Mother Teresa Said...
With God, nothing is impossible. I perceive the infinite greatness that we can tap into. I see how He can work through us. Because you and I have nothing on our own we need Him.
As the Bible says, God waits and looks.
Will we respond?
A LITTLE STORY
This is a story about four people named
Everybody,
Somebody,
Anybody, and
Nobody.
There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that
Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.
Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job.
Everybody thought Anybody could do it but
Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.
It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.
Too true to be that funny. Are you Somebody, Everybody, Anybody or Nobody when it comes to sharing Christ with others?
THROWING IT ALL AWAY
By Rich McLawhorn
"He who neglects the present moment throws away all he has." That
observation by Johann Friedrich von Schiller, a great German historian
and playwright, holds much truth for all of our lives.
Early one morning fire broke out in a house on a narrow street. The
fire spread quickly, and flames were leaping high into the air before
the fire engines could get to the scene.
A young man appeared at an upper window in his pajamas. Firefighters
quickly placed a ladder against the burning building, but the man
refused to come down. Instead, he yelled that he had to get dressed
first. The firefighters pleaded, "Come as you are! Come as you are!,
but to no avail.
The firefighters tried to climb the stairs from below, but they were
turned back by the flames. When a rescuer tried to enter through a
lower window, the heat and smoke forced him away.
Suddenly the walls and roof fell in. The man waited too long, and was
buried under the ruins.
How Does This Apply to Our Lives?
The man refused to immediately do what was best for himself because of
what someone might say about his appearance later. Thus, the young man
literally threw his life away.
We can make the same foolish mistake. I read about an experiment in
which a rat was placed in a box and shocked until it huddled in a
particular corner. To avoid future shocks, the rat soon learned to run
to that corner as soon as it was placed in the box.
How much of your life is spent avoiding the disapproving "shocks" of
those around you? Do you disregard your own beliefs, and compromise
who you are as a person, so others will like you?
That is easy to do, especially in matters of faith. Many people do not
live according to their beliefs because they are concerned about what
others will think or say. If that includes you, then in effect you are
throwing away the most significant part of yourself--your spiritual
life.
Instead of trying to become someone others will like in the future,
focus on God's love for you right now. Live each day according to
God's standards, no matter how people may react. Because some things
are too important to throw away--including yourself..
"Your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth."
Psalm 26:3
SANDBOX ROCK
Author Unknown
A little boy was spending his Saturday morning playing in his sandbox. He
had with him his box of cars and trucks, his plastic pail, and a shiny, red
plastic shovel. In the process of creating roads and tunnels in the soft
sand, he discovered a large rock in the middle of the sandbox. The lad dug
around the rock, managing to dislodge it from the dirt. With no little bit
of struggle, he pushed and nudged the rock across the sandbox by using his
feet. (He was a very small boy and the rock was very huge.)
When the boy got the rock to the edge of the sandbox, however, he found that
he couldn't roll it up and over the little wall. Determined, the little boy
shoved, pushed, and pried, but every time he thought he had made some
progress, the rock tipped and then fell back into the sandbox. The little
boy grunted, struggled, pushed, shoved -- but his only reward was to have
the rock roll back, smashing his chubby fingers. Finally he burst into tears
of frustration.
All this time the boy's father watched from his living room window as the
drama unfolded. At the moment the tears fell, a large shadow fell across the
boy and the sandbox. It was the boy's father. Gently but firmly he said,
"Son, why didn't you use all the strength that you had available?"
Defeated, the boy sobbed back, "But I did, Daddy, I did! I used all the
strength that I had!"
"No, son," corrected the father kindly. "You didn't use all the strength you
had. You didn't ask me."
With that the father reached down, picked up the rock, and removed it from
the sandbox.
Do you have "rocks" in your life that need to be removed? Are you
discovering that you don't have what it takes to lift them? There is One who
is always available to us and willing to give us the strength we need. When
the apostle Paul faced times of a broken spirit and sapped strength, he
proclaimed to the Corinthian church, "My grace is enough for you. When you
are weak, then my power is made perfect in you" (2 Corinthians 12:9b NCV).
When we are broken in spirit and our strength is spent, we can turn to our
Savior Jesus.
Appreciate What You Have
Today upon a bus, I saw a lovely maid with
golden hair. I envied her - she seemed so
gay - and wished I were as fair. When
suddenly she arose to leave, I saw the
cruel braces as she hobbled down the aisle;
a victim of polio was she. But as she passed
-- a smile!
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two straight feet. The world is mine!
And then I stopped to buy some sweets.
The lad who sold them had such charm.
I talked with him. He said to me, "It's nice
to talk with folks like you. You see," he said,
"I'm blind." Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two eyes. The world is mine!
Then walking down the street,
I saw a child with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched the others play.
It seemed he knew not what to do.
I stopped a moment, then I said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word
and then I knew.... He could not hear.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two ears. The world is mine!
With feet to take me where I'd go,
with eyes to see the sunset's glow;
with ears to hear what I would know --
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I'm blessed indeed. The world is mine!
Prayer for Peace
Send Thy peace, O Lord,
which is perfect and everlasting,
that our souls may radiate peace.
Send Thy peace, O Lord,
that we may think, act, and speak harmoniously.
Send Thy peace, O Lord,
that we may be contented and
thankful for Thy bountiful gifts.
Send Thy peace, O Lord,
that amidst our worldly strife
we may enjoy Thy bliss.
Send Thy peace, O Lord,
that we may endure all, tolerate all
in the thought of Thy grace and mercy.
Send Thy peace, O Lord,
that our lives may become a divine vision,
and in Thy light all darkness may vanish.
Send Thy peace, O Lord,
our Father and Mother,
that we, Thy children on earth,
may all unite in one brotherhood.
Amen
August 3 - Jesus Calling
Watch your words diligently. Words have such great power to bless or to wound.When you speak carelessly or negatively, you damage others as well as yourself. This ability to verbalize is an awesome privilege, granted only to those I created in My image. You need help in wielding this mighty power responsibly.
Though the world applauds quick-witted retorts, My instructions about communication are quite different: Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. Ask My Spirit to help you whenever you speak. I have trained you to pray—“Help me, Holy Spirit”—before answering the phone, and you have seen the benefits of this discipline. Simply apply the same discipline to communicating with people around you. If they are silent, pray before speaking to them. If they are talking, pray before responding. These are split-second prayers, but they put you in touch with My Presence. In this way, your speaking comes under the control of My Spirit. As positive speech patterns replace your negative ones, the increase in your Joy will amaze you.
Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
—Proverbs 12:18
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.
—James 1:19
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
—Ephesians 4:29
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