If God Can Get Us Through This..,

Saw this on Facebook and thought it has a great message...worth the read and definitely the share!

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence.

It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout.. We all stood there, under the awning, just inside the door of the Wal-Mart.

We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day.

I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

Her little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in, 'Mom let's run through the rain,'

She said.

'What?' Mom asked.

'Let's run through the rain!' She repeated.

'No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit,' Mom replied.

This young child waited a minute and repeated: 'Mom, let's run through the rain..'

'We'll get soaked if we do,' Mom said.

'No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning,' the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

'This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?'

'Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, ' If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything! ' '

The entire crowd stopped dead silent.. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain.. We all stood silently. No one left. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.

Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.

'Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just need washing,' Mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They got soaked.

They were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories every day.

I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

If you've read this all and it's touched you... share it.

Am I A Soldier Of The Cross

Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His Name?

Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?

Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord.
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy Word.

Thy saints in all this glorious war
Shall conquer, though they die;
They see the triumph from afar,
By faith’s discerning eye.

When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all Thy armies shine
In robes of victory through the skies,
The glory shall be Thine.

(Hymn by Isaac Watts)

The Three Trees

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, ‘Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty.’

Then the second tree said, ‘Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take Kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull.’

Finally the third tree said, ‘I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest Tree in the forest. People will see
me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me.’

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees.

When one came to the first tree he said, ‘This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter’, and he began cutting it down.

The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

At the second tree the woodsman said, ‘This looks like a strong tree. I should be able to sell it to the shipyard.’ The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, 'I don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this one’, and he cut it down.

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.

The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying
kings had come to an end.

The third tree was cut into large pieces, and left alone in the dark.

The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.

Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held
the greatest treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said 'Peace' and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, God will give you great gifts.

Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined.

We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His Ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

Please keep this moving... Pass it on, so God may inspire more people on The Way.

May your day be blessed. And until we meet again, may God cradle you in the palm of His hand.

Where Do We Go After Death?

Jack Jackson- Where Do We Go After Death? Winchester, VA 1940

It is good when we come to a meeting to try and retain some of the things we hear so that in future days we can read over the passages of Scripture spoken of. Tonight I would like to speak a little that has been real to me the past few months. Well, I might say fresh, because it was some few years ago when I first thought of it, but just recently my mind has been refreshed on it because I have been asked many times in different places the question, “Where do we go after death?” But, first of all, I would like to say this and would like for you to keep in mind that in this world there are many classes of people but in God's sight there are only two: Those that are “in Christ” and those that are “out of Christ”.  I would also like to bring before you the six periods of time: 1st, Life; 2nd, Death; 3rd, the period between Death and the Resurrection; 4th, the Resurrection; 5th, Judgement; 6th, Eternity. Through all these periods there are only the two classes, those in Christ and those out of Christ.

We do not have to say much about the first period, Life. We are all living and know just what life is. We either live in Christ or out of Christ. There are only the two classes. Life is often referred to as "life's little day". The time when we are born into the world until the time we leave it, that is life. It is this life that decides where we will be for eternity.

2. Death. "What happens when we die?" Turn to Ecclesiastes 12: 5-6-7. The latter part of the 5th verse speaks of death…”Man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets.”   Then verse 6 makes verse 7 clearer. “Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. 7 Then shall the dust return to the earth, as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” You remember back in Genesis 2:7, when God created man, it says, “God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul”. God took from the earth clay as it were, and made man just as a potter would make a vessel, then He breathed into his nostrils His spirit. Just two things coming together, one from the earth and one from God: united, they made a living soul. So we see here in Ecclesiastes 12:7 what happens at death…the dust returns to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return to God who gave it…a separation of the two things at death that were united in life. There isn't anyone who wants to die out of Christ but how can anyone die in Christ if they live out of Christ? I might say tonight I want to die in this hall, but if I don't come into the hall, how can I die in it? I might be just outside of the door of this hall yet not be willing to come into the hall, and die on the outside. Ecclesiastes 3:21, “the spirit of man goeth upward and the spirit of the beast goeth downward.” Ecclesiastes 9:10, “There is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest.”

