My Mom's Eye

My mom only had one eye. I hated her... she was such an embarrassment. She cooked for students & teachers to support the family.

There was this one day during elementary school where my mom came to say hello to me.

I was so embarrassed.

How could she do this to me?
I ignored her, threw her a hateful look and ran out.
The next day at school one of my classmates said, "EEEE, your mom only has one eye!"

I wanted to bury myself.
I also wanted my mom to just disappear.
I confronted her that day and said, " If you're only goanna make me a laughing stock, why don't you just die?"

My mom did not respond...
I didn't even stop to think for a second about what I had said, because I was full of anger.
I was oblivious to her feelings.

I wanted out of that house, and have nothing to do with her.
So I studied real hard, got a chance to go abroad to study.
Then, I got married.
I bought a house of my own.
I had kids of my own.
I was happy with my life, my kids and the comforts, Then one day, my mother came to visit me.
She hadn't seen me in years and she didn't even meet her grandchildren.

When she stood by the door, my children laughed at her, and I yelled at her for coming over uninvited.
I screamed at her, "How dare you come to my house and scare my children!"
GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!"

And to this, my mother quietly answered, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address," and she disappeared out of sight.
One day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house.

So I lied to my wife that I was going on a business trip.
After the reunion, I went to the old shack just out of curiosity.


My neighbors said that she died. I did not shed a single tear. They handed me a letter that she had wanted me to have.

"My dearest son,
I think of you all the time. I'm sorry that I came to your house and scared your children.
I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion.
But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you.
I'm sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were growing up.

You see........when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye.
As a mother, I couldn't stand watching you having to grow up with one eye. So I gave you mine.
I was so proud of my son who was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye.

With all my love to you,
Your mother.

Always tell someone that you love them because you never know what day will be their last, or your own.

Always seek to resolve your problems or disagreements with loved ones because if either of you should pass on before, the one who is left alive will have the rest of their life to ponder those unresolved feelings but will never find closure. And closure usu all y brings peace...

Do Prayers Reflect Belief?

Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people.” (Matthew 11:25 MSG)



What do your prayers reveal about your perceptions of God?


I was thinking about this question the other day while reading a book by the great prayer warrior T. W. Hunt. In Disciple’s Prayer Life, Hunt and co-author Catherine Walker teach that we learn about the attributes of God by analyzing the prayers of people in the Bible.


For instance, when Daniel knelt to pray, he knowingly violated a civil code that required he only pray to a king-proclaimed god. From Daniel’s prayer, we learn that God is the most high God, and there are no other gods above him.


When Cornelius, a Gentile, prayed, seeking salvation from the God of Abraham, we learn from his prayer that there is only one true God.


These, and many other prayers in the Bible, show us the character of God and help us know him more intimately. But then I started thinking: What would someone learn about God if they listened to my prayers? Would they see that he is trustworthy? Would they see that he’s pure and holy?


Or do my prayers suggest a god who is not trustworthy, a god who isn’t concerned about the circumstances of my life, a god who reflects my own weak faith as opposed to a God who is trustworthy, caring, and faithful?


What does this mean?


· Know God – Do your prayers reveal the truth about God, his character as described in Scripture? Or do they reflect a wishful faith that hopes God is listening and willing to answer? Align your prayers with God’s great and unsurpassed character.He is El Shaddai, the all-sufficient One, able to meet any and all of your needs.


· Pray Scripture – Align your prayers with God’s Word. One way to ensure this is to pray sections of Scripture. In other words, take a passage and use it as the basis for a prayer to God, personalizing it to your circumstances and needs.


· Provision List – Thank God that he does answer your prayers. In fact, keep a list that records your prayers and the answers God provides. It will supply consistent evidence of God’s involvement in your life and his constant care for you.

by Jon Walker

Living Inspiration...

One of the top class speakers today)
My name is Nick Vujicic and I give God the Glory for how He has used my testimony to touch thousands of hearts around the world! I was born without limbs and doctors have no medical explanation for this birth “defect”. As you can imagine, I was faced with many challenges and obstacles.


