Grandma's Hands

This is a story sent to me by a friend of mine. it is so good I had to share it with others. I hope all who read will feel the same.

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands. When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK.
Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK. She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," she said in a clear strong voice.
"I didn't mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to her.
"Have you ever looked at your hands," she asked. "I mean really looked at your hands?"
I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making.
Grandma smiled and related this story:
"Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.
"They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war.
"They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special. They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse.
"They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.
"They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.
"These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ."
I will never look at my hands the same again. But I remember God reached out and took my grandma's hands and led her home.
When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and husband I think of grandma. I know she has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.
I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.

Who is a Child of God?

A lot of people today claim to be Christians, but not as many are as claim to be. Jesus said, “ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matt 7:21
Just because someone calls themselves a Christian does not mean they are one. Many will miss heaven by 18 inches, the distance from the head to the heart. If you have not received Jesus into your heart and only have head knowledge you may be in trouble. Religion will not get you to heaven. “I am the way the truth and the light. No man cometh to the Father but through me.” Jesus is the way.
God has given us a test to measure if you are a child of God. It is found in I Tim 4:12, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith in purity.”
To be a child of God one must believe Jesus in the Christ; God’s Son. Those who don’t believe , God called liars. “Who is a liar but he denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that deineth the Father and the Son.” I John 2:22
A child of god is one who loves God. “We love Him because He first loved us.”
A child of God has real affection for God and is concerned about god’s work. The bible says in Matt 7:20, “By their fruits ye shall know them.” We don’t serve God to get something we want. We serve Him because we love Him and want to please Him.
We know we love god because we keep His commandments. The bible tells us plainly, “ He that saith I know Him and keep not His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him.” In I John2:5 we find these words, “ We know we are saved because we keep His commandments.”
Here are some of God’s commandments: see if you are keeping them.
1. Witnessing or telling others about the Lord
2. Living a clean Christian live
3. Tithing so as not to rob God
4. Praying—do you pray only when you want something.
5. Studying—Studying to show thy self approved unto god, a workman that needth not be ashamed rightly diving the word of truth.

Are you a Child of God? If not you can be. Seek and ye shall find. Ask and it shall be opened unto you.

The Importance of Sound Doctrine

In view of the multitude of religious sects, teachings, and denominations of today, we do well to consider the importance of sound doctrine. Does it make any difference what you believe, so long as you are sincere? In the book of Titus chapter 2 verses 1 and 2 Paul answers that question when he says, “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.” There is a trend today to consolidate all churches into one universal church. To do this would mean we would forfeit the fundamentals of the New Testament. It would be saying that it makes no difference what you believe, just so you are sincere. Our nation is governed by a sound constitution. We get very upset when anyone tries to destroys that--- why then don’t we get upset when someone tries to destroy a sound constitution God has set down to govern our lives—the New Testament.

The condition of the world we live in today is shown in II Timothy 4:1-3, “ Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”

People are turning away from the Bible because it rebukes and condemns their lives. A small boy once told his preacher he could no longer read the Bible. Concerned the preacher asked why he felt that way. The lad said, “ cause this book kicks.” As a result of this turning away people are fleeing from the truth.
What is the result if we continue to turn away from and fail to preach the truth? If we compromise on God’s plan for salvation, we frustrate grace and lead men into eternity LOST and WITHOUT CHRIST. At the judgment I wonder who will be most ashamed, those who rejected Christ or those who refused to tell anyone about Christ? Galatians 2:21 states, “ I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” If there were something we had to do by work to get saved we frustrate grace. Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works least any man should boast.”
I pose this question today if Christ does not have the power to keep, where is the power to save? If the observance of ordinances would save, why did not Jesus use them? If membership in a church could save, why did Jesus not organize the church first?

