HOW TO OVERCOME TEMPTATIONS #ExpandYourWorld

There is a method behind temptation. First satan tempts God's people then goes before him to accuse them. Temptation usually is followed by an attack of condemnation which may even lead to spiritual intimidation (physically and spiritually) that can erode your confidence in Christ and this can degenerate to defeat or even captivity to satan. The best thing is to defeat the devil when this is still temptation (at the early stage). 

Principles of Temptation
1. The source of temptation is demonic powers led by the devil, Jam 1:13. God does not tempt people.
2. There is a reward for overcoming temptation, Jam 1:12. There is a reward for not compromising and living a holy Christian life.
3. The purpose of temptation is to severe your relationship with God and get you to disobey Him. You cannot have fellowship with God while walking in darkness, 1 John 1:6. What is damaged when people fall into sin is relationship. Sin destroys fellowship. 

No matter what has happened, you can defeat him by repentance and cleansing of the blood and unleashing the words of your testimony, Rev 12:11. The blood of Jesus can be used to defeat the enemy when he attacks and also when you are tempted.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!

1. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

2. Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

3. Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in love and purity.

4. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity.

WHAT REALLY IS GOD LIKE? WHAT IS THE DIVINE NATURE?

Have you ever wondered what you would see if your spiritual eyes were opened to see God? This question bothered me for years until the Lord showed me this scripture.

Now the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation."(Exodus 34:5-7)

When God appeared to Moses on the mount, he revealed his nature and ways to Moses. This is the picture God revealed about Himself: 
1. Mercy
2. Gracious
3. Endurance
4. Goodness
5. Truth
6. Loyalty
7. Forgiveness
8. Justice
9. Love
These nine things are not what God does, they are who He is. The Image of God being reproduced in human beings is the essence of social transformation. You are not a Christian until you can reproduce these attributes of God in your life. How Godly are you?

PRAYER: "Lord, change me and make me like you. I see the gap between Christ and I is still very much. Yet Lord I come that you enable me to keep my eyes on you and be transformed into your image. Lord help us live to become living epistles, Let all of us live as people bearing your image, IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS!

Show Courage by Waiting on the Lord

Psalm 27:14 - Show Courage by Waiting on the Lord

Wait for the LORD; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.

Jeremiah 29:11-12 - God has a Plan!

'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

John 14:27 Be at Peace

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Revelation 21:4 - Be Heavenly Minded for Hope

and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."

James 1:12 - Show Perseverance

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

I pray that these Bible Verses were helpful to you today. May the Lord give you the strength, courage,peace, comfort and perseverance you need through your illness.

Source

Holy Bible, New American Standard Version

Love is Patient, Love is Kind

1 Corinthians 13:4-13 


Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Bible Verses About Love:

The Bible is full of great verses and passages about the topic of love.  God’s love for us is a perfect example and starting place to study on love. There are also great verses about love in relation to marriage, brotherly love or friendship, and loving your neighbor. Here is a collection of some of the greatest love  quotes from the Bible. What is your favorite love Bible verse? Share it with us in the comments!

Featured Bible Verse: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

 

3 REASONS WHY YOU MUST NEED JESUS.

Jesus Loves You!
He Desires To Have A Relationship With You, And Give You A Life Full Of Joy And Purpose. 

1.Because you have a past. you cant go back,but he can. the bible says,'Jesus christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever'(Hebrews13:8),He can walk into those places of sin and failure, wipe the slate clean and give you a new begining. 

2.BECAUSE YOU NEED A FRIEND. jesus knows
the worst about you.yet he believes the best.why? because he sees you not as you are but as you will be when he gets through with you. what a friend?

3.BECAUSE HE HOLDS THE FUTURE. who else are you going to trust? in his hands you are safe and secure today, tomorow and for eternity.his word says,'for i know the plans i have for you..plans for good and not for evil,to give you a future and a hope.in those days when you pray i will listen(jeremiah 29vs11-13) .

