There once was a man named George Thomas, pastor in a small New
England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a
rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit.

Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak…

“I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming
toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three
little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright.

I stopped the lad and asked, “What do you have there, son?”
“Just some old birds,” came the reply.

“What are you going to do with them?” I asked.
“Take ‘em home and have fun with ‘em,” he answered. “I’m gonna tease
‘em and pull out their feathers to make ‘em fight. I’m gonna have a real
good time.”

“But you’ll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do
then?”

“Oh, I got some cats,” said the little boy. “They like birds. I’ll take
‘em to them.”

The pastor was silent for a moment. “How much do you want for those
birds, son?”

“Huh?? !!! Why, you don’t want them birds, mister. They’re just plain
old field birds. They don’t sing. They ain’t even pretty!”

“How much?” the pastor asked again. The boy sized up the pastor as if
he were crazy and said, “$10?”

The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. He
placed it in the boy’s hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor
picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where
there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the
door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting
them free. Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and
then the pastor began to tell this story:

One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just
come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. “Yes,
sir, I just caught a world full of people down there. Set me a trap,
used bait I knew they couldn’t resist. Got ‘em all!”

“What are you going to do with them?” Jesus asked.

Satan replied, “Oh, I’m gonna have fun! I’m gonna teach them how to
marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to
drink and smoke and curse. I’m gonna teach them how to invent guns and
bombs and kill each other. I’m really gonna have fun!”

“And what will you do when you are done with them?” Jesus asked. “Oh,
I’ll kill ‘em,” Satan glared proudly.

“How much do you want for them?” Jesus asked.

“Oh, you don’t want those people. They ain’t no good. Why, you’ll take
them and they’ll just hate you.. They’ll spit on you, curse you and kill
you. You don’t want those people!!”

“How much? He asked again.
Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, “All your blood, tears and your
life.”

Jesus said, “DONE!” Then He paid the price.

The pastor picked up the cage and walked from the pulpit.

Many times we go to church expecting to be entertained instead of going with an expectation of God doing something in our life like convicting us of sin or reminding us of things that need to change.

The motto of the world today is “What is in it for me?” or “What can you do for me?”

God wants you to prepare your heart for worship before you ever enter the doors of the church. If the songs are biblically sound, don’t think so much about the style as what the words say. When you start to truly worship Him, the style of music will fade into the background where it should be anyway.

Don’t let Satan trick you into falling for the lie that you can’t worship God unless you are singing a certain style of music. God can get through to your heart with any style as long as there is TRUTH in the words.

Make the choice that you will prepare your heart to truly worship God the next time you go to church, and don’t allow yourself to concentrate on any other thing.

After Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, we were separated from God and had no way to reach Him on a personal level until Jesus died on the cross. He bridged that great gap and made it possible for us to have a personal relationship with the Living God once more.

The photo above gives a wonderful word picture of what Jesus did. He reached down and grabbed mankind with one hand and reached up to grab the Hand of God with the other. He became our intercessor and bridge to God when there was no other way to reach Him.

We can now come to our Heavenly Father without being afraid or ashamed, because Jesus is always interceding on our behalf and always has our best interest at heart. It is truly an amazing love that He had for mankind to endure the torture and suffering of the cross.

Don’t throw away what Jesus did for you on the cross. Run to Him, tell Him all your problems, and let Him intercede to the Father on your behalf. If you have asked Jesus to come into your heart, the Spirit of the Living God (Holy Spirit) lives inside you and is patiently waiting for you to ask Him to give you guidance in everyday situations.

Learn to hear Him when He speaks to you and be obedient. You will find that you never want to do things your own way again. There is so much peace and comfort in knowing that God only wants to give you His Very Best. That will be something different for each person, but it will always be exactly what you need at just the right time.

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?

**********

David wrote this Psalm when he was in exile from Jerusalem. He longed to go back there and worship daily in the Temple because that was where God resided. It would be many years before Jesus would come to earth as a man, die on the cross, rise from the grave, and ascend to Heaven so the Holy Spirit could come back to earth to live in the heart of every person who accepts Him as Savior.

