Monday, January 01, 2001

CHRISTIAN CAT





"For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible... All things were created through Him and for Him." Colossians 1: 16



Favorite links:

http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Jul2003/Feature2.asp
(ARTICLE ABOUT GOD'S LOVE FOR ANIMALS & ANIMAL GOING TO HEAVEN)

http://www.timshen.truepath.com/fcd/news.htm

http://bible.gospelcom.net

http://bibledatabase.org/

http://bible.gospelcom.net

http://bibledatabase.org/

FAVORITE BOOKS:
The Holy Bible

My Upmost for His Highest
The Purpose Drive Life
Angels (by Billy Graham)
Overcoming Setbacks (by Steve Brown)

THE WINDOW-There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. One day Johnny was given a slingshot to play with. He practiced in the woods but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged he headed back to dinner. As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head, and killed it. He was shocked. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the woodpile, only to see his sister watching. Diane had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Diane, let's wash the dishes." But Diane said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen." Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes. The following day Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. But Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Diane to help make supper." Diane just smiled and said, "Johnny told me he wanted to help you." She whispered again, "Remember the duck?" So Diane went fishing and Johnny stayed home. After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Diane's he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing. But because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Diane make a slave of you." Thought for the day and everyday thereafter: Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done that the devil keeps throwing up in your face (lying, debt, fear, hatred, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, etc.), you need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing. He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven. He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you. The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness, He not only forgives you, but He forgets. It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved. Always remember: God is at the window, and God will forgive and forget!.

I Invite You to PRAY THIS Prayer!! IT WILL ONLY TAKE A MINUTE.(You never know when God is going to bless you!!) Dear Lord, I thank You for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear today. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you. I sincerely seek Your forgiveness. Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to live this day with a good attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You. Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things. Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over, and help me remember that prayer is the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart anyway. Continue to use me to do Your will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak ... Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those that don't believe. And, I thank you that I believe. I believe that You change people and You changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes, that they are out of debt and all their needs are met. I pray that every heart that prays this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than You. Every battle is in your hands for You to fight. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every one praying this prayer today.Amen! *****God Bless You!!!!!! Know that you are valued and blessed

MY ATTORNEY--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 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 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 man belongs in hell, he 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 man had sinned, I won't deny any of these allegations. And, yes, the wage of sin is death, and this man deserves to bepunished." 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 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 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 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~("Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!")

Just Checking In- A minister passing through his church in the middle of the day, Decided to pause by the altar and see who had come to pray Just then the back door opened, a man came down the aisle. The minister frowned as he saw the man hadn't shaved in a while. His shirt was kinda shabby, and his coat was worn and frayed. The man knelt, he bowed his head, Then rose and walked away. In the days that followed, each noon time came this chap. Each time he knelt just for a moment, A lunch pail in his lap. Well, the minister's suspicions grew, with robbery a main fear, He decided to stop the man and ask him, "What are you doing here ?" The old man said, he worked down the road. Lunch was half an hour. Lunchtime was his prayer time, For finding strength and power. "I stay only moments, see, because the factory is so far away; as I kneel here talking to the Lord, This is kinda what I say: "I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY. SO, JESUS, THIS IS JIM CHECKING IN TODAY." The minister feeling foolish, told Jim, that was fine. He told the man he was welcome To come and pray just anytime. "Time to go," Jim smiled, said "Thanks." He hurried to the door. The minister knelt at the altar; he'd never done it before. His cold heart melted, warmed with love, and met with Jesus there. As the tears flowed, in his heart, he repeated old Jim's prayer: "I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY. SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN TODAY." Past noon one day, the minister noticed that old Jim hadn't come. As more days passed without Jim, he began to worry some. At the factory, he asked about him, learning he was ill. The hospital staff was worried, But he'd given them a thrill. The week that Jim was with them, Brought changes in the ward. His smiles, a joy contagious. Changed people were his reward. The head nurse couldn't understand why Jim was so glad, when no flowers, calls, or cards came, Not a visitor he had. The minister stayed by his bed, He voiced the nurse's concern. No friends came to show they cared. He had nowhere to turn. Looking surprised, old Jim spoke up and with a winsome smile, "The nurse is wrong, she couldn't know, that in here all the while, everyday at noon He's here, a dear friend of mine, you see. He sits right down, takes my hand, Leans over and says to me: "I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM, HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP, AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN. ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY, I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERY DAY, AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS CHECKING IN TODAY."

26 Guards- Here's a message that will bring you chills. Have you ever felt the urge to pray for someone and then just put it on a list and said, "I'll pray for them later?" Or has anyone ever called you and said, "I need you to pray for me, I have this need?" A missionary on furlough told this true story while visiting his home church in Michigan. "While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine, and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field Hospital. Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord. I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident. Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines. He said, 'Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards. At this, I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone in that jungle camp site. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, 'No, sir, I was not the only person to see the guards, my friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone. At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story: "On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?" The men who had met together to pray that day stood up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were, he was too busy counting how many men he saw. There were 26. This story is an incredible example of how the Spirit of the Lord moves in mysterious ways. If you ever hear such prodding, go along with it. Nothing is ever hurt by prayer except the gates of hell. "with God all things are possible." More importantly, how God hears and answers the prayers of the faithful.

"A righteous man regards the life of his animals,..."
Proverbs 12:10a

No comments: