I've got nothing to say at the moment. But reading this was enjoyable for me this morning. I'll share it with any who read.
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WHAT IS IT?
It costs nothing, but creates much good.
It enriches those who receive it without impoverishing those who give it away.
It happens in a flash but the memory of it can last forever.
No one is so rich that he can get along without it.
No one is too poor to feel rich when receiving it.
It creates happiness in the home, fosters good will in business, and is the countersign of friends.
It is rest to the weary, daylight to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad, and natures best antidote for trouble.
Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen for it is something of no earthly good to anybody until it is given away willingly.
IT IS A SMILE.
And remember..no one needs a smile as much as the one who has none to give! Author Unknown
Paul B.
17 comments:
Paul,
I like it :) See! I smiled!
The last line brought back to mind the many Christians (?) I have known whom I have never seen smile, or, at least, occasionally appeared happy.
“Laugh and the world laughs with you.
Cry and you cry alone.”
Who said, “I'll post his picture next time”? Or will the answer be: “I did.” :)
Aussie J,
One of these days I'm going to get to hug you personally.. and smile with you.
Rex,
My laptop had that picture stored on it. It had seven viruses also and has been in the shop. Picked it up today. It's now clean, home, and ready for service.
I've been functioning on an old desktop which let me comment on my blog. But it had no other ability although I had this nice, sweet, post ready for a long time waiting on that old computer. I'll let it stand a few days.
Soon I will put up that picture. When I do you'll wish I hadn't I assure you. :)
Paul,
Ahhhhhhh, all my logic done in by a computer virus. That’s not fair! :)
Due to my ego, I hate to admit that in your reply, the first word I saw was “Rex”, and I read, “One of these days I’m going to get to hug you personally…”
I thought that was awful nice of you until I realized you were talking to Aussie.
I’ve accepted my fate of being a false prophet and await my day of execution with dread.
If I never get to give you a hug, I will Up Yonder.
Now Rex, you join in with Aussie J and me..we'll make it a group hug. ;)
[I knew this simple post was good for me but my stars what it's done was greater than I expected.]
[Smile]
Paul,
Sounds good on the group hug. I believe there’ll be a lot of hugging with everyone just in knowing we love Jesus.
All my life, I’ve heard many preachers tell of fighting their call from God to preach. My son was friends with Jerry Rankin, and he told me that Rankin believed no one was ‘called’ to be a missionary, but people ‘chose’ to be one.
I thought Rankin was wrong, but lately I’ve been wondering.
There’ve been many preachers saved after years of successful preaching. Makes me wonder if God would ‘call’ the lost.
I believe most preachers are called, but some may have chosen the position for various reasons.
What do you think, or is the question too far off topic?
Rex,
I'll SMILE as I type and that will be keeping us on post I think. :)
We would be talking about something not clearly stated in scripture it seems to me, so we all would need to tread lightly on any view we might have about it. So..here's mine. [Lightly.]
I'm personally of the persuasion that every Christian is called equally to one thing. To follow Jesus as Lord of life. Then He is free to place us where He chooses with no place better than another when we see it as an assignment from Him.
Some He places as teachers, some plumbers, some doctors, some house wives/husbands, some business and even some placed in a full time ministry of pastoring or missions I would suppose. This doesn't make that place any greater than any other for the person placed.
A couple of caveats.
One.. is that the placement of pastor/teacher is worthy of double honor because of the importance of the word to the Body of Christ.
Two..is that the placement of missions can be for any need that any culture would have such as technical, medical, farmiing, building as well as church building.
Three..is that calling doesn't change but placement may.
So the key factor for me is NOT whether the Lord has called me to preach or missions but am I where.. doing what.. He desires at this time in my life?
Our calling is irrevocable and it is to Follow Jesus as Lord of life. Our placement may be temporary and can change and has changed in the lie of believers.
A natural conclusion for me is that a Christian can be placed in a pastoral or mission assignment and later NOT be and he/she has not forsaken a calling at all. Jesus is Lord.
So the only issue we face in life is hearing our Lord clearly/correctly as to His desire for our life in the present.
ALL of life is sacred/missions/ministry/godly/fun/ours/ and is to be lived to the fullest with Jesus as Lord.
Make that "life of believers." Sorry.
Paul,
Well said.
Paul,
Still smiling here. :)
You covered very well how God ‘works’ with a Christian, but:
1. How does he ‘work’ with the lost?
2. Does he answer all their prayers other than to be saved?
3. Does he guide them in their jobs?
4. Specifically, does he call them to preach?
5. Why would a lost man choose to preach other than ego?
PS, Usually when I ask several questions, replies usually answer one or two. Hint:)
Rex,
You and I think differently about a lot of things evidently. But that's alright..I wouldn't want this world to have to face another me. :)
When I answer questions people ask I think of my answers as gifts. I may give big gifts. [long answers] Or I may give small gifts. [Short answers] Then, I may give no gift at all. [No answer]
But when I do give a gift [an answer] it is with no strings attached. [No requirement of acceptance.]
When I ask questions of someone I think of my questions the same way. It's just my weird way of thinking. But that's probably alright. ;)
As to your last five questions I have no wherewithal to purchase gifts to give if I wanted to. [No way of knowing an answer.] Sorry.
Paul,
Wow, you sure go into detail to say, ‘I don’t know’. :)
I should have asked, ‘what do you think’ and that would remove the responsibility of ‘not telling the truth’.
I mean if I asked: ‘If a turkey was crossed with a chicken, would the male gobble or crow?’ The truth and easy answer would be: ‘I don’t know’, but the ‘I think’ answers could vary’.
My ‘think’ answers would be:
1. The Holy Spirit tells the lost they’re lost.
2. No.
3. No.
4. No.
5. Ego pleased with the respect. Failed at other jobs.
Rex,
Granted it seems all you heard me saying is "I don't know." That's fine. I don't. :)
Paul,
Rex's words have reminded me of a lesson I learned once, when I met a man who was radically saved as he was listening to an unbeliever reading aloud, then rubbishing a portion of a Gospel message.
God used a donkey to talk to someone once, why not an unbeliever?
These days I don't limit God to do what I expect, because He really is the God of the unexpected and He is not bound by our left,right or center systematic theologies and statements of faith.
Aussie J,
I think your thoughts are right on especially this one... "He really is the God of the unexpected and He is not bound by our left,right or center systematic theologies and statements of faith."
Paul,
In not answering questions reminds me of my once 5 year-old nephew’s reply in not answering questions.
Over and over my mother asked him why he hit a little girl, and he wouldn’t say a word. Finally my father said, “John Mark! Answer your grandmother’s question!”
He said, “My mouth’s tired of talking.”
It’s been said that Confucius (551-479 BCE) was a thinker who made people think and they killed him for it.
Hmmmm, maybe I should learn from that.
Please don’t think that I think I’m like Confucius.
It's nice to have dialogue or is it debate with someone who's polite.
Rex,
You're a hoot. Let's allow your final comment to stand as "das letzte Wort."
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