WORDS OF YOUR MOUTH (TAKEN FROM INTERNET)

I saw him in the church building for the first time on Wednesday. He was in his mid-70's, with thinning silver hair and a neat brown suit. Many times in the past I had invited him to come. Several other Christian friends had talked to him about the Lord and had tried to share the good news with him.

He was a well-respected, honest man with so many characteristics a Christian should have, but he had never put on Christ, nor entered the doors of the church. "Have you ever been to a church service in your life?" I had asked him a few years ago. We had just finished a pleasant day of visiting and talking.

He hesitated. Then with a bitter smile he told me of his childhood experience some fifty years ago. He was one of many children in a large impoverished family. His parents had struggled to provide food, with little left for housing and clothing. When he was about ten, some neighbors invited him to worship with them. The Sunday school class had been very exciting! He had never heard such songs and stories before! He had never heard anyone read from the Bible! 

After class was over, the teacher took him aside and said, "Son, please don't come again dressed as you are now. We want to look our best when we come into God's house."

He stood in his ragged, unpatched overalls. Then looking at his dirty bare feet, he answered softly, "No, ma'am, I won't ever." "And I never did," he said, abruptly ending our conversation. 

There must have been other factors to have hardened him so, but this experience formed a significant part of the bitterness in his heart. I'm sure that Sunday school teacher meant well. But did she really understand the love of Christ? Had she studied and accepted the teachings found in the second chapter of James?

What if she had put her arms around the dirty, ragged little boy and said, "Son, I am so glad you are here, and I hope you will come every chance you get to hear more about Jesus."

I reflected on the awesome responsibility a teacher or pastor or a parent has to welcome little ones in His name. How far reaching her influence was! I prayed that I might be ever open to the tenderness of a child's heart, and that I might never fail to see beyond the appearance and behavior of a child to the eternal possibilities within. 

Yes, I saw him in the church house for the first time on Wednesday. As I looked at that immaculately dressed old gentleman lying in his casket, I thought of the little boy of long ago. I could almost hear him say, "No, ma'am, I won't ever." And I wept.

DON'T CRY, MY CHILD

Once in a small town of Nain, there lived a beautiful young girl who had been engaged to a handsome guy. The girl started to live everyday with dreams in her eyes about her future, wanting to explore the true meaning of love, care, and affection, waiting eagerly to spend about the rest of her life with her love, counting the number of days for her marriage. At last the most awaiting day came, which she will never forget in her life. She got married to the guy whom she started to love so much. Her marriage life was great. Everything she wished and desired for has been satisfied by her husband. Nothing she lacked. She lived a very peaceful, joyful life with him, which everyone would envy to have. Such a blessed life she had. Her dreams and hopes became very true and real when she held her boy baby in her hands. Her life was more than she dreamt and asked for. She thought that there will be no more tears and sufferings. That her life will be very smooth, pleasant and will go in the way she desired. She thought that there will be no need for her to worry about anything and her future is firm and secured.

            But from nowhere came the shock of her life. Her husband passed away all of a sudden, leaving her and their only child all alone to suffer. She felt like all her dreams have been shattered. She didn’t find any reason for her survival. The days which were once sweet to her became bitter and sorrowful. The death of her beloved, took all her joy, happiness and cheer along with it just leaving her with emptiness, loneliness and hopelessness, sucking the entire life out of her. When she was about to end her life thinking that there is no meaning for her to still go on, she heard the cry of her child. That broke her heart and the moment she saw her child’s face, she was reminded of her good old days she spent with her husband. So she decided to live for her only child and started to relive her memories, patiently watching and enjoying the different stages of life her child goes through. Her heart leapt with joy and pride on seeing her kid standing in front of her as a young fine gentleman.

            All of a sudden when everything was going well and fine, she got the greatest blow in her life which left her paralysed. Her only son for whom she has held her breadth thus far has died. Nobody was able to comfort her because greater was her grief. She couldn’t understand why all this has to happen to her. She was crying her life out when the crowd from the town carried the dead body of her son. Till now she was just living for the sake of her son. Through her tears, she saw his happiness. But the very hope for her living has been shattered in front of her eyes. She thought that there is no use for her to press on, to hope that things will reverse and her life will become alright once again like it used to be. She was broken hearted and thought that her life has come to an end. It is then something happened which changed the entire meaning of her life. It is at this time, Jesus of Nazareth met her. That made the difference in her monotonous, painful life. When Jesus saw her, He was moved with compassion and His heart went out for her. He said “Don’t cry”. He touched the coffin and brought the young man back to life and gave him to his mother.

