Son: Why is the month of February shorter than every other month?
Father: Because that is the month of Job’s birthday.
Son: How?
Father: Job cut off the tail of that month when he was sad.
Son: How did he do it?
Father: He prophesied: “Let the day perish wherein I was born… Let not God regard it from above… Let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months” (Job 3:3-6). In the New Living Translation, it says, “Let that night be blotted off the calendar, never again to be counted among the days of the year, never again to appear among the months” (v.6).
Son: So, what was Job’s birthday?
Father: February 30.
Son: What happened?
Father: When God answered Job’s prayer, February 30, his birthday, had to go, and with it February 31, leaving the month virtually with 28 days only. Occasionally the 29th day shows up, which was the day he lost his first set of sons and daughters, so that they can be mourned at least once every four years.
The word of God is so sweet and powerful that even nature is attracted by its power. Once upon a time there was a service at a Gennesaret seashore church. Jesus was the preacher. His pulpit was a hired canoe belonging to a discouraged fisherman who was ready to fold up for bad business. The man had “toiled all the night,” it was reported, without a single fish. He had the resources – good nets and a boat. He had the strength and the experience. He knew the right time and place to do that business. He toiled in the night in the deep sea. He was not a lazy man who did nothing but wait to blame his failures of fate. He worked hard. Yet, for all his labours at the right time in the right places with the right tools, he had the wrong results.
When Jesus asked for his boat, he had no hesitation to loan out for free the unfortunate business boat. In that boat he had known so much failure that if anyone thought he found a use for it, he was not going to hesitate for the fellow to try out his ‘luck,’ in...
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SPIRITUAL SYNERGISM
October 15, 2007
SPIRITUAL SYNERGISM
Several years ago a new breed of horses was tested in Canada. Researchers found that one horse could pull an eight-ton load. When they teamed two horses together they anticipated that the horses would pull 16 or 18 tons. To their surprise they pulled a 30-ton load.This is the principle of synergism. Synergism states that two or more objects working together can produce a greater effect than the objects working independently of each other.Spiritually, the Holy Spirit works in our relationships creating a spiritual synergism, referred to in Scripture as the principle of unity. Paul says, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph 4:3).Accomplishing your goals in life depends on your ability to work with others. The word unity means a state of oneness, agreement and coherence; the combination of separate parts into a connected whole;and different people working together for a common purpose.Jesus underscored the principle of synergism in prayer: “Again I tell you, that if any two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for it will be done for you by my... [More]
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Parable of the Pencil
October 15, 2007
Parable of the Pencil
The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. There are 5 things you need to know, he told the pencil, before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone’s hand.Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil.Three: You will be able to correct mistakes you will make.Four: The most important part of you will always be what's inside.And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.Now replacing the place of the pencil with you; always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.One: You will be able to...[More]
Posted at: 08:23 AM | 1 Comment | Add Comment | Permalink
WOULD YOU TAKE A WALK WITH ME?
October 6, 2007
I had a pretty good opinion of myself as being a good person, until a friend invited me to take a walk with him down a Road he knew of.
He used just a single book in the Bible to open my eyes to my relationship with GOD, and I haven’t been the same since.
He warned me that the trip might hurt some, and he was right because he started by revealing my real status before GOD.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
Then I learned about my sin’s penalty. For the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23a)
My friend went on to tell me that GOD loves me so much He offers an alternative called ‘eternal life’. …but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23b)
Then my friend showed me how GOD provided His Son JESUS CHRIST as an atoning sacrifice for all my sins. JESUS CHRIST took my penalty!
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
I wondered if GOD would accept me. I mean I have...
TO: Commander-in-Chief Spiritual Armed Forces, JESUS CHRIST
Dear JESUS:
I am writing this to You to request a transfer to a desk job.
I herewith present my reasons:
I began my career in Your Spiritual Armed Forces as a private, but because of the intensity of the battle You have quickly moved me up in the ranks.
You have made me an officer and given me such a tremendous amount of responsibility. There are many soldiers and recruits that are under my charge.
I am constantly being called upon to dispense wisdom, make judgments, and find solutions to some really complex problems out here.
You have placed me in a position to function as an officer, when in my heart I know I have only the skills of a private in Your Spiritual Armed Forces.
Now I realize that You have promised to supply me with all I would ever need for the battle. But Sir, I must present You with a realistic picture of my situation.
You see my uniform, was once so crisp and starched, is now stained with tears and blood from those I have tried to assist.
Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took the small boy to a concert featuring a renowned pianist.
After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her.
Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose from his seat and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE."
When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin,
the mother returned to her seat and discovered that her son was missing.
The curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive grand piano on stage.
In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."
At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."
Then, leaning over, the great pianist reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part.
Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obligato.
A 10-year-old boy decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training, the master had taught him only one move. "Sensei," the boy finally said, "Shouldn't I be learning more moves?" "This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever need to know," the sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training. Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals. This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He...
IT IS HUMAN to stand with the crowd; it is divine to stand alone. It is man-like to follow the people, to drift with the tide; it is God-like to follow a principle, to stem the tide.
It is natural to compromise conscience and follow the social and religious fashion for the sake of gain or pleasure; it is divine to sacrifice both on the altar of truth and duty.
"No man stood with me, but all men forsook me" (2 Timothy 4:16) wrote the battle-scarred apostle in describing his appearance before a civil court to answer for his life of believing and teaching contrary to the Roman world.
God's absolute, revealed Truth has been out of fashion since man changed his robe of fadeless light for a garment of faded leaves.
Noah built and voyaged alone. His neighbors laughed at his strangeness and perished in style.
Abraham wandered and worshipped alone. Sodomites smiled at the simple shepherd, followed the world's fashion, and fed the flames.
Daniel dined and prayed alone. Elijah sacrificed and witnessed alone. Jeremiah prophesied and wept alone. Jesus loved and died alone.
And of the lonely way His disciples should walk,...
"Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you......" James 4:8
Some of us have tried to have a daily quite time and have not been successful, while others have a hard time concentrating. All of us are busy, so rather than spending time with God, listening for His voice, we will let others spend time then tell us what God is saying. After all, isn't that why we pay preachers?
If that is your approach, if your spiritual experience are second hand and not first hand, I'd like to challenge you with this thought. Do you do that with other aspects of your life?
You don't do that with vacations? You don't do that with Romance? You don't let someone eat on your behalf, do you? There are certain things no one can do for you. one of those things is spending time with God.
