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| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 250 Registered: 9-2006  |
A sheep of a different color Once I was a black sheep, my wool was coal black, I spent my days grazing on Brier and Bramble bushes, my mouth was always sore from eating and I was always being cut from the constant thorns, there, off in the distance was a field of tender grass but I did not belong there for all the sheep were white in color. One day a bad hunter laid cruel snares in the brambles to see whom he might snare and kill and wouldnít you know I was caught in one of those cruel snares as I made my way through those brambles. I was so miserable all I could do was stand there and bleat pitiful bleats, I hung my head down and sighed I ached so much and I was so lonely. Every once in a while I would look at the beautiful field way over yonder and see the white sheep grazing peacefully and it made me even more lonely. Then one day the good shepherd of those sheep came by and saw me in the snare of the evil man. He said kindly ìlooky here little black sheep, I am going to free you and he bent down to free me from the snare, so he freed me from the snare and carried me in his strong arms over to the pasture I had seen in the distance and he poured oil on my sores and gave me the clearest coldest water to drink that I had ever tasted right out of his own cup and lo and behold he sat me amongst the other sheep, at first I didnít know what to do but after awhile I just began to munch the green luscious tender grass. Do you know? That very minute my wool began to change from black to white and each evening the good shepherd would call my name and allow me to go over to him and nuzzle up to his leg and he would whisper love words into my ears and then I would lay down so peacefully in that good shepherds fold. Now I am so happy I am one of his sheep and every day he leads me out to his green pastures beside the still waters and stands guard over all his sheep the whole day through. John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. River | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 3170 Registered: 3-2004  |
River, I really like your story of the black sheep. Thanks so much. God has given you a way with words and you do use it to honor and Glorify Him. Diana | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 253 Registered: 9-2006 |
Since the forum seems a little slow I thought I would share my letter to a prison lifer whom I have been ministering to some 20 years, he wrote me raving about what is wrong with the world. Do you think I am too hard? Hi (name omitted), Got your letter yesterday talking about all thatís wrong with the world, well son, man has given Satan rein on the world so you canít expect to see Sunday school classes lined up on mission blvd. in San Francisco and eager listeners waiting to hear the word of God, what you see instead is people lined up to pay 500.00 for a video game across from a homeless mission. No, they wonít line up to give to the homeless and downtrodden, maybe one in a thousand might throw in Ten buckís if heís had a good day. When my Sister was killed, murdered at the hand of her husband, I got the call about Ten Oíclock at night, I had to leave there and drive all that night without stopping except for gas and on through the next 24 hours to get to my Dad and Momís, I arrived there to view the disaster this man had caused, my Mom there weeping night and day, day and night and I asking God why? And the grief would hit her in waves, she would sleep an hour and wake up and remember and the grief would hit her again and she would cry out ìOh God, not my little girlî ìNot my Babyî Oh why God?î and it made me bone tired boy, but I couldnít afford to grieve the loss of my Sister, I had to ìruck upî and be strong for my parents sake. Two days later we had my Sisters funeral and the preacher was one of my childhood friends whom I had spent many a Sunday afternoon with, sneaking around smoking and all the things kids do, we had an open casket funeral service there in my childhood church. Rossís sermon was this, ìIt was not Gods will that Arvelle (my Sister) be cut off so young in life, but it is because of Sin in the worldî, I doubt if Mom really heard those wordís of truth spoken that day but I did and that was her answer of ìWhy?î And that is exactly the why of the injustice in this world. The term ìRuck upî is a foot solders term, when you have marched all you can march, your feet are bleeding, your bone tired, then you got to reach down inside of you and hitch you ruck sack (a pack weighing about 70 lbs, not including your 11.2 lb rifle extra ammo and canteen of water) higher on your back and keep going the miles, and Iím telling you boy you got to ruck up, there is Sin in the world all around you, now realize this and ruck up, make your decision for Jesus and ruck up, Jesus from about Ten oclock or so that night when he was arrested, sent stumbling back and forth between those yokelís, between licks, who were spouting big swelling words and then on to the killing grounds was bone tired by daylight, he hadnít any sleep since the