The Bum Story by Rob Wright

A couple of weeks ago, I received this story in an email. I thought of sharing it on my blog at the time, but I just never got around to it. Anyway... last Sunday at church, I found out that my pastor, Rob Wright, actually wrote this story back in 1976. Isn't that amazing? Small world.

So you know I have to share it now... right? Of course!  :)

The story was made into a tract, so I am just copying (with permission) from the tract itself, because I thought it was only right to include the information following the story.

The Bum Story
by Rob Wright

It was a beautiful sunny Sunday morning. As the derelict awake next to the garbage cans in the alley, he took a good look at himself. He was a mess! His old tattered suit was full of big holes and newspapers were wrapped around his shoes. He hadn't shaved in months and his hair was stiff with the dirt of the street. 

Something caught his eye. It was a shiny white cross on a church steeple several blocks away. "I'm sick of the way I'm living", he said to himself. "Today I am going to start my life over again, and I know the Lord will forgive me!" He brushed himself off, and started walking towards that bright cross. As he walked closer to the church, he heard the bells ringing, and he became excited with the thought of a new life in Christ. 

His heart pounded quickly as he saw the big stained glass windows and heard the organ's soft tones. His steps became faster as he saw the big cars and the women with their fine furs escorted by men in expensive suits. As he walked up to the steps leading up to the open doors, he pulled himself up to his full height and said, "Praise God, today I can start my life over again." 

As he started up the steps into the church, two big ushers grabbed him and threw him down the stairs!  He picked himself up and started up the stairs. The same usher threw him down the stairs again and the other one yelled, "GET OUT OF HERE, YOU ROTTEN STINKING BUM! GO BACK TO THE GHETTO WHERE YOU BELONG!"

He was crushed! He turned away from the church and walked back towards the ghetto. His shoulders slumped, and tears filled his eyes. They rolled down his cheeks and fell on his coat. "Why Lord, why?", he cried. "They just wouldn't even let me in that church, Lord! Why wouldn't they let me in?"

Suddenly, he felt the presence of the Holy Spirit and a voice said, "DON'T WORRY, SON. I CAN'T GET IN THERE EITHER!!"

The church I am talking about in this story is the church in our hearts! Our churches are not showcases for Saints, but HOSPITALS FOR SICK SINNERS!!

As Christians, we must love those who are lost and reach out to them in love. Jesus-type love. Jesus said in John 6:37, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out."

For further information on how you can help those that are lost, or for [more] copies of this tract, please write to:

Pastor Rob Wright

Abundant Grace Church

P.O. Box 33001

Las Vegas, NV 89133 

www.graceinlasvegas.com 
www.gracefortodayradio.com 

We serve a great God! He gave this story to a man over 30 years ago... and it's still being used to bless people today!

God bless and have a great week!

Mary Ann :)

Letting Go

Featured Guest Post
By Carla McDougal

Do you remember the last time you opened the door to your junk closet? You know, the place where you put things you don’t want left out in the open. Maybe an item is old and worn out, so you throw it in this closet. Or, possibly it’s broken, and you don’t know what to do with it.

In my Bible Study, Reflecting Him, I invite readers to take a guided tour through various rooms in our homes, and compare these areas to our spiritual lives. The first day of the tour focuses on the closet— that hidden, dark place no one enters but you. “Out of sight, out of mind” might describe those items tucked away in that small space; but couldn’t the phrase also depict the things we hide in the backs of our minds and hearts? Broken, worn out, or sinful thoughts weigh heavily on our souls, and we need to let go, so they can be replaced by God’s light of love, grace and mercy. June 23rd is National “Let It Go” Day. I encourage you to find something in your spiritual “junk closet” and let it go.

Do you harbor bitterness for past hurts against you? Does sin linger in the crevices of your heart and mind? Are you in need of God’s forgiveness? We are all sinners, but we can be free from the closet of sin if we confess and ask for His forgiveness. Let go, and let God shine His light on you.

Just like cleaning out the junk closet, once you let go of those spiritual messes in your life, you’ll be left with room for the new. God’s all about making things new. A new heart. A new life. A new you. It all starts with letting go of those things that fall short of His plan.

When you organize a junk closet, you might choose to use special organizers or aids to make it all work together better. Or perhaps you even hire a professional organizer. In your spiritual closet, don’t forget that you can find all the assistance you’ll ever need through the help of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word. Are you ready to let God take the tour through the various rooms of your spiritual “house”? When you open the closet, what mess falls out? Give it to Him and see what happens!

