A Description of God’s Grace

Disclaimer: The following are Dr. Jeff Stott’s sermon notes and manuscript. They have not been carefully proofed for spelling or grammar. They are printed and given “as is.” Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the New International Version.

" For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."

Ephesians 2:8

What would you think if you went to buy a car and the salesman told you, you either had to push the car everywhere you went or pay extra for an engine? You would know something was wrong because cars come equipped with their own supply of power to get you where you are going. The engine is part of the deal.

You do have a responsibility to fill it with gas, turn on the ignition and steer, but your effort does not supply the power for the trip. When I see so many Christians struggling in their Christian life, living defeated lives day after day, month after month, and year after year, it soon becomes apparent they “push” their Christian lives. They don’t realize that the power of the Christian life is already under the hood. Under the hood of your heart is an engine called grace. And that grace gives you the power to live the abundant life our Lord promised we could live.

When we talk about God’s grace what are we talking about. Let me give you a quick definition. The grace of God is His inexhaustible supply of goodness by which He does for us what we could never do for ourselves even though we don’t deserve it. Another way to say it, God’s Riches At Christ Expense. God’s grace is God’s love being shown to people who don’t deserve His love.

Before we get to deep into God’s grace you need to know about two different types of God’s grace.

First, you need to know about God’s shared grace. Jesus says that God causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on the unrighteous as well as the righteous (Matt. 5:45).

That’s part of God’s shared grace to all. So is the air. It is by God’s grace that we have air to breath. You don’t have to be a Christian to get oxygen. God let’s both Christian and non-Christian experience some of the blessings of this world. That’s called shared grace. You don’t have to be a Christian to be healthy. You don’t have to be a Christian to get a job. These are all blessing that come to people because of God’s shared grace.

We have shared grace and secondly, we have special grace. Shared grace is for everyone, but special grace is for only God’s people. Over the years kids from the neighborhood or church frequently come over to our house. We enjoy it, and we share what we have with them. They play and have something to drink, get lunch, or whatever. But special benefits are available only to my kids. For example, my kids have keys to the house. When they get older my kids get keys to the cars. God gives common benefits to the whole human race, but the benefits of His special grace come only to His children. All these special benefits happen because of Jesus Christ as we will see. When you are a child of God there are blessings that you get to experience that non-believers will not get to experience. The child of God experiences God’s special grace because He is a part of God’s family.

Like all of God’s attributes and characteristics we cannot fully explore God’s grace in the time we have. God’s grace is to big, to awesome and to amazing. But I do want us to think about four elements of God’s grace that will help us gain a clearer picture and a greater appreciation of God’s amazing grace.

1. Saving Grace: God blessed me by rescuing me.

First of all, I want us to see God’s saving grace. Here is where you can say, “God blessed me by rescuing me.” I didn’t deserve to be saved but He saved me anyway. Without a doubt and without any compromise the only way to heaven and to be saved from our sin is by grace that comes through Jesus. Remember, grace is God doing something for us that we cannot do for ourselves. We cannot save ourselves. It took Jesus dying on a cross for us and resurrecting from the grave for us to have eternal life.

Look closely at Ephesians 2:8, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast” (NIV). It is by God’s generosity that we are saved. Titus 2:11 says, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (NIV). When Jesus Christ showed up it was God’s grace showing up.

Without God’s grace there is no salvation. For example, you’ve been knocked overboard and now you are in a raging river. You are sure to die. There is nothing you can do to save yourself. The current is too strong to swim against and you are being pulled further away from the boat. When you thought all was lost you looked up and saw grace standing on the side of the shore. Grace throws you a life preserver and He  pulls you in. If Grace hadn’t been there you would have surely been lost. Without grace there is no salvation.

Grace didn’t throw you that life preserver because you earned it. It’s not that you are a good guy and He didn’t want to see a good guy die. God didn’t save you because you went to church enough, or because you quit some sin or because you started financially supporting something with His name on it. By definition, grace is blessing someone who does not deserve it. God saved you because He decided to bless you out of His grace. That’s the nature of grace.

That’s God’s saving grace. God’s saving grace is His inexhaustible supply of goodness by which He rescued you from sin even though you didn’t deserve it.

2. Sufficient Grace: God blessed me by getting me through it.

Not only do we see God’s saving grace, but we also see God’s sufficient grace. Here is where you can say, “God blessed me by getting me through it.” I didn’t deserve His help but He decided to help me anyway. Look at 2 Corinthians 9:8, “God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, have an abundance for every good work” (NKJV). God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in everyway you will have everything you need to excel in everything He would have you to do. God’s got something for everything you need. There is no such thing as insufficient grace.

Many of us have suffered the embarrassment of bouncing a check because of insufficient funds. But God has no problem covering His checks. The Bible is telling us that God’s grace is so inexhaustible, so awesome in its supply, it never runs out. Grace is designed not only to save you, but to keep you. When you became a Christian, God supplied you with everything you need for spiritual life and growth. The grace that saved you, will keep you saved and keep you growing. It is sufficient.

