You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
       you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
       a broken and contrite heart,
       O God, you will not despise.

~Psalm 51:16-17

["It's not difficult to understand and admire Miss Maynell's wisdom. The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive."'Tell me whom you love,' Houssaye wrote, 'And I will tell you who you are.'"]

Tell Me Whom You Love

The following story is one of my favorites. It comes from Max Lucado's book, "And The Angels Were Silent."

"John Blanchard stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn't, the girl with the rose. His interest in her had begun thirteen months before in a Florida library. Taking a book off the shelf he found himself intrigued, not with the words of the book, but with the notes penciled in the margin. The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind. In the front of the book, he discovered the previous owner's name, Miss Hollis Maynell. With time and effort he located her address. She lived in New York City. He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond. The next day he was shipped overseas for service in World War II. During the next year and one month the two grew to know each other through the mail. Each letter was a seed falling on a fertile heart. A romance was budding. Blanchard requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn't matter what she looked like.

"When the day finally came for him to return from Europe, they scheduled their first meeting - 7:00 PM at the Grand Central Station in New York. 'You'll recognize me,' she wrote, 'by the red rose I'll be wearing on my lapel.' So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for a girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he'd never seen.

"I'll let Mr. Blanchard tell you what happened: A young woman was coming toward me, her figure long and slim. Her blonde hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears; her eyes were blue as flowers. Her lips and chin had a gentle firmness, and in her pale green suit she was like springtime come alive. I started toward her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose. As I moved, a small, provocative smile curved her lips. 'Going my way, sailor?' she murmured. Almost uncontrollably I made one step closer to her, and then I saw Hollis Maynell. She was standing almost directly behind the girl. A woman well past 40, she had graying hair tucked under a worn hat.. She was more than plump, her thick-ankled feet thrust into low-heeled shoes. The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away. I felt as though I was split in two, so keen was my desire to follow her, and yet so deep was my longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned me and upheld my own. And there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible, her gray eyes had a warm and kindly twinkle. I did not hesitate. My fingers gripped the small worn blue leather copy of the book that was to identify me to her.

"This would not be love, but it would be something precious, something perhaps even better than love, a friendship for which I had been and must ever be grateful. I squared my shoulders and saluted and held out the book to the woman, even though while I spoke I felt choked by the bitterness of my disappointment. 'I'm Lieutenant John Blanchard, and you must be Miss Maynell. I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?'

"The woman's face broadened into a tolerant smile. 'I don't know what this is about, son,' she answered, 'but the young lady in the green suit who just went by, she begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should tell you that she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!'

"It's not difficult to understand and admire Miss Maynell's wisdom. The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive.

"'Tell me whom you love,' Houssaye wrote, 'And I will tell you who you are.'"

The story carries its own application, so I will add no thought of my own. Simply this scripture:

"Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." (Matthew 25:40)

Tell me whom you love, and I will tell you whom you are.

Alan Smith
http://www.aworshipleader.org/CommunionTalks.asp?id=13

[I will praise your name, O LORD,]

  I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
      I will praise your name, O LORD,
       for it is good.

~Psalm 54:6

[I can't help but think of the last part of Romans 5:8. "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Not only does God's love not rest on who we are, but He loves us in spite of who we are. In spite of the fact that we're sinners. In spite of the fact that we're the reason Jesus was nailed to that cross. We just have to accept His love.]

Learning About God's Love

The following story was told by Carson Reed in Garnett's bulletin:

"Terri sobbed out her story. Nearly fifty years of living had netted only pain, heartaches, and disappointment. For the past three months she had come to worship, went to one of our women's ministry classes, and found herself as she put it-being "chased by God".

"She had a problem though. Terri's past cast such a long shadow over the future that she could not understand how God would really want to love her. The rubble of broken relationships, physical abuse, and alcoholism threatened to block out any possibility for the light of a new day. "How could God possibly love me?" she asked. "I am such a mess."

"Into the silence that followed I ventured a response, "The mess in your life has nothing to do with how God loves you."

"From deep inside her heart Terri cried, "But I'm not good enough for God to want to love me."

"All I could say was that God's love was completely different than the kinds of love she had experienced before. Often, with people, love rests on whether that love is properly returned. If you scratch my back, I will scratch yours.

