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HEAVE'N'S GROCERY STORE
Author Unknown
Jul 14, 2009
As I was walking down life's
highway many years ago
I came upon a sign that read
Heavens Grocery Store.
When I got a little closer
the doors swung open wide
And when I came to myself
I was standing inside.
I saw a host of angels.
They were standing everywhere
One handed me a basket and said
"My child, shop with care."
Everything a human needed
was in that grocery store
And what you could not carry
you could come back for more.
First I got some Patience.
Love was in that same row.
Further down was Understanding,
you need that everywhere you go.
I got a box or two of Wisdom
and Faith a bag or two.
And Charity, of course,
I would need some of that, too.
I couldn't miss the Holy Ghost
It was all over the place.
And then some Strength and Courage
to help me run this race.
My basket was getting full but I remembered I needed Grace,
And then I chose Salvation for
Salvation was for free
I tried to get enough of that to do for you and me.
Then I started to the counter
to pay my grocery bill,
For I thought I had everything
to do the Masters will.
As I went up the aisle I saw
Prayer and put that in,
For I knew when I stepped outside
I would run into sin.
Peace and Joy were plentiful,
the last things on the shelf.
Song and Praise were hanging near
so I just helped myself.
Then I said to the angel
"How much do I owe?"
He smiled and said
"Just take them everywhere you go."
Again I asked "Really now,
how much do I owe?"
"My child " he said,
"God paid your bill a long, long time ago."
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Waves of Worry
Adrian Dieleman
Jul 14, 2009
Waves of Worry
Several years ago a submarine was being tested and had to remain submerged for many hours. When it returned to the harbor, the captain was asked, "How did the terrible storm last night affect you?" The officer looked at him in surprise and exclaimed, "Storm? We didn't even know there was one!" The sub had been so far beneath the surface that it had reached the area known to sailors as "the cushion of the sea." Although the ocean may be whipped into huge waves by high winds, the waters below are never stirred.
This, I believe, is a perfect picture of the peace that comes from Christ's Spirit. The waves of worry, of fear, of heartbreak, cannot touch those resting in Christ. Sheltered by His grace and encouraged by His Spirit, the believer is given the perfect tranquility that only Christ can provide.
Adrian Dieleman
"Receive the Holy Spirit"
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THE ISLANDS
By Warren Kramer
Jul 13, 2009
Just across the channel lay The Islands. The Islands were just beyond
the reach of the world's most skillful swimmers. It was impossible to
land a boat on their rocky shores. Their coastlines were too foggy to
reach by air. In short, the Islands were inaccessible. Except for the
Landlord. The Landlord dwelt on the Islands and, it was said, granted
passage thereupon only to those who came bearing a certain Name.
The Name was that of the Keeper of the Portal. He had once paid the
Landlord a passage fee adequate for all the people of all time ever
born. Yet, the Landlord allowed no one ashore who attempted other means
of gaining entry. His Map said it polluted the pristine Islands to have
anyone come ashore except through the cleansing Portal.
Further, anyone who attempted entry with the attitude of "I may do as I
please in the Name of the Keeper" was not admitted. They must prove
their awareness of the Keeper's payment with their lives. Those ignoring
the words of the Landlord and the Keeper, did not claim His payment when
they reached the Portal. Instead, they would offer payment from their
own means, which was never enough. Only the Keeper's payment was
unpolluted.
All that was needed was to call upon the name of the Keeper before
reaching the Portal. Those who did so, also proved they knew of His
payment with a greatly changed life.
Those who observed these changed lives often mocked them, accusing them
of arrogance and close-mindedness for insisting the Portal was the only
route to the Islands.
Yet the mockers continued offering their own payments, ignoring the
passage that had already been paid.
Warren Kramer is the founding editor of Daily Wisdom. He operates a
graphic design service Warren Kramer&Associates, www.warrenkramer. com,
which offers visual design & illustration for printed communications &
web sites.
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GRANDMA AND THE CAKE
Author Unknown
Jul 12, 2009
A little boy is telling his Grandma how "everything" is going wrong. School,
family problems, severe health problems, etc. Meanwhile, Grandma is baking
a cake. She asks her grandson if he would like a snack, which of course he
does.
