The Son

Take my Son

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.


When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.

He said, 'Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.' The young man held out this package. 'I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.'

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. 'Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me.20It's a gift.'

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son The auctioneer pounded his gavel. 'We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?'

There was silence.

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, 'We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.'

But the auctioneer persisted. 'Will somebody bid for this painting. Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?'

Another voice angrily. 'We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandt's. Get on with the real bids!'

But still the auctioneer continued. 'The son! The son! Who'll take the son?'

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. 'I'll give $10 for the painting.' Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

'We have $10, who will bid $20?'

'Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters..'

'$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?'

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son.

They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. 'Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!'

A man sitting on the second row shouted, 'Now let's get on with the collection!'

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. 'I'm sorry, the auction is over.'

'What about the paintings?'

'I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings.


The man who took the son gets everything!'

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: 'The son, the son, who'll take the son?'

Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, thatWHO SO EVER BELIEVETH in Him, Should not perish, but ETERNAL LIFE...THAT'S LOVE

Storm Chasing

This comes from our Church bulletin yesterday. I am watching the news and hear about bad storms in Texas and I am looking out my window and see who the wind is blowing and this is just what I need for today. The writing was done by Carol Mead.

Zechariah 14:7 (NIV) It will be a unique day. Without daytime or night time--A day known to the Lord when evening comes, there will be light.

"I once read about a company that takes customers out to see tornadoes. The thrill-seeker pays a fee then goes with the storm-chaser to an area likely to spawn tornadoes. I simply cannot imagine paying good money to see a tornado on purpose. Christians sometimes are like storm-chasers, thinking God's will for their lives will only involve tasks that are threatening, difficult, and unpleasant. But I also believe that much of the work God asks me to do will be a joy--tailored to my passions and gifts. If every person did God's will, the world would fill with light, not the darkness of a demanding taskmaster. I'll have the opportunity in the lifetime to weather plenty of storms in God's name and with His strength. But I honestly don't think seeking out storms makes me more faithful or a more devout Christian. I can't believe God wants only foul-weather friends."

The American flag

I received this from a friend and knew I needed to share it with you.



What the Flag Draped Coffin Means:

Understand what the flag draped coffin really means. Here
is how to understand the flag that laid upon it and is surrendered to
so many survivors

Do you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun salute
stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776?

Have you ever noticed the honor guard pays meticulous
attention to correctly folding the United States of America Flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn
something new every day!

The 1st fold of the flag is a symbol of life.

The 2nd fold is a symbol of the belief in eternal life.

The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of theveterans departing
the ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of the country
to attain peace throughout the world.

The 4th fold represents the weaker nature, for as American citizens
trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time
of war for His divine guidance.

The 5th fold is a tribute to the country, for in the words
of Stephen Decatur, "Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be
right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.

The 6th fold is for where people's hearts lie. It is with their heart that
They pledge allegiance to the flag of the United! States Of America, and
the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with
Liberty and Justice for all.

The 7th fold is a tribute to its Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed
Forces that they protect their country and their flag against all her
enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of their
republic.

The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the
shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.

The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been
through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character
of the men and women who have made this country great has
been molded.

The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons
and daughters for the defense of their country since they were first born.

The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and
King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob.

The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the
Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.

The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are
uppermost reminding them of their nations motto, "In God We Trust"

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the
appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served
under General George Washington, and the Sailors and
Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their
comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States,
preserving for them the rights, privileges and freedoms they enjoy today.

There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have deep meaning.
In the future, you'll see flags folded and now you will know why

IN THE MEANTIME, MAY GOD PROTECT US ALWAYS.

The Empty Promises of Easter

I know it is four days since Easter, but I want to share this sermon with you. Pastor Dennis Curell of Faith Wesleyan Church of Midland, Michigan presented it.

Title: The Empty Promises of Easter
Scipture: Luke 24:1-12
1On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " 8Then they remembered his words.
9When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

Message: I would like us to think about the promises of Easter. There are three of them. Each promise is marked by something empty. God stands by His Promises.