"Consider it pure joy, my Brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds."
....To count our hurt, pain and struggle as nothing but pure joy? As my parents were Christians, and my Dad even a Pastor of our church, they knew that verse very well. However, on the morning of the 4th of December 1982 in Melbourne (Australia), the last two words on the minds of my parents was "Praise God!". Their firstborn son had been born without limbs! There were no warnings or time to prepare themselves for it. The doctors we shocked and had no answers at all! There is still no medical reason why this had happened and Nick now has a Brother and Sister who were born just like any other baby.



The whole church mourned over my birth and my parents were absolutely devastated. Everyone asked, "if God is a God of Love, then why would God let something this bad happen to not just anyone, but dedicated Christians?" My Dad thought I wouldn't survive for very long, but tests proved that I was a healthy baby boy just with a few limbs missing.

Understandably, my parents had strong concern and evident fears of what kind of life I'd be able to lead. God provided them strength, wisdom and courage through those early years and soon after that I was old enough to go to school.

The law in Australia didn't allow me to be integrated into a main-stream school because of my physical disability. God did miracles and gave my Mom the strength to fight for the law to be changed. I was one of the first disabled students to be integrated into a main-stream school.

I liked going to school, and just try to live life like everyone else, but it was in my early years of school where I encountered uncomfortable times of feeling rejected, weird and bullied because of my physical difference. It was very hard for me to get used to, but with the support of my parents, I started to develop attitudes and values which helped me overcome these challenging times. I knew that I was different but on the inside I was just like everyone else. There were many times when I felt so low that I wouldn't go to school just so I didn't have to face all the negative attention. I was encouraged by my parents to ignore them and to try start making friends by just talking with some kids. Soon the students realized that I was just like them, and starting there God kept on blessing me with new friends.


There were times when I felt depressed and angry because I couldn't change the way I was, or blame anyone for that matter. I went to Sunday School and learnt that God loves us all and that He cares for you. I understood that love to a point as a child, but I didn't understand that if God loved me why did He make me like this? Is it because I did something wrong? I thought I must have because out of all the kids at school, I'm the only weird one. I felt like I was a burden to those around me and the sooner I go, the better it'd be for everyone. I wanted to end my pain and end my life at a young age, but I am thankful once again, for my parents and family who were always there to comfort me and give me strength.


Due to my emotional struggles I had experienced with bullying, self esteem and loneliness, God has implanted a passion of sharing my story and experiences to help others cope with whatever challenge they have in their life and let God turn it into a blessing. To encourage and inspire others to live to their fullest potential and not let anything get in the way of accomplishing their hopes and dreams.

One of the first lessons that I have learnt was not to take things for granted.


"And we know that in all things God works for the best for those who love Him."
That verse spoke to my heart and convicted me to the point where that I know that there is no such thing as luck, chance or coincidence that these "bad" things happen in our life.
I had complete peace knowing that God won't let anything happen to us in our life unless He has a good purpose for it all. I completely gave my life to Christ at the age of fifteen after reading John 9. Jesus said that the reason the man was born blind was "so that the works of God may be revealed through Him." I truly believed that God would heal me so I could be a great testimony of His Awesome Power. Later on I was given the wisdom to understand that if we pray for something, if it's God's will, it'll happen in His time. If it's not God's will for it to happen, then I know that He has something better.
I now see that Glory revealed as He is using me just the way I am and in ways others can't be used.

I am now twenty-one years old and have completed a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Financial Planning and Accounting. I am also a motivational speaker and love to go out and share my story and testimony wherever opportunities become available. I have developed talks to relate to and encourage students through topics that challenge today's teenagers. I am also a speaker in the corporate sector.

I have a passion for reaching out to youth and keep myself available for whatever God wants me to do, and wherever He leads, I follow.

I have many dreams and goals that I have set to achieve in my life. I want to become the best witness I can be of God's Love and Hope, to become an international inspirational speaker and be used as a vessel in both Christian and non-Christian venues. I want to become financially independent by the age of 25, through real estate investments, to modify a car for me to drive and to be interviewed and share my story on the "Oprah Winfrey Show"! Writing several best-selling books has been one of my dreams and I hope to finish writing my first by the end of the year. It will be called "No Arms, No Legs, No Worries!"

