short stories
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poetry
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short stories
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poetry
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![]() Is it pepper? No, it is seeds. Seeds range in size from fine dust to coconut. Some seeds germinate quickly within a few days, while others can lie dormant for years during drought. When the rain comes, they pop up and in no time produce a flower, the desert becomes a veritable Eden, and the next generation plant begins again. Wheat is no longer Wheat. Scientists have experimented until they have produced drought-resistant species—types of grain that is high in protein. Grain especially created for bread-making—Wheat ain't just Wheat. In ancient times seed was sewn by hand from a bag hung around the sower's neck. It was a hit and miss process. In that era, the farmer would have had a small plot of land. Today, the farmer owns thousands of acres, gigantic machinery and sophisticated seed. I should think those farmers of old would think they had died and gone to heaven to witness today's farming practices. God has a message too good to be true. His only son Jesus came to tell the world the news, and guess how he explained the message? By talking about sowing seed. We can read the story in Matthew 13; 1 – 23. In the Biblical illustration, the seed was hand sown and fell where it would. Some seed fell on the hard untilled ground, and the birds ate it; others fell on stony ground with no depth of soil. The seed sprouted, but without water and too hot a sun, it soon died. Some hands full fell among weeds and were choked and grew spindly. However, a fair amount of seed fell on the good ground where the depth of good soil, tillage and proper moisture and sunlight produced a crop, and the farmer eked out a living. God chose a mere seed to get his point across. When we hear for the first time about Jesus and his crucifixion, it means nothing to us. Our hearts are hard and stony. In response to God’s message of love and forgiveness we say, ‘Who is God that I should listen to such hokus pokus.’ Some people do listen and are interested. They feel the message of forgiveness of sins and eternity could be for them, and they make a commitment to Jesus. Peer pressure and the fear of missing out on something fun cause them to drift away. The party animals say,' Nah, being a Christian isn't for me. Wowsers, I want to have a good time, experience the latest drugs, and indulge in as much sex as I can.' The fourth group of people say, 'Hang on, there is something in the message. ‘I'm struggling with a black dog called depression; I want to beat this addiction. Sex has left me old and tired and unsatisfied.' This group commits to Jesus. They invite him into their heart, they discover that they have become a new person, that their old life has no appeal any longer. Life is fresh and new—no amount of peer pressure will cause them to deviate from their commitment. The committed people find joy and peace they never knew before. God demonstrates his love for them, he provides an abundant life for them, and they are consolidated in their new life. On the one hand, life is harder for them because their friends shun them. On the other hand, life is easier because they have the power of God in their lives. They have found a person who loves them regardless, never leaves them or deserts them. They can't stop rejoicing at what they have found, nor talking about God. Nothing is going to make them return to their old life. So you see, the human heart is like a seed; when God's message of his great unconditional love is planted in the heart and finds depth and grows, there is a life-changing harvest.
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At a very early age David was chosen to be king of Israel. It was many years before he ascended the throne. One would have thought that the knowledge that he was to be king would have tempted him to big time over his family, friends and enemies and make him hard to live with, but the knowledge didn’t change him.
David’s early beginnings were humble; being a shepherd was hardly a job for an aspiring king. Never-the-less David minded the sheep like they were gold. He took his job as shepherd very serious to the point of laying down his life. David’s attitude was that of a servant, and that is why he was chosen to be king. God knew that David was teachable, was able to listen to what was told him and do it. The scriptures in Mark point out, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last and the servant of all.’ Another example of the servant attitude is found at Conferences, camps, and gatherings where volunteers are needed. It is the servant attitudes that get up and wash dishes, move chairs, set tables and wash up. Nothing is too much trouble for these people. Often people in leadership abuse their positions and become big headed, proud and unwilling to soil their hands and unteachable as well. If we have a desire to serve the Lord then we must kill our bears and lions and care for our sheep to the point of death. When we look at Jesus we see humility plus. Philippians tells us that though Jesus was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God, but laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men… he humbled himself even further, going so far as actually to die a criminal’s death on a cross.’ Living Bible A tear rolled down my cheek as I sat in the church watching my DOING THE JOB.
