A spiritual thought
archie
When temptation knocks, let God answer the door.
Not all of God’s answers to prayer are nice or easy to cope with.
PRAYER IS THE VITAMIN FOR THE SICK SOUL
There are two types of diseases that are in absolute contrast to each other. In one type the cause of the disease is the presence of germs or bacteria that are harmful to the human body. The other type of disease is caused by the absence of some chemical or some other vital substance that is essential to keep the body from becoming disordered. Many human ills are deficiency diseases and can only be overcome by supplying those elements which are lacking.
So, in the first disease the germs must be destroyed or expelled before the body can be restored to good health. And in the second case, the body can only be brought back to good health by supplying the vital elements which it lacks. The alcoholic is a sick person. He is suffering from a physical and spiritual disease, but if he is fortunate enough to be hospitalized or if he can afford to pay a doctor, he will get medication for his illness. His doctor will give him medication to kill the germs that are harmful. And if he is suffering from the lack of the health elements, he will be given vitamin shots to replenish the deficiency of the vital elements that his body needs.
But his doctor cannot give him medication to bring his sick soul back do spiritual and moral health. He will have to seek spiritual medication from the Divine doctor. He is just as sick in his soul as he is in his body and he needs Divine medication to destroy the germs that are causing his mental turmoil. And he needs spiritual vitamins to restore his moral and spiritual deficiencies and build up his resistance to ward off the harmful germs.
Prayer is the vitamin for the sick soul. Prayer will kill the germs that are detrimental to man’s soul. Prayer will restore humility and expel the germ of selfishness. It will destroy the germ of hate and restore the element of love. It will banish the germ of doubt and suspicion and restore faith. Daily prayer for the soul is like a daily vitamin for the body. It will restore our moral and spiritual deficiencies.
The health of our soul is just as important as the health of our body. The two go together. Physical power and vast possessions will not give us spiritual satisfaction unless we learn to use them to enrich our spiritual welfare. We may live in a mansion surrounded by every conceivable luxury and yet be poor in our family relationship for lack of love and sympathy. We may accumulate vast sums that will satisfy every whim, and yet be poor in real satisfaction unless we include the vitamin of prayer in our daily diet.
We are living in a civilization that has all the material wealth to make man happy and comfortable, yet with all this wealth there is spiritual poverty. We need something more than material things and body comfort to build up our spiritual health against the forces of evil. We need the vitamin of prayer in a world where so many demands are made upon us by the hucksters of depravity. Our scientific and modern civilization with all its marvels is suffering for lack of faith in God, without which our physical and material progress is in vain. "Yes, we have life, but we need something that will give meaning to life."
Stepping Stones to Recovery, page 73
Always Say A Prayer
archie
When struggles and trials come, let us focus on how God has delivered us in the past.
Not all of God’s answers to prayer are nice or easy to cope with.
PRAYERS CAN BE ANSWERED IN STRANGE WAYS
What’s that?” my sister-in-law Barb asked, pointing at an aluminum monstrosity parked in the middle of the festival grounds. “Some kind of old bus,” I said, glaring at it sitting smack-dab beside the spot I’d been assigned to.
I’d spent months getting ready for this festival. Our family needed the money in these hard times. I’d gone to countless yard sales with Barb. We’d picked up stoneware bowls, vintage jewelry, hooked rugs, birdhouses, wicker planters, pie safes, even a big cupboard. But who would see it if that bus was blocking the way? The festival wasn’t until the next day, so we had the evening to set up. Barb and I unloaded the truck. The bus loomed like an evil giant.
There was nothing we could do but get a good night’s sleep. Barb and I put up a tarp and unrolled our sleeping bags. I started up at the stars. Lord, you parted the Red Sea. Can’t you move that bus? It certainly wasn’t the best prayer I had ever come up with, but I was desperate.
The rumble
of the bus engine woke us bright and early. Maybe now it would get moving. But
the engine backfired and died. The driver got out. “Sorry, ladies,” he said.
“Got to wait for parts.”
Before long, our first customers arrived. One bought a bracelet, another the big cupboard, then a pie safe and a rug. The sun beat down. It was hot. “How’d you find us?” I asked 1 customer.
“Well, that bus caught my eye first,” he said. “Then I saw all your nice things.”
There was no cover from the broiling sun out on the festival grounds. Yet people kept coming to our booth. It was the bus. Casting its long shadow, making our booth the only shady spot around.
At the end of the day, Barb and I surveyed our tables. The duck decoys had sold out. So had the hooked rugs and wicker planters. I turned toward the bus and smiled. You might say we had it made in the shade ... of a broken-down old bus. Who knew? Well, I think I know.
Guideposts 9/11/2011
archie
When problems arise, before we ask, why us, ask if God trying to say something to us through this?
Our joy, prayers, and thankfulness to God should not fluctuate with our circumstances or feelings.
GOD’S ARMOR FOR US
Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will still be standing up. But to do this, you will need the strong belt of truth and the breastplate of God’s approval. Wear shoes that are able to speed you on as you preach the Good News of peace with God. In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by satan. And you will need the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the Word of God.
archie
When people reject God, He allows them to live as they choose.