David had to physically go to the Temple worship services, and be a part of the chorus of praise that rose up to his Heavenly Father during one of the sacrifice times before he felt he had truly worshiped God.

A hart is an animal (like our deer today) that is fond of feeding near the water. When hunted he will go into the water and stay submerged as long as possible, then get in the middle of the river and swim downstream, not touching any tree branches on either side so dogs won’t be able to follow his scent. In a chase he becomes faint, and longs for  water intensely.

The word “panteth” as David uses it here means not just a quiet longing and inward desire, but audible panting produced by an agony of thirst – the intense desire and overwhelming sense of want.

This exact word occurs only twice in the Bible,  here and in Joel 1:20.  It  properly means to rise, and then, to look up toward anything; to long for. It refers here to the intense desire of the hind (female deer), in the heat of day, for water; or, in Joel, to the desire of the cattle for water in a time of drought.

There was an intense thirst that needed to be quenched, and nothing would help until water was found.

**********

How much do you thirst to truly know God? Does that thirst consume your very being?  Are you satisfied just being the way you are right now, whatever that is?

God has a plan for every Christian life, but many times He doesn’t reveal that plan until He sees how thirsty you will become to find out what it is.

In these last days, He wants to use His People to do an awesome work. Will you be willing to get rid of all the unnecessary baggage that has been holding you back and completely surrender your life to Him? It probably won’t be easy, but in the long run it will be well worth it. There is nothing greater than living a life of peace and harmony with God.

Now that is truly living!!!

Somebody is always watching how you act and what you do when you face everyday situations and even major ones that you have no control over. First thing each morning, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in every step you make.

You may never know the positive effect you can have on people for eternity if you will remember that you affect others around you much more than you realize.

**********

23 Elements of the Lord’s Prayer

1. Relationship: Our Father

2. Recognition: which art in heaven

3. Adoration: hallowed be thy name

4. Anticipation: Thy kingdom come

5. Consecration: Thy will be done

6. Universality: in earth

7. Conformity: as it is in heaven

8. Supplication: Give us

9. Definiteness: this day

10. Necessity: our daily bread

11. Penitence: And forgive us

12. Obligation: our debts

13. Forgiveness: as we forgive

14. Love and mercy: our debtors

15. Guidance: And lead us

16. Protection: not into temptation

17. Salvation: but deliver us

18. Righteousness: from evil

19. Faith: For thine is the kingdom

20. Humility: and the power

21. Reverence: and the glory

22. Timelessness: for ever

23. Affirmation: Amen

NOTE:

The first 3 petitions of the prayer make 7 points concerning God

The last 4 petitions make 16 points concerning man

Jesus died on the cross for our sin and returned to the Father so He could be our intercessor.  Then the Holy Spirit was sent to inhabit the life of every Christian so that He could lead and guide us in the right direction.

God has given us all gifts that He wants us to use for His Glory, but it is up to each one to walk in obedience to Him. We all have different strengths and weaknesses, and God intended it that way. He never wants us to think that our spiritual gift pales in comparison to the one of someone else.

Together we as Christians make up the Body of Christ, and we are the ones God has chosen to carry forth His Work.

You are very important to God, and no other person can fill your shoes. Someone else might can do the job you have been called to do, but they will never be able to do it exactly like you. God is counting on you to be obedient and do your part in carrying forth His Work.

Be a true part of the Body of Christ by letting God use you in whatever way He chooses. It is much better to do a small thing that is completely in His Will than to accomplish a huge thing that He never told you to do, even if you feel you are a success in the eyes of man.

Choose instead to be a success in the eyes of God.

God places people in our path to help refine and grow us, and so that we can help others in their walk with Him.

Even though there are plenty of bad things that happen each day, don’t let yourself get to the point that all you dwell on is the bad. God is still at work and doing plenty of great, even awesome things. Make the choice to look at things from His point of view and your life will be so much happier and peaceful.

