Love not the world by Gary Carpenter

1 John 2:15-17  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

The reason we have trouble understanding what John meant by these words is because we have so little revelation of who we truly are. For the most part, we still see ourselves as creatures of this world, even though the bible says we are not of the world. Our day-by-day identification is still more with the world than with heaven.

As I continue meditating the Word of God and spending many hours praying in the Spirit, my comprehension of the fact that we are "born from above" is increasing. I find myself saying things like, "I am not on earth for the purpose of receiving from the world. I am on earth for the purpose that the world may receive from my heavenly Father." Progressively, I am identifying more with heaven than with earth.

All of those old sayings that used to just sound like religious jargon to me are starting to become "Who I am." Sayings like, "This world is not my home. Heaven is where my possessions lie." I find that my affections are truly becoming set on things above, not on things on the earth:

Col 3:2-3  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

We are simply "on assignment" from heaven to earth in order that the will of our Father may be done through the life of Christ in us while we live in these mortal bodies. We only need the "material things of the earth" as they are required to fulfill our assignment. We don't identify with the earth. We are from above. We have no covetous lust for the things of the earth. If we have lust at all, it is this intense desire to complete the work our Master has given us to do. We don't feel at home on the earth anymore. This environment of sin, sickness and poverty does not seem "natural" anymore. Neither does the all-pervading "deceitfulness of riches and the lust of other things" seem "natural" to us anymore.

To spend our lives on a quest to satisfy the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life seems totally foreign to us now. These things are just simply no longer part of our nature. They are not "of the Father." They have nothing to do with our assignment from heaven. To give our affection to them is to abandon our assignment from heaven and divert us from the Father's will for our lives. To set our affection on them would be no less than treason. Are we, freeborn citizens of heaven, now to become citizens of this fallen world? I trow not! Our nature is to please the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. That's the motivational, driving force that gives us pleasure now.

2 Tim 2:4  No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer. NIV

We don't have too much trouble identifying the "lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes," but exactly what is this "pride of life?" The Greek word translated "life" in that verse is "bios."

From Strong's Dictionary: LIFE
979. bios, bee'-os; a prim. word; life, i.e. (lit.) the present state of existence; by impl. the means of livelihood:--good, life, living.

It is from the word "bios" that we get our modern word "biological." This is not referring to the "life of God" within us. The word "bios" refers to our physical, biological life, including the means of livelihood by which that life is sustained on earth. It is the same Greek word translated "living" when Jesus spoke of the Widow's Mite:

Mark 12:44  For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living [bios].

She had cast in the last of the resources to sustain her physical, biological life on earth. With that connotation of the word bios, then John's statement could be translated "the pride of how well you make a living" is not of the Father. Or, "the pride of your standard of living" is not of the Father. It is the cares of our "bios," the sustaining of our physical life on this earth and the pursuit of the "pleasures of this life" that choke the word and make us unfruitful for the Kingdom of God:

Luke 8:14  And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life [bios], and bring no fruit to perfection.

Concerning the pride of our physical life, the Greek word translated "pride" in 1 John 2:16 is "alazoneia." From Strong's Dictionary:

PRIDE - 212. alazoneia, al-ad-zon-i'-a; from G213; braggadocio, i.e. (by impl.) self-confidence:--boasting, pride.

From the New American Standard Dictionary:
Braggadocios:

1. A braggart.
2. Empty or pretentious bragging.
3. Swaggering manner; cockiness.
4. The personification of vainglory.

Sad to say, this phrase "the pride of life" seems to be the "norm" for the majority of Christian Americans who devote most of their life to "keeping up with the Jones's." This same attitude runs rampant among many Christian ministries. It is at the heart of competition and "one-upmanship." It comes from the deep-rooted desire to be thought "better" than others. This motivational, driving force is "not of the Father." Paul said,

