DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT FRIDAY - A CHEERFUL HEART. #29.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. - Pro 17:22. TNIV

EXERCISE:

It is well documented that for every mile that you jog, you add one minute to your life. This enables you at 85 years old to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing home at $5000 per month.
Whenever I feel like exercise, I lie down till the feeling goes away!
I don't jog; it makes the ice jump right out of my glass!
I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.
The advantage of exercising every day is that you die healthier.
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Ponderings collection 01

Why isn't phonetic spelled the way it sounds?
Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii?
Why are there flotation devices under plane seats instead of parachutes?
Why are cigarettes sold in gas stations when smoking is prohibited there?
Why do fat chance and slim chance mean the same thing?
If you can't drink and drive, why do you need a driver's license to buy liquor, and why do bars have parking lots?
Do you need a silencer if you are going to shoot a mime?
Have you ever imagined a world with no hypothetical situations?
How does the guy who drives the snowplow get to work in the mornings?
If 7-11 is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, why are there locks on the doors?
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What's your religion?

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. I immediately ran over and said "Stop! Don't do it!"
"Why shouldn't I?" he said. I said,
"Well, there's so much to live for!"
"Like what?"
"Well ... are you religious or atheist?"
"Religious."
"Me too! Are you Christian or Jewish?"
"Christian."
"Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?"
"Protestant."
"Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?"
"Baptist."
"Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?"
"Baptist Church of God."
"Me too! Are you Original Baptist Church of God, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?"
"Reformed Baptist Church of God."
"Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915?"
"Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915!"
To which I said, "Die, heretic scum!" and pushed him off.
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Getting a Promotion

A Catholic Priest and a Rabbi were chatting one day when the conversation turned to a discussion of job descriptions and promotion.
"What do you have to look forward to in way of a promotion in your job?" asked the Rabbi.
"Well, I'm next in line for the Monsignor's job." replied the Priest.
"Yes, and then what?" asked the Rabbi."Well, next I can become Arch-Bishop." said the Priest.
"Yes, and then?" asked the Rabbi.
"If I work real hard and do a good job as Arch-Bishop, it's possible for me to become a full Bishop." said the Priest.
"O.K., then what?" asked the Rabbi.
The Priest, begining to get a bit exasperated replied, "With some luck and real hard work, maybe I can become a Cardinal."
"And then?" asked the Rabbi.
The Priest is really starting to get mad now and replies, "With lots and lots of luck and some real difficult work and if I'm in the right places at the right times and play my political games just right, maybe, just maybe, I can get elected Pope."
"Yes, and then what?" asked the Rabbi.
"Good grief!" shouted the Priest. "What do you expect me to become, GOD?"
"Well," said the Rabbi, "One of our boys made it!"
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ETERNAL LIFE

Thinking of the fullness and duration of this wonderful life, W. B. Hinson, a great preacher of a past generation, spoke from his own experience just before he died. He said, "I remember a year ago when a doctor told me, 'You have an illness from which you won't recover.'

I walked out to where I live 5 miles from Portland, Oregon, and I looked across at that mountain that I love. I looked at the river in which I rejoice, and I looked at the stately trees that are always God's own poetry to my soul.

Then in the evening I looked up into the great sky where God was lighting His lamps, and I said, ' I may not see you many more times, but Mountain, I shall be alive when you are gone; and River, I shall be alive when you cease running toward the sea; and Stars, I shall be alive when you have fallen from your sockets in the great down pulling of the material universe!' "
- W. B. Hinson.

WE ARE REMINDED THAT BEING CHEERFUL KEEPS US HEALTHY… IT IS SLOW DEATH TO BE GLOOMY ALL THE TIME!

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to remind myself that Jesus died to set me free, help me Lord to live that life, and be determined in Him to have a cheerful heart, in Jesus wonderful Name I pray, amen!

HAVE A GREAT AND GODLY WEEKEND!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT THURSDAY – EDIFICATION.

During quail season in Georgia, an Atlanta journalist met an old farmer hunting with an ancient pointer at his side. Twice the dog ran rheumatically ahead and pointed. Twice his master fired into the open air. When the journalist saw no birds rise, he asked the farmer for an explanation.

"Shucks," grinned the old man, "I knew there weren't no birds in that grass. Spot's nose ain't what it used to be but him and me have had some wonderful times together. He's still doing the best he can -- and it'd be mighty mean of me to call him a liar at this stage of the game!" - Bits & Pieces.

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. - Rom 14:19.

A Builder Or a Wrecker?

As I watched them tear a building down
A gang of men in a busy town
With a ho-heave-ho, and a lusty yell
They swung a beam and the side wall fell

I asked the foreman, "Are these men skilled,
And the men you'd hire if you wanted to build?"
He gave a laugh and said, "No, indeed,
Just common labor is all I need."

"I can easily wreck in a day or two,
What builders have taken years to do."
And I thought to myself, as I went my way
Which of these roles have I tried to play?

Am I a builder who works with care,
Measuring life by rule and square?
Am I shaping my work to a well-made plan
Patiently doing the best I can?

Or am I a wrecker who walks to town
Content with the labor of tearing down?
"O Lord let my life and my labors be
That which will build for eternity!"
-Author Unknown.

A compliment can be a great motivator, particularly if you put a little thought into the why, when, and how of delivering it. Be sure to comment whenever someone on your staff keeps working in the face of rejection, handles a difficult situation well, catches an error, given another employee a helping hand, sells a particular product for the first time, or gives you a lead that proves fruitful.