The story is told of a man who paid for an ocean cruise. The fare took all of his money, leaving him nothing for meals on the week-long trip. So he brought peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with him, and while his fellow passengers enjoyed extravagant meals and buffets every evening, he went to his cabin in disappointment and ate his peanut butter sandwiches. The man was miserable knowing that everyone else was eating incredible food, but he knew he couldn’t enjoy any of it because he had used all of his money for his ticket. At the end of the cruise, as the man was leaving the ship, one of the porters asked him, “How did you enjoy the cruise?”  He said, “Well, I loved the ride, but I was always hungry because I couldn’t afford any of the food.” The porter looked at him in astonishment and replied, “Sir, the meals were included in the price of your ticket! You were miserable for no reason at all.”

 
I think when a lot of us get to heaven, God could say, “You were miserable for no reason at all. All of your answers and all the strength you needed were available in My grace. But you didn’t grow in grace and never came to understand My sufficiency. You wrestled through life on your own strength and your own sufficiency.” When you met Jesus Christ, everything you need for your Christian life was included in the salvation “ticket” He gave you. But if you don’t grow in grace you don’t know all the goodness God has supplied for you.

God’s grace is sufficient. He’s given you everything for life and godliness. Paul asked God to remove a thorn from his life three times. According to 2 Corinthians 12:9 God told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (HCSB).

I’m confident you have a “thorn” somewhere in your life. Maybe your thorn is a person who keeps picking on you, a problem you can’t get over, or an illness the doctors can’t heal. God says His grace doesn’t always remove these things, but it does empower you to overcome them. God’s grace is not just a “disappearing cream” you rub on problems. It raises you above the problem and gives you power at the exact point where most people would quit.

God’s grace enables us to love people we would normally hate, to have patience where we would normally give up. Grace gives us power we didn’t have before. Grace does not simply remove problems, sometimes it helps us plow through them. But it’s still grace, because we couldn’t have done it without God. God’s grace is sufficient. It will supply what we need or get us through what we need to get through.

So when we are talking about God’s sufficient grace, we are talking about His inexhaustible supply of goodness by which He supplies what you need to get through life’s difficulties even though you don’t deserve it.

3. Sanctifying Grace: God blessed me by growing me spiritually.

God’s grace is a saving grace, a sufficient grace, but God’s grace is also a sanctifying grace. Here is where you are able to say, “God blessed me by growing me spiritually.” It is by God’s grace that we grow in godliness and holiness. The grace of God sanctifies us. Sanctification is the act of becoming holy and godly, becoming more like Jesus. And this process starts when we come in contact with God’s grace and surrender our lives to Jesus Christ. It is by God’s grace that those sins you use to commit, you’ve stopped and repented of. It’s by God’s grace. The ability to say no to sin and yes to what is right is by God’s grace. Look at Titus 2:11-12, “For the grace of God has appeared, with salvation for all people, [We’ve already talked about that, that’s called God’s saving grace… but look what else God’s grace does] (12) instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age” (HCSB). God’s grace teaches us not to live against God nor to do the evil things the world wants to do. Instead, grace teaches us to live in a wise and right way and in a way that shows we serve God. When we are saved by grace, the Holy Spirit moves in bringing grace with it into our lives. That grace then gives us a desire to live a sensible, righteous and godly life. We are not only saved by grace, we are taught by grace. The reason you are a stronger Christian today than you were ten years ago is because of God’s grace. The reason you are able to say no to any sin is because of God’s grace. The reason you are able to say yes to anything sensible, righteous or godly is because of God’s grace. You are sanctified and spiritually growing because of God’s grace. God’s grace is a sanctifying grace.

God’s sanctifying grace is His inexhaustible supply of goodness by which you are able to say yes to what’s right and no to what’s wrong even though you don’t deserve it.

4. Serving Grace: God blessed me by equipping me for ministry.

Well… we have seen that God’s grace is a saving grace, a sufficient grace, and a sanctifying grace and now we see that God’s grace is a serving grace. Here is where you can say “God has blessed me by equipping me for ministry.” Every Christian has at least one spiritual gift and they have that gift because of God’s grace. Romans 12:6 says, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us” (HCSB). If God wanted to He could have saved you and then made you useless to His kingdom. But He chose to give you a spiritual gift that you can use in His service and be a blessing to others. Do you realize that every time you use your gift you are revealing God’s grace. Look at 1 Peter 4:10, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms” (HCSB). When you use the gift God has given you demonstrate God’s grace.

For example, let’s say you have the gift of mercy. The gift of mercy is the ability to show sympathy and empathy for someone who is hurting. When someone is discouraged you come alongside them and express compassion and understanding. You comfort them and become an emotional and spiritual southing ointment on their soul. When that person experiences mercy coming from you, they are in reality experiencing God’s grace through that mercy. They don’t deserve nor have they earned mercy but they are experiencing it by God’s grace through you. 

When you learn something about God, about others or about you from God’s Word from someone who has the gift of teaching that is God’s grace at work. We don’t deserve to learn anything about God but He let’s us learn and He let’s us learn by His grace.

