Breakfast For Your Soul

Friday, July 24, 2009

 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
[Hebrews 12:1]

Good Morning Beloved,

Happy Friday!  They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  Trust God and run on!  Anything that is weighing us down needs to be shed off.  “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” (Proverbs 17:22)  Ever notice how difficult it is to get motivated when you’re feeling a little down. There are people who just can’t seem to function due to a melancholy nature or oppressive circumstances.  Remember the Mary Poppins song, “a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down”… well, that can be a key ingredient.  In the middle of whatever is going on, there is something sweet somewhere… find it.   Somebody, somewhere needs what we have and when we sit on it, it doesn’t do anybody any good.  Remember this story:

 
There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure Somebody would do it.  Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.  Somebody got angry about that because it was Every body’s job.  Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.  It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when actually nobody asked Anybody.

Sometimes, speaking from personal experience, we have to shake ourselves loose from the chains of complacency.  God will not do it for us.  It would be lovely to know in advance exactly what God is doing and why, it would sure make our lives easier.  God is not interested in us living on ‘easy street’.  No one lives there.  Not even the fabulously rich and famous.  We see the glitz and glamour, but we really don’t know how they are living, until we are there.  The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.  Ever stop to consider that maybe their grass is greener because there is more ‘mess’ over there.  What good is a 20 million dollar home if nobody lives there but the servants.  What good is a garage full of luxury cars and a closet full of designer clothes, if sickness, disease or addiction is consuming your body. What good is it, if you have a family that you can’t trust and no true friends.  We have lost many great celebrities over the past couple of months.  They left great possessions behind, but for their loved ones, nothing can replace them.  I’m sure Farrah’s son and Michael’s kids would much rather have their parent, then a house.  God knows how much we can handle.  At each new level, there is a new ‘devil’.  Something that we have never had to deal with before.  Ignoring it won’t make it go away..I’ve tried that.  Procrastination is not our friend.  It is a thief. Sin is our mortal enemy… that thing wants to kill us.  Kill our spirit, kill our good reputation, kill our hopes, kill our dreams, kill our self-worth, kill our relationships, kill our anointing, kill us mentally, spiritually, physically, emotionally, and psychologically. That little thing that doesn’t seem to be really all that bad, if fed will grow into a monster.  A good question to ask ourselves before doing whatever, is if we would continue to do it if Jesus Himself were to materialize in front of us at that second.  A sobering thought considering He is there.  Trust… strip… and lets go!

….Beloved, that is Good News!

U Blessed

Have A Wonderful Weekend and a Fabulous Weekend!

Regina

“I’ll Trust You”, James Fortune and Fiya

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRwQy2eQbJM

“Let Go”, Dewayne Woods

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76o4xhxIKfs

“Your Will”, Darius Brooks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qxs0sfURZM

“Standing In Your Will”, Men of Standard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOXVn6k_i4E

“The Question Is”, The Winans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNpZvjd_meo

“Ain’t No Need To Worry”, The Winans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHltVLAcQFM

“Cast Your Cares”, Lejuene Thompson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTQwem9kQjw

“Healing”, Kelly Price

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eV4P7TI522o

 ______________________________________________________________________
Rex Barker (RexBarker@Joke-Of-The-Day.com) “Bridge Building,” sent in by George Z. from Milwaukee, WI

Once upon a time two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 30 years of living side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.

One morning there was a knock on the older brother’s door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter’s toolbox. “I’m looking for a few days work” he said. “Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I help you?”

“Yes,” said the older brother. “I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That’s my neighbor, in fact, it’s my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I’ll go him one better. See that pile of lumber curing by the barn? I want you to build me a fence — an 8-foot fence — so I won’t need to see his place anymore. Cool him down, anyhow.”

The carpenter said, “I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you.” The older brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.

About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer’s eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge — a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all — and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming across, his hand outstretched.

“You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I’ve said and done.”

The two brothers met at the middle of the bridge, embracing one another. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. “No, wait! Stay a few days. I’ve a lot of other projects for you,” said the older brother.

“I’d love to stay on,” the carpenter said, “but I have so many more bridges to build.”

This is Rex Barker, reminding you that many (although not all) of your conflicts are reconcilable. Often egos take over, and we forget what even caused the conflict in the first place. If you were sincere friends with someone before, maybe you should rethink the situation. In abusive or truly hostile situations, often the healthiest thing is distance from the other.