2 Cor 10:12  For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

Needless to say, it is now more clear why John said that this sort of "pride of life" is not of the Father. This is the motivational, driving force of the world system, not the Kingdom of God. The safeguard against spending our lives floundering in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is to LOVE NOT THE WORLD, NEITHER THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE WORLD! Rather than setting our love on the world and the things that are in the world, we are admonished to set our affection on the things which are above:

Col 3:2-3  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

The following verses also apply to this same principle. As stewards of the Kingdom of God, we must never bow the knee to the world, nor the things in the world. Our allegiance is to "Him who bought us" … our Lord Jesus Christ alone! We are not hirelings. We are not employees. We are "owned." We are bondslaves who are single minded. We know WHO WE ARE, WHERE WE ARE FROM, AND WHY WE ARE HERE!

1 Tim 6:5-11  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. BUT GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS GREAT GAIN [Emphasis Added]. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. AND HAVING FOOD AND RAIMENT LET US BE THEREWITH CONTENT [Emphasis Added]. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

Phil 4:11  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

1 John 5:21  Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

2 Tim 3:1-5  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, TRAITORS, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

2 Tim 4:10  For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

Demas "loved this present world." The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life caused him to turn traitor to his assignment from the King. He chose to forsake his "mission from heaven" to spend his short life on earth pursuing the pleasures of the world instead.

From such … "TURN AWAY!"

Source : http://www.garycarpenter.org/SI4.html

I lift my hands - Chris Tomlin

Let Faith ARISE, OPEN my eyes Lord!

Christian Jokes

A 6-year-old was overheard reciting the Lord's Prayer at a church service, "And forgive us our trash passes, as we forgive those who passed trash against us."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A boy was watching his father, a pastor, write a sermon.

"How do you know what to say?" he asked.

"Why, God tells me."

"Oh, then why do you keep crossing things out?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the dedication of his baby brother in church, little Johnny sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong.

Finally, the boy replied, "That pastor said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I want to stay with you guys!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Terri asked her Sunday School class to draw pictures of their favorite Bible stories. She was puzzled by Kyle's picture, which showed four people on an airplane, so she asked him which story it was meant to represent.

"The Flight to Egypt," was his reply.

Pointing at each figure, Ms. Terri said, "That must be Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus.
But who's the fourth person?"

"Oh, that's Pontius - the pilot!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Six-year old Angie , and her four-year old brother, Joel , were sitting together in church.
Joel giggled, sang and talked out loud.
Finally, his big sister had had enough.
"You're not supposed to talk out loud in church."
"Why? Who's going to stop me?" Joel asked.
Angie pointed to the back of the church and said,
"See those two men standing by the door?
They're hushers."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

http://www.thoughts-about-god.com/fun/children1.htm

The Master's Hand

Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took the small boy to a Paderewski concert.  After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her.  Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE."


When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that her son was missing.  Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage.  In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."  At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit, keep playing." 


Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part.  Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obligatio.  Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience.  The audience was mesmerized.


That's the way it is with God.   What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy.  We try our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful flowing music.  But with the hand of the Master, our life's work truly can be beautiful.  Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully.  You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit, keep playing."  Feel His loving arms around you.  Know that His strong hands are playing the concerto of your life.  Remember, God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called. 


- AUTHOR UNKNOWN -


Source : http://godslittleacre.net/inspirationalstories/

The Big Question: Why Does God Allow Evil to Exist? by Sy Rogers

All over the world people ponder this question. It's been called the 'Theologians Dilemma'that is, how can Christian people defend, let alone believe in and trust a God who allows such terrible evil and suffering on earth?

While touring around the world in 1998/99 as a singer with the euro rock band NoLongerMusic, this issue of God's character in a world of hardship was probably the number one challenge we had to address when interacting with patrons in the clubs and discos where we performed.
Whether in clubs or churches, I've heard this issue raised over and over again by Christians & non Christians alike: "how could God be good when He allowed this tragedy to happen to my child?" or "how could God really be loving if He didn't intervene to prevent such a terrible accident? Or plane crash?, or earthquake?" or "Why would God allow Satan, or Hitler, for that matter?"