"Here, have some cooking oil."
"Yuck" says the boy.
"How about a couple raw eggs? "
"Gross, Grandma!"
"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?"
"Grandma, those are all yucky!"
To which Grandma replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves.
But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully
delicious cake! God works the same way. Many times we wonder why he would
let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He
puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have
to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!"
-- Author Unknown
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JESUS IN THE HOUSE
Author Unknown
Jul 19, 2009
One day he decided to invite the Lord to come home and stay with him. When
the Lord arrived, this young man offered him the very best room in the
house. The room was upstairs and at the end of the hall. "This room is
yours, Jesus! Stay as long as you like and you can do whatever you want to
in this room, remember Jesus, its all yours."
That evening after he had retired for the night there came a loud knocking
at the front door. The young man pulled on his robe and made his way
downstairs. When he opened the door he found that the devil had sent three
of his demons to attack the man. He quickly tried to close the door but one
of the demons kept sticking his foot in.
Sometime later, after a great struggle, he managed to slam the door shut and
returned to his room totally exhausted.
Can you believe that," the man thought. Jesus is upstairs in my very best
room sleeping while I am down here battling demons. Oh, well, maybe he just
didn't hear. He slept fitfully that night. The next day thing went along as
normal and, being tired as he was, the young man retired early that evening.
Along about midnight, there came such a terrible ruckus at the front door
that the young man was sure that whatever it was would tear the door down.
He stumbled down the stairs once again and opened the door to find that were
dozens of demons now trying to get into his beautiful home.
For more than three hours he fought and struggled against the demons from
hell, and finally overtook them enough to shut the door against their
attack. All energy seemed to fail him. He really didn't understand this at
all. Why won't the Lord come to my rescue? Why does he allow me to fight
all by myself? I feel so alone. Troubled, he found his way to the sofa and
fell into a restless sleep.
The next morning he decided to inquire of the Lord about the happenings of
the last two evenings. Quietly he made his way to the elegant bedroom where
he had left Jesus. "Jesus," he called as he tapped at the door. "Lord, I
don't understand what is happening. For the last two nights I have had to
fight the demons away from my door while you laid up here sleeping. Don't
you care about me? Did I not give you the very best room in the house?"
He could see the tears building in Jesus' eyes but continued on, "I just
don't understand, I really thought that once I invited you in to live with
me that you would take care of me and I gave you the best room in my house
and everything. What more can I do?"
"My precious child," Jesus spoke so softly. "I do love and care for you. I
protect all that you have released into my care. But, when you invited me to
come here and stay, you brought me to this lovely room and you shut the door
to the rest of your house. I am Lord of this room but I am not Master of
this house.
I have protected this room and no demon may enter here."
"Oh, Lord, please forgive me. Take all of my house -- it is yours. I am so
sorry that I never offered you all to begin with. I want you to have control
of everything." With this he flung open the bedroom door and knelt at
Jesus' feet. "Please forgive me Lord for being so selfish."
Jesus smiled and told him that He had already forgiven him and that He would
take care of things from now on. That night as the young man prepared for
bed he thought, I wonder if those demons will return, I am so tired of
fighting them each and every night. But, he knew that Jesus said that he
would take care of things from now on.
Along about midnight the banging on the door was frightening. The young man
slipped out of his room in time to see Jesus going down the stairs. He
watched in awe as Jesus swung open the door, no need to be afraid.
Satan stood at the door, this time demanding to be let in. "What do you
want, satan?" the Lord asked. The devil bowed low in the presence of the
Lord, "So sorry, I seem to have gotten the wrong address." And with that, he
and the demons all ran away.
There is a moral to this tale. Jesus wants all of you, not just a part. He
will take all that you give Him, but nothing more. How much of your heart
have you given to the Lord? Are you keeping a portion of it away from Him?
Perhaps the attacks are coming more and more each day. Why not let the Lord
fight the battles for you? He is always victorious. I have found that God
made man simple, all of man's complexities are of his own devising.
