Quote from Forum Archives on April 21, 2005, 12:21 pm

Posted by: bigguyhereagain <bigguyhereagain@...>

"THE SECRET"

 

   

One day, one friend asked another,
"How is it that you are always so happy?
You have so much energy,
and you never seem to get down."
With her eyes smiling, she said,
"I know the Secret!"
"What secret is that?"
To which she replied,
"I'll tell you all about it,
but you have to promise to
share the Secret with others."
"The Secret is this:
I have learned there is little I can do
in my life that will make me truly happy.
I must depend on God to make
me happy and to meet my needs.
When a need arises in my life,
I have to trust God to supply
according to HIS riches.
I have learned most of the time
I don't need half of what I think I do.
He has never let me down.
Since I learned that 'Secret', I am happy."
The questioner's first thought was,
"That's too simple!"
But upon reflecting over her own life
she recalled how she thought a bigger house
would make her happy, but it didn't!
She thought a better paying job
would make her happy, but it hadn't.
When did she realize her greatest happiness?
Sitting on the floor with her grandchildren,
playing games, eating pizza or reading a story,
a simple gift from God.
Now you know it too!
We can't depend on people to make us happy.
Only GOD in His infinite wisdom can do that.
Trust HIM!
And now I pass the Secret on to you!
So once you get it, what will you do?
YOU have to tell someone the Secret, too!
That GOD in His wisdom will take care of YOU!
But it's not really a secret...
We just have to believe it and do it...
Really trust God!
Just Pass It On!

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"THE TICKET"

 

There was a certain man who had worked all his life and was
ready for a vacation. He wanted to go to a far away place he
had never been before.  He thought to himself; you are a good
person, you've helped the poor and took care of the needy. So
you deserve this trip.

 

He went to the airport and got in line to get on the plane. In
his mind, he felt no need to buy a ticket because of all the
great things he has done for people in his lifetime. He thought
he had earned this trip. As the line got closer and closer to
board the plane, he grew more and more anxious to start
enjoying himself on his journey.

 

It came his turn to pass his ticket in and to the amazement of
the ticket collector, he told her he didn't have a ticket
because he deserved a free trip.

 

He went on to explain what a good person he was, and how he
never hurt anyone or caused anyone any sort of pain, but the
ticket collector told him, "you still need a ticket sir"

 

He told her "I have never stolen from anyone, nor cheated anyone
in all my life", but still she stood firm and insisted he could
not board the plane unless a ticket was given to her.

 

He said "I have given money to the poor and fed the needy",
but still not being moved the ticket collector said if you want
to get on this plane you have to have a ticket.  No exceptions.

 

The man was shocked. He walked away with his head held
down low and thought to himself, "I figured if I was a good
person, who never hurt anyone and took care of other people,
surely I would be able to get a free ride on the plane, but I
guess I was wrong".

 

That is what some people think of Heaven. They think if they
are good people, who never hurt anyone and take care of others,
they will get a free ride into Heaven. But the Bible declares in
Ephesians 2: 8-9, "For it is by grace you have been saved,
through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift
of God; not by works, so that no one can boast."

 

Salvation is a free gift through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
No man can buy his way into Heaven, but Jesus came down
to Earth in His own free will to give us Eternal Life. All we
have to do is trust Him by Faith and accept Him into your
heart as your Personal Lord and Savior.  He has bought our
ticket on the cross, but it is up to you to claim it.

 

Here is how you can receive Christ if you haven't already:

 

1.  Admit your need (I am a sinner).
2.  Be willing to turn from your sins (repent).
3.  Believe that Jesus died for you on the Cross and rose from
the grave.
4.  Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come into your heart
and life through the Holy Spirit.  (Receive Him as Lord and
Savior.)

 

Just pray a prayer similar to this one:

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your
forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to
turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart
and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior.
I know now that I have a ticket to get into Heaven. In Jesus'
name, Amen.

 

If you prayed this prayer, the Bible declares in Romans 10:13
"Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord will be
saved" Your sins are forgiven as it declares in Isaiah 1:18
"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though
your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."
You are a new creature in Christ Jesus as it declares in
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is
a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all
things have become new."

 

This is just the beginning of a wonderful new life in Christ.
To deepen this relationship you should:

 

1.  Read your Bible everyday to know Christ better. Start
with the Gospel of John.
2.  Talk to God in prayer every day. Bring all your troubles
and worries to the Lord.
3.  Worship, fellowship, and serve with other Christians in a
church where Christ is preached.
4.  Tell others about Christ. Sharing the good news of the
Lord is needed now more than ever in this world full of trouble.
5.  Be Baptized.  Baptism is an outward expression of what the
Lord has done on the inside.  Baptism symbolizes the death,
burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Romans 6:3-4)
(Colossians 2:10-13

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Don't tell God how Big your storm is.
Tell the storm how Big your GOD is !

 

 

Have a Blessed Day
Dave and Barbara

 

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