The list of questions like this is almost endless. People have an expectation of God that IF He's so good and loving and involved, THEN He shouldn't allow evil or bad things to happen.
Ultimately the real issue being addressed isn't 'why does God allow evil'. Here's the real question: "Is God as good as He says He is?"
The evidence around us in a troubled world makes us wonder -- even the people of faith must wrestle through doubts and fears, which if we don't face up to them, can hinder our experience with God and life. After all, you don't build a relationship with someone you don't fully trust. While I don't know all, and I'm not going to try to defend God whose ways are above and beyond my limited view & experience, I can offer at least 3 understandable reasons explaining WHY the Good Creator, Loving Father, Powerful Lord allows such awfulness on earth: … Earth is under a curse and separated from God.

Many people somehow seem to think that life is supposed to be wonderful and convenient -- especially first world developed countries where we are able to exert some control over our environment for our comfort and convenience. When suffering in it's various forms happens, people act as if this is something strange and undeserved. Frankly, God talks pretty straight to us in the Bible: Everything is cursed and out of balance: Even the very planet -- so there are violent storms and earthquakes and floods and plagues and predators, all of which induce suffering.
Humanity is cursed: We suffer Psychological imbalances such as fear, hatred, greed, lust -- all of which produce forms of suffering. Biology is cursed too: you will suffer the indignity of aging and then you dieoften not very nicely either, because we are fragile and subject to a host of terrifying diseases and system breakdownsthere will be suffering, and why would you think that you would be spared?

Add to this Satan is lord over earth for the time being.

The Biblical Worldview states quite factually that Evil exists and has it's origins in disobedience to God, demonstrated first by that fallen angel Lucifer, renamed Satan (Hebrew for 'the one who slanders & accuses'--who does Satan accuse? God & His character).
Christians sing in church that 'Jesus is Lord'---and yes, He is indeed, but not on earth yet! God is purposely unfolding His zillion year cosmic plan according to His timing and strategy therefore, the inferior but still destructive devil has his season of influence for a time.
Meanwhile, Jesus is only Lord on earth right now thru the lives of those choosing Him -- and even then for believers it's a battle over just who will be Lord in your life today! In our raping, warring, molesting, greedy world, it's pretty obvious just who owns the system for now and man, do we humans suffer as a result!
The New Testament writings give evidence that one day Jesus WILL come back and rule the earth as the rightful prince. But for now, even Jesus called the devil the Prince of this World. Why? Satan has temporarily seized Lordship over earth thanks to Adam and Eve's disloyalty to God -- thus forfeiting their 'right to rule' over the earth. So not only are we fallen creatures on a fallen, cursed world--we also suffer even more thanks to the evil influences of Satanic lordship.