No matter what your spiritual gift is, whether it’s the gift of administration… the gift of leadership… the gift of discernment… encouragement or wisdom, every time you use it, it reveals God’s grace.

God’s serving grace is His inexhaustible supply of goodness by which He gives you a spiritual gift and place of ministry in His kingdom even though you don’t deserve it.

Conclusion: How do I respond to God’s grace?

We are saved by grace through Jesus Christ, we are sustained by grace because His grace is sufficient, we are sanctified by grace which empowers us to say yes to godliness and we serve by grace because God gives us a spiritual gift and a ministry.

How do you respond to this grace?

First, receive God’s saving grace into your life. Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You and I don’t deserve to be saved. We don’t deserve to have our sins forgiven and go to heaven. But, because of God’s grace through Jesus Christ we can. But we have to receive Christ and His Lordship over our lives. [Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I turn from my sins. I now invite you to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as the Lord and Savior of my life. In Your name. Amen.]

Second, depend on God’s sufficient grace to get you through the vallies of life. You and I don’t deserve God’s help, but because of God’s grace and love for us He wants to give us the strength and direction to succeed through our struggles. Depend on His sufficient grace.

Third, allow God’s sanctifying grace to grow you into the person of God He has created you to be. You and I are no better than anyone else. The reason we are able to say no to sin and yes to God is by His grace. It is His grace that helps us to grow into the man or woman of God He created us to be.

Fourth, trust God’s serving grace to use you to make a difference in other’s lives through your spiritual gift. You and I don’t deserve to be used by God in His kingdom. By His grace He chooses to use people like you and me. Begin to discover your gift and put it to use. When you do you will begin to make a difference in other’s lives.

Fifth, praise God for His amazing grace. Tell God thanks for His incredible grace that saved you, strengthens you, and works through you.

Uncertainties

Nowadays, I feel uncertain and insecure of many things. Questions popped out from my head without clear answers.

What's the purpose of my life? Why all these things happened to me? What do I do now?

Then I read the devotional below.....

Unanswered Questions

By Fern Horst

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

I am analytical by nature. When it comes to figuring out how something works so that I can use or fix it, or to getting to the root of a problem so that I can move forward (and to helping a friend do the same), that characteristic serves me well. But when trying to figure out the "whys" of life that have no humanly-known answer, or have answers I'm not yet supposed to know, it has caused me much wasted time and energy.

A number of years ago the Lord showed me the futility of trying to figure it all out - why some who live upright lives suffer in unthinkable ways; why some faithful Christians struggle financially; why some marriageable people never find a mate; why some with big hearts are never blessed with children; why some parents of young children are taken away by death or divorce; why some who delight themselves in the Lord seem not to be granted the desires of their hearts; the list can go on and on.

After experiencing an excruciating disappointment in my life and trying to figure out why it had all happened, a wise person told me, "I've found that these things never have only one reason; they happen as a result of many reasons, some which we can figure out, and others that we never will." I've thought of those wise words often. Realizing that some things can never be understood has helped me to let go of many of the questions that have no answers and relieved me of the angst of over analyzing.

But our inner peace regarding unanswered questions can go far beyond this simple embrace of the unknowns. Recently a friend shared this nugget of truth from Proverbs 20:24, expressed in the paraphrase of the Living Bible: "Since the Lord is directing our steps, why try to understand everything that happens along the way?"

Indeed, why should we? Even more than the fact that there are questions that can't be answered, is the fact that God is directing our steps. As the One whose ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9), we have every reason to trust that He knows what He's doing, that He knows the answers to all of our whys, that He knows us better than we know ourselves, that He knows the purpose He has for our lives, and that He will faithfully direct our steps accordingly. Our job is to trust Him, to follow Him, to lean on Him, and to let Him carry us when the way gets rough.

I think of Job and his friends and their attempts to reconcile his godliness with his suffering. Unknown to all of them something was happening in the spiritual realm that would have answered all their questions. If nothing else, the story of Job reveals that as mere mortals there are many things we don't know about, let alone understand, but that God has under control.

We learn to trust God as we encounter situation after situation that we don't understand and choose to embrace the unknowns as part of life, trusting that He is directing our steps and will reveal what we need to know in His timing, and to keep concealed what we don't.

© 2010 Fern Horst
www.singleness.org

Cave Adventure in Mahayag, Zamboanga del Sur

The cave was not yet developed... Preparing to enter the cave not knowing what to expect. We were given some instructions...

Where we enter.. a small hole... no way of going back.. we have to reach the exit...

so dark... some brought flashlight but we only brought our cellphone and water...

the youngest  adventurer... my nephew, Jezreel..

gaining strength for the way up...

ready to go up so we can go out...

memories to cherish...

nothing to hold on.. somebody had to push us up... just the beginning...

the little hole where we have to come out.... a little twist and turn... then someone from the outside pulled us out...

YES, we made it....



Cinderella

Places in Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines

Dumingag



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Aurora

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Tabina

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Lakewood

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Love and Heartbreak

"I have never love you." words that cuts my heart like a knife. I had never expected you to say that. I just wanted you to reassure me of your love when I asked the question "Do you still love me?" I was dumbfounded upon hearing those words. I can't think straight and just had to say goodbye. For days I feel like a zombie, living yet feeling dead.... crying myself to sleep yet have to show a brave front for everyone to see that i am okey. I just can't stop the tears rolling down my face whenever i remember the words. I have to command myself to be strong... be strong for the pain will come to pass.....