Most of the time, a compliment should be given in public, either at a meeting or on the company bulletin board. If the situation is delicate, convey your praise through a personal note that the employee can share with his family. As with all rewards, praise should be given immediately after good performance to provide the greatest reinforcement. - Bits & Pieces.

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be an edifier, and to give praise where praise is due, that I may bring glory to your name. I ask this in the wonderful Name of Jesus. Amen

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT WEDNESDAY – VALUES.

"I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one thing more I wish I could give them and that is faith in Jesus Christ. If they had that and I had not given them a single shilling, they would have been rich; and if they had not that, and I had given them all the world, they would be poor indeed." - Patrick Henry.

Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death. - Proverbs 10:2.

There is an old legend of a swan and a crane. A beautiful swan alighted by the banks of the water in which a crane was wading about seeking snails. For a few moments the crane viewed the swan in stupid wonder and then inquired:

"Where do you come from?"
"I come from heaven!" replied the swan.
"And where is heaven?" asked the crane.
"Heaven!" said the swan, "Heaven! have you never heard of heaven?"

And the beautiful bird went on to describe the grandeur of the Eternal City. She told of streets of gold, and the gates and walls made of precious stones; of the river of life, pure as crystal, upon whose banks is the tree whose leaves shall be for the healing of the nations. In eloquent terms the swan sought to describe the hosts who live in the other world, but without arousing the slightest interest on the part of the crane.

Finally the crane asked: "Are there any snails there?"
"Snails!" repeated the swan; "no! Of course there are not."
"Then," said the crane, as it continued its search along the slimy banks of the pool, "you can have your heaven. I want snails!"

This fable has a deep truth underlying it. How many a young person to whom God has granted the advantages of a Christian home, has turned his back upon it and searched for snails! How many a man will sacrifice his wife, his family, his all, for the snails of sin! How many a girl has deliberately turned from the love of parents and home to learn too late that heaven has been forfeited for snails! - Moody's Anecdotes.

On April 14, 1912, 10:00 p.m. the Titanic crashed into an iceberg in the mid-Atlantic and four hours later sank. One woman in a life boat asked if she could go back to her room. She was given only three minutes to do so. She hurried down the corridors, already tilting dangerously, through the gambling room piled ankle-deep in money.

In her room were her treasures waiting to be taken, but instead, she snatched up three oranges and hurried back to the boat. One hour before she would have naturally chosen diamonds over oranges, but in the face of death, values are seen more clearly. - Source Unknown.

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to base my values on the Bible, and especially on the teachings of Jesus. I ask this in the wonderful Name of Jesus. Amen

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT TUESDAY – PATIENCE.

Hebrews 12:1 tells us to "run with endurance" the race set before us. George Matheson wrote, "We commonly associate patience with lying down. We think of it as the angel that guards the couch of the invalid. Yet there is a patience that I believe to be harder -- the patience that can run. To lie down in the time of grief, to be quiet under the stroke of adverse fortune, implies a great strength;

But I know of something that implies a strength greater still: it is the power to work under stress; to have a great weight at your heart and still run; to have a deep anguish in your spirit and still perform the daily tasks. It is a Christ-like thing!

The hardest thing is that most of us are called to exercise our patience, not in the sickbed but in the street." To wait is hard, to do it with "good courage" is harder! - Our Daily Bread.

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, - Col 1:11.

The purposes of God often develop slowly because His grand designs are never hurried. The great New England preacher Phillips Brooks was noted for his poise and quiet manner. At times, however, even he suffered moments of frustration and irritability.

One day a friend saw him feverishly pacing the floor like a caged lion. "What's the trouble, Mr. brooks?" he asked.

"The trouble is that I'm in a hurry, but God isn't!"

Haven't we felt the same way many times?

Some of the greatest missionaries of history devotedly spread the seed of God's Word and yet had to wait long periods before seeing the fruit of their efforts. William Carey, for example, labored 7 years before the first Hindu convert was brought to Christ in Burma, and Adoniram Judson toiled 7 years before his faithful preaching was rewarded.

In western Africa, it was 14 years before one convert was received into the Christian church. In New Zealand, it took 9 years; and in Tahiti, it was 16 years before the first harvest of souls began.

Thomas a` Kempis described that kind of patience in these words: "He deserves not the name of patient who is only willing to suffer as much as he thinks proper, and for whom he pleases. The truly patient man asks (nothing) from whom he suffers, (whether) his superior, his equal, or his inferior...But from whomever, or how much, or how often wrong is done to him, he accepts it all as from the hand of God, and counts it gain!" - Our Daily Bread.

True patience is waiting without worrying. - C. Swindoll.

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to have patience in every situation, that I may bring glory to you. I ask this in the wonderful Name of Jesus. Amen

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT MONDAY - A HEART STARTER. #10.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. - Mat 5:8.

Mondays can be very difficult, especially after a lovely weekend, where we managed to spend some quality time with our families and friends, fixing up all those little tasks that needed our attention, maybe even a Saturday night out with the wife in a lovely restaurant, and then worshipping with God’s family on Sunday, and suddenly, it’s back to the grind.

I thought by way of encouragement, that we could have a ‘Heart Starter’ from the word of God, rather than six cups of coffee!

A woman I know climbed on the bathroom scale after two weeks of butter less toast and chilly jogs around the park. The needle was still stuck on the number where she'd started. This struck her as typical of how things had been going lately. She was destined never to be happy.

As she dressed, scowling at her tight jeans, she found $20 in her pocket. Then her sister called with a funny story. When she hurried out to the car -- angry that she had to get gas -- she discovered her roommate had already filled the tank for her. And this was a woman who thought she'd never be happy.