But wait--there's more: Humans have the freedom of choice for good or bad.
As if the first two reasons weren't enough, another major source of suffering inspite of God's goodness, is our own personal choices which affect us and others. Choice is sacred territory -- and God will let you and I hurt ourselves and others based on our freedom to make our own choices. In fact, God will let us choose to go to Hell before He'll force us into Heaven.
My biological mom died in a car wreck due to drink driving. She was only 28.
Not only did she end her own life due to her tragic choice to drive while intoxicated she also seriously injured someone else in another vehicle.
A sad illustration that God will allow us to make our choices, even though the outcome is so painful. God is willing to forgive, but the consequences are not so forgiving. It's no wonder that God asks us to choose to obey him--even if we don't want to. Obeying God may not solve all our problems, but it doesn't create the kind of suffering that disobedient choices eventually will. At the end of the day, the real issue for those who follow Christ, is will we trust God even if we don't understand or appreciate the decisions He makes and the things He allows? Is He good only when things are going well for you, or is He good all the time, even if your blessings are stolen, or destroyed by some disaster? That famous survivor of the Nazi concentration camps, Corrie Ten Boom once said that 'faith is simply trusting God's character, even when life gives you reasons not to'. Considering that all of Corrie's Christian family perished in the concentration camps, she would have an understanding of suffering and the reality of evil. At times, Corrie & her sister Betsy, who died in the camps, were mocked for their faith by the other prisoners--who would say 'how can there be a God who allows such a nightmare! Betsy replied: 'This camp is not God's doing. I don't know why He allows this place, but if you knew Him you would know that He is love.' She went on to say, 'Perhaps He brought us here to show you that there is no pit so deep, that He is not deeper still'. In my opinion, our purpose on earth is not to have a happy life untouched by evil and the suffering it imposes. Our purpose is to know God and then, having experienced His love, to make Him known in loving service to others. The reality of evil on earth can fill one with dread over the possibilities but if that dread drives you to God, and if from Him you obtain comfort and peace then even evil has been exploited by God. Evil and the pain that it imposes matters very much to God, and He has sent a massive remedy in the form of Christ.

The creator Himself has been victimized by evil and He has shared our suffering -- He knows evil and it's price firsthand. He sees, and He knows and He cares about your suffering.
One day the issue of evil will be permanently and absolutely resolved. And we who have suffered because of it, will be compensated forever, if we are reconciled to God. Until then, let us follow Him faithfully, not because we know or understand everything, but because we know Him and believe He is good!

http://www.syrogers.com/media/bigquestion.php

Bringing Christ into our Crisis by David Wilkerson

In Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar erected a huge, golden image ninety feet tall and summoned every leader from his far-flung empire to a dedication ceremony. Once they arrived, however, Nebuchadnezzar commanded that they all bow in worship before the image and if they defied the order, they were to die.

Three of Daniel’s friends—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—refused to bow. These men, along with Daniel, had been taken captive from Jerusalem. It was not unusual in those days to punish violators of the king’s decrees by casting them into a burning oven (see Jeremiah 29:22).

When the guards brought the three Hebrew men before the king, he bellowed at them, “So! You refused to bow before this image? I am going to give you one more chance. If you don’t bow this time, you’ll be thrown into a burning fiery furnace” (Daniel 3:14-15).

The three Hebrews were finally cast into the furnace. But the king was puzzled. There had been no sudden flash of roasting bodies, no smell of burning flesh. He peered into the fire—and was astonished at what he saw!

The three Hebrew men were walking about on top of the coals. The fire had only burned the ropes they had been tied with—and now their hands were raised, praising God. Nebuchadnezzar turned to one of his associates and said, “How many men did we throw in there?”

“Three, O king,” came the answer.

“But I see four! And none of them is burning. None is even hurt. And one of them has the appearance of the Son of God!” (See Daniel 3:24-25)

Jesus came into these men’s crisis for one reason—for their sake alone! He came to comfort and rescue them because he loved them. The Lord of glory committed himself to them in their hour of crisis—because they were totally committed to him!

Source : http://davidwilkersontoday.blogspot.com/

Peace, Where Did I Leave You? by Joyce Meyer

I lived a lot of years searching for peace.

I was frustrated, confused, aggravated, upset and in turmoil.

Now I enjoy peace. But I might never have found it if I'd stopped looking for it, because God wanted to teach me to pursue it.

Sometimes we wish for things to change but are unwilling to do what it takes to make things better.

I was always upset about my circumstances. I wanted God to change them for me, and I wanted Him to change the people around me too. I thought if those few things would change, I would be able to enjoy my life.

Until I looked at my life to see what I could do to make things different, I was really just wishing.

Does Your Inside Match Your Outside?

Matthew 6:33 says, Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.

So what is God's kingdom?

It may sound real deep and religious. But, really, it's not that mysterious.

The Bible says the kingdom of God is in us.

