Small Things

Written by Linda S. Van Fleet


When my dad was nearingrepparttar end of his life he began searching his heart to see if there was anything left undone -- some unconfessed sin, a misdeed, anything at all he needed to make right before he faced God. He constantly prayed thatrepparttar 138460 Holy Spirit would bring to his remembrance anything he needed to make right with his fellowman. It was during this time that he came across a rusty old garden tiller atrepparttar 138461 edge of his garden. It belonged to a farmer downrepparttar 138462 road who had sold it to Dad, but, when it didn't work,repparttar 138463 farmer returned his money to him and told Dad just to bring it back any time. "I thought I took this back years ago," he told my mother as he pulledrepparttar 138464 tiller out ofrepparttar 138465 mass of weeds. "Well, I know you meant to do so," Mom replied. "It never did work. Just haul it torepparttar 138466 dump and forget it."

"It doesn't belong to me," Dad responded and started cleaningrepparttar 138467 tiller up, breaking it free fromrepparttar 138468 years of corrosion and debris. Finally, he loaded it on to his pickup truck and drove torepparttar 138469 farmer's house. The man was surprised to sayrepparttar 138470 least when Dad showed up withrepparttar 138471 forgotten tiller after so many years. When Dad apologized and offered to pay him for it,repparttar 138472 man responded with tears in his eyes, "Why, that thing never was any good! I amrepparttar 138473 one who tried to cheat you. You are an honest man."

When talking with him aboutrepparttar 138474 incident a few days later I remarked. "Dad, that was such a small thing! Surely you don't think God required you to take that old tiller back to him?"

"I don't rightly know," Dad acknowledged. "But when you pray and things like this happen, it's best not to take chances on missing out on receiving or being a blessing." Then his beautiful blue eyes misted with unshed tears, "And besides, I want to hear Jesus say, 'Well done'."

To the Highest Bidder (Part 1)

Written by Joyce C. Lock


A noise shall come even torepparttar ends ofrepparttar 138322 earth; forrepparttar 138323 Lord hath a controversy withrepparttar 138324 nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked torepparttar 138325 sword, saithrepparttar 138326 Lord. Jeremiah 25:31

As it would seem, there is no earthly place to hide from others trying to judge our actions, heart, and motive ...

Forrepparttar 138327 son dishonourethrepparttar 138328 father,repparttar 138329 daughter riseth up against her mother,repparttar 138330 daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies arerepparttar 138331 men of his own house. Micah 7:6

and often without a clue as torepparttar 138332 work God is doing within us.

Therefore judge nothing beforerepparttar 138333 time, untilrepparttar 138334 Lord come, who both will bring to lightrepparttar 138335 hidden things of darkness, and will make manifestrepparttar 138336 counsels ofrepparttar 138337 hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. 1 Cor. 4:5

We sell our own into slavery, torepparttar 138338 highest bidder ...

For we know thatrepparttar 138339 law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. Romans 7:14

without realizingrepparttar 138340 consequence of judging applies to us ...

Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doestrepparttar 138341 same things. Romans 2:1

which cannot be excused ...

Forrepparttar 138342 wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who holdrepparttar 138343 truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. Forrepparttar 138344 invisible things of him fromrepparttar 138345 creation ofrepparttar 138346 world are clearly seen, being understood byrepparttar 138347 things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Romans 1:18-21

and we do so without correct interpretation of scripture.

For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves untorepparttar 138348 righteousness of God. Romans 10:3

Thus saithrepparttar 138349 Lord; Cursed berepparttar 138350 man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth fromrepparttar 138351 Lord. Jeremiah 17:5

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: Forrepparttar 138352 wrath of man worketh notrepparttar 138353 righteousness of God. James 1:19-20

The law is spiritual. Romans 7:14

That which is born ofrepparttar 138354 flesh is flesh; and that which is born ofrepparttar 138355 Spirit is spirit. John 3:6

They which arerepparttar 138356 children ofrepparttar 138357 flesh, these are notrepparttar 138358 children of God: butrepparttar 138359 children ofrepparttar 138360 promise are counted forrepparttar 138361 seed. Romans 9:8

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward inrepparttar 138362 flesh. Romans 2:28

Now to him that worketh isrepparttar 138363 reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifiethrepparttar 138364 ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Romans 4:4-5

And they that are Christ's have crucifiedrepparttar 138365 flesh withrepparttar 138366 affections and lusts. Galatians 5:24

For we arerepparttar 138367 circumcision, which worship God inrepparttar 138368 spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence inrepparttar 138369 flesh. Philip. 3:3

In whom also ye are circumcised withrepparttar 138370 circumcision made without hands, in putting offrepparttar 138371 body ofrepparttar 138372 sins ofrepparttar 138373 flesh byrepparttar 138374 circumcision of Christ. Col. 2:11

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesusrepparttar 138375 Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished inrepparttar 138376 faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, afterrepparttar 138377 tradition of men, afterrepparttar 138378 rudiments ofrepparttar 138379 world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth allrepparttar 138380 fulness ofrepparttar 138381 Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which isrepparttar 138382 head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised withrepparttar 138383 circumcision made without hands, in putting offrepparttar 138384 body ofrepparttar 138385 sins ofrepparttar 138386 flesh byrepparttar 138387 circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him throughrepparttar 138388 faith ofrepparttar 138389 operation of God, who hath raised him fromrepparttar 138390 dead.

And you, being dead in your sins andrepparttar 138391 uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting outrepparttar 138392 handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out ofrepparttar 138393 way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or ofrepparttar 138394 new moon, or ofrepparttar 138395 sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; butrepparttar 138396 body is of Christ. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holdingrepparttar 138397 Head, from which allrepparttar 138398 body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth withrepparttar 138399 increase of God. Col. 2:6-19

Cont'd on page 2 ==>
 
ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005
Terms of Use