Let's Change Places

How would you like to change places with those you do not understand, and try sitting where they sit? Not many would like to try it. It is much easier to stand back and condemn than to put yourself in the place of the one you condemn. In Ezekiel 3:15, the prophet said, “ I sat where they sat.” Being a prophet, God picked Ezekiel for a special task, a difficult task. But before he was able to carry out the mission given him, it was necessary for him to know first-hand what the people were going through. Not only did he sit where they sat, but “he remained there astonished among them seven days.”
How would the rich like to sit among the extremely poor for seven days? Would the man with good health want to take his place among the diseased for a period of time? Would the complaining wife be astonished if she followed her husband around for a week and sat where he sat, heard what he heard, did what he did, worked as he worked? Would a husband who lacked complete understanding of home problems be more helpful if he changed seats with his wife for a week?
There is a story about an employer who sent for a young man who had been stealing money from the firm. When the young man fully confessed his guilt, saying, “I did steal. I am guilty. Better send for the police and have it over with.” The boss replied, “ I am not even going to fire you, let alone call the police. You see, I did this very thing many years ago and my boss gave me another chance.” This caused a great change in the young bookkeeper and he became the most trusted man in the entire firm. His boss sat where he sat, and felt what he felt.
If we could only exchange jobs, duties, incomes, responsibilities, how much more understanding we would be! We certainly would have more sympathy and tolerance with those we deal with from day to day.
There are many times when the Pastor must seek to “Sit where they sit.” as far as the membership of the church is concerned. We may sit where others sit, God helping us, for a purpose. We must seek to see what others see and feel sorry enough to help them do something about their plight in life. We must seek to implant in hearts hope and cheer, and the only way to do this is to introduce the unhappy ones to Jesus. No other way is worth even a slight consideration. If we can implant in the lives of others, sincere love for God, a sincere desire to do His will, a total dependence on Him, they will soon be able to wipe out all criticism and rise out of the miserable depths of degradation.
Have you ever tried to sit near the throne of God and watch the world go by? Has it occurred to you that God is very patient with you, very kind, longsuffering, merciful, tenderhearted, always eager and anxious to help humanity out of their distress and despair? If not, possibly you need a new vision of Him.
Ezekiel was willing to suffer. We must do the same. He was not too proud to work, to tell the truth. He had no fear of what man might do. He defied the royal prince and according to tradition, lost his life, but above all, he never lost his desire to help those he came in contact with. How about changing seats with someone today?

Just Checkin In

This story was sent to me and I felt it needed to be sent out to others.
A minister passing through his church
in the middle of the day,
Decided to pause by the altar and see who had come to pray.
Just then the back door opened, a man came down the aisle,
The minister frowned as he saw the man hadn't shaved in a while.
His shirt was kind a shabby and his coat was worn and frayed,
the man knelt, he bowed his head,
Then rose and walked away. In the days that followed,
each noon time came this chap, each time he knelt just for a moment,
A lunch pail in his lap.
Well, the minister's suspicions grew, with robbery a main fear,
He decided to stop the man and ask him,
"What are you doing here?" The old man said, he worked down the road.
Lunch was half an hour. Lunchtime was his prayer time,
For finding strength and power. "I stay only moments, see,
because the factory is so far away; as I kneel here talking to the Lord,
This is kind a what I say:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP
AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY,
BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY. SO, JESUS, THIS IS JIM
CHECKING IN TODAY."

The minister feeling foolish, told Jim, that was fine.
He told the man he was welcome To come and pray just anytime.
Time to go, Jim smiled, said "Thanks."
He hurried to the door. The minister knelt at the altar,
he'd never done it before.
His cold heart melted, warmed with love, and met with Jesus there.
As the tears flowed, in his heart, he repeated old Jim's prayer:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP
AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY. SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN TODAY"

Past noon one day, the minister noticed that old Jim hadn't come.
As more days passed without Jim, he began to worry some.
At the factory, he asked about him , learning he was ill.

The hospital staff was worried, But he'd given them a thrill.
The week that Jim was with them, Brought changes in the ward.
His smiles, a joy contagious. Changed people, were his reward.

The head nurse couldn't understand why Jim was so glad,
when no flowers, calls or cards came,
Not a visitor he had. The minister stayed by his bed,
He voiced the nurse's concern: No friends came to show they cared.
He had nowhere to turn.

Looking surprised, old Jim spoke up and with a winsome smile;
"the nurse is wrong, she couldn't know,
that in here all the while everyday at noon He's here,
a dear friend of mine, you see, He sits right down, takes my hand,
Leans over and says to me:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM,
HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP,
AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.
ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY,
I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY,
AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS
CHECKING IN TODAY."
If this blesses you, pass it on Many people will walk in and out of your life,
but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.
May God hold you in the palm of His hand
and Angels watch over you.

But for those of us who are already His, He not
only holds us in the palm of His hand, but has
engraved our names there, and we are continually
in His sight (Isaiah 49:16)

Please pass this page on to your friends & loved ones.
If you aren't ashamed.
Jesus said, " If you are ashamed of me," I will be ashamed of you before my Father."
If you are not ashamed, pass this on. But only if you mean it.

Yes, I do love God. He is my source of existence and Savior.

He keeps me functioning each and everyday. Without Him, I will be nothing. Without him, I am nothing but with Him "I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me." Phil 4:13

This is too good not to share -
So this is me ... Just Checking

A Decision From God

Many times we try to force a decision from God. Each time we are faced with frustration. The churches have indoctrinated us to believe God is just standing by to give us our every wish. This is far from reality. god does want what is best for us, and he does look ahead. Sometimes what is best is not what we want to hear. Doors are closed or doors are open. Just because we want something does not mean it is in our best interest. So when we see a door closed we immediately assume God doesn't care or we must have great sin that prevented our request from being granted. This comes from pulpits on most every Sunday and from every denomination. While in reality God may have seen a pot hole that was going to cause far worse distress that the door that was closed.
In that light then we must understand all our efforts to force a closed door open or try to negotiate with God to reconsider is fruitless.
God is a great God and wants only what is best for His children. As the saying goes No is an answer too.