People say I am a strong woman, independent and dependable. But being with you these past months made me realized that i needed someone to lean on.... someone to take care of me.. to love me and i will love. My days revolved around you. Every seconds i have no work, i wanted to spend with you. I believe I spent my waking and sleeping hours with you because you never left my mind and heart. I never loved a man like the way I love you.

Today, i saw your new look. You loss weight due to those days you were fasting. I was continually praying you will be strengthen and will not be sick. And I believe my prayers were answered. You look great and in good health. But, what really surprised me with this look was the shaving of your mustache. You never wanted to shave your mustache before. Or maybe she asked you to and because you love her that much, you're willing to sacrifice. Well, that's what love can do. She is happy.. you are happy.. and I am willing to be happy for you eventhough my heart is in pain.

How love can change one's world. Two hearts joined together can create a rainbow out of the rain and sunshine. But one broken heart can make a choice. Will she lives in darkness and be destroyed.... or live in hope till the clouds will clear? The decision is mine...

Missing You

i've been living alone

trying to get you out of my life

but after all this time

i can't help myself but miss you

you're once a dream that came true

an illusion that turned to reality

but suddenly things turned out differently

from the way they used to be

then i have no choice but to let you go

you're the reason for my sleepless nights

coz you keep stayin' on my mind

i can't help myself from crying

coz i'm missing you so much........

all the pain & sadness are still inside my heart

all the memories i still preserve in my mind

which moved me to miss you so much

coz i can't hide the fact that i'm still inlove with you

my life will never be the same again

now that you're gone

i'll be trapped in this loneliness forever

unless a guy like you will come into my life....

i thought this was a letter i would never had to write,

i hope my tongue was something i could bite.

i've realized its just something i cannot do,

here are my feelings, naming just a few.

the time had passed,

yet i'm still in love with you

everyday you're on my mind,

but your love is with someone else now,

im so jealous, she is a lucky girl.

will we ever be together again?

i ask myself a hundred times as i sob

but as each day passes,

i am losing hope.

Depression: Hopelessness and Self-loathing

Depression can be a disabling disorder that feels like a deep, dark hole from which there is no escape. Clinical depression is more than feeling "down" or "blue," which all of us experience at times. Rather, a clinically depressed person exhibits or experiences a variety of emotional, cognitive, physical, and behavioral symptoms such as sadness, tearfulness, fatigue, poor concentration, insomnia, over-sleeping, loss of appetite, over-eating, loss of interest in things previously enjoyed, irritability, anger, agitation, lethargy, suicidal thoughts, or feelings of guilt, hopelessness, or worthlessness for more than just a few days.

Depression is not difficult to diagnose, but determining the causes of depression can be tricky. Is it purely genetic or biochemical? Is it purely situational or reactive? Or is it a combination of genetic and situational factors?

Treatment may involve antidepressant medications, counseling, or both. A variety of antidepressant medications work to correct a chemical imbalance in the brain that affects mood. The chemical imbalance may have been caused by genetics, a medical illness that affects brain chemistry, head trauma, substance abuse, or chronic exposure to a depressing environment (such as growing up in an abusive household, living in an abusive marriage, or experiencing a succession of overwhelming losses), or any combination of the above. Antidepressant medications usually give some relief within a month, but the process may involve a trial-and-error period until your doctor determines the right medication and dosage.

Counseling for depression focuses on educating the client about depression and treatment options, facilitating grieving unresolved losses, healing past emotional traumas, correcting mistaken beliefs about self, others, and life, changing unhelpful patterns of thinking, and teaching coping and self-care skills. Interestingly, research has shown that successful counseling can help correct chemical imbalances in the brain much as antidepressant medications do, only more gradually.

Certain patterns of thinking seem to fuel depression. These patterns are often a reaction to chronic situational circumstances such as growing up in an alcoholic, abusive, or highly dysfunctional family environment or being in an abusive relationship. The most common patterns of thinking that fuel depression are hopelessness and self-loathing.

Hopelessness is a pattern of thinking where individuals believe they are trapped in misery with no expectation of things ever getting better.

Self-loathing is a pattern of thinking where individuals believe they are bad, worthless, evil, unsuccessful, unlovable, and/or incompetent.

Both patterns of thinking are common reactions to childhood abuse, trauma, neglect, or overwhelming loss where no substantial adult support was available to help these children deal with their painful situations. Thus, these children are forced to cope alone, as best as their immature minds can, sometimes with disastrous results, such as relying on drugs, alcohol, gangs, crime, promiscuous sex, and other self-destructive behaviors. Very often these children grow into adults who do not know how to take care of themselves emotionally, physically, spiritually, or in relationships. Thus, these patterns of thinking emerge as a reaction to the original pain (the childhood trauma or dysfunction) and then persevere into adulthood when these individuals struggle, often unsuccessfully, to find their places in relationships and in the world.

