THE BIRD CAGE-AUTHOR UNKNOWN

There once was a man named George Thomas, a 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. Several 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 you got there son?"

"Just some old birds," came the reply.

"What are you gonna do with them?" I asked.

"Take 'em home and have fun with 'em. 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. 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 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 the 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.

"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. How to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!"

"And what will you do when you get done with them?", Jesus asked.

"Oh, I'll kill 'em."

"How much do you want for them?"

"Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you 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?"

Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your tears, and all your blood." Jesus paid the price.

The pastor picked up the cage he opened the door and he walked from the pulpit.

SURELY I WILL COME BACK, MY CHILD

Once there was a father, who loved sailing. He lived with his son, Jeremy in a small cottage close to the sea. One day he decides to go sailing and he asks his son, “Son, would you like to accompany me this time?” Jeremy was so excited that his father was taking him sailing and he agreed to go with him.

The next day they set out to sail across the sea. Jeremy had always wanted to go with his father sailing, and he was enjoying every moment of his time with his father. Suddenly, a storm hits, and his father loses control of the boat. Jeremy started helping his father to keep the boat upright, but all in vain. The boat was filled with water and it started to sink, the storm was too strong, the boat got destroyed. Jeremy and his father got hold of a wood piece each and they began floating in the sea. The father looked up to see the nearest coast which was a little far off. He turned to Jeremy and said, “Son, hold on tight, I will swim to the nearest coast and get help. Till then, please do not leave the piece of wood. Surely I will not leave you alone and I will come back to you.” The father swam a little away from his son, to the coast, he turned back and shouted,“Son, Surely I will come back to you.” Jeremy looked at his father and waved his hands. The father a little more to the coast and again he turned and shouted, “Son!! Do not be scared I will surely come back to you”

The father finally reached the coast and informed the coastguards about what happened. They said that the sun is down now, and that they would start the search early in the morning.

Early, next day, the coastguards and the father set sail to find Jeremy.

And there was Jeremy still holding on to the piece of wood. The coast guards helped him into the boat, and asked him, “How did you know that help would come, son?” He turns to the coast guards and says, “My Father assured me he would return, and I believed in him”.

In John 14:18, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you” says the Lord. My dear young friends, even today you may go through the path of loneliness. You may feel as if you are all alone in this world. You may be filled with agony and pain. Today God says to you, My dear child, I will not leave you comfortless and I will come to you. God is there for you, my friend. He will come to you and bless you. Do not be discouraged, for God loves you a lot. Surely God will come to you and bless you. Keep your trust in Jesus for He will not fail you nor forsake you.

If little Jeremy had that much faith in his father, then why not we in the Father above??

WHAT WOULD JESUS WRITE ABOUT YOU

He was just another person, who just led his life normal monotonous life. One day, as Jesus was walking on the streets of Galilee, He saw this man and said, “Follow me”. He left everything and followed Jesus with the crowd. Jesus saw the crowd and He went up the hill to preach, as He called out His disciples, He wished he would be called too, and yes, his name was among the twelve. He started following Jesus, and saw that He was the ‘Son of God’. He witnessed many miracles, and listened to the parables. He wanted to follow Jesus completely, but he wasn’t ready to change. He still continued with his daily habits.
The Pharisees and the high priests were waiting to condemn Jesus, and they knew that this disciple would be of help to them. One evening they met him, and offered him thirty silver coins, and asked him to betray his Master. Being a gluttonous person, he decides to take the thirty silver coins over his Master.
Jesus was betrayed and later condemned to death. The disciple finally learned that Jesus had been condemned; he repented and took back the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and elders. “I have sinned by betraying an innocent man to death”, He said. “What do we care about that?” they answered. “That is your business!” He threw the coins down in the temple and left; then he went off and hanged himself.
Now you all know who I am talking about, yes, it is Judas Iscariot!
Many days after His death, Bible was written. If you read the Bible, you might come across the naming of all the disciples.
In Mathew 10.1-4; “Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles; first, Simon (called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James and his brother John, the sons of Zebedee; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Patriot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.”
In Mark 3.13-19; “…and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.”
In Luke 6. 12-16;”….and Judas Iscariot, who became the traitor.
All the disciples are given a good introduction while Judas is described as the one who betrayed Jesus and the traitor. Judas last action of betraying Jesus is what made him earn this description even in the Bible.
Let’s reflect on our life, are we like Judas, a church goer only on Sundays, a person who just dusts the Bible everyday, someone who calls on to Jesus only during times of trouble, and someone who would give away Jesus, for the pleasures of the world. Then think, how is it written about you in the book of life??

