LIFE Stories

"Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." – Acts 17:11. We must respect our leaders but it is also important that we learn to study and know the Scriptures for ourselves and question everything we are taught to make sure it is what God's Word, the Bible. +++ Once an interesting experiment was conducted with some processionary caterpillars, which are called by this name because they blindly follow each other, one behind another. Food was placed in the center of a flower pot and caterpillars were positioned end to end so they formed a complete circle around the edge of the pot. They went round and around for seven days and nights until they dropped dead of starvation and exhaustion. With all the food they needed only a few inches away, they starved themselves to death. +++ Sad to say some people are like these cater

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" - Matthew 5:16. Please remember, God loves you just the way you are and has a will and plan for your life. Never allow the evil one to make you feel as if God has forgotten you or does not care about meeting your needs. We may sometimes feel worthless or not good enough to meet people's standards, but God will use our imperfections to meet the needs of others as He sees fit in His perfect and everlasting wisdom. +++ Once a farmer bought two water pots but unfortunately one had a hole in it. The farmer used both the pots to put water and bring them to his home. But the broken pot leaked continuously and that made him feel useless. The other pot feeling proud of himself, used to make fun and tease him when he spilled water. One day the broken pot could not stand this anymore and so went to the farmer and told him to throw him away. However, the farmer smiled and said, “

“I won a million dollars – but unfortunately because of an illness I became blind and paralyzed.” How many of us would like to trade places with that person? Not many. But we would prefer the former to the latter. This is selective listening. We are so focused on complaining about things we don't have that we lose sight of the things we have. There is a lot to be thankful for. The following example will shed light on: +++ A medical doctor was invited as a guest speaker to address a group of alcoholics. He wanted to make a demonstration that would be powerful enough to make people realize that alcohol was injurious to their health. He had two containers, one with pure distilled water and one with pure alcohol. He put an earthworm into the distilled water and the worm swam beautifully and came up to the top. He put the same earthworm into the alcohol and it disintegrated in front of everyone's eyes. He wanted to prove that this was what alcohol does to the insides of our body. He

Our response to God's grace should be to extend it to others; we love because He first loved us, therefore, let us love others as we are loved. +++ One afternoon a husband arrived home with sad news for his wife... HUSBAND: Honey, I just received a call, Mama passed away. Shall we go to town and get some necessities for the funeral? Please write a list and then we can go.” WIFE: A list won't be necessary; we'll just get a very few grocery items. HUSBAND: Is it going to be enough? WIFE: No need to waste money, of course it’s going to be enough! They left for town and after getting a few things. Once again, the husband asked his wife whether she was sure that would be all. She emphasized the issue of not wasting money on the funeral. They then hit the road towards the village and at a point took a turn to his wife's home. WIFE: Where are we going, thought you said we are going to the funeral, your Mama passed away. HUSBAND: Yes, we are going to the funeral; it’s YOUR Mama

We are to continually be thankful for the many gifts God has given us. It is easy for us to forget how blessed we are when we look at what others have and not focus on the blessings that we possess. A wise man once said that we should not look at the people who are living better than we are, but rather we should look at those who are not as fortunate because that is when we can be truly thankful for everything we have. I encourage you to remember your many blessings and don't allow yourself to take for granted the great gifts God has given you. I hope you are blessed and inspired by today's message that shows how we are not only to be thankful for what we have, but also we are to be helpful when the opportunity arises. +++ One Friday night as a family, my daughter, two sons, wife and I went to our favorite place for dinner. It was not long after we had placed our orders and sat down when a man with long hair and a scraggly mustache slumped into a booth near ours. He was awfully

“I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.” - John 10:10. Throughout the Bible, God has talked about wanting to bless us. That doesn’t always mean materially, but it doesn’t exclude it either. Christ came to earth to teach us how to live abundantly, fulfilled lives. If we follow His teachings, we will live to the fullest! +++ There is a story about a man in Europe who wanted to travel to the United States. In those days, the only way to get here was by ocean liner. He worked hard, saved up his money, and finally put together enough money to buy a one-way ticket. Then he bought a suitcase and filled it with cheese and crackers. That would be his food for the three-week journey. It was all he could afford. The ship set sail. Meal time came. All the other passengers went into the large dining hall to eat their meal. The man went to his suitcase and took out some cheese and crackers. While he could smell the delicious aromas coming from the mea

“ Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." – Proverbs 3:5-6. +++ There is a story about a mountain guide who lived in the mountains of North Wales. One day, two mountain climbers came to his cabin and asked if they could stay with him as they climbed the hill and mountains. The guide said yea, and asked the men if they needed a guide. "There is no need," said the men, "We don't need a guide, we have our compasses, we have our charts, we have our maps that will bring us back here." "But," said the guide, "I know the mountain tracks like the back of my hand; I know where the dangerous pits are, I know where the tall cliffs are, I know how to guide you around those and through those difficult places." But the men just said again and again, "But all of that is on the map, we can make it." Then the old guide smiled and said, &quo

But he [Jesus] answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'" - Matthew 4:4. +++ Some years ago Bishop Fulton Sheen was scheduled to speak at the Town Hall in an unfamiliar city. He decided to walk and, on the way, got lost. He saw some boys so asked them, "Can you tell me how to get to the Town Hall." "What are you going to do there?" asked one of the boys. "I'm going to give a lecture," replied the bishop. "About what?" asked the boy. "Oh, on how to get to heaven. Would you care to come along?" "Are you kidding?" said the boy, "You don't even know how to get to Town Hall!" +++ Wherever we're going, it helps to know the way… especially if we want to get through life successfully and go to heaven. Clear directions are available. They're all in the Bible. "Dear God, help me to be sure I know the wa

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" - Matthew 7:3. +++ Once a Priest told about a situation when a woman approached him to ask a question. As she drew closer to him, he tipped his head back to look through the bottom lenses of his bifocals to focus on her more clearly. 'There you go again!' the woman exploded. 'You stick your nose up in the air every time I talk to you! Who do you think you are? I'm sick of your arrogant attitude!' The Priest was taken aback by her outburst of anger. 'You don't understand,' he explained. 'I'm not sticking my nose up in the air at you. I just can't see you when you get near me. I'm tilting my head back so I can see you through the bottom half of my bifocals." +++ Sounds familiar, isn't it? Someone so rightly said, "We view things not only from different sides but with different eyes." Or to put i

"So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." - Galatians 5:1. +++ A female humpback whale had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighed down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, and a line tugging in her mouth. A fisherman spotted her and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her. They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed them gently around as if she was thanking them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful exper

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9. +++ When William Montague Dyke was a child, he was blinded in an accident, but he never allowed this handicap to deter him. He graduated with high honors from an English university and, while a student, fell in love with the daughter of a high-ranking British naval officer whom he was to marry. Before the wedding he had an eye operation in the hopes that it would restore his eyesight. However, he didn't want the bandages removed from his eyes until his wedding day when he stood before his bride to be. If the surgery failed, he would remain blind for the rest of his life. If successful, the person he wanted to see first was to be his bride. The wedding day arrived. The dignitaries and guests waited in anticipation as the organ played the wedding march and the bride, accompanied by her father and the groom's surgeon, slowly walked the aisle to the

“Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.” – Jeremiah 29:12. +++ Tom, a little boy, was to begin schooling soon. When the day arrived, that was his first day at school, he was so excited that he got up very early although his school starts at 9:30 am. He brushed his teeth, packed his bag, his snack box and dressed up. Then he went and woke up his parents telling them, “Come on, reach me to school.” His parents were surprised and wondered why he was so excited. However, they reached him to school. Tom attended school but when he came back, surprisingly, that excited and happy mood was no more. There was something different about him. This went on for many days and the mother who noticed this change called Tom and asked, “Tom, every day when you are going to school you are so energized, cheerful and bright, but when you are back, I don’t see the same excited feelings. Why is it so?” Tom replied, “I love school but not my teacher.” His mother as

