Let It Go

There are people who can walk away from you. And hear me when I tell you this! When people walk away from you: let them walk. I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone.
When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left. The bible says that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us.
For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]
People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay. Let them go. And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means that their part in the story is over.
You've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead. You've got to know when it's dead. You've got to know when it's over.
Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it.
Stop begging people to stay. Let them go!! If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to...LET IT GO!!!
If you are holding on to past hurts and pains ...LET IT GO!!!
If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth...LET IT GO!!!
If someone has angered you ... LET IT GO!!!
If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge ... LET IT GO!!!
If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction ... LET IT GO!!!
If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents ... LET IT GO!!!
If you have a bad attitude...LET IT GO!!!
If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better... LET IT GO!!!
If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him..LET IT GO!!!
If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship.... LET IT GO!
If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves...LET IT GO!!!
If you're feeling depressed and stressed .... LET IT GO!!!
If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying "take your hands off of it," then you need to... LET IT GO!!!
Let the past be the past. Forget the former things. GOD is doing a new thing for 2005!!! LET IT GO!!!
Get Right or Get Left ... think about it, and then LET IT GO!!!
God Bless

 

Barber Shop

A man went to a barber shop to have his hair and his beard cut as always.  He started to have a good conversation with the barber who attended him.  They talked about so many things and various subjects.  Suddenly, they touched the subject of God.

The barber said: “Look man, I don’t believe that God exists as you say so.”

“Why do you say that?” – asked the client.

“Well, it’s so easy; you just have to go out in the street to realize that God does not exist.  Oh, tell me, if God existed, would there be so many sick people?  Would there be abandoned children?  If God existed, there would be no suffering or pain.  I can’t think of a God who permits all of these things.”

The client stopped for a moment thinking but he didn’t want to respond so as to prevent an argument.  The barber finished his job and the client went out of the shop.  Just after he left the barber shop he saw a man in the street with a long hair and beard (it seems that it had been a long time since he had his cut and he looked so untidy.)

“You know what? Barbers do not exist.”

“How come they don’t exist?” asked the Barber.  “Well I am here and I am a barber.”

“No!”  The client exclaimed. “They don’t exist because if they did there would be no people with long hair and beard like that man who walks in the street.”

“Ah, barbers do exist, what happens is that people do not come to me.”

“Exactly!” affirmed the client.  “That’s the point, God does exist, what happens is people don’t go to Him and do not look for Him that‘s why there’s so much pain and suffering in the world”

Paper Route

Forty-three years seems like a long time to remember the name of a mere acquaintance. I have duly forgotten the name of an old lady who was a customer on my paper route when I was a twelve-year-old boy in Marinette, Wisconsin back in 1954. Yet it seems like just yesterday that she taught me a lesson in forgiveness that I can only hope to pass on to someone else someday.

On a mindless Saturday afternoon, a friend and I were throwing rocks onto the roof of the old lady's house from a secluded spot in her backyard. The object of our play was to observe how the rocks changed to missiles as they rolled to the roofs edge and shot out into the yard like comets falling from the sky.

I found myself a perfectly smooth rock and sent it for a ride. The stone was too smooth, however, so it slipped from my hand as I let it go and headed straight for a small window on the old lady's back porch. At the sound of fractured glass, we took off from the old lady's yard faster than any of our missiles flew off her roof. I was too scared about getting caught that first night to be concerned about the old lady with the broken porch window.

However, a few days later, when I was sure that I hadn't been discovered, I started to feel guilty for her misfortune. She still greeted me with a smile each day when I gave her the paper, but I was no longer able to act comfortable in her presence. I made up my mind that I would save my paper delivery money, and in three weeks I had the seven dollars that I calculated would cover the cost of her window.

I put the money in an envelope with a note explaining that I was sorry for breaking her window and hoped that the seven dollars would cover the cost for repairing it. I waited until it was dark, snuck up to the old lady's house, and put the envelope of retribution through the letter slot in her door. My soul felt redeemed and I couldn't wait for the freedom of, once again, looking straight into the old lady's eyes.

The next day, I handed the old lady her paper and was able to return the warm smile that I was receiving from her. She thanked me for the paper and said, "Here, I have something for you." It was a bag of cookies. I thanked her and proceeded to eat the cookies as I continued my route.