CARLA MCDOUGAL is founder of Reflective Life Ministries headquartered in the Houston, Texas area. Her true passion for her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, shines brightly, whether she is speaking or writing. She shares experiences from her own life to encourage women to live every day for Him. God is sending Carla around the world to speak to women from all walks of life—those living in the best of circumstances to those who have hit rock bottom. Carla’s book, Reflecting Him: Living for Jesus and Loving It, pulls back the veil so you can see yourself and your Lord more clearly and reflect Him with transparency when interacting with others. This 10-week study exposes the dark corners of your life, opening your eyes and heart to what Jesus wants you to see. Carla’s refreshing authenticity and humorous style will lift you up from a heaviness you didn’t even know weighed you down.

For more information on a growing number of products from Reflective Life Ministries go to:

www.reflectivelifeministries.org

This article content is provided free of charge by the author through Kathy Carlton Willis Communications. You are welcome to place this article on your site or in your publication as long as 1) it’s used in its entirety, 2) the full bio is also used, and 3) you previously request permission through KCWC at russ@kathycarltonwillis.com. All other standard copyrights apply.

Thanks for reading and God bless!

Mary Ann :)

Issues vs. the Gospel

This is an article from Reema Goode's Blog.  I read it and had to pass it along... with her permission, of course. Please visit her website... she has some wonderful things to share that will be sure to bless you. Reema is the author of 'Which None Can Shut'. She and her family are missionaries in the Muslim community. I know her stories will touch your heart.

~Thank you, Reema!



If you'd like to read my review of 'Which None Can Shut', click here.



Issues vs. the Gospel
Guest post from Reema Goode's Blog

“My tongue is the pen of a ready writer!” God is so good! I really enjoyed the meditations in my last blog. The Apostle Paul has inspired me with the way he turns absolutely every situation into an opportunity to share the Gospel. It’s not “Issues vs. the Gospel.” Issues are a pathway to the Gospel. If we didn’t have issues, why would we need a Gospel?

A Christian lady we know (I’ll call her Jen) had really become burdened for Muslim women, and frustrated with Islamic culture. One day when Jen witnessed a Muslim girlfriend being ill-treated by her family, she took the girl aside and began to point out that the real root of her suffering was Arab Muslim culture itself. Jen felt she was sympathizing with her friend as she explained that the solution, in her opinion, was for Muslim women to rise up and demand re-education that would affect social reform and give them their rights. When the long and depressing conversation finally ended, Jen came home feeling even more burdened and dejected. Later she realized that the only hope she’d offered her friend was the possibility that the people around her and the circumstances she lived in could eventually change. Jen had neglected to mention that peace and joy are actually possible even when bad circumstances don’t change. She hadn’t given her friend any hope for herself, right now, today. The conversation had never gotten around to Jesus.

How do you think the Muslim woman might have felt after that conversation? If she’d been angry at her family for the ill treatment, she might have been even more indignant after listening to Jen. Or perhaps she’d been emboldened by the conversation, and went home to “stand up to” her family. What might have happened to her then?

In the best case scenario, what if the young woman set out to change Islamic culture and totally succeeded in securing equal human rights for all? Sin would still be present in the human heart, and mankind would simply find other ways to vent it. Although evil would seem to be overcome, in fact it would be redirected to another venue; it would not be eradicated. The answer for every issue, ultimately, is in Christ. He alone has the power to actually overcome sin.

As God’s ambassadors on earth we need to address the issues that plague humankind. We’re the salt of the earth! Yet how do we address them? It’s easy to get so passionate about the issues that we forget the power of the Gospel of Peace.

What if Jen had spent the time with her friend just listening for awhile–both to her friend’s heart and the Holy Spirit? I wonder how God might have steered the conversation, if He’d been given the chance to speak. What if Jen had shown her love for her friend, and for her friend’s family, by offering to pray for them? Inviting God into a situation creates a wonderful opportunity for Him to answer and show that He hears! that He cares!

Everything that’s wrong with the world is another opportunity for God to reveal Himself to people . Our fallen selves and surroundings serve as constant proof that we need a Savior. Men, women and children are desperate for a God who is both loving enough and mighty enough to save. Our great God is willing and able to intervene in the lives of men, “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth, that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” (2 Chronicles 16:9a) Hallelujah!