THE WORD OF GOD IS THE HELMET OF OUR SALVATION (Ephesians 6:16-17)

Salvation (Hebrew: yeshu'ah ) means being saved or
protected from harm.

In religion , salvation is stated as the saving of the soul from sin and its consequences.

Many people all over the world think that salvation is for the body,so they do things to protect their bodies more than their souls.
But we who are in Christ Jesus know that 
Salvation is not for the flesh(body) but for the soul.

Like we put on helmets to protect our heads,so is the word of God covering our souls as helmet.
This is the hope and the assurance of our salvation,that even if our mortal bodies are crashed in car accidents or we are swallowed by the sea and the earth or we suffer from many bodily sicknesses and pains, our souls are not harmed because the word of God is the helmet protecting us.

For this reason,when I am in severe pain,or I suffer a lot in my flesh(even though I pray),and for a very long time I continue to suffer, I do not give up on holding on to my faith in the Lord. Because I know within my spirit that none of these pains and sufferings shall harm my soul.

Therefore I encourage you all in Christ Jesus that do not be shaken by the physical sufferings that our bodies go through. 
I tell you,those sufferings can only inflict pains or cause deformation on our bodies but not on our souls because we wear the helmet of salvation.

Remember also that these our earthly bodies are shelters or tents for our souls. If they collapse(when we die), the Lord preserves our souls in Him.

Even if satan causes harm to the shelter,he has not destroyed the soul,and if the shelter is broken here on earth, the Lord Who is Faithful shall give us heavenly shelters which are not of this world.

Like Paul said, 2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

I encourage you also that let these words remind you of the assurance of our salvation which is in Christ Jesus .

PRAYER:
Lord I believe in You and Your Word.
May Your Word taste better in our mouths than we taste honey.
Thy word,oh Lord, is the helmet of our salvation .
Glory be to You in the highest,as it was before the beginning,now and forever. Amen.

The Best Way to Pray For Your Church

Source: marshill

Did you know there are about 650 prayers recorded in the Bible? This is because prayer is important. Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly invites his people to pray to him in all kinds of circumstances for all kinds of reasons. God especially delights in his people praying for the church.

So how should we pray for our church? Let’s explore several sections of Scripture to see how prayers for the church are modeled in the Bible.

1. PRAY FOR UNITY IN JESUS FOR THE CHURCH

In John 17, Jesus sets the example of what it looks like to pray for the church. And what does he pray for? Unity. Jesus prays that his people “may all be one,” united together in God. From John 17:20–23 and what is known as the High Priestly Prayer:

I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

2. PRAY FOR GOD’S WILL WITHIN THE CHURCH

In Colossians 1, the Apostle Paul displays his heart for the church by praying that the people within the church be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, so that they can live for Jesus. From Colossians 1:9–13:

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.

3. PRAY FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO MOVE IN THE CHURCH

In Ephesians 1 and 3, the Apostle Paul prays that God the Father would give the Spirit of God to the people within the church.  He prays that God would strengthen them in the Spirit, so that Jesus dwells in their hearts and they are rooted in the love of Christ. Here’s Ephesians 1:16–20:

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.

And Ephesians 3:14–19:

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

4. PRAY FOR FRUITFULNESS FOR THE CHURCH

In 2 Thessalonians 1, the Apostle Paul prays for a church that is growing in faith and love while enduring persecutions. He wants them to know that Jesus will one day return to earth and that, until that day comes, it is very important for the church to be faithful and fruitful, working diligently to provide for their families and help expand God’s kingdom. Here’s 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12:

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us be encouraged that our God invites us to call upon him in prayer at all times for our church.

Must Read: Satan's Worldwide Convention of Demons.

Satan called a worldwide convention of demons. In his opening address he said, "We can't keep Christians from going to church." "We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth." "We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their savior." "Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken."

"So let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish dinners, but steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ." "This is what I want you to do", said the devil:

"Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!" "How shall we do this?" his demons shouted.

