By Alan Smith
This morning's thought is based on a story
that appeared on the Reuters news several years ago:
"TEHRAN (Reuters) - An Iranian bridegroom
bit off more than he could chew when, according to custom, he licked
honey from his bride's finger during their marriage ceremony and
choked to death on one of her false nails. The Jam-e Jam
newspaper said on Wednesday the 28-year-old groom died on the spot
in the northwestern city of Qazvin while the bride was rushed to
hospital after fainting from shock. Iranian couples lick honey
from each other's fingers when they get married so that their life
together starts sweetly."
While this groom's death is a tragedy, my
first reaction was that this is a beautiful wedding custom.
Isn't it a great idea to start your wedding life out sweetly?
But, as I thought about it, I realized that the honey might be
better saved for a later point in the marriage. After all,
virtually every marriage begins sweetly. The trick is to
maintain that sweetness after years and years of being
together. Starting sweetly is not nearly as important as
continuing sweetly.
Those of you who are married may do well to
ask if the sweetness is still there. Husbands and wives, do
you treat each other just as sweetly as you did those first few days
of wedded bliss?
How about in your other
relationships? Do you communicate with others in a way that
can honestly be categorized as "sweet"? Listen to these words
of Solomon:
"Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and health to the bones." (Prov. 16:24)
May your life be filled with sweetness, and
may you be blessed to be surrounded by sweet people.
Have a great day!
Source:
- Alan Smith, author of the popular "Thought For Today," and
minister for the Fayetteville Church of Christ in Fayetteville, NC,
may be contacted at alansmith.servant@gmail.com
By Alan Smith
The following quote comes from Kim Sherer:
"One night while my young son, Ryan, was
sleeping, a storm began brewing outside. After a loud clap of
thunder, I heard him wake up so I headed toward his room to comfort
him. He asked me to stay with him until he fell asleep.
As I lay there I realized he hadn't asked me to make the storm go
away, but to stay with him. How many times, I wondered, have I
asked God to take away the storms of life, when instead I need to
ask him to stay with me and help me weather them more peacefully?"
What a beautiful thought!
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who
comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort
those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we
ourselves are comforted by God." (2Corinthians 1:3-4).
Father, we do indeed pray for your
comforting presence in the storms of our lives. As much as we
might desire for the storms to go away, it is much important to us
that you remain with us and see us through the storms. Thank
you for your assurance that you will do that for us. In Jesus'
name, amen.
Have a great day!
Source:
- Alan Smith, author of the popular "Thought For Today," and
minister for the Fayetteville Church of Christ in Fayetteville, NC,
may be contacted at alansmith.servant@gmail.com
Around the end of the fourth century and toward
the beginning of the third century B.C., there was a very famous
architect by the name of Sostratos. The king of Egypt engaged
Sostratos to build a famous lighthouse in order that ships might be
guided safely to the port. When Sostratos finished building the
lighthouse he chiseled his own name upon a stone that he used in
construction. He did not allow that stone to be seen but covered it
with mud. As soon as the mud dried, he carved the king's name on it
and painted it in gold in order to flatter him. Sostratos knew that
sooner or later one of the waves would wash the mud away and the
name of the king would disappear while his own name carved in stone
would remain.
Watch those people who, on the surface show a
great deal of interest in you and flatter you. It may be just
superficial. They may be just writing your name on mud while
underneath all the nice words and flattery is their own name carved
in stone.
Source:
Pulpit Helps, date unknown
By David A. Sargent
Kim Spink was shopping at Wal-Mart in
Joplin, Missouri, when a massive tornado struck the city last
Sunday, May 22. Her husband, Greg, and their three children
waited out the storm in their basement at home.
As soon as the storm was over, Greg and the
children began searching for Kim. They made their way to the
Wal-Mart only to find it in shambles; only one wall was left
standing. Amidst the incredible rubble in the Wal-Mart parking
lot, they found Kim’s SUV overturned and smashed having apparently
been picked up by the tornado and thrown several feet. Her
family looked to see if she was in the vehicle; she wasn’t.
Greg and the children continued to look for
Kim, not knowing if they would find her alive or lifeless among the
destruction left by the storm. After three long, agonizing
hours, they found her. She was walking toward their home,
unsure if it or her family had survived the storm.
“We had a reunion in the middle of the
street,” Greg Spink said. What an incredibly joyous and
tear-filled reunion that must have been!
How did Kim survive when the tornado ripped
through the Wal-Mart? She was behind the one wall that was
left standing. *
As our hearts are filled with compassion
for the people of Joplin whose lives have been torn apart by the
storm (see the links below for some ways to help), we are reminded
of the preciousness of our families, the pain of loss, but in some
cases like the Spink family – the joy of reunion.
The Spinks’ ordeal reminds us of another
search and rescue mission…
Amidst the devastation that SIN has brought
into the world and into our lives, many are searching for God.
It is God’s design and desire that “men would seek Him and perhaps
reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one
of us” (Acts 17:27).
When one turns to the Scriptures in his
search for God, he soon discovers that God has already been
“searching” for him – and has made provision for his eternal
salvation!
Because of His great love for us, God sent
His Son into the world to experience firsthand the trials and
temptations of life. “In all things [Jesus] had to be made
like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High
Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the
sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17).
This same merciful and faithful High Priest
offered the ONE sacrifice – Himself – on the cross to pay the price
for our redemption and give eternal life to those who accept His
offer. Through His atoning death, one finds life and the
promise of living eternally in a place where “there shall be no more
death, nor sorrow, nor crying, [nor] pain” and all the other things
that are associated with the devastating storms of this life (Rev.
21:4).
