The Chosen Vessel

The Master was searching for a vessel to use.
Before Him were many, Which one would He choose?

"Take me," cried the gold one, "I'm shiny and bright.
I am of great value and I do things just right.
My beauty and luster will outshine the rest,
And for someone like you, Master, gold would be best."
The Master passed on, with no word at all.

And looked at a silver urn, narrow and tall,
"I'll serve you dear Master, I'll pour out your wine.
I'll be on your table, whenever you dine.
My lines are so graceful, my carvings so true,
My silver will certainly compliment you."

Unheeding,He came to the vessel of brass,
Wide-mouthed and shallow and polished like glass.
"Here, here," cried the vessel, "I know I will do.
Place me on your table for all men to view."

The Master came next to the vessel of wood,
Polished and carved, it solidly stood.
"You may use me, dear Master," the wooden bowl said,
"But I'd rather you used me for fruit, not for bread."

Then the Master looked down on a vessel of clay,
Empty and broken, it helplessly lay.
No hope had the vessel that the Master might choose
to cleanse and make whole, to fill and to use.

"Oh, this is the vessel I've been hoping to find.
I'll mend it and use it and make it all mine.
I need not the vessel with the pride of itself,
Nor one that is narrow, to sit on the shelf.

Nor one that is big-mouthed and shallow and loud,
Nor one that displays its contents so proud."
Then gently He lifted the vessel of clay,
Mended and cleansed and filled it that day.

He spoke to it kindly, "There's work you must do.
Just pour out to others what I pour in you."

The Light Of The World

         Once upon a time a little candle stood in a room filled with other candles, most of them much larger and much more beautiful than she was. Some were ornate and some were rather simple, like herself. Some were white, some were blue, some were pink, some were green. She had no idea why she was there, and the other candles made her feel rather small and insignificant.

When the sun went down and the room began to get dark, she noticed a large man walking toward her with a ball of fire on a stick. She suddenly realized that the man was going to set her on fire. "No, no!!" she cried, "Aaaaagghhh! Don't burn me, please!" But she knew that she could not be heard and prepared for the pain that would surely follow.

To her surprise, the room filled with light. She wondered where it came from since the man had extinguished his fire stick. To her delight, she realized that the light came from herself.

Then the man struck another fire stick and, one by one, lit the other candles in the room. Each one gave out the same light that she did.

During the next few hours, she noticed that, slowly, her wax began to flow. She became aware that she would soon die. With this realization came a sense of why she had been created. "Perhaps my purpose on earth is to give out light until I die," she mused. And that's exactly what she did.

God created you and I to produce light in a dark world. Like that little candle, we all can produce the same amount of light, no matter how small we are or what color we might be. But we can't produce light until we receive it from an outside source. That source is Jesus Christ, the light of the world.

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The Ultimate Prodigal

"Jesus is like the prodigal son ready to return to His Father's house

For is not Christ the true prodigal?
Thirty years ago He left His Father's eternal mansion and went off into the foreign country of this world and began to spend Himself,
dispensing with infinite prodigality the divine riches of power and wisdom,
and bestowing with heavenly liberality the divine gifts of pardon and mercy.
And so now He sets back on the road to His Father's house.".

Are We KINGS ?

A long time ago, there was a country where the people would change the king every year.
The person who became king had to agree to go and live on an island after his year of being king. One king had finished his term and it was time for him to go to the island.

The people dressed him up in expensive clothes, put him on an elephant, and took him around the cities to say goodbye to all the people.
This was always a moment of sadness for the king. After saying goodbye, the people took the king in a boat to a remote island and left him there. On their way back, they discovered a shipwreck. They saw a young man who had survived by holding onto a piece of wood. 

As they needed a new king, they picked up the young man and took him to their country. They asked him to be king for a year. At first he refused, but later he agreed to be king. People told him about the rules and regulations and how he would be sent to an island after one year.
After three days of being king, he asked the ministers if they would show him the island where all the other kings had been sent. They agreed and took him to the island.

The island was covered with thick jungle. The sound of vicious animals was everywhere. The king went inside the jungle a little way. He discovered the bodies of past kings. Then he understood: As soon as the kings were left on the island, the animals came and killed them.
The king then went back and asked the people to provide him with 100 strong workers. He took the workers to the island and told them to remove all the deadly animals and cut down all the trees. He visited the island every month to see how the work was progressing. 

 In the first month, all the animals were removed and many trees were cut down. By the second month, the whole island was cleared. The king then told the workers to plant gardens in various parts of the island. He took useful animals like chickens, ducks, birds, goats, and cows to the island. In the third month, he ordered the workers to build big houses and docks for ships. Over the months, the island turned into a beautiful place. 

The young king wore simple clothes and spent very little from his earnings. He sent all his earnings to be kept on the island. Nine months passed like this. The king called the people and told them, "I know that I have to go the island after one year, but I would like to go there right now." The people didn't agree to this and said that he would have to wait for another three months to complete the year. 

 Three months passed and the full year was completed. The people dressed the young king up and put him on an elephant to say goodbye to the people. This king was unusually happy to leave the kingdom. People asked him, "All the other kings cried at this moment, why are you laughing?"
He replied, "Don't you know what the wise people say? They say that when you come into this world you are crying and everyone is smiling. Live your life so that when you are dying, you are smiling and everyone around you is crying. I have lived that life. While all the other kings were lost in the luxuries of the kingdom, I always thought about the future and planned for it. I turned the deadly island into a beautiful place where I can stay peacefully." 

