After reading this, you will never look at a deck of cards in the same way.
It was quiet that day, the guns and the mortars, and land mines for some reason hadn't been heard. The young soldier knew it was Sunday, the holiest day of the week. As he was sitting there, he got out an old deck of cards and laid them out across his bunk. Just then an army sergeant came in and said, 'Why aren't you with the rest of the platoon?' The soldier replied, 'I thought I would stay behind and spend some time with the Lord.' The sergeant said, 'Looks to me like you're going to play cards.' The soldier said, 'No, sir . You see, since we are not allowed to have Bibles or other spiritual books in this country, I've decided to talk to the Lord by studying this deck of cards.' The sergeant asked in disbelief, 'How will you do that?'
The Ace. It reminds me that there is only one God.
The Two represents the two parts of the Bible, Old and New Testaments
The Three represents the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost.
The Four stands for the Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
The Five is for the five virgins there were ten but only five of them were glorified.
The Six is for the six days it took God to create the Heavens and Earth.
The Seven is for the day God rested after making His Creation.
The Eight is for the family of Noah and his wife, their three sons and their wives -- the eight people God spared from the flood that destroyed the Earth.
The Nine is for the lepers that Jesus cleansed of leprosy He cleansed ten, but nine never thanked Him.
The Ten represents the Ten Commandments that God handed down to Moses on tablets made of stone.
The Jack is a reminder of Satan, one of God's first angels, but he got kicked out of heaven for his sly and wicked ways and is now the joker of eternal hell.
The Queen stands for the Virgin Mary.
The King stands for Jesus, for he is the King of all kings.
Count the dots on all the cards, a total of 365, one for every day of the year.
There are a total of 52 cards in a deck; each is a week - 52 weeks in a year.
The four suits represent the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.
Each suit has thirteen cards -- there are exactly thirteen weeks in a quarter.
So when I want to talk to God and thank Him, I just pull out this old deck of cards and they remind me of all that I have to be thankful for.' The sergeant just stood there. After a minute, with tears in his eyes and pain in his heart, he said, 'Soldier, can I borrow that deck of cards?'
Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Don't Become Prey
Ever have those times in your life where you're dealing with one thing after another? Sometimes you don't even get over one thing and something else starts. Yes, life has times that can be a struggle, a trial, a drudgery. The good news is we have instructions on how to overcome these times. The directions we need are found in the Bible, specifically 1 Peter 6-10. Now, lets see what we need to do.
The very first thing is to humble yourself before God. All this means is that you let God know that you realize He is in charge. You have no real power to get through this difficult time, if you did, you wouldn't still be struggling. So cast aside your pride and acknowledge God as God. (verse 6)
Next, we cast all our worries and anxieties to God. Remember, He doesn't want our problems, He wants us to tell Him the things that are causing our minds to anxious. You know, the things we worry about that seem to be consuming us. (verse 7)
Why do we do this? So that our minds are clear, sober, and unclouded. Verse 8 tells us our enemy roams like a hungry lion seeking to devour. When our minds are clouded and filled with anxieties, we become easy prey. Just as in the wild, the lion will search for prey that is weak. Instead, fill your mind with things that are lovely, pure, holy, and good. This will help you to stand firm in your faith. (verse 9) It may not alleviate the situation you are going through but it will encourage you. As you think on the things of God and look to Him, He will become your strength. The grace of God will flow over you and fill you with peace. You will come through your situation stronger and securely grounded. (verse 10)
So there you have it. Specific instructions on overcoming troubling times. Does it sound easy? Yes. Is it easy to do? It can be, with practice. When will you begin practicing?
The very first thing is to humble yourself before God. All this means is that you let God know that you realize He is in charge. You have no real power to get through this difficult time, if you did, you wouldn't still be struggling. So cast aside your pride and acknowledge God as God. (verse 6)
Next, we cast all our worries and anxieties to God. Remember, He doesn't want our problems, He wants us to tell Him the things that are causing our minds to anxious. You know, the things we worry about that seem to be consuming us. (verse 7)
Why do we do this? So that our minds are clear, sober, and unclouded. Verse 8 tells us our enemy roams like a hungry lion seeking to devour. When our minds are clouded and filled with anxieties, we become easy prey. Just as in the wild, the lion will search for prey that is weak. Instead, fill your mind with things that are lovely, pure, holy, and good. This will help you to stand firm in your faith. (verse 9) It may not alleviate the situation you are going through but it will encourage you. As you think on the things of God and look to Him, He will become your strength. The grace of God will flow over you and fill you with peace. You will come through your situation stronger and securely grounded. (verse 10)
So there you have it. Specific instructions on overcoming troubling times. Does it sound easy? Yes. Is it easy to do? It can be, with practice. When will you begin practicing?
Monday, February 13, 2012
Be More Like Your Dog
Sometimes it is hard to express our emotions in words. Take the word love, for instance. We use it in many ways – I love food, I love this weather, I love you, I love that color, etc. Typically, we use the word love to mean that we have an intense like of something or someone. Sometimes I think we use the word love without really thinking about it.