DO YOU HAVE THE BURDEN?

There was a guy who went with his church people for a trip to Kolkata. One fine evening, all the adults went out leaving all their kids under the care of that particular guy since he was the older one of the lot. Suddenly a girl named Hannah who was in 2nd standard was found missing. He searched everywhere for her and found her catching the bars of the gate and with eyes filled with tears. It was the festival time for people in Kolkata and there was a procession of statues of Kali and people were dancing in front of the statues. The particular guy thought she was missing her parents and crying. So he consoled her saying that her parents will come soon and she had no need to worry. But she didn’t stop crying. He asked the reason for her crying. She pointed her little hand towards the people who are walking in the procession and said “Anna, who will go and tell about Jesus to them”.
My dear young people, do you have the burden for the lost souls? If not you, then who will go and share the Gospel of Christ among the idol worshipers? Be filled with the burden of God and proclaim the Gospel of Christ to the people whom you meet in your life.

WHERE ARE YOU?

GENESIS 3: 9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”

God created Adam and put him to live in a garden which was carefully and specially created by God for him. God wants him to live happily in a very peaceful and happy environment. But one day God found that its not good for Adam to be alone. God wanted to create a help meet for him. So He created Eve from Adam’s rib and brought her to Him. God loved Adam so much that He created everything for his own happiness and joy. If you read clearly the beginning chapters of Genesis, we can find that God never took much care in creating other things compared to the creation of Adam. The only reason is, He wants Adam to live in a peaceful environment with utmost joy. God wants Adam’s life to be filled with much blessings.

But one day, Adam give himself to the words of Eve who have sinned hearing the words of the serpent. Adam immediately understood that he was sinned and hide himself from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. At that moment, he hears a loving tender voice calling his name and the voice asked: “Adam, where are you?”. Its not the voice that was filled with authority and anger but a voice of love. God’s love is in such a way that He longs for Adam.

Even today, my dear young friend, God’s love is searching for you. You might have sinned against God and now you might have hiding yourself from the presence of God. You may think that God will forget you soon as you have committed sin against Him. No my dear friend, He will never forget you. God’s loving voice is calling out you today: “Where are you?”. God’s heart is longing for you. He loves you so much that you can never understand His love. He wants to see you in His presence. Don’t hide yourselves from God’s presence. It does not bothers God that you have sinned. What bothering God is that you are not seen in His presence. Even if you have sinned, come to My presence, says Holy Spirit. When you come to my presence, I will forgive all of your sins through My blood and fill you with My power that you will shine for My glory says Jesus Christ, your Loving Dad.

My dear young friend, God is calling you only. You might have done a hardcore sin against Him. You might feel that He will not forgive you and you were not deserved to be His child. That’s not true my dear friend. God wants to see His child (that’s you) back in His presence. He can never bear you suffering from sin losing all your peace. He want you to be happy always by being…..WITH HIM. Come to Jesus for He loves you lot, even now.

YOU WILL RECEIVE GOD'S BLESSINGS

When you be in the place where God wants you to be, you will get wonderful blessings. Let us see some of the blessings that you will get when you are in the place where God wants you to be.

1. YOU WILL GET GOD’S ABUNDANT BLESSINGS
“ Now the LORD had said to Abram, Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father’s hourse, to a land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curseth you and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken to him……” - Genesis 12:1-4
Abraham received God’s blessing only when he left the place which God wants him to leave and also only when he went to the place where God wants him to go. It is very important that you have to be in God’s will if you want to receive God’s blessing abundantly.