We should take a lesson from this story. The life of this world is to prepare for the life in the Hereafter. We shouldn't lose ourselves in the beautiful things of this world and forget about what is to come in the afterlife. Even if we are kings, we should live a simple life..

A Rose Bud

A new preacher was walking with an older more seasoned preacher in the garden one day and the younger preacher, feeling a bit insecure about what God had for him to do, he was inquiring of the older preacher. The older preacher walked up to a rosebush and handed the young preacher and told him to open it without tearing off any petals.

The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older preacher and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the WILL OF GOD for his life and for his ministry. Because of his high respect for the older preacher, he proceeded to TRY to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal intact it wasn't long before he realized how impossible it was to do so. Noticing the younger preacher's inability to unfold the rosebud while keeping it intact, the older preacher began to recite the following poem.

"It is only a tiny rosebud, a flower of God's design;

but I cannot unfold the petals with these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers is not known to such as I.

GOD opens this flower so sweetly, when in my hands they die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud this flower of God's design.

Then how can I have the wisdom to unfold this life of mine?

So I'll trust in Him for leading each moment of my day.

I will look to him for His guidance each step of the pilgrim way.

The pathway that lies before me, only my Heavenly Father knows.

I'll trust Him to unfold the moments, just as He unfolds the rose"

HAVE A SPLENDID LIFE!!!

The Right Light

Decades ago I received two very pretty, oval shaped, pink stones that had fallen from a piece of costume jewellery. I have no idea what they are made of but probably just coloured glass. They could be worth zillions or not worth anything but to me they are priceless treasures.

Late one afternoon at about dusk I was searching through my treasure box for a brooch and one of the pink stones fell out. I heard its soft thump on the carpet and bent down to feel around in the dim light where I thought it would be. It wasn't there so I switched on the light. Still it remained hidden so I shone a torch over the area. It still eluded me.

Next morning I searched again but still could not find it. Perhaps I should bring the forceful assault of the vacuum cleaner to bear but I suspected my stone could be shattered by such power and then it would be lost forever.

Another day went by and, as I contemplated the spot, the sun streamed through the window and there was my little pink jewel shining softly in the sunlight against the blue carpet. It only needed the right sort of light to reveal it.

Often, when something is difficult to uncover we search and search for answers. However hard we search, it remains hidden and none of our artificial lights can reveal it. Our only choice is to be patient and then, when the timing is right and the right light shines on it, we see it.

Jesus said 'I am the light of the world' and the Psalmist said 'by your light we are enlightened,' Psalm 36:9. The right timing and the right light reveal the treasures of the kingdom of God to us.

It Depends Whose Hands It's In

A basketball in my hands is worth about $19
A basketball in Michael Jordan's hands is worth about $33 million
It depends whose hands it's in

A baseball in my hands is worth about $6
A baseball in Mark McGwire's hands is worth $19 million
It depends whose hands it's in

A tennis racket is useless in my hands
A tennis racket in Pete Sampras' hands is a Wimbledon Championship
It depends whose hands it's in

A rod in my hands will keep away a wild animal
A rod in Moses' hands will part the mighty sea
It depends whose hands it's in

A sling shot in my hands is a kid's toy
A sling shot in David's hand is a mighty weapon.
It depends whose hands it's in

Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches.
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in God's hands will feed thousands
It depends whose hands it's in

Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse
Nails in Jesus Christ's hands will produce salvation for the entire world
It depends whose hands it's in

As you see now it depends whose hands it's in.
So put your concerns, your worries, your fears, your hopes, your dreams, your families and your relationships in God's hands because
It depends whose hands it's in.

Matthew 11:28 - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Never Give Up...

One day I decided to quit...

I quit my job, my relationship, and my spirituality...

I wanted to quit my life.

I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"

His answer surprised me…

"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water.

The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed.

But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.

And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.

"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit.

In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed.

I would not quit." He said.

"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.

Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.

It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.

I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."

He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots?"

"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you."

"Don't compare yourself to others." He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful."

"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high"

"How high should I rise?" I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can?" I questioned.

"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

I left the forest and bring back this story.

I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.

Pray First...!

There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat. He had an old shotgun and three bullets. So, he decided that he would go out and kill something for dinner.
As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit and he shot at the rabbit and missed it. Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel and missed it. As he went further, he saw a wild turkey in the tree and he had only one bullet, but a voice came to him and said, "Pray first, aim high, and stay focused".
However, at the same time, he saw deer which was a better kill. He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But, then he saw a rattle snake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattle sanke.
Still, the voice said again to him, "I said 'pray, aim high and stay focused." So, the man decided to listen to the voice. He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey. The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer. The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head and killed it.
And, when the gun had gone off, it knocked him into a pond. When he stood to look around, he had fish in all his pockets, a dead deer and a turkey to eat.
The snake (Satan) was dead simply because the man listened to God.
Bottom line: Pray first before you do anything, aim and shoot high in your goals, and stay focused on God. Pass this on in order that someone else might be blessed. Never let others discourage you concerning your past. The past is exactly that - " the past." Live every day one day at a time. And remember that only God knows our future and that he will not put you through any more than you can bear. Do not look to man for your blessings but look to the Lord. He can open doors for you that only He is able to do. Doors that you will not slip through but doors that only He has prepared in advance for you in your favor.
Wait, and be still, patient: keep God first and everything else will follow.
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