Begin a job and soon six people arrive to tell you how to do it. Ask them to show you and they march off in high dudgeon muttering, can’t tell some people a thing.’ Alice Marie Knight tells the story of a little boy lost in London on a foggy night. A Bobby asked, ‘Are you lost, my boy?’ ‘Yes, I am, ‘whimpered the boy. Where do you live? ‘The boy told him. The Bobby said, ‘Go down the street one-half mile and cross the bridge. Then turn to your right and follow the river a little way. You’ll see then where you are.’’ Bewildered and chilled, the boy said, ‘I can’t find the way in the dark.’ Just then a kind man who had been standing nearby said, ‘My boy, just come with me, and I will take you right to your home.’ The Bobby told the way. The kind man became the way. Life can get pretty bewildering sometimes and we wonder what it is all about. There is always plenty of advice floating about. Some of it good and some of it not so good. There are escape routes such as alcohol, drugs, gambling, to name the popular. There are numerous religions and philosophies to soothe the troubled feelings. There are even Christians who tell how to be a Christian. Thousands of books are written on how to live both as a Christian and as a non-believer. God is different. He sent Jesus, the chip-off-the-old-block, to take us to God. The Biblical writer of Hebrews writer says, ‘God’s son shines out with God’s glory, and all that God’s son is and does marks him as God.’ So, Jesus is God and he is the way to live freely, well and eternally. In another Biblical book the writer quotes Jesus as saying, ‘I am the Way – yes and the Truth and the Life. No one can get to the Father except by means of me. If you had known who I am, then you would have known who my Father is.’ John 14: 6. LB. A few minutes later, Jesus speaks again, ‘Don’t you even yet know who I am even after all this long time I have been with you? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father…’John 14: 9LB Jesus not only came to tell us the way he is the Way, because he is God. We need look no further than Jesus if we want to find an abundant life, the joy of living, the peace of a clear conscience and knowing we are the beloved children of the Father. There are many voices clambering to be heard, saying, ‘This is the way.’ Listen only to Jesus voice. You’ll hear him if you listen, you’ll see him if you want to and you will be one with the Father if you accept Jesus. My health dictated that I spend a short time in hospital. The medication being used for my irregular heart beat was strengthened. The side effects of this strengthening was horrendous. Felt I had visited hell. I found myself in a place without God. It was horrible. If this is what hell is like without God I don’t want to be here? I wanted to escape the torment. Suicide entered my mind as an escape route. I was appalled that I should entertain such a thought. Never in my life had I been in such a position or with such thoughts. Eventually I was given a medication to combat the anxiety and darkness. It was my Heavenly Father that cared for me. He performed miracles through the loving care of my family. Bruce was not only my husband but my prayer warrior. I listened to many YouTube messages namely from the Andrew Wommack Ministries. Finally, the medication was changed. I found my right mind again. I see my friends and neighbours in a different light. I want them to know my Father God. I want them to know that he loves them so much. I do not want them to spend Eternity in a place without Him. Threading through all this was the need to consider my Advanced Care Plan two thousand my powers of Attorneys were looked at, even checked out my will to see if it said all I wanted it to say. You may not be aware that God checked out his Will and Testament two thousand years ago. He could see that I and the rest of humanity simply could not measure up to His standard no matter how hard we tried. My Father made a new Will and Testament by sending his beloved Son Jesus as a babe and who then offered himself on the cross in place of animals once and for all people including me and you. Jesus the perfect Son fulfilled every law of the Father’s original Will. Jesus the perfect sacrifice took our sins and sicknesses into himself and when we acknowledge Jesus and ask him to save us from ourselves and our sin, he then pours himself into us and we are made like him, as perfect as he is. We have a new spirit, a new life, a new heart. By accepting Jesus as our sacrifice instead of lambs and animals, we are accepting the Fathers new will and Testament. We live in the light, the love and fellowship of The Father for Eternity. We can read about the Father’s new Will in detail in the book of Hebrew, New Testament and why he scrapped the old Will with its myriad laws of do’s and don’ts and why Jesus has carried the whole load of our failures in not meeting the requirements of the old Will written in the Ten Commandments. I’d like to close by urging the reader to consider Christ as a perfect man who came to usher in a new age, an age of love and freedom from depression, sorrow and bondage and ignorance. I wish I could warn people of what it is like to be in a place without God. The closing words of Hebrews Chapter 8: 11 LB has this to say, “God speaks of these new promises, of this new agreement as taking the place of the old one; for the old one is out of date now and has been put aside forever.’ I pray you will seek the Christ, you will believe him and live in the love and favour of my Heavenly Father. |
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Author: "You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page" - Jodi Picoult
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