2. YOU WILL GET TO MEET GOD
“Then said Jesus to them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee and there shall they see me.” - Matthew 28:10
“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw Him…..” - Matthew 28:16,17
Disciples saw Jesus because they were in the place where God wants them to be. If on that particular day some disciples had gone to Gethsemane or the transfiguration mountain they would have never had a chance to see Jesus. If you want to see God or meet Him, you have to be in the place where God wants you to be. Obeying God is more important than anything.

3. YOU WILL GET GOD’S PROPHECIES FULFILLED
“Being warned by God in a dream Joseph came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth…...that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.” - Matthew 2:22,23
There was a young guy to whom God has promised many blessing through His mighty prophets. That particular guy thought that he can live according to his own ways to get the prophecy fulfilled. But God wants him to be holy and in His path. Finally as he lived a life away from God, he lost all the God’s promises. Even today he is struggling hard to come up in life but all is efforts are going in vain. If you want God’s prophecies to be fulfilled in your life, you have to be in God’s will.

4. YOU WILL GET GOD’S PROTECTION
“But he (Necho) sent ambassadors to him (Josiah), saying, what have I to do with you, you king of Judah? I come not against you this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: for bear you from meddling with God, who is with me, that he may not destroy you.” - II Chronicles 35:21
Josiah was the king of Judah who loved God with all his heart. On a fateful day he leave the place where God wants him to be and face king Necho who was going according to God’s will. Josiah never understand that God’s protection will be in his life only when he resides in God’s place. Josiah went against the will of God and was killed. Many a times sin enters into our life easily because we leave God’s presence and get into the danger zone of the enemy. If you want God’s protection to be upon your life, you have to be in the place where God wants you to be.

If you are in the place where God wants you to be:
You will receive God’s abundant blessings
You will see and meet God
God’s prophecy will be fulfilled in your life
God’s protection will be upon you all through your life.
If you are in God’s will:
No disease will overpower you
No sins will overpower you
No problems will overpower you
No man will overpower you
No demonic spirit will overpower you

GOD WILL NOT CAST YOU AWAY

My dear beloved friend who is reading this , you might be in an inexplicable situation right now. You would have left God and moved to a distance far from Him, you would have grieved God’s heart a lot because of your sinful life, your life would have been a toggle-game between standing and falling in Spiritual life and above all, you might be in a state where you hate yourself for whatever you have done; Jesus Christ, who died for you and resurrected from His earthly grave, is telling you this today: “Take courage, My dear child, I WILL NOT CAST YOU AWAY”. Even today, God loves you as you are. God’s love is an unchanging and everlasting love. Today Jesus Christ says to you: “My dear child, I love you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness I will draw you to me.”

From the Bible if we see certain examples, we can understand the love of God. John 9:34 “They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.”

Pharisees and Jews judged a blind man as a sinner and they cast him out. But what did Jesus do?

Jesus heard what had happened,
Jesus found that man,
Jesus talked with Him and
Jesus revealed Himself to him.

In John 8:3-11, Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery and they wanted to cast her away and stone her to death. Even though Jesus Christ knew she was a sinner, what did He do?

Jesus did not cast her away,
Jesus saved her from the accusers and
Jesus never condemned her.

In Luke 7:37-50. A Pharisee says to himself in his heart that the woman, who washed Jesus feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, kissed His feet and anointed them with ointment was a sinner. What did Jesus, who knew the entire life history of the woman, do?

Jesus testified her love before the accuser and
Jesus forgave all her sins.

My dear beloved, you might have been cast out by humans, you might have been surrounded by the accusers who put you down for your sins and who want to stone you to death. People might have stopped talking to you and you might have been hated by your very own loved ones. But trouble not, for Jesus loves you. He will never condemn you. He will save you from your accusers. He will talk to you and He will reveal Himself to you even when you have been cast out by the whole world. Yes my dear child, Jesus will never cast you away.