Thursday, July 23, 2015

No Slackers

by Jeannie Wood Ladd

YHVH has ALWAYS required something of us. That's what free will is all about.
He doesn't have robots in His Kingdom, but rather those who would choose HIS Way, not their own.
When He placed Adam in the garden, Adam had a job to do, just as we all still do have a job to do.
His Kingdom is NOT for slackers or the sluggard, but for those who are willing, by their own free choice to DO as He commands.
Yeshua used many parables to illustrate that we are to DO something.
Here is just one:
Matthew 25:4-29
"For it is like a man going from home, who called his own servants and delivered his possessions to them.
And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability, and went from home.
And he who had received the five talents went and worked with them, and made another five talents.
In the same way, he with the two also, he gained two more.
But he who had received the one went away and dug in the ground, and hid the silver of his master.
And after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
And he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents. See, I have gained five more talents besides them.’
And his master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy servant. You were trustworthy over a little, I shall set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
Then he who had received two talents came and said, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents. See, I have gained two more talents besides them.’
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy servant. You were trustworthy over a little, I shall set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
And the one who had received the one talent also came and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed,
and being afraid, I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’
And his master answering, said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.
Then you should have put my silver with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.
Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to him who possesses ten talents.
For to everyone who possesses, more shall be given, and he shall have overflowingly; but from him who does not possess, even what he possesses shall be taken away".

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Poured Out

by Timothy Kubo



In middle school a teacher handed out different products and asked the students to squeeze out all of the contents. Once everything was out of each container the teacher asked the students to put the contents back into the containers. As hard as the students tried, they just couldn't do it. The teacher said "In the moment, you were so consumed with what you were doing that you didn't realize the mess you were making. Then, after it was so quickly and easily poured out, you realized it was impossible to put it all back in. Remember this for the rest of your lives when it comes to words that come out of your mouth."

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Humbling

                                                  by Tony Biggs



This is Jesse, he is a drifter who lives near the bridge in my area. He owns nothin but a bike, a bird and a bag of about 10 items! 
Yesterday, while I was riding my bike down around the beach - which is about 5km from my house - I got a flat tyre. I had no choice but to turn around and wheel my bike the long walk home.
A few people rode past and didn't really pay me any attention and I didn't expect them too, but as I started walking, headphones in my ears, I noticed the homeless guy from under the bridge saying something to me. At first I thought he was going to ask me for something so I popped my headphones out and asked him what he wanted? He then replied "I don't want anything bra but I've got a new tube in my bag and you can have it if ya want !" Shocked at first I said no thanks but he insisted. So I walked over to his little clearing where he had his things and his pet bird sat in a busted cage.
He opened up his empty bag and gave me the tube (which was one of the very few things he had) helped me change the tyre, even pumped it up! I asked him how I could pay him back and he said to me "don't worry about it bra, this is what it's all about!"
The enormity of his situation and the fact that he went out of his way to help me was so humbling, I mean this guy was willing to give me his stuff and didn't want anything in return. To you and I, a bike tube would probably not mean much but to a guy with so little this item must hold enormous value!
I could go on and on about how selfless this guy was to give me, a total stranger, clearly in a much better position than him some of his possessions, while people like us are so selfishly attached to all our useless crap.
Anyway I just wanted to show you a pic of Jesse with his new Versace lenses, some fresh Sneakers, a full belly and a cold beer... Felt good to do something for the bloke. I also went up to woollies and got him a couple weeks worth of food and some seed for his bird lol...
Man he was ecstatic even had tears in his eyes and couldn't thank me enough, but amidst me sitting there proud of my good deed, and him singing me praises, I suddenly felt pretty bad because the truth is if he didn't go out of his way to help me, I wouldn't of done anything for him.
I ride past this guy all the time and never even think twice!
Really knocked me off my high horse!
Even tho we sit around with all our materialistic needs and pass judgment, this dude has something that none of us can buy!
I guess what I'm trying to say is thanks for the lesson in humanity champ!