Adversity stirs us up and causes us to look at life differently. We are forced to deal with things on a deeper level. Nothing causes self to cave in like suffering. And once our religious facade begins to wear thin, God moves in and begins teaching us what real Christ likeness is about. – Charles Stanley
As a new grandmother, I am very protective of my daughter Meredith’s baby girl. One cool afternoon I dropped by to see my grandchild. Meredith and a friend had taken little Allison for a walk in her stroller and were just coming up the street.
As soon as they reached me, I bent down to admire Allison and, in my fussiest voice, remarked, “Your little head is cold. You should have a hat on.”
My daughter looked knowingly at her friend and said, “You owe me ten bucks.”
From Clean Laffs, and passed on by GCFL
The Anger of God
Do not confuse the wrath of God with the wrath of man. The two have little in common. We get ticked off because we’ve been overlooked, neglected, or cheated. It’s the anger of man. God does not get angry because He doesn’t get his way. He gets angry because disobedience always results in self-destruction.
What kind of father sits by and watches his child hurt himself? What kind of God would do the same? Do we think he giggles at adultery? Or snickers at murder? Does he shake his head and say, “Humans will be humans?” God is rightfully angry. Our sins are an affront to his holiness. Habakkuk 1:13 says, his eyes are “too good to look at evil; he cannot stand to see those who do wrong.” God is angry at the evil that ruins his children. He cannot be indifferent that his creation is destroyed and his holy will trodden underfoot.
From In the Grip of Grace
A church once advertised for “used pews”—we want ours to be used a little more.
A church is no more to be blamed for the bad people in it, than a hospital is to be blamed for the sick folk that are in it.
One quickly loses interest in the church if he has nothing invested.
A cold church, like butter, will not spread.
An empty tomb proves Christianity, but an empty church denies it.
A living church is one that remembers the past, lives in the present, and works for the future!
If you take “serve” out of “service,” you have “ice” left. Many Christians need defrosting.
Fill a place—not just a space!
Beware of your spiritual condition when the most pleasing part of the service is the closing song and dismissal.
The Timothy Report, (www.timothyreport.com) Passed on by Cup O’Cheer
God of all comfort, keep me from complaining if my burden seems heavy. Help me to follow in your footsteps and endure every weakness without the sin of resentment or complaint. – Joni Eareckson Tada
The boys had been up in the attic together helping with some cleaning. The kids uncovered an old manual typewriter and asked her, “Hey, Mom, what’s this?”
“Oh, that’s an old typewriter,” she answered, thinking that would satisfy their curiosity.
“Well, what does it do?” they queried.
“I’ll show you,” their mother said. She went downstairs and returned with a blank piece of paper. She rolled the paper into the typewriter and began striking the keys, leaving black letters of print on the page.
“WOW!” the boys exclaimed, “That’s really cool – but how does it work like that? Where do you plug it in?”
“There is no plug,” she answered. “It doesn’t need a plug.”
“Then where do you put the batteries?” they persisted.
“It doesn’t need batteries either,” she continued.
“Wow! This is so cool!” the brothers exclaimed. “Someone should have invented this a long time ago!”
Becky Day via GCFL