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IT IS ALL IN THE RESUMES
Author Unknown
Jul 18, 2009
TO: Jesus, Son of Joseph
The Woodrcrafter' s Carpenter Shop
Nazareth 25922
FROM: Jordan Management Consultants
Jerusalem 26544
RE: Personnel Evaluations
Thank you for submitting the resumes of the twelve men you have picked for
managerial positions in your new organization. All of them have now taken
our battery of tests, and we have not only run the results through our
computers, but also arranged personal interviews for each of them with our
psychologist and vocation aptitude consultant.
It is the opinion of the staff that most of your nominees are lacking in
background, education and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you
are undertaking. They do not have the team concept. We would recommend that
you continue your search for persons of experience in managerial ability and
proven capacity. We have summarized the findings of our study below:
Simon Peter is emotional, unstable and given to fits of temper.
Andrew has absolutely no quality of leadership.
The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, place personal
interests above Company loyalty.
Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine
morale.
We believe it is our duty to tell you that Matthew has been blacklisted by
the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau.
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus, definitely have radical leanings.
Additionally, they both registered high scores on the manic depressive
scale.
However, one of the candidates shows great potential. He's a man of ability
and resourcefulness; he is a great networker; has a keen business mind; and
has strong contacts in influential circles. He's highly motivated, very
ambitious and adept with financial matters. We recommend Judas Iscariot as
your Controller and Chief Operating Officer.
All the other profiles are self-explanatory. We wish you the utmost success
in your new venture.
What if Jesus had chosen the twelve based on the modern methods of
leadership selection? Most of them would have never had a chance to
participate. Jesus chooses people not for who they are, but for what they
can become in Him. Aren't you glad that when Jesus looked at you, He didn't
take you for what you were (a sinner); but He took you for what you could
be? Jesus sees the potential in all of us, and has called us to be
disciples. Jesus is still saying, "Follow Me!"
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THE GOOD BOOK
Read Psalm 119:97,103-104
97 Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.
We can go to two extremes when it comes to the Christian scriptures. We can love them in the sense of making them an idol. We may have met Christians who are passionate about the truth and whom we suspect love the truth as some abstract concept. They love information, they love correctness, they love being right while others are clearly wrong. Christians who go to this extreme are very hard to relax with. Their zeal for orthodoxy outweighs their love for Jesus himself and for his people.
Then again, others go to the other extreme. The Scriptures are a bit like caster oil. You have to read them because it will do you good but you sure won't enjoy the process. Bible study and reading is then a matter of taking your medicine. Or a tedious discipline that you do out of guilt.
The Psalmist is certainly not in this latter category. He loves the sacred writings. He is not just a student of them but a lover of them. He loves them so much that he spends lots of time chewing over them. Thus he avoids a common problem we have: we read the scriptures but because we fail to dwell on them we forget them and they have little or no effect on us. Meditation on the scriptures lets them sink in. But who wants to meditate on something that is meaningless or leaves us cold?
The Psalmist can't tell us, but we know that the written scriptures point to the living Word, Jesus. The Psalmist reminds us to truly love the written word. The written word of the New Testament reminds us to truly love above all the living Word who is Jesus. When we truly love God's scriptures, these same scriptures set us free to love Jesus. We worship only Jesus, not the signpost that points to him.
Blessings
David
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I FOUND JESUS THERE
Author Unknown
Jul 17, 2009
The surgeon sat beside the boy's bed; the boy's parents sat across
from him. "Tomorrow morning," the surgeon began, "I'll open up your
heart..."
"You'll find Jesus there," the boy interrupted.
The surgeon looked up, annoyed. "I'll cut your heart open," he
continued, "to see how much damage has been done..."
"But when you open up my heart, you'll find Jesus in there." The
surgeon looked to the parents, who sat quietly.
"When I see how much damage has been done, I'll sew your heart and
chest back up and I'll plan what to do next."
"But you'll find Jesus in my heart. The Bible says He lives there.
The hymns all say He lives there. You'll find Him in my heart."
The surgeon had had enough. "I'll tell you what I'll find in your
heart. I'll find damaged muscle, low blood supply, and weakened
vessels. And I'll find out if I can make you well."
"You'll find Jesus there too. He lives there."