Every day, it seems, we're flooded with pop-psych advice about happiness. The relentless message is that there's something we're supposed to do to be happy -- make the right choices, or have the right set of beliefs about ourselves. Our Founding Fathers even wrote the pursuit of happiness into the Declaration of Independence.

Coupled with this is the notion that happiness is a permanent condition. If we're not joyful all the time, we conclude there's a problem.

Yet what most people experience is not a permanent state of happiness. It is something more ordinary, a mixture of what essayist Hugh Prather once called "unsolved problems, ambiguous victories and vague defeats -- with few moments of clear peace."

Maybe you wouldn't say yesterday was a happy day, because you had a misunderstanding with your boss. But weren't there moments of happiness, moments of clear peace? Now that you think about it, wasn't there a letter from an old friend, or a stranger who asked where you got such a great haircut? You remember having a bad day, yet those good moments occurred.

Happiness is like a visitor, a genial, exotic Aunt Tilly who turns up when you least expect her, orders an extravagant round of drinks and then disappears, trailing a lingering scent of gardenias. You can't command her appearance; you can only appreciate her when she does show up. And you can't force happiness to happen -- but you can make sure you are aware of it when it does.

While you're walking home with a head full of problems, try to notice the sun set the windows of the city on fire. Listen to the shouts of kids playing basketball in the fading light, and feel your spirits rise, just from having paid attention.

Happiness is an attitude, not a condition. It's cleaning the Venetian blinds while listening to an aria, or spending a pleasant hour organizing your closet. Happiness is your family assembled at dinner. It's in the present, not in the distant promise of a "someday when..." How much luckier we are -- and how much more happiness we experience -- if we can fall in love with the life we're living.

Happiness is a choice. Reach out for it at the moment it appears, like a balloon drifting seaward in a bright blue sky. - Condensed from Glamour, Adair Lara, Reader's Digest.

Loving Father, I thank you for the beautiful weekend that I had. Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to share the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Use me Lord, to introduce someone into your Kingdom. In the wonderful name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

SUNDAY SERMON ON THE BLOG – LIFE THROUGH JESUS.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. -1 Peter 3:18.

Having stood over the open graves of friends, family members, and strangers, I know the appearance and feel of death's finality, and our human frailty.

But Christ's death is that great reminder that death is a matter of perspective and faith. I believe God raised Jesus from the dead and that He is the first fruits of those of us who believe in Him.

He is alive, not just in Spirit, but in bodily form, and because of this, we will be too!

Loving Father, thank you for the gifts of your grace, Spirit, forgiveness and life. Most of all, thank you for the gift of your Son, who brought life and immortality to me through His death and resurrection. While I have no great desire to die, I know I can by the power of the Holy Spirit, look through death to you, and your victory in me through Jesus. Give me the courage to live for you every day, until that day when you take me home. In the wonderful Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT FRIDAY - A CHEERFUL HEART. #28.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. - Pro 17:22. TNIV

Where have you been?

Sometimes women are overly suspicious of their husbands. When Adam stayed out very late for a few nights, Eve became upset. "You're running around with other women," she charged.

"You're being unreasonable," Adam responded. "You're the only woman on earth."

The quarrel continued until Adam fell asleep, only to be awakened by someone poking him in the chest. It was Eve.

"What do you think you're doing?" Adam demanded.

"Counting your ribs," said Eve.
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A very faithful woman

An elderly lady was well-known for her faith and for her boldness in talking about it. She would stand on her front porch and shout "PRAISE THE LORD!"

Next door to her lived an atheist who would get so angry at her proclamations he would shout, "There ain't no Lord!!"Hard times set in on the elderly lady, and she prayed for GOD to send her some assistance.

She stood on her porch and shouted "PRAISE THE LORD. GOD I NEED FOOD!! I AM HAVING A HARD TIME. PLEASE LORD, SEND ME SOME GROCERIES!!"

The next morning the lady went out on her porch and noted a large bag of groceries and shouted, "PRAISE THE LORD."The neighbor jumped from behind a bush and said, "Aha! I told you there was no Lord. I bought those groceries, God didn't."

The lady started jumping up and down and clapping her hands and said, "PRAISE THE LORD. He not only sent me groceries, but He made the devil pay for them. Praise the Lord!"
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A minister tells a joke

A preacher, who shall we say was "humor impaired," attended a conference to help encourage and better equip pastors for their ministry.

Among the speakers were many well known and dynamic speakers. One such boldly approached the pulpit and, gathering the entire crowd's attention, said, "The best years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman that wasn't my wife!"

The crowd was shocked! He followed up by saying, "And that woman was my mother!" - The crowd burst into laughter and delivered the rest of his talk, which went over quite well.The next week, the pastor decided he'd give this humor thing a try, and use that joke in his sermon.

As he surely approached the pulpit that sunny Sunday, he tried to rehearse the joke in his head. It suddenly seemed a bit foggy to him.Getting to the microphone he said loudly, "The greatest years of my life were spent in the arms of another woman that was not my wife!"

The congregation inhaled half the air in the room. After standing there for almost 10 seconds in the stunned silence, trying to recall the second half of the joke, the pastor finally blurted out, "...and I can't remember who she was!"
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Closing sermon words

A preacher was completing a temperance sermon: with great expression he said, "If I had all the beer in the world, I'd take it and throw it into the river." With even greater emphasis he said, "And if I had all the wine in the world, I'd take it and throw it into the river."