night before and then they laid the cross on him, he had to ruck up and drag himself up that hill. Jesus said that if we would come after him we would have to pick up the cross and follow after him Mark 8:34 and what I just said is what he was talking about, all this happened because of Sin in the world and all that is happening, the injustice, the drug addicts and down and out who fill these missions, all this, because of Sin in the world and the drug addicts and whores who fill these missions and eat the food furnished by well meaning Christians go right back out the door and do some more, they take the food and ignore and disdain the word of God offered. People all the time say ìI have made my decision for Christî and most of them ainít made squat. You got to get deep down dog mean about it boy and realize where you find yourself presently deployed and ruck it up. Once you have been born again you just got drafted into Godís Army, I know I sound hard but thatís just the way it is. In Pauls 2nd letter to Timothy he was imploring Timothy, 2 Tim 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. He was telling Timothy to ruck it up. The Bible is your Army chow, so gobble it up and it will become your sword, Eph 6:13-17 explains all this. People speak great swelling words about what is wrong in the world and the injustice of it but most of them donít know squat and they really donít care, they just claim too. When the devil shows up they go off screaming to suck on the tit of the world some more, it ainít the answer but itís what happens. The world is full of Sin and itís caused man to be in the hurt locker and thereís a world of hurt coming down and you better be willing to ìStand thereforeî as in Eph 6:14, Paul wasnít talking just to hear his head roar. So Iím telling you son, if you really love Jesus you got to ruck it up, prepare yourself for the road ahead and in the end acquit yourself as one of his good soldiers. Jesus said to Peter, Peter do you really love me? Then feed my lambs, he knew that he would not be there much longer and that he must depend on such ones as Peter, we my friend are the Peterís of this world and Jesus loves his lambs and he has gone the mile and to finish his last mile he had to die and return to the father and he sent the Holy Spirit to be our comforter while he is gone. Ruck it up soldier, find a lamb to feed and fight the good fight of faith, make that your aim in life, begin to shuck off the worries of the world and begin to serve in the Lords Army in a real and meaningful way. How do you do that? Just pick up one foot and set it down in front of the other, minute by minute, whatever the small task in front of you, begin to complete the small ones and God will give you bigger ones and then you will begin to walk where Jesus walked. In Hebrews 12:1 the writer talks about laying aside weights and Sins, he wasnít necessarily saying you would become perfect I think what he was saying was to commit even our imperfections to Christ the author and finisher of our faith then it will lighten your load, you canít carry guilt and run this kind of race, its too long and hard. Ruck up now and be encouraged. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 3174 Registered: 3-2004 |
When 9/11 happened I was working about 25 miles from the Pentagon. I was a pseudo SDA and thought I was a Christian. My assistant was a sincere Christian, who practiced what he preached. When we heard the news he asked, Why would something like this happen?? My answer was because there is an evil being named Satan and he influences the people of this world to do all kinds of evil/bad things. I did not say much else except we needed to pray for the families of those that died and that the people who thought up this awful deed needed our prayers also. So, I think you said the things God would have you say. You told him the truth and I like the way you said it. Diana | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 254 Registered: 9-2006 |
Diana, I sometime wish I could turn them upside down and just pour it in a hole in their feet. Take this guy, I started ministering to him when he was a teen ager, rebellious as all get out, I begged him to turn, I told him what he was facing and he kept getting arrested, and finally he got caught up in the three strikes law and got life, for years he tried to con me with the old prison trick, tell me what he thought I wanted to hear so I would be generous to him but I just kept telling him the truth and ignoring the cons, but about five years ago God got a hold of him and I knew when the change came, what a change, I just kept giving him the word of god, heís just another street kid, he would get out of jail and come to me for help and Iíd give him a buck to two after Iíd preach to him about 30 minutes, I bet I preached that kid a thousand sermons and he would just stand there and look at me cross eyed. One time he came over and stole my work truck, a neighbor came over and said ìWhat is your truck doing down there in the ditchî I said ìmy truck is in the garageî He said ìNo its down there in the ditch up against the brushî I tell you this kid was a corker, he had