Just sharing.

"Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore." Psalm 105:4


No Way Out

“Come on, little birdy, fly out—no, not that way!” Jedediah felt his pleadings with the poor bird were in vain. He had been trying for the last half hour to rescue a poor bird that had flown into the garage and now couldn’t figure out how to get out.

It’s not that the door wasn’t open—it was. The sunshine streamed into the garage. There was a way out—only the bird wouldn’t take it. It seemed determined that if it just flailed its little body against the side or roof of the garage enough times, it would break free. But all its efforts ended only in ruffled feathers and further discouragement. It felt trapped in the darkness, unable to get back out into the beautiful summer day.

“No, don’t give up!” Jedediah gently encouraged the bird, which had landed in a corner, overcome by defeat. Oh, why couldn’t the bird see that there was a wide open door waiting for it to fly through!

Do you ever feel “stuck in the garage”? Maybe there’s an attitude or action in your life you know is wrong, but you feel stuck and unable to change. Maybe you, like the bird, have tried hard to conquer your sin, but to no avail.

There’s good news. While we can no more conquer sin than a bird can escape from a garage by flying into the walls or ceiling, Jesus has already conquered sin. The garage door is wide open—we’ve only to fly to Jesus and take the way of escape He promises to provide.

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

“For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” Hebrews 2:18

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 4:15–16

The Silent Years


There are times when God will speak to you and then be silent
for an extended period of time. Silence does not mean you have
been forsaken by God. It simply means that God has spoken,
and now is the time to allow the word that He spoke to germinate
and come to pass.

Silence is not the same as peace. Silence is the absence of
noise, but peace is the presence of God! While you are going
through "silent years," you should focus on inner peace.

Inner peace produces outward confidence in the face of negative
circumstances so that we can go forward in the assurance that
even though tribulation is coming against us, we are more
than conquerors over it!

The Greek word for peace actually describes a spiritual
equilibrium no matter whatever may seek to upset us. The
biblical meaning of peace never denotes the absence of trouble.
Peace is not the absence of negatives but the presence of
positives. God's peace is inward and spiritual and never
predicated by contrary circumstances or negative events.

Poverty, sickness, death nor debt can override internal peace!

Silent years should indicate a time of reflection, introspection
and listening. The quieter we become, the more we hear.
However, we cannot rush the silent years.

Silent years are times of transition. Transition is always
uncomfortable and appears to last forever. We must ENDURE the
silent years! Whenever you see the word endure, it means that
there is no short cut through it. It must be endured.
You cannot circumvent what must be endured.

We are told to ENDURE unto the end. (Matt. 24:13)
We are told to ENDURE persecution and tribulation. (II Th. 1:4-10)
We are told to ENDURE hardness. (II Tim. 2:1-3)
We are told to ENDURE affliction. (II Tim. 4:5)
We are told to ENDURE chastening. (Heb. 12:7)

The key to being able to ENDURE is to see the END (ENDure).

Now, here are some things for you to question during the silent
years:

Is my life really submitted to God?
Am I submitted at home, work, church and to the government?
Have I learned my lesson?
What is God trying to teach me?
Am I humble enough to be teachable?
Has the fruit of patience been sufficiently developed in me?
Do I still have an appetite for the world in me?
Did I properly respond to the last thing God told me to do?
Have I attained a deeper faith?
Is my attitude right toward God and others?
Am I harboring unforgiveness?
What am I becoming?
Have I sufficiently developed and matured as a person?
Have I taken the time to minister to the Lord? (Acts 13:2)

During your silent years you should:

1. Practice and develop your gifts. Study.
2. Clarify. Define goals. Reorder priorities.
3. Serve (even while you are hurting).
4. Trust God.
5. Pray

Your silent years should change your life! You should come out
as a new person! When you come out, you should have a new level
of:

1. Knowledge
2. Responsibility
3. Authority/Power
4. Faith
5. Trust

Remember, problems never come to last, they only come to pass!

These Steps


These Steps I Take To Walk In Life
May They Step On The Right Path
And If I Slip Or All Along
I Pray No One Will Laugh

These Steps I Take To Walk In Life
May They Lead Me In The Race
That God Has Put In Plan For Me
To Find In Life My Place

These Steps I Take To Walk In Life
Lord Help Me To Be Strong
Let Me Be Like A Rock
And Know What's Right From Wrong

These Steps I Take To Walk In Life
Lord This Is What I Ask
That My Steps Be To Fallow Yours
Through Every Deed And Task

PUSH

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room
filled with light and God appeared. The Lord told the man He
had work for him to do and showed him a large rock in front of
his cabin.

The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock
with all his might. So, this the man did, day after day.
For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders
set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving
rock, pushing with all of his might.

Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out,
feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary (Satan),
decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary
mind:

"You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it
hasn't moved."

Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task was
impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts
discouraged and disheartened the man.

Satan said, "Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your
time, giving just the minimum effort, and that will be good
enough. That's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to
make it a matter of prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to
the Lord.

“Lord,” he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service,
putting all my strength to do that which you have asked.
Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by
half a millimeter.

What is wrong?

Why am I failing?”

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you
to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to
push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have
done.

Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it.

Your task was to push.

And now you come to Me with your strength spent,
thinking that you have failed.

Is that really so?

Look at yourself.

Your arms are strong and muscled,
your back sinewy and brown;
your hands are callused from constant pressure,
your legs have become massive and hard.
Through opposition you have grown much,
and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have.

True, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be
obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My
wisdom. That you have done.

Now I, my friend, will move the rock."

At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own
intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God
wants is just a simple obedience and faith in Him.

By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains,
but know that it is still God who moves mountains.

When everything seems to go wrong...just

P.U.S.H.!

When the job gets you down... just P.U.S.H.!

When people don't react the way you think
they should... just P.U.S.H.

When your money is "gone" and the bills are due... just P.U.S.H!

When people just don't understand you... just P.U.S.H.

P= Pray
U= Until
S= Something
H= Happens

I'll Keep My Rock

I am 18 weeks pregnant with my third child. My first is three,
my youngest one. I have had "all day sickness" for the last 17
weeks.

I run a small business and spent the last six hours with
both my children as we ran errands for the business.

My one-year-old lost his one and only pacifier two hours into
our day. I spent the rest of the day with a very cranky,
teething baby and no pacifier. My three-year-old, who has been
potty-trained for almost a year decided to poop his pants while
we were in the car.

I had to ask a client if I could use her
bathroom to clean him. It was all over his pants, so he spent
the rest of the day in a blanket.

At the end of the day I came home, gave the children cold cereal
for dinner, because that was all the energy I had. I didn't
even make enough money today to pay one of the mounting bills
laying on my table, most of which are in collections.

I sat down at the computer feeling exhausted, sick, hopeless,
depressed, wondering how I had failed so badly in life. I sat
here trying to tell myself that I am so blessed. After all I
could feed my children, give them clothes and shelter. We had
heat, electricity, they had toys to play with. I was able to be
home with them 24 hours a day, but I couldn't shake my mood.

I remembered I hadn't yet read my MountainWings yet so I logged
on and read P.U.S.H. I had read this story once before
somewhere so I was about to delete when I felt very strongly
that I should read it.

Now I sit here with tears in my eyes no longer from exhaustion,
depression, etc. but because of God's love for me. The rock
became all my troubles, never seeming to move, and dare I say
getting bigger everyday.

I saw myself pushing that rock and feeling the same feelings of
failure. Going to the Lord in prayer asking how I could fail so
badly, and Him telling me I haven't. To look at myself and see
how much I have grown.

To be honest, I wouldn't want my life any other way then it is
now. I would rather go through the trials and learn the wisdom,
understanding, love, and humility that I have learned from my
trials, then to be ignorant of them.

My family likes to joke that when God handed out trials to
everyone in Heaven, we were the last in line and He had extras
so He gave them all to us.

Even so, I have people tell me all the time, even people I have
never met before that there is a strength about me that is
different. If my past is any indicator of my future I'll be
pushing even bigger rocks then the one I am pushing now.

But God puts people like you into my life to help carry the
burden, by reminding me how blessed I truly am. After all today
was hardly anything, it just happened to tip the scale the wrong
way, but your message helped even me out again. Thank you so
much.

God bless.

Though My Body Be Broken


Though my body be broken
and pain does abound
Though my life lay in pieces all around
Though my loved ones reject me
and they all put me down
Though my children refuse my counsel
and believe me but a clown
Though my God does not hear me
He makes not a sound
Though my prayers go unanswered
and lie upon the ground
Though Satan assaults me
and pursues me like a hound
Though my mind is do pressured
and I feel as I am about to drown
Though my strength is fading
and my heart begins to pound
Though winds blow against me
and darkness all surrounds
Though my faith is so tested
it must be found sound
For I am determined not to let go
But cling to the promises I have found.

To Blame God

On June 7th, 2000 I was involved in a pretty bad motorcycle accident. I broke both of my feet, broke my right collarbone, separated my left shoulder from my arm and shattered the left side of my pelvis. By God's grace the doctors were able to piece me back together and after some time in the hospital I was back home. I was wheelchair bound for awhile but now am making a full recovery.

God has given me many great people in my life through this accident. He had carried me most of the time. Some may say..."How can you still worship a God that would allow you to go through so much pain?" Well, I'm going to tell you a story.

