• IP addresses are NOT logged in this forum so there's no point asking. Please note that this forum is full of homophobes, racists, lunatics, schizophrenics & absolute nut jobs with a smattering of geniuses, Chinese chauvinists, Moderate Muslims and last but not least a couple of "know-it-alls" constantly sprouting their dubious wisdom. If you believe that content generated by unsavory characters might cause you offense PLEASE LEAVE NOW! Sammyboy Admin and Staff are not responsible for your hurt feelings should you choose to read any of the content here.

    The OTHER forum is HERE so please stop asking.

Just sharing.

beensetfree

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
All You've Got

It was Tuesday; I was walking through the Atlanta airport on my
way to concourse D.

I usually walk instead of riding the tram or the moving
sidewalks. I get all of the exercise that I can.

My legs were hurting. I wondered why as I racked my brain to
figure out why in the world my legs were hurting. It was as if
I had been lifting weights.

Then it hit me, the race. The race had done it.

Was I in a marathon? No.
A 10k? No.
A 5K? No.
A 100 meter dash? No.

"Well, what then?" you ask.

It was more like a 25-feet dash.

A 25-feet dash!!! How could that make my legs sore?

Normally I would have never figured such a short distance could
have made any difference. I am used to running miles.
Five miles is no problem.
Only above seven miles do I start straining.

So why did 25 feet strain me?

It was a race.

It was a dinner downstairs at the church, celebrating the
anniversary of the children's church. They had games, prizes,
and the fun stuff that goes along with kids.

They also had a big dinner. The fellowship hall was divided
into two sections. The leader of children's church decided to
have a contest to see which side would get to eat first.

They chose a champion from each side.

You guessed it, I was the chosen champion for one side.
Eugene was the other champion.

The objective was to race to a large rubber ball 25 feet away,
pick it up, turn around, and race back to the starting line.

The first one back got to eat first along with his side.

"I'm sorry about this Pastor but I'm really hungry," Eugene said
in partial jest. He won by a few inches.

We raced twice.

Both times he won by a few inches.

As I sat down my youngest brother said, "Eugene is really good
in basketball, I can't beat him."

Eugene was fast.

So why were my legs sore?

Because I had not run with all that I had in over 15 years.

There is a difference between jogging and running wide open.
A big difference.
That's why my legs were sore.

Even though it was only a short distance it was everything that
I had.

How often do we ever give something all that we have?

Full effort,

No holding back,

To the limit.

For most of us, that's not very often.

We don't give our relationships full effort.
We don't give our jobs full effort.
We don't give our spiritual lives full effort.
We don't even give our health full effort.

We hold back and leisurely jog until quitting time.

Maybe for once, we need to give it all we've got.
Even if it makes us a little sore,
we may just win a bigger prize than we imagine,
and if not, at least we know we gave it our all.
 

beensetfree

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
For the Jews

Please join me in praying this prayer of faith and agreement right now: Lord, I thank you that I give attention to Your Words. I incline my ear unto them. They will not depart from my eyes. They are hidden in my heart.

They are life to those who seek them and health to the flesh (Proverbs 4:20-22). Precious Lord, I give you praise that not a word will fail. All the good things which You have promised shall all come to pass (Joshua 21:45). The promises of God are "Yes and Amen" to the glory of God (II Corinthians 1:20).


Father, I thank You that I am prospering because I pray for the peace of Jerusalem, "for they shall prosper who love thee." I am blessed because You said, "I will bless them that bless thee." I bless the Jewish people today with my prayers and offerings.
Thank you, Lord, that You have sent Your Word to heal me and deliver me from destruction (Psalm 107:20).

I praise You that I will live a long and full life because Your Word declares, "With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation" (Psalm 91:16).

Lord, I give you praise that I am strong in the Lord and in the power of Your might. I take the shield of faith and I quench every fiery dart of the wicked according to Ephesians 6:10-17. I thank you, Father, that you have not given me the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

Finally, Lord, I cast down all thoughts and imaginations that do not line up to Your Word: "For the weapons of my warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds, casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God; bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).
 

beensetfree

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
Shame On Us


Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder = why the world's going to hell.

Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.

Funny how everyone wants to go to heaven provided they do not = have to believe, think, say, or do anything the Bible says. OR IS IT SCARY?

Funny how someone can say "I believe in God" but still follow Satan (who, by the way, also "believes" in God).