I believe that if you have the desire and passion to do something, and if it's God's will, you will achieve it in good time. As humans, we continually put limits on ourselves for no reason at all! What's worse is putting limits on God who can do all things. We put God in a "box". The awesome thing about the Power of God, is that if we want to do something for God, instead of focusing on our capability, concentrate on our availability for we know that it is God through us and we can't do anything without Him. Once we make ourselves available for God's work, guess whose capabilities we rely on? God's!

Hospital Window

A great note for all to read it will take just 37 seconds to read this and change your thinking

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.

Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.

Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days and weeks passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the

window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.

He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.

It faced a blank wall.. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

Epilogue:
There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.
Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.
If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.

"Today is a gift, that's why it is called the present."

God’s Grace Sets You Free

Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. (2 Corinthians 3:4-5 NIV)


Grace. If you carry away only one thing from these devotionals, my prayer is that it will be a mind-transforming, behavior-altering understanding of God’s infinite, indestructible, and immovable grace.


Not just a quick, yet correct sound-bite explanation – like the “unmerited favor of God” – but the deep, ancient meaning of grace that stretches across the depth and breadth and width and height of God’s character.


This is on my mind because these devotionals present some high standards for Christian discipleship. My hope is to press us both – myself as well as you – toward an honest assessment of our faith, a deeper commitment to our beliefs, and most importantly a sacrificial, wholly-abandoned love for our Lord.


The standard is high; in fact, it’s impossibly high. That’s why we need God’s grace. I can’t, but God can. My confidence is in the healing, cleansing power of Jesus Christ; my competence comes from God, and God alone. (2 Corinthians 3:4-5 NIV)


Although I strive for these standards in my own life, I repeatedly fail, but that doesn’t mean I should settle for a mediocre, warmed-over faith walk or stubbornly hide behind a devilish denial that I did and do fail. I cannot walk the walk without Jesus in me – but with Jesus, I can.


Knowing this, I can set my mind on the things above, not focusing on the things below, such as my failures, my strength, my weaknesses, and all the material, temporary matters that keep me focused only on the things in front of me.


Instead, I can get out of the way, inviting the Holy Spirit to work a transformation in my life. Whether I succeed or fail, I fall upon the grace of God. I remain immersed in his grace, knowing I cannot create myself holy, but the Spirit of God within me and the blood of Jesus Christ allow me to connect with, and be cleansed by, a holy God.


We are God’s workmanship, not creations of our own hand. (Ephesians 2:7-10)


If we don’t understand God’s grace, we stand in danger of growing weary in our walk with God, descending into a quiet resignation that the abundant life is just a notion to describe our “sweet by-and-by” future in heaven.


Or we’re in danger of descending into legalism, believing we can somehow reach God’s holy standard through our own efforts. In effect, we’re saying we can achieve godliness without God’s power! We behave as if we become one of God’s children by the things we do or the things we don’t do and not from the extraordinary grace of God.


As if.


We become like the foolish Galatians, who began their Christian walk with the Spirit, but then they began to behave as if godly goals could be reached by human effort. (Galatians 3:1-5 NIV)


The apostle Paul, who struggled with legalism, taught the Galatians that the law was only put in charge to lead us to the grace of Christ. (Galatians 3:23-25) The Spirit of the living God transforms us by writing the law into our hearts rather than on simple stone tablets. (2 Corinthians 3:3) The godly standard is set within, where it cannot be lost, diminished, or forgotten, instead of on tablets of stone that can be broken, misplaced, or simply ignored.


So, you and I – my sister, my brother – we share in an inheritance from God, and that inheritance comes from grace. In fact, that inheritance is God’s grace.


What does this mean?


· You need not fear failure – God’s grace allows you to live boldly. “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7 NIV)



· Your good works will be powered by God’s grace – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV)


· Let your roots take hold in the soil of Christ – My friend, today “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.” (Ephesians 3:16-17 NLT)

by Jon Walker

Is Your Faith In Your Fear?

“But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27, NIV)


Across the breadth of the Bible, God consistently sends the message, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”


The Bible reveals that God knows we tend toward fear, particularly as we respond to uncertainty and change. Yet the Bible also reveals that God is the only unchanging certainty in this world – or out of it.