"Keep them busy in the nonessentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered.

"Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow."

"Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles."

"Keep them from spending time with their children." "As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!"

"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice." "Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive." "To keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music constantly." "This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ."



"Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers." "Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day." "Invade their driving moments with billboards." "Flood their mail boxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products , services and false hopes."

"Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives." "Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night." "Give them headaches too!" "If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin to look elsewhere." "That will fragment their families quickly!"



"Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of Christmas." "Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about his resurrection and power over sin and death."

"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive." "Have them return from their recreation exhausted." "Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation." "Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and movies instead." "Keep them busy, busy, busy!"

"And when they meet for spi ritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences."

"Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus." "Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause." "It will work!"
"It will work!"


It was quite a plan! The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get more busy and more rushed, going here and there. Having little time for their God or their families. Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives.

I guess the question is, has the devil been successful at his scheme?

You be the judge! Does "busy" mean:
B-eing
U-nder
S-atan's
Y-oke?

Please pass this on, if you aren't too BUSY!
God bless.

Judgement Day: This Person Belongs in Hell

After living what I felt was a 'decent' life, my time on earth came to the end.

The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting
room of what I thought to be a court house.

The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table.

As I looked around I saw the 'prosecutor.'
He was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me.He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen.

I sat down and looked to my left and there sat My Attorney,
a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed
so familiar to me, I felt I knew Him.

The corner door flew open and there appeared the Judge in full flowing robes. He commanded an awesome presence as He moved across the room, I couldn't take my eyes off of Him.

As He took His seat behind the bench, He said, 'Let us begin.'

The prosecutor rose and said,
'My name is Satan and I am here to show you why this person
belongs in hell.'

He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and in the past when I cheated others, Satan told of other horrible
Perversions that were once in my life and the more he spoke, the
further down in my seat I sank.

I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at anyone, even my own Attorney, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about.

As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at My Attorney who sat there silently not Offering any form of defense at all.



I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life - couldn't that at least equal out part of the harm I'd done?

Satan finished with a fury and said, 'This person belongs in hell,
is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a person
who can prove otherwise.'

When it was His turn, My Attorney first asked if He might approach the bench.

The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan,
and beckoned Him to come forward.

As He got up and started walking, I was able to see Him in
His full splendor and majesty.

I realized why He seemed so familiar; this was Jesus representing me, my Lord and my Savior.

He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge, 'Hi,
Dad,' and then He turned to address the court.

'Satan was correct in saying that this person has sinned, I won't deny any of these allegations.

And, yes, the wage of sin is death, and this person deserves to be
punished.



Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with outstretched arms and proclaimed, 'However, I died on the cross so
that this person might have eternal life and has accepted Me as Savior, so this person is Mine.'

My Lord continued with, 'This person's name is written in the Book of Life, and no one can snatch this one from Me.

Satan still does not understand yet. This person is not to be given justice, but rather mercy.'

As Jesus sat down, He quietly paused, looked at His Father and said, 'There is nothing else that needs to be done.' 'I've done it all.'

The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down.

The following words bellowed from His lips..

'This person is free.'

'The penalty has already been paid in full.'
'Case dismissed.'

As my Lord led me away, I could hear Satan ranting and raving,
'I won't give up, I will win the next one.'

I asked Jesus
as He gave me my instructions where to go next, 'Have you ever lost a case?'

Christ lovingly smiled and said,

'Everyone that has come to Me and asked Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you,
~Paid In Full~'

STORY::In The Court With Jesus As My Lawyer

After living a “decent” life my time on earth came to an end. The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what I thought to be a courthouse. The doorsopened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table.

As I looked around I saw the “prosecutor,” he was a villainous looking gent who snarled, as he stared at me. He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen. I sat down and looked to my left and there sat my lawyer, a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed very familiar to me. The corner door flew open and there appeared the judge in full flowing robes. He commanded an awesome presence as he moved across the room, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him. As he took his seat behind the bench, he said “Let us begin.”