Funny how you can send a thousand 'jokes' through e-mail and = they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.

Funny how the lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene pass freely = through cyberspace, but the public discussion of Jesus is suppressed in the school and = workplace.

FUNNY, ISN'T IT?

Funny how someone can be so fired up for Christ on Sunday, but = be an invisible Christian the rest of the week.

ARE YOU LAUGHING?

Funny how when you go to forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it to them.

Funny how I can be more worried about what other people think of me than what God thinks of me.

ARE YOU THINKING?

NOT FUNNY IS IT?
 

beensetfree

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
Sin

I want you to know, that this is the end,
I'm tired of you. You can't be my friend.
Yes, in the past, I've been known to give in,
but now I know happiness doesn't come from sin.

You've caused so much pain, though in disguise,
the illusion you give can not escape my eyes.
I've been set free, by a power that's strong,
the strength of what's right, can overcome wrong.

You try to bring me down, but I know I'll survive,
you've tried to take my life, but I'm still alive.
So you think your temptation leads into sin?
I'm not that weak, I'm not taken in.

So try again, Satan, to steal my control,
it cannot be taken, for I've been made whole.
You were thrown into hell, crushed under my feet,
overcome by my God, but won't admit defeat.

This isn't a game, this is very real.
You're always to blame, for the depression I feel.
So this is it, it's finally through,
my life will be a happy place without you
 

beensetfree

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset

Show Me...Don't Tell Me



"If you love me keep my commandments." * Jesus (John 14:15)

"A ruthless businessman once said to author Mark Twain, "Before I die I mean to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I will climb Mount Sinai and read the Ten Commandments aloud from the top."

"I have a better idea," Twain remarked, "You could stay home here and keep them."

Talk is cheap. It's what we do that counts not what we say and when our words don't match our actions, we are, as the Apostle Paul put it, as empty vessels and clanging symbols.

One of the best lessons I learned from one of my many teachers was the written comment he seemed to relish writing in bold red letters in the column of several of my written assignments. It read, "Show me. Don't tell me!"

I've never forgotten that lesson. It really applies to all of life's lessons we want to impart to others*especially to our children! Whatever we want to teach others we need to model ourselves before we can make any lasting impact on anybody else, otherwise what we say is unbelievable and the only person we deceive in the long run will be ourselves.

As a general rule, we teach best that which we ourselves most need to learn. And the place to begin modeling what we want to teach? At home!

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me to model the kind of person you want me to be. . .a better father/mother/child . . .friend. . . partner. . .business person. . .Christian so people seeing what you have done in my life will want the same for themselves. Gratefully in Jesus' name."
 

beensetfree

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
The Cockroach

At a restaurant a cockroach suddenly flew from somewhere and landed on a lady and she started screaming out of fear.

With a panic stricken face and hysterical voice, she started jumping with both hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach.

Her reaction was contagious as everyone in her group also started to get panicky.

The lady finally managed to push the cockroach away but it then landed on another lady in the group.

Now it was the other lady's turn to continue the drama and she finally brushed off the cockroach on to a waiter who had come onto the scene.

The waiter stood firm , composed himself and observed the behaviour of the cockroach on his shirt. When he was confident enough, he grabbed it with his fingers and threw it out of the restaurant.

Sipping my coffee and watching with amusement, my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering....was the cockroach responsible for their histrionic behaviour? If so then why was the waiter not disturbed? He handled it near to perfection without any of the chaos.

It was not the cockroach but the inability of the ladies to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach that disturbed the ladies.

Then I realised that it is not the shouting of my father or my boss or my wife that disturbs me but it is my inability to handle the disturbances caused by their shouting that disturbs me.

It is not the traffic jams on the road that disturb me, but my inability to handle them them allows me to be disturbed.

More than the problem, it is my reaction to the problem that creates chaos in my life.

Lessons learnt ...... I should not react in life but I should always respond.

The women reacted whereas the waiter responded.

Reactions are always instinctive but responses are usually thought out.
 

beensetfree

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
Smell the Roses


One of the sad commentaries on the age in which we are living is the fast pace at which we are traveling. Someone has said that if we don't slow down, we're just going to burn out. And it sure seems like we're trying just as hard as we can to do that. And of course, we miss some of the most important things in life because we are rushing to our goals without taking time to enjoy the things that really count.