After several cookies, I felt an envelope and pulled it out of the bag. When I opened the envelope, I was stunned. Inside were the seven dollars and a short note that said, "I'm proud of you."

Author Unknown

The List

Do you have anything to be thankful for? In his classic novel

ROBINSIN CRUSOE, author Daniel Defoe has shipwrecked Crusoe take

inventory of his life. He makes two lists. One is a list of his

problems. The other is an inventory of that for which he can give

thanks.

A problem he writes is that he has no clothing. On his

corresponding list he writes that the weather is warm and he

really has little need for clothing. Another problem is that

all of his provisions were lost at sea. But on the other list he

writes that he has fresh fruit and water and can provide for

himself. And so it goes. He lists his problems and likewise lists

all that he has going for him. He is surprised at

the size of the list of his assets.

How long would your list be if you took inventory of your

blessings -- all of that for which you can give thanks? For

family. For friends. For faith. For health and the necessities of

life. Did you know that some one million people will die this

week...how is your health? Those who have food, clothing and

shelter have more than much of our world's population will ever

possess. Do you have these necessities of living?

How long would your list be if you took inventory of your

blessings...and added one new item daily? Would you be amazed at

the size of the list?

You have 1,140 minutes in every day. How would your life be

different if you spent just 15 of those minutes daily giving

thanks? Just 15 minutes filling your mind with concrete examples

of how fortunate you are? Most of us would discover even after a

few days that the exercise was life changing!

Poet Courtland Sayers put it this way:

Five thousand breathless dawns all new;

One million flowers fresh in dew.

Five thousand sunsets wrapped in gold;

One million snowflakes served ice cold.

Five quiet friends, one baby's love;

One white sea of clouds above.

One June night in a fragrant wood;

One heart that loved and understood.

I wondered when I waked that day --

In God's name -- how could I ever pay?

Christian mystic Meister Eckhart said, "If the only prayer you

say in your whole life is 'thank you,' that would suffice." I

suspect he is right.

 

Gratitude

The thing that has pulled me through it all has been having an Attitude of Gratitude. 

When I read the issue “why me,” I wanted to share with you what I have learned to do for myself each and every day.

To keep an Attitude of Gratitude at all times, I have learned to have a “Gratitude Prayer”  once a day.

I have this prayer just before laying down for the night.

I do nothing in it by pray my thankfulness for things that I am grateful for on that particular day.

When I first started this practice, my prayers were very short.

As the years have passed, they have become a time of peace each day that I look forward to as I share with my Father in Heaven all the bounty He has given me that day.

I acknowledge His hand in the giving of that bounty.

My world is beautiful because of constant gratitude.

I have made it such a part of my life, that at times during the day when something happens, I raise my eyes to Heaven and say “Thank you, God.”

My change in taking charge of my life in this manner has indeed been a gift, for I have a constant smile, inside and out, by merely looking at the world differently.

Sue Adams

Cheyenne, Wyoming

$20 Dollar Bill

A well-known speaker started off his seminar

by holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked..............

"Who would like this $20 bill?"

Hands started going up.

He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you

but first, let me do this.

He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill.

He then asked, ''Who still wants It?"

Still the hands were up in the air.

Well, he replied, "What if I do this?"

And he dropped it on the ground

And started to grind it Into the floor with his shoe.

He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty.

"Now, who still wants It?"

Still the hands went into the air.

My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson.

No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it

Because it did not decrease in value.

It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives,

we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt

by the decisions we make and

The circumstances that come our way.

We feel as though we are worthless.

But no matter what has happened or

What will happen, you will never lose your value.

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased,

You are still priceless to The Lord

The worth of our lives comes not

In what we do or who we know,

But by WHO WE ARE.

You are special- Don't EVER forget it."

This Is Good

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.

 

Power Of Prayer

Have you ever felt the urge to pray for someone and then just put it on a list and said, "I'll pray for them later?" Or has anyone ever called you and said, "I need you to pray for me, I have this need?" Read the following story that was sent to me and may it change the way that you may think about prayer and also the way you pray. You will be blessed by this one.

A missionary on furlough told this true story while visiting his home church in Michigan... While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital.

Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord Jesus Christ. I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident.

Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines. He said, "Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards. "At this I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone out in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, ' No sir, I was not the only person to see the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone."

At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day that this happened. The missionary told the

congregation the date and the man who interrupted told him this story: "On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and J was preparing 'to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for

you.