Peace comes not because our prayers have been answered exactly as prayed them, but because we shifted our focus and the burden of responsibility on to God.
PUTTING OUR COUNTRY TOGETHER
A father wanted to read a magazine but was being bothered by his little girl, Shelby. She wanted to know what the United States looked like. Finally, he tore a sheet out of his new magazine on which was printed the map of the country. Tearing it into small pieces, he gave it to Shelby and said, "Go into the other room and see if you can put this together. This will show you our whole country today." After a few minutes, Shelby returned and handed him the map, correctly fitted and taped together. The father was surprised and asked how she had finished so quickly. "Oh," she said, "on the other side of the paper is a picture of Jesus. When I got all of Jesus back where He belonged, then our country just came together."
Source unknown
archie
When our decisions affect the lives of others, we must always seek God’s wisdom.
People who pray for miracles usually don’t get miracles, people who pray for courage, strength to bear the unbearable, for the grace to remember what they have left instead of what they have lost, very often find their prayers answered.
REAL PRAYER
Real prayer is not telling God what we want. It is putting ourselves at His disposal so that He can tell us what He wants. Prayer is not trying to get God to change His will. It is trying to find out what His will is, to a line ourselves or realign ourselves with His purpose for the world and for us.
Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age: page 265, paragraph 2
archie
When others reject us, we need God most, don’t turn from our most faithful friend.
Pray.
REGRET CITY
I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year, and yet I found myself packing rather hurriedly. This trip was going to be unpleasant and I knew in advance that no real good would come of it. This is my annual "Guilt Trip."
I got tickets to fly there on "Wish-I-Had" airlines. It was an extremely short flight. I got my "baggage," which I could not check. I chose to carry it myself all the way. It was loaded down with a one thousand memories of "what might have been."
No one greeted me as I entered the terminal to the Regret City International Airport. I say international because people from all over the world come to this dismal town. As I checked into the "Last Resort" Hotel, I noticed that they would be hosting the year’s most important event; the annual "Pity Party."
I wasn’t going to miss that great social occasion. Many of the towns leading citizens would be there. First, there would be the "Done" family; you know, "Should have," "Would Have" and "Could Have." Then came the "I Had" family. You probably know old "Wish" and his clan. Of course, the "Opportunities" family; "Missed and lost," would be present. The biggest family there would be the "Yesterday’s."
There are far too many of them to count, but each one would have a very sad story to share. Of course," Shattered dreams" would surely make an appearance. "It’s Their fault" family would regale us with stories (excuses) about how things had failed in their life. Each story would be loudly applauded by the "Don’t blame me" and "I couldn’t help it" committee.
To make a long story short, I went to this depressing party, knowing full well there would be no real benefit in doing so. And, as usual, I became very depressed. But as I thought about all of the stories of failures brought back from the past, it occurred to me that this trip and subsequent "pity parties" Could be canceled by me!
I started to realize that I did not have to be there. And I didn’t have to be depressed. One thing kept going through my mind, I can’t change yesterday, But I do have the power to make today a wonderful day. I can be happy, joyous, fulfilled, encouraged, as well as being encouraging.
Knowing this, I left Regret City immediately, and didn’t leave a forwarding address. Am I sorry for mistakes I’ve made in the past? Yes! But there is no way to undo them. So, if you’re planning a trip back to Regret City, please cancel all those reservations now. Instead, take a trip to a nice place called: "Starting Again."
I like it so much that I made it my permanent residence. My neighbors, the "Been forgiven" and the "We’re saved" are so very helpful. By the way, you don’t have to carry around the heavy baggage anymore either.
That load is lifted from your shoulders upon arrival. Just thank God for salvation.
If you need directions, just look into your heart, and enter by "Grace way." No taxes or other cost. God’s Son paid the price, in full, for all sins and transgressions, a long time ago. Look me up if you’re ready for a total change in your life. I now live on "His Will Way." Sincerely, "Born again."
Source unknown
archie
When new situations frighten or worry us, recognize that experiencing fear is normal, to be paralyzed by fear, however, is an indication that we question God’s ability to take care of us.
Pray continuously.
RELIABILITY TEST FOR PRAYER
A simple test for reliability in prayer: if the answer is the one we want to hear—-or the one that lets us sit back amid our complacency, laziness, or fear and let someone else do all the work in solving the problem for us—-it probably isn’t God’s answer; what God wants us to do is rarely what we want to do.
Source unknown
archie
When man listens, God speaks, when man obeys, God acts.
Prayer does not change God’s attitude toward us, it changes our attitudes toward Him.
THE SERENITY PRAYER
The Serenity Prayer asks God for gifts. It mentions serenity, acceptance, change, courage and wisdom. According to Webster, wisdom is a "wise plan or course of action," and that is what the prayer gives us. The power word is "change.” The prayer offers us only two options: either change the situation or change our attitude toward it.
Source unknown
An inebriated hunter lost in the woods. After the panic wore off a little, he remembered reading that lost persons should fire shots in the air at intervals to guide rescuers. But after a few hours had passed, the poor chap said to himself worriedly, "I sure hope they find me soon. I’ve used up nearly all my arrows."