Thanks for reading and God bless!

Live Full Blast, Full Out

Featured Guest Post Article
By PeggySue Wells

Ready to move your life forward? Want to make a positive change by noon? Here is a
step that guarantees positive results.

Stop blaming.

Certainly there are things on our life script we would not have put there. And blame is a
mechanism to discharge pain and discomfort. However, whether I blamed my husband,
parents, boss, or myself, blame kept me cemented in the same spot. Stuck.

Blame cripples only one person. Me. Freedom comes when I acknowledge people made
choices. I made choices. Some choices made a Grand Canyon–sized impact on my life.

A friend that allows me to vent, is a gift. But camping there, the pain becomes my
identity.

It happened.

So what?

Now what?

Checkpoint: Do you regularly offer excuses? If you show up late at a place and waste
further time by blaming your lateness on the kids, the dog, or the traffic, you are playing
the blame game. You are blaming someone or something for your situation.

The only person who believes your excuse is you. When you are late, it is apparent that
you did not plan your time to arrive at least 15 minutes early in case you were delayed by life.

In the military, fifteen minutes early is on time. On time is late. Soldiers quickly learn
that there are only four acceptable responses—yes, sir; no, sir; I don’t understand, sir; and no excuse, sir.

When I dropped making excuses, my days and relationships streamlined. Free from
cumbersome excuses, my conversations improved. People are attracted to those who fully live life without excuses. That’s living full blast, full out.

- PeggySue Wells is a speaker and the author of a dozen books including Rediscovering Your Happily Ever After. Contact her at www.PeggySueWells.com.

This article is provided free of charge by the author through Kathy Carlton Willis Communications. You are welcome to place this article on your site or in your publication as long as 1) it’s used in its entirety, 2) the full bio is also used, and 3) you previously request permission through KCWC at russ@kathycarltonwillis.com. All other standard copyrights apply.

Legalism vs Discipline... written by Leeland

*This is a great devotion from the group Leeland. They are one of my favorites! They have a great blog on their website http://www.leelandonline.com/. Check it out!

Legalism vs Discipline

1 Cor. 9:26-27 " So I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."

Legalism is doing a list of good things in order to get in right relationship with God (which stands opposed to the true Gospel). Discipline, on the other hand, is doing those same things because you're already in relationship with God. Legalism seeks redemption. Discipline should be the hallmark of the truly redeemed. When we are rooted in the knowledge of God's grace, we are then free to run this race. So that's where we start. The routines or exercises we do aren't out of our effort to win (we've already won) but to FINISH!

We have a generation of people who start but don't finish. The reason they fall out of the race isn't because they don't love God, but it's because they lack discipline. Setting Godly standards in our lives is okay because the Holy Spirit helps us live up to those standards!

If the goals aren't there, then we're setting ourselves up to run aimlessly and ineffectively. And the end result is quitting because we're burnt out, even though we had good intentions. Your intentions don't mean any thing if your actions oppose them.

In a generation that's running around chasing their tails, let's set a different standard. Once again, we're not going for a life of dead legalism. You have to know that God loves you! And this is our motivation for excellence in life.

*If you'd like to learn more from or about Leeland... visit them at http://www.leelandonline.com.

I'd heard many of Leeland's songs on the radio and even heard them performed as special music at church. But it wasn't until I had seen them in concert, The Exit Concert with Raul Ries, that I was totally hooked. The heart they have for God is undeniable. They aren't just a group who sings christian music... they are a group of christains who are out to win souls for the Lord. Refreshing. And to wrap it up... here's a video of one of my favorite Leeland songs. Count Me In. :)





Thanks for reading and God bless!
Mary Ann  :)

Apple Valley couple asking world: birth or abortion? - TwinCities.com

This photo is not the baby in the article. The photo is from a public sharing site.



I have to ask myself... has it really come to this?

Has human life become so worthless that we could actually have an internet poll to decide if a child should live or die?

Is the idea of wanting a family and having children so obsolete... that we would take it so lightly... and we would ask the advice of perfect strangers who have no interest, no concern, no investment and would not be affected if the child lives or dies?

Apparently so. I just heard the story of a couple who is doing just that.