Jesus will save those who: place their
faith and trust in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in
repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess His name before men (Romans
10:9-10), and are UNITED with Him in baptism (immersion) for the
forgiveness of sins(Acts 2:38). Those who remain faithful to
Him can look forward to a wonderful RE-UNION when He comes to take
His family home to heaven (see John 14:1-6).
Continue searching for GOD and you will
discover that He has been searching for YOU!
Accept His offer of salvation from sin and
from the storms of life.
Won’t YOU?
Source:
- David A. Sargent, minister for the Church of Christ at Creekwood
in Mobile, Alabama, is also the editor of an electronic devotional
entitled Living Water." To learn more about this excellent
resource contact David via their website: http://www.creekwoodcc.org
** Several disaster relief agencies associated with the church of
Christ are reaching out to the victims of recent storms including
the Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team
(www.churchesofchristdrt.org), Churches of Christ Disaster
Assistance (www.disasterassistancecoc.com), and the Churches of
Christ Disaster Relief Effort (www.disasterreliefeffort.org).
See the websites for ways to help.
By David A. Sargent
Kathleen Murphy claims that golf saved her
life....
Here’s her story in her own words:
“Six years ago, when I was 58, I was playing in the Tuesday-morning
women's league at Exmoor Country Club just south of Lake Forest,
Ill. … On the long par-4 16th we all hit our drives to the same area
in the fairway. I was first to hit. I smacked my dependable 3-wood
pin-high but 15 yards right of the green, and the ball disappeared
as it settled into the rough. Anticipating that looking for my ball
might delay play, I sidestepped to the rough and began walking
forward to get a head start. The group's next shot, struck by Lois
Burns (with whom I was playing for the first time), was a shanked
3-wood that flew sideways and hit me directly in the back of the
head. I can still remember how the sound exploded in my ears.”
Immediately Murphy’s teammates loaded her
into the golf cart and carried her to the Emergency Room at the
nearby Highland Park Hospital. A CAT scan and an MRI confirmed
that her skull was not fractured, but the doctor began asking Murphy
some questions: “Have you been experiencing headaches, bouts of
dizziness, etc.” Murphy said no.
The doctor was asking her these questions
because the scans had revealed an apple-sized tumor that occupied
nearly the entire right side of her brain. The doctors
estimated that the tumor had been growing there for perhaps 15
years. More tests revealed related problems and immediate
threats to her health, so surgery was performed.
Murphy reports: “The surgery and my
recovery were successful. Six weeks later I walked down the aisle
[at her son’s wedding], my hair styled ably to hide the scar, and
was followed by a glowing bride.” *
Kathleen Murphy claims that golf saved her
life, because it was only after being hit in the head with a golf
ball that tests were performed that led to the discovery of the
life-threatening tumor.
What will it take for YOU to consult the
Word of God? Curiosity? Encouragement from a
friend? A tragedy in your life?
Whatever it takes, it needs to happen
because God’s Word reveals our true TERMINAL condition: we are all
sinners, desperately in need of spiritual “surgery,” because “the
wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
But the Word of God also reveals that the
Great Physician – Jesus Christ, God’s Son – has provided the means
for our life-saving surgery. He paid the price for our sins by
dying on the cross in our place (Ephesians 1:7; 2 Corinthians
5:21). Then He made new life – and eternal life! – possible
for us by being raised from the dead (1 Peter 1:3-4).
The Great Physician removes the “tumor” of
sin from our lives and gives us new life (and eternal life!) when
we: place our faith and trust in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin
in repentance (Acts 17:30-31) confess Jesus before men (Romans
10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ (Acts 2:38).
DON'T WAIT... for an errant golf ball to
strike YOU on the head before you go to the Word of God and learn of
your true condition as well as the Savior’s remedy. Allow Him
to perform the life-saving surgery that you need TODAY. He
will save your life, eternally.
Won’t YOU?
Source:
- David A. Sargent, minister for the Church of Christ at Creekwood
in Mobile, Alabama, is also the editor of an electronic devotional
entitled Living Water." To learn more about this excellent
resource contact David via their website: http://www.creekwoodcc.org
* Kathleen Murphy, “Golf Saved My Life” in Golf Digest –
www.golfdigest.com. 10/8/12. Many thanks to Gary Davis
of Lavonia, GA, for sharing this article with us!
When faced with this question, the following inquiries will be
helpful:
Am I commanded not to do it? (James 4:17)
Am I commanded to do it? (Eccl. 12:13)
Can I do it for God's glory? (1 Cor. 10:31)
Can I do it in the name of the Lord? (Col. 3:17)
Would Jesus do it? (1 Pet. 2:21)
Can I do it and be an example of a believer? (1 Tim. 4:12)
Will it cause someone to stumble? (1 Cor. 8:9)
Would I encourage those I love to do it? (Prov. 22:16)
Would I want to be doing it when Jesus comes? (Matt. 16:27)
Is there any doubt in my mind about doing it? (Rom. 14:23)
Source:
Pulpit Helps, date unknown
By Charles Curtis
Alexander the Great, with his arm, captured a
small village. The citizens of the village were brought before
Alexander at which time their future was determined.
There appeared before him a young man, his bride
and his bride's mother. As they stood before Alexander, the young
man was asked, "What would you give for your life?" upon which he
replied, "I would give all my gold and silver, Sir."
Then Alexander asked, "What would you give for
the life of your wife?" upon which he replied, "I would give my
life, Sir." Alexander said, "Let them go free."
As they left, the mother asked the daughter, "Did
you see the golden coat Alexander had on?" "No," replied the
daughter, "I could only see the one who said, 'I would die for
her.'"
As we run the Christian race, we must keep our
eyes on the one who died for us.
Source:
Pulpit Helps, date unknown