And then finally, he said, "And if I had all the whiskey in the world, I'd take it and throw it into the river."He sat down.

The song leader then stood very cautiously and announced with a smile, "For our closing song, let us sing Hymn # 365: "Shall We Gather at the River."
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ADVICE:
Forget each kindness that you do as soon as you have done it.
Forget the praise that falls to you the moment you have won it.
Forget the slander that you hear before you can repeat it.
Forget each slight, each spite, each sneer, whenever you may meet.
Remember every promise made and keep it to the letter.
Remember those who lend you aid and be a grateful debtor.
Remember all the happiness that comes your way in living.
Forget each worry and distress; be hopeful and forgiving.
Remember good, remember truth, remember heaven is above you. And you will find, through age and youth, that many will love you.
- Source Unknown.

WE ARE REMINDED THAT BEING CHEERFUL KEEPS US HEALTHY… IT IS SLOW DEATH TO BE GLOOMY ALL THE TIME!

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to remind myself that Jesus died to set me free, help me Lord to live that life, and be determined in Him to have a cheerful heart, in Jesus wonderful Name I pray, amen!

HAVE A GREAT AND GODLY WEEKEND!

Be encouraged!

GBYAY

SUNDAY SERMON ON THE BLOG – CHRISTIAN COMPASSION.

"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' in front of others, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. - Matthew 6:1. TNIV

Compassion is not for personal glory, just as it is not a private internal emotion.

Christian compassion must always motivate us to act in the best interest, and for the greater good of those that are disadvantaged, without calling attention to ourselves or our sacrifices.

God provides what we need to bless others, and takes care of the reward when our goal is to please Him, and to be used by Him to bless others who are disadvantaged.

Loving Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, use me each day to be a blessing to someone in need. Please open my eyes and ears to see those around me who need emotional or physical support, or financial help. Please give me the courage to bless them, and lead them closer to you. In the wonderful Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT FRIDAY - A CHEERFUL HEART. #27.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. - Pro 17:22. TNIV

Today's Cheerful Heart dedicated to Frank at... Team-Swap Blog .

We could have been here sooner…

An elderly couple were killed in an accident and found themselves being given a tour of heaven by Saint Peter.

"Here is your Oceanside condo, over there are the tennis courts, swimming pool, and two golf courses. If you need any refreshments, just stop by any of the many bars located throughout the area."

"Heck, Gloria," the old man hissed when Saint Peter walked off, "we could have been here ten years ago if you hadn't heard about all that stupid oat bran, wheat germ, and low-fat diets!"
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Question and answer…

Q: Did you hear about the Irishman who was tap dancing?
A: He broke his ankle when he fell into the sink.

Q: What's Irish and sits outside in the summertime?
A: Paddy O'Furniture!

Q: What are the best ten years of an Irishman's life?
A: Third grade.

Q: How do you sink an Irish submarine?
A: Knock on the hatch.
Q: How can you identify an Irish pirate?
A: He's the one with patches over both eyes.
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Trapped within a bog…

Paddy was trapped in a bog and seemed a goner when Big Mick O'Reilly wandered by. "Help!" Paddy shouted, "Oi'm sinkin'!" Don't worry," assured Mick. "Next to the Strong Muldoon, Oi'm the strongest man in Erin, and Oi'll pull ye right out o' there." Mick leaned out and grabbed Paddy's hand and pulled and pulled to no avail.

After two more unsuccessful attempts, Mick said to Paddy, "Shure, an' Oi can't do it. The Strong Muldoon could do it alone, mebbe, but Oi'll have to get some help."

As Mick was leaving, Paddy called "Mick! Mick! D'ye think it will help if Oi pull me feet out of the stirrups?"
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MORAL DECAY
Edward Gibbon, author of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, has attributed the fall of the Empire to:
1. The rapid increase of divorce; the undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis of human society.
2. Higher and higher taxes and the spending of public monies for free bread and circuses for the populace.
3. The mad craze for pleasure; sports becoming every year more exciting and more brutal.
4. The building of gigantic armaments when the real enemy was within, the decadence of the people.
5. The decay of religion -- faith fading into mere form, losing touch with life and becoming impotent to warn and guide the people.
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12 Ways to know if you drink too much coffee...
You don't even wait for the water to boil anymore.
Your nervous twitch registers on the Richter scale.
You think being called a "drip" is a compliment.
You don't tan, you roast.
You don't get mad, you get steamed.
Your three favorite things in life are...coffee before, coffee during and coffee after.
You help your dog chase its tail.
You soak your dentures in coffee overnight.
Your coffee mug is insured by Lloyds of London.
You introduce your spouse as your coffeemate.
You think CPR stands for "Coffee Provides Resuscitation."
Your first-aid kit contains two pints of coffee with an I.V. hookup.
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WE ARE REMINDED THAT BEING CHEERFUL KEEPS US HEALTHY… IT IS SLOW DEATH TO BE GLOOMY ALL THE TIME!

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to remind myself that Jesus died to set me free, help me Lord to live that life, and be determined in Him to have a cheerful heart, in Jesus wonderful Name I pray, amen!

HAVE A GREAT AND GODLY WEEKEND!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT TUESDAY – FAITH FOR TODAY.

God delights to increase the faith of His children... I say, and say it deliberately, trials, difficulties and sometimes defeat, are the very food of faith...We should take them out of His hands as evidences of His love and care for us in developing more and more that faith which He is seeking to strengthen in us. - George Mueller.

We live by faith, not by sight. - 2Cor 5:7.

