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The Story of the Butterfly
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a
small opening appeared. He sat and watched as it struggled to force its body through that little hole.
Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could,
and it could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly.
He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.
The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.
The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.
It never was able to fly. What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been.
We could never fly!
I asked for Strength.........
And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for Wisdom.........
And God gave me Problems to solve.
I asked for Prosperity.........
And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.
I asked for Courage.........
And God gave me Danger to overcome.
I asked for Love.........
And God gave me Troubled people to help.
I asked for Favors.........
And God gave me Opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted ........
I received everything I needed!
May God Bless You
May God Bless you with unspeakable joy,
not only in the world to come, but in this
world also.
May your path be bright and full of light everywhere you go.
May God tell darkness that it must flee at your command.
And, I pray your feet will never stumble
out of God's plan.
May the desires of your heart come true,And may you experience Peace in everything you do.
May Goodness, Kindness, and Mercy come your way. And, may you gain Wisdom and grow in the Lord everyday.
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The 5 B's of Friendship
--1. BE Trustworthy.
When a friend tells you a secret, keep it.
Don't repeat it to others.
Trust is a vital part of friendship.
Loss of trust can destroy a friendship.
--2. BE sensitive.
Be aware of a friend's needs. Try to know
when your friend needs to be with you and when
your friend wants to be alone.
Respect his or her wish for privacy and need
for personal space.
--3. BE dependable.
If you make a promise to a friend, keep it.
Don't let your friend down.
Be there for him or her in good times as well
as bad. Let friends know they can count on you.
--4. BE a good listener.
Kids like to talk to someone who listens actively.
Show a genuine interest in the things that are
important to your friend. Maintain eye contact
while he or she talks.
--5. BE honest.
Let a friend know how you feel.
If a friend says or does something that hurts you,
talk it over with him or her privately.
Express your feelings as honestly as you can, and
encourage your friend to do the same.
NOTE:
You could also substitute the words "friend" and
"friendship" with the words "spouse" and "marriage,"
and you will have a happier, healthier relationship -
I just know it!
And my sixth "BE".....
BE a blessing! Share your faith today.
--DAILY BIBLE VERSE:
"I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions
for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.
- Isaiah 43:25
God doesn't remember sins he's chosen to forget.
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Thinking about the Commandments..
These are prayers specifically for our nation, but
you can adapt them as needed to fit any situation.
--1. "You shall have no other gods before Me."
Pray that God would be worshipped above all else in
our land.
--2. "You shall not make for yourself a carved image."
Ask God to reveal our nation's idolatry.
--3. "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in
vain."
Pray that the Lord's name will be honored; ask God
to bring a fresh conviction against profanity and
depravity.
--4. "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
Pray that God's people will set an example for this
nation by honoring the Lord through a Sabbath rest.
--5. "Honor your father and your mother."
Intercede that the family will be restored to its
rightful place of honor and respect.
--6. "You shall not murder."
Pray that the culture of death would be broken; pray
for a culture of life to reign.
--7. "You shall not commit adultery."
Intercede for marriages in this land; ask God to
restore the sanctity of the marriage bond.
--8. "You shall not steal."
Pray that personal property would be respected; that
both personal and institutional theft would end.
--9. "You shall not bear false witness against your
neighbor."
Intercede for a day when integrity and concern for
our fellow man would cause us to honor our neighbors.
--10. "You shall not covet."
Ask God to break the materialism which grips our land;
pray that men and women would discover their true
purpose in serving the Lord.
(P & R Schenck Associates in Evangelism)
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So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:11
As you near the end of a footrace, your legs ache, your throat burns, and your whole body cries out for you to stop. This is when friends and fans are most valuable. Their encouragement helps you push through the pain to the finish. In the same way Christians are to encourage one another. A word of encouragement offered at the right moment can be the difference between finishing well and collapsing along the way. Be sensitive to another's need for encouragement, and offer supportive words or actions.
Look around you. Who needs an encouraging word from you?
John Abbott
City Heights
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Online Bible!
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