunities for Me to disclose to you more of Me than you have ever known..”
When the truth dawned on me, I almost jumped out of my chair. I said “That’s what’s happening in my life! God’s silence means He is ready to bring into my life a greater revelation of Himself than I have ever known”. I immediately changed my whole attitude toward God. With great anticipation I began to watch for what God was going to teach me about Himself. Then some things happened that I might never have responded to without that readiness and anticipation.
Now when I pray and God is silent, I still pray through my sin checklist. Sometimes God’s silences are caused by sin in my life. If unconfessed sin is in my life, I confess it and make it right. If God is still silent after that, I get ready for a new experience with Him I have never previously experienced. Sometimes God is silent as He prepares to bring you to a deeper understanding of Himself. Sometimes His silence is designed to bring me into a state of absolute dependence on and trust in God. Whenever God is silent, continue doing the last thing God told you and watch and wait for a fresh encounter with Him.
You can respond to God’s silence in two ways. You can become frustrated, feel guilty or be impatient. Or you can expect that God is about to bring you to a deeper knowledge of Himself. These responses are as different as night and day.
Do you know what set me free? TRUTH. Truth is a Person who is actively involved in my life. The moment I understood what God might be doing, I adjusted my life to Him. I put away my discouragement and guilt. I quit feeling that maybe I was of no use to God and He wasn’t listening to me. I made the major adjustment in my life to an attitude of expectation, faith and trust. The moment I did, God began to show me how I could respond to Him in such a way that I would know Him on a deeper level.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
TRY ME
Smooth roads never make good drivers;
Smooth sea never makes good sailors;
Clear skies never makes good pilots.
Problem and hassle-free life never make a person strong;
Be strong enough to accept the challenges in Life.
Don't ask Life "why me?", instead say "TRY ME"
Smooth sea never makes good sailors;
Clear skies never makes good pilots.
Problem and hassle-free life never make a person strong;
Be strong enough to accept the challenges in Life.
Don't ask Life "why me?", instead say "TRY ME"
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
People in our life (forwarded message)
People come into your life for a Reason, a Season, or a Lifetime. When you know which one it is for a person, you will know what to do for that person.
我們這一生所遇到的人有三種, 是有原因的、是季節性的, 或是終身的。 當您知道您所遇到的人是那一種，您將知道如何對待那個人.
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend, and they are! They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Some times they act up and force you to take a stand.
當某人遇到您是因為有原因时，它通常是因為要達成您的需求。 他們來到您的生命裡是因為要來協助您通过難關，給予您教導和支持，來帮助您身體上, 精神上, 或心靈上的需求. 他們也許似乎像天賜，並且他們是! 他們來到您身邊是因為有原因的. 然後，在您沒有理由的情況下就结束這份友情. 也許是死亡, 也許是走開, 也許是因某事出問題因此強迫您離去.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered, and now it is time to move on.
我們必须體會的是我們的需求已完成了，我們的慾望已實現，他們的工作已完成了。 您的禱告也已有答案了，而且現在是要繼續往前的時候.
Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They bring you an experience of peace, or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.
某些人來到您的生命裡是季節性的, 因為輪到您來分享，成長或學習. 他們帶給您和平的經驗或者讓您笑。 他們也許教您您從未做過的事。 他們通常給您非凡的喜悅。 相信它是真實的! 但是，只是季節性而已.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons: things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
終身關係教您終身功課, 您必须建立一個堅定情感的基礎。 您的工作是接受這份功課，愛那個人, 將你所學習的功課, 來運用到所有與您有關係的人。 據說愛是盲目的，但是友誼的觀察是敏銳的.
Chinese : translated by Annie Hsu
我們這一生所遇到的人有三種, 是有原因的、是季節性的, 或是終身的。 當您知道您所遇到的人是那一種，您將知道如何對待那個人.
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend, and they are! They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Some times they act up and force you to take a stand.
當某人遇到您是因為有原因时，它通常是因為要達成您的需求。 他們來到您的生命裡是因為要來協助您通过難關，給予您教導和支持，來帮助您身體上, 精神上, 或心靈上的需求. 他們也許似乎像天賜，並且他們是! 他們來到您身邊是因為有原因的. 然後，在您沒有理由的情況下就结束這份友情. 也許是死亡, 也許是走開, 也許是因某事出問題因此強迫您離去.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered, and now it is time to move on.
我們必须體會的是我們的需求已完成了，我們的慾望已實現，他們的工作已完成了。 您的禱告也已有答案了，而且現在是要繼續往前的時候.
Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They bring you an experience of peace, or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.
某些人來到您的生命裡是季節性的, 因為輪到您來分享，成長或學習. 他們帶給您和平的經驗或者讓您笑。 他們也許教您您從未做過的事。 他們通常給您非凡的喜悅。 相信它是真實的! 但是，只是季節性而已.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons: things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
終身關係教您終身功課, 您必须建立一個堅定情感的基礎。 您的工作是接受這份功課，愛那個人, 將你所學習的功課, 來運用到所有與您有關係的人。 據說愛是盲目的，但是友誼的觀察是敏銳的.
Chinese : translated by Annie Hsu
Monday, March 17, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
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