Interestingly, research has shown that individuals diagnosed with depression do not always exhibit these destructive patterns of thinking (that is, hopelessness and self-loathing). In fact, when persons who have a history of depression are not particularly depressed, their patterns of thinking are not significantly different from persons who have never been clinically depressed. So how can we explain this?

These destructive patterns of thinking seem to be connected to a "switch" in the mind of a person who struggles with depression. Certain "triggers" seem to "trip" the switch, causing a flood of hopeless and self-loathing thoughts, which then ignites the embers of depression into full-fledged flames. Triggers can be anything that trips the switch, such as being criticized, having an argument with a spouse, losing a job, flunking a test, making a mistake, becoming ill, being denied a promotion, feeling rejected, raising a difficult child, having a bad day, experiencing a loss or disappointment, having a financial setback, and so on.

When the switch is triggered, it's as if "audio tapes" in a depressed person's mind begin to blare, overwhelming the person with "stinking thinking" such as "I am a failure," "I can't do anything right," "No one could ever really love me," "Things will never get better," "I don't deserve to be here," "I'm bad," "I will always be alone," "No one cares about me," "I can't trust anyone," and so on until the person's own thinking pounds him or her into a deep, dark, depressive hole.

Learning to be aware of when this switch has been tripped and then learning how to reset the switch are valuable skills in managing depression. These skills can be learned in counseling.

God Will Never Give Up On You

One day I decided to quit... I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.


"God", I asked, "Can you give me one good reason not to quit.

His answer surprised me... "Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

He said, "When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor.Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo."

"In the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo."

"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit."

"In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit."

"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant... But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."

He asked me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots."

"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. Don't compare yourself to others. The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful. Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high."

"How high should I rise?" I asked


"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return


"As high as it can?" I questioned


"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can"


I left the forest and brought back this story. I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you. Never, Never, Never Give up. For the Christian, Prayer is not an option but an opportunity. Don't tell the Lord how big the problem is, tell the problem how Great the Lord is.

The People In Your Life

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.!

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When The Heart Knows No Reasons

In times of frustrations,

The mind leads.

What the mind teaches,

The heart feels.

In times of depression,

The mind finds the means.

What the mind gives,

The heart receives.

In times of prosperity,

The mind rules.

What the mind dictates,

The heart follows.

In times of loving,

The mind asks.

What the mind questions,

The heart answers.

When the mind resist,

The heart insists.

It is this time

When the mind loses

And the hearts wins. 

A Brother's Love

I was born in a secluded village on a mountain. Day by day, my parents plowed the yellow dry soil with their backs towards the sky. I have a brother who is 3 years younger than me. I wanted to buy a handkerchief, which all girls around me seemed to have. So, one day I stole 50 cents from my father's drawer. Father had discovered about the stolen money right away. He made me and my younger brother kneel against the wall as he held a bamboo stick in his hand.


"Who stole the money?" he asked.

I was stunned, too afraid to talk. Neither of us admitted to the fault, so he said,

"Fine, if nobody wants to admit, you two should be beaten!" He lifted up the bamboo stick.

Suddenly, my younger brother gripped father's hand and said," Dad, I was the one who did it!"

The long stick smacked my brother's back repeatedly. Father was so angry that he kept on whipping my brother until he lost his breath. After that, he sat down on our stone bed and scolded my brother, "You have learned to steal from your own house now. What other embarrassing things will you be possibly doing in the future? You should be beaten to death, you shameless thief!"

That night, my mother and I hugged my brother. His body was full of wounds from the beating but he never shed a single tear. In the middle of the night, all of sudden, I cried out loudly. My brother covered my mouth with his little hand and said, " Sis, now don't cry anymore. Everything has happened." I still hate myself for not having enough courage to admit what I did.

Years gone by, but the incident still seemed like it just happened yesterday. I will never forget my brother's expression when he protected me. That year, my brother was 8 years old and I was 11 years old. When my brother was in his last year of secondary school, he was accepted in an upper secondary school in the central. At the same time, I was accepted into a university in the province.

That night, father squatted in the yard, smoking, packet by packet. I could hear him ask my mother, "Both of our children, they have good results? very good results?" Mother wiped off her tears and sighed," What is the use? How can we possibly finance both of them?"

At that time, my brother walked out, he stood in front of father and said," Dad, I don't want to continue my study anymore, I have read enough books." Father swung his hand and slapped my brother on his face.

"Why do you have a spirit so damn weak? Even if it means I have to beg for money on the streets, I will send you two to school until you have both finished your study!"

And then, he started to knock on every house in the village to borrow money. I stuck out my hand as gently as I can to my brother's swollen face, and told him, "A boy has to continue his study; If not, he will not be able to overcome this poverty we are experiencing." I, on the other hand, had decided not to further my study at the university.

Nobody knew that on the next day, before dawn, my brother left the house with a few pieces of worn-out clothes and a few dry beans. He sneaked to my side of the bed and left a note on my pillow; "Sis, getting into a university is not easy. I will go find a job and I will send money to you."