There was a time when things, and people, moved a lot slower. We took time out to enjoy God's world and God's people. I remember when kin folk, friends and neighbors would visit with each other for hours at a time. The fellowship was so grand. But now we don't have the time. There is always too much to do and places we have to go. There is this activity and this function we must attend. No time to just slow down and enjoy life. How sad!

Years ago when dirt roads were the norm instead of the exception, traveling was much slower. A trip into town by wagon or buggy could take many hours. Usually, along the way there would be an unbridged creek. Here the travelers would stop their teams for them to drink the cool clear water. Trees grew tall on the banks, the soft breezes caressed lovely flowers of rainbow colors. Birds sang in the treetops, crickets chirped, and frogs croaked their songs in froggist unison.

The dirt roads have long been gone except for a very few here and there. Now the super highways carry the traffic at breakneck speed. Of course, the trees still grow tall, the water still flows over the pebbles, the breeze still sings and the frogs still croak, but all this goes unnoticed as we whiz to make that appointment on time.

The next time you travel, get off the main roads. You can travel the interstate system and make greater time, but there is far less beauty along the expressway. Take the roads less traveled by, the state roads and county roads. These wind and turn, follow the rivers, and go over the mountain instead of around it. The scenery is always tremendous. Stop the automobile and enjoy a certain view that has caught your eye.

And remember, as we travel the roads of life, we need to get off the super highways often. We need to pause and enjoy our family, friends, and church. We need to view the beauty of God's world, lest we miss so much joy and peace in life. When was the last time you stopped to smell the roses along the path or talked to a hummingbird from your kitchen window?
 

God my healer

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
Because I believe what God said, I am a friend of Israel.

God said to Abraham, "I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee" (Genesis 12:3). I believe it.

God said, "In Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put My name forever" (2 Kings 21:7). I believe it.

God said, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee" (Psalm 122:6). I believe it!

So pray for Israel during this troubled period.
 

beensetfree

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
The Choice
=================
EVERY moment in life, we are faced with a choice.

Which should command our preference--the demands of our job or
the duties to our family?

If there is a board meeting today at the same hours that our son
graduates from school, where should we go -- to the boardroom or
to the graduation ceremony?

If we have to make a very important presentation tomorrow, so as
to advance our career, but our wife says she has to see the
doctor on a suspicion of cancer, which appointment should we keep?

These are the daily battles of conscience we have to wage,
trying to keep a balance between our responsibility to earn a
living and our opportunity to live a life.
And our choices invariably reveal who we really are.
Our preferences indicate our true character.
Our priorities are the best indicators of our real identity.

What profits success?

I know that many of you out there would go for career on the
pretension that after all, you are doing all these for the family.

Many of you, dear readers, would rather become outstanding
employees, model personnel instead of being doting fathers or
loving husbands.

Many of you would opt to perform exceedingly well in the office
even if you work 12 to 16 hours a day, going home only to change
clothes or catch a few hours of sleep.

But what for? At the end of the day, what have you accomplished?

What profits a highly successful professional or wealthy
businessman if ultimately, he loses his family, wrecks his
marriage or dishonors the name he will leave to his children?

What has a rich man accomplished if he has built a fortune and
founded conglomerates of highly profitable companies and yet
drives his own wife to vices or infidelity, his children to drugs
and delinquency and himself to spiritual decay and total burnout?

What matters most?

Look around you. The evidence is overwhelming and irreversible.
Families are shattered.
Marriages are broken.
Lives are reduced to utter emptiness.

Even as man advances in wealth and success, he deteriorates on
the basic standards of joy, peace and serenity. As we all compete
and struggle for power and possessions, we often neglect what
really matters most. In our insatiable mania for supremacy over
the rest, we often forget the most important things in life.

I will respect your choice. But as for me, my priorities are
clear. Between career and family, I will always go for family.

I can forego that board meeting and earn the ire of my boss or
make a bad impression on my peers. But I shall not inflict a
lifetime trauma on my son by sending him alone to graduate
without his dad. I can forget that business presentation and
lose a valued client or waste a career promotion, but I cannot
leave my wife alone in her moments of anxiety.

Meaningless?

Why should a well-known public figure commit suicide given all
his fame and fortune? Can his wealth and wisdom compensate for
ruptures in his relationships?

Why should a wife of a famous politician commit adultery with
the family driver? Is it lust or vain fixation for the
pleasures of the flesh? Or is it the pain of being neglected
and ignored by the husband she used to adore?