Yet, is it possible we have more faith in our fear than we do in God?


No matter how complex life becomes, it still comes down to this basic choice: Will we place our confidence in the All-Powerful Supreme Being and Sole Authority of the Universe, or will we place greater confidence in our fears?


Although the choice is black-or-white basic, God knows it’s not simple. It involves a challenging stretch, and that’s why God continually reminds us, “Fear not, for I am with you.”


God is clear that our abilities, our resources – even a belief in the myth of luck – will not be what strengthens us for the journey. (Philippians 4:13) We fear we can’t do the things God calls us to do, and we fear that God will not protect us or provide for us. We choose this fear, embracing the unholy lie that our circumstances are bigger than the One True God.


Our faith in God gets placed on the altar of our own perceptions when we should be placing our perceptions on the altar of unflinching faith.


If you’re like me, you often fear what’s behind the curtain of God’s call, and God – frustratingly – won’t let me peek behind the curtain, and so:


Our fear shouts – “Pay no attention to the God behind the curtain; he’s just another wizard from Oz, using smoke and mirrors to give you the illusion of power and grace.”


Our God whispers – In that still, small voice, he calls us to develop confidence in him; he calls us to abandon the confidence we have in what we see and the confidence we have in our fears. God keeps the curtain of our future drawn so we will learn to live by faith and not by sight, so we will become certain of what we hope for and become sure of God, even when we cannot see how he’s working in our current circumstances. (Hebrews 11:1)



What does this mean?


· Ask God to replace your fear with faith – Eliminating your fear involves more than working up your courage. This is a spiritual battle that requires you to develop faith. But first you need to make a choice – Will you fear, or will you “faith?”


· Faith means you believe the truth – Your behavior and decisions are most often rooted in what you believe. When you experience fear, ask yourself, “What does this fear say about what I believe in this circumstance?” What fears are you experiencing today? What do they say about the beliefs you currently embrace? Ask God to pull these false beliefs and fears out by the root.


· Get caught in an act of faith – One day, a woman who had hemorrhaged for 12 years slipped up behind Jesus and touched his robe, believing he could heal her. “Jesus turned –caught her at it. Then he reassured her: ‘Courage, daughter. You took a risk of faith, and now you're well.’” (Matthew 9:22, MSG) God is for you, and he encourages you to be caught in the act of faith. When you act in faith, you proclaim your belief in God; you acknowledge he exists and that God cares about you.


· Let a friend tell you about your fears -- Ask a friend if he or she sees a part of your life where you show more fear than faith – and then, together, pray for God to help your unbelief. (Mark 9:24)

by Jon Walker

Help Me Not To Doubt

“I do believe, but help me not to doubt!” (Mark 9:24, NLT)


Recently, I've been thinking my life verse should be Mark 9:24: “… I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (NIV)


I do believe, yet I have so much unbelief in my life. I walk in faith, yet my faith is often more in the things I see than the things I don’t see. I follow God, yet I repeatedly find myself stumbling down a path of my own choosing.


Paul teaches this is a common disorder among Christians, but he also says the cure for our unbelief is, quite simply, to believe God.


In the midst of our complex negotiations with God on the subject of belief, Paul sums up the issue with one simple phrase: "Abraham believed God …." (Romans 4:3)


· Abraham believed God to be a loving Father;

· Abraham believed God wanted fellowship with him;

· Abraham believed God would speak with him;

· Abraham believed God would listen to him;

· Abraham believed God wanted to use him in a great mission;

· Abraham believed God knew more than he did when the childless patriarch was called to birth a great nation;

· Abraham believed God was telling him to go, even if it was to a land he did not know;

· Abraham believed God would guide and provide step-by-step.

· Abraham “went out, not knowing where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8)


Abraham acted on his belief because he was in intimate fellowship with the Father, and this “up-close and personal” relationship showed Abraham that God could be trusted to do the things he said he would do and to fulfill the commitments he promised to complete.


Abraham believed God. Paul believed God.


I believe; God, help me overcome my unbelief --


· I believe; help me live like I believe.