"But God doesn't work that way. His love for every human is the same and that love never changes. God's love does not rest on who you are; God's love rests on who He is. We don't have to convince God to accept us; we simply have to let go of our false understandings about love and believe that God accepts us. Aren't you glad of that?

"Terri is. Two weeks later she was baptized."

I can't help but think of the last part of Romans 5:8. "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Not only does God's love not rest on who we are, but He loves us in spite of who we are. In spite of the fact that we're sinners. In spite of the fact that we're the reason Jesus was nailed to that cross. We just have to accept His love.

by Jim Schinnerer
http://www.aworshipleader.org/CommunionTalks.asp?id=27

And do not forget to do good and to share with others,
for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

~Hebrews 13:16

Through Jesus, therefore,
let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—
the fruit of lips that confess his name.

~Hebrews 13:15

[You still can’t watch as He opens the box. He peers in, takes out your life with all its flaws, all its imperfections, yes, even all its sins. A broad smile sweeps across His face as He exclaims, “How did you know?!? It’s just what I’ve always wanted.”]

Taking Your Gift to God

Have you ever received a gift from someone that looked like it had been through it all? Maybe it had some dirt, grease or coffee stains on it. Part of the wrapping paper might be torn. It had probably been in someone’s trunk underneath the groceries for some time. What do you think when you receive such a gift?

How do you think God feels? Paul says in Romans 12:1 that we are to “offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, for this is your spiritual worship”. God wants our very lives as our gift to Him. But God may not react how we might.

If you’re like me, you finally get the nerve up to wrap up your life and take it to God. As you’re taking the gift to Him, you notice others are taking their gift also. Theirs looks so much prettier than yours. In fact, seeing the other gifts makes you realize that you forgot to put a bow on it, so you take your life back and find a suitable bow. Finally you begin to approach God again, only to find out that others took back their lives and removed the purchased bow and replaced it with a beautiful ribbon and hand-tied bow that makes your gift look cheap. So you take back your life once more to try to wrap it prettier.

The day finally comes when your gift is completely ready. Your bow is now replaced with ribbons and hand-tied bows. The signature card is there also. Yes, your life is definitely ready to go. Just as you’re about to approach God with your gift, you realize that the wrapping paper has a tear on the underneath side, a flaw that certainly God will notice and be less than impressed with. You start to turn back to rewrap it again, but God catches your eye and smiles at you. You can’t turn back now.

You feel so ashamed at your gift. You were hoping that the fancy wrapping would overshadow the empty value of the life that is inside. Now, even the fancy wrapping is less than perfect. You walk towards God, unable to hold your head up, knowing that your gift, your life, is unsuitable for the King of Kings, especially considering the Life that He gave you. As you humbly hand your gift to God, He smiles again as He takes it. He carefully slides the ribbon off the sides and removes the bow, setting them gently aside. He slides His fingers under the tape, making sure that He doesn’t tear the paper.

You still can’t watch as He opens the box. He peers in, takes out your life with all its flaws, all its imperfections, yes, even all its sins. A broad smile sweeps across His face as He exclaims, “How did you know?!? It’s just what I’ve always wanted.”

by Jim Schinnerer
http://www.aworshipleader.org/CommunionTalks.asp?id=1

[A complete hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covered His face and His eyes were pierced out.Brother Smith said only these words, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me." (Matthew 25:40)]

How to Treat Others

A young lady named Sally relates an experience she had in a seminary class, given by her teacher, whom we'll call Brother Smith. She says Brother Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons. One particular day, Sally walked into class and knew they were in for another fun day. On the wall was a big target and on a nearby table were many darts. Brother Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry . . .and he would allow them to throw darts at the person's picture.

Sally's girlfriend (on her right), drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend (on her left), drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of Brother Smith, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing. Sally was pleased at the overall effect she had achieved.

The class lined up and began throwing darts, with much laughter and hilarity. Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart. Sally looked forward to her turn, and was filled with disappointment when Brother Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats.

As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn't have a chance to throw any darts at her target, Brother Smith began removing the target from the wall. Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus....

A complete hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covered His face and His eyes were pierced out.

Brother Smith said only these words, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me." (Matthew 25:40)

No other words were necessary; the tear-filled eyes of each student focused only on the picture of Christ. The students remained in their seats even after the bell rang, then slowly left the classroom, tears streaming down their faces.

(author unknown)

May the story above serve as a reminder that our attitude toward Jesus Christ is demonstrated in the way we treat people around us.