The prosecutor rose and said “My name is Satan, and I am here to show you why this man belongs in hell.” He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole and in the past when I cheated others. Satan told of other horrible perversions that were once in my life, and the more he spoke the further down in my seat I sank. I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t look at anyone, even my own lawyer, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about.

As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at my representative who sat there silently not offering any form of defense at all. I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life — couldn’t that at least equal out part of the harm I’ve done. Satan finished with a fury and said “This man belongs in hell. he is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a person who can prove otherwise. Justice will finally be served this day.”

When it was his turn, my lawyer first asked if he might approach the bench. The judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan and beckoned him to come forward. As he got up and started walking I was able to see him now in his full splendor and majesty. Now I realized why he seemed so familiar. It was Jesus representing me; my Lord and my Savior. He stopped at the bench and softly said to the judge, “Hi Dad,” and then He turned to address the court.



“Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned. I won’t deny any of these allegations. And yes the wages of sins is death and this man deserves to be punished”. Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with outstretched arms and proclaimed, “However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life, and he has accepted Me as his Savior, so he is mine.”My Lord continued with “His name is written in the book of life and no one can snatch him from Me. Satan still does not understand yet, this man is not to be given justice, but rather mercy.”

As Jesus sat down, He quietly paused, looked at his Father and replied, “There is nothing else that needs to be done, I’ve done it all.”

The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down, and the following words bellowed from His lips — “This man is free — the penalty for him has already been paid in full, case dismissed.”

As my Lord led me away I could hear Satan ranting and raving, “I won’t give up, I’ll win the next one.” I asked Jesus as He gave me my instructions where to go next, “Have you ever lost a case?”

Christ lovingly smiled and said, “Everyone that has come to me and asked Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you, Paid in Full.”

Stand firm. Let nothing move you-1 Corinthians 15:58

When you do something to help others, it pleases God. Sometimes it might seem like the good you did wasn't noticed or didn't matter. But always remember that God saw it. He sees all we do, both good and bad. So whether it seems like a big thing or a small thing, do what is pleasing to God. He sees it!

"Stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." -1 Corinthians 15:58

 

Do Not Lose Heart, Because God is at Work in Your Life

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.
Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky.
The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.



Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.
It is easy to get discouraged when things are going badly. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground--it just may be a smoke signal that summons The Grace of God.

Each of our Troubles is a Steppingstone. Shake it off and Take a Step up.

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw.

With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

MORAL :Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

A Boy Who Went to Heaven

She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room. She said:"How is my little boy? Is he going to be all right? When can I see him?" The surgeon said, "I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it." Sally said, "Why do little children get cancer? Doesn't God care anymore? Where were you, God, when my son needed you?" The surgeon asked, "Would you like some time alone with your son? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university." Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good bye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair. "Would you like a lock of his hair?" the nurse asked. Sally nodded yes.



The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally. The mother said, "It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study. He said it might help somebody else. "I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom." She went on, "My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else.



Always wanting to help others if he could." Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car. The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room. She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them. She laid down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep. It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Laying beside her on the bed was a folded letter.
The letter said: {Dear Mom, I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just because I'm not around to say "I Love You" . I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do. You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know. Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures.



Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter. I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked him 'Where was he when I needed him ?', God said. He was in the same place with me, as when his son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as he always is with all his children. Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God His pen back now. He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore. The cancer is all gone. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that? Signed with Love from God, Jesus & Me.}

Table for Two - Is God waiting for our prayers?

He sits by himself at a table for two. The uniformed waiter returns to his side and asks, “Would you like to go ahead and order, sir?” The man has, after all, been waiting since seven o’clock–almost half an hour.


“No, thank you,” the man smiles. “I’ll wait for her a while longer.


How about some more coffee?”


“Certainly, sir.”

