The Real Gift

As I stood in front of our booth at the Morgnton Festival on Saturday I saw a number of different people from all walks of life. Some were happy. Some were sad. Still others were dressed in many different types of clothes and hair styles. Children of all ages gazing at all the sites to be seen as they were walking down the streets with their eyes looking in all directions. As I spoke to the people passing our way, some were amazed that I would speak while others were very cordial. There were those that just looked at me and kept walking. We were giving away horse shoes with people's names hammered on the hores shoe. People were amazed that we would do this for free. They did not understand that we had an even greater gift to give them if they would ask for it. As the day went on, I would use the horse shoe to start a conversation about this wonderful free gift that I was so wanting to give each and everyone that came our way. This gift is something we all need in order to get our rewards when we die. This gift is Jesus our Savior. He died on the cross for our sins so that we could have eternal life in Heaven. This gift is totally free. All we have to do is to admit we are sinners and ask for forgiveness and believe that Jesus is God's son and that he died for our sins and rose the third day. The only thing left is to ask Jesus to come and live in our hearts and that my friend is the best gift in the world. You will never be happier than at that moment when Jesus comes into your heart. This was our real gift to these people. The horse shoe was extra. John 3:16 explaines this gift completely. On the horse shoe this verse was stamped on the ends. The person's name is in the center of the horse shoe, right in the center of God's amazing love for us. The Real Gift straight from God's heart to our heart. There were 33 that received that gift that day. AMEN!!!

For That Fearless Hero

There are times in life when no matter what we have done and no matter how much we have poured into a job, there is going to be someone that will either not like what we have done or just be completely jealous of the things we have accomplished. These are times that we want to either just lash out at these people or just simply take our stripes and hope that our lives will come together again. This can be one of the loneliest times in our lives. It seems that we are the only one in the world that has done something terribly wrong and everyone is out to get us and take a piece of us as they do.

It is a good thing to be able to call on family, but even that does not heal all the wounds. You know in your heart that you did the best that you could under the circumstances and acted in the best interest of all involved, but there is still that one who wants so badly to make us look bad and tear down all the good that we have done. They just simply cannot stand to see us rise above the rest of the group, even though we have earned it.

Jealousy is one of the most terrifying and destructive enemies in our society. It lurks around every corner and is patiently waiting for that time that it can jump out and attack us and tear us to shreds and then just go about its business like nothing ever happened.

When the dust settles, you'll find jealousy sitting there smiling and taking all the bows, while we just sit there and wonder if it is really over and life can begin to go back to normal again. Still this does not even begin to make any of it feel better or even make sense to us.

This would seem to be a time that we could feel sorry for ourselves and wonder "Why me?" Bad times are events that we can use to grow and to better ourselves if we keep our eyes on Jesus and don't let our enemy win the battle. They may win the earthly battle, but not the spiritual battle. God knows what has taken place and He will direct our paths on to something even bigger and better if we but keep our eyes on him and trust him. Matthew 6:33-34 says, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." KEEP THE FAITH!!!