When you were young and your father was teaching you to ride your bike for the first time and you fell off and hurt yourself, did you get mad at him? Of course you didn't. He didn't push you down and you know the furthest thing from his mind was to cause you to get hurt.

Well, God's allot like that. He steers you through life. Sometimes you fall and hurt yourself physically and spiritually. But He is there, to help lift you up. He will hold you and comfort you in those times. Just like your dad did when you fell off that bike. Am I mad at God for what happened? NO! I am grateful. Grateful that I have a Father that will pick me up and comfort me in my time of need.

Transformation

A beautiful thing happens to a caterpillar when it becomes a butterfly. The caterpillar sits around and does nothing but eat all day.

One day it experiences a change. It goes through a cocoon. It experiences hunger, confusion, questioning why it is going through so much pain.

Then the butterfly slowly breaks free and is a beautiful creation that God created.

We as Christians are the same way in our walk with God. We go through trials and triumphs with pain and grief. We question our reasons for living. Yet our hard times make us stronger and beautiful God-pleasers

Trials


You perhaps recall the story of the blacksmith who gave his heart to God. Though conscientious in his living, still he was not prospering materially. In fact, it seems that from the time of his conversion more trouble, affliction and loss were sustained than ever before. Everything seemed to be going wrong.

One day a friend who was not a Christian stopped at the little gorge to talk to him. Sympathizing with him in some of his trials, the friend said "It seems strange to me that so much affliction should pass over you just at the time when you have become an earnest Christian. Of course, I don't want to weaken your faith in God or anything like that. But here you are, God's help and guidance, and yet things seem to be getting steadily worse. I can't help wondering why it is."

The blacksmith did not answer immediately, and it was evident that he had thought the same question before. But finally, he said "You see here the raw iron which I have to make into horse's shoes. You know what I do with it? I take a piece and heat it in the fire until it is red, almost white with the heat. Then I hammer it unmercifully to shape it as I know it should be shaped. Then I plunge it into a pail of cold water to temper it. Then I heat it again and hammer it some more. And this I do until it is finished."

"But sometimes I find a piece of iron that won't stand up under this treatment. The heat and the hammering and the cold water are too much for it. I don't know why it fails in the process, but I know it will never make a good horse's shoe."

He pointed to a heap of scrap iron that was near the door of his shop. "When I get a piece that cannot take the shape and temper, I throw it out on the scrap heap. It will never be good for anything."

He went on, "I know that God has been holding me in the fires of affliction and I have felt His hammer upon me. But I don't mind, if only He can bring me to what I should be. And so, in all these hard things my prayer is simply this: Try me in any way you wish, Lord, only don't throw me on the scrap heap."

Two of Me


My choice is despised and my walk is lonely
I seek separation and segregation
Men and women seeking pleasure
A man and woman together
Apart from God's will; Selfish though it is
But very hard to resist

A part of me loathes and despises this
But another part desires it
I'm at war with myself
And when it is over
The only winner or loser
Will be the future one I am with
Did I dishonor her by my action
Or did I uplift

Will she look into the eyes of a man
Tested and strengthened by fire
Or damaged and destroyed by lust and desire
I seek separation
I find it in this paradox called Crucifixion
Die that I might live

Broken, stripped, torn and ripped
That I might live
The power of the Crucifixion
Is the death of me and the birth of me
So in brokenness, I find wholeness
In humility I find esteem
In death I find life
And the only solution for me
Is a paradox called Crucifixion

We Will Win


May you come into my heart
so that I may have a part
in the glorifying of you name.

When the world becomes one.
Fighting for a single cause; your son!
Not with guns or swords will we fight,
but with love and kindness it is our right!

When children are not afraid to cross the street,
and grown women aren't cautious of the guys they meet.
When a party isn't a place to get high,
and a drunk wont drive into another car and die.

When none of these things happen and the world is happiness, love, and fun.
Our hard fought battle will finally be won.

What Do Angels Look Like?


Like the little old lady who returned your wallet yesterday.

Like the taxi driver who told you that your eyes light up the world, when you smile.

Like the small child who showed you the wonder in simple things.

Like the poor man who offered to share his lunch with you.

Like the rich man who showed you that it really is all possible, if only you believe.

Like the stranger who just happened to come along, when you had lost your way.

Like the friend who touched your heart, when you didn't think you had one to touch.

Angels come in all sizes and shapes, all ages and skin types.

Some with freckles, some with dimples, some with wrinkles, some without.


They come disguised as friends, enemies, teachers, students, lovers and fools.

They don't take life too seriously, they travel light.

They leave no forwarding address, they ask nothing in return.

They wear sneakers with gossamer wings, they get a deal on dry cleaning.

They are hard to find when your eyes are closed,

But they are everywhere you look, when you choose to see

The Wings of Prayer


Just close your eyes and open your heart,

Feel your worry and cares depart.