The man sits, his clear blue eyes gazing straight through the flowered centerpiece. He fingers his napkin, allowing the sounds of light chatter, tinkling silverware, and mellow music to fill his mind. He is dressed in a sport coat and tie. His dark brown hair is neatly combed, but one stray lock insists on dropping to his forehead. The scent of his cologne adds to his clean cut image. He is dressed up enough to make a companion feel important, respected, loved. Yet he is not so formal as to make one uncomfortable. It seems that he has taken every precaution to make others feel at ease with him. Still, he sits alone.


The waiter returns to fill the man’s coffee cup. “Is there anything else I can get for you, sir?”


“No, thank you.”


The waiter remains standing at the table. Something tugs at his curiosity. “I don’t mean to pry, but…” His voice trails off. This line of conversation could jeopardize his tip.


“Go ahead,” the man encourages. His is strong, yet sensitive, inviting conversation.


“Why do you bother waiting for her?” the waiter finally blurts out. This man has been at the restaurant other evenings, always patiently alone.


Says the man quietly, “Because she needs me.”


“Are you sure?”


“Yes.”


“Well, sir, no offense, but assuming that she needs you, she sure isn’t acting much like it. She’s stood you up three times just this week.”


The man winces, and looks down at the table. “Yes, I know.”


“Then why do you still come here and wait?”


“Cassie said that she would be here.”


“She’s said that before,” the waiter protests. “I wouldn’t put up with it. Why do you?”


Now the man looks up, smiles at the waiter, and says simply, “Because I love her.”


The waiter walks away, wondering how one could love a girl who stands him up three times a week. The man must be crazy, he decides. Across the room, he turns to look at the man again. The man slowly pours cream into his coffee. He twirls his spoon between his fingers a few times before stirring sweetener into his cup. After staring for a moment into the liquid, the man brings the cup to his mouth and sips, silently watching those around him.

He doesn’t look crazy, the waiter admits. Maybe the girl has qualities that I don’t know about. Or maybe the man’s love is stronger than most. The waiter shakes himself out of his musings to take an order from a party of five.

The man watches the waiter, wonders if he’s ever been stood up. The man has, many times. But he still can’t get used to it. Each time, it hurts. He’s looked forward to this evening all day. He has many things, exciting things, to tell Cassie. But, more importantly, he wants to hear Cassie’s voice. He wants her to tell him all about her day, her triumphs, her defeats….anything, really. He has tried so many times to show Cassie how much he loves her. He’d just like to know that she cares for him, too. He sips sporadically at the coffee, and loses himself in thought, knowing that Cassie is late, but still hoping that she will arrive.

The clock says nine-thirty when the waiter returns to the man’s table. “Is there anything I can get for you?”

The still empty chair stabs at the man. “No, I think that will be all for tonight. May I have the check please?”

“Yes, sir.”

When the waiter leaves, the man picks up the check. He pulls out his wallet and signs. He has enough money to have given Cassie a feast. But he takes out only enough to pay for his five cups of coffee and the tip. Why do you do this, Cassie, his mind cries as he gets up from the table.

“Good-bye,” the waiter says, as the man walks towards the door.

“Good night. Thank you for your service.”

“You’re welcome, sir,” says the waiter softly, for he sees the hurt in the man’s eyes that his smile doesn’t hide. The man passes a laughing young couple on his way out, and his eyes glisten as he thinks of the good time he and Cassie could have had. He stops at the front and makes reservations for tomorrow. Maybe Cassie will be able to make it, he thinks.

“Seven o’clock tomorrow for party of two?” the hostess confirms.

“That”s right,” the man replies.

“Do you think she’ll come”" asks the hostess. She doesn’t mean to be rude, but she has watched the man many times alone at his table for two.

“Someday, yes. And I will be waiting for her.” The man buttons his overcoat and walks out of the restaurant, alone. His shoulders are hunched, but through the windows the hostess can only guess whether they are hunched against the wind or against the man’s hurt.


