Act Like A Mule

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule 'braying' - or - whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened ... and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back ... a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back ... HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This he did, blow after blow. "Shake it off and step up ... shake it off and step up ... shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought 'panic" and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!

You're right! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, STEPPED TRIUMPHANTLY OVER THE WALL OF THAT WELL! What seemed like would bury him, actually blessed him ... all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

THAT'S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity ... THE ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT AND BLESS US!
Remember that FORGIVENESS--FAITH--PRAYER--PRAISE and HOPE ... all are excellent ways to "SHAKE
IT OFF AND STEP UP" out of the wells in which we find ourselves!
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

Eagles In A Storm

Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks?
The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, the eagle sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it. The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.
When the storms of life come upon us – and all of us will experience them – we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow God’s power to lift us above them.
God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure, and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above the storm. Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.
The Bible says : “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.” – Isaiah 40:31.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

If I Knew

by Norma Cornett Marek
If I knew it would be the last time
that I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time
that I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time
I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time,
I could spare an extra minute
to stop and say "I love you,"
instead of assuming you would know I do.

If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
Well I'm sure you'll have so many more,
so I can let just this one slip away.

For surely there's always tomorrow
to make up for an oversight,
And we always get a second chance
to make everything just right.

There will always be another day
to say "I love you,"
And certainly there's another chance
to say our "Anything I can do?"

But just in case I might be wrong,
and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you
and I hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow,
why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
you'll surely regret the day,

That you didn't take that extra time
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss
And you were too busy to grant someone,
what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today,
and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
and that you'll always hold them dear

Take time to say "I'm sorry," "Thank you,"
"Please forgive me," or "It's okay."
And if tomorrow never comes,
you'll have no regrets about today.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

Keep Your Fork

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order," she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wished. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in .
Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman something very important to her.
"there's one more thing," she said excitedly. "What's that?" came the pastor's reply.
"This is very important," the young woman continued.
"I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."
The pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say. "That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman asked.
"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor.
The young woman explained. "My grandmother once told me this story, and from there on out, I have always done so. I have also, always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!
So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the fork?"
Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork the best is yet to come." The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye.
He know this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven that he did.
She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something that something better was coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand.
Over and over, the pastor heard the question "What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled.
During his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her.
The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be about to stop thinking about it either.
He was right.
So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you ever so gently that the best is yet to come.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

A Good Day

"What Kind of Day Shall I Have?"

I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the day ends.
I have responsibilities to fulfill today. I am important.
My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.

Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or ...
I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.

Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or
I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan
my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today I can grumble about my health or
I can rejoice that I am alive.

Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me
when I was growing up or ...
I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.

Today I can cry because roses have thorns or ...
I can celebrate that thorns have roses.

Today I can mourn my lack of friends or ...
I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.

Today I can whine because I have to go to work or ...
I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.

Today I can complain because I have to go to school or ...
I can eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.

Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or ...
I can feel honored because Life has provided shelter for my mind, body, and soul.

Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the
sculptor who gets to do the shaping.

What today will be like is up to me

Have a GREAT DAY ... unless you have other plans
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