· I believe; help me make decisions like I believe.

· I believe, my Lord, you are trustworthy; help me to abandon my mythology that says I am more trustworthy than you.


“Living a life of faith means never knowing where you are being led,” writes the great saint Oswald Chambers. “But it does mean loving and knowing the One who is leading. It is literally a life of faith, not of understanding and reason – a life of knowing him who calls us to go.”


What does this mean?


· ‘Help my unbelief’ – You cannot work yourself up to greater belief; rather, your belief will deepen as you deepen your fellowship with God. Tell him, “I believe; help me overcome my unbelief.”


· Believe God, not yourself – As you face decisions today, ask yourself: “Is this decision based on my belief in God, or my belief in myself?”


· Move from ‘if’ to ‘of course’ – God's desire is that you to move from “if God can do this” to “of course, God can do this!” He doesn’t expect perfection from you; if you could be perfect, then Jesus needn’t have died on the cross. Even Abraham failed to believe God at points along his journey.


· Listen to Jesus – When we say, “Help me, if you can,” Jesus says, “If I can? Don’t you understand that everything is possible to you when you believe?” (Mark 9:21-23)


· Keep confessing – Lord, I believe; help me overcome my unbelief.

by Jon Walker

Dear Friend, I Got Your Note

My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9a NLT)



Hi! I got your note saying you didn’t think you could do what God is telling you to do.


You may be surprised to hear me say this, but I agree! If God called you to do it, then you shouldn’t be able to do it without him. In fact, if you could do it without him, then it’s really not a God-thing.


I know you’re feeling that God is asking you to do something that works against your strengths. Honestly, friend, we both know there are other people we think could do it better, but what we think doesn’t really matter, does it? God’s mind on the matter – what he thinks – that’s the reality, the Gospel truth we live by. (Colossians 3:3)


The fact is, God didn’t call other people to this task. He called you!


And he called you in spite of your weaknesses, doubts, and insecurities. In truth, your weaknesses are no surprise to God. You may try to hide them from others, but you can’t hide them from God. He created you; he created you with weaknesses (do you think he made a mistake with you?); he created you with weaknesses in order to keep you on your knees before him.


With you on your knees, dependent upon God, you are able to do all things through him who strengthens you. (Philippians 4:13-14)


Besides, if you’re like me, without these weaknesses to push you back to God, you’ll just get prideful. Wasn’t it our big brother Paul who said, “Now I take limitations in stride …. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.” (2 Corinthians 12:10 MSG)


This is why God won’t allow you to use your weaknesses as an excuse for avoiding your mission or ignoring your purpose. Like the preachers say, “Where God guides, he provides.” If God is calling you to a monumental task, then he’ll equip you to complete the task –and that equipping includes the Holy Spirit working from inside you.


Be confident in this, “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6 NIV)


What does this mean?



· God’s strength flows into your weaknesses – Where you are weak, you become God-strong. “My strength comes into its own in your weakness ….” (2 Cor. 12:9 MSG)


· God’s strength is your focus – Don’t think about how incapable you are for the task. See how immensely capable God is to work through you. As the VeggieTales character Junior Asparagus sings, “God is bigger than the bogeyman.” He’s bigger than anything you face, no matter how overwhelming it may appear to you. “It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness … and so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.” (2 Cor. 12:9-10 MSG)


· God created you to do good works – “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV)

by Jon Walker

The Forgetful Servant

“All of you, serve each other in humility, for God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5 NLT)



Serving others requires forgetfulness on your part: You need to forget your own needs.


You cannot be self-centered and serve the real needs of another person. “Don’t be selfish ...,” Paul says in Philippians 2:3, “Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself.” (NLT)


Jesus gave his disciples an example of this humility when he stooped to wash their feet: “So during the meal Jesus stood up and took off his outer clothing. Taking a towel, he wrapped it around his waist. Then he poured water into a bowl and began to wash the followers’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” (John 13:4-5 NCV)


Foot-washing was customary back then (not just for pedicures!) because people wore sandals or walked barefoot on dusty roads. Usually a host had his servants do the dirty chore, but Jesus saved this service for himself, “taking the very nature of a servant ….” (Philippians 2:7 NIV)



It is interesting to note that the disciples hadn’t already taken care of the dirty feet, not even slipping into a self-service scrub. Could it be they considered this task beneath their dignity?