If you've accepted Christ, that means He's living in you—and He wants to live in a peaceful house. That's why your inner life is so important to God.

We can be phony and act like everything's fine on the outside when we're really unhappy on the inside. But God wants us to have authentic peace, where our inner life matches our outer life.

Are You Seeking the Right Stuff?

Romans 14:17 defines the kingdom of God as a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

A lot of people spend their life seeking all kinds of other stuff. But when it comes to righteousness, peace and joy, they don't have any because they're chasing after things.

I used to think that if I had all kinds of worldly stuff, I'd have no worries and my life would be peaceful. But true peace comes from being one with God.

It's important for us to understand this because I think a large majority of Christians spend their whole life searching for the wrong things, when our real treasure is in Jesus.

How I Went from Pathetic to Peaceful

For a while I was seeking a big ministry but living under guilt and condemnation. So every time someone criticized me, I fell apart. I would be a basket case for days because I didn't know my identity in Christ and I didn't like myself.

Outwardly, people probably couldn't tell I was falling apart, but inside I was worried, overly concerned, and a people pleaser.

Many of us go through these things privately but never tell anyone because we want to act like everything is okay. We'll wear our church face, smile at everyone and say, "Praise the Lord!” when on the inside we're dealing with secret fears, worries and concerns.

The Bible says the truth sets us free. We need to be honest with others about what's going on inside us.

Honestly, a large majority of us never get still enough to even ask ourselves the question, What is going on in me?

Here are two questions you can ask yourself to help you find peace.

• Do I know who I am in Christ?
• Am I walking in righteousness?

If you know who you are in Christ, it won't matter so much to you what other people think. You'll just get up every day and do your best to love God.

Putting On the Gift of God's Righteousness

The moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior, the Bible says God takes away our sin and gives us His righteousness. It's a gift, and we don't need to earn it. But we do need to put it on, and every time we do, we receive His peace.

If you are ever feeling bad about yourself, feeling ashamed, guilty or condemned, I encourage you to ask yourself, Do I know who I am in Christ? Am I walking in righteousness?

When you are pursuing God's will for your life, He will give you peace.

---

This article is taken from Joyce's audio teaching, Calm, Cool and Collected.

Source ; http://www.joycemeyer.org

Daddy is Driving

A speaker (Dr. Wan) has once shared his experience:

While his family and he were in Europe, there was once that they need to drive 3 days continuously, day and night, to get to Germany. So, they all got into the car -- he, his wife, and his 3 years old daughter.


His little daughter has never traveled at night before. She was scared the first night in the car, with deep darkness outside.


"Where are we going, Daddy?" "To your uncle's house, in Germany."
"Have you been to his house before?" "No."
"Then, do you know the way?" "Maybe, we can read the map."
Short pause. "Do you know how to read the map?" "Yes, we will get there safely."
Another pause. "Where are we going to eat if we get hungry before arriving?" "We can stop by restuarants if we are hungry."
"Do you know if there are restaurants on the way?" "Yes, there are."
"Do you know where?" "No, but we will be able to find some."


The same dialogue repeated a few times within the first night, and also the second night. But on the third night, his daughter was quiet. The speaker thought that she might have fallen asleep, but when he looked into the mirror, he saw that she was awake and was just looking around calmly. He couldn't help wondering why she was not asking the questions anymore --
"Dear, do you know where we are going?" "Germany, Uncle's house."
"Do you know how we are getting there?" "No."
"Then why aren't you asking anymore?" "Because Daddy is driving."
Because Daddy is driving.


This answer from a 3 years' old girl has then become the strength and help for this speaker for the many years follow whenever he has questions and fears on his journey with the Lord. Yes, our Father is driving. We may know the destination (and sometimes we may just know it like the little girl -- "Germany", without understanding where or what it really is).


