Spiritual Thoughts

The Sands of Forgiveness A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE. They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE. The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?" The other friend replied " When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever ...

STEWARDSHIP "Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger." - Dale Carnegie "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' Matthew 25:21

Do not use a hatchet to remove a fly from your friend's forehead. Chinese Proverb "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? Matthew 7:3-4

What you are will show in what you do. Thomas A. Edison " You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit… So then, you will know them by their fruits.” Matthew 7:16-20

There are only two ways to live your life. One as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. Albert Einstein (1879-1955) .... the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, shouting: "BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" Luke 19:37-38

Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out. John Wooden "He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' Matthew 25:22-23

You never will be the person you can be if pressure, tension and discipline are taken out of your life. James G. Bilkey In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:6-7

Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character: it becomes your destiny. Frank Outlaw Watch yourselves , that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. 2 John 1:8

Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget about everything except what you're going to do now - and do it. William Durant Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

Be Thankful Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire, If you did, what would there be to look forward to? Be thankful when you don't know something For it gives you the opportunity to learn. Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow. Be thankful for your limitations Because they give you opportunities for improvement. Be thankful for each new challenge Because it will build your strength and character. Be thankful for your mistakes They will teach you valuable lessons. Be thankful when you're tired and weary Because it means you've made a difference. It is easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks. GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles and they can become your blessing. Author Unknown "Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name.” 1 ...

Forgiveness means giving up all hope of a better past. Unknown But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been made near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one…… making peace, ….. putting to death the enmity. Ephesians 2:13-16

Yesterday is a canceled check: Forget it. Tomorrow is a promissory note: Don't count on it. Today is ready cash: Use it! Edwin C. Bliss Give us today our daily bread. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today Matthew 6:11 and Hebrews 3:13

We are continually faced by great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems. Lee Iococca 'Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. Jeremiah 32:17

“Worry is the darkroom in our mind, where negatives are developed.” Unknown "And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. …..your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock….” Luke 12:29

You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late. Ralph Waldo Emerson Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

LIFE You must learn to drink the cup of life as it comes...         without stirring it up from the bottom. That's where the bitter dregs are. Agnes Sligh Turnbull (1888-1982) [Fix] our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future. -Paul Boese Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:12, 14, 15

"Joy is the standard that flies on the battlements of the heart when the King is in residence." - R. Leonard Small Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! For this is what the high and lofty One says - He who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. Psalm 32:11 with Isaiah 57:15

"To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness." - Robert Muller Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts… Colossians 3:13, 15

FORGIVENESS "Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment              and the handcuffs of hate. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness          and the shackles of selfishness." - William Arthur Ward Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple. For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. Job 5:2; James 2:13

You brought me up from the grave, O LORD. You kept me from falling into the pit of death. Psalm 30:3 On this coming Sunday, we celebrate the defeat of death. Psalm 30 gives us words to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and its implications. The images of Psalm 30 take on new meaning in light of the resurrection of Jesus. David spoke of being brought up from the grave (Hebrew, sheol) metaphorically. What he had experienced in his life was so bad that it felt like death. Therefore God’s deliverance felt like resurrection. In the case of Jesus, however, his death was not mere metaphor. He truly died on the cross, and killed sin in himself as an example for us. Yet the death of Jesus was not the end, but in many ways just the beginning. When God raised him from the dead on that glorious morning, the power of death itself was defeated. Jesus broke out of the cage that keeps us in bondage, inviting us to follow him from death into new life. Thus when we read Psalm 30, we think of ...

"Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left" Luke 23:32,33 The three crosses summarized: (1) The Thief: on the cross of rejection, a scoffer, a blasphemer, who died IN sin. (2) Christ: on the cross of redemption, a sacrifice, a benefactor, who died FOR sin. (3) The Thief: on the cross of reception, a seeker, a believer, who died SAVED FROM sin. (George Booker) Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. 2 Corinthians 9:15