The Missing Day

Did you know that the space program is busy proving that what has been called "myth" in the Bible is true? Mr Harold Hill, President of the Curtis Engine Company in Baltimore Maryland and a consultant in the space program, relates the following development.
I think one of the most amazing things that God has for us today happened recently to our astronauts and space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland. They were checking the position of the sun, moon, and planets out in space where they would be 100 years and 1000 years from now.
We have to know this so we won't send a satellite, up and have it bump into something later on its orbits. We have to lay out the orbits in terms of the life of the satellite, and where the planets will be so the whole thing will not bog down. They ran the computer measurement back and forth over the centuries and it came to a halt. The computer stopped and put up a red signal, which meant that there was something wrong either with the information fed into it or with the results as compared to the standards.
They called in the service department to check it out and they said "what's wrong ?" Well they found there is a day missing in space in elapsed time. They scratched their heads and tore their hair. There was no answer. Finally, a Christian man on the team said, "You know, one time I was in Sunday School and they talked about the sun standing still."
While they didn't believe him, they didn't have an answer either, so they said, "Show us". He got a Bible and went back to the book of Joshua where they found a pretty ridiculous statement for any one with "common sense."
There they found the Lord saying to Joshua ,"Fear them not, I have delivered them into thy hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee." Joshua was concerned because he was surrounded by the enemy and if darkness fell they would overpower them.
So Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still! That's right--"The sun stood still and the moon stayed---and hasted not to go down about a whole day!" The astronauts and scientists said, "There is the missing day!"
They checked the computers going back into the time it was written and found it was close but not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing back in Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes--not a whole day.
They read the Bible and there it was "about (approximately) a day" These little words in the Bible are important, but they were still in trouble because if you cannot account for 40 minutes you'll still be in trouble 1,000 years from now. Forty minutes had to be found because it can be multiplied many times over in orbits. As the Christian employee thought about it, he remembered somewhere in the Bible where it said the sun went BACKWARDS.
The scientists told him he was out of his mind, but they got out the Book and read these words in 2 Kings: Hezekiah, on his death-bed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah who told him that he was not going to die.
Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof. Isaiah said "Do you want the sun to go ahead 10 degrees?" Hezekiah said "It is nothing for the sun to go ahead 10 degrees, but let the shadow return backward 10 degrees.." Isaiah spoke to the Lord and the Lord brought the shadow ten degrees BACKWARD! Ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes! Twenty three hours and 20 minutes in Joshua, plus 40 minutes in Second Kings make the missing day in the universe!
References:
Joshua 10:8 and 12,13
2 Kings 20:9-11
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

The Son

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.
When the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.
About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.
The young man held out his package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."
The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.
"Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift." The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.
The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. on the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel.
"We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?" There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted. "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one." But the > auctioneer persisted. "Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?" Take the son? Another voice shouted angrily. "we didn't come to see this painting.. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!" But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"
Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the long time gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting. "Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.
"We have $10, who will bid $20?
"Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters."
$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?" The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son, They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel.
"Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!" A man sitting on the second row shouted. "Now let's get on with the collection!"
The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over." "What about the paintings?" "I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets every thing!"
God gave his son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, "The son, the son, who'll take the son?"
Because you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.
--author unknown
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

The Son

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.
When the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.
About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.
The young man held out his package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."
The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.
"Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift." The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.
The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. on the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel.
"We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?" There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted. "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one." But the > auctioneer persisted. "Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?" Take the son? Another voice shouted angrily. "we didn't come to see this painting.. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!" But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"
Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the long time gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting. "Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.
"We have $10, who will bid $20?
"Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters."
$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?" The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son, They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel.
"Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!" A man sitting on the second row shouted. "Now let's get on with the collection!"
The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over." "What about the paintings?" "I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets every thing!"
God gave his son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, "The son, the son, who'll take the son?"
Because you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.
--author unknown
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

A Prayer Principle

Jesus modeled and taught a praying lifestyle.

In Luke 11, Jesus responds to the disciples request to "teach us how to pray." To go the Jesus way, it is imperative that you learn His powerful prayer lessons and live them out each day.

The essence of Jesus' prayer perspective is rooted in His comparison of our Heavenly Father to a good earthly father. The Lord teaches in Luke 11: 11, "Which of you fathers, if your son asked for a fish would give him a snake instead? If then, you who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"

When God hears our prayers, He responds like a good Dad. But our Heavenly Father has the advantage of being all knowing and totally wise. Additionally, He loves His child and wants the ultimate best for them, not temporary entertainment. Therefore, no matter how good our cause, we cannot change God's mind or prompt Him to act outside of His plan. Let me give you a simple example.

Imagine that my daughter Alex, who is 15, comes to me and requests $300 to buy a 9mm pistol because she wants to take it to school as a protective measure. Regardless of her pleas for purchasing the pistol, I will say no to this request because it is inappropriate and could be harmful to her. Let's extend the analogy another step. Imagine Alex said, "Dad, I need $300 to buy some college textbooks. Even though I am only in 10th grade, I want to start preparing for my college career by studying molecular chemistry and quantum physics." I would lovingly express appreciation for Alex's thirst for knowledge, but explain to her that she is a 10th grader and it is important for her to enjoy her high school days. Therefore, I will not grant her request to provide money to purchase college textbooks. Lastly, imagine that Alex comes to me and says, "Dad, we're going on a youth

retreat and I need $300 for my fees and to bring an un-churched friend. Could you help me out?" With a sense of joy and delight, I would provide the cash because Alex has made a worthy request that needs fulfilling.