But it wasn’t beneath Jesus.


He placed his disciples’ needs above his own – even as he approached his darkest hour.


What does this mean?


· The forgetful servant – The life of a servant requires a kind of forgetfulness, the ability to forget our own needs in the process of tending to someone else’s. “We should please others. If we do what helps them, we will build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn't please himself.” (Romans 15:2-3 NLT) Look to the needs of others, and trust God to supply your own needs. (Philippians 4:19)


· Live well for others – “We want to live well,” Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:24, “but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well.” (MSG) Everyone we serve is someone important to serve.


Do what Jesus does – “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14 NIV) How would this change your marriage (or some other family), if you began to serve another person before you considered your own needs?

by Jon Walker

Cooperating With A Smile

by Jon Walker



“Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had – though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave ….” (Philippians 2:5-7 NLT)



Cooperation is doing with a smile what you have to do anyway. You’ll never find that sentence in the Bible, but I think its spirit is implied throughout God's Word. We are called to be obedient to God's commands, and part of that obedience is having a sensitive servant’s attitude.


I learned this lesson years ago when I was working for someone, who at the time, I didn’t respect. I would do whatever he asked me to do – eventually – but I tended to drag my feet, complain, or point out how wrong he was.


God used that relationship to teach me godly obedience. Through his Word, God taught me to obey my earthly authorities. He showed me that Christ-like character required me to work with the same servant’s attitude, regardless of how I felt about my work environment or my employer.


God not only changed my attitude, he led me to seek forgiveness from my boss for my disrespectful attitude. It was a major turning point in my life, as I came to understand what it meant to be a man under authority, regardless of who was in authority.


God can work through a boss who is a model of godliness, and he can work through a boss who is a tyrant. No matter who we work for, ultimately, God is our authority, so in any situation we should work as unto the Lord.


And you know what? As I responded to God’s authority through my earthly employer, I developed considerable respect for my boss, and he became one of my greatest mentors and supporters. Though not a believer, he taught me, “Cooperation is doing with a smile what you have to do anyway.”


What does this mean?


· Live the Gospel – How you conduct yourself at work is part of your Christian witness. Today, go beyond the minimum requirements and see how those around you respond. To quote Francis of Assisi: “Share the gospel; if necessary, use words.”


· Change your attitude – Be respectful, helpful, and gracious to those in authority over you – no matter how difficult it may be.


· Go the extra mile with a smile – Christ said, “If someone compels you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two.” People are more likely to listen to what you say when your actions show respect and concern for them, when you do more than the minimum required.

Loving Out The Fear

by Jon Walker

All of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds. (1 Peter 3:8 NLT)



God enables us to love the fear out of one another.


We drive fear from our families and friends by loving one another so supportively that every one feels safe inside the group. (1 John 4:18) This safety allows us to bring our humanity into the open, including all our pain and joy, our ups and downs, our victories and defeats.


It means you give to others the same uncommon safety Christ gives you – to be real, to be sad, to be messed up and confused, yet to be loved.


God challenges us to create a Christ-community where we love like our lives depend upon it (1 Peter 1:22) and can each “live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)


We’re to weep together and celebrate together, caring for each other equally (1 Corinthians 12:25-26) as we comfort and confront, warm and warn, cherish and challenge, within an atmosphere of supportive safety.


Loving the fear out of each other requires that we develop:


Tender hearts – We give support to each other because God gives us support, and we’re to encourage others with the encouragement we receive from him. (2 Corinthians 1:4) In the New Testament, the word ‘support’ can literally mean “to increase one another’s potential.” (Romans 14:19 NJB) We strengthen one another by extending love, instead of fostering fear, and we do that by offering relationships that are safe and sympathetic.


Humble minds –True humility focuses on the worth of others. We understand our value in Christ, and we understand that God shapes each of us for a unique purpose.