Why should a son cut his wrist or a daughter drink poison
despite all the luxuries and pleasures they are showered with?

Can money replace love?
Can pleasure take the place of affections?

In this age of top line technology and convenience gadgets, why
are humans talking to computers rather than with each other?
Why are we retrenching people and replacing them with robots and
machines?

Why have we lost the simple joys of nurturing relationships with
bank tellers because we have replaced them with ATMs?

Why, with all our cells, e-mails, Internets, websites or the
endemic texting, are we no longer communicating?
Why are family members no longer talking to each other?

The ultimate hell?

To succeed in career and fail in the family is, to me, the
ultimate hell.

John Grisham, that famous author of legal fictions wrote
"The Testament," which tells of a highly successful
industrialist who made billions of dollars but lost his family.

In the first 10 pages of the novel, he jumped to his death from
his multi-story building in front of his self-centered children.
By his will, he disinherited all of them and bequeathed his entire
estate to an illegitimate daughter who refused to accept it.

That is the ultimate irony; those who lusted for money lost it.
Those who were given all the money refused it.

In all his dozen masterpieces, Grisham tells us about the
importance of family. "A Time to Kill" tells of a father who
went to jail for killing his daughter's rapists.

Indeed, we who are simple folks should learn from the mistakes
of others. We should straighten our lives and put our
priorities in order.

I don't know about you.

But as for me and my house, our credo is: There is no success in
a career that can make up for a failure in the family.
 

beensetfree

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset

Soldier



In the natural; according to the world, a soldier is a person appointed to hold position on the battlefield. Taught and trained to perform both life and death. In the spiritual realm, a soldier is a spiritual warrior is a person who must hold position, while awaiting further direction. A person of character, who must maintain an attitude of win at all costs. Understanding that this person is going to encounter the enemy head on. Yet a soldier is able to perceive the actions of the enemy and plan ahead through prayer and supplication. To persevere even when the ground turns into m&d and the steps one takes seem to lead to no where.

The soldier must march on, step by step, knowing that the enemy has a snare, a net, and a trap set for them, knowing that the enemies job is to kill him, steal all that he is, and to destroy him. The soldier is a chosen person, one who is able to stand and having done all to stand. There is nothing else for the soldier to do until the next change to charge is commanded. He must be able to suffer unwanted and undeserved pain, pain that will cause him to fall sometimes, yet the soldier knows that if he doesn't get up and keep fighting, its all over.

The soldier also must persevere when he is constantly being challenged by obstacles, the soldier must be able to observe, estimate and eliminate all avenues of escape before continuing on the march to home base. They must run, duck, ram, nudge, and fight their way through the attacks of the enemy, without hesitation. The soldier is armed with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, thus making him able to accomplish all that has been set before him.

The soldier is to complete the mission, encounter and overcome all obstacles and distractions, while keeping focus on the goal, total and complete annihilation of the devices of the enemy. With each objective completed, raises the soldier to another level of battle, with greater challenges and new unknown territories that he must traverse, in order to get to the new level of conflict, thus increasing his strength and perseverance.

The soldier knows that the aim has been reached when he arrives and receives word that the enemy has been obliterated. This is the life of a soldier in the Army of THE LORD, for GOD he will live and for GOD will he die.
 

beensetfree

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
I was married on June 20 to a wonderful man.
We're only 21 years old and our parents were so skeptical about
our feelings for one another that they actually asked if Warren
had gotten me pregnant. (That's why all of my friends got married!)

But, in fact, that is not our case. We fell in love.
I can't think of anything else to say but that.

I love him dearly.

I'm faced with some choices concerning my job.
First, I'm up for a raise and promotion very soon.
(It would solve most of our financial trouble.)

My husband is also up for one. We're both tearing up inside
because if we both decide to take our promotions and more money,
we'd both be working 60-70 hours a week. We want our
marriage to work naturally, but we constantly want to be home
with each other.

Yeah, my days off are his days to work, and his days off are my
days to work. We have no children, so my boss sees no reason why
I would want any time off. His boss sees it the same way as mine.

We're already in such a financial bind that career changes for
either of us are not an option. Since June, we have gone
through three cars (to try to keep our jobs), countless numbers
of money fights, and horrible sleepless nights. My neck has a
slipped disk or something that I can't afford to have fixed.
I'm going through a lot of Tylenol® a day just to try to ease
the pain in my neck and head.

Our marriage is failing and I keep thinking that if we can just
get back on our feet one day and spend that one-day together
that NOTHING else will matter.

