~CLOUDS OF CHAOS~
~As the threatening "Clouds of Chaos"
Gather in man's muddled mind;
While he searches for an answer
He alone can never find;~
~May God turn our vision skyward
So that we can see above ...
The gathering clouds of darkness,
And behold God's brightening love.~
~For today we're facing problems
Man alone can never solve,
For it takes much more than genius
To determine and resolve,~
~The conditions that confront us
All around on every side,
Daily mounting in intensity
Like the restless, rising tide.~
~But we'll find new strength and wisdom
If instead of proud resistance
We humbly call upon the Lord
And seek divine assistance;~
~For the spirit can unravel
Many tangled, knotted threads
That defy the skill and power
Of the world's best hands and heads.~
~For the plans of growth and progress
Of which we all have dreamed,
Cannot survive materially
Unless the spirit is redeemed.~
~So as another New Year dawns,
Let us seek the Lord in prayer
And place our future hopes and plans
Securely in God's care.~
~Author, Helen Steiner Rice ~
~JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU~
~Every Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at their church, the Pastor and his 11-year-old son would go out into their town and hand out Gospel tracts. This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and his son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold outside as well as pouring down rain. The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said "Okay Dad, I'm ready." His Pastor Dad asked, "Ready for what?~
~"Dad, it's time we gather our tracts together and go out." Dad responds, "Son, it's very cold outside and it's pouring down rain." The boy gives his Dad a surprised look, asking, "But Dad, aren't people still going to Hell, even though it's raining?" Dad answers, "Son, I am not going out in this weather." Despondently the boy asks, "Dad, can I go -- Please?" His father hesitated for a moment then said, "Son, you can go. Here's the tracts; be careful son."~
~"Thanks, Dad!" And with that he was off and out into the rain. This 11-year-old boy walked the streets of the town going door-to-door and handing everybody he met in the street a Gospel tract. After 2-hours of walking in the rain he was soaking bone-chilled wet and down to his very last tract. He stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a tract to but the streets were totally deserted. Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk to the front door and rang the doorbell. He rang the bell again but nobody answered. He rang it again and again but still no one answered. He waited but still no answer.~
~Finally this 11-year-old trooper turned to leave but something stopped him. Again, he turned to the door and rang the bell and knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the front porch. He rang again, and this time the door slowly opened. Standing in the doorway was a very sad looking elderly lady. She softly asked, "What can I do for you, son?" With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy said, "Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell you that Jesus Really Does Love You! I came to give you my very last Gospel tract which will tell you all about Jesus and His great love." With that, he handed her his last tract, and turned to leave. She called to him as he departed, "Thank you, son! And God bless you!" Well, the following Sunday morning in church, Pastor Dad was in the pulpit and as the service began he asked, "Does anybody have a testimony or want to say anything?"~
~Slowly, in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her feet. As she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her face. "None of you in this church know me. I've never been here before. You see, before last Sunday I was not a Christian. My husband has passed on, some time ago, leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday, being a particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more so in my heart as I came to the end of the line where I no longer had any hope or will to live.~
~"So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic of my home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof then stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my neck. "Standing on that chair, so lonely and brokenhearted, I was about to leap off when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs startled me. I thought, I'll wait a minute, and whoever it is will go away.~
~"I waited and waited but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and more insistent and then the person ringing also started knocking loudly. I thought to myself again, Who on earth could this be? Nobody ever rings my bell or comes to see me!~
~"I loosened the rope from my neck and started for the front door, all the while the bell rang louder and louder. When I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes!
"There on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I had ever seen in my life! His smile! Oh, I could never describe it to you! And the words that came from his mouth caused my heart, that had long been dead, to leap to life as he exclaimed with a cherub-like voice, 'Ma'am, I just came to tell you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU.' "Then he gave me this Gospel tract that I now hold in my hand. As the little angel disappeared back out, into the cold and rain, I closed my door and read slowly every word of this Gospel tract.~
~Then I went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them any more. "You see, I am now a happy child of the King, and since the address of your church was on the back of this Gospel tract I have come here to personally say, 'Thank you to God's little angel who came just in the nick of time, and by so doing, spared my soul from an eternity in Hell."~
~There were now no dry eyes in the church. As shouts of praise and honor to the Lord resounded off the very rafters of the building, Pastor Dad descended from the pulpit to the front pew where the little angel was seated. He took him in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.~
~Author Unknown~
~CLIMB TILL YOUR DREAM COMES TRUE~
~Often your tasks will be many
And more than you think you can do.!
Often the road will be rugged,
And the hills insurmountable too.~
~But always remember, the hills ahead
Are never as steep as they seem,
And with faith in your heart start upward
And climb 'till you reach you dream.~
~For nothing in life that is worthy
Is ever too hard to achieve
If you have the faith to believe.~
~For faith is a force that is greater
Than knowledge or power or skill
And many defeats turn to triumph
If you trust in God's wisdom and will.~
~For faith is a mover of mountains,
There's nothing that God cannot do.
So start out today with faith in your heart
And climb 'till your dream comes true!~
~Helen Steiner Rice~
~A BRIGHTER DAY~
~There'll be a brighter day tomorrow
Just trust in God he'll share your sorrow.
Oh lay your cares at the Saviors feet
And when you do you'll feel complete.~
~He'll recreate your life once torn
You'll feel like you've just been reborn.
Give praise to Him and then you feel
His love and strength to help you deal.~
~With life's hard times though often sad
He'll give you joy and make you glad.
