Materialism

  An old rabbinic tale records the concern of a man of God for a young friend who was becoming worldly and materialistic.

  The rabbi invited him for his study and led him to the window.

  “What do you see?” he asked.

  There was playground next to the house. “I see children playing.”

  Then the rabbi took a little hand mirror out of his pocket and held it before the visitor’s face. “Tell me what you see now?”

  “I see myself,” he said, wondering what was going on.

  “Isn’t strange,” the rabbi asked, “that when a little silver gets between yourself and others, you see only yourself?”

John W. Rilling

Sins

     A clergyman had preached on the subject of Jacob’s ladder, and his son was much impressed. A few days later he told his father that he had dreamed about the discourse.

     “And what did you see my son?”

     “I dreamt,” replied the boy, “that I saw a ladder reaching up into the clouds. At the foot of the ladder were many pieces of chalk, and no one was allowed to ascend without taking a piece for the purpose of placing a mark on each rung for each sin committed.”

    “Very interesting, my boy, and what else?”

    “Well, dad. I thought I would go up, but I hadn’t got very far when I heard someone coming down.”

    “Yes,” said the father, “and who was that?”

    “You, dad,” replied the boy.

    “I? Whatever was I coming down for?”

    “More chalk.”

THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

   In the Middle Ages there was a legend that somewhere in the New World was a “Fountain of Youth.” If old men drank from it, it made them young again.

   No one has ever found a fountain with such miraculous waters. But roundabout us is a “Fountain of Youth” which few recognize. The real Fountain of Youth is a useful work.

   Some people who retire prematurely age faster in their idleness than they ever did in full-time employment. Nothing is more boring and tiresome than not having work to do when one is still young enough to need its stimulation.

   Too many people associate purposeful work with profitable work. They cannot interest themselves in any kind of occupation unless someone is willing to

WHY HEAVEN IS SO FAR AWAY

This story comes from Ghana in Africa. It says that way back in the beginning, heaven was so near to earth that a housewife who was crushing her sweet potatoes into a pulp by hammering them with end of a long pole, kept poking the pole into the bottom of heaven.
God, who lived up there, was not happy with the disturbance. So he complained to the good lady. But she paid no attention at all and kept right on mashing her sweet potatoes and prodding into the bottom of heaven.

So the Lord got angry and shouted down her, “Because you humans don’t appreciate my nearness, I’m going to rise so high in the sky that none of you will ever be able to reach me.”
That is the African explanation of why we spend our lives trying to get to heaven and it always seems to be so far away.
Come to think of it, though, maybe we’re looking in the wrong places. According to the scriptures, the kingdom of heaven is within us. What a perfect place to hide it: very few people look inside.

TREASURE IN HEAVEN

A wealthy man lay on his deathbed. His entire life had been centered on money. As his life ebbed away, he presume that afterlife, money would also be everything. So he gave orders that a purse filled with gold coins be placed inside his casket alongside his body. His last wish was carried out.

In the next world it took the bookkeepers a long time to find his name in any of the good books. In fact it took so long that he got very hungry and thirsty just waiting. He looked around and sure enough, he saw an attractive eatery not far away. “Aha,” he said to himself, “it’s just like I thought. It’s a good thing that I brought some money along with me.”

His mouth was already watering as he approached the restaurant. But before he sat down to eat, he was told that the money he had brought along had no value now. In fact, only the money that was of any value now was the money he had given away on earth. The rich man dropped his head in deep thought, but could not remember having given any money away…so now he had none.

Are you saved?

The Question that is sometimes hard and easy to answer.

Are we saved? This world is not safe, and certainly you are aiming and planning to stay in a better and safer place. But where would that be? Can you find place where there are no problems? We want safe, convenient, and happy life. But how would that be?

Remember that your religious affiliation cannot save you, neither your effort cannot.

If you believed in the coming of Jesus Christ the savior, redeemer, and friend, it is now time to dig deeper about that faith, assumption, conclusion, concept, or whatever you have in your mind.

Your pastor, leader, minister, or whatever kind of address you are using to the one you followed can't save you, be always careful because you might following and listening to wrong guide.

What is your purpose and reason in joining religious group, are you sure with that?

Remember that forming a religious sect nowadays is a form of business and security.