My friend, you may be assured that prayer is a powerful tool. We see unbelievers saved, the sick healed, and evil defeated. The Lord changes things everyday through our prayers. Furthermore, we have an opportunity to participate through His work as we talk with Him and obediently choose to serve His purposes.

Let me urge you to become a person of consistent prayer who trusts your Heavenly Father to wisely fill your requests in a way that helps you, expands His kingdom and glorifies His holy name.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

A Tale Of Two Sons

After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor once again slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit, and gave a very brief introduction of his childhood friend. With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit to speak,
"A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific Coast," he began, "when a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright, and the three were swept into the ocean." The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story. He continued, "Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life .... to which boy he would throw the other end of the line. He only had seconds to make the decision. The father knew that his son was a Christian, and he also knew that his son's friend was not.
The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves. As the father yelled out, ‘I love you, son!' he threw the line to his son's friend. By the time he pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beyond the raging swells into the black of night. His body was never recovered."
By this time, the two teenagers were sitting straighter in the pew, waiting for the next words to come out of the old man's mouth.
"The father," he continued, "knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus, and he could not bear the thought of his son's friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus. Therefore, he sacrificed his son. How great is the love of God that He should do the same for us."
With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room. Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man's side. "That was a nice story," politely started one of the boys, "but I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian."
"Well, you've got a point there," the old man replied, glancing down at his worn Bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face, and he once again looked up at the boys and said, "It sure isn't very realistic, is it? But I'm standing here today to tell you that THAT story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up His Son for me. You See- I was that friend -

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BP Oil Spill Prayer

By Jim Croft
Father God we humbly come before you asking for mercy. Your gracious intervention is the only solution for the sea life, inland wildlife estuaries and our citizens residing in the Gulf regions of the USA and beyond. As we do so, we want to remind you of your nature and ways. Lord you are the Greatest of Environmentalists. You make note of the deaths of seemingly insignificant sparrows. (Matt 10:29) It was you, Oh God, who wanted to withhold judgment against wicked Nineveh in the Prophet Jonah’s Day. You expressed concern for its livestock as well as its 120,000 inhabitants. (Jonah 4:11) Lord it was you who commanded ancient Israel to leave the edges of their fields uncultivated in order to provide safe cover and forage for birds and animals. Similarly, you commanded Israel not to make second gleanings of their crops so that food might be available for the poor. (Ex 23:11, Lev 19:9, 23, Deut 22:6) Lord, you have said of yourself that you do not change. We beseech you to now demonstrate your unchangeable character. Oh God, have mercy and intervene. Exhibit your love for the creatures and plant life of the sea by stopping the leak. Please protect our shores and inland marshes from further damage. Lord, have mercy on the masses of our citizens that are dependant on the waters and shores of the Gulf for their livelihoods from coming into the grip of poverty. Lord God, please prevent the oil spillage from making its way south on the Gulf Stream around Florida and then north to bring havoc to our Atlantic waters and shores.
Man has predicted terrible storms this season. Such storms could intensify the perils of the oil spill in the Gulf. Father God, you inspired your Son to still storms. You have not changed and Jesus is ever the same. Nullify the north bound flows of any storms originating south of the Gulf. We implore you to divert any East to West, America bound hurricanes to turn north in the Atlantic without making any landfalls in any inhabited locales.
Lord, you are the God of creativity and you inspire the same in man. Let your revelations about how to stop the leak; how to purify the waters; and how to cleanse the inland estuaries come to those whom you inspire. Oh God, you are the Loving God who miraculously purifies bitter and poisoned waters on behalf of mankind and animals. You did it for Moses and the children of Israel in the wilderness at Marah. (Ex 15:23-26) You did it for Elisha and the Jews of Jericho. (2 Kgs 2:19-22) Moses cast in a piece of tree wood to heal the waters and Elisha threw in salt. Those instances were under the Old Covenant and we have a better Covenant, established on better promises. (Heb 8:6) Through the atoning death of Jesus on a wooden cross you brought us into your Covenant of Grace. Our responses to others are to be seasoned with the salt of graciousness. (Col 4:6) Let it be so with your response to our intercessions.
Lord, nothing is too difficult for you. Changing water into blood and back again into water was one of your first signs to the Egyptians that you are the God of All. Jesus transformed water into wine to satisfy the needs of a family wedding. The livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of families and the lives of innumerable millions of water creatures and plants are at stake. Oh God, we beseech you to intervene with your mercy. Transform the waters of the Gulf into a purified state for the glory of your name. Do it by giving nautical engineers and scientists clever insights. Do it through a miraculous intervention that all will know came from you. But, please do it. Lord, we will give you honor and praise for doing so. In Jesus’ name, Amen