My husband is very supportive. I support him also. But, as I
read "The Choice," my boss called me and asked me to work
tonight. I told him I'd call him back. Yeah, I put HIM on hold
for once.

After I finished reading, I called him back and said, "No, I'm
going to spend my evening with my family." He was dumbfounded.

Completely speechless.

I'd never turned down work. "My family is more important than a
paycheck right now. Do you want to know why?" I asked.
He said "yes."

My reply was simple, "When I get older, I don't want to regret
losing all the time I could have spent with my husband just
because I was greedy. I don't want my marriage to end in
divorce. I want to be close to the one person whom I can
honestly say is my friend. I want to keep the love that my
husband has for me by spending what little time I have with him.

Sorry if I have caused you any inconvenience, but I have to get
ready for an evening at home."

For once, he said, "After I find a server tonight, I think I'll
go home to my wife." And that was the end of our conversation.

Thank you my Lord and my God for giving me the strength to turn money down and work
on my family.
 

beensetfree

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
I Forgot

Jared stared up and down the street with wide eyes. Where was he? What was he doing? More importantly, who was he?

He couldn’t remember the answer to any of those questions. He looked around him and saw a crowded street with people hustling around. I must need to hustle somewhere, he thought to himself. With that, he joined the crowd, hurrying somewhere, anywhere.

Jared felt his stomach growl. He was so hungry! He noticed some boys digging through trash cans looking for bread, so he joined them.

Several days passed this way. Until one day Jared bumped into Luke.

Jared recognized Luke, and with the recognition came a flood of other memories—memories that increased as Luke began speaking.

“Jared, whatever are you doing? You were sent out here to praise the King, serve Him, and share the King’s invitation with others, but you seem to be wandering around aimlessly. What’s going on?”

The truth came flooding back to Jared’s mind. The King—His banquet. He remembered now. The King had found him when he was a helpless beggar guilty of the death sentence for his crimes. The King had paid his fine and adopted him. Now Jared had been given a task to do during his short time left among the streets before the King returned to take him home forever. How could he have forgotten all of that? “I…I forgot,” Jared muttered.

“I can see that,” Luke’s reply was filled with gracious understanding. “I’ve forgotten before too. Amnesia seems to be one of our biggest enemies. Say, you look half starved—did you forget about the King’s food too?”

The King’s food! Oh, he had forgotten that too! The King had promised to send him daily food from the castle. But Jared had been eating from the trash cans instead.

Luke read his answer on Jared’s face. “I see you forgot. Well, let’s go get you some decent food right now. And next time, don’t forget to read the note the King gave you that reminds you of all these things…and let’s remind one another regularly, shall we?”

Jared nodded. He didn’t want to waste any more time in forgetfulness!

“This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:” 2 Peter 3:1-2

“But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:11

“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:11-13
 

beensetfree

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
Someone Needs Your Love


In the mid 80's, this teenager named Brian Warner began to go to a youth group. He was sort of an awkward kid, and no one really wanted to talk to him. The youth pastor would go over to him, and like do the usual pastor thing, you know, how are you, that's good, and then talk to the other more popular kids.

One day they went to an amusement park, and the pastor wanted them to be in pairs, but no one wanted to pair with Brian, so he walked the park by himself. The pastor didn't think he really need to talk to Brian because he went to a Christian academy all his life up to 8th grade, and was raised in the church. Brian was at church for about 3 1/2 months, and one day he just stopped coming.

Later on about a few years later, the youth pastor had become leader of a seminary, and one of his students was now a youth pastor, and he called him up. He asked his former pastor if he remembered a kid named Brian Warner. The pastor kinda remembered the name, but after a bit of description he knew who he was. The guy asked his pastor, do you know who he is now?

The former pastor said no. The guy gave him a hint, "He doesn't go by Brian anymore." The pastor was stumped. He replied, "Brian Warner is now Marilyn Manson."

This is a true story. As you can tell, the boy in this story, Brian, was shunned by the "Christians" in this youth group. If you think hard enough, if he had been accepted into the group, he might not be what he is today.

He is a hurt man. Regardless of his actions, he still has feelings, and truly believes that that is what Christianity is all about. If some could reach him, maybe, just maybe, he could be able to bring millions of teenagers into Heaven, instead of leading down the road to hell. Just something to think about...