As the man turns toward home, Cassie turns into bed. She is tired after an evening out with friends. As she reaches toward her night stand to set the alarm, she sees the note that she scribbled to herself last night. “7:00,” it says. “Spend some time in prayer.” Darn, she thinks. She forgot again. She feels a twinge of guilt, but quickly pushes it aside. She needed that time with her friends. And now she needs her sleep. She can pray tomorrow night. Jesus will forgive her. And she’s sure he doesn’t mind.

Our Father is in Control and Taking us Home.

A pastor had been on a long flight between church conferences. The first warning of the approaching problems came when the sign on the airplane flashed on: Fasten Your Seat Belts. Then, after a while, a calm voice said, “We shall not be serving the beverages at this time as we are expecting a little turbulence. Please be sure your seat belt is fastened.”
As the pastor looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of the passengers were becoming apprehensive.
Later, the voice on the intercom said, “We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us.”
And then the storm broke …


The ominous cracks of thunder could be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightning lit up the darkening skies, and within moments that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of air; the next, it dropped as if it were about to crash.
The pastor confessed that he shared the discomfort and fear of those around him. He said, “As I looked around the plane, I could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. Some were praying. The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if they would make it through the storm.
“Then, I suddenly saw a little girl. Apparently the storm meant nothing to her. She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat on her seat; she was reading a book and every- thing within her small world was calm and orderly.
“Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would read again; then she would straighten her legs, but worry and fear were not in her world. When the plane was being buffeted by the terrible storm when it lurched this way and that, as it rose and fell with frightening severity, when all the adults were scared half to death, that marvelous child was completely composed and unafraid.” The minister could hardly believe his eyes.
It was not surprising therefore, that when the plane finally reached its destination and all the passengers were hurrying to disembark, our pastor lingered to speak to the girl whom he had watched for such a long time.
Having commented about the storm and the behavior of the plane, he asked why she had not been afraid.
The child replied, “Cause my Daddy’s the pilot, and he’s taking me home.”
There are many kinds of storms that buffet us. Physical, mental, financial, domestic, and many other storms can easily and quickly darken our skies and throw our plane into apparently uncontrollable movement. We have all known such times, and let us be honest and confess, it is much easier to be at rest when our feet are on the ground than when we are being tossed about a darkened sky.
Our Father is the Pilot. He is in control and taking us home. Don’t worry!

Mat 19:19 Honor your Father and Mother, and Love Your Neighbor as Yourself.”

A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she was fixing supper, and handed her a piece of paper that he had been writing on. After his Mom dried her hands on an apron, she read it, and this is what it said:
For cutting the grass: $5.00
For cleaning up my room this week: $1.00
For going to the store for you: $.50
Baby-sitting my kid brother while you went shopping: $.25
Taking out the garbage: $1.00
For getting a good report card: $5.00
For cleaning up and raking the yard: $2.00
Total owed: $14.75
Well, his mother looked at him standing there, and the boy could see the memories flashing through her mind. She picked up the pen, turned over the paper he'd written on, and this is what she wrote: For the nine months I carried you while you were growing inside me: No Charge
For all the nights that I've sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you:
No Charge
For all the trying times, and all the tears that you've caused through the years:
No Charge
For all the nights that were filled with dread and for the worries I knew were ahead:
No Charge
For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping your nose: No Charge
Son, when you add it up, the cost of my love is: No Charge.
When the boy finished reading what his mother had written, there were big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight at his mother and said, "Mom, I sure do love you." And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote: "PAID IN FULL".
Mat 15:4 For God said, ‘ Honor your father and mother ’ and ‘ Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’

Mat 19:19 honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.”

HOW TO ESCAPE HELL AND GO TO HEAVEN WHILE YOU STILL HAVE CHANCE

The end of the world is more near than humanity realize it, but that’s not as scary as where people are going to spend eternity after their death (departure from body), have you ever wondered where your spirit goes when its separated from its body?, the fact is that you go to your eternal destination-either eternal



Hell of the incomparable torment you can never imagine, of the pain that have and will never be on earth since its creation, where the pain of all earth concentrated together can be a tickle compared to a person there in the least section of suffering; OR eternal bliss of Heaven where you are forever living happy and in harmony with the eternal creator of the universe and everything in existence; certainly none would prefer hell over heaven; but what causes a person to go to hell? And how can you escape from Hell and go to heaven??