His refinement process can seem tough at times, but He never wants you to settle for anything less than His Very Best.

*************************************************************************

There was a boy named Grumble Tone who ran away to sea,

“I’m sick of things on land,” he said, “as sick as I can be;

A life upon the bounding wave will suit a lad like me!”

*****

The seething ocean billows failed to stimulate his mirth,

For he did not like the vessel, nor the dizzy, rolling berth,

And he thought the sea was almost as unpleasant as the earth.

*****

He wandered into foreign lands, he saw each wondrous sight,

But nothing that he heard or saw seemed just exactly right;

And so he journeyed on and on, still seeking for delight.

*****

He talked with kings and ladies fair; he dined in courts, they say,

But always found the people dull, and longed to get away

To search for that mysterious land where he would like to stay.

*****

He wandered over all the world, his hair grew white as snow;

He reached that final bourne at last where all of us must go,

But never found the land he sought. The reason you would know?

*****

The reason was that north or south, where’er his steps were bent,

On land or sea, in court or hall, he found but discontent;

For he took his disposition with him everywhere he went.

*****

Here is  a very short list of balls:   football, basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, golf, volleyball, bowling, racquetball, polo, croquet, ping pong, billiards and sad to say these are all in the world we live in.  Turn on the TV or Radio and you will hear long discussions of these games.  Yet the world is trying to outlaw everything about God.  How did this happen? Because we the people were paying too much attention to the wrong things and never noticed it until our world started living in the turmoil of  TODAY!

We travel long distances, spend more money on one game than so many tithe in a year, and will sit for hours in all kinds of weather just to watch our team win or lose.  We sit on the edge of our seats anticipating the next play, biting nails, with hearts racing and shout so much we strain our vocal cords.  We know our team stats, yet sadly many do not know enough of the Bible to witness to those lost people that are sitting around them at the ballgames.

Yet with all the energy for the games, it is mostly lost when you walk into the church. There is not much excitement for the Lord.  We sit in the pews in total silence, often looking at the time.  We do not give that time or joy to the Lord during worship service like we do for the GAME!

There are many excuses we make for NOT going to church but yet those excuses do not apply to our enjoyment of our favorite things.   An overused excuse for not attending church is :  “I need some down time on the weekend after a really busy week of work, school, family, etc.”

Read Chapters 26 and 27 of  the Book of Matthew.

Read about how Jesus was lifted up on the cross and died to pay for our sins.

Then stop and think of the down time of Jesus! They took him down from the cross after dying for us.

Then again pay attention to His resurrection – our greatest victory that gave us the chance for eternal life.

Read about the stats, weaknesses of people, and victories God gave in THE  HOLY BIBLE.  God gave it all to and for us.  Stop, turn around, and head back towards the Lord if you have put BALLGAMES or anything else before Him!

In life,  most Christians have at some time reached a point in our Spiritual walk where we felt just like that tire – FLAT. We usually can’t remember the exact time or the reason it happened; we just felt it.   So many times we do not stop and truly thank God for all the wonderful avenues, valleys or everyday walks or bike rides  He has taken us on.

We just give up quickly because most of us find it easier to walk away than to get back on the bike and ride again for our Spiritual refreshing.   What we should do is raise our hands, heads, our very souls and our prayers toward  God.  We should be  shouting many praises saying:  God inflate air back into my Spiritual being.

There are too many days we let life overwhelm us with busy things that weigh us down and leave us feeling like our Spiritual life is empty.  STOP, put on those brakes!

Take a look around  the busy roads you are riding and see where you are going.   Go for a ride taking along Spiritual friends like  joy, hope, mercy, grace and love.  Spend some good riding time in your own personal daily Bible study with your mind fixed on God.  Spend time in prayer, and be obedient to God’s instructions.

Now fill those old flat tires back up!!! Get back on that bike and go for the ride of your life with the Lord, always remembering to keep your eye on the trail God has set before you.

Spend some time each day worshiping our Lord.

Psalm 66: 1-2

Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:

Sing forth the honour of his name; make his praise glorious.