The surgeon left. The surgeon sat in his office, recording his notes
from the surgery: "...damaged aorta, damaged pulmonary vein,
widespread muscle degeneration. No hope for transplant, no hope for
cure. Therapy: painkillers and bed rest. Prognosis:" here he
paused, "death within one year."
He stopped the recorder, but there was more to be said. "Why?" he
asked aloud.
"Why did You do this? You've put him here; You've put him in this
pain; and You've cursed him to an early death. Why?" The Lord
answered and said, "The boy, My lamb, was not meant for your flock
for long, for he is a part of My flock, and will forever be. Here, in
My flock, he will feel no pain, and will be comforted as you cannot
imagine. His parents will one day join him here, and they will know
peace, and My flock will continue to grow."
The surgeon's tears were hot, but his anger was hotter. "You created
that boy, and You created that heart. He'll be dead in months. Why?"
The Lord answered,
"The boy, My lamb, shall return to My flock, for he has done his
duty: I did not put My lamb with your flock to lose him, but to
retrieve another lost lamb."
The surgeon wept.
The surgeon sat beside the boy's bed; the boy's parents sat across
from him. The boy awoke and whispered, "Did you cut open my heart?"
"Yes," said the surgeon.
"What did you find?" asked the boy.
"I found Jesus there," said the surgeon.
---
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A Famine of Hearing
Steve Troxel
Jul 17, 2009
A Famine of Hearing
Like most of the Old Testament prophets, Amos was chosen by God to deliver a message of repentance and judgement; "Seek the Lord and live, or He will sweep through the house of Joseph like a fire" (Amos 5:6). God was calling His people to return, but they had wandered far from His presence and showed no interest in a life of worship. The economy of their day was thriving and the people had few needs which went unfulfilled; they were content and saw little need for God.
Through Amos, God sent a strong warning. Although He promises to answer all who respond to His call, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Joel 2:32), and He promises to be VERY patient, "not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9), God also warns that the opportunity to hear His Word may not always be available.
Amos 8:11-12
"'The days are coming,' declares the Sovereign Lord, 'when I will send a famine through the land - not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.'"
When we hear the Word of God, the door is open and we are in the middle of a God-directed opportunity. At that moment we have the opportunity to respond to the truth and draw closer to our Heavenly Father. But when we reject His Word, we begin to close the door and harden our heart - the opportunity begins to fade.
We have been blessed to live during this time in history. Yes, we face the unrelenting pressures of an over-indulgent, self-consumed society; but we have also been blessed with a wonderful abundance of the Word of God. In most parts of the world we have the freedom to worship with other believers and full access to truth-filled teaching. In fact, God's Word has become so readily available that many of us take it for granted.
In the midst of our overflowing blessings, we are becoming complacent and no longer treasure His precious gift. But what would happen if His Word was taken away? What would the world be like if no one was allowed to speak or hear the Word of God? What if we searched for His Word and it could not be found?
Our Heavenly Father loves us dearly. He "wants ALL men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4); and He wants those who believe to be "conformed to the likeness of His Son" (Romans 8:29). Our Father continues to call us to know Him with a greater and more intimate love. Let's make the most of this awesome opportunity by receiving the Word of God, in all its forms, with a hungry anticipation, and then by obediently responding to His call. Let's shake off ALL forms of complacency and rejoice that we do not yet live during a famine of hearing.
Have a Christ Centered Day!
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~DEATH~
WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO EXPLAIN IT
A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to
Leave the examination room and said,
'Doctor, I am afraid to die.
Tell me what lies on the other side.'
Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know.'
'You don't know? You're, a Christian man,
and don't know what's on the other side?'
The doctor was holding the handle of the door;
On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining,
And as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room
And leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.
Turning to the patient, the doctor said,
'Did you notice my dog?
He's never been in this room before.
He didn't know what was inside.
He knew nothing except that his master was here,
And when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.
I know little of what is on the other side of death,
But I do know one thing...
I know my Master is there and that is enough.'
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Read 1 Peter 3:13-22
Lee Eclov & his wife were at a coffee shop in Estes Park, Colorado. At another table sat four men, one of whom was mocking Christianity & the resurrection of Jesus.
