|
The Turtles
A turtle family decided to go
on a picnic. Turtles, being naturally slow about
things, took seven years to prepare for their
outing. Finally the turtle family left home looking
for a suitable place for their outing. During
the second year of their journey they found a
place ideal for them at last! For about six months
they cleaned up the area, unpacked the picnic
basket, and completed the arrangements. Then they
discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic
without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed.
After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle
was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although
he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles,
the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in
his shell. He agreed to go on one condition: that
no one would eat until he returned. The family
consented and the little turtle left.
Three years passed and the little
turtle had not returned. Five years, six years,
then on the seventh year of his absence, the oldest
turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He
announced that he was going to eat and begun to
unwrap a sandwich. At that point the little turtle
suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting,
"SEE! I knew you wouldn't wait. Now I am
not going to get the salt."
Some of us waste our time waiting
for people to live up to our expectations. We
are so concerned about what others are doing that
we don't do anything ourselves. Let's not be that
turtle.
 top
What
Can You Live Without?
I'm sure that you've heard of
the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates who lived
from 469-399BC. You may have studied the "great
philosophers" in high school or college.
Socrates believed that in order for you to have
true wisdom, you cannot be obsessed with possessions.
But Socrates took his belief to such an extreme
that he refused to wear shoes!
But one of Socrates habits was
to visit the markets and admire the abundance
of wares on display. He would tell his friends
that he "loved to go there and discover how
many things he was perfectly happy living without."
This is certainly the opposite of the commercialism
that exists in our modern culture. Advertisers
are constantly bombarding us with messages about
all the "stuff" that we just can't live
without.
The apostle Paul advises in Timothy,
"But godliness with contentment is great
gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and
we can take nothing out of it. But if we have
food and clothing, we will be content with that."
Paul went on to further advise that if our focus
is on things we may wander from the faith.
What would your answer be if you
were asked, "What are you truly happy without?"
Your answer will tell a lot about your relationship
with the Lord and your contentment with Him.
I pray that we will not set our
hearts on things that pass away, but will be content
and give thanks daily for the things we do have.
top
Give
God The Glory
"Herein is my Father glorified,
that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
(John 15:8)
There's an old Full Gospel tradition
that says God gets glory from the wonderful way
His children bear pain and agony and that the
world is impressed by that. What a lie! That's
simply a tool of the devil to keep God's children
in bondage.
People of the world already have
all the pain and agony they want. They aren't
looking for a way into it. They are looking for
a way out. They don't care what you preach. It's
the religious people who get worried about that.
The world, the sinners, are smarter than that.
All they care about are the results.
That's why they'll come to your
church when they hear people are getting healed,
delivered and set free from suffering. That's
what they're looking for, and that's what God
wants them to receive.
The Bible says that God gets glory
when they see the lame walk and the blind see
(Matt. 15:31). Jesus said, "Herein is My
Father glorified, when you bear much fruit"
(John 15:8). What is that fruit? Lives being restored
and healed by the power of God.
top
|