As a young man preparing to go to China, Hudson Taylor determined to learn to live by faith alone while he was still in England. His resolve was "to learn before leaving England to move man through God by prayer alone."

He worked for a doctor and was paid quarterly. When the time drew near to receive his salary, Taylor was disturbed that his employer said nothing about it. Taylor had only one half-crown piece, but he determined not to break his resolution and ask for his salary.

While visiting a needy home on the Lord's Day, Taylor felt led of God to give his last coin to the needy family. The next day he received an anonymous gift through the mail, four times what he had given to the poor! The following Saturday, the doctor finished up his work and said, "Taylor, is not your salary due again?"

Taylor told him that it was and became disappointed when he learned that the doctor had forgotten about the salary due and sent all his funds to the bank! He prayed about the matter (for he had bills of his own to pay) and left it with the Lord. That evening, the doctor visited him and said that one of his richest patients had come over after hours to pay his bill! He gave the money to Taylor, who rejoiced. He had learned he could trust God and therefore go to China as a missionary. - W. Wiersbe.
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There was a tightrope walker, who did incredible aerial feats. All over Paris, he would do tightrope acts at tremendously scary heights. Then he had succeeding acts; he would do it blindfolded, then he would go across the tightrope, blindfolded, pushing a wheelbarrow.

An American promoter read about this in the papers and wrote a letter to the tightrope walker, saying, "Tightrope, I don't believe you can do it, but I'm willing to make you an offer. For a very substantial sum of money, besides all your transportation fees, I would like to challenge you to do your act over Niagara Falls."

Tightrope wrote back, "Sir, although I've never been to America and seen the Falls, I'd love to come." Well, after a lot of promotion and setting the whole thing up, many people came to see the event. Tightrope was to start on the Canadian side and come to the American side. Drums roll, and he comes across the rope which is suspended over the treacherous part of the falls -- blindfolded!!

And he makes it across easily. The crowds go wild, and he comes to the promoter and says, "Well, Mr. Promoter, now do you believe I can do it?" "Well of course I do. I mean, I just saw you do it." "No," said Tightrope, "do you really believe I can do it?" "Well of course I do, you just did it." "No, no, no," said Tightrope, "do you believe I can do it?" "Yes," said Mr. Promoter, "I believe you can do it." "Good," said Tightrope, "then you get in the wheel barrow."

The word believe, in Greek means "to live by". This is a nice story... makes you ask, how often do we say that we believe Christ can do it, but refuse to get in the wheelbarrow? – Source Unknown.

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to have faith in every situation, that I may bring glory to you. I ask this in the wonderful Name of Jesus. Amen

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

SUNDAY SERMON ON THE BLOG – A CALL TO HOLINESS!

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. - James 4:7-8. TNIV

James always packs a lot into a small space, but let's focus on the centre of this call to holiness: let us draw ourselves closer to God.

When we come into God's presence and draw close to Him, we know our thoughts, our motives, and our behaviours, will be seen for what they are in the light of His holiness and righteousness. At the same time, we know that the devil is forced out by the radiance of our Father's holy life.

Let us seek after God, let us long to draw near to Him. Let's ask Him to cleanse us and make us wholly His, and make us completely holy!

Loving Father, I thank you for your love and forgiveness. By the power of the Holy Spirit, help me as I seek to draw closer to you, and as I seek to know you better. Purify my heart of any duplicity or secret sin. Cleanse my conscience, and empower me to be an example of your grace and holiness. I ask this in the wonderful Name of Jesus. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT FRIDAY - A CHEERFUL HEART. #26.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. - Pro 17:22. TNIV

As Bill was approaching mid-life, physically he was a mess. Not only was he going bald, but years of office work had given him a large pot belly. The last straw came when he asked a woman co-worker out on a date, and she all but laughed at him. That does it, he decided. I'm going to start a whole new regimen.

He began attending aerobics classes. He started working out with weights. He changed his diet. And he got an expensive hair transplant. In six months, he was a different man. Again, he asked his female co-worker out, and this time she accepted.

There he was, all dressed up for the date, looking better than he ever had. He stood poised to ring the woman's doorbell, when a bolt of lightning struck him and knocked him off his feet. As he lay there dying, he turned his eyes toward the heavens and said, "Why, God, why now? After all I've been through, how could you do this to me?"

From up above, there came a voice, "Sorry. I didn't recognize you!"
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A little nine year old girl was in church with her mother when she started feeling ill. "Mommy" she said "Can we leave now?" "No" her mother replied. "Well, I think I have to throw up!" "Then go out the front door and around to the back of the church and throw up behind a bush."

In about two minutes the little girl returned to her seat. "Did you throw up?" her mother asked. "Yes" the little girl replied. "Well, how could you have gone all the way to the back of the church and return so quickly?"

"I didn't have to go out of the church, Mommy" the little girl replied, "They have a box next to the front door that says 'for the sick'."
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An old preacher was dying. He sent a message for his banker and his lawyer, both church members, to come to his home.

When they arrived, they were ushered up to his bedroom. As they entered the room, the preacher held out his hands and motioned for them to sit on each side of the bed. The preacher grasped their hands, sighed contentedly, smiled, and stared at the ceiling. For a time, no one said anything.

Both the banker and lawyer were touched and flattered that the preacher would ask them to be with him during his final moments. They were also puzzled; the preacher had never given them any indication that he particularly liked either of them. They both remembered his many long, uncomfortable sermons about greed, covetousness, and avaricious behaviour that made them squirm in their seats.

Finally, the banker said, "Preacher, why did you ask us to come?"