3. The Period Between Death and the Resurrection. Revelation 14:13, “…Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, etc..." ----- "that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” This is the period following death to the resurrection for those who die in the Lord. They are resting and their works do follow them. It says of Abel, in Hebrews 11:4, that as a result of his labours, he being dead yet speaketh. By his deeds, his influence still lives. That is equally true of others as well as Abel. Do you think God would be so unjust as not to give Abel and others a little reward for their life speaking to us? So thus He gives them rest from their labours unto the judgement when they receive their reward. Revelation 6:9, “I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.” They were resting. Where is that altar? I am just going to tell you I don't know, but I have a good idea it couldn't be far from where Jesus is, and He is at the right hand of God. Paul said, in 2nd Corinthians 5:8, “I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” Philippians 1:23, “I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better.” I have no doubt as to where the spirit goes of those who die in the Lord at death; they are resting, waiting for the final judgement day. Do you think, in this 9th verse of Revelation 6 that it means only those that were slain? I don't think it would leave Moses, Joseph and David out of the count, and they were not slain. I like to read that verse like this: “I saw under the altar the souls of the overcomers.” The reason why I read it that way is because in this same book you read about those that overcame were clothed in white raiment. In Genesis 49 it says of Gad, “A troop shall overcome him, but he shall overcome at the last.” It is those that overcome at the last that will die in Christ. In connection with those that die out of Christ, read Jude 6. “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day”. Read 2nd Peter 2:4, “For if God spared not the angels that sinned but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto judgement.” Verse 9, “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished.” Is it worthwhile being in Christ? I should say it is!

4. Resurrection. John 5:28, In the resurrection there are two classes of people also. All shall come forth, but not all shall arise at the same time. 1st Corinthians 15:23. “But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, etc.” 1 Thessalonians 3:13, “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.”; chapter 4:13 “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words”. Then, in Revelation 20:2 and 3, Satan will be bound and deceives the nations no more. Verse 4, See on the throne those that were resting, souls that were beheaded or overcomers reigning with Christ for 1000 years. Verse 5, “But the rest of the dead liveth not again until the 1000 years were finished.” Read in connection with verse 11, (“I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.” ) Matthew 25:31 to the end of the chapter.

5. Judgement. Revelation 20:12: “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” What does it mean when it says "the books were opened"? It means the 66 books that I am holding in my hand. If we did not have these books to teach us how to live in Christ, there might be some excuse, but God has left us without excuse because He has given us His Word to go by. What is the book of life? In the human kingdom when a child is born, there is someone to come around to register that child's name, birth, etc. in the State Register. If you would not have been born, your name would not be in that book; likewise in God's kingdom. When a child is born into God's family, their name is registered in the Book of life; the deeds that we do, etc. and in that day these books will be opened, and those who are in Christ will find their names registered there; but those that are out of Christ, their names will not appear because they have not been born again. Those that are in Christ will receive their reward.

6. Eternity. Matthew 25:34, “Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”, and to those that are out of Christ, verse 41, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels”. God prepared a Kingdom for everyone but for those that disobeyed, a place of punishment was prepared. He prepared a better place for them, but if they won't choose the better place then He will send them to the other. I don't know any better future for a woman, man, young boy or girl, than in God's pathway, both here and hereafter.

Storms

Storms (exert of Tharold Sylvester - Saginaw Conv - 1960)

This [There] was a storm, and it came because of doing God's will. The same thing is true in the 16th ch. of Acts where Paul and Silas were thrown into jail at Philippi because of helping the damsel possessed with the spirit of divination. Their backs were beaten and bleeding, their feet put in the stocks, but at midnight they were singing praises to God. That was a storm, but through it all, they had a song of gratitude and praise. God saw that the jailer was a man who would listen to the gospel. He was so busy with his own responsibilities that he could not get out to meetings. There was a simple way around that and God said that if he would not come to meetings, he would take His servants to the jailer and he got saved. This was a storm because of doing God's will.

