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 9/16/98 Good morning.... +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ Some people do not see the rose
within themselves; someone else must show it to them. One
of the greatest gifts a person can possess is to be able
to reach past the thorns and find the rose within others.
+†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ Hi Dear Brethren!!! Man, I sure have missed you guys, no kidding!! I pray things are going well for you all! Hope you don't mind, I am sending this one out early. I encourage you to reap the fruit of this one so you will be equipped with seed to plant in others.. ( smile ) Sure do love you guys! See you at the end! 1 Cor 13:2 There is a wonderful story told about a South Pacific culture where it was the custom of men to trade cows for a wife. A father might receive two cows for an average daughter. An above average girl would usually bring her father three cows. Only a rare beauty would ever bring four cows. There was a father here with a daughter so homely that he was hoping he could get just one cow for her. There was another man on the island who was considered their most astute trader. To everyone's astonishment, this man came and offered eight cows for this father's homely daughter! Everyone thought this wise trader had lost his mind, but it was not long before this homely girl was transformed into the most beautiful and gracious woman in the land. She had started to think of herself as "an eight cow woman," and she became one! We determine the value of a commodity by what someone is willing to pay for it. With what were we bought? What price was paid for our wife, husband, child, parent, friend or boss? The most precious commodity in all of creation was paid for them---the blood of the Son of God. We must begin knowing one another after the Spirit, and seeing each other as God sees us. When we do this, we will begin to see as dramatic a change in some as there was in the homely young girl from the South Pacific. We must stop crucifying the Lord again in each other, but begin esteeming the Lord and His workmanship in each one, giving the value to one another which He gave. Few things will work to the edification of the whole body of Christ so much as our starting to know each other after the Spirit instead of after the flesh. Let us pray to only see with His eyes, hear with His ears and understand with His heart. Then we will be the most astute and wise men in the land. Excerpt from: "There were Two Trees
in the Garden" <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§>< Watch the kind of people God brings
around you, and you will be humiliated to find that this
is His way of revealing to you the kind of person you
have been to Him. Now, He says, exhibit to that one
exactly what I have shown to you. <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§>< If I Really Cared If I really cared...I'd look you in the
eyes when you talk to me; -Author unknown- <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§>< Recipe for Life 1 heaping cup of Encouragement Cream encouragement and compassion . Add hope , love, and faith. Mix thoroughly until smooth. Slowly add the unbeaten attitude. Batter should be firm but not unyielding. Knead gently. Should be rolled in salvation , hugs and cut out to the desired sizes. Add stars for eyes and a kiss on the mouth. Bake in a warm oven. Excellent when shared with a friend. -Author Unknown- John 13:14-15 <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§>< Me again Brethren!! I have shared in a past issue about taking others for granted...and assuming they will always be there. In that particular article, I used my mother as an example. I would like to share something about her again, but this time, coming from a different angle, and this angle is one of "love and encouragement." I remember after she died in '93, my dad offered me her watch as a keepsake. It really blessed me, but I knew in my heart that I might not have it for long. It was given to her by another relative, that might possibly want it back...and they did. For that purpose, I didn't lay claim to it with my heart...so when the time came, I gave it up. My dad and I didn't speak in detail about the incident...and I think he knew that it might happen as well. Perhaps he was just hoping that he could give it to me without that problem. A couple of days later, he and I were about to enter a grocery store, and he stopped in the doorway and turned to me. He looked at me, with such love and compassion as he pressed a little black wallet into my hand. As I received it, he said, "You know, your grandmother used to say, "God fixes things." I want you to have this.. Later, when I opened this wallet, the little picture windows had five old snapshots of my mother. They looked like they were in order, and taken about two to four years years apart. So I could see a progression, a change, as I flipped the little windows. This gift meant more to me than the watch...and I realized the truth of my dad's statement.. You see, it was through those photographs that I began to understand the life of my mother, as I never did before. For the first time, I really studied her. In all of those photographs, she wasn't smiling in a single one. I saw pain