Just yield yourself to the Father above,

Let Him hold your secure in His love.

For life on earth grows more involved

With endless problems that can't be solved.

But, God only asked us to do our best,

Then He will take care of and finish the rest

So when you're tired, discouraged and feeling blue,

There is always a door open for you,

That is the door to the house of prayer,

You'll find God waiting to meet you there.

The house of prayer is not further away

Than the quiet place where you kneel to pray

For the heart is a temple when God is there,

When we place ourselves in His loving care.

Wisdom


I have in my hands two boxes
which God gave me to hold
He said, "Put all your sorrows in the black,
And all your joys in the gold."



I heeded His words, and in the two boxes
Both my joys and sorrows I stored
But though the gold became heavier each day
The black was as light as before



With curiosity, I opened the black
I wanted to find out why
And I saw, in the base of the box, a hole
Which my sorrows had fallen out by



I showed the hole to God, and mused aloud,
"I wonder where my sorrows could be."
He smiled a gentle smile at me."
"My child, they're all here with me."

I asked, "God, why give me the boxes,
Why the gold, and the black with the hole?"
"My child, the gold is for you to count your blessings,
The black is for you to let go."

We should consider all of our friends a blessing.
Send this to a friend today just to let them know you are
thinking of them and that they are a joy in your life.
A ball is a circle, No beginning, no end.

It keeps us together Like our Circle of Friends
But the treasure inside for you to see
is the treasure of friendship
You've granted to me.
Today I pass the friendship ball to you.
Pass it on to someone who is a friend to you

Your Love


Jesus My Lord
Your love is all I need
I'll praise your name
And when I hunger you will feed


When I am with others
And when I am alone
When everyone is gone
I'll be forever holding on

You are my life
And I'll seek for you
You'll show me much clearer
Everything I thought I knew

Jesus my Lord
Light inside of me
I will praise your name
For your love has set me free

A Candy Maker's Witness


A candymaker wanted to make a candy that would be a witness, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ.

He began with a stick of pure white hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church, and the firmness of the promises of God.

The candymaker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the "Good Shepherd" with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep, have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candymaker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.

Unfortunately, the candy became known as Candy Cane-a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time. But the meaning is still there for those who "have eyes to see and ears to hear." I pray that this symbol will again be used to witness To The Wonder of Jesus and His Great Love that came down at Christmas and remains the ultimate and dominant force in the universe today.

[video=youtube_share;pT5B0Zprupw]https://youtu.be/pT5B0Zprupw[/video]

A Christian Prison


Near the city of Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil, is a remarkable facility. Twenty years ago the Brazilian government turned a prison over to two Christians. The institution was renamed Humaita, and the plan was to run it on Christian principles. With the exception of two full-time staff, all the work is done by inmates. Families outside the prison adopt an inmate to work with during and after his term. Chuck Colson visited the prison and made this report:

'When I visited Humaita I found the inmates smiling- particularly the murderer who held the keys, opened the gates and let me in. Wherever I walked I saw men at peace. I saw clean living areas, people working industriously. The walls were decorated with Biblical sayings from Psalms and Proverbs...My guide escorted me to the notorious prison cell once used for torture.

Today, he told me, that block houses only a single inmate. As we reached the end of a long concrete corridor and he put the key in the lock, he paused and asked, "Are you sure you want to go in?"

"Of course," I replied impatiently, "I've been in isolation cells all over the world." Slowly he swung open the massive door, and I saw the prisoner in that punishment cell: a crucifix beautifully carved by the Humaita inmates-the prisoner Jesus, hanging on a cross.

"He's doing time for the rest of us," my guide said softly

A Christian Walk


Broken To Fall
Beaten To Live
Destroyed For Pleasure
Dying To Give
Kept By A Promise
Lead By A Light
To Strong To Surrender
To Weak To Fight
Inside There's Promise
Outside There's Pain
Alone There's Voices
Seeking To Gain
There's Still Something Missing
I Never Could Find
A Fathers Love
Whose Was There The Hole Time.

Mind Control

See if you have good mind control over your body.
This is left brain, right brain stuff.

This actually is true even though it may seem stupid
and it's going to really frustrate you, but it’s fun!

While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floor
and make clockwise circles.

Now, while doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your
right hand.

Your foot will change direction and there's nothing you can do
about it.

Try it.

See what I mean?
Pass this one on; your friends will get a kick out of it.

Although this is a physiological phenomena, it has spiritual
implications. The direction in which one part of you goes has a
strong tendency to take the rest of you in the same direction.

You can move your hand and foot in the SAME direction but the 6
causes your hand and foot to move in opposite directions.

You can't walk two paths at the same time.
You can't serve two masters at the same time.
You can only go in one direction or the other.