Lee could sense the Lord telling him to respond. But his fear kept him from doing so. Finally he knew he had to make a stand. So he walked over to the men & began giving historical evidence for the resurrection.
How do we respond when we're in a similar situation? The apostle Peter encouraged his readers to make a commitment to stand up for Jesus, especially during extreme suffering. This commitment meant not remaining speechless when circumstances warranted them to defend their faith. He said, "Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for hope that is in you, with meekness & fear" (1 Peter 3:15). Their readiness to answer required them to know God's Word. They were able to respond in godly meekness & fear, so that their persecutors would be ashamed of their own conduct.
Had Lee Eclov remained silent or responded rudely, the cause of Christ would have suffered. Lee later wrote, "God has a way of flushing us out of our quiet little places & when he does, we must be ready to speak for Him."---Marvin Williams
When people wonder about our faith,
What answer will you give?
We'll tell of Jesus who bore our sins
& shows us how to live.---Fitzbaugh
To be silent about the Savior & His salvation
is a dreadful sin of omission.
Taken from Our Daily Bread July Edition.
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PAPPY
Author Unknown
Jul 23, 2009
Pappy was a pleasant-looking old fellow. He had the whitest hair which he
kept neatly cut and combed. His eyes were blue, though faded with age, and
they seemed to emit a warmth from within. His face was quite drawn, but when
he smiled, even his wrinkles seemed to soften and smile with him. He had a
talent for whistling and did so happily each day as he dusted and swept his
pawnshop; even so, he had a secret sadness, but everyone who knew him
respected and adored him.
Most of Pappy's customers returned for their goods, and he did not do much
business, but he did not mind. To him, the shop was not a livelihood as much
as a welcome pastime.
There was a room in the back of his shop where he spent time tinkering with
a menagerie of his own precious items. He referred to this back room as
"memory hall." In it were pocket watches, clocks, and electric trains. There
were miniature steam engines and antique toys made of wood, tin, or cast
iron, and there were various other obsolete trinkets as well.
Spending time in memory hall delighted him as he recalled many treasured
moments from his past. He handled each item with care, and sometimes he
would close his eyes and pause to relive a sweet, simple childhood memory.
One day, Pappy was working to his heart's content reassembling an old
railroad lantern. As he worked, he whistled the melody of a railroad tune
and reminisced about his own past as a switchman. It was a typical day at
the shop. Outside, the sun illuminated the clear sky, and a slight wind
passed through the door. Whenever the weather was this nice, Pappy kept the
inner door open. He enjoyed the fresh air-almost as much as the distinctive
smell of antiques and old engine oil.
As he was polishing his newly restored lantern, he heard the tinkling of his
bell on the shop door. The bell, which produced a uniquely charming
resound, had been in Pappy's family for over a hundred years. He cherished
it dearly and enjoyed sharing its song with all who came to his shop.
Although the bell hung on the inside of the main door, Pappy had strung a
wire to the screen door so that it would ring whether the inner door was
open or not. Prompted by the bell, he left memory hall to greet his
customer.
At first, he did not see her. Her shiny, soft curls barely topped the
counter.
"And how can I help you, little lady?" Pappy's voice was jovial.
"Hello, sir." The little girl spoke almost in a whisper. She was dainty.
Bashful. Innocent. She looked at Pappy with her big brown eyes, then slowly
scanned the room in search of something special. Shyly she told him, "I'd
like to buy a present, sir."
"Well, let's see," Pappy said, "who is this present for?"
"My grandpa. It's for my grandpa. But I don't know what to get."
Pappy began to make suggestions. "How about a pocket watch? It's in good
condition. I fixed it myself," he said proudly.
The little girl didn't answer. She had walked to the doorway and put her
small hand on the door. She wiggled the door gently to ring the bell.
Pappy's face seemed to glow as he saw her smiling with excitement.
"This is just right," the little girl bubbled. "Momma says grandpa loves
music."
Just then, Pappy's expression changed. Fearful of breaking the little girl's
heart, he told her, "I'm sorry, missy. That's not for sale. Maybe your
grandpa would like this little radio."
The little girl looked at the radio, lowered her head, and sadly sighed,
"No, I don't think so."
