Prior Date

Archive Index

Next Date

WITandWISDOM(tm) – October 23, 2007 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: "The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one." - Mark Twain Source: Weekend Encounter, by Dick Innes, Copyright (c) ACTS International, 2007, http://www.actsweb.org/subscribe.php ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: There is an old story about the Greek Marathon. Muscular, conditioned runners paced nervously near the starting line for the long-distance race. The time was near. They "shook out" their muscles, inhaled deeply, and put on their "game faces." In the midst of it all, a young stranger took his place at the starting line. His physique was awesome. Taking no notice of the other contestants, he stared straight ahead. Two prizes would be awarded the winner of the Marathon: a magnificent bouquet of flowers and the honor of standing beside the king until the conclusion of other contests. There seemed to be no question among the runners about who would win the prize. It is alleged that the stranger was offered money not to run. Someone else attempted to bribe him with property. Refusing the offers, he toed the mark and awaited the signal to run. When the signal was given, he was the first away. At the finish line, he was the first to cross, well ahead of the rest. When it was all done, someone asked the young man if he thought the flowers were worth as much as the money and property he had refused. He replied, "I did not enter the race for the flowers. I ran so that I could stand beside my king!" Those of us who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ are "running the race" (I Cor. 9:24-25). It is a race that has a prize for those who finish (notice, not those who finish first, but all who finish). This prize, according to Paul, is an "imperishable crown." The rewards for those who enter heaven are described in scripture with a lot of terms -- "many mansions", "streets of gold", "tree of life", and the list goes on and on. All of those things are attractive. That's why God tells us about them. But I would be willing to give up all the streets of gold and settle for a small corner of a shack as long as I can know the reward of being able to stand beside my King. That's what I look forward to more than anything else. It is the one thing that will make heaven the wonderful reward that it will be. "...The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him." (Rev. 22:3) Run the race with diligence. Your King is watching and waits for you at the finish line! By Alan Smith Helen Street Church of Christ Fayetteville, North Carolina Source: Monday Fodder by Dave Aufrance, Missionary in Hongkong, http://www.fishermansnet.com/monday-fodder/ ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: In a delightful new book called The Sermon Maker: Tales of a Transformed Preacher, Calvin Miller does what he does best: weaves tales that make important points. In a scene which many preachers will recognize, Sam meets an unexpected visitor: "Sam, don't get up. You look good on your knees! It's a healthy sign in the land where I'm from. My boss has been concerned that you haven't been on your knees enough. It's the best place to begin a sermon, you know." "Who is your boss?" "He's your boss too. We have the same boss. Let me introduce myself. I've come to pay you a call of mercy. Believe it or not I'm ..." "An angel?" Sam gasped. Now he could see that the intruder had huge feathery wings arching above his shoulders. It was so uncanny, Sam wanted to laugh, but the severity of the intruder’s countenance made Sam retreat behind a wall of questions. "Well, what kind of angel are you? Are you Raphael, Michael, Gabriel, Uriel or Hazael? Are you one of the seven archangels?" "Actually, I'm the eighth archangel," said the intruder. "I'm Sermoniel, the Angel of Homiletics. I go around helping powerless preachers get it back." Tales of a Transformed Preacher, http://isbn.nu/9780310246565 Source: Preaching Now, http://www.preaching.com/newsletter/preachingnow/ ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: 'LOST' screamed the ad in my local paper in Celina, Ohio. 'Female medium-size gray tiger cat. Answers to Lucy or Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty.' Source: Clean Laffs, http://www.cleanlaffs.com/ ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: Hens Respond To Classics A Gloucester farmer is helping his hens lay more eggs - by playing them classical music. Charles Bourns, the National Farmers Union's poultry board chairman, says he saw a huge rise in production. He plays classical music 24 hours a day to his birds and as well as increasing productivity he believes it helps the birds' growth rate. "I have tried pop music, but it is too changeable, with lots of talking - the birds prefer Classic FM, much to my children's disgust," he told Farmer's Weekly magazine. Source: Ananova http://www.ananova.com