1. The Empty Cross
A. Because the cross was empty, we have the promise of the forgiveness of sins.
B. The promise of the empty cross is that you and I stand forgiven
2. The Empty Tomb. This means Jesus is alive.
A. For, in the fact of the empty tomb is the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the promise to every one of us that we too will be raised to eternal life. The grave could not keep Jesus down.
B. And the promise to us is that we too can live even if we die.
3. It is the promise of the empty burial cloths.
A. The promise of the burial clothes Jesus is alive, and want to fellowship with you. We pray to a living Savior.

I pray this encourages you and if you had not thought of these promises you can take them and know you serve a Risen Savior.

What a Dream Come Through

Good morning to all. Here in my part of Indiana it is raining once again. So I am checking my e-mail and received the following from a good friend. This should be a dream come through for all of us.

You are in your car driving home. Thoughts wander to the game you want to see or meal you want to eat, when suddenly a sound unlike any you've ever heard fills the air. The sound is high above you. A trumpet? A choir? A choir of trumpets? You don't know, but you want to know. So you pull over, get out of your car, and look up. As you do, you see you aren't the only curious one. The roadside has become a parking lot.. Car doors are open, and people are staring at the sky. Shoppers are racing out of the grocery store. The Little League baseball game across the street has come to a halt. Players and parents are searching the clouds. And what they see, and what you see, has never before been seen.

As if the sky was a curtain, the drapes of the atmosphere part. A brilliant light spills onto the earth. There are no shadows. None.

From every hue ever seen and a million more never seen. Riding on the flow is an endless fleet of angels. They pass through the curtains one myriad at a time, until they occupy every square inch of the sky.

North. South. East. West.

Thousands of silvery wings rise and fall in unison, and over the sound of the trumpets, you can hear the cherubim and seraphim chanting, Holy, holy, holy. The final flank of angels is followed by twenty-four silver-bearded elders and a multitude of souls who join the angels in worship.

Suddenly, the heavens are quiet. All is quiet. The angels turn, you turn, the entire world turns and there He is. Jesus.

Through waves of light you see the silhouetted figure of Christ the King. He is atop a great stallion, and the stallion is atop a billowing cloud. He opens his mouth, and you are surrounded by his declaration:

I am the Alpha and the Omega..

The angels bow their heads. The elders remove their crowns. And before you is a Figure so consuming that you know, instantly you know: Nothing else matters.. Forget stock markets and school reports. Sales meetings and football games. Nothing is newsworthy. All that mattered, matters no more..... For Christ has come..

This morning when the Lord opened a window to Heaven, he saw me, and he asked: My child, what is your greatest wish for today?

I responded: 'Lord please; take care of the person who is reading this message, their family and their special friends. They deserve it and I love them very much'.

The love of God is like the ocean, you can see its beginnings but not its end.

ANGELS EXIST, but sometimes, since they don't all have wings we call them FRIENDS, SUCH AS YOU.

The day of celebrating Christ's rising from the dead is called Easter Day. We know from this that Jesus does care deeply for each and every one of use.

We need to remember what Jesus did for use in dieing on the cross to take away our sins. Jesus was the final sacrificial lamb.

40th Anniversary

How fast 40 years can go. In Sheldon, Illinois at the Sheldon Christian Church Hubby and I were married. The day was beautiful with plenty of sunshine. Today we spent the day in Church and a steak dinner at a very nice restaurant. Our daughters gave us tickets to see a Southern Gospel Quartet and an overnight stay in a nice motel in the area of the concert.

When Your Hut Is On Fire

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, 'God! How could you do this to me?' Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! 'How did you know I was here?' asked the weary man of his rescuers. 'We saw your smoke signal,' they replied.

The Moral of This Story:
It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God.

God Bless

An Amazing God

In the winter I posted about the heart trouble I was having. On January 20th the Dr. shocked my heart back into rhythm. I was told that another test would be taken when they new the heart was beating at the right rate. That took a couple of months. Well, yesterday on April Fool's Day I had an Angiogram. I expected the worst to happen. What little faith I had in God. When I woke up I was told I had a little plack built up in a couple of veins and with medicine would be corrected. My expectations were major surgery. The Dr. said my heart is stronger than He thought and is beating in the right rate. Of course, the diet will be changed so I can live a wonderful life.

Oh, me of little faith. What a lesson of grace I was given by my Heavenly Father. God has given me a new life and more time to pass His word to whom I come in contact with. I know many of you have had trials and God has answered in His way. Just continue like me and trust in His word and His answered.