            When Jesus says “Don’t cry”, He is not simply saying in order to comfort us like others do but rather He walks right into the situation which makes us to cry, which pains our heart and will change it upside down just for us to be happy. People may just give empty promises telling “don’t cry, I am with you” but God alone experiences what we go through by walking along with us. The world can only feel pity on our situations but it is God who will change the entire scenario which is troubling us, in favor for us. Similarly my friend you may be going through a hopeless situation thinking that there is no reason for you to press on in life. Do not lose heart. There is a God for you. He is Jesus Christ. He will interfere with your hopeless situations. He will walk right into the situation and will turn your sorrow into gladness. You will surely live.

NOT HOME YET (TAKEN FROM INTERNET)

An old missionary couple had been working in Africa for years and was returning to New York to retire. They had no pension; their health was broken; they were defeated, discouraged, and afraid. They discovered they were booked on the same ship as President Teddy Roosevelt, who was returning from one of his big-game hunting expeditions. No one paid any attention to them. They watched the fanfare that accompanied the President's entourage, with passengers trying to catch a glimpse of the great man. As the ship moved across the ocean, the old missionary said to his wife, "Something is wrong.Why should we have given our lives in faithful service for God in Africa all these many years and have no one care a thing about us? Here this man comes back from a hunting trip and everybody makes much over him, but nobody gives two hoots about us." 

"Dear, you shouldn't feel that way," his wife said. "I can't help it; it doesn't seem right." When the ship docked in New York, a band was waiting to greet the President. The mayor and other dignitaries were there. The papers were full of the President's arrival. No one noticed this missionary couple. They slipped off the ship and found a cheap flat on the East Side, hoping the next day to see what they could do to make a living in the city. That night the man's spirit broke. He said to his wife, "I can't take this; God is not treating us fairly." 

His wife replied, "Why don't you go in the bedroom and tell that to the Lord?"A short time later he came out from the bedroom, but now his face was completely different. His wife asked, "Dear, what happened?""The Lord settled it with me," he said. "I told him how bitter I was that the President should receive this tremendous homecoming, when no one met us as we returned home. And when I finished, it seemed as though the Lord put his hand on my shoulder and simply said, 'But you're not home yet!"

GOD WILL HEAR YOUR CRY

This time I would like to share with you my precious readers a true story that took place awhile ago. Once there lived a pious' person named Ethan who had a very good status in his community. He was claimed to be a God fearing person by everyone who knew him. He actively participated in all the spiritual activities of his church. One day Ethan heard the news that one of the most powerful evangelists is visiting the plains nearby his place. Ethan somehow wanted to bring him to his place and make him pray for his people and get his blessings. So, Ethan put tremendous efforts in bringing the speaker to his place. When the evangelist came to the village Ethan made him stay in his newly bought house. Though the house was newly bought it had horrible cracks on the walls making it seem worthless and quite dangerous to live in, because of the fear of walls falling apart. So he requested the evangelist to pray for that house that's ruined badly without any cause. That night the evangelist prayed for that house and GOD revealed him the reason behind the mishap; and this is the story behind the house:“The house was originally owned by a Christian family consisting of a man, his wife and their little baby. In an unfortunate road accident the lady lost her husband. The man had borrowed some money from Ethan for which he was paying him back the interest. Now after the demise of the husband, the lady was abandoned and didn't have any resources to payback to Ethan. So, Ethan suggested the lady to hand him over the house and that he'd pay her some money after settling their debt. The fact was that Ethan had an eye on that very house since it was newly built, spacious and a gorgeous one too.

The lady cried to Ethan that it was their only shelter and they would have no other place to rest their heads if he had taken their house. She pleaded him to have mercy on them since they were in a hopeless situation and had no one to help. But Ethan had no mercy on them. He took the house and gave them back a very little amount of money in return, which was an injustice against the poor helpless lady and her baby.

When this afflicted lady was dragged to the streets, she looked back at the house, with  tears rolling down her eyes and holding her baby in one hand she cried to Lord saying ' Isn't there anyone to do justice? Not even a single soul would stand for my cause? Lord will you not hear me!'. The voice of that helpless widow reached the realms of heaven and Lord's wrath poured on that house." Lord then told the evangelist to tell Ethan that he has to pay back that widow ten fold and to treat her justly.

So, are you in a hopeless situation as that of the poor widow? Do you think your cry for help is unheard? Are you thinking that your thoughts are unvoiced? And that God is stone-hearted and He is not listening to your prayers??? Are you weary searching for explanations to all mishaps in your life?
Let me tell you wonderful people, that God is so concerned about you. He loves you so much that He is very much sensitive to your voice. He hears each and every word from your mouth; even the unspoken thoughts He knows. The scripture tells us that 'Those who hope in the lord will renew their strength like eagles'. The lord tells us today in Jeremiah 29:12-13 "When you call upon me and pray to me, I will hear you. And when you seek me with all your heart, you will find me."