Gods plan for everyone,

Gods plan for everyone,

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.  Before you were born I set you apart!”

Each one of us has a life plan. God loves you and everyone else has a plan for your life, right? But the only plan that matters is the plan made for you by the One who formed you - the One who loves you, knows you and has set you apart to be His own. And it is a great plan!

Psalm 139: 16 You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. 

Every day was recorded in your book!

You were born in response to the determined plan of God, not as an afterthought.  Before you took even one breath, every day, every step and every circumstance in your plan was recorded.  

God’s plan uses your strengths as well as your weaknesses.  We all have strengths – they are part of the plan.  We all have limitations – they too are part of the plan.  We all have seasons of life that are essential to the plan as well. 

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Nothing could be further from the truth to the heart of a loving Father who wants the absolute highest and best plan for His child

1 Thessalonians 5:24 “The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”

What God calls you to do, He empowers you to do. With the plan comes every resource that we will need to accomplish that plan. 

How do we discover our life plan? 

By spending time with the Plan Maker. By saturating daily life with His truth and continually turning our hearts to conversation with Him. Not because we have a Bible Study to teach or an invitation to speak, but simply because we love the sound of His voice and long for the ecstasy of His presence. When we spend time with Him the plan naturally unfolds.

 

       Trusting Him will lead us all  the way  to his promised  Eternal Life , so let us  Follow Gods Plan for everyone...

God Bless us All

The Carpenter

The Carpenter

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer/contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate
way to end his career.
When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."
What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.
So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized, we would have done it differently.
Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project."
Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.


Thoughts

Our actions are usually a reflection of who we are. Our actions should reflect what we profess to believe. We should act on our word. We should remember to always take the right actions even when it’s difficult – We should “walk the walk”, not only “talk the talk”.  We should think carefully before we act. We should treat others the same way we ourselves would like to be treated. Children and adults alike are watching and learning from our actions. Remember that in everything we say and do, we are ambassadors for God. And finally, sometimes God  tells us


Colossians 3:23
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (NIV)
~~~
Ecclesiastes 9:10
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” (NIV)

The Story of Teddy Stoddard

The Story of Teddy Stoddard

I've heard the story of Teddy Stoddard told as a true story. Recently though I read it was written as fiction for Home Life Magazine by Elizabeth Silance Ballard. No matter - the truth of its meaning still rings true as we touch the lives of children!

---

There is a story many years ago of an elementary teacher. Her name was Mrs. Thompson. And as she stood in front of her fifth grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie ?

Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same? But that was impossible,because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of hispapers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy Stoddard's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise. Teddy's first grade Teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy Stoddard is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy Stoddard is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag.

Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed, how pretty the bracelet was. She put it on and dabbed some of the perfume on her wrist.

Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children.

Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy Stoddard became one of her "pets."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he everhad in his whole life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs.Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.

The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.

Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference." Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

 Such a nice inspiring story,

God Bless to all,,,

Does God exist?Be inspired by this story of personal liberation that will make you get up your life..

Be inspired by  this story of personal liberation
that will make you get up your life..

Does God exist?

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects.

When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists."

"Why do you say that?" asked the customer.

"Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving a God who would allow all of these things."

The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and un-kept.

The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist."

"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!"

"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."

"Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens is, people do not come to me."

"Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."

I would rather live my life as if there is a God, and die to find out there isn't, than live my life as if there isn't, and die to find out there is.

Hope you like it God Bless us all..

SIMPLIFIED GOSPEL CHORDS

simplified chords





God Bless us all

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another (John 13:34)

Let Jesus Transform Your Heart

 Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:43-44).

Loving your enemies:

Reasons to love your enemies

God commands us to love.

Here are some key Scriptures (Bible verses) on loving your enemies:

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another (John 13:34).

But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:27-28).

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse (Romans 12:14).

We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it (1 Corinthians 4:12).

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:17-21).

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing (1 Peter 3:9).

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble (1 John 2:9-10).

Our highest calling is to spread the Gospel and help others grow in Christ.

We should be passionately concerned about introducing people to Jesus. Along the same lines, we should be passionately concerned about other believers' spiritual welfare.

Study "dissensions" in Galatians 5:19-21 and Romans 13:13.

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:35).

But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice (Philippians 1:18).

Jesus loved his enemies. Make him your example.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! (Luke 13:34).

Hints to help you love your enemies

Realize that you may have misinterpreted the other person's words.

·         He or she may be distracted.

·         He or she may be busy.

·         He or she may be going through a personal crisis.

·         He or she may be sick or exhausted.

Realize that you may be right: The other person may be your enemy.

However, if someone insults you or dislikes you, respond in a Christ-like manner. Don't take things personally or give in to hurt feelings and let your emotions control you. Instead, see the other person as someone with a problem who needs God's help and your prayers.

Determine what part you played in the problem.

You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye (Matthew 7:5).

See problems as opportunities to grow in Christ.

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope (Romans 5:3-4).

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds (James 1:2).

That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Forgive . . . even if your enemy does not apologize.

Follow Jesus' example: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34).

Follow Stephen's example: Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep (Acts 7:60).

Pray for your enemies.

When you feel irritated about someone:

·         Pray for the other person's needs.

·         Pray that God will help you forgive.

·         Pray that God will help you love him or her.

Evaluate your love for your enemies

How well do you practice the following verses?

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

Score yourself from 0-10 on each of the following.

"0" means, "I need a lot of improvement."
"10" means, "I'm great at this."

____ I am patient.
____ I am kind.
____ I do not envy.
____ I do not boast.
____ I am not proud.
____ I am not rude.
____ I am not self-seeking.
____ I am not easily angered.
____ I keep no record of wrongs.
____ I do not delight in evil.
____ I rejoice with the truth.
____ I always protect.
____ I always trust.
____ I always hope.
____ I always persevere.
____ My love never fails.

Love your enemies: Personal application

Write a prayer asking God to help you be more loving toward your enemies and others.

GOD BLESS US ALL...

I Thessalonians 5:18 In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

I Thessalonians 5:18
In everything give thanks;
for this is God's will
for you in Christ Jesus.

 

Today I would like to encourage each of you to praise the Lord and offer a prayer of thanksgiving to Him. Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised!

Let us consider all that the LORD has done for us and give thanks to Him. He is good; His loving kindness is everlasting and His mercy endureth to all generations.

Summer and Winter, Spring and Fall, He is faithful. He gives us life and breath; In Him we  live and move and have our being. He has satisfied our thirsty and hungry souls. He has filled us with what is good. God is our constant supply.

Let us thank Him for the very opportunity and privilege of coming into His Holy presence through prayer. Let us thank Him for knowing our needs before we ask. Let us thank Him for giving us what is best for us and not giving us those things which would not be beneficial to us.

Let us thank Him that He keeps us from falling into the hand of our adversary. When we have cried out to the LORD in our times of trouble He has delivered us out of our distresses. He is our shield and protection.

Let us give thanks that He is our salvation. He is loving and kind, gracious and merciful, compassionate and forgiving. Praises be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will remember His covenant forever. Thank Him for new life in Christ.

Let us give thanks that God does not slumber or sleep. He always watches over us. We are ever in His hand, ever in His care. The Lord is our shepherd. We shall not want for any good thing.

Thank Him for His Holy Word, His precious promises. Thank Him that His promises are sure. He is the lamp for our path, the light for our way. Let us give thanks that He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Our God is an awesome God. To Him be glory and honor, both now and forever.

Amen.


GOD BLESS US ALL...