There are other storms that come because of unwillingness and rebellion. Jonah, the prodigal preacher was told to do something, and he could not face it. He ran away, but he learned to pray in the bottom of the ocean. That storm came because he was not willing to do God's will. Which way do you want to suffer? People suffer a hundred times more in rebellion than in obedience. If we could only learn this lesson, it would save us a lot of suffering. If you have things tied down in your heart and life, the captain of your salvation can ride out many a storm. A ship that is seaworthy can keep the waters out. It isn't the water outside that sinks the ship, but the waters that get inside. Every ship has a pump to pump out the waters. Sometimes even when a ship has leaked, they will set the pump going and they can keep the ship afloat for days.
Oftentimes we prove more of the power, the kindness, and the mercy of God in a storm then we do in a calm. That is why James said, "Count it all joy when ye fall into diver’s temptations". It is a different thing to fall into it, than to run into it. It is those experiences that help us to understand what God’s Call does for us. We were told at Boring that this world is an ideal place to produce the life of Christ in us. You have to turn to Him to find rest, peace, strength, and courage. The world is so barren and desolate, and it is an ideal place because if forces us into the place where we will seek God's help.

"Life's Day"

Jack Jackson -  Capetown, South Africa - 1951- "life's day"

Yesterday I asked you boys and girls a question or two. I notice today there are far more boys and girls in the meeting. Yesterday afternoon and this evening, when sitting on the platform, I have been looking at you. I asked myself if when I was your age and we went to the synagogue - you know what the synagogue is - a little boy who heard his parents speak of it, passed on one day and said, "There is one of the sinner's gogs you spoke of." If I had to sit for two hours or more, would I have sat as still as you have? I am sure I would not have done it as well as you have done it today.

I want to tell you boys and girls about the things of God in a way that you can understand it, and if I can do that the big people should be able to understand it too. Now you boys and girls, come to the empty seats near the front so that you can answer me when I question you. (At first the children were shy, but when a few moved, several came up and sat in front next and between the workers.)

Now I will tell you what we children will do. You will look at me and think, "Are you a child?" We'll have a meeting of our own, and see if the big people will behave as well as you have done. Now tell me, "How many hours are there in a day?" (Answer: "Twenty four.") "Have you heard of a day that has more than twenty four hours? Did your teacher ever tell you of such a day?" (Answer: "No.") Well, I will tell you of one; it is Life's Day, the day that begins at the cradle and ends at the grave. It has more than twenty four hours - sometimes forty, fifty, sixty years, etc.

After Life's Day, there is another day, the Day of Death. After the Day of Death, there is the Day of Waiting, then the Resurrection Day when we will live again; all that are in the grave shall come forth. The Day of Waiting is between the Day of Death and the Day of Resurrection. Have you heard of Moses, Noah, Abraham, etc.? Are they dead? (Answer: "Yes.") Are they living again? ("No.") They are all waiting for the Day of Resurrection and then comes Judgment Day and then Eternal Day - a day which will never end. Six days, then there is another day, the Day of Reigning. All won't have part in that Day. All will have part in the other six; only the people who die in Christ will have part in the seventh Day.

Don't you sometimes write something on a piece of paper and put it on a shelf and come back to it later on? Now, we'll put six days on the shelf and take them up again later, and speak about the first day - Life's Day. You have heard about people talk about humanity. That is all the people - you, me, and everyone. Have you heard of them being divided up into different classes - rich, middle class, poor? We people divide the people of the world into nations and classes; that is how we look at the world. God looks on it differently; God sees only two classes. This we see from the beginning to the end of the Bible. Now who built the ark? Moses? (Answer: "No, Noah.") Did a whole crowd get in? ("No.") How many got in then? ("Eight.") Only eight! There were only eight, the little boy over there says. There were only two classes - those in the ark and those outside. The children of Israel started on a journey. A crowd stayed behind. "Enter ye in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction." How many gates? (Answer: "Two.") How many ways? (Answer: "Two.") How many groups of people? (Answer: "Two.") How many endings? (“Two.”) Life or destruction.

