1/20–A miller and his son were taking their ass to sell at market, when they passed a group of girls, who laughed at how foolish the miller was to have an ass and yet be walking.
So the miller put his son on the ass. Further down the road they passed some old people who scolded the miller for allowing his young son to ride, when he should be riding himself.
So the miller removed his son and mounted the ass himself. Further along the road, they passed some travellers who said that if he wanted to sell the ass the two of them should carry him or he’d be exhausted and worthless.
So the miller and his son bound the ass’s legs to a pole and carried him. When they approached the town the people laughed at the sight of them, so loud that the noise frightened the ass, who kicked out and fell off a bridge into the river and drowned. The embarrassed miller and son went home with nothing, save the lesson that you will achieve nothing by trying to please everyone.
Check Out Books By J D Canter in Amazon And Kindle:
Illustration: We might liken it to letting go of a bell rope. If you have ever seen an old school house with a bell on top, or an old church with a bell in the steeple, you will remember that to get the bell ringing you have to tug awhile.
Once it has begun to ring, you merely maintain the momentum. As long as you keep pulling, the bell keeps ringing.
Forgiveness is letting go of the rope. It is just that simple. But when you do so, the bell keeps ringing. Momentum is still at work. However, if you keep your hands off the rope, the bell will begin to slow and eventually stop. The unforgiving spirit will begin to slow, and will eventually be still. Forgiveness is not something you feel, it is something you do. It is letting go of the rope.
Scripture:
Matthew 6:14-15
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Humor:
Two buddies were hiking when they came upon an old, abandoned mineshaft. Curious about its depth, they threw in a pebble and waited for the sound of it striking the bottom, but they heard nothing. They went and found a bigger rock, threw it in and waited. Still nothing.
They searched the area for something larger and came upon a railroad tie. With great difficulty, the two men carried it to the opening and threw it in. While waiting for it to hit bottom, a goat suddenly darted between them and leapt into the hole!
The guys were still standing there with astonished looks upon their faces when a man walked up to them. He asked them if they had seen a goat anywhere in the area and they said that one had just jumped into the mineshaft in front of them! The man replied, “Oh no. That couldn’t be my goat; mine was tied to a railroad tie.”
Ooops. We do make mistakes, don’t we? Thank God for the forgiveness available through Jesus Christ.
Today while I was hiking, I approached this beautiful old tree. It was like the tree was reaching out toward the sky. As I looked closer I noticed that it wasn’t one tree but two. My guide Peter explained that the tree was a beautiful oak tree and the roots growing around it was called a strangler fig. He went on to explain that the only way a strangler fig survives is to attach itself to another tree. Over the course of years to fix slowly cuts off the nourishment of the Oak tree and as a result it ultimately kills the oak tree.
I sat and thought about how profound that Oaktree was and thought about how many strangler figs try to penetrate our lives.
People who attach themselves to us while we were growing and appear to be rising up with us, but in truth they are slowly draining the life out of us—people who are not able to make it on their own so they reach out to stronger people so they can live, without concern for others, just themselves.
By the time we realize what is happening, it is too late. We don’t have the strength to fight –
and just slowly die.
It is important for us to take a deep look into our souls and decide for ourselves which role we will allow the strangler fig to play in our lives—and how we must prevent the grasping strangler fig from draining the life out of us so that we may become the mighty oak that reaches for the stars knowing there are no limits’
This is not my original work, don’t know who it belongs to but it is so good!
Also Check Out Sermons on You Tube under Brother Dale Cantrell And Please Subscribe:
Check Out Books By J D Canter in Amazon And Kindle:
1/18–Although you may have missed her, actress Kathy Bates played the vital roles of heiress Molly Brown in the recent movie TITANIC.
Bates, who is age 49, became known as the “mom” to the crew and became known as well as one who continually encouraged the crew and cast. Bates told a story in a recent interview to explain her perspective.
“There’s a great story I always remember when I think about crews and directors. There was a guest conductor who was rude to everyone in the symphony. Everyone hated him. Finally, at the packed dress rehearsal, he lifts his arms and nothing happens. Not a sound. He’s stunned. He draws himself up and gives the down beat again. No sound.
Finally, the first-chair violinist stands up and says, ‘That’s just to show you that no sound comes out of that baton of yours.’
I always think about that when I am making a movie.”
Everyone needs a bit of appreciation.
Are you dishing it out or just expecting it?
Scripture:
1 Peter 5:2-3
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
Humor:
An award should go to the United Airlines gate agent in Denver for being smart and funny, and making he point, when confronted with a passenger who probably deserved to fly as cargo. During the final days at Denver’s old Stapleton airport, a crowded United flight was cancelled.
A single agent was rebooking a long line of inconvenienced travelers. Suddenly an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket down on the counter and said, “I have to be on this flight and it has to be FIRST CLASS.” The agent replied, “I’m sorry sir. I’ll be happy to try to help you, but I’ve got to help those folds first, and I’m sure we’ll be able to work something out.”
The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear, “Do you have nay idea who I am?” Without hesitating, the gate agent smiled and grabbed her public address microphone.
“May I have your attention please?” She began, her voice bellowing throughout the terminal. “We have a passenger here at the gate WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him find his identity, please come to the gate.”
Good question! Who are we? In Christ we are new creations!
1/18– Start Your Day Off Right Series
Quote:
1/18–Be Thankful
Story:
1/18–Although you may have missed her, actress Kathy Bates played the vital roles of heiress Molly Brown in the recent movie TITANIC.
Bates, who is age 49, became known as the “mom” to the crew and became known as well as one who continually encouraged the crew and cast. Bates told a story in a recent interview to explain her perspective.
“There’s a great story I always remember when I think about crews and directors. There was a guest conductor who was rude to everyone in the symphony. Everyone hated him. Finally, at the packed dress rehearsal, he lifts his arms and nothing happens. Not a sound. He’s stunned. He draws himself up and gives the down beat again. No sound.
Finally, the first-chair violinist stands up and says, ‘That’s just to show you that no sound comes out of that baton of yours.’
I always think about that when I am making a movie.”
Everyone needs a bit of appreciation.
Are you dishing it out or just expecting it?
Scripture:
1 Peter 5:2-3
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
Humor:
An award should go to the United Airlines gate agent in Denver for being smart and funny, and making he point, when confronted with a passenger who probably deserved to fly as cargo. During the final days at Denver’s old Stapleton airport, a crowded United flight was cancelled.
A single agent was rebooking a long line of inconvenienced travelers. Suddenly an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket down on the counter and said, “I have to be on this flight and it has to be FIRST CLASS.” The agent replied, “I’m sorry sir. I’ll be happy to try to help you, but I’ve got to help those folds first, and I’m sure we’ll be able to work something out.”
The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear, “Do you have nay idea who I am?” Without hesitating, the gate agent smiled and grabbed her public address microphone.
“May I have your attention please?” She began, her voice bellowing throughout the terminal. “We have a passenger here at the gate WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him find his identity, please come to the gate.”
Good question! Who are we? In Christ we are new creations!
And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
J D Canter E Books 