It is important that we realize and always keep in mind that it is by the strength and power of Almighty God that we are successful in the things He has called us to do. If we depend on our own strength and will, then we will eventually burn out and fail. Spend time with the Lord and allow Him to refresh us. +++ A young man approached the foreman of a logging crew and asked for a job. "That depends," replied the foreman. "Let's see you fell this tree." The young man stepped forward and skillfully felled a great tree. Impressed, the foreman exclaimed, "You can start Monday." Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday rolled by - and Thursday afternoon the foreman approached the young man and said, "You can pick up your paycheck on the way out today." Startled, the young man replied, "I thought you paid on Friday." "Normally we do," said the foreman. "But we're letting you go today because you've fal

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. ” –  John 14:27. +++ Ramchand and Premchand were neighbors. Ramchand was a poor farmer. Premchand was a landlord. Ramchand used to be very relaxed and happy. He never bothered to close the doors and windows of his house at night. He had a deep sound sleep. Although he had no money he was peaceful. Premchand used to be very tense. He was very keen to close the doors and windows of his house at night. He could not sleep well. He was always bothered that someone might break open his safes and steal away his money. He envied the peaceful Ramchand. One day, Premchand called Ramchand and gave him a boxful of cash saying, “Look, my dear friend. I am blessed with plenty of wealth. I find you in poverty. So, take this cash and live in prosperity.” Ramchand was overwhelmingly happy. He was joyful throughout the day. Night came. Ramch

“He makes all things beautiful in His time…” – Ecclesiastes 3:11. +++ To: You Date: Today From: GOD Ref: LIFE This is GOD. Today I will be handling all of your problems for you. I do not need your help. So, have a nice day. I love you! P.S.  And remember... If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it yourself!  Kindly put it in the SFGTD (Something For God To Do) box. I will get to it in MY TIME. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now. - If you find yourself stuck in traffic, don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard-of privilege.  - Should you have a bad day at work; think of the man who has been out of work for years. - Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; think of the person who has never known what it

 Delayed Obedience is Disobedience... "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." – Jeremiah 29:13. +++ A boy told his father, "Dad, if three frogs were sitting on a limb that hung over a pool, and one frog decided to jump off into the pool, how many frogs would be left on the limb?" "No," the son replied. "There's three frogs and one decides to jump, how many are left?" The dad said, "Oh, I get it, if one decides to jump, the others would too. So there are none left." The boy said, "No dad, the answer is three. The frog only DECIDED to jump." +++ Sound familiar? We are great at making inspiring decisions, but oftentimes we only decide, and months later we are still on the same limb doing-nothing. In Luke 9:57-62 we read a similar example of people only deciding: “A man said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has n

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” – Galatians 6:7. Your future consequences are inevitably shaped by your present actions. +++ A woman has a dream where she wanders into a shop at the mall and finds Jesus behind the counter. Jesus says, 'You can have anything your heart desires.' Astounded but pleased, she asks for Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Self-control, Freedom of Fear. Then she adds, 'Not just for me, but for the whole earth.' Jesus smiles and says, 'I think you misunderstand me. We don't sell fruits, only seeds.' +++ It is true…what we sow is what we reap. - If we sow seeds of bitterness, we will reap bitterness. - If we sow seeds of disharmony, we will reap disharmony. - If we sow seeds of joy, we will reap joy. - If we sow seeds of love, we will reap love. So whatever you do, be sure to plant the seeds of whatever it is you want to reap. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, f

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." – John 13:34. +++ Relationships are truly the spice of life. When we get to the end of our life who wants to be the richest man in the cemetery? Not me, but I do want to be rich in loving relationships. I have no idea who the author is, but I have read the following commandments for getting along with people: 1. Speak to people – There is nothing as nice as a cheerful word of greeting. 2. Smile at people – It takes seventy-two muscles to frown and only fourteen to smile. 3. Call people by name – The sweetest music to anyone's ears is the sound of his or her name. 4. Be friendly and helpful – if you have friends, be friendly. 5. Be cordial – Speak and act as if everything you do is a genuine pleasure, but…make sure that it is. 6. Be genuinely interested in people – You can find something interesting about every person. 7. Be generous with praise… and cautious with criticism. 8. Be c