I held the note while sitting on my bed, and cried until I lost my voice.

That year, my brother was 17 years old; I was 20 years old.

With the money father borrowed from the whole village, and the money my brother earned from carrying cement on his back at a construction site, finally, I managed to get to the third year of my study in the university.

One day, while I was studying in my room, my roommate came in and told me, "There's a villager waiting for you outside!"

Why would there be a villager looking for me? I walked out, and I saw my brother from afar. His whole body was covered with dirt, dust, cement and sand. I asked him, "Why did you not tell my roommate that you are my brother?"

He replied with a smile," Look at my appearance. What will they think if they would know that I am your brother? Won't they laugh at you?"

I felt so touched, and tears filled my eyes. I swept away dirt and dust from my brother's body. And told him with a lump in my throat, " I don't care what people would say! You are my brother no matter what your appearance is?"

From his pocket, he took out a butterfly hair clip. He put it on my hair and said, "I saw all the girls in town are wearing it. So, I think you should also have one."

I could not hold back myself anymore. I pulled my brother into my arms and cried.

That year, my brother was 20 years old; I was 23 years old.

I noticed that the broken window was repaired the first time I brought my boyfriend home. The house was scrubbed cleaned.

After my boyfriend left, I danced like a little girl in front of my mother, "Mom, you didn't have to spend so much time cleaning the house!" But she told me with a smile," It was your brother who went home early to clean the house. Didn't you see the wound on his hand? He hurt his hand while he was replacing the window."

I went into my brother's bedroom. Looking at his thin face, I felt like there are hundreds of needle pricked in my heart. I applied some ointment on his wound and put a bandage on it, "Does it hurt? " I asked him.

"No, it doesn't hurt. You know, when at the construction site, stones keep falling on my feet. Even that could not stop me from working."

In the middle of the sentence, he stopped. I turned my back on him and tears rolled down my face.

That year, my brother was 23 years old; I was 26 years old.

After I got married, I lived in the city. Many times my husband invited my parents to come and live with us, but they didn't want. They said, once they left the village, they wouldn't know what to do.

My brother agreed with them. He said, "Sis, you just take care of your parents-in-law. I will take care of mom and dad here."

My husband became the director of his factory. We asked my brother to accept the offer of being the manager in the maintenance department. But my brother rejected the offer. He insisted on working as a repairman instead for a start.

One day, my brother was on the top of a ladder repairing a cable, when he got electrocuted, and was sent to the hospital.

My husband and I visited him at the hospital. Looking at the white gypsum on his leg, I grumbled, "Why did you reject the offer of being a manager? Managers won't do something dangerous like that. Now look at you, You are suffering a serious injury. Why didn't you just listen to us?"

With a serious ____expression on his face, he defended his decision, "Think of brother-in-law. He just became the director, and I being uneducated, and would become a manager, what kind of rumors would fly around?"

My husband's eyes filled up with tears, and then I said, "But you lack in education only because of me!"

"Why do you talk about the past?" he said and then he held my hand.

That year, he was 26 years old and I was 29 years old.

My brother was 30 years old when he married a farmer girl from the village. During the wedding reception, the master of ceremonies asked him, "Who is the one person you respect and love the most?"

Without even taking a time to think, he answered," My sister." He continued by telling a story I could not even remember.

"When I was in primary school, the school was in a different village. Everyday, my sister and I would walk for 2 hours to school and back home. One day, I lost the other pair of my gloves. My sister gave me one of hers. She wore only one glove and she had to walk far. When we got home, her hands were trembling because of the cold weather that she could not even hold her chopsticks. From that day on, I swore that as long as I live, I would take care of my sister and will always be good to her."

Applause filled up the room. All guests turned their attention to me.

I found it hard to speak, "In my whole life, the one I would like to thank most is my brother," And in this happy occasion, in front of the crowd, tears were rolling down my face again. Love and care for the one you love every single days of your life. You may think what you did is just a small deed, but to that someone, it may mean a lot.

Have a nice day everyone! May this story inspire you in any way!

Standing by His Word

By Rabbi Roy D. Tanenbaum

In a used furniture business, unlike new, you cannot order stock from a catalogue. People call in, and you have to go out and make an offer. "You can't sell what you don't have," my father would say. So making his calls was crucial for him.

When I was age thirteen, my father lost his store manager, a one-armed guy who could do more with his one arm than many will do with two. With his one arm, he used to hook a chair on a long pole, then arc it upwards in the air where he would slide it onto ceiling hooks until someone wanted to purchase it. With his manager gone, my father came to me. Until he found the right person, would I come in while he went out to answer the day's calls?

The store has tens of thousands of items. "People like to bargain," he told me, "so I don't mark prices. You just have to know a range."

He took me around. "A quarter-horse motor you can sell for four dollars. For a refrigerator, depending on the condition, you can sell for thirty-five dollars to sixty dollars. However, if it has a freezer all the way across, sell it for eighty dollars, in excellent condition, maybe one hundred dollars. If a gasket's loose, it's garbage. Otherwise, I don't charge for scratches. Dishes come in with a houseful of furniture, and I don't even figure them in when I give a price. You can sell them for a nickel to a quarter. Something really nice."