Look to the Lord just trust in Him
He lifts us up when we feel grim.~
~So don't look back just keep on praying
You'll feel His presence softly saying
"I'll fill your cup and take your pain
You've nothing to lose but all to gain.~
~Come unto me I'll give you rest
I'll comfort you through troubling tests.
Though they seem long He'll make a way
To lead you on to a brighter day.~
~By Betty Nasr~
~BE HAPPY~
~Nine requisites for contented living: Health enough to make work a pleasure. Wealth enough to support your needs. Strength enough to battle with difficulties and overcome them. Grace enough to confess your sins and forsake them. Patience enough to toil until some good is accomplished. Charity enough to see some goods in your neighbor. Love enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others. Faith enough to make real the things of God. Hope enough to remove all anxious fears concerning the future.~
~Author Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe ~(1749-1832, German Poet, Dramatist, Novelist)
~IS IT ANY WONDER~
~Is it any wonder
That the world is filled with pain,
When man sets aside its beauty,
For his own material gain?~
~Is it any wonder
That lovers' hearts grow dim,
When they do not hold in honor,
The love that's found within?~
~Is it any wonder
That the homeless often fail,
When they're forced out of house
and home To seek another trail?~
~Is it any wonder
That nature falls to ruin and rubble,
Because we drain it thoughtlessly,
Allowing it to crumble?~
~Is it any wonder
That children go astray,
Because we did not take the time,
To show them the proper way?~
~Is it any wonder
That evil's strong and bold,
When we can't see any goodness,
And we let our hearts grow cold?~
~Is it any wonder
Racism thrives, my friend,
When we cannot see the person,
Just the color of his skin?~
~Is it any wonder
That friendships die and fade,
When we forget the reasons,
Why they first were made?~
~Is it any wonder
Our world has been polluted,
When we allow our industries,
To strip it and permute it?~
~Is it any wonder
There's so much grief and sorrow,
That we don't even seem to care,
What will take place tomorrow?~
~Is it any wonder
We see no value in our brothers,
And we hold ourselves too far above,
The many needs of others?~
~Is it any wonder
Our world is like it is,
When all we do is grumble,
And no action do we give?~
~Is it any wonder
We wait in fear of Judgement Day,
When we do the things we do,
Then forget the way to pray?~
~Author Unknown~
~PUMPKINS~
~Becoming a Christian is like...well,...like this: A lady had recently been baptized and one of her co-workers asked her what it was like to be a Christian. She was caught off guard and didn't know how to answer, but when she looked up she saw a jack-o-lantern on the desk and answered, "It's like being a pumpkin." The worker asked her to explain and she said, "Well, God picks you from the patch and brings you in and washes off all the dirt on the outside that you got from being around all the other pumpkins. Then he cuts off the top and takes all the yucky out from inside. He removes all those seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then he carves you a new smiling face and puts his light inside of you to shine for all to see." Our choice is to stay outside & rot on the vine or come inside and be something new and bright.~
~Author Unknown~
~I REFUSE TO BE DISCOURAGED~
~I refuse to be discouraged,
To be sad, or to cry;
I refuse to be downhearted,
and here's the reason why...~
~I have a God who's mighty,
Who's sovereign and supreme;
I have a God who loves me,
and I am on His team.~
~He is all wise and powerful,
Jesus is His name;
Though everything is changeable,
My God remains the same.~
~My God knows all that's happening;
Beginning to the end,
His presence is my comfort,
He is my dearest friend.~
~When sickness comes to weaken me,
To bring my head down low,
I call upon my mighty God;
Into His arms I go.~
~When circumstances threaten
to rob me from my peace;
He draws me close unto His breast,
Where all my striving's cease.~
~And when my heart melts within me,
and weakness takes control;
He gathers me into His arms,
He soothes my heart and soul.~
~The great "I AM" is with me,
My life is in His hand,
The "Son of the Lord" is my hope,
It's in His strength I stand.~
~I refuse to be defeated,
My eyes are on my God;
He has promised to be with me,
as through this life I trod.~
~I'm looking past all my circumstances,
To Heaven's throne above;
My prayers have reached the heart of God,
I'm resting in His love.~
~I give God thanks in everything,
My eyes are on His face;
The battle's His, the victory is mine;
He'll help me win the race.~
~Author Unknown~
~CENTER OF THE BIBLE~
~What is the shortest chapter in the Bible? Answer - Psalms 117~
~What is the longest chapter in the Bible? Answer - Psalms 119~
~Which chapter is in the center of the Bible? Answer - Psalms 118~
~Fact: There are 594 chapters before Psalms 118~
~Fact: There are 594 chapter after Psalms 118 Add these numbers up and you get 1188.~
~What is the exact center verse in the Bible? Answer Psalms 118:8~
~Does this verse say something significant about God's perfect will for our lives? The next time someone says they would like to find God's perfect will for their life and that they want to be in the center of His will, just send them to the center of His word!~
~Psalms 118:8 (NKJV) "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man".~
~Now isn't odd how this worked out (or was God in the center of it)?~
~DON'T MISS GOD'S BLESSING'S~
~A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.~
~As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold.~
~Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" He stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible. Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day.~
~Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things. When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago.~
~With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt 7:11, "And if ye, being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly father which is in heaven, give to those who ask Him?" As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible.~
~It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words. PAID IN FULL. How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?~
~Author Unknown~
~HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS~
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