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." – Philippians 4:8. +++ William James, the father of American psychology, stated that, "the greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitude of mind [your thinking]." He also said, "If you change your mind, you can change your life." Think of Temptation for instance: First comes a thought; if we entertain it, it hooks our feelings, and the stronger we feel about it, the more we keep thinking about it, and the more we rationalize about doing it … and unless we nip that thinking in the bud, we give in to the temptation and act it out. +++ While what William James said is true, this truth wasn't discovered by his generation. Two thousand years ago God's word pointed out the importance of right thi

“Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” – Matthew 25:23. +++ Ben, a priest, was once filling the pulpit at a small church, when he was asked to conduct a funeral of an 80-year-old parishioner, Albert. Something he had never done before and was scared “half to death.” Since Ben had never met the deceased man and knew nothing about him, he asked members of the congregation in attendance at the funeral if they would speak a kind word or two about Ben. Silence. Nobody said a word. So Ben said, "Many of you knew Albert for a long time. Isn't there someone who can say something nice?" After a long pause a voice from the back of the room said, "Well, his brother was worse." +++ Hmmm … not a very nice way to be remembered. Have you ever given any thought as to what people would be saying about you at your funeral, or be written on your tombstone? I wou

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17. +++ This is a true story of one of the church members, an attorney, who after reading and meditating on several scriptures, decided to cancel the debts of all his clients that had owed him money for more than 6 months. He drafted a letter explaining his decision and its Biblical basis and sent 17 debt cancelling letters via certified mail. One by one, the letters began to return, unsigned and undelivered. Perhaps a couple people had moved away though not likely. 16 of the 17 letters came back to him because the clients refused to sign for and open the envelopes fearing that this attorney was suing them for their debts. +++ How profound! We owe a debt for our sin and God is willing to cancel it but too many people will not even open the letter that explains that. Are you guilty of n

 *HAPPY PENTECOST SUNDAY!*  Sisters and brothers, today we celebrate the feast of Pentecost, the feast of the Holy Spirit, the birth of the Church. Before Jesus could leave the earth He promised that He was going to send us an Advocate that is the Holy Spirit who will help us, guide us and teach us. +++ Once a Dad took his young son out into the backyard of their garden and he showed his son a huge boulder. He told his son, “I want you to move this boulder from this end of the garden to the other end and I want you to use everything within your capacity to push this boulder. The son was very confident, very enthusiastic and he said, “Yes Dad, I am going to do it.” The son pushed and pushed but it never moved even an inch. So he tried all the more harder. He used all his strength and kept pushing but nothing happened, it did not move an inch. Finally, after about an hour the son was totally tired, sweating and exhausted. He says, “Dad, I give up.” Then the dad asked him, “Son, did you u

"Around mid-afternoon [from the cross] Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly … 'My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?'" – Matthew 27:46. +++ Once a young father wrote about the following experience: “My Nine-Year-old daughter Jennifer was looking forward to our family's mini-vacation, but when our vacation arrived, she became ill, and a long-anticipated day at Sea World was replaced by an all-night series of CAT scans, X-rays, and blood work at a hospital. As morning approached, the doctors told my exhausted little girl that she needed to have one more test, a spinal tap. The procedure would be painful, they said. I was in the room not wanting to leave Jennifer alone during her ordeal. The doctor gently asked Jennifer to remove all her clothing and then they had her curl into a tiny ball. I buried my face in hers and hugged her. Jennifer cried as the needle went in. As the searing pain increased, she sobbingly repeated, "Daddy, Daddy,

