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Sunday, June 30, 2013

The Bridge

- Max Lucado

There was once a bridge which spanned a large river.
 During most of the day the bridge sat with its length running up and down the river paralleled with the banks, allowing ships to pass through freely on both sides of the bridge. But at certain times each day, a train would come along and the bridge would be turned sideways across the river, allowing a train to cross it.
A switchman sat in a small shack on one side of the river where he operated the controls to turn the bridge and lock it into place as the train crossed.
 One evening as the switchman was waiting for the last train of the day to come, he looked off into the distance through the dimming twilight and caught sight of the train lights. He stepped to the control and waited until the train was within a prescribed distance when he was to turn the bridge.
He turned the bridge into position, but, to his horror, he found the locking control did not work.
If the bridge was not securely in position it would wobble back and forth at the ends when the train came onto it, causing the train to jump the track and go crashing into the river. This would be a passenger train with many people aboard.
 
He left the bridge turned across the river, and hurried across the bridge to the other side of the river where there was a lever switch he could hold to operate the lock manually. He would have to hold the lever back firmly as the train crossed. He could hear the rumble of the train now, and he took hold of the lever and leaned backward to apply his weight to it, locking the bridge. He kept applying the pressure to keep the mechanism locked.
 Many lives depended on this man's strength.
Then, coming across the bridge from the direction of his control shack, he heard a sound that made his blood run cold.
"Daddy, where are you?"
His four-year-old son was crossing the bridge to look for him. His first impulse was to cry out to the child, "Run! Run!" But the train was too close; the tiny legs would never make it across the bridge in time. The man almost left his lever to run and snatch up his son and carry him to safety.
But he realized that he could not get back to the lever. Either the people on the train or his little son must die.
He took a moment to make his decision.
The train sped safely and swiftly on its way, and no one aboard was even aware of the tiny broken body thrown mercilessly into the river by the onrushing train. Nor were they aware of the pitiful figure of the sobbing man, still clinging tightly to the locking lever long after the train had passed.
They did not see him walking home more slowly than he had ever walked: to tell his wife how their son had brutally died.
Now if you comprehend the emotions which went this man's heart, you can begin to understand the feelings of our Father in Heaven when He sacrificed His Son to bridge the gap between us and eternal life.
 Can there be any wonder that He caused the earth to tremble and the skies to darken when His Son died?
How does He feel when we speed along through life without giving a thought to what was done for us through Jesus Christ?
When was the last time you thanked Him for the sacrifice of His Son?

 






Thursday, June 27, 2013

Don't Be An Older Brother

- Anonymous

 

 

In the parable of the prodigal son Jesus is talking to two different groups:

Regular people, and religious leaders who complain that Jesus 'receives sinners' (Luke 15:2 NKJV).

 

 We all know the story.

 

The Prodigal Son 'blew it' and ended up in a pigsty.

Later, when he returned home, his father threw a big party. But his older brother wouldn't attend.

 

Here was his reason: 

 

 

"…These many years I have been serving you…yet you never gave me a young goat that I might make merry with my friends.

But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him."

 


" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "

Luke 15:31

(Luke 15:29-31 NKJV)

 

It's the kind of thing you hear in church from people who lift themselves up by putting others down.

Both sons spent time in the pigsty: one in the pigsty of rebellion, the other in the pigsty of resentment.

 

 One came home to a welcome, the other stayed home and wallowed in self-righteousness.

Because of his judgmentalism, the older son ended up losing more than the younger son:

 

1) He forfeited the joy of knowing how much he was loved by his father.

2) As the oldest son he was entitled to twice as much of his father's estate, yet he wasn't able to enjoy a moment of it.

3) His younger brother was lost and hurting. What an opportunity to forgive, show grace, help to restore him and have a life-enriching relationship with him. But he forfeited it all because he was judgmental.

 

Don't be an older brother!

 

 

www.thewordfortoday.com.au

 



Friday, June 21, 2013

Learning from a Flock of Geese


Geoff Wilson

 

 

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Romans 12:6-8 (NIV)

 

You have probably heard someone call another person who has done something foolish, "A silly goose!"

 Well, I can tell you that geese are not silly! We can learn a lot from the goose.

 

For example, I am sure that most of you probably know that when geese fly, they fly in a "V" formation.

Have you ever wondered why the geese fly in a "V" formation?

 

 

Recent scientific studies have given us the answer. It has been learned that as each goose flaps its wings, it gives a lift to the one immediately following.

It has been determined that flying this way gives the geese about 70% more flying range.

 

Of course, that means that the lead goose is working harder.

When the lead goose gets tired, he falls back into the formation and another takes his place. Now, that's team work!

 

If you have ever seen a flock of geese flying, you have also noticed that all the time they are flying, the geese are "honking."

They do this to encourage one another. It is always easier to do something difficult when you know you aren't flying alone, isn't it?