In an effort to help her understand, Pappy told her the story of how the
bell had been in his family for so many years, and that was why he didn't
want to sell it.
The little girl looked up at him, and with a giant tear in her eye, sweetly
said, "I guess I understand. Thank you, anyway."
Suddenly, Pappy thought of how the rest of the family was all gone now,
except for his estranged daughter whom he had not seen in nearly a decade.
Why not, he thought. Why not pass it on to someone who will share it with a
loved one? God only knows where it will end up anyway.
"Wait...little lady." Pappy spoke just as the little girl was going out the
door--just as he was hearing his bell ring for the last time. "I've decided
to sell the bell. Here's a hanky. Blow your nose."
The little girl began to clap her hands. "Oh, thank you, sir. Grandpa will
be so happy."
"Okay, little lady. Okay." Pappy felt good about helping the child; he knew,
however, he would miss the bell. "You must promise to take good care of the
bell for your grandpa--and for me, too, okay?" He carefully placed the bell
in a brown paper bag.
"Oh, I promise," said the little girl. Then, she suddenly became very still
and quiet. There was something she had forgotten to ask. She looked up at
Pappy with great concern, and again almost in a whisper, asked, "How much
will it cost?"
"Well, let's see. How much have you got to spend?" Pappy asked with a grin.
The child pulled a small coin purse from her pocket then reached up and
emptied two dollars and forty-seven cents onto the counter.
After briefly questioning his own sanity, Pappy said, "Little lady, this is
your lucky day. That bell costs exactly two dollars and forty-seven cents."
Later that evening as Pappy prepared to close up shop, he found himself
thinking about his bell. Already he had decided not to put up another one.
He thought about the child and wondered if her grandpa like his gift. Surely
he would cherish anything from such a precious grandchild.
At that moment, just as he was going to turn off the light in memory hall,
Pappy thought he heard his bell. Again, he questioned his sanity; he turned
toward the door, and there stood the little girl. She was ringing the bell
and smiling sweetly.
Pappy was puzzled as he strolled toward the small child. "What's this,
little lady? Have you changed your mind?"
"No," she grinned. "Momma says it's for you."
Before Pappy had time to say another word, the child's mother stepped into
the doorway, and choking back a tear, she gently said, "Hello, Dad."
The little girl tugged on her grandpa's shirttail. "Here, Grandpa. Here's
your hanky. Blow your nose."
---
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Overcoming the Past
Os Hillman
Jul 23, 2009
Overcoming Our Past
"Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah." - Judges 11:29a
We've all heard stories of individuals who have overcome extreme hardship during their childhood years. Children of alcoholics, orphans who never have parents, loss of parents to a fatal crash, childhood disease - these are all difficult circumstances to overcome.
Jephthah was a man who overcame his obstacles and refused to allow his circumstances to prevent him from becoming great in God's sight. He was born to Gilead, a result of his father's adulterous encounter with a prostitute. Gilead's wife, who had bore more sons, decided to reject Jephthah, and drove him away from their home saying, "You are not going to get any inheritance in our family because you are the son of another woman." Imagine the rejection this young man felt as he was cast away from his own family.
This experience taught Jephthah to become a hardened warrior. Today he probably would have been part of a street gang. As he got older, his reputation as a warrior became known to those in his country, so much so that when the Ammonites made war on Israel, the elders of Gilead went to Jephthah and asked him to be their commander. Jephthah had to fight off those feelings of rejection from previous years.
"Didn't you hate me and drive me from my father's house?" he responded. He overcame his hurt and pain, and responded to the call God had on his life.
It is said that if we were to help the butterfly remove itself from the cocoon, the butterfly would not be strong enough to survive. It is the struggle that prepares the butterfly to become strong enough to fly. Without the struggle in the cocoon, it could not survive as a butterfly.
The Lord prepares each of us in similar ways. Some of our childhoods seem to have been harsh and born from a seemingly unloving God. However, the Lord knows our struggle and will make our life an instrument in His hand if we will follow Him with an upright heart. He does make all things beautiful in His time if we are willing to be patient.
Copyright 2000 by Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders.
www.tgif.com
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