The old preacher mustered up his strength and then said weakly, "Jesus died between two thieves, and that's how I want to go."
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BELIEVE:
C. H. Spurgeon claimed that 98 percent of the people he met-- including the criminals he visited in England's prisons--told him that they believed the Bible to be true. But the vast majority had never made a personal, life-changing commitment to Jesus Christ. For them, "believe" was not an active verb.
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12 Ways to know if you drink too much coffee...

Your birthday is a national holiday in Brazil.
Your hand is permanently shaped to hold your mug.
You'd be willing to spend time in a Turkish prison.
You go to sleep just so you can wake up and smell the coffee. You're offended when people use the word "brew" to mean beer.
You name your cats "Cream" and "Sugar."
You get drunk just so you can drink coffee and sober up.
You speak perfect Arabic without ever taking a lesson.
Your lips are permanently stuck in the sipping position.
You have a picture of your coffee mug on your coffee mug.
You can outlast the Energizer bunny.
You can jump to the moon.

SO ONCE AGAIN LET US REMIND OURSELVES, THAT BEING CHEERFUL KEEPS YOU HEALTHY. IT IS SLOW DEATH TO BE GLOOMY ALL THE TIME!

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to remind myself that Jesus died to set me free, help me Lord to live that life, and be determined in Him to have a cheerful heart, in Jesus wonderful Name I pray, amen!

HAVE A GREAT AND GODLY WEEKEND!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT THURSDAY – OUR PURPOSE IS TO KNOW JESUS.

"More people fail through lack of purpose than lack of talent." - Billy Sunday.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. – Eph 4:14-16. TNIV

Christians without goals are a little like Alice in the fairy tale Alice in Wonderland. In a conversation between her and the Cheshire Cat, Alice asked, "Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?" "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the cat. "I don't much care where," said Alice. "Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the cat .- Source Unknown.

Jesus gave specific gifts to the body, for the purpose of equipping the saints that they may serve. These gifts are to function until the body is built up, and we come to a mature faith. The most important thing that can happen to us is to come to the knowledge of Christ. To know Him, and then to make Him known, is our greatest purpose. Our purpose is not just to know about Him but to really know Him. He came that we might have life, and have it to the fullest. Here are some of the ways to fulfill this purpose…

We are no longer to be children.
Spiritually we must grow up… Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere human beings? - 1 Cor. 3:1-3.

We are to move on in our understanding… In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! - Heb 5:12.

We must train ourselves… But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. - Heb 5:14.

Let’s be like John Wesley who said… I want the whole Christ for my Savior, the whole Bible for my book, the whole Church for my fellowship, and the whole world for my mission field.

We are to speak the truth in love.
We must give up shameful secrets... - For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, - Titus 2-11-12. We should always be lovingly truthful.

We are to grow up to Jesus.
Because, He is the head… And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. - Col 1:18.

Because, He is our Purpose… I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:14. I love what the Message says… I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.

Give Me to Hold Me Firmly to My Trust
My God, who has committed to my care
Thy ransomed one
Lest I be scattered here and there
and she be gone

Give me to hold me firmly to my trust
Let all that would distract me be as dust.
'Thy life for hers' -- O solemn, urgent word --
Lest I forget,
My sense of values waver, or be blurred,
Or overset
By other things, take me and purge and bend
Each power and purpose to one single end.

Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth Thee
O Lord, my God
Give clearness, lest some by-way tangle me.
Where Christ hath trod
There would I tred, nor ever turn aside,
Lest she be missing for whom Christ hath died.
- Amy Carmichael .

To know Jesus is our purpose. To be like Him, and to know Him intimately, is the very purpose of every Christian. “Christian” means “like Christ” or perhaps “little Christ.” Others need to see in us a likeness to Jesus, that will attract them to Him, as we grow up in Him.

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to make knowing Jesus, the main purpose in my life. I ask this in His wonderful Name. Amen

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

For not answering all my commenters, I have had a bit of a virus that's been hard to shake off. However, I am feeling much better, thanks to all the prayers said for me! Praise the wonderful name of Jesus!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT TUESDAY – PERSEVERANCE.

Postage stamps are getting more expensive, but at least they have one attribute that most of us could emulate: they stick to one thing until they get there. - Source Unknown.

And to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; - 2 Peter 1:6. TNIV

Young William Wilberforce was discouraged one night in the early 1790s after another defeat in his 10 year battle against the slave trade in England. Tired and frustrated, he opened his Bible and began to leaf through it. A small piece of paper fell out and fluttered to the floor. It was a letter written by John Wesley shortly before his death. Wilberforce read it again:

"Unless the divine power has raised you up... I see not how you can go through your glorious enterprise in opposing that (abominable practice of slavery), which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? Oh, be not weary of well-doing. Go on in the name of God, and in the power of His might." - Daily Bread.
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One day George Muller began praying for five of his friends. After many months, one of them came to the Lord. Ten years later, two others were converted. It took 25 years before the fourth man was saved. Muller persevered in prayer until his death for the fifth friend, and throughout those 52 years he never gave up hoping that he would accept Christ! His faith was rewarded, for soon after Muller's funeral the last one was saved.- Our Daily Bread.
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From the diary of John Wesley. . .
Sunday, A.M., May 5 Preached in St. Anne's. Was asked not to come back anymore.
Sunday, P.M., May 5 Preached in St. John's. Deacons said "Get out and stay out."
Sunday, A.M., May 12 Preached in St. Jude's. Can't go back there, either.
Sunday, A.M., May 19 Preached in St. Somebody Else's. Deacons called special meeting and said I couldn't return.
Sunday, P.M., May 19 Preached on street. Kicked off street.
Sunday, A.M., May 26 Preached in meadow. Chased out of meadow as bull was turned loose during service.
Sunday, A.M., June 2 Preached out at the edge of town. Kicked off the highway.
Sunday, P.M., June 2 Afternoon, preached in a pasture. Ten thousand people came out to hear me. - John Wesley.
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On March 6, 1987, Eamon Coghlan, the Irish world record holder at 1500 meters, was running in a qualifying heat at the World Indoor Track Championships in Indianapolis. With two and a half laps left, he was tripped. He fell, but he got up and with great effort managed to catch the leaders. With only 20 yards left in the race, he was in third place -- good enough to qualify for the finals.

