Community Chat

[gloriajean]

We are often called upon by God as His means to care for His people.

Lord, I am here to serve You and am ready to do Your work.

Scripture for the day:

"But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and

persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act--they will be

blessed in their doing." ~James 1:25

Meditation for the day:

When something happens to upset us and we are discouraged, we can try to

feel that life's difficulties and troubles are not intended to arrest

our progress in the spiritual life, but to test our strength and to

increase our determination to keep going. Whatever it is that must be

met, we can either overcome it or use it. Nothing need daunt us for

long, nor need any difficulty entirely overcome or conquer us. God's

strength is always there, waiting for us to use it. Nothing can be too

great to be overcome, or if not overcome, then used.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may know that there can be no failure with God. I pray

that with God's help I may live a more victorious life.

Greetings to you, my friends! Again I challenge you to name at least 3

blessings that God has granted you for the day - mine are 1), The day went

well with having Lori's dog here, 2) went to a talk at our Church tonight -

for the Year of Faith, and that was great, also 3) lots of visiting with our

friends there, and Father again cooked a free meal for us all. Prayers

going for you all, thanks for praying for us.

THE WHIPPING

There was a class of young people that no teacher was able to handle. Two

or three teachers had been run off from school this year by these young

people. Finally a young man out of college heard about the class and

applied to the school. The principal asked the young man "Do you not know

what you are asking for, no one has been able to handle these young people,

you are just asking for a terrible beating." After a few moments of silent

prayer, the young man looked at the principal and said "Sir, with your

consent I accept the challenge, just give me a trial basis."

The next morning the young man reported for class. He said to the class

"Young people, I came here today to conduct school, but I realize I can't do

it by myself, I must have your help. One big boy, they called Big Tom, in

the back of the room whispered to his buddies" I'll not need any help, I can

lick that little bird all by myself." The young teacher told the class if

they are to have school, there will have to be some rules to go by. He also

added that he will allow the students to make up the rules and he will list

them on the blackboard. One young man suggested "NO STEALING". Another one

shouted "BE ON TIME FOR CLASS." Pretty soon they had 10 rules listed on the

board. The teacher had then asked the class what the punishment should be

for breaking these rules. Rules are no good unless they are enforced.

Someone in the class suggested that if the rules were broken, they should

receive 10 licks with a rod across their back with their coat off. The

teacher thought that was pretty harsh, and asked the class would they stand

by this punishment. The class agreed.

Everything went pretty good for two or three days. Finally Big Tom came in

one day very upset. He reported that someone had stolen his lunch. After

talking with the students they came to the conclusion that Little Jim had

stolen Big Tom's lunch. The teacher called Little Jim up to the front of

the room and asked him to remove his coat. That little fellow came up the

aisle with a great big coat on. Little Jim approached the teacher and said

" I am guilty and am willing to take my punishment but please don't make me

take off my coat." The teacher reminded Little Jim of the rules and their

punishments and asked him again to remove his coat and take his punishment

like a man. That little fellow started to unbutton that old coat, and the

teacher saw that he did not have a shirt on under the coat. The teacher

asked Little Jim why he came to school without a shirt on. Little Jim said

"My daddy's dead and my mother is very poor, I don't have but one shirt and

my mother is washing it today. I wore big brother's coat to keep my little

body warm."

That young teacher stood and looked at the frail back and wondered how he

could lay a rod on that little back without even a shirt on. He knew if he

didn't enforce the punishment, the children would not obey the rules, so as

he drew back to strike Little Jim, Big Tom came down the aisle. Big Tom

asked "Can I take Little Jim's whipping for him" The teacher agreed and Big

Tom ripped his coat off and stooped over and the teacher began to lay the

rod on that big back. But for some strange reason after only five licks,

that old rod just broke in half. The young teacher buried his face in his

hands and began to sob. He heard a commotion and looked up to find not even

one dry eye in the room. Little Jim had run and grabbed Big Tom around the

neck, apologizing to him for stealing his lunch, and explained that he was

so very hungry. Little Jim begged Big Tom to forgive him. He told Big Tom

that he would love him till the day he died for taking his whipping for him.

Aren't you glad that Jesus took our whipping for us, that He shed his

precious blood on Calvary so that we can have eternal life in Glory with

Him? We are unworthy of the price He paid for us, but aren't you glad He

loves us that much?

-- Author Unknown

Live Your Prayers

I knelt to pray when day was done

And prayed, "O Lord, bless everyone,

Lift from each saddened heart the pain

And let the sick be well again."

And then I woke another day

And carelessly went on my way,

The whole day long I did not try

To wipe a tear from any eye.

I did not try to share the load

Of any brother on the road.

I did not even go to see

The sick man just next door to me.

Yet once again when day was done

I prayed, "O Lord, bless everyone."

But as I prayed, into my ear

there came a voice that whispered clear,

"Pause now, my child, before you pray.

Whom have you tried to bless today?

God's sweetest blessings always go

by hands that serve him here below."

And then I hid my face and cried,

"Forgive me, God, I have not tried,

But let me live another day

and I will live the way I pray."

~ Author Unknown ~

THE VISITOR

Author Unknown

One day, a man went to visit a church. He arrived early, parked his

car, and got out. Another car pulled up near him, and the driver told

him, "I always park there. You took my place!"

The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat, and

sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated,

"That's my seat! You took my place!" The visitor was somewhat

distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing.

After Sunday School, the visitor went into the church sanctuary and

sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, "That's where I

always sit. You took my place!" The visitor was even more troubled by

this treatment, but still said nothing.

Later, as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them,

the visitor stood, and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars

became visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet. Someone from the

congregation noticed him and called out, "What happened to you?"

The visitor replied, "I took your place."

ONE SOLITARY LIFE

Author Unknown

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 traveled 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.

Twenty 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?

Fasting

"When you fast do not look gloomy," Jesus says (Matthew 6:16). Today's

consumer society looks on fasting itself as gloomy. Urging everyone to eat,

drink, and buy more and more, our world today has made fasting

unfashionable.

Yet the gospel message says more and more can ruin human life. An

acquisitive spirit is a selfish spirit. And as the alarming numbers of

people addicted to drugs and alcohol today prove, the taste for too much can

destroy.

Food and drink, clothes and amusements - the good things of life - can turn

into your captors, Jesus teaches. In our acquisitive, pleasure-oriented

society, fasting is a way of keeping ourselves free.

This Lent, recognizing the hold things have on us, let us try, with God's

help, to keep them in their right place. Some reasonable abstaining from

food, drink and entertainments can help us do that.

Indeed today we have new compelling reasons for taking fasting seriously. As

the resources of our planet are increasingly threatened, it becomes clear

that the human family, especially those living in affluent nations, can no

longer be unlimited consumers. We must develop a leaner, less wasteful way

of life.