The Story of 4 Boyfriends

Once upon a time there was a girl who had four boyfriends.

She loved the fourth boyfriend the most and adorned him with rich robes and treated him to the finest of delicacies. She gave him nothing but the best.

She also loved the third boyfriend very much and was always showing him off to neighboring kingdoms. However, she feared that one day he would leave her for another.

She also loved her second boyfriend. He was her confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with her. Whenever this girl faced a problem, she could confide in him, and he would help her get through the difficult times.

The girl’s first boyfriend was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining her wealth and kingdom. However, she did not love the first boyfriend. Although he loved her deeply, she hardly took notice of him!

One day, the girl fell ill and she knew her time was short. She thought of her luxurious life and wondered, ‘I now have four boyfriends with me, but when I die, I’ll be all alone.’

Thus, she asked the fourth boyfriend, ‘I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?’

‘No way!’, replied the fourth boyfriend, and he walked away without another word.

His answer cut like a sharp knife right into her heart.

The sad girl then asked the third boyfriend, ‘I loved you all my life. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?’

‘No!’, replied the third boyfriend. ‘Life is too good! When you die, I’m going to marry someone else!’

Her heart sank and turned cold.

She then asked the second boyfriend, ‘I have always turned to you for help and you’ve always been there for me.  When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?’

‘I’m sorry, I can’t help you out this time!’, replied the second boyfriend. ‘At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave.’

His answer struck her like a bolt of lightning, and the girl was devastated.

Then a voice called out: ‘I’ll go with you. I’ll follow you no matter where you go.’

The girl looked up, and there was her first boyfriend. He was very skinny as he suffered from malnutrition and neglect.

Greatly grieved, the girl said, ‘I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!’

In truth, you have four boyfriends in your life:

Your fourth boyfriend is your body. No matter how much time and effort you lavish in making
it look good, it will leave you when you die.

Your third boyfriend is your possessions, status and wealth. When you die, it will all go to others.

Your second boyfriend is your family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for you, the furthest they can stay by you is up to the grave.

And your first boyfriend is your spirit. Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world.

However, your spirit is the only thing that will follow you where ever you go. Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of you that will follow you to the throne of God and continue with you throughout Eternity.

The Coal Basket

The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson.

Each morning, Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen tablereading from his old worn-out Bible.His grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way he could.

One day the grandson asked, "Papa, I try to read the Bible just like you but I don't understand it,
and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book.

What good does reading the Bible do?"
The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, "Take this coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water."

The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out before he could get back to the house.

The grandfather laughed and said, "You will have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again.

This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home.
Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was "impossible to carry water in a basket," and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water.
I want a basket of water. You can do this. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got far at all.
The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty.

Out of breath, he said, "See Papa, it's useless!"

The old man said, "So you think it is useless? Look at the basket."

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket looked different.
Instead of a dirty old coal basket, it was clean.

"Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible.
You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will change you from the inside out."

That is the work of God in our lives . . .
to change us from the inside out and to slowly transform us into the image of His Son.

For the word of God is living and active.
Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow;
it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight.
Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Hebrews 4:12 - 13

JESUS vs Satan (Animation)

One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan went to visit Jesus in the Garden of Eden, and Satan came all happy and boasting. (Lk 4: 1-12; Job 1: 6-12)
Yes, Lord, now I have everybody captive, (well nearly everybody down there). I set traps, I used the baits of temptation, I know well what each one of them can't resist. I nearly caught them all!' (I Pet 5: 8-9; Eph 6: 10-17)
'What are you going to do with them?' Jesus asked. and He was praying to God the Father.
Satan answered 'Oh, I am going to have some fun with them!'
I'll make them divorce after they have married so the foundation of humanity will never be able to be established 'the family' (Mt 19: 4-6; Mal 2: 16)
I will make them hate each other and abuse each other, make them fall into alcohol and drugs without control. (Rom 13: 12-14)
I will teach them to make weapons and bombs, so they kill each other
'I am really going to have fun!'
'And when you are tired of playing with them, what will you do?' Jesus asked. And continued praying
'Oh, I will kill them all and their souls will be mine forever' 'Lord by all respect, it's their decision' (I Jn 3: 8-10)
'How much do you want for all of them?' Jesus asked.
'Oh, you can't want these people. They aren't anything good. Why do you want them if they neither follow you nor love you? Many hate you! I have seen many of them spitting on you, cursing you and even denying you.'
'What's more, they love me a lot' (Mt 24: 10-13)

Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a
few coins in the hat.

A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"

The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." 

I wrote: "Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it."

Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were so blessed that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively. Cultivate an attitude of
gratitude.

When life gives you 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret.

Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling… And even more beautiful, is knowing that you are the reason behind it!!!

Keep smiling and be awesomely blessed!

