I DID NOT LOSE IT; I GAVE IT

Canadian author William D. Matheson, in “My Grandfather’s  War,” tells of a veteran who walked through the streets of his hometown with an empty sleeve. When a passerby commented on the loss of his arm, the veteran replied, “Losing implies that I do not know where it went. I didn’t lose it. I gave it.”

How well that describes what Jesus did for us. He didn’t lose His life on the cross, He gave it. Jesus willingly took our place at Calvary. He suffered and died in our place.

II Corinthians 5:21 - For he hath made him to be sin FOR US, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

ARE YOUR KNEES WORN OUT

      On February 26, 1829, a Jewish boy named Loeb Strauss was born in a cottage in the Bavarian village of Buttenheim.  As a young man, Loeb changed his name to Levi and wound up in California where he opened a textile company in San Francisco.  One day a gold miner walked into Levi’s shop and assailed the young merchant.

      

      “Look at these,” said the miner, pointing to his pants.  “I bought’em six months ago, and now they’re full of holes!”

      

       When Levi asked why, the miner explained, “We work on our knees most of the time.”

       “What you need is some really strong material,” replied Levi. “We have some canvas.  It’s used to make tents.  If we make your trousers out of canvas, I’m sure they won’t get holes.”

         A tailor was called, and presently the miner had a set of trousers—and the rest is history.  Soon miners across the West were wearing Levi Strauss’s jeans.

        It would seem that Christians should have the same problem that plagued that miner.  We should be doing more work on our knees.

       Hudson Taylor once said, "You move forward on your knees."

       Could it be that the reason we are so worn out from life is that our knees are not!

      God will supply that for which we have KNEE'D.  

A CHRISTIAN HOME

     After the dedication of his baby brother in church, little Johnny sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong.

     Finally the boy replied, "That pastor said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I want to stay with you guys!"

     There is the person your children knows, and there is the person everyone else knows.

     Isaiah the prophet in   2   Kings 20:15 asked Hezekiah the king, "And he said, What have they seen in thine house? "  What are your children beholding in your house? Is there enough evidence to convince them that you are a Christian?  

THE APPEARANCE OF RELIGION ONLY ON SUNDAY PROVES THAT IT IS ONLY AN APPEARANCE.

THE REAL LOSER

        School was out for the summer, and Ronnie decided that he needed to make some money. Waking up early one morning he went to the berry fields and spent most of the day picking pails of beautiful, tasty blueberries. His Dad took him into town where he decided to go from door to door to sell his produce.

        When the lady of the house opened the door, he politely asked, "Would you like to buy some berries, Ma'am?"

        "Yes," she answered. "I'll take your pail into the kitchen and measure two quarts and bake a delicious pie."

         Ronnie decided to stay outside and play with their big dog. Puzzled, the woman asked, "Don't you want to come inside and see that I measure your berries right? How do you know I'm not going to cheat you?"

        Petting the dog, Ronnie said, "Oh, I'm not afraid of your cheating me. You'd get the worst of the deal."

        "What do you mean?" she asked.

        "I'd just lose my berries," he answered, "but you'd make yourself a thief!"

        Temptation is ever before us and always around us. It never leaves us and always confronts us. But we need not give in! God will always provide us with an escape route.

 

1 Corinthians 10:13 - There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

        Spiritual men are not so much afraid of trials as they are of temptations. The great horror of a Christian is sin.

A RICH FATHER

Baron Rothschild, a member of the world-famous family of financiers, stepped from a carriage one evening and gave the driver what he felt was an adequate tip.  

Looking at the tip disdainfully, the driver said, “Your lordship’s son always gives me a good deal more than this.”

“I dare say he does,” Baron Rothschild snapped. “But then, you see, he has a rich father; I haven’t.”

The Baron made an excellent point. When you have a father with plentiful resources to depend on, you don’t have to worry about giving too much!

My Father is rich in houses and lands,
He holdeth the wealth of the world in his hands!
Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold,
His coffers are full, he has riches untold.

I'm the child of a King, the child of a King,
With Jesus, my Saviour, I'm the child of a King.

Psalms 50:10,12  - For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.