Every day after school, I would pedal down to the store. Soon after, I was writing up a sales slip for an attractive plate when my father walked in. I had asked a dollar and the guy did not hesitate. I was very pleased. My father glanced down at what I was doing, turned to the customer and said, "You sure got a bargain today. My employee gave you the price and that's the price."

Afterward, I asked my father, "What was that all about?"

It turned out it was an antique plate, worth a few hundred dollars. I was devastated. Here I was trying to help my father in the business and instead I was losing money for him.

He said, "I could've stopped the sale if I'd wanted to. You were just writing up the slip and hadn't yet taken the money. Besides, by civil law, you're under age. But, a Jew stands by his word and the word of his agent."

Cost my father a small amount of money to teach me a lifelong lesson in integrity.

The event has a sequel. Years later, my wife and I needed to wire a large sum of money to our daughter in Israel. A bank teller advised my wife Loretta that a VISA check carried no service charge or interest unless late. When the bank statement showed considerable charges, I went in and tried to explain to the branch manager that we acted on their advice to avoid charges. To everything I said, all she could reply was, "We're sorry, but the teller made a mistake."

I then told her the story of my father standing behind the word of his employees. I finished by saying, "This was even when it didn't cause a loss to the customer, and when my father caught the error before the transaction. How much the more so afterward! I expect my bank to behave with at least as much integrity as my father."

The branch manager had not said a word during all of this, and her silence continued as I sat back in my chair. I had no idea of how she was going to react.

When she began to speak, her voice had softened, and she said in a dignified manner: "The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce will not be less than your father."

Then she promised that all the charges made to my account for that VISA check would be reversed.

As I thanked her and stood to leave, I was grateful that even in today's impersonal business world, a tale of integrity still had power to touch the heart and sway the conscience.

Friend

I cannot ease your aching heart,

Nor take your pain away,

But let me stay and take your hand

And walk with you today!

I'll listen when you need to talk;

I'll wipe away your tears

I'll share your worries when they come;

I'll help you face your fears.

I'm here and I will stand by you,

Each hill you have to climb,

So take my hand, let's face the world;

Live one day at a time!

You're not alone, for I'm still here.

I'll go that extra mile,

And when your grief is easier,

I'll help you learn to smile!

A Little Child Shall Lead Them

Pulling into the parking lot at Albertson's, I went over the grocery list in my head: chicken, lettuce, rolls, apples, milk, cereal for the kids, a premium ice cream. The last seemed like an extravagance, but we had friends coming for dinner. I still had some cleaning to do, and I needed time to shower and dress.

“Come on, guys,” I said to the kids as I shifted into park and turned off the ignition. “Let’s see how fast we can do this.”

I scrambled out, and lifted my two-year-old daughter, Andrea, from her car seat, holding her against my hip.

Seven-year-old Max, my oldest, volunteered, “Let me help.” “Okay,” I responded, “you close the door when everybody’s out.” With three kids, I always felt like I was forgetting something. Daniel...Where was Daniel? I felt a tug at my sleeve and turned around.

There he was, my four-year-old. He wasn’t one to say much. Even when we said our prayers at night, Daniel kept his thoughts to himself. I put my hand out and he grabbed it as we headed to the store.

We were halfway there when Daniel dropped my hand and walked over to the cart return area. He stopped, peering at something by his feet. “Daniel, leave it, whatever it is,” I said. “We need to go.” He reached down and picked up his prize, a grimy square of greenish paper. I glanced at it. A dollar bill. “I’ll take care of it till we’re home.” I shoved it into my pocket.

“Whose is it?” Daniel asked. “Won’t the people who lost it be sad?”

“Yeah, Mom,” Max agreed. “That’s a lot of money to lose.”

There wasn’t time to explain how little money a dollar actually was, not even enough to buy the dinner rolls. “No one will miss it, guys. Trust me.”

I put Andrea in the safety seat of the shopping cart while Max walked beside me, grabbing cereal boxes and putting fruit in plastic bags. Daniel trailed behind. We had almost made it to the cashier when Daniel said, “What about the money, Mom?”

“We need to go,” I said.

I coaxed a bag of M&M’s out of Andrea’s hand while I set our food on the conveyor belt. I wrote a check, wincing at the amount, and we left the store. As we passed the spot where Daniel had found his dollar, he lagged behind. “Mom, maybe someone really needs that money,” Daniel said.

“Look, it’s only a dollar,” I said impatiently, fishing the crumpled bill out of my pocket and unfolding it. I did a double take. “Daniel,” I exclaimed, “you found a hundred-dollar bill!”

“See, Mom,” Max said.

We sure could use that money, I thought as I pushed the grocery cart to our van. And someone out there surely needed it too. But how would we ever be able to track down the owner?

“Can you buy a lot of toys with a hundred dollars?” Daniel asked.

“Yeah!” Max said. “It’s so much money.”

Daniel stopped in his tracks, and looked up at me. “Then let’s give it back.”

“But how?” I asked.

“We wait here, and they come get it.”

