THE BIBLE X

"The Christian's Bible is a drug store. Its contents remain the same, but the medical practice changes." - Mark Twain

A theological student whom later I knew as a senior friend had committed himself to starting his ministry in the north of England when he received a very attractive invitation to join a teaching institution in South Wales instead. He did not feel able to withdraw from his commitments, but one day he read in Isaiah 43:6 (Authorized Version), "I will say to the north, Give up", and concluded that this was God telling him that he would be providentially released from his promise and so set free to accept the second invitation. No such thing happened, however, so he went north after all wondering what had gone wrong. Then he reread Isaiah 43:6 and noticed that it continued, "...and to the south, Do not withhold." At this point it dawned on him that he had been finding meaning in the text that was never really there. Instead, the concerns which he brought to his reading of the text had governed his interpretation of it.

At the height of her fame, Marla Maples spoke of her religious roots. She believed in the Bible, she told interviewers, then added the disclaimer, "but you can't always take [it]

THE SECRET!

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started." - Mark Twain

Alexis de Tocqueville, a foremost French writer, after visiting America in 1831, said, "I sought for the greatness of the United States in her commodious harbors, her ample rivers, her fertile fields, and boundless forests--and it was not there. I sought for it in her rich mines, her vast world commerce, her public school system, and in her institutions of higher learning--and it was not there. I looked for it in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution--and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great!"

It is NOT POSSIBLE to have a moral individual, community or nation without faith in Jesus Christ, and God, because without that faith, everything boils down to "me," and "me" alone is meaningless. Today Americans have stopped acting in terms of their own moral, ethical and religious beliefs and principles. They've stopped acting on what they knew was right -- and

RELAX, OR DIE!

"I have never taken any exercise, except sleeping and resting, and I never intend to take any." - Mark Twain

A Brooklyn father came home to find that a house fire had killed seven of his eight children, and critically burned his wife and surviving child. The house, itself, was a total loss. The cause of the fire was a malfunctioning hot plate that sparked a fire, that rapidly spread, trapping the children in their bedrooms. The hot plate was left on for the Sabbath, which lasts from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Many religious Jews use a hot plate to keep food warm, obeying the traditional prohibition the use of fire on the holy day as well as work in all forms, including turning on appliances.

The law on lighting a fire on the Sabbath leaves us with a decision - we either obey the law, or be put to death. Not physical death anymore as was the case, but eternal death. And being put to death isn't a punishment for lighting a fire but neglecting the finished work of Christ

A BROKEN STRING II: WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW

"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." - Mark Twain

Itzhak Perlman

Every music maestro knows it is impossible to play a symphony with just three strings. Itzhak Perlman refused to know so. You could see him modulating, changing, re-composing the piece in his head. When he finished, there was an awesome silence in the room. Then everyone rose in an extraordinary outburst of applause, from every corner of the auditorium. People on their feet, screaming and cheering. Perlman smiled, raised his bow to quieten them, and in all modesty said, "You know, sometimes it is the artist’s task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left."

What do you have left, from the rubble of life? Have you lost a string, or more? Itzhak Perlman made music with three strings: the outcome was awesome. God will always leave you with something to play with. Don't allow your knowledge, or belief limit you.

CHEERLEADERS WANTED

"Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy." - Norman Vincent Peale

Cheerleader

Motivation is a very powerful force, in fact some times more powerful than physical strength or ability, a man with a cheerful spirit, or that is been cheered on, has more energy reserve than one that is physically stronger but depressed. In my opinion we are all in need of cheerleaders at every stage of life, sometimes it could be our spouses, our children, a friend, a mentor, a colleague or even just the guy next door.

There was a fire in the big city, and the firemen flung their ladders together, and went up in their brave fashion to the topmost floor of the building; to rescue the people that were trapped. One after another was rescued by the brave firemen. Had all been rescued? it seemed. But no! As the firemen looked up they saw a white face at the highest window of the burning building.