DON’T WHITTLE STICKS, BUILD TEMPLES

**********************************

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND THIS BLOG TO A FRIEND GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS BLOG AND CLICK ON THE ENVELOPE.

**********************************

It’s been sixty years but I still remember the story. It was all over the newspapers at the time.

A man and woman had begun early in the evening to argue. At 3 AM, weary and worn, they were still bickering.

Finally the man went to sleep.

At which time the woman got a gun and shot him dead.

Her first visitor in jail was the father of the man she had killed, and his first words were, “I forgive you.” The next day it made the front pages.

Had he stood on the jail house steps and vowed vengeance, it might have made the last page of the newspaper or buried opposite the obituaries. Or received no notice at all.

But Christian forgiveness under such circumstances? Well now, when a Christian acts like it - that is news.

The agnostic H. G. Wells wrote the following, “Christianity will never work because Christ is too big for the little men and women he must work with.”

The sad fact is that many people never really expect Christians to act like it.

The Prodigal Son finally got it right. Filled with remorse. Finally able and willing to face what he had become and what he must undo, he simply said, “Make me even as a hired servant. Make me everything but what I was.”

One modern day philosopher put it well, “As a Christian, it is not your job to “whittle” sticks. You are called to build temples.” (Edgar De-Witt)

It is not enough to admire Jesus, however extravagantly; or worship him, however devoutly; but to follow him, which is after all is all he asks us to do.

If it can be said that his standards are too high and cannot be attained, there still remains the undimmed glory of the quest.

So yes...go out todoay and do some obviously over the top Christian deed that you make an impact. An outstanding act of forgiveness or love or compassion or...

In everything set them an example by doing what is good..." (Titus 2:7)

****************************************

A QUOTE below FROM TOMORROW’S ONE A DAY BLOG entitled COURAGE

Work at making courage a majority emotion in this old world.

Stand tall while all the time realizing that some time you stand the tallest when you are on your knees.

****************************
A series on PRAYER began on WYRICK’S WRITINGS ON Sunday Nov 21st (4 WEEK SERIES/EACH SUNDAY)

CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING URL below TO ACCESS WYRICK’S WRITINGS
http://wyrickswritings.blogspot.com/


*******************************
A QUOTE FROM THE PRAYER SERIES

“When you prayed, first did you listen? Some people take the scripture that reads “Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth” and rewrite it to read, “Listen Lord, thy servant speaketh.” (1 Samuel 3:10)

Could what you prayed for be considered a Christian prayer? Remember …if you end your prayer with the words “In Jesus name” you certainly want to have prayed a prayer he would approve.

Was it a prayer you really wanted to be answered, something you really wanted to take place, an improvement in your person you were really committed to following through on. A half hearted prayer is a wasted opportunity.”

***********************************

DO YOU HAVE A BLOG OR FACEBOOK? IF YOU ENJOY THESE WRITINGS COULD YOU CALL ATTENTION TO THIS BLOG? IF YOU DO, THANKS IN ADVANCE

************************************
TO WATCH NEIL WYRICK IN HIS ONE MAN DRAMAS (Presented to millions all around the world) click on the following (Ben Franiklin, Martin Luther, Charles Wesley and Abraham Lincoln (this Lincoln film takes 11 seconds to download but is worth the wait)
http://www.speakerneil.com/

**********************************

V. Neil Wyrick’s ninth book is THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN and is now available on amazon.com at some rather good discount prices (Also, available for your Kindle)

***********************************