Godly eyes – Loving the fear out of our family and friends – in fact, loving the fear out of the world – means we see others for what they can be, not for what they appear to be now. Jesus called Peter a rock when the fisherman was still acting on impulse (Matt. 16:18), and God called Gideon a mighty man of courage when he was hiding from the enemy among piles of grain. (Judges 6:11-12) God calls us to encourage and affirm each other (1 Thessalonians 5:11), seeing those around us in terms of their purpose and mission in life.


What does this mean?


· God enables us to love the fear out of one another. You can love the fear out of others, and you can allow the fear to be loved out of you.


· We exhibit tender hearts when we say to one another:

§ It’s OK to have a bad day.

§ It’s OK to be tired.

§ It’s OK to admit your mistakes.

§ It’s OK to say your marriage is failing.

§ It’s OK to confess your addiction.

§ It’s OK to share you’re scared.

§ It’s OK to want a day away from your toddler.

§ It’s OK to grieve a loss.

§ It’s OK to doubt, to be confused, to cry.


· We exhibit humble minds when we say to one another:

§ It’s OK to be happy you got a new car.

§ It’s OK to celebrate that you got a huge raise.

§ It’s OK to joyfully tell us you lost 17 pounds.

§ It’s OK to say you won the sales competition.

§ It’s OK to shout “Hallelujah!” because God’s presence in your life is so good.

§ It’s OK to tell us these things because we will be as happy for you as if these blessings had come to us, and we will join you in hearty celebration.

The Hospital Window

read this and change your thinking...


Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His ! bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.

Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.


The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.


The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.


As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.


One warm afternoon the man by the windo! w described a parade passing by.


Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.


Days and weeks passed.



One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.


As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.



Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.


He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.


It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.


The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.


She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

!
Epilogue:


There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.

Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.


If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.


"Today is a gift, that's why it is called the present."

Send Picture First

“So we have stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks about them. Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way, as though he were merely a human being. How differently I think about him now!” (2 Corinthians 5:16 NLT)




“Send picture first, then I’ll reply” – It’s a pretty common message in the personal ads, and in this age of alienation and e-community, it makes a lot of sense to exercise care and caution in any relationship with a new person.


But let me ask this question: When it comes to real love – real as opposed to some fantasy-romantic love – do you find yourself saying, “Send picture first?”


We may say it in different ways. For instance, we may say, think, or judge: “I have to see if you’re good enough.” “I’m not sure you’re worthy of my love.” “You need to act the way I expect before I’ll love you.”


And we don’t do that just with strangers who cross our path. We often make these judgments about the people closest to us, our loved ones.


In our walk with Christ, the apostle Paul instructs us to stop judging people according to the flesh (2 Corinthians 5), which is a King Jamesion way of saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover or people by appearances.” To paraphrase Paul: “We don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new ….” (2 Corinthians 5:16b-17a MSG)


Now, let me ask you a pointed question, one I’m also asking myself today: When it comes to loving God, do you find yourself saying, “Send picture first?”


My own answer to that is “Ouch!”


Yet, God in his grace did send a picture first – the picture of Jesus, his body broken and stretched out on the cross, dying for your sins. Even as we had yet to send our picture, God sent his picture first. That’s my paraphrase of Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (NIV)


The thing is, while we’re actively engaged in a passive love – saying, “You send your picture first” – God already is setting a place for you at the banquet table. We’re sticking a toe in the water to see if it is warm enough to risk rejection. Yet God in his grace invites us to the wedding feast, where we are guaranteed to be accepted among his beloved.


What does this mean?


· God takes the initiative – God is reaching out to you, and he’s already provided the means for you to come into a close, lasting relationship with him. The king invites us to a wedding feast in honor of his Son! (Matthew 22)


· What pictures are you sending? – When you are timid or uncertain in seeking or responding to God, you are passively saying, “You go first, God. Send me a picture of what this looks like before I decide if I’m going to do it.” Are you sending God pictures of disobedience, faith-lessness, lukewarm attitudes, a refusal to accept his grace? “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 NIV)


What does God look like? – Here’s one likeness of him: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us ….” (1 John 3:16a NIV) © 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.
Pastor Jon Walker is a writer for www.GraceCreates.com.