Send this to all your friends. Let them know, that no matter how weird or awkward the person may seem, never ever be a snob towards them. They may need your love.
 

huongobese

New Member
Điêu thuyền - Lã Bố câu chuyện được khai thác rất nhiều để đưa lên phim ảnh cũng như có rất nhiều sự tích về hai nhân vật này như việc Điêu thuyền đã sử dụng dịch vụ báo cáo thuế hàng tháng để giải quyết các công việc kế toán cho Lã Bố. Mặc dù biết Điêu thuyền đã sử dụng Dịch vụ kế toán thuế mà không tự mình làm nhưng Lã Bố vẫn chấp nhận điều đó và không hề vạch mặt điều đó. Điều Lã Bố quan tâm lúc này chỉ là việc làm sao thuê được dịch vụ quyết toán thuế tốt để tránh các rắc rối xảy ra sau này
 

beensetfree

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset

Standing For What You Believe In



I'll never forget the following story told to me in a Sunday morning service at Jerusalem Baptist Church in South Wales. A man was leading the service who was a part of "Big Ideas", a group the Church were working with in the area.

Their plan was to hopefully teach people about God and bring more people into the Church. The topic of the talk was being an attractive person - an attractive Christian. The good story he told concerning this was of a boy in an American High School who was walking through the school canteen and felt God telling him through his heart to go over to the table where the massive, hard, American Football Players were sitting and to tell them he was a Christian; because I don't know if you've noticed but in all those American films it seems that all the different groups of interest tend to be seated separately e.g. the science buffs, cheerladies, and the sportsters.

So the boy said to himself, "Yeah, Ok God, if that's what you want I'll do it! I may feel ashamed but if that's your will I'll do it because I trust you. Besides, I feel I need to tell people that I am a Christian because nobody actually knows." So the boy, sweating from nerves, walked over to the table where these massive boys sat.

Ignoring him, they continued in their own private conversation and so the boy banged on the table to get their attention and said, "Excuse me, I just feel I need to tell you that I believe in God, I believe he loves me, and that he loves you too!" Of course, the boys just laughed and sniggered at him and one of them said, "Ok then. If you really love this God, then stand up on this table and tell everyone here that you love him."

The boy, really nervous now, replied, cleverly he thought, "I'll only do that if God tells me he wants me to". So he turns away thinking, "Phew, got out of that one!" But then he felt God telling him to be brave and that he wanted him to do this and so he stood up on a table and banged his foot so that everyone in the whole canteen was looking at him with judging eyes. The boy shouted out "I want everyone to know that I believe in God, I believe he loves me, and that he loves you too!"

He got off the table and walked toward the exit amidst all the laughter of people aimed towards him. The boy thought to himself, "Well, I've had plenty of fun in my life, plenty of friends.until now, that's it for me, people won't want to know me anymore."

But then the boy heard 5 loud bangs and as he turned a girl was standing on her table and said she loved God too. Then another boy, and another, and another, and then another girl and in the end about 40 people, who nobody knew were Christians before, stood up to say that they believed in God and that he loved them all.

Thanks to the bravery of that boy to ignore those who were bound to laugh, thanks to his strong faith, with which he decided to take a risk and stand up for what he believed in, many Christians became known that day and many people who were listening that day became Christians later as they went along with their friends to church. How amazing! Someone once said faith should be spelt RISK!

If you truly believe in the Lord, God Almighty, then you should believe He'll look after you, no matter what you do and no matter where you go, when carrying out his Holy work. People won't know that you are a Christian unless you tell them and take a risk.
 

beensetfree

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset

Television



On the table side by side,
the Holy Bible and the T.V. Guide.
One is well worn but cherished with pride;
not the Bible, the T.V. Guide.

One is used daily to help them decide;
no, it isn't the Bible, it's the T.V. Guide.
As pages are turned, what shall we see?
It doesn't matter, turn on the T.V.

Confusion reigns; they can't all agree
on what they should watch on the old T.V.
So, they open the book in which they confide;
no, not the Bible, the T.V. Guide.

The Word of God is seldom read,
maybe a verse as they fall into bed.
Exhausted and sleepy, and as tired as can be,
not from reading the Bible, but from watching T.V.

So then back to the table, side by side,
the Holy Bible and the T.V. Guide.
No time for prayer, no time for the Word;
the plan of salvation is seldom heard.

Yet, forgiveness of sins, so full and so free,
is found in the Bible, not on T.V.
 
Top