We do not know the way, we do not know how to read the map, we do not know if we can find restaurants along the way. But the little girl knew the most important thing -- Daddy is driving -- and so she is safe and secure. She knows that her Daddy will provide all that she needs.


Do you know your Daddy, the Great Shepherd, is driving today? What are your behavior and response as a passenger, His child?


You may have asked many questions before, but can you like the little girl, start to realize the most important focus should be "Daddy is driving?"


Author Unknown


Source : http://www.inspirationalstories.com/0/36.html

God and the Spider Web

During World War II, a US marine was separated from his unit on a Pacific Island. The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfire he had lost touch with his comrades.


Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction. Scrambling for cover, he found his way up a high ridge to several small caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled inside one of the caves. Although safe for the moment, he realized that once the enemy soldiers looking for him swept up the ridge, they would quickly search all the caves and he would be killed.


As he waited, he prayed, "Lord, if it be your will, please protect me. Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you. Amen."


After praying, he lay quietly listening to the enemy begin to draw close. He thought, "Well, I guess the Lord isn't going to help me out of this one.." Then he saw a spider begin to build a web over the front of his cave.


As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the while, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave.
"Ha, he thought. "What I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humor."


As the enemy drew closer he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As they came to his, he got ready to make his last stand. To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on. Suddenly, he realized that with the spider web over the entrance, his cave looked as if no one had entered for quite a while. "Lord, forgive me," prayed the young man. "I had forgotten that in you a spider's web is stronger than a brick wall."


We all face times of great trouble. When we do, it is so easy to forget the victories that God would work in our lives, sometimes in the most surprising ways. As the great leader, Nehemiah, reminded the people of Israel when they faced the task of rebuilding Jerusalem, "In God we will have success!" [Nehemiah 2:20]


Remember: Whatever is happening in your life, with God, a mere spider's web can become a brick wall of protection. Believe He is with you always. Just speak His name through Jesus His son, and you will see His great power and love for you.


Author Unknown 

Source : http://www.creativebiblestudy.com/Christian-stories.html

Hold On

Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.

His mother in the house was looking out the window saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could. Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him.

From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal, and on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.

The newspaper reporter, who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, 'But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Mom wouldn't let go.'

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, or anything quite so dramatic, but the scars of painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you. The Scripture teaches that God loves you.

You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way. But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-of-war begins - and if you have the scars of His love on your arms be very, very grateful. He did not and will not - let you go.

Source : http://www.inspirationalprayer.com/hold-on.html

The Thief on the Other Cross: A Good Friday Monologue by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson

I don't belong here. I really don't. Paradise is the last place I expected to end up after all I've done. Let me tell you my story.

I am -- I was -- an armed robber, I guess you'd call it. Me and Jake and the others would live in caves in the Judean hills near the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. We made our living by violence. We wouldn't take on people in the big groups that passed. They traveled together for safety. But a family alone would be an easy mark, as well as anyone fool enough to travel by himself.

Brandishing a strong staff would usually do the trick. Threaten them with a beating and they'd give up without much of a fight. But I've been known to break a few bones in my day, God forgive me. I don't think I actually killed anyone, but then I never stayed around long enough to find out.

The first time I meet Jesus is when I am invited to a party in his honor in Jericho at the home of a rich tax collector named Zacchaeus. I am introduced, we shake hands, and Jesus looks me in the eye for a long moment. He can see right into me, who I am, every crime I have ever committed. Then he smiles this big friendly smile. "You know," he says, "there's forgiveness for you in my Kingdom. How about it?"

I drop my eyes, say something non-committal, and shuffle away. The next day I'm in the crowd, hanging on every word he says. Jesus is talking about his Kingdom, comparing it to a mustard seed, calling it the Kingdom of Heaven. I want so much to go up to him after he has finished and take him up on that forgiveness thing, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

I wish I had. It isn't much later when me and my friend Jake -- the guy on the third cross -- get caught by a Roman patrol. The others run off, but they catch us, beat us silly, drag us into Jerusalem, and throw us in prison. No mercy for the likes of us.