"Then Jesus said to them, 'Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.'" – Luke 12:15. +++ Saul DeVries was a billionaire who made his fortune during the great depression. Born of immigrant parents, he grew up in poverty. But as a young adult he had an idea, a vision of how he might become a rich man. Realizing that in the depression years, people were unable to buy new appliances or to remodel their kitchen and bathrooms, Saul decided what was needed was a single product that would clean appliances and keep things sparkling. So, Saul invented an all-purpose cleaner, the 1st of its kind, called Spic and Span®. It sold well throughout the depression years and continues to do so today. He made billions from his vision and literally cleaned up!" When Saul died, in accordance with his will his body was cremated and the ashes were poured down his kitchen sink. Although he was a billionaire, because he d

"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron." – 1 Timothy 4:1-2. +++ Some time ago I read about a man who bought a car that had replaced warning lights with spoken instructions from a woman. In a soft voice, his little woman, as he called her, would say, "Your door isn't closed properly." "Your key is still in the ignition." "Your seatbelt isn't fastened properly." On one occasion, he recalled how the voice of his little woman said, "Your fuel level is getting low." The driver thanked her and, figuring he had sufficient fuel to take him fifty more miles, ignored the voice and kept driving. Soon his little woman repeated, "Your fuel level is low." The longer he drove, the more his little woman repeated her warning. Getting frustrated,

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit." Luke 1:41. +++ “Wonderful Lord, on the Feast of Mary's visit with Elizabeth, we are reminded that You are a God of joy and that You always fulfill Your promises. We ask the Blessed Mother to intercede for us when we feel discouraged, so that our soul may always magnify You, O Lord.   Dearest Mother, you are the first missionary, who took our Lord Jesus to your cousin Elizabeth and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. We ask that you also bring our Lord Jesus to us in this present life, and after this our exile, show unto us, the Blessed Fruit of thy womb Jesus; O Clement, O Loving, O Sweet Virgin Mary. Blessed Mother Mary, pray for us. Amen!” +++ - Like the Ark of the Covenant of old, Mary brings God’s presence into the lives of other people. - As David danced before the Ark, John the Baptist leaps for joy. - As the Ark helped to unite the 12 tr

+++ An old beggar lay on his deathbed. His last words were to his youngest son who had been his constant companion during his begging trips.  “Dear son," he said, “I have nothing to give you except a cotton bag and a dirty bronze bowl which I got in my younger days from the junk yard of a rich lady.” After his father’s death, the boy continued begging, using the bowl his father had given him. One day a gold merchant dropped a coin in the boy’s bowl and he was surprised to hear a familiar clinking sound.   “Let me check your bowl,” the merchant said. To his great surprise, he found that the beggar’s bowl was made of pure gold.   “My dear young man," he said, “why do you waste your time begging? You are a rich man. That bowl of yours is worth at least 50 thousand dollars.”  +++ We Christians are often like the old beggar and his youngest son who have failed to recognize and appreciate the value of his bowl. We fail to appreciate the infinite worth of The Holy Spirit living with

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." – 1 Thessalonians 5:18. +++ Into the shell of an oyster a tiny foreign body—such as a tiny parasite—finds its way into the soft oyster body. The intruder, though microscopic, is a source of irritation and pain to the soft body of the oyster. Unable to rid itself of the unwelcome 'guest,' the oyster seeks to reduce the irritation by coating it with layers of soft, iridescent mother-of-pearl material from its own shell. Over time, the oyster transforms a painful irritation into a beautiful pearl of great value. +++ Most of us have "tiny parasites" or annoying "pebbles" that come into our life on a regular basis … many of which can be very frustrating and even painful. But every one of these annoyances gives us a chance to grow and mature. - Some will require great patience, others tough love. - Some will require our turning the other cheek. - Some confrontation, and -

“Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” – Luke 12:15. +++ A student asked his teacher, “What is Greed?” The teacher said, “In order to answer your question, go through the chocolate factory next to our school and pick the one chocolate you like the most. But there is a rule. As you pass through the factory, you cannot turn back. You must pick the chocolate as you go forward only.” The student went to the chocolate factory. As he walked through, He saw the one chocolate wrapped nicely, he instantly liked it but he wondered that he may find much bigger one further. So, He walked further, then he saw another chocolate. But again, he thought the same. When he started to reach near the end of the factory, he couldn’t see any chocolates as big as the one he didn’t pick earlier and started to regret his decision of letting it go. Finally, he gave up. He went back to the teacher with an empty hand and explained