 

 

Sometimes, a goose becomes sick or is injured and falls to the ground.

When that happens, two other geese go down and stay with it until it is well. If it dies, they join another formation and continue on their journey.

 

Do you think the geese are silly?

It sounds to me like they are pretty smart!

 

 

What lessons do you think we could learn from the geese?

 

We could learn that it is important for all church members to share the responsibility within the church rather than letting the same loyal ones work until they drop!

 

We could learn that it is important to "honk" encouragement to other workers in the church.

We could learn that it is important for us to look after those who are sick or in need.

 

There is a lot that we can learn from the goose, isn't there?

Dear Jesus, help us to use the gifts that you have given us to serve and encourage others.

Amen.

 




Friday, June 14, 2013

Few Quotes Many Pastors Won't Preach


 

 

Jesus was crucified, not in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves.

George F. MacLeod

 

The Cross cannot be defeated, for it is defeat.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

 

There are no Crown-wearers in Heaven who were not Cross-bearers here below.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

 

We need Men of the Cross, with the Message of the Cross, bearing the Marks of the Cross.

Vance Havner

 

Christ's Cross is such a burden as sails are to a ship or wings to a bird.

Samuel Rutherford

 

He came to pay a debt He didn't owe because we owed a debt we couldn't pay.

Anonymous

 

All heaven is interested in the cross of Christ, all hell is terribly afraid of it, while men are the only beings who more or less ignore its meaning.

Oswald Chambers

 

The Cross: God's way of uniting suffering with love.

Georgia Harkness

 

The figure of the Crucified invalidates all thought which takes success for its standard.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

 

The Cross is the lightning rod of grace that short-circuits God's wrath to Christ so that only the light of His love remains for believers.

A.   W. Tozer in "The Old Cross and the New."

 





Monday, June 10, 2013

In the blistering Cold

- Anonymous

 

 

The day dawned but there was no sight of Sun hitting the horizon. The Winter was at its fullest potential blazing streams of cold waves across the city.

 

The elderly and the young had their own problems with the chilling cold.

 

In the midst of all these chaos and confusion; there was a man with a mission to proclaim the good news. He boarded off the train and started walking towards the exit.

 

His body shivered with the sudden decrease in temperature…. He was not prepared for the havoc….He had only a blanket that could hardly shield his body from the heinous bone-chilling cold….

 

Slowly he started feeling pale by the strenuous effects of the cold waves and longed to find a shelter….. his whole journey was in jeopardy as he felt that he couldn't stand the nature's blaze….

 

As he was pondering over these thoughts of fighting the cold and over his own issues and concerns; Suddenly he heard a weak and feeble voice that cried for help…

 

As the voice of despair kept growing into his ears; he moved in the direction the voice came…

 

And there he found the source of the cry… it was an elderly man in his 80's unable to adhere the cold; was stuttering with unbearable pain and hurt…..

 

It was a scene of agony and despair….. the old man was helpless and needed immediate attention and care…..

 

Having understood the need…. The Missionary man started pulling his shoes further towards the station exit….

 

He said to himself; "I have nothing to give the suffering man, I myself have only a blanket that could hardly protect me… Even if I grant it….it wouldn't meet his need…" and then as he left the man and headed towards the stairway… the missionary heard an audible voice saying;

 

"Go and give your blanket to the old man…"

 

Immediately the Missionary recognized the voice and said   "Lord my God.. you know it all… I have nothing to give."

 

The Lord replied; "What about the blanket?"

 

Missionary said; "Lord.. I have only this blanket to protect me….. And you know it."

 

The Lord answered saying  "Would you do the same.. if I was the one in that condition."

 

As those words were spoken; the man was moved with compassion and rebuked himself for his selfishness and headed towards the suffering man.

 

He took hold of the old man and covered him with the blanket and having said a few words of hope and comfort he left the place to his mission field.

 

Later in the day; after completing his chores he returned back to the station to catch the last train.

 

And to his astonishment!!! he saw a huge crowd gathered around the place where he had met the old suffering man.

 

In utter anxiety he ran towards the spot and having moved through the crowd.. he found the old man gasping for breath and struggling for life…..

 

And when the old man sighted the missionary; he cried out saying: "God, My God…." And shedded tears of joy…… the missionary also wept and took the old man in his arms…

 

The crowd was startled and couldn't understand what's going around.. As the old man was passing through; the Missionary led him to Christ through the prayer and Gospel…

 

The Old man with much delight surpassed the chains of agony and journeyed towards heaven…..

 

The story doesn't end here….

 

The startled crowd questioned the incident and the missionary threw the light on what had happened the very morning and proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom…

 

Many souls were moved and today they are grateful for all that happened over that very hour..

 

This is a real story which happened in the life of Bro. Augustin Jebakumar who heads the mission at Bihar (GEMS)…..

 

"When we love God and obey His voice irrespective of the circumstances… we are sure to fulfill His will in our lives…."