Jesus Christ is not one of the ways to heaven but the only and only again and only way to Heaven and none goes there except through him (Jn. 14:6), well probably you are wondering “what is that supposed to mean now?”, firstly you can’t understand the salvation humanity receives through Christ unless you admit that you are a sinner, from Adam Men rebelled against God and sinned (Gen. 3:1-6) but God Loved humanity he had made in his own image so deeply, but since he is a righteous God he had to do what is right all the times and exercise his right judgment against the ones he loved whole heartedly since he can’t do what’s wrong; so he banished them from himself but made a plan of redeeming men back to himself again by taking the punishment we deserved and bear it on himself(Christ Jesus)- (Isai. 53:3-12) ; since God is eternal only an eternal substitution for our wrong to punish would satisfy his wrath, that’s why Christ Jesus died on the cross so that whoever believes in him only as savior of his life will live forever in heaven of perfect peace, Joy and happiness;

 



[Jn. 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life]…NOTHING in heavens, on earth and under earth can ever save you from going to hell except merely receiving Christ Jesus as your savior from eternal hell to eternal heaven; maybe some believed that doing good deeds and obedience will grant them salvation from hell, but the fact is that people who do good but don’t believe in Christ as their savior will end up in hell seriously; that’s the real meaning of the famous phrase you hear pastors use that “receive Jesus as your personal lord and savior” or in my native language “kwakira yesu nk’umukiza wawe” or “kwakira agakiza” its simply believing that lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins so that you won’t go to hell but heaven, doesn’t require you to do anything more to that to be saved from hell but your sincerity and faithfulness from your heart to Jesus; *as simple as that*, sounds too good to be true???, probably, which is the reason we should thank Jesus Christ really from our hearts for bearing our burdens and saving us…….for more verses about the salvation we receive through faith in Christ alone not by works read (eph 2.8-9; rom 1.17; gal 2.21; gal 3.11, hab 2.4; phil 3.9;jn.6.28-29; jn 3.16; Rom 3.21-24;rom 3.28; jn 6.40; jn 4.6; jn 6.47-48; jn 11.25-27;jn 5.13; lk 23.42-43 etc…)

Wouldn’t this make good deeds unnecessary?? Christ saved us and that’s enough; the main aim of our good deeds we do is that we shall be rewarded for them when we reach into heaven(read a book called Revealing heaven by KAT KERR to understand more about the importance of Christian deeds); every single tiny good act you’ve done from childhood was recorded and will surely earn you a reward in heaven, note that eternal Life in heaven is not a reward but a free gift from Christ, and without faith in him your deeds won’t help you any farther…read these verses to understand more about rewards in heaven [1 corint 3.11-15; mat 16.27; rev 20.11-13; luke 6.22-23; mat 10.40-42;mark 12.41-44; mark 10.43-45; 2jn 8; 2corint 5.10; 2Ti. 4:7-8 etc….] yes WHAT WE DO TODAY MATTERS FOREVER.

NB: CHRIST’S FORGIVENESS DOESN’T APPLY TO AN UNFORGIVING HEART, IF YOU MUST HAVE HIM FORGIVE YOU, FORGIVE OTHERS FIRST AND ASK HIM TO HELP YOU GENUINELY FORGIVE ALL WHO WRONGED AGAINST YOU (mat 6.14-15; mat 18.21-35; luk 11.4; luk 17.3-4; col 3.13)

As a sign that you really believe in Christ Jesus as your savior now, send this message to as many people as you can, to lead them to the savior of their eternal Lives; surely you will not miss your eternal reward for this believer; BLESSINGS….