And so it happens that on the same day that they crucify Jesus, they crucify me and Jake -- one of us on his left, the other on his right. This ain't no normal crucifixion. Mobs of people are there just because of Jesus. Self-righteous Pharisees are swaggering and mocking. "If you're some kind of messiah," one sneers, "come on down from that cross. If you're a savior, save yourself -- if you can!"

Jake begins cat-calling, too, if you can imagine that. I yell over at him, "You miserable thug, don't you have any fear of God? Can't you see that we're going to die just like he is? Show a little decency! We're getting exactly what we deserve, but he ain't done nothing wrong."

Jake quiets down and the Pharisees lose interest. But I can't get Jericho out of my mind. I can't forget Jesus' eyes, his words, his invitation. And so I call over to him, though it's getting hard to breathe and talking makes it that much harder.

"Jesus!" I say. He turns his head towards me. "Jesus, I was there in Jericho. I met you at a party at Zacchaeus' house. Remember?"

He looks at me for a moment and then nods his head just a little. He doesremember.

"I never forgot what you said. I wanted to say yes, but just couldn't. And now look at me -- look at us!"

He is in bad shape -- exhausted, in excruciating pain, back oozing, breath labored. He isn't going to last long. I can see that. But somehow I can see beyond all that. He was the Messiah, is the Messiah, no matter what those priests and Romans and Pharisees have done to him. And when he dies, he will be with God. In a few hours, maybe less, he will be vindicated. He will reign in that Kingdom he told us about.

"Jesus," I call again, quieter now.

He opens his eyes. They are the same eyes, the same piercing, loving, honest eyes.

"Jesus," I say, "when you come into your Kingdom, would you remember me?"

His words are labored, his lips parched, but I can still hear him pretty well. "Truly, I say to you...." His voice cracks, then is stronger for a moment. "Truly, this very day you will be with me in Paradise."

His eyes droop. He is fading quickly now. But I believe him. I do! That's what gets me through those next few hours until they break my legs to kill me. I do believe him!

And then I find myself here in heaven, in Paradise. I sure don't deserve to be here, but here I am anyway. I guess that's what a man like me gets when the King himself grants a pardon. Full forgiveness. Pretty amazing, don't you think?

---

This story is fictional, of course, though it is based on the account in Luke 23:32-43. The criminals described by the Greek word lestes, "robber, highwayman, bandit." Since Josephus used this as a derisive term to refer to the Zealots, some have thought that it might mean "revolutionary, insurrectionist, guerrilla" here. (lestes, BDAG 594; K.H. Rengstorf, lestes, TDNT 4:257-262). However, in this story I take the thief as a highwayman or bandit, like the one who had robbed the man in Jesus' Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37).

Source : http://www.joyfulheart.com/easter/thief.htm

Impossible Situations

The day was almost over. As I cleaned the room in preparation for the next patient, I heard the intercom blare my name announcing a call waiting for me at the nurses’ station.

I maneuvered my way through the crowded hospital corridor and picked up the first free phone I could find. The grim tone of my brother’s voice caused my heart to leap into my throat.

“They found a large tumor on Mom’s liver.” This was not the first time we had heard the words “tumor” or “cancer.”

Six years earlier, she had fought a hard fight against colon cancer and won. However, we felt the winds of change after a kidney infection landed her in the emergency room earlier that month. Her doctor performed a blood test that indicated her cancer might have returned. The CAT scan confirmed our worst fears. The cancer had spread, or metastasized, to her liver.

“What are we going to do?” Alan’s voice broke through my stunned silence.

After asking a few more questions about my mother’s test results, all I could say was, “I’ll call you back.”

I left the desk and found my husband in another area of the emergency room where we both worked as nurses. I shared the news with him and other co-workers who were standing by. Concerned looks and pats on the shoulder were all they could offer in the way of a solution. My husband turned to me. “What about Rhonda?”