Alan Smith
http://www.aworshipleader.org/CommunionTalks.asp?id=6

[God is so wise He saved the best for last.]

Amen to that sister. And don't forget the old saying "behind every good man there is a 'woman'.
Also to quote from one my other posts " God made woman last, because she was man's crowning glory, and she made him complete."
God is so wise He saved the best for last.

ROFL! Why do I have that sneaking suspicion that women came up with those??!!

But they were only rumors.

Actually, they were true. 

How Great Is Your Love?

The following story comes from Dan Millman in "Chicken Soup For the Soul":

"Many years ago, at Stanford Hospital, there was a little girl named Liza who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her five-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. He hesitated for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, 'Yes, I'll do it if it will save Liza.'

"As the transfusion progressed, he lay in a bed next to his sister and smiled, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, 'Will I start to die right away?'

"Being young, the boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give her all his blood."

What a beautiful example of love! We can easily measure our love for others by how much we are willing to do for them. There are some people I love enough to drive across town and run an errand for them. There are other people I love enough to be awakened at 3:00 in the morning if they need someone to talk to. But there are very few people I love enough to give my very life.

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13-14)

I'm not asking you to die for anyone today. But I do want you to ask yourself this question: "How much am I willing to do for those whom I say that I love?"

Alan Smith
http://www.aworshipleader.org/CommunionTalks.asp?id=4

[The guide said, "They do not call it that. They thought it was fortunate that they had an ox to sell."]

Making Sacrifice With Joy

I heard a story once about two wealthy Christians, a lawyer and a merchant, who traveled with a group that was going around the world. As they were visiting in Korea, they saw by the side of the road, a field in which a boy was pulling a crude plow and an old man held the plow handles and guided it. The lawyer was amused and took a snapshot of the scene.

He turned to the missionary, who served as their interpreter and guide, and he said, "That's a curious picture. I suppose they are very poor."

The guide replied, "Yes, that is the family of Chi Noue. When the place of worship was being built, they were eager to give something to it, but they had no money, so they sold their only ox and gave the money to the church. This spring, they are pulling the plow themselves."

The men were silent for several moments. Then the businessman replied, "That must have been a real sacrifice."

The guide said, "They do not call it that. They thought it was fortunate that they had an ox to sell."


by Alan Smith, http://www.aworshipleader.org/CommunionTalks.asp?id=5

[AMEN!!Sister Terri is an inspiration to me, and I treasure her fellowship. It makes me very happy that Sister Terri and other sweet Christians have joined together here with a common bond: JESUS is the focus of our life and we love HIM with all our heart. We can and do love each other as Brothers and Sisters in Christ, and we express that love in many ways. The biggest way that we love each other is to pray for each other. Along the way, we are all encouraged, strengthened, and built up in CHRIST. I give thanks that GOD allows our fellowship. We know that where two or three are gathered together in HIS NAME, HE is with them. YES, GOD is with us, and GOD is working in and through each of us to do His Will.Love In Christ,Tom]

Here I am in the "For Women Only" area again, but I must say AMEN!!

Sister Terri is an inspiration to me, and I treasure her fellowship. It makes me very happy that Sister Terri and other sweet Christians have joined together here with a common bond: JESUS is the focus of our life and we love HIM with all our heart. We can and do love each other as Brothers and Sisters in Christ, and we express that love in many ways. The biggest way that we love each other is to pray for each other. Along the way, we are all encouraged, strengthened, and built up in CHRIST. I give thanks that GOD allows our fellowship. We know that where two or three are gathered together in HIS NAME, HE is with them. YES, GOD is with us, and GOD is working in and through each of us to do His Will.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Amen, Tom! 

Amen, sister, personally I have more important things to do than to think about, worry about or judge anyone on the way they dress.

Isn't that wonderful! Now if only others in the *churches* would learn that! 

But I also believe that we can lovingly and in a Christian manner show someone where they are wrong.

As long as they are "wrong" according to Scripture and not opinion. 

As I said in another post God looks at the heart, we can't see that.

And we also can't often see where the Lord is working in someone's life. 

That is also why I feel  we should examine our own hearts. and ask God to reveal to us if we have done wrong.

And if we'd all do that, we'd be so busy following the Lord we wouldn't have to worry about how others look. 

Good thoughts, thank you! 

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,
but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

~Philippians 2:3 (NIV)