Adult & Teen Sunday Schools 9:30 a.m. // Worship Service 10:30 a.m.
That's The Point!
A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed.
As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation.
They talked about so many things and various subjects.
When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said:
'I don't believe that God exists'
‘Why do you say that?' asked the customer.
'Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist.
Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people?
Would there be abandoned children?
If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain.
I can’t imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things.'
The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.
Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: 'You know what? Barbers do not exist.' 'How can you say that?' asked the surprised barber. 'I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!' 'No!' the customer exclaimed. 'Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside.'
'Ah, but barbers DO exist! That's what happens when people do not come to me.'
'Exactly!' affirmed the customer. 'That's the point! God, too, DOES exist!
That’s what happens when people do not go to Him and don't look to Him for help.
That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world.'
GRANDMA'S HANDS
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 voice strong.
"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 un easy 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.
-- Author Unknown
Submitted by Paul Holden
THE COAL BASKET BIBLE
The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning, Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn-out Bible.
His grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way he could. One day the grandson asked, "Papa, I try to read the Bible just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?"
The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said,“take this coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water"
The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out before he could get back to the house.
The grandfather laughed and said, "You will have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again.
This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it as impossible to carry water in a basket," and he went to get a bucket instead.
The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water, you can do this. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.
At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got far at all. The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather, the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, "See Papa, it’s useless!" "So you think it is useless?" the old man said. "Look at the basket." The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket looked different. Instead of a dirty old coal basket, it was clean. "Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will change you from the inside out." That is the work of God’s Holy Spirit in our lives: To change us from the inside out and to slowly transform us into the image of His son.
Take time to read a portion of God's word each day, and remind a friend by sharing this story.
Author Unknown…
PAID IN FULL!
A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his Father had purchased the car.
Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father old him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible? He stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business.He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.
When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse,
Matt 7:11, "And if ye, being evil know how to give good gifts toyour children, how much more shall your Heavenly father which is in heaven, give to those who ask Him?"
As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible.It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words...PAID IN FULL.
How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected? Author Unknown
By Far, The Very Best Bet!
"If you bet there is no God and you win, you win nothing, but if you lose, you lose everything. If you bet there is a God and you win, you win everything, and if you lose, you lose nothing. Rationally speaking, God is the best bet". Blaise Pascal
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me". John 14:6
DAILY BIBLICAL REMINDERS OF HOW TO TREAT ONE ANOTHER
DAY
ONE ANOTHER
SCRIPTURE
MAIN IDEA
1
PREFER
Romans 12:10
Prefer, "outdo" one another in honor
2
DEVOTED
Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love
3
SAME MIND TO
Romans 12:16
Have a modest opinion of yourself toward one another
4
BUILD UP
Romans 14:19
Pursue that which makes for peace and building up one another
5
ACCEPT
Romans 15:7
Accept one another as Christ also accepted us to God’s glory
6
ADMONISH
Romans 15:14
Full of goodness, knowledge and able to admonish one another
7
SUE "NOT"
1 Corinthians 6:7
Do not have lawsuits with one another, no one really wins
8
CARE FOR
1 Corinthians 12:25
Have the same care for one another which averts division
9
ENVY "NOT"
Galatians 5:26
Do not envy one another, but manifest a spirit of contentment
10
TRUTHFUL TO
Ephesians 4:25
Speak truthfully in every matter to one another
11
KIND TO
Ephesians 4:23
Be kind, pleasant and tender-hearted to one another
12
SUBJECT TO
Ephesians 5:21
Be subject to those in authority over you (wives to husbands and children to parents – Ephesians 5:22-24, 6:1
13
REGARD
Philippians 2:3
Don't be conceited, but regard one another as more important than yourself
14
LIE "NOT" TO
Colossians 3:9
Do not lie to one another since you have put that habit away
15
BEAR WITH
Colossians 3:13
Bearing with and forgiving one another as the Lord forgave you
16
TEACH
Colossians 3:16
Teach and admonish one another with the words of God
17
LOVE
1 Thessalonians 3:12
May the Lord cause you to increase in love for one another
18
COMFORT
1 Thessalonians 4:18
Comfort one another since the Lord will return for his people
19
ENCOURAGE
1 Thessalonians
Encourage one another, especially as to your faith in the Lord
20
PEACE WITH
1 Thessalonians 5:13
Live in peace or harmony with one another
21
SEEK GOOD
1 Thessalonians 5:12
Seek after that which is good for one another and for all men
22
PRAY FOR
1 Timothy 2:1
... prayers. . . made for all men
23
STIMULATE
Hebrews 10:24
Consider ways to stimulate one another to love and good deeds
24
SPEAK "NOT" AGAINST
James 4:11
Do not speak slanderously against one another
25
COMPLAIN “NOT”
James 5:9
Don't complain against one another that you may not be judged
26
CONFESS
James 5:16
Confess your sins to one another (to those you have sinned against)
27
HOSPITABLE TO
1 Peter 4:9
Be hospitable to one another, generous and without complaint
28
SERVE
1 Peter 4:10
Use God's gracious gifts to serve one another
29
HUMBLE TOWARD
1 Peter 5:5
Be humble to one another, knowing God is opposed to pride
30
GREET
1 Peter 5:14
Greet one another in a caring and loving manner
31
FELLOWSHIP WITH
1 John 1:7
We have fellowship with one another as we walk with God
10 THINGS GOD WON"T ASK:
God won't ask what kind of car you drove; He'll ask how many people you drove that didn't have transportation.
God won't ask the square footage of your house; He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.
God won't ask what your highest salary was; He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.
God won't ask what your job title was; He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.
God won't ask how many friends you had, He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived; He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.
God won't ask about the color of your skin, He'll ask about the content of your character.
God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation; He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of hell.
God won't ask how many people you forwarded this to; He'll ask if you were ashamed to pass it on to your friends.
IN: ØHappy moments - praise God. ØDifficult moments - seek God. ØQuiet moments - worship God. ØPainful moments - trust God. ØEvery moment - thank God.
Bridge Community Church - Loving God and Loving People