Now what did we leave on the shelf - the other six days. God does not look on humanity as a whole lot of classes - He divides us into two - Life's day - from cradle to grave. There is something God intends we should do in each of these days, what we should do in Life's day. What day are we in?  We are in Life's day. You may not be old enough to do it, but think of it and one day, when you are old enough, you do it. God intends we should do one thing, and that is to prepare and make ready in Life's day for all the other days. If I don't prepare in Life's day, it will go bad with me in the Day of Death - so also in the Day of Waiting, etc.

Can anyone avoid the day of death? There is nothing so sure as that; the Day of Death will come. We are sure to meet all those days. What is necessary for us to do in order to prepare? You girls, if people were coming to visit your parents' home and your mother told you to prepare and you didn't know how to do it, what do you do? You would ask her how to do it. If God did not tell us how to prepare, we would not know - but He has told us, "Enter in at the strait gate." "Are there few that be saved?" Jesus did not answer straight away "Yes," He said, "Strive to enter in." Strive, does that mean easy? It is something difficult. Once, in a certain city where there were many trams, and just the time people were coming from their work, all were waiting to get onto a tram as soon as the tram came. Everyone was pushing. These days, people stand in queues; those days, they used to fight to get on. Everyone wants to get to a place called "Home." Those words then came to me:  "Strive to enter in," so that we can get to our Eternal Home. In order to be in the narrow way, we must get in by the strait gate.

I was having a meeting with some children in a place where there were a lot of mountains. There were no roads yet. People who lived up there on the mountains went up and down on narrow paths, with mules carrying their packs. We were in a small room and there was a door, not very big, about half the size of the one over there. I asked the children if they thought that mule we saw with a big pack could come in through that door. All said, "No." But one little boy about eleven years old said, "We could let him in." How? "Take off the load and he'll get in easy," he said. That made me think of this verse, "Enter in at the strait gate." If we are loaded like that mule, we won't get in. Now what would you think would be the load we must leave? "Sin," that little boy said, "all the bad things we say and do." That's what keeps a number of people out on the broad way where the old mule could go in with the whole pack…pride, vanity, pictures, dancing, and a whole lot of things. Would it be wise to go in with the whole pack and end in destruction? It would be a foolish man to do so. Unpack the mule, and enter in at the strait gate, and then walk in the narrow Way. Be born again. When we were born, all of us had one thing. Money? No - Life, and we eat and drink to keep alive. When we are born again, we receive another life. Born in the world, we receive human life, but born in God's family, we receive divine life, and then keep on doing the will of God,  eating and drinking of the things of God.

All along, it is two classes:  in the ark or out of the ark, saved or unsaved, those counted in or not. Read Hymn 169 (Now 337), "Counted in with the faithful, with Christ and the few." etc. I don't know anyone who would not like to be counted in. I know no way, and I am sure there is no way, to be counted in then, but to be counted in now. If there are any here who are outside still, don't wait too long. Leave the load outside, enter in, and start to walk in the narrow way. ~ ~ ~

Quotes From Fathers

If the new father feels bewildered and even defeated,
let him take comfort from the fact that whatever he does in any
fathering situation has a fifty percent chance of being right.

~ Bill Cosby ~

Jimmy Piersal, on How to Diaper a Baby
Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat.
Then, fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher's mound.
Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together.
Of course, in case of rain you have to call the game and start all over again.

To be a successful father, there's one absolute rule:
when you have a kid, don't look at it for the first two years.

~ Ernest Hemingway ~

I have always had the feeling I could do anything and my dad told me
I could. I was in college before I found out he might be wrong.

~ Ann Richards ~

A lot of controversy over this possible invasion of Iraq.
In fact, Nelson Mandela was so upset, he called Bush's dad.
How embarrassing, when world leaders start calling your father.

~ Jay Leno ~

The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.

~ Tim Russert ~

When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly
stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one,
I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.

~ Mark Twain ~

My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard.
Mother would come out and say, "You're tearing up the grass."
"We're not raising grass," Dad would reply. "We're raising boys."

~ Harmon Killebrew ~

Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope.

~ Bill Cosby ~

A father carries pictures where his money used to be.

~ anonymous dad ~