www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

BP Oil Spill Prayer

By Jim Croft
Father God we humbly come before you asking for mercy. Your gracious intervention is the only solution for the sea life, inland wildlife estuaries and our citizens residing in the Gulf regions of the USA and beyond. As we do so, we want to remind you of your nature and ways. Lord you are the Greatest of Environmentalists. You make note of the deaths of seemingly insignificant sparrows. (Matt 10:29) It was you, Oh God, who wanted to withhold judgment against wicked Nineveh in the Prophet Jonah’s Day. You expressed concern for its livestock as well as its 120,000 inhabitants. (Jonah 4:11) Lord it was you who commanded ancient Israel to leave the edges of their fields uncultivated in order to provide safe cover and forage for birds and animals. Similarly, you commanded Israel not to make second gleanings of their crops so that food might be available for the poor. (Ex 23:11, Lev 19:9, 23, Deut 22:6) Lord, you have said of yourself that you do not change. We beseech you to now demonstrate your unchangeable character. Oh God, have mercy and intervene. Exhibit your love for the creatures and plant life of the sea by stopping the leak. Please protect our shores and inland marshes from further damage. Lord, have mercy on the masses of our citizens that are dependant on the waters and shores of the Gulf for their livelihoods from coming into the grip of poverty. Lord God, please prevent the oil spillage from making its way south on the Gulf Stream around Florida and then north to bring havoc to our Atlantic waters and shores.
Man has predicted terrible storms this season. Such storms could intensify the perils of the oil spill in the Gulf. Father God, you inspired your Son to still storms. You have not changed and Jesus is ever the same. Nullify the north bound flows of any storms originating south of the Gulf. We implore you to divert any East to West, America bound hurricanes to turn north in the Atlantic without making any landfalls in any inhabited locales.
Lord, you are the God of creativity and you inspire the same in man. Let your revelations about how to stop the leak; how to purify the waters; and how to cleanse the inland estuaries come to those whom you inspire. Oh God, you are the Loving God who miraculously purifies bitter and poisoned waters on behalf of mankind and animals. You did it for Moses and the children of Israel in the wilderness at Marah. (Ex 15:23-26) You did it for Elisha and the Jews of Jericho. (2 Kgs 2:19-22) Moses cast in a piece of tree wood to heal the waters and Elisha threw in salt. Those instances were under the Old Covenant and we have a better Covenant, established on better promises. (Heb 8:6) Through the atoning death of Jesus on a wooden cross you brought us into your Covenant of Grace. Our responses to others are to be seasoned with the salt of graciousness. (Col 4:6) Let it be so with your response to our intercessions.
Lord, nothing is too difficult for you. Changing water into blood and back again into water was one of your first signs to the Egyptians that you are the God of All. Jesus transformed water into wine to satisfy the needs of a family wedding. The livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of families and the lives of innumerable millions of water creatures and plants are at stake. Oh God, we beseech you to intervene with your mercy. Transform the waters of the Gulf into a purified state for the glory of your name. Do it by giving nautical engineers and scientists clever insights. Do it through a miraculous intervention that all will know came from you. But, please do it. Lord, we will give you honor and praise for doing so. In Jesus’ name, Amen

www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

The Cross Room

The young man was at the end of his rope.
Seeing no way out, he dropped to his knees in prayer.
"Lord, I can't go on," he said.
"I have too heavy a cross to bear."
The Lord replied,
"My son, if you can't bear it's weight,
just place your cross inside this room.
Then open another door and pick any cross you wish."
The man was filled with relief.
"Thank you, Lord,"
he sighed, and did as he was told.
As he looked around the room he saw many different crosses;
some so large the tops were not visible.
Then he spotted a tiny cross leaning against a far wall.
"I'd like that one, Lord,"
he whispered. And the Lord replied,
"My son, that's the cross you brought in."
-Unknown
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Open Those Eggs

Imagine that I dump 10,000 plastic eggs in your back yard. I assure you that inside one of those hollow eggs is a check for $1 Million dollars with your name on it. Would you get discouraged if you opened the first 100 eggs without finding the check? How about the first 1000 eggs? Of course not ! You'd just keep opening those eggs, just waiting for the moment when you'd find the check. St. Paul knew the meaning of the word "suffering." He had been beaten, stoned, imprisoned, shipwrecked, starved, and rejected. And yet Paul said that his sufferings were nothing compared to the glory that would come. In other words, Paul had opened a lot of empty eggs, but he never gave up or got discouraged. He believed that something great was in his future - God's glory revealed in him. Perhaps it feels to you as if your life has been nothing but empty eggs. You've already opened 99000 of them and you're not sure you've got the will to go on. Let me encourage you today. Don't give up. I don't want to trivialize the challenges you are facing, but I do want to help you put them into perspective. They are only temporary, and God has something much greater in store for you. Compared to the glory that will be revealed in us one day, our suffering doesn't merit discouragement. Hang on. Don't give up. Keep going. One day God will replace your discouragement with incomparable glory!

No Do Overs

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending. God didn’t promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

Disappointments are like road humps, they slow you down a bit but you enjoy the smooth road afterwards. Don't stay on the humps too long. Move on!

When you feel down because you didn't get what you want, just sit tight and be happy, because God is thinking of something better to give you.

When something happens to you, good or bad, consider what it means. There's a purpose to life's events, to teach you how to laugh more or not to cry too hard.

You can't make someone love you, all you can do is be someone who can be loved, and the rest is up to the person to realize your worth.

The measure of love is when you love without measure. In life there are very rare chances that you'll meet the person you love and loves you in return. So once you have it don't ever let go, the chance might never come your way again.

It's better to lose your pride to the one you love, than to lose the one you love because of pride.

We spend too much time looking for the right person to love or finding fault with those we already love, when instead we should be perfecting the love we give.

When you truly care for someone, you don't look for faults, you don't look for answers, and you don't look for mistakes. Instead, you fight the mistakes, you accept the faults, and you overlook the excuses.

Never abandon an old friend. You will never find one who can take his place. Friendship is like wine, it gets better as it grows older.

Pass it on to your dear friends....

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God Is So Great

I was standing at the seat of judgment, waiting for my turn
Thinking of the houses and the treasures I would earn
Thinking of how I'd lived my life just as a Christian should
Thinking of how I'd always done what was right and what was good

I knew that when my turn would come with the Father and the Son
They would look at me and my life and say to me "Well Done"
I knew that I was sinless, and my life beyond reproach
I got more excited as my time began to approach

But just then I looked around and who should I see,
But the lady that I worked with, just down the hall from me
We always passed each other with a wave and a smile
And when the time would allow we would chat for a little while

We would talk about our jobs, our kids, and various little things
Our conversations always pleasant and laughter it would bring
Just then she looked up, and her teary eyes locked with mine
And my smile faded when I realized she was in the other line

She began to speak the words that broke my heart in two
It pains me now to remember as I share these words with you
She said "Why didn't you tell me about the God that you do know,
You went to church each week but never invited me to go?

You never told me of his saving mercy, that he died on the cross
And now it is to late for me and my soul's eternally lost
I see you saved yourself and that you are among the chosen few,
But tell me, couldn't you have made an effort, to try and save me too?"

Just then I sat straight up in bed, my heart pounding in my chest
Thank God it was just a dream, but my spirit still couldn't rest
I realized that I couldn't keep my God a secret among friends
But that I must learn to always share the hope that the gospel lends

So I encourage you not to wait until it is too late
Go and tell everyone you meet that your God is so, so great

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