He looked over his shoulder to the inside, and, seeing no one, he let up. But another runner, charging hard on the outside, passed Coughlan a yard before the finish, thus eliminating him from the finals. Coughlan's great comeback effort was rendered worthless by taking his eyes off the finish line.

It's tempting to let up when the sights around us look favorable. But we finish well in the Christian race only when we fix our eyes on the goal: Jesus Christ! - Source Unknown.

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to persevere in every situation, that I may bring glory to you. I ask this in the wonderful Name of Jesus. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT MONDAY - MAYBE TOMORROW.

Be encouraged!

GBYAY

SUNDAY SERMON ON THE BLOG – SINGING WITH GRATITUDE!

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. - Colossians 3:16. TNIV

We sing when we are happy, we sing when we are heartbroken, but today we sing out of gratitude.

God is not only worthy of all of our praise, He is worthy of all of our thankfulness. The origin of all our songs is Jesus, and the declaration of the good news that brings life to us through Him.

And as that message, that word of Christ, fills our hearts, we are tuned to be thankful children of the Most High.

Loving Father, I am so thankful today, for all the many blessings you have poured into my life. Your love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness give me hope for the future. Your gift of Jesus gives me life today, and promises life tomorrow. The incredible physical blessings, as well as the blessings of family and friends, are wonderful. But the greatest of all blessings, Lord, is the assurance that I will one day see you face- to-face, and share your glorious presence forever. In the wonderful and mighty Name Jesus I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT FRIDAY - A CHEERFUL HEART! #25.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. - Pro 17:22. TNIV

A "Blonde’s" Year in Review…
January- Took new scarf back to store because it was too tight.
February- Fired from pharmacy job for failing to printlabels... Helllloooo!!!... bottles won't fit in the typewriter!
March- Got really excited... finished jigsaw puzzle in 6 months... box said "2-4 years!"
April- Trapped on escalator for hours... power went out!
May- Tried to make Kool-Aid... wrong instructions... 8 cups of water won't fit into those little packets!!!
June- Tried to go water skiing... couldn't find a lake with a slope.
July- Lost breast stroke swimming competition... learned later, the other swimmers cheated, they used their arms!
August- Got locked out of my car in rain storm... car swamped because soft-top was open.
September- The capital of California is "C"... isn't it???
October- I hate M&M's... they are so hard to peel.
November- Baked turkey for 4 1/2 days... instructions said 1 hour per pound and I weigh 108!
December- Couldn't call 911... "duh"... there's no "eleven" button on the stupid cell phone! What a year!
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Justin and Christian...
Far away in the tropical waters of the Caribbean, two prawns were swimming around in the sea- one called Justin and the other called Christian. The prawns were constantly being harassed and threatened by sharks that cruised the area.

Finally one day Justin said to Christian, "I'm bored and frustrated at being a prawn, I wish I was a shark, then I wouldn't have any worries about being eaten..."

As Justin had his mind firmly on becoming a predator, a mysterious cod appears and says, "Your wish is granted", and lo and behold, Justin turned a shark. Horrified, Christian immediately swam away, afraid of being eaten by his old mate.

Time went on and Justin found himself becoming bored and lonely as a shark. All his old mates simply swam away whenever he came close to them. Justin didn't realise that his new menacing appearance was the cause of his sad plight. While out swimming alone one day he sees the mysterious cod again and can't believe his luck. Justin figured that the fish could change him back into a prawn. He begs the cod to change him back so, lo and behold, he is turned back into a prawn.

With tears of joy in his tiny little eyes, Justin swam back to his friends and bought them all a cocktail. Looking around the gathering at the reef, he searched for his old pal. "Where's Christian?" he asked.

"He's at home, distraught that his best friend hanged sides to the enemy and became a shark", came the reply. Eager to put things right again and end the mutual pain and torture, he set off to Christian's house.

As he opened the coral gate the memories came flooding back. He banged on the door and shouted, "It's me, Justin, your old friend, come out and see me again."

Christian replied "No way man, you'll eat me. You're a shark, the enemy and I'll not be tricked."

