Spiritual Thoughts

Friday Tale - Push-Up Sacrifice   T here  was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson who taught at a small college in the Western United States.          Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course his or her freshman year regardless of his or her major. Most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.         This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman but was studying with the intent of going into ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team and was the best s

  J esus received what he did not deserve, so that we could receive what we do not deserve. ~ Unknown   H e himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by his wounds you are healed. ~ 1 Peter 2:

D anger! Danger! To put off Christ with the idea that we are going to be different by and bye. We don't know if we have a "by and bye" to be different in. ~ Robert Roberts   W e must work the works of Him who sent me as long as it is day, night is coming when no one can work. ~ John 9:4

W ith true greatness comes a willingness to sacrifice for others. ~ Chuck Swindoll   F or even the Son of Man did not come to be served, BUT to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. ~ Mark 10:45

  Y ou have to decide if you are going to wilt like a daisy or if you are just going to go forward and live the life you have been granted. ~ Kevin Costner   T rust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

  Friday Tale - Garbage Truck Principle   O ne day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches!        The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Garbage Truck Principle'.        He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you.        Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wi

I don't see the point of measuring life in terms of time, I would rather measure life in terms of making a difference. ~ Stephen Sutton   E ncourage the exhausted and strengthen the feeble. Say to those with an anxious heart, "Take courage, fear not. Behold your God will come....". ~ Isaiah 35:3

T o give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity. ~ Douglas Adams   A nd the work of righteousness will be peace and the service of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. ~ Isaiah 32:17  

T he best way to measure how much you've grown is not by inches or the number of laps you can now run around the track, or even your grade point average..... It is what you've done with your time, how you have chosen to spend your days, and whom you have touched this year. That to me is the greatest measure of success. ~ R. J. Palacio   T herefore, return to your God, observe kindness and justice, and wait for your God continually. ~ Hosea 12:6

T he measure of who we are is what we do with what we have. ~ Vince Lombardi   F inally, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. ~ 2 Corinthians 13:11

  Friday Tale - Cooperation   C ooperation, like love and friendship, is something you get by giving.     There are many travelers on the road that leads to happiness. You will need their cooperation, and they will need yours.     And there will be other generations after ours. Their lot in life will depend largely on the inheritance we leave to them. We must become bridge-builders, not only for the present generation but for generations yet unborn.   An old man, travelling a lonely highway, Came at the evening, cold and gray, To a chasm deep and wide. The old man crossed in the twilight dim, For the sullen stream had no fears for him. But he turned when he reached the other side, And built a bridge to span the tide. "Old man," cried a fellow pilgrim near, "You are wasting your strength with building here. Your journey will end with the ending day, And you never again will pass this way. "You have crossed the chasm deep and wide. Why build you a bridge at ev

B e somebody who makes everyone feel like a somebody. ~ Robby Novak   S o then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. ~ Romans 14:19

F aith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right. ~ Max Lucado   C onsider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. BUT if God so clothes the grass in the field, how much more will He clothe you? BUT seek first His kingdom and these things will be added to you. ~ Luke 12:27-28, 31

I f you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you.... ~ Rudyard Kipling   T o those who by persistence in doing good, seek glory and honor and immortality, He will give eternal life. ~ Romans 2:7

W hen we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to change ourselves. ~ Viktor E. Frankl   Y ou were taught to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, to be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. ~ Ephesians 4:22-24

  Friday Tale - Goal Achiever   H is filmmaking career began at the age of 12, when he became fascinated by his father’s 8mm movie camera and it wasn’t long before he began filming his own movies, which starred his three younger sisters.      By the time he graduated from high school, he had 15 movies under his belt.      When he was 17, he snuck onto the Universal Studios lot and found a vacant office. He had a name plate made and put it on the door of his new office.       He started showing his movies to film editors, directors and anyone willing to give him advice on how to get into the big-time movie business.       He became a familiar face around the movie lot and soon one director put him to work and the rest is history.      In fact, seven of his films are among the top 20 money-makers of all time.      I’m sure there’s not a person here who hasn’t seen one of his movies - E.T. The Extraterrestrial                            Star Wars Back to the Future        

I f you are going to think, then you might as well think positive. Remember, positive thoughts and actions are seeds that will produce positive results. ~ Robert Tew   L et us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. ~ Hebrews 10:23-24

A moment of clarity without any action is just a thought that passes in the wind. BUT a moment of clarity followed by an action is a pivotal moment in our life. ~ Don Miguel Ruiz, Jr.   T ake hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life. When you walk, your steps will not be impeded,  and if you run, you will not stumble. ~ Proverbs 4:13, 12

  T hey always say time changes things, BUT you actually have to change them yourself. ~ Andy Warhol T he backslider in heart will have his fill with his own rotten ways, BUT a good man will be satisfied with his ways - the Godly thought and action which his heart pursues and in which he delights. ~ Proverbs 14:14 (Amplified)

O nly those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. ~ T. S. Eliot   BUT since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:8

  Friday Tale - When ?   O nce there was a Rabbi who was asked, "When should a man repent?"   And the wise old Rabbi answered, "On the last day of his life."   "BUT," they said, "none of us can be sure which day is the last day of our life!"   The Rabbi smiled and said, "Then, repent now."   Repentance is admitting wrong and wanting change. Repentance is "turning around" from your way to walk God's way.   What else can you do now to change your life? ~ from Jim Gentil (amended)   T hose I love, I reprove and discipline, therefore be zealous and repent. Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with me. ~ Revelation 3:20-21