Because of Love

(Please read all the way to the end)


A brother and sister had made their usual hurried, obligatory pre-
Christmas visit to the little farm where dwelt their elderly
parents with their small herd of horses. The farm was where they
had grown up and had been named Lone Pine Farm because of the huge
Pine, which topped the hill behind the
farm. Through the years the tree had become a talisman to the old man
and his wife, and a landmark in the countryside. The young
siblings had fond memories of their childhood here, but the city
hustle and bustle added more excitement to their lives, and called
them away to a different life.

The old folks no longer showed their horses, for the years had
taken their toll, and getting out to the barn on those frosty
mornings was getting harder, but it gave them a reason to get up in
the mornings and a reason to live. They sold a few foals each
year, and the horses were their reason for joy in the morning and
contentment at day's end.


Angry, as they prepared to leave, the young couple confronted the
old folks "Why do you not at least dispose of The Old One." She
is no longer of use to you. It's been years since you've had foals
from her. You should cut corners and save so you can have more for
yourselves. How can this old worn out horse bring you anything but
expense and work? Why do you keep her anyway?"

The old man looked down at his worn boots, holes in the toes,
scuffed at the barn floor and replied, " Yes, I could use a pair of
new boots. His arm slid defensively about the Old One's neck as he
drew her near with gentle caressing he rubbed her softly behind her
ears. He replied softly, "We keep her because of love. Nothing
else, just love."

Baffled and irritated, the young folks wished the old man and his
wife a Merry Christmas and headed back toward the city as darkness
stole through the valley. The old couple shook their heads in
sorrow that it had not been a happy visit. A tear fell upon their
cheeks. How is it that these young folks do not understand the
peace of the love that filled their hearts?

So it was, that because of the unhappy leave-taking, no one noticed
the insulation smoldering on the frayed wires in the old barn.
None saw the first spark fall. None but the "Old One".

In a matter of minutes, the whole barn was ablaze and the hungry
flames were licking at the loft full of hay. With a cry of horror
and despair, the old man shouted to his wife to call for help as he
raced to the barn to save their beloved horses. But the flames were
roaring now, and the blazing heat drove him back. He sank sobbing
to the ground, helpless before the fire's fury. His wife back from
calling for help cradled him in her arms, clinging to each other,
they wept at their loss.

By the time the fire department arrived, only smoking, glowing
ruins were left, and the old man and his wife, exhausted from their
grief, huddled together before the barn. They were speechless as
they rose from the cold snow covered ground. They nodded thanks to
the firemen as there was nothing anyone could do now. The old man
turned to his wife, resting her white head upon his shoulders as
his shaking old hands clumsily dried her tears with a frayed red
bandana. Brokenly he whispered, "We have lost much, but God has
spared our home on this eve of Christmas. Let us gather strength
and climb the hill to the old pine where we have sought comfort in
times of despair. We will look down upon our home and give thanks
to God that it has been spared and pray for our beloved most
precious gifts that have been taken from us.

And so, he took her by the hand and slowly helped her up the snowy
hill as he brushed aside his own tears with the back of his old and
withered hand.

The journey up the hill was hard for their old bodies in the steep
snow. As they stepped over the little knoll at the crest of the
hill, they paused to rest, looking up to the top of the hill the
old couple gasped and fell to their knees in amazement at the
incredible beauty before them.

Seemingly, every glorious, brilliant star in the heavens was caught
up in the glittering, snow-frosted branches of their beloved pine,
and it was aglow with heavenly candles.
And poised on its top most bough, a crystal crescent moon glistened
like spun glass. Never had a mere mortal created a Christmas tree
such as this. They were breathless as the old man held his wife
tighter in his arms.

Suddenly, the old man gave a cry of wonder and incredible joy.
Amazed and mystified, he took his wife by the hand and pulled her
forward. There, beneath the tree, in resplendent glory, a mist
hovering over and glowing in the darkness was their Christmas
gift. Shadows glistening in the night light.

Bedded down about the "Old One" close to the trunk of the tree, was
the entire herd, safe.

At the first hint of smoke, she had pushed the door ajar with her
muzzle and had led the horses through it.
Slowly and with great dignity, never looking back, she had led
them up the hill, stepping cautiously through the snow. The foals
were frightened and dashed about. The skittish yearlings looked back
at the crackling, hungry flames, and tucked their tails under them
as they licked their lips and hopped like rabbits. The mares that
were in foal with a new years crop of babies, pressed uneasily
against the "Old One" as she moved calmly up the hill and to safety
beneath the pine. And now, she lay among them and gazed at the faces
of the old man and his wife. Those she loved she had not
disappointed. Her body was brittle with years, tired from the climb,
but the golden eyes were filled with devotion as she offered her
gift---

Because of love. Only Because of love.


Tears flowed as the old couple shouted their praise and joy... And
again the peace of love filled their hearts.

This is a true story.

Willy Eagle

This is an Inspirational message sent to a
small group of people.
My hope is that it will make your day just
a little bit better.


Keep reading


A small request!

Cancer is a strange cell.

Going along for years in remission and
than one day it pops it head up again.

Pray for the day there will be a
permanent cure.

A SMALL REQUEST...

93% won't forward, but I'm Sure You
Will........

A small request....Just one line


Dear God, I pray for the cure of cancer.

Amen

Just a thought

The Apostle Paul wrote: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” The logic of the Scripture is that if God is indeed working within the one professing to be saved then his heart would be a willing heart for the things of God, and his life would be a doing life according to the good pleasure of God. Professing without possessing is a common thread; but a willing heart and an obedient faithfulness to the things of God are manifestations of the uncommon work of God within.

In the depths of His grace,

Bro. Manuel

Morning and Evening

Charles H. Spurgeon
October 2, 2010

Morning Reading

The hope which is laid up for you in heaven.

—Colossians 1:5

Our hope in Christ for the future is the mainspring and the mainstay of our joy here. It will animate our hearts to think often of heaven, for all that we can desire is promised there. Here we are weary and toilworn, but yonder is the land of rest where the sweat of labour shall no more bedew the worker's brow, and fatigue shall be for ever banished. To those who are weary and spent, the word "rest" is full of heaven. We are always in the field of battle; we are so tempted within, and so molested by foes without, that we have little or no peace; but in heaven we shall enjoy the victory, when the banner shall be waved aloft in triumph, and the sword shall be sheathed, and we shall hear our Captain say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." We have suffered bereavement after bereavement, but we are going to the land of the immortal where graves are unknown things. Here sin is a constant grief to us, but there we shall be perfectly holy, for there shall by no means enter into that kingdom anything which defileth. Hemlock springs not up in the furrows of celestial fields. Oh! is it not joy, that you are not to be in banishment for ever, that you are not to dwell eternally in this wilderness, but shall soon inherit Canaan? Nevertheless let it never be said of us, that we are dreaming about the future and forgetting the present, let the future sanctify the present to highest uses. Through the Spirit of God the hope of heaven is the most potent force for the product of virtue; it is a fountain of joyous effort, it is the corner stone of cheerful holiness. The man who has this hope in him goes about his work with vigour, for the joy of the Lord is his strength. He fights against temptation with ardour, for the hope of the next world repels the fiery darts of the adversary. He can labour without present reward, for he looks for a reward in the world to come.

Evening Reading

A man greatly beloved.

—Daniel 10:11

Child of God, do you hesitate to appropriate this title? Ah! has your unbelief made you forget that you are greatly beloved too? Must you not have been greatly beloved, to have been bought with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot? When God smote His only begotten Son for you, what was this but being greatly beloved? You lived in sin, and rioted in it, must you not have been greatly beloved for God to have borne so patiently with you? You were called by grace and led to a Saviour, and made a child of God and an heir of heaven. All this proves, does it not, a very great and superabounding love? Since that time, whether your path has been rough with troubles, or smooth with mercies, it has been full of proofs that you are a man greatly beloved. If the Lord has chastened you, yet not in anger; if He has made you poor, yet in grace you have been rich. The more unworthy you feel yourself to be, the more evidence have you that nothing but unspeakable love could have led the Lord Jesus to save such a soul as yours. The more demerit you feel, the clearer is the display of the abounding love of God in having chosen you, and called you, and made you an heir of bliss. Now, if there be such love between God and us let us live in the influence and sweetness of it, and use the privilege of our position. Do not let us approach our Lord as though we were strangers, or as though He were unwilling to hear us—for we are greatly beloved by our loving Father. "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" Come boldly, O believer, for despite the whisperings of Satan and the doubtings of thine own heart, thou art greatly beloved. Meditate on the exceeding greatness and faithfulness of divine love this evening, and so go to thy bed in peace.

But as many as received him

Daily Promises

Blue Letter Bible

October 2, 2010

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)

The right to become God's own children! Halleluiah! How blessed are we who believe! To become children of God's right hand, adopted into everlasting glory, is such a wondrous act of mercy that we can only respond with praise never-ceasing! Holy, holy, holy is our Lord! Hallelujah! Rejoice!

Spiritual Greatness through Childlike Humility

Day By Day By Grace
Bob Hoekstra
October 2, 2010

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" And Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:1-4)

Our God is great. "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable" (Psalm 145:3). Since we were created to know our great God, we have a yearning to find true greatness. The counterfeit path to greatness for the world, the flesh, and the devil is through self-exaltation. "I will be like the Most High" (Isaiah 14:14). The heavenly path to find spiritual greatness is through childlike humility.

The disciples asked Jesus who had truly found greatness in His kingdom. "At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, 'Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?'" No doubt, to their amazement, he placed a little child in the middle of them. "And Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them." How could this small child give insight into their query? Jesus' words must have been staggering for them to receive. "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

In the first place, no one can even enter into the Lord's kingdom without having a change of mind from the natural perspective of fallen humanity. We have such a self-sufficient, self-exalting viewpoint on life and how to find greatness. In order to become a child of God, we must be willing to adopt the Lord's perspective. Instead of us being capable of developing spiritually significant lives on our own, we must take the place of a humble, inadequate, needy child, looking to the Lord of life to give us eternal life. Then, in order to grow in spiritual substantiality, we must be willing to continue in a daily walk of childlike humility. "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

This teaching had to fall like a stinging indictment upon their hearts, since their motivation in asking was based upon their repeated arguments over which of them was the greatest in His kingdom! "Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest…But there was also rivalry among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest" (Luke 9:46 and 22:24).

O, great and awesome Lord, I confess that I have often sought greatness through the self-exalting paths of this fallen world. Many times, I have compared myself to others, thinking that would make me the greater. Lord, I repent. I want to walk before You day by day as a humble, needy, dependent child of the great King of kings, Amen.