In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong; I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?" The men who had

met together to pray that day stood up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were-he was too busy counting how many men he saw.

There were 26.

A Quarter Too Much

Several years ago, a new preacher moved to Houston , Texas . Some weeks after he arrived, he had occasion to ride the  bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.

As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, "You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it." Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little

amount?  Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet."

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change."   The driver with a smile replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town? I have been thinking lately about going to worship somewhere. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday"

When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, "Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter."

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read . This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians and will put us to the test! Always be on guard and remember (as I try to

remember) that you carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself "Christian."  :)     I hope you all have a great day!!!

Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character; it tells who you really are.

Prayer For My Witness

Dear God,

Please forgive me. I sometimes look at those I see and get frustrated by the way they are. Some are angry and act ugly and even curse. Others have no desire to do what is right. Some just want to "party" and live like the world all the time. Some are lazy. Some are hurting and holding on to bitterness. I don't always understand why they are that way. Then I, in my frustration, become angry and grumble. Forgive me for my ungodly attitudes and complaining. I am sorry. Help me to see the potential in others and to pray for them more and criticize them less. I pray that through my prayers to you and through my Christian testimony and example and through my words and deeds, these people would come to know you or come back and lay their issues on the altar. I pray that we all will lift our burdens to you and drop them at your feet, so that you can take them away and guide us in the way everlasting. Please relieve our grieves and burdens and replace them with your peace. Please bless us as we serve you. Please help us and pick us help when we stumble. Thank you for your mercies.

 In Jesus' name I pray,

Amen.

 

Do Good Today

Isn't he always there when we need him?

Come with me to a third grade classroom....

There is a nine-year-old Kid sitting at his desk and all of

a sudden, there is a puddle between his feet and the front of his pants are wet.

He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened. It's never happened before, and he Knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they'll never speak to him again as long as he lives.

The boy believes his heart is going to stop, he puts his head down and prays this prayer, "Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I'm dead meat:."

He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered.

As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named  Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water. Susie trips in front of the teacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy's lap.

The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself, ''Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!"

Now all Of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher rushes him down Stairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out.

All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk.

The sympathy is wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his has been transferred to someone else - Susie. She tries to help, but they tell her to get out. "You've done enough, you klutz"

Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the

bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, "you did that on purpose, didn't you?" Susie whispers back, "I wet my pants once too."

May God help us see the opportunities that are always around us to do good.

 

The Cold Within

Six humans trapped by happenstance

In bleak and bitter cold.

Each one possessed a stick of wood

Or so the story is told.

Their dying fire in need of logs,

The first man held his back.

For of the faces 'round the fire

He noticed one was black.

The second, looking across the way

Saw one not of his church.

And could not bring himself to give

The fire his stick of birch.

The third man sat in tattered clothes.

He gave his coat a hitch.

Why should his log be put to use

To warm the idle rich?

The rich man just sat back and thought

Of the wealth he had in store.

And how he'd kept what he had earned

From the lazy, worthless poor.

The black man's face spoke revenge

As the fire passed from his sight.

For all he saw in his stick of wood,

Was a chance to spite the white.

The last man of this forlorned group

Did nothing, except for gain.

Giving only to those who gave

Was how he played the game.

Their logs held tight in Death's still hands,

Was proof of human sin.

For they didn't die from the cold without,

They died from the cold within.

Forgive Me When I Whine

Today, upon a bus, I saw a girl with golden hair.

and wished I was as fair.

When suddenly she rose to leave,

I saw her hobble down the aisle.

She had one leg and wore a crutch.

But as she passed, a smile.

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.

I have 2 legs, the world is mine.

I stopped to buy some candy.

The lad who sold it had such charm.

I talked with him, he seemed so glad.

If I were late, it'd do no harm.

And as I left, he said to me,

"I thank you, you've been so kind.

It's nice to talk with folks like you.

You see," he said, "I'm blind."

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.

I have 2 eyes, the world is mine.

Later while walking down the street,

I saw a child with eyes of blue.

He stood and watched the others play.

He did not know what to do.

I stopped a moment and then I said,

"Why don't you join the others, dear?"

He looked ahead without a word.

And then I knew, he couldn't hear.

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.

I have 2 ears, the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I'd go.

With eyes to see the sunset's glow.

With ears to hear what I'd know.

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.

I've been blessed indeed, the world is mine.

~ Author Unknown ~