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9. +++ A man wanted to get married, but he didn't know whom to marry. So he prayed to God, “Lord, open my eyes or reveal to me whom to marry.”  After the prayer, God showed him a poor blind woman in his church, and told him to marry the blind woman.  The man refused and went back to God in prayers, he prayed many times, and after the prayer, God still revealed the same blind woman to him as his wife. So he had no other option than to marry the woman, they fixed a date for their wedding. It so happened, on the day of their wedding, behold! The eyes of the woman opened and she began to see, everybody was happy and some were surprised. From that day, the spirit of blindness was rolled away from the life of that woman. +++ Note: God knows why he kept you in the condit

"Then Jesus said, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?” – Luke 17:17. +++ A television plot portrayed two best friends caught in a tense situation. They both loved the same woman. Later the two men were competing against each other in a parachute competition. Both jumped out of the plane at the same time. But when one of the men pulled his ripcord, his chute failed to open. His death seemed sure. However, the other man noticed his predicament,maneuvered into position through freefall, and tied himself to his friend's tangled canopy. Then he opened his own chute. The pair came down together and landed safely. But the real shock came after they had hit the ground.The rescued friend got up and walked away without even thanking the one who saved him. +++ Now, this story is fictitious, but it sounds a little like the real-life event described in Luke 17. Ten lepers, on their way home from a meeting with Christ, suddenly realized that He had healed them of their dreadful

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its variou forms." (1 Peter 4:10). +++ One of the most beautiful books to read is "Die Empty" by Todd Henry. The author was inspired and got this idea of writing this book while attending a business meeting.  At the meeting, the Director asked the audience: "Where is the richest land in the world?" One in the audience answered: "Oil-rich Gulf states." Another replied: "Diamond mines in Africa." Then the Director said: "No, it is the Cemetery. Yes, it is the richest land in the world, because millions of people have departed, died and they carried many valuable ideas that did not come to light nor benefit others. It is all in the cemetery where they are buried." Inspired by this answer, Todd Henry wrote his book, "Die empty" where he did his best to motivate people to pour out their ideas and potential e

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5. +++ Mark Twain, the famous American author and humorist, who lived in the late 1800s, tells a story that he put a dog and a cat in a cage together as an experiment, to see if they could get along. They did. So, he put in a bird, a pig and a goat. They, too, got along fine after a few adjustments. Then, he put in a Baptist, a Presbyterian and a Catholic, but hell broke loose. +++ Mark Twain did not even bother putting together a Christian, a Muslim and a Hindu, that was unthinkable in his days. In today's world, however, it has become obvious that Christians live in the same cage, in the same city, in the same world, with people of other religions and people without any religion. Sisters and brothers, we have heard phrases like: - "Unity is strength" or, - "United we stand, divided we fall." We are called to, first of

This story is a call to humility, a call to servant-hood, a call to overcome any perceived weaknesses and live an honorable and decent life, all for God's glory. +++ His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans and no shoes. This was literally a wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He is brilliant. Kind of esoteric and very, very bright. He became a Christian recently while attending college. One day Bill decides to go to church. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and So Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat. The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything. Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit and, when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet. (Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college fellowship, trust me, this had never happe

“And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching." - Hebrews 10:24-25. +++ A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the Priest decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The Priest found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his Priest’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a big chair near the fireplace and waited. The pastor made himself comfortable but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the play of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the Priest took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet fascination. As the one lon

Salty…Add Extra Curd… +++ On a Sunday afternoon a family gathered over the lunch table to have their favourite Mutton Biryani. Wife was serving both her Son and her Husband. After the food was served, the husband tasted the Biryani along with Raita and started yelling at his wife for adding extra salt in the Raita. She opened the refrigerator and added some curd to it and she served it again. After tasting it the husband said “You should have done it properly and checked it before serving it to us, because of the extra salt, you have spoiled my mood of eating Biryani.”  After some time, the son and the father completed their lunch and the wife served herself and completed her lunch. While she was washing the vessels, her son came to meet her and he saw his mother with tears in her eyes. When he inquired why she was crying, she just wiped her tears and said “nothing” and asked him what he wanted. He asked for some money and she told him to take it from her purse.  After some years, the