in her eyes in one shot, and anger in another. I saw fear, frustration...and loneliness. I began to realize that this was a woman who received more criticism than encouragement in her life. And I saw the effects of it in black and white. I understood then, why she was unable to impart encouragement and words of edification to me. It was because it was so foreign to her. If you know someone that might be difficult, spiteful, or perhaps downright mean, think about this: How does Jesus see that person? Does he still love them, and does he still have compassion for that person? Perhaps they experienced things in their life that we don't even know about, and this might be the fruit of that. If we say that there is no hope for that person, or that they will "never change," are we not limiting God's own ability? Are we truly willing to become instrumental in those abilities, or have we written this person off because they "stepped over the line" one time too many? Check this out: 1 Cor 13:4-5 I think if there was ever a word that was so misinterpreted, it would have to be the word "love." We mistake love for emotions, and even though they are involved, they are only a symptom of this mysterious word. I Jn 4:7-8 I think that a fair question that one could ask would be this: "How do I do it? How do I handle ( fill in blank with name )? You just don't understand, Carol. He/she has a way of pushing my buttons and I pray and pray about it...but nothing changes." I want you to know that I have "been there, done that," and I know exactly what you mean! These next verses gives us great hope and understanding: Luke 6:32-33 1 Cor 13:8 After my mom died, I starting seeing some things that I never saw when she was alive. Oh, I believe that God was trying to show me, but I had my mind made up that I already knew the answer....she just wasn't receiving the "truth." So, instead of asking God to change ME, and show me my role in this, I was keeping the prayer line tied up asking Him to change her. It didn't occur to my self-righteous mind that had I been "open" to the true way of "love," God would use me in ways unimaginable. It takes humility to come to a place like this. Pride has no position in God's territory. We can make excuses all day long as to "why" it wouldn't work, but if we really take God's Word at face value, and really give His way a shot at this WITHOUT turning the scriptures around to justify our own stand...then much will be accomplished. Sadly for most of us, it takes a tragedy to realize the true essence of what it means to "love others as ourselves." God's love has no conditions. When was the last time we spoke words of encouragement to someone indifferent or undesirable IN SPITE of what they said and did to us? When was the last time we prayed for them, as we pray for ourselves? When was the last time we realized that this might be the "last time" we have an opportunity to do it? Jesus said He came to give us LIFE and life more abundantly. ( John 10:10 ) If that is so, shouldn't words of LIFE be proceeding from our lips if His Spirit dwells in us? I'll give you a key...and I know by now I must sound like a broken record, but hey, how many keys fit the "right" lock? When I wake up in the morning...I have a choice. I can start the day off talking to Jesus, and tasting a morsel of the Word, while allowing His Holy Spirit to manifest Himself in me so I can be rightfully clothed with His armour. This equips and enables me to see more clearly in the Spirit, and when I encounter difficult people OR difficult situations I am less likely to react in the flesh AND ( this is a neat part ) I literally am surged and anxious to bless someone with a kind word or deed. As God nurtures us with His Holy Spirit, we in turn nurture another... I am beginning to understand why David was able to encourage himself in the Lord. ( 1Sam 30:6 ) He knew that God was a SOLID Source of encouragement. He knew it was lasting. As we partake of that secret, which is really no secret, we can be the mouths, the hands, the feet, the ears to another...without fear of offense, because we know where our true security lies. Even if we see no results or fruit, does that mean there is none? Remember that God works from the inside...so we may not see the outward results right away. As we continue to water the seed that we've sown, there WILL be results, in His timing. Encouragement doesn't fall to the ground. On the contrary...it LIFTS up. Is there someone you know that needs an encouraging word today? Perhaps a neighbor that you've had a dispute with, or a relative, or a co-worker. Maybe it's been a long time since you said something positive to your spouse or child. A friend recently shared how good it would be to hear a positive remark about how well she keeps the house, or maybe how great a meal tastes to her family. I am sure some of you feel the same way. According to the Word, it can happen: Gal 6:7 Gal 6:9 Let us continue to "sow" encouragement, despite what we see and hear with our natural senses. Galatians 6:9 PROVES it is worthwhile. I challenge you today to BE that Encourager to those that need it most. Heb 3:13 II Th 2:16-17 God Bless you sooo much, Brethren!!! I love you guys dearly! In Christ!! In Christ!!
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