Think and meditate with what you have now. Are you in the right tract, or loss somewhere within your own?

Search for the truth to find more freedom in following your God.

Prayer

One of the most important thing that a believer in Christ always neglected is prayer, it is often that we forget our Creator when we are in good and nice situation, sometimes even at down moment and problem we forget and don't have hope in Him for solving the hard situations that arrived, we are more confident to people or things. We sometimes forget that He is the creator and almighty, the saddest thing is; we don't recognize him as the source of all things and power, we depended to other people or to ourselves which is not the proper move.

We should know that the important thing we must know is how to pray, it is the only assurance and hope this days. No one can removed problems, sorrows, hardships, and other failure that comes. Prayer is the only means that will connects us to our creator, the only way to experience peace and calmness, we can't solved problem with our own, it is only through the guidance of the Holy Spirit that mediates that we can achieved different achievements in life.

Let us always pray no matter what kind of situation may arise in our midst. God will always bless..

Giving and Sharing

Let us bring out the spirit of Christmas by giving and sharing;
Help is something that you can share, and will benefit others especially
the less fortunate.
Smile is a gesture that you can show to lighten up others.
Touch of caring is enlightening to one who have heavy burden, they will feel
that someone is with them.
Praise or good word for others will help them carry on in time of need and down
moment.
Let us show the importance of our existence by letting others know and feel the
love that we have, as God demonstrated when he was here with us.

Share

The possessions we have will not be ours for long, let us share..

Sharing

We can only receive more blessings when we share..

Accepting anything as Blessing

There are things that affect the present status of life, there are things that divert attention from current situation we behold. Human affects other human, time affects the structure of everything, atmospheric agent also contribute in ruin and devastation of existing structures. Sometimes we think, if which of the mention intervening factors that existing will going to save and spare us from destruction. The truth is, nothing from the mention above will going to save and spare us from destruction. Only the supreme being who created and place orders in all the things around us will spare and save us from from destruction, if you do believe start kneeling down and pray, i'm very much sure He will make everything in order and safe for us.

God will bless everyone.

The advantage oh having Fear

Do you still remember the first encounter; when you see a mice, when you see a big snake, when the dog barks at you, when you we're bitten by ants, fall on the table, fall down on ground because you kicked a stone while walking or running, when your mom had beat you with stick, and others, it is embarrassing isn't it. When we we're kids we often cry for some bad experience we encountered along the way of growing up, we experience pain, shame, guilt, and sadness. But those time were gone, some were just stocked in our memories that we feel glad and sad whenever they are recalled in our mind.

But i'll tell you that we are not at this point of life if those experience doesn't come to us, we're not this brave and intelligent if we don't have those experiences in the past, when we are kids, teens, and adulthood. We must thank mother for the harsh words and beat of sticks, thank our teacher for low and excellent grades of outputs, thanks our friends and companion for company during time of moving on, for criticism that get, failures we encounter, all those things had contributed for better life and situation we have this moment. Let us cherish every bit of seconds that goes, this is the life we have, don't compare because you will never be satisfied.

So be It

We can not find a place better from what we think, dream, desire, and draw. We can only find better place by understanding better that self we have. God prepared our perfect body to be ready for great imperfection that we encounter here in our present world. So be ready, accept anything that happens, because nobody can do it for you except you. Be nice always and be positive, you will never obtain good in negative mind.

Focus to the Reward

The world was created perfect in the first days, but because sin was get into the process, a lot of mess had been done to make it not safe and secure to live. Besides many opportunities and convenience this world can offer, nothing can equal the situation and scenario God had prepared for each one in the new earth. People thinks that the life God given for us to cherish was the life we posses at present, the scriptures says that the life we will cherish for long period of time will yet to come when Jesus will arrive for the second time. Maybe we are worried and afraid on the present situation that are taking place. But don't be afraid and losing hope, these things are signs of his soon coming, this world will not exist for long, we're passers by in this place and it is not our permanent dwelling, are you not happy hearing or knowing that God has something for us better than what we have today? Remember that it is not the money or things this world can offer that will make us satisfied and complete, it is by having life that will not end that will make anybody satisfied, it is the kind of life that you will not grow old and no anxieties, it is the kind of life that you will live forever with your love ones, it is the kind of life that you don't need money or anything to be use in exchange for things that you need.