Sunday's Coming

God’s Grace:

There once was a man named George Thomas, pastor in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit. Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak .. .. 

"I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright. I stopped the lad and asked, ‘What do you have there, son?’ 

"Just some old birds," came the reply. 

"What are you going to do with them?" I asked. 

"Take 'em home and have fun with 'em," he answered. "I'm gonna tease 'em and pull out their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time." 

"But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do then?" 

"Oh, I got some cats," said the little boy. "They like birds. I'll take 'em to them." 

The pastor was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those birds, son?" 

"Huh?? !!! Why, you don't want them birds, mister. They're just plain old field birds. They don't sing. They ain't even pretty!" 

"How much?" the pastor asked again. 

The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, "$10?" 

The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free. Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and then the pastor began to tell this story: 

One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. 

Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. "Yes, sir, I just caught a world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!" 

"What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked. 

Satan replied, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I'm gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!" 

"And what will you do when you are done with them?" Jesus asked. 

"Oh, I'll kill 'em," Satan glared proudly. 

"How much do you want for them?" Jesus asked. 

"Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take them and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you. You don't want those people!!" 

"How much? He asked again. 

Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your blood, tears and your life." 

Jesus said, "DONE!" Then He paid the price. 

The pastor picked up the cage and walked from the pulpit. 

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? 

I thank God every day for my blessed life. I'm not rich, don't live in a mansion and don't have the nicest of material things, but, I have a roof over my head, clothes on my back, food on my table, a family that loves me and lifelong friends to get me through .. . I'd say I have a lot to be thankful for. 

Have you counted your blessings today?

Have a great day, love you, pass it on,
Don

For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.

Philippians 1:29 NLT

Sunday's Coming

Good Morning,

Thank you for your prayers, e-mails and calls what a blessing you are to us. Your support makes such a difference, so again Thank You. Our services continue every Sunday, and we continue to have a great time and see God at work here. Thanks again for all your help.

In my reading today, I want to share the following:

Love Leads to Love
By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

At Calvary, the cross of Christ became an eternal emblem of love. Jesus never lost sight of God's purpose for His life. Everything He learned from the Father was in preparation for this moment.

As Scripture tells us, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

Jesus not only laid down His life for those who loved Him, He laid it down for all men and women, even those who choose to reject Him. He didn't die just for those closest to Him; He died for all of us. No one is left out. But we must make a choice either to accept Him as our Savior or to turn away from Him and face the judgment of a tormenting death.

When you find yourself being drawn away by the world's passions and temptations, remember the cross, where Christ gave His life as atonement for your sin. There is no greater love than God's love for you.

Prayer: Lord, it is hard to imagine the depth of Your love for me. Thank You for dying for me. May I love others as you have loved me. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18).

Have a great day, love you, pass it on!
Don

Sunday's Coming

Good Morning,

Thank you for your prayers, e-mails, support and phone calls what a blessing you are to us. Our services continue every Sunday, and we continue to have a great time and see God at work here. Thanks again for all your help.

In my reading today, I want to share the following:

Life Goes Better with Praise
By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

Years ago, a soft-drink company came up with a slogan that claimed "things go better with" their product. Who can really say what the positive effects of a soft drink are, but we certainly know that life goes much better with praise!

When we fail to praise God, frustration builds. God is grieved, and we miss a great opportunity for blessing. When we take time to praise Him, feelings of fear, doubt, and frustration fade.

The psalmist writes: "May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. ... Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us" (Psalm 67:3, 6). Praise is the prelude to blessing!

Henry W. Frost, a veteran missionary to China, discovered the power of praise amid dark and difficult circumstances. He writes: "Nothing so pleases God in connection with our prayer as praise and nothing so blesses the man who prays as the praise which he offers."

Frost goes on to explain just how he learned this truth.

A deep shadow had covered my soul. I prayed and I prayed, but the darkness did not vanish. I summoned myself to endure, but the darkness only deepened.

Then one day, I went to an inland station and saw on the wall of the mission home these words: Try praising the Lord.' I did, and in a moment every shadow was gone, not to return. Yes, the psalmist was right; it is a good thing to give praise unto the Lord!

Praise does not reduce the seriousness of the problems facing us, but it can certainly lift our downcast eyes to the One who has the power to lift our hearts and to offer us eternal hope.

When trouble increases and the stress of the day seems too much for you to bear, try praising God, and you will experience His wondrous joy.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know Your faithfulness is bigger than any trial I could ever go through. Thank You for the hope and peace that come when I worship You instead of focusing on my problem! I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

"I will ever praise you" (Psalm 71:6).

Have a great day, love you, pass it on!
Don