However, in the Greek language, there are different words to express different types of love. Eros is used to describe the love between a man and a woman, a physical passion. Storge is the love between kin, such as a mother and child, or a brother and sister. Phileo expresses warm affections, the love we have for a friend. And then there is Agape love, the type of love that doesn't depend on our emotions, an unconditional love.
Can you think of examples of each of these types of love? One of the things that comes to mind is the love our pets have for us. I think this can be defined as agape love. If we feed them late, or scold them, or not give them that scrap of meat they want, it doesn't matter. They still love us. They know that we will take care of there needs. Our pets don't worry about if they will have food, they know we will feed them. They miss us when we are not present. Think about how excited your dog gets when you come home from work. They jump, run in circles, and do whatever it takes to express their joy and get your attention. They aren't mad and sulky because you weren't there, they just know they are glad you are with them.
This is exactly how our love relationship with God should be. After all, the Bible tells us not to worry, God knows what we need and will supply it. Perhaps He won't give us all our “wants” but He always gives us our “needs”. Just like our pet, they may not get that scrap but they will get food.
Have you ever gotten upset with God? I have. But that doesn't mean He loves you any less, even if you walk away from Him. He will look for you and tug at your heart until you return to Him. Again, just like when we leave our beloved pet and rush off to work. They may sulk after we leave but they rejoice upon our return.
Perhaps God gave us pets so we can relate to how He loves us. When we come to truly understand that He loves us that much, with that agape love, it will begin to overflow to those around us. And that, my friend, is what God desires.
However, in the Greek language, there are different words to express different types of love. Eros is used to describe the love between a man and a woman, a physical passion. Storge is the love between kin, such as a mother and child, or a brother and sister. Phileo expresses warm affections, the love we have for a friend. And then there is Agape love, the type of love that doesn't depend on our emotions, an unconditional love.
Can you think of examples of each of these types of love? One of the things that comes to mind is the love our pets have for us. I think this can be defined as agape love. If we feed them late, or scold them, or not give them that scrap of meat they want, it doesn't matter. They still love us. They know that we will take care of there needs. Our pets don't worry about if they will have food, they know we will feed them. They miss us when we are not present. Think about how excited your dog gets when you come home from work. They jump, run in circles, and do whatever it takes to express their joy and get your attention. They aren't mad and sulky because you weren't there, they just know they are glad you are with them.
This is exactly how our love relationship with God should be. After all, the Bible tells us not to worry, God knows what we need and will supply it. Perhaps He won't give us all our “wants” but He always gives us our “needs”. Just like our pet, they may not get that scrap but they will get food.
Have you ever gotten upset with God? I have. But that doesn't mean He loves you any less, even if you walk away from Him. He will look for you and tug at your heart until you return to Him. Again, just like when we leave our beloved pet and rush off to work. They may sulk after we leave but they rejoice upon our return.
Perhaps God gave us pets so we can relate to how He loves us. When we come to truly understand that He loves us that much, with that agape love, it will begin to overflow to those around us. And that, my friend, is what God desires.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Create a Masterpiece
Have you ever watched an artist? They take a blank canvas and begin filling it with various brush strokes of color. At first it just looks like splashes of colors. Eventually, the canvas starts to depict a picture. Perhaps fine lines or other details begin to emerge. The artist then starts to add the finishing touches and we see a beautiful painting.
Every day we awaken, our lives are like that blank canvas. We are fresh and new. This is the time we need to spend a few moments in the presence of God. These moments with our Creator help to define our day. It is here we get our strength, our vision, our focus. Just as the artist works alone, staying focused on the final masterpiece they are creating, so must we. Before the cares of this world creep up and begin trying to add to its burdens.
As our day progresses, that blank canvas begins to take shape. We meet people who just need a smile. The lady at the grocery store who just wants to be appreciated. A co-worker who needs someone to talk to. Perhaps you see someone and all you can do is silently pray for them.
Look around you. See the beauty of the day. The sun that shines brightly. The rain that brings a rainbow. The cold that makes you snuggle into your coat. The warmth that makes you glow.
At the end of the day, that blank canvas has become a beautiful painting. It is filled with love, compassion, and joy. You are a masterpiece!
God's love and mercy are new every morning! (Lam 3:22-23)
Every day we awaken, our lives are like that blank canvas. We are fresh and new. This is the time we need to spend a few moments in the presence of God. These moments with our Creator help to define our day. It is here we get our strength, our vision, our focus. Just as the artist works alone, staying focused on the final masterpiece they are creating, so must we. Before the cares of this world creep up and begin trying to add to its burdens.
As our day progresses, that blank canvas begins to take shape. We meet people who just need a smile. The lady at the grocery store who just wants to be appreciated. A co-worker who needs someone to talk to. Perhaps you see someone and all you can do is silently pray for them.
Look around you. See the beauty of the day. The sun that shines brightly. The rain that brings a rainbow. The cold that makes you snuggle into your coat. The warmth that makes you glow.
At the end of the day, that blank canvas has become a beautiful painting. It is filled with love, compassion, and joy. You are a masterpiece!
God's love and mercy are new every morning! (Lam 3:22-23)
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