We Just May Be Surprized!

I received this in my mailbox from a reader




I  was shocked,  confused, bewildered
As I entered Heaven's  door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
Nor  the lights or its decor.

But it was the  folks in Heaven
Who made me sputter and  gasp--
The thieves, the liars, the  sinners,
The alcoholics and the trash. 

There stood the kid from seventh grade 
Who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to  him was my old neighbor
Who never said  anything nice.

Bob, who I always thought 
Was rotting away in hell,
Was sitting  pretty on cloud  nine, 
Looking incredibly well.

I nudged  Jesus, 'What's the deal?
I would love to  hear Your take.
How'd all these sinners get  up here?
God must've made a mistake. 

'And why is everyone so quiet,
So  somber - give me a clue.'
'Hush, child,' He  said,
'they're all in shock.
No one  thought they'd be seeing you..'

JUDGE  NOT!!

Remember...Just going to church  doesn't make you a
Christian any more than  standing in your garage makes you a car.


I surely hope that no one will be shocked to see me in heaven and I pray the same for you!

The Road of Life

At first, I saw God as my observer,

my judge,keeping track of the things I did wrong,

so as to know whether I merited heaven
or hell when I die.
He was out there sort of like a president.
I recognized His picture when I saw it,
but I really didn't know Him.
But later on
when I met Christ,
it seemed as though life was rather like a bike ride,
but it was a tandem bike,
and I noticed that Christ
was in the back helping me pedal.
I don't know just when it was
that He suggested we change places,
but life has not been the same since.
When I had control,
I knew the way.
It was rather boring,
but predictable . . .
It was the shortest distance between two points.
But when He took the lead,
He knew delightful long cuts,
up mountains,
and through rocky places
at breakneck speeds,
it was all I could do to hang on!
Even though it looked like madness,
He said, "Pedal!"
I worried and was anxious
and asked,
"Where are you taking me?"
He laughed and didn't answer,
and I started to learn to trust.
I forgot my boring life
and entered into the adventure.
And when I'd say, "I'm scared,"
He'd lean back and touch my hand.
He took me to people with gifts that I needed,
gifts of healing,
acceptance
and joy.
They gave me gifts to take on my journey,
my Lord's and mine.
And we were off again.
He said, "Give the gifts away;
they're extra baggage, too much weight."
So I did,
to the people we met,
and I found that in giving I received,
and still our burden was light.
I did not trust Him,
at first,
in control of my life.
I thought He'd wreck it;
but He knows bike secrets,
knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners,
knows how to jump to clear high rocks,
knows how to fly to shorten scary passages.
And I am learning to shut up
and pedal
in the strangest places,
and I'm beginning to enjoy the view
and the cool breeze on my face
with my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ.
And when I'm sure I just can't do anymore,
He just smiles and says . . . "Pedal."


-- author unknown

Scribbles between the lines

Having walked with the Lord almost 50 years... I have read and poured over quite a few different Bibles.  These old, raggedy books are dear to me and seem almost like a diary of my walk with the Lord.  I am a marker, a scribbler, a note taker and my Bibles tend to be marked up alot.  Quotes from sermons, preachers, and other references are scrawled in the margins and at the ends of chapters.  It's like pouring over yellowed letters from an old friend...  


Let me share a scribble or 2  with you today...


A Sermon on Lying:
A minister told his congregation ," Next week I am going to preach on the sin of lying.  To help you understand I want you all to read Mark 17".
The following Sunday, as he prepared to deliver his sermon, the minister asked for a show of hands.  He asked how many had read Mark 17.  Every hand went up.  He smiled and said "Mark has only sixteen chapters.  I will now proceed with my sermon on the sin of lying " :)


God's delays are not His denials
God is never in a hurry in the preparation of His saints
Never doubt in the dark what you received in the light


Blessings!