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 himself 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.

To God Be the Glory!

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A Touching Story

This was sent to me by a friend. I do not know who the author is but still I decided to post this very touching story. Read on.

I was walking around in a Target store, when I saw a Cashier hand this little boy some money back.The boy couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old.The Cashier said, 'I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll.'

Then the little boy turned to the old woman next to him: ''Granny, are you sure I don't have enough money?''The old lady replied: ''You know that you don't have enough money to buy this doll, my dear.''Then she asked him to stay there for just 5 minutes while she went to look around. She left quickly. The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand. Finally, I walked toward him and I asked him who he wished to give this doll to. 'It's the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much for Christmas. She was sure that Santa Claus would bring it to her.'


I replied to him that maybe Santa Claus would bring it to her after all, and not to worry.But he replied to me sadly. ' No, Santa Claus can't bring it to her where she is now. I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there.'His eyes were so sad while saying this.'My Sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister.''My heart nearly stopped.The little boy looked up at me and said: 'I told daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I need her to wait until I come back from the mall.'

Then he showed me a very nice photo of him where he was laughing. He then told me 'I want mommy to take my picture with her so she won't forget me.' 'I love my mommy and I wish she doesn't have to leave me, but daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister.'Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very quietly.I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy. 'Suppose we check again, just in case you do have enough money for the doll?'''OK' he said, 'I hope I do have enough.' I added some of my money to his without him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll and even some spare money.The little boy said: 'Thank you God for giving me enough money!'

Then he looked at me and added, 'I asked last night before I went to sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll, so that mommy could give It to my sister. He heard me!'''I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for too much. But He gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose.'''My mommy loves white roses.'

A few minutes later, the old lady returned and I left with my basket.I finished my shopping in a totally different state from when I started. I couldn't get the little boy out of my mind.Then I remembered a local new s paper article two days ago, which mentioned a drunk man in a truck, who hit a car occupied by a young woman and a little girl.The little girl died right away, and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life-sustaining machine, because the young woman would not be able to recover from the coma.Was this the family of the little boy?

Two days after this encounter with the little boy, I read in the newspaper that the young woman had passed away.I couldn't stop myself as I bought a bunch of white roses and I went to the funeral home where the body of the young woman was expos ed for people to see and make last wishes before her burial.She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her hand with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her chest.

I left the place, teary-eyed, feeling that my life had been changed forever.... The love that the little boy had for his mother and his sister is still, to this day, hard to imagine.And in a fraction of a second, a drunk driver had taken all this away from him.

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The Secret

One day, one friend asked another,
"How is it that you are always so happy?
You have so much energy,
and you never seem to get down."

With her eyes smiling, she said,
"I know the Secret!"
"What secret is that?"
To which she replied,
"I'll tell you all about it,
but you have to promise to
share the Secret with others."

"The Secret is this:
I have learned there is little I can do
in my life that will make me truly happy.
I must depend on God to make
me happy and to meet my needs.
When a need arises in my life,
I have to trust God to supply
according to HIS riches.
I have learned most of the time
I don't need half of what I think I do.
He has never let me down.
Since I learned that 'Secret', I am happy."

"That's too simple!"
But upon reflecting over her own life
she recalled how she thought a bigger house
would make her happy, but it didn't!
She thought a better paying job
would make her happy, but it hadn't.
When did she realize her greatest happiness?
Sitting on the floor with her grandchildren,
playing games, eating pizza or reading a story,
a simple gift from God.

We can't depend on people to make us happy.
Only GOD in His infinite wisdom can do that.
Trust HIM!
And now I pass the Secret on to you!
So once you get it, what will you do?

That GOD in His wisdom will take care of YOU!
But it's not really a secret...
We just have to believe it and do it...
Really trust God!

Childlike Faith

At the age of two I started to teach Ethan how to pray. The prayers are simple but I guess had no real meaning to a toddler just starting to talk. I always start my prayer with Ethan by saying Thank you Jesus for today and so on.

As Ethan grew older and perhaps sire, he started to ask who Jesus is. In the simplest terms possible I explained that Jesus is the son of God. Of course that started another round of questions like who is God?

It was hard explaining to a child the essence of God, or so I thought.

Yesterday, I told Ethan that my very dear cousin is gravely sick. I told him that I am so sad. Ethan asked if my cousin has medicines and doctors. I said yes. Then mom, all we have to do is ask Jesus to make her well, Ethan said.

I was dumbfounded! Here, is a five-year-old boy showing me unwavering and unfailing faith to a God who I thought he cannot comprehend.

Praise you Jesus! Amen!

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My Secret

If I were to recount all the trials that life brought me, you might not believe it. If I tell you, as I seem to happily blog everyday, that I am full of problems, you might not believe me too.

But I do have problems. My life is not easy. I sometimes have sleepless nights thinking of ways and means to my problems. Nevertheless, it is seldom that you'll see me defeated. Somehow I still find the inspiration to bounce back. Why? I have a secret that is not a secret, actually.

We serve a great and mighty God. He can make a way when there seems to be no way! He was able to create the world out of nothing! How easy would it be for Him to breathe a whiff of sunlight to our sometimes dark lives. He is my secret.

There is power in your words, in your prayers. Have faith and expectancy. Let your life be filled with peace that passes all understanding. God loves you and me!

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Furthering the Gospel

There are two ways to look at every situation. How it will affect you, and how it will affect God's kngdon. The apostle Paul was always concerned wiht how his circumstances might aid the spreading of the gospel. When he was unjustly imprisoned, he iimediately looked to see how his imprisonement might provide God's salvation to others. (Phil. 1:13; Acts 16:19-34). whe he was assailed by an angry mob, he used the opportunity to preach the gospel (Acts 22:1-21). When Paul's criminal proceedings took him before the king, his thoughts were on sharing his faith wwith the king (Acts 26:1-32). Even when Paul was shipwrecked on anisland, he used that opportunity to share the gospel there. Regardless of his circumstance, Paul's concern was how he could use his current situation to tell others of God's good news of salvation.

Often weh we encounter a new situation, our first thoughts are not about God's kingdon. When we face a crisis, we can become angry of fearful for our own well-being, rather that looking to see what God intends to do through our circumstances. If we remain self-centered we will miss so much of what God could do through our experiences, both for us and for those around us.

Ask God to make you aware of how He could use your present curcymstances to bless others. Perhaps someone around you needs to see the difference Christ's presence makes in your life. Are youo wioling for God to use your circumstances to demonstrate His saving power to those around you?

Experiencing God Devotional
Henry Blackaby and Richard Blackaby
picture by: fpaengineers

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What Faith Is

For every wrong or right question you have, God has the answer. For every doubt, fear, or what ever sentiment or predicament you are in, the Bible answers it all.

The following are Biblical passages referring to Faith.

Mark 11:22-24

22"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. 23"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Matthew 8:5-13

The Faith of the Centurion 5When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6"Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering."
7Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."
8The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
10When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
13Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.

New International Version
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

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