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” – Deuteronomy 31:8. +++ The man whispered, "God, speak to me" And a meadowlark sang. But, the man did not hear. So the man yelled, "God, speak to me" And the thunder rolled across the sky. But, the man did not listen. The man looked around and said, "God let me see you." And a star shined brightly. But the man did not see. And, the man shouted, "God show me a miracle." And, a life was born. But, the man did not notice. So, the man cried out in despair, "Touch me God, and let me know you are here." Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man. But, the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on. This is a great reminder that God is always around us in the little and simple things that we take for granted even in our electronic age, so I would like to add one more: The man cried, "God, I need

“Make me know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.” – Psalm 25:4. +++ She was a whore, prostitute, harlot, or whatever word we want to use. The fact is she sold her body for profit. Then a moment came that changed everything for her. Rahab lived in the city wall of Jericho. She not only sold her body but provided rooms for visitors. Two of those visitors were spies that were sent by Joshua to look for any weakness in the city. Unfortunately, word got out that the spies were at her house so she hid them and told the soldiers that they had already left.  Until that moment, Rahab had nothing but a regrettable life to offer God, but in that instance, she gave God the only thing she could...her faith! Hiding the spies and betraying her city would most certainly mean instant death. Yet, she chose to believe God and act on her faith. At that moment, God overlooked her lifestyle and looked at her heart.  Not only were Rahab and her family saved, but she went from being a prostitute to becom

“Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.” – Romans 14:13. +++ Once upon a time, there was a man who was very helpful, kind hearted, and generous. He was a man who would help someone without asking anything to pay him back. He will help someone because he wants to and he loves to. One day while walking into a dusty road, this man saw a purse, so he picked it up and noticed that the purse was empty. Suddenly a woman with a policeman shows up and gets him arrested. The woman kept on asking where he hid her money but the man replied, “It was empty when I found it, Ma’am.” The woman yelled at him, “Please give it back, It’s for my son’s school fees.” The man noticed that the woman really felt sad, so he handed all his money. He could say that the woman was a single mother. The man said, “Take these, sorry for the inconvenience.” The woman left and the policeman held the ma

You don’t have to leap and jump over hurdles to make someone feel good. It just takes a smile or a hug or a joke or holding the door for someone or being a good listener or sharing, etc. to bring someone out of their shell. Sometimes, these small gestures mean the most. +++ I got on to the bus. Seeing the crowd inside, I was upset. There was no place to sit. Just then, a person vacated his seat. The man standing next to the vacant seat could have sat there, but instead he offered the seat to me. At the next stop, the same thing happened again. He gave his seat to another. This happened 4 times during the entire journey. The man looked like a normal worker, returning home after a long day at work. At the last stop when all of us got off, I spoke to him.  "Why were you giving your seat to another person every time you got a vacant seat?" His answer took me by surprise. "I haven’t studied much in my life nor do I know many things. I don't have much money either. So I do

  “If God is for us, who can be against us?” – Romans 8:31.   +++    The song "It Is Well With My Soul" was written by a successful Christian lawyer Heratio Spafford.  His only son died at age 4 in 1871. In 1872, the great Chicago fire wiped out his vast estate, which made from a successful legal career. In 1873 he sent his wife & 4 daughters over to Europe on a summer trip on the ill-fated SS Ville du Havre. (A steamship that  sank in 12 minutes with the loss of 226 lives. ) Since he had a lot of work to do, he planned to follow them later. The Ship sank and he lost his 4 daughters with his wife being the only survivor. She sent him a famous telegram which simply read,  "SAVED ALONE...." On his return home, his Law firm was burned down and the insurance company refused to pay him, saying, "It's an Act of God". He had no money to pay for his house and no work, he also lost his house.  Then while sitting and thinking about what's hap