The rocky road ice cream was melting, the milk was getting warm, Andrea was due for a nap. And I had to finish the vacuuming before our guests arrived.

“We don’t have much time to stand here waiting,” I said, though I hated to think of someone losing so much. But then Daniel looked up at me from beneath his dark eyelashes and said quietly, “Mom, you never have time when it’s important.”

I took a deep breath and glanced at my watch. If I took a really quick shower and skipped vacuuming upstairs...

“Okay, we’ll wait ten minutes.” We put the groceries in the van and sat inside. I looked around the parking lot to keep from staring at my watch. All I saw were other people like me, distracted, hurrying to fit in all they needed to get done. If I had passed that hundred-dollar bill, I wouldn’t have noticed it at all. Lord, I asked, what else have I been missing?

Just then a battered white car pulled into the parking space opposite us, and a tired-looking couple emerged.

We watched as they walked toward the store, their heads down. To my amazement, they stopped by the cart return where Daniel had found the bill. Carefully, the couple searched the area, the man’s shoulders slumped, the woman near tears. “Wait here a minute,” I said to the kids. I jumped out of the van and walked over to the couple.

“Did you lose something?” I asked the man.

“Yes,” he replied. “A hundred-dollar bill.”

I pulled the bill out of my pocket. I watched the man’s eyes widen in disbelief, and he almost crushed me in a bear hug. “It’s a miracle!” he exclaimed. “Thank God.”

“Could you thank my son too? He was the one who found it.”

The couple hurried over to our van. The man thrust out his hand for Daniel to shake, and the woman patted his head, tousling his hair. “I knew someone needed it,” Daniel said.

I watched the relieved couple walk back to their car. Then I shifted the van into reverse, and looked over my shoulder at Daniel, whose deeds spoke louder than his words. Dinner might have been a little late that night, but Daniel’s lesson had come right on time.

God's Greatest Love

courtesy of Ruperto Cunanan from youtube

The Greatness of Love

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, and all of the others, including Love.

One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all repaired their boats and left.

Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to persevere until the last possible moment.

When the island was almost sinking, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered, "No I can't..There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place for you here."

Love decided to ask Vanity, who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel, "Vanity, please help me!" "I can't help you Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by so Love asked for help, "Sadness let me go with you." "Oh...Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"

Happiness passed by Love too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her!

Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come Love, I will take you." It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that he even forgot to ask the elder her name.

When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way. Love, realizing how much he owed the elder, asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who helped me?"

"It was Time," Knowledge answered.

"Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?

Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is.

The Beauty of Nature

Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delights in them. (Psalm 111:2)

The Seven Phrases of Jesus on the Cross

First: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." (Luke 23:33-34)

THE GREATEST ROADBLOCK TO A JOYFUL LIFE IS THE LACK OF FORGIVENESS IN OUR HEARTS.

Second: "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:39-43)

A PROMISE OF FORGIVENESS AND SALVATION TO THOSE WHO REPENT

Third: "Jesus said to his mother: 'Woman, this is your son'. Then he said to the disciple: 'This is your mother.'  (John 19:26-27)
 

 

I BELIEVE THAT AT THIS POINT JESUS CEASED TO BECOME MARY'S SON TO BECOME MARY'S SAVIOR. FURTHERMORE, JESUS SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE CHILDREN TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR PARENTS. 

 
 
Fourth: "Elo-i, elo-i, lama sabach-thani?" which means, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34)
 
 

 

JESUS PHYSICAL SUFFERING WAS CERTAINLY HORRIBLE, HOWEVER, THE SPIRITUAL SUFFERING WAS EVEN MORE. JESUS EXPERIENCED HELL ON THE CROSS BECAUSE GOD TURNED HIS BACK ON HIM WHEN ALL THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE WERE PILED UP AT HIS BACK. HE EXPERIENCED SEPARATION AND REJECTION FOR OUR SAKE.

 
Fifth: "I thirst." (John 19:28)
 

JESUS WAS NOT PHYSICALLY THIRSTY. HE WAS LONGING FOR THE FELLOWSHIP OF GOD, AND THE LOVE OF THE PEOPLE HE DIED FOR.

Sixth: It is finished." (John 19:29-30)
 

 

WHAT IS FINISHED?

 

ALL THE LAW IS FULFILLED

(Matthew 5:17)

 

THE SACRIFICE OF SIN IS COMPLETE

(Hebrews 10:12; Hebrews 10:4; Hebrews 9:28)

 

THE DEFEAT OF SATAN IS FINISHED

(Luke 10:18-19)

 

THE SALVATION PLAN IS FINISHED

(John 3:16; Romans 8:1)

 

HENCE, THE SALVATION WE RECEIVED WHEN WE BELIEVED AND ACCEPTED JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR AND LORD IS COMPLETE!

 
 
Seventh: "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46)
 

 

The last words of Christ describes what kind of relationship and attitude we have with God... for

 

FATHER signifies INTIMACY

 

     INTO THY HANDS signifies FAITH

 

          I signifies WILLINGNESS

 

          COMMEND signifies SURRENDER

 

MY SPIRIT signifies EVERYTHING I AM