In the article Apple Valley couple asking world: birth or abortion? - TwinCities.com, it talks about the 30-year-old couple who are undecided about giving birth to their baby boy, who is now at 17-weeks. They have posted ultrasound photos.... detailing his progress and even calling him "Wiggles". They see this precious child and yet they are still asking the public if they should let him live or abort.

I find this incredibly disgusting. Are we so far from family values that there is no longer the parental instinct to protect your child from all harm? To keep him safe and do your best for him? Have we really become so selfish that a child is no longer a blessing... but an inconvenience? So selfish that we would lay down the life of an innocent child to make our own more comfortable? God help us!

I pray for this couple and their unborn child. For salvation, wisdom, knowledge and the courage to do what is right. They may be the first to put a poll on the internet, but I doubt they are the only ones to feel and think this way. We need to pray diligently for the future generations. Will you pray with me?

God bless,
Mary Ann

What are you made of? ...from eCare Diary

This following is an article from eCare Diary. They have a lot of great articles and information on being a caregiver. Even if you aren't... you may still find something interesting. I really love the story included in the article below... so I thought I'd share it with you. It's a great site. Check it out. Here is the article from eCare Diary...


What are you made of?
Jane Meier Hamilton - September 26, 2010 11:26 PM

The years when I filled both professional and family caregiver roles were difficult. Caring for my patients and my parents was a joy and a burden, deeply inspiring yet sometimes repetitiously boring, filling my heart and also draining my energy. I felt proud of what I could do, yet guilty about how negative I sometimes felt.

One time when I was at a low point, my sister, Wendy, sent me an email. It was one of those stories that circulate on the web, author unknown. Somehow, this anonymous little tale really spoke to me, as if Wendy had written it just for me. The story from the web is titled Carrots, Eggs or Coffee? It goes like this:

A young woman went to talk with her mother and share how hard her life was. She didn’t know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up; she was tired of struggling. It seemed as if when one problem was solved, a new one arose.

The girl’s mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water, and put them on the stove to boil. In the first, she placed carrots. In the second she placed eggs, and in the last pot, she placed ground coffee beans. The mother let them sit and boil without saying a word.

After twenty minutes, Mom turned off the burners. She fished out the carrots and placed them in a bowl, removed the eggs from the second pot, and poured the steaming, aromatic coffee into a large mug. Turning to her daughter, the mother asked, “What do you see?” “Carrots, eggs and coffee,” the young woman replied, wondering where this was going. The mother asked her daughter to feel the carrots, peel the egg, and sip a cup of coffee.

Finally revealing the meaning of this odd exercise, the mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same “adversity,” boiling water, but each had reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, firm, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile, with a thin outer shell protecting its fluid interior. Like the carrots, the egg was changed by the boiling water. Its soft interior became hardened. The mother pointed out that the coffee was unique; it alone had changed the water in which it had been boiled and turned it into something quite wonderful.

Then she asked her troubled daughter, “Which one are you? In the face of adversity will you wilt and go soft, like the carrot? Will your fluid spirit harden, or, like the coffee beans, will you release the potential within you and turn the boiling waters of your life into something you savor?”

We caregivers all need to answer the question, “What are you made of?” Faced with adversity, are we like the carrot, eggs or coffee? Will we have the energy, judgment and grace to persevere with caregiving? By centering ourselves, we can tap into the calm energy at our core and be like the coffee. Some ideas to help you stay centered:

• Remember that you are a human being, not a caregiving machine. You need to balance involvement in caregiving with times of rest and relaxation.

• Conserve your energy for caregiving by clarifying your priorities. Save your energy for what is important to you, not just what seems urgent or important to others.

• Simplify your life. Eliminate what is unimportant or overly complex so you can devote time and energy to your priorities.

• Let go of what you do not control. However hard you try, well you plan or carefully you communicate, you control very little of the caregiving situation. Accept the limits of your humanity. Do your best and let go of the rest.

Caring for others can be both a joy and a burden. It can fill your heart and drain the last drop of energy you have. Caring for yourself helps you continue to care for others.

Jane Meier Hamilton MSN, RN, a nurse for 35 years and family caregiver for 20 years, founded Partners on the Path www.partnersonthepath.org to help professional and family caregivers preserve their health, well-being and capacity to care. Read her book, Journey of a Lifetime: The Caregiver’s Guide to Self-Care (Infinity 2010) to learn sensible, effective ways to cope with your caregiver stress.



Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Mary Ann :)