Spurred on by a glimmer of hope, I grabbed the phone. My hands shook as I dialed the number. The din of the emergency room grew faint as I waited for the familiar voice to answer.

“Hey, Rhon. It’s Pam. Can you talk for a minute?”

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

I launched into the story without taking a breath. “Mom has a tumor on her liver. Alan told me her doctor said he can’t operate because it is wrapped around a major blood vessel. What can I do? Who can I take her to?”

Then came the inevitable question, “What kind of insurance does she have?”

I took a deep breath “She doesn’t have any."

The silence that followed was shattered by my friend’s determined voice, “Pam, give me a minute and I will call you back.” The phone went dead.

As I waited, my heart began to sink. How would my mother get the care she needed? Mom had survived two major surgeries, six weeks of radiation, and eighteen months of chemotherapy. After she went into remission, my parents tried to obtain some sort of health coverage for her. All of these efforts were fruitless. Because of her history, no conventional insurance company would touch her. She was too young for Medicare, and when she tried applying for Medicaid, she was told she would have to divorce my father in order to qualify for benefits. After fifty years of marriage, this was not an option. Furthermore, even if we had the funds, where would she get a doctor? Few surgeons in the state would call themselves qualified to tackle such a case, and, if they did, it could take months to get an appointment. Our chances seemed bleak. It was an impossible situation.

Throughout the Bible, we find story after story of men and women surrounded by circumstances that had no viable solution. In the Old Testament, we read about a couple of senior citizens waiting for a promised child to be born. Let us not forget the runaway murderer commissioned by God to lead Israel out of centuries of slavery against the super power of his day. How about the Israeli leader who needed more hours of daylight in order to defeat the enemy? All of these were impossible situations.

In the New Testament, we can feel the anxiety of the disciples as five thousand hungry people waited for the meal Jesus announced that He would provide. Ponder this: Lazarus was dead. Mary and Martha were racked with grief when Jesus finally arrived three days later. “Where were you?” they cried. More impossible situations.

The list goes on and on, but with every insurmountable obstacle, God comes through. Abraham and Sarah have a healthy baby boy. Moses brings the children of Israel out of bondage after four hundred years of oppression while being chased by the entire Egyptian army. Joshua defeated the enemy when God made the sun stand still. Jesus not only fed five thousand men, but also all the women and children who were there with food to spare. Much to the delight of Mary and Martha, Jesus brought Lazarus back to life. When the world shakes its head and announces there is no way, God flexes His muscles on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal to Him, (2 Chronicles 16:9).

Replaying the events of that day, I feel humbled and honored at the evidence of God’s hand at work in Mom’s life. Little did I know that God would use an old friendship to bring about a new solution. When the call finally came, Rhonda’s voice rang full of confidence.

“Pam, the doctor I work for has agreed to see your Mom. He is one of the best trauma surgeons in Florida. And, because of where her tumor is located, we are going to enroll her in the teaching program so all her hospital costs will be covered. She won’t have to pay for a thing.”

Friend, are you facing an impossible situation? Perhaps a loved one has been touched by an unexpected illness like my mother, or your checkbook shows more withdrawals than deposits. If so, just remember what God asked Jeremiah in chapter 32, verse 27: “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is there anything too difficult for me?” When we see obstacles, God sees opportunities. God is ready, willing, and able to do all that we need. Turn the burden over to Him, ignite your faith, and watch the hand of God turn your situation around.

“Heavenly Father, thank you for working all things for my good. Give me a loyal heart so that you can ‘show Yourself strong’ in my life. Bring to my mind how You have rescued me in the past. Increase my faith so I can see Your solution to my impossible situation. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

About the Author

Pamela Rosario lives and works in sunny Florida. She is a wife, and the mother of two daughters. She gives all glory and praise to her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for every good thing in her life.

Article Source: Faith Writers