Heaven's Grocery Store

I was walking down life’s highway a long time ago.
One day I saw a sign that read "Heaven’s Grocery Store".

As I got a little closer, the door came open wide.
When I came to myself, I was standing just inside.
I saw a host of angels. They were standing everywhere.

One handed me a basket and said, "My child, please shop with care".
Everything a Christian needed was in that Grocery Store.
All you couldn't carry, you could come back the next day for.

First, I got some PATIENCE, LOVE was in the very same row.
Further down was UNDERSTANDING, you needed it wherever you go.
I got a box or two of WISDOM, a bag or two of FAITH.
I just couldn’t miss the HOLY SPIRIT, for He was all over the place!!
I stopped to get some STRENGTH and COURAGE to help me run this race.
By then my basket was getting full but…I remembered I needed some GRACE!
I didn’t forget SALVATION, for SALVATION was free.

So I tried to get enough of that to save both you and me.
Then I started up to the counter to pay my grocery bill,
for I thought I had everything to do my Master’s will.

As I wind up the aisle I saw PRAYER and I just had to put that in.
For I knew when I stepped outside, I would run right into sin.

PEACE and JOY were plentiful; they were on the last shelf.
SONGS and PRAISES were hanging near, so I just helped myself.

Then I said to the angel, "How much do I owe?"
He just smiled and said, "Just take them everywhere you go."
Again I smiled at him and said, "How much do I owe?"
He smiled again and said……

"My child, JESUS PAID YOUR BILL A LONG TIME AGO!"

The Cracked Pot

Once upon a time a water bearer had two large pots, each hung on the end of a pole which he carried across his neck.

One of the pots was perfectly made and never leaked.

The other pot had a crack in it and by the time the water bearer reached his master's house it had leaked much of it's water and was only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master's house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"

"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some.

But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again the pot apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side?

That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it.

I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them.

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table.
Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."
 
Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots but if we will allow it, God will use our flaws to grace his table.

The Lord With You Equals Success

(Genesis 39:2)
The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man…

You may have no qualification, position or wealth — nothing in the natural. But when the Lord is with you, you will end up with everything because He will cause you to be successful.

Joseph had nothing when his Egyptian master Potiphar bought him from the slave market. Yet, even then, it was said of him, "The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man..."

Joseph the slave a successful man? He was a nobody with nothing, not even a shirt on his back, not a dime to his name, no family members with him and no friends to turn to.All he had was the presence of the Lord. But it was precisely because of this that he was successful wherever he was.
He eventually became the most powerful man in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh, who set him over all the land of Egypt. Joseph was given power, authority and riches (Genesis 41:40–44), all because the Lord was with him.

Beloved, it does not matter if you are a nobody with nothing in the natural. When the Lord is with you, you will end up with everything because He will empower you to succeed, prosper and live the abundant life. Indeed, you will end up enjoying His favor, goodness and grace!

Thank You God

Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings,
Thank you, God, that I can hear.
There are many who are deaf.

Even though I keep my eyes closed
against the morning light as long as possible,
Thank you, God, that I can see.
Many are blind.

Even though I huddle in my bed and put off rising,
Thank you, God, that I have the strength to rise.
There are many who are bedridden.

Even though the first hour of my day is hectic,
when socks are lost, toast is burned and tempers are short,
Thank you, God, for my family.
There are many who are lonely.

Even though our breakfast table never looks like the pictures in
magazines,and the menu is at times unbalanced,
Thank you, God, for the food we have.
There are many who are hungry.

Even though the routine of my job often is hard,
Thank you, God, for the opportunity to work.
There are many who have no job.

Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day
and wish my circumstances were not so modest,
Thank you, God, for all I have.
There are many who have nothing.

The Butterfly And The Flower

Once there was a man who asked God for

a flower...

....and a butterfly.

But instead God gave him a cactus....

....and a caterpillar.

The man was sad, he didn’t understand why his request was mistaken.

Then he thought: Oh well, God has too many people to care for...

And decided not to question.

After some time, the man went to check up on his request that he had left forgotten.

To his surprise, from the thorny & ugly cactus a beautiful flower had grown.

And the unsightly carterpillar had been transformed into the most beautiful butterfly.

GOD always does things right!

His way is ALWAYS the best way, even if to us it seems all wrong.

If you asked God for one thing & received another, TRUST.

You can be sure that He will always give you what you need at the appropriate time.

What you want...

is not always what you need!

God never fails to grant our petitions, so keep on going for Him without doubting or murmuring.

Today’s THORN...

Is tomorrow’s FLOWER!

GOD GIVES THE VERY BEST TO THOSE WHO LEAVE THE CHOICES UP TO HIM!

GOD BLESS YOU!

Those who Joyfully leave evrything in Gods hand

will eventually see Gods Hand in evrything.....