Justin cried back "No, I'm not. That was the old me. I've changed... I've found Cod. I'm a prawn again Christian!"
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12 Ways to know if you drink too much coffee...
1. When you open your dish cabinet, and there is only mugs.
2. You lick your coffeepot clean.
3. You spend every vacation visiting "Maxwell House."
4. You're the employee of the month at the local coffeehouse and you don't even work there.
5. Your eyes stay open when you sneeze.
6. Your coffee cake, must have coffee in it.
7. You can type sixty words per minute... with your feet.
8. You don't sweat, you percolate.
9. You go to AA meetings just for the free coffee.
10. People get dizzy just watching you.
11. You're so wired, you pick up AM radio and people test their batteries in your ears.
12. Your life's goal is to amount to a hill of beans.
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ATTITUDE:
Both the hummingbird and the vulture fly over our nation's deserts. All vultures see is rotting meat, because that is what they look for. They thrive on that diet. But hummingbirds ignore the smelly flesh of dead animals. Instead, they look for the colorful blossoms of desert plants. The vultures live on what was. They live on the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But hummingbirds live on what is. They seek new life. They fill themselves with freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for. We all do. - Steve Goodier.
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A chaplain was speaking to a soldier on a cot in a hospital. "You have lost an arm in the great cause," he said. "No," said the soldier with a smile. "I didn't lose it--I gave it." In that same way, Jesus did not lose His life. He gave it purposefully.
- Source Unknown.

SO ONCE AGAIN LET US REMIND OURSELVES, THAT BEING CHEERFUL KEEPS YOU HEALTHY. IT IS SLOW DEATH TO BE GLOOMY ALL THE TIME!

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to remind myself that Jesus died to set me free, help me Lord to live that life, and be determined in Him to have a cheerful heart, in Jesus wonderful Name I pray, amen!

HAVE A GREAT AND GODLY WEEKEND!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT THURSDAY – REFRESH ME LORD!

Many do not recognize the fact as they ought, that Satan has got men fast asleep in sin and that it is his great device to keep them so. He does not care what we do if he can do that. We may sing songs about the sweet by and by, preach sermons and say prayers until doomsday, and he will never concern himself about us, if we don't wake anybody up. But if we awake the sleeping sinner he will gnash on us with his teeth. This is our work - to wake people up." - Catherine Booth.

Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. - Act 3:19-21. ESV

We need to understand that all of us at sometime, become stale in our walk with Christ, and we need to be refreshed! There are many reasons that this happens, but I don’t want to focus on why it happened, but on how we can be refreshed again, that we may become stronger and more active for His glory and for the extension of his Kingdom!A person can be a Christian for many years yet remain spiritually immature.

Therefore it's possible for a new believer to be far more grown up in the Lord than someone who has been saved for 40 years. Some of the older Christians don’t realise that they are in a backslidden state, and it’s only the mask of religion that keeps them in the Church.

A good example of this is found in an incident described by Ethel Barrett in her book; It Only Hurts When I Laugh. She said that when D.L. Moody became a Christian, he developed such a hunger for God's Word, spent so much time reading it, and was so quick to obey it that he became a "menace" to some believers. His rapid spiritual growth was an embarrassment to certain people who, though they had been saved for years, never grew up in Christ.

Week after week in the church Moody attended, he would share a new experience he had with the Lord. Finally, some of the older saints who just couldn't stand feeling humiliated by his exemplary life, went to Moody's uncle and urged him to quiet down his nephew. Ethel Barrett drew this conclusion about Moody:

"His robust spiritual health and bounding energy disturbed their napping; he was just too much. So, while they were sucking their thumbs, he was growing until he left them far behind; he grew more in a few years than they did in thirty."

To these people I say, God wants you for His own! He is a jealous God, and wants you to come back to Him! So repent and receive His...

Promise Of A Personal Refreshing
This is a promise to every believer who is immature, those who have run dry, those who are discouraged and downhearted, who are run down, who feels that there is a great distance between themselves and God! Let us remind ourselves that God has never broken a promise!

Booker T. Washington describes meeting an ex-slave from Virginia in his book Up From Slavery : "I found that this man had made a contract with his master, two or three years previous to the Emancipation Proclamation, to the effect that the slave was to be permitted to buy himself, by paying so much per year for his body; and while he was paying for himself, he was to be permitted to labor where and for whom he pleased.

"Finding that he could secure better wages in Ohio, he went there. When freedom came, he was still in debt to his master some three hundred dollars. Notwithstanding that the Emancipation Proclamation freed him from any obligation to his master, this black man walked the greater portion of the distance back to where his old master lived in Virginia, and placed the last dollar, with interest, in his hands.

In talking to me about this, the man told me that he knew that he did not have to pay his debt, but that he had given his word to his master, and his word he had never broken. He felt that he could not enjoy his freedom till he had fulfilled his promise." - Douglas E. Moore.

Once we understand the promise, then there is... A Pathway To A Personal Refreshing
We need to return to a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, and turn away from our complacency, our compromise and our contrariness!

In order to avoid any of this, we need to refresh ourselves in His word... In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.- John 1:1-5.

It is important to realise that we can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, God almighty! How is it possible to have and retain this relationship? We have a helper, the Holy Spirit...

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: - John 16:7-8.

It is the life lived in Christ that refreshes us, and the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth, and will keep us on the correct pathway... When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. - John 16:13-14.

"I had an overwhelming experience of the Lord's presence. I felt so powerfully overcome by the nearness of the Holy Spirit that I had to ask the Lord to draw back lest He kill me. It was so glorious that I couldn't stand more than a small portion of it." - Mordecai Ham.

When we repent and renew our commitment, to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, then the process of refreshing begins. We are refreshed by His Spiritual presence, refreshed in His strengthening power, refreshed in His sweet love, and a refreshing of soul-winning passion, is released in us! Hallelujah! What a mighty God we serve!

Loving Father, I repent of anything that is in me, which is not of you, wash me in the precious blood of Jesus. I receive your forgiveness. I commit my life afresh to you, and ask you by the power of the Holy Spirit, to help me begin the process of my refreshing today. I ask this in the wonderful name of Jesus, my Lord and Saviour, Amen!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY