YOU TOOK MY PARKING SPACE AT
CHURCH !
One day, a man went to visit a church, He got there early, parked his car
and got out. Another car pulled up near the driver got out and said, " I
always park there!
You took my place!"
The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat and sat
down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, "That 's my
seat! You took my place!" The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude
welcome, but said nothing.
After Sunday School, the visitor went into the sanctuary and sat down.
Another member walked up to him and said, " That 's where I always sit! You
took my place!" The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but
still He said nothing.
Later as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the
visitor stood up, and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars became
visible on his hands and on his sandal-ed feet. Someone from the
congregation noticed him and called out, "What happened to you?" The visitor
replied, as his hat became a crown of thorns, and a tear fell from his eye,
"I took your place.."
When you read this, say a prayer.. That 's all you have to do. There is
nothing attached. This is powerful. Just tell this to four other people and
see what happens.. Maybe, just maybe, we can get the world to start thinking
of who took our place..
BEST POEM IN THE WORLD
I was shocked, confused, bewildered
As I entered Heaven's door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
Nor the lights or its decor.
But it was the folks in Heaven
Who made me sputter and gasp--
The thieves, the liars, the sinners,
The alcoholics and the trash.
There stood the kid from seventh grade
Who swiped my lunch money! twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
Who never said anything nice.
Herb, who I always thought
Was rotting away in hell,
Was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
Looking incredibly well.
I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal?
I would love to hear Your take.
How'd all these sinners get up here?
God must've made a mistake.
'And why's everyone so quiet,
So somber - give me a clue.'
'Hush, child,' He said, 'they're all in shock.
No one thought they'd be seeing you.'
JUDGE NOT.
Remember...
Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian
any more than standing in your garage makes you a car ..
Every saint has a PAST...
Every sinner has a FUTURE!
TWENTY THINGS TO REMEMBER
1. Faith is the ability to not panic.
2. If you worry, you didn't pray. If you prayed, don't worry.
3. As a child of God, prayer is kinda like calling home every day.
4. Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of
shape.
5. When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to
be still so He can untangle the knot.
6. Do the math. Count your blessings.
7. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.
8. Dear God: I have a problem. It's me.
9. Silence is often misinterpreted, but never misquoted.
10. Laugh every day -- it's like inner jogging.
11. The most important things in your home are the people.
12. Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional.
13. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open. Come on
in.
14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.
15. He who dies with the most toys is still dead.
16. We do not remember days but moments. Life moves too fast, so
enjoy your precious moments.
17. Nothing is real to you until you experience it; otherwise it's
just hearsay.
18. It's all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just
be sure to flush when you are done.
19. Surviving and living your life successfully requires courage.
The goals and dreams you're seeking require courage and risk-taking.
Learn from the turtle, it only makes progress when it sticks out
it's neck.
20. Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Your
character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely
what others think you are.
No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow
waiting. Leave gentle fingerprints on the soul of another for the
angels to read. I don't want to get to the end of my life and find
that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width
of it as well.
Love is a promise to listen, to laugh, and to understand. To be
there for one another during good times as well as bad.
TIPS FOR A MEANINGFUL LIFE
(1) When
you wake up each day say, “Good morning God,
what are You and I
going to do today?”
(2)
Live with the 3 E’s – Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy.
(3)
Try to make at least three people smile today.
(4)
Don’t waste your time on negative energy, thoughts, gossip,
or regret over past failures. Invest positive energy in the present.
(5)
Life is a school and you are in it – failures and successes
are part of the curriculum so learn from both.
(6)
Life isn’t always fair but it can always be good.
(7)
Smile and laugh more – it drives away the energy vampires.
(8)
Don’t take yourself too seriously. Remember, nobody else
does.
(9)
No one is in charge of your joy but you and God.
(10)
What others may think of you is not your concern.
(11)
No matter how bad the situation, give it time, time heals all
things.
(12)
You already have all that you need so don’t worry about what
the neighbors have.
(13)
Remember, it is your friends, and not your job, that will
take care of you when you are sick.
(14)
When you are up to your hips in alligators as yourself; “In
five years will this really matter?”
(15)
Make peace with your past so you won’t mess up your future.
(16)
Take on one task at a time and finish it – then move on to
the next.
(17)
Start your day doing the most difficult tasks and finish with
the most pleasant ones.
(18)
No matter how bad you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
The best is yet to come
INVENTORY
Do
inventory at the end of each day and say to God, “I am thankful
for……..” and “Today I accomplished…..”
WORSHIP HIM, OR WE’LL WORSHIP SOMETHING ELSE
Eden was Paradise here on earth where
Adam, Eve and the animals communed with God in the evening hour.
God set a pattern for worship from the beginning. God created
humans with a need for worship, and if we fail to worship Him, we
will worship something else. You might be surprised to find idols
in our homes. Idols can be things and habits other than statues.
The things that manipulates all your time an attention replacing God
from your life, are idols. Ignoring your responsibility toward your
children and relatives, can become idols. Who is training your
children? You might be leading your children in idolatry. Remember,
they learn from our examples. The enemy of our souls is always
busy trying to lead us away from God. May God bless you with a
sound mind. (Pr. 5:20-23)
AFTER AWHILE...
After a while, you learn the
subtle difference
between holding a hand and chaining a soul.
And you learn that love doesn't mean
leaning and company doesn't mean security,
And you begin to learn that
kisses aren't contracts and presents are not promises.
And you begin to accept your
defeats
with your head up and your eyes open,
with the grace of an adult, not the grief of a child.
And you learn to build all your roads on today
because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans.
After a while you learn that even
sunshine burns if you get too much.
So plant your own garden and decorate you own soul,
instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can
endure . . .
That you really are strong,
And you really do have worth.
a poem by Veronica A. Shoffstall
GOD GRADES ON THE CROSS NOT THE CURVE
God grades on the cross, not the curve.
Forbidden fruits create many jams.
God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us!
CELL PHONE vs. BIBLE
I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our
cell phone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we forgot it - and turned back to go get it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
This is something to make you go.."Hmm... where is my Bible?"
Oh, and one more thing.
Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being
disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill. Makes
you stop and think "where are my priorities?
. . . And no dropped calls!
MOSES STARTED OUT AS A BASKET CASE!
Don't let your worries
get the best of you; remember, Moses started out as a basket case.
Some people are kind,
polite, and sweet-spirited until you try to sit in their pews.
Many folks want to
serve God, but only as advisers.
It is easier to preach
ten sermons than it is to live one.
The good Lord didn't
create anything without a purpose, but mosquitoes come close.
When you get to your
wit's end, you'll find God lives there
People are funny; they
want the front of the bus, the middle of the road, and the back of
the church.
Opportunity may knock
once, but temptation bangs on your front door forever.
Quit griping about
your church; if it was perfect, you couldn't belong.
If the church wants a
better pastor, it only needs to pray for the one it has.
God Himself does not
propose to judge a man until he is dead. So why should you?
Some minds are like
concrete thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.
Peace starts with a
smile.
I don't know why some
people change churches; what difference does it make which one you
stay home from?!
A lot of church
members who are singing "Standing on the Promises" are just sitting
on the premises.
We were called to be
witnesses, not lawyers or judges.
Be ye fishers of men.
You catch them - He'll clean them.
Coincidence is when
God chooses to remain anonymous.
Don't put a question
mark where God put a period.
Don't wait for 6
strong men to take you to church.
Forbidden fruits
create many jams.
God doesn't call the
qualified, He qualifies the called.
God grades on the
cross, not the curve.
God loves everyone,
but probably prefers "fruits of the spirit" over "religious nuts!"
God promises a safe
landing, not a calm passage.
He who angers you,
controls you!
If God is your
Co-pilot - swap seats!
Prayer: Don't give God
instructions -- just report for duty!
The task ahead of us
is never as great as the Power behind us.
The Will of God never
takes you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.
We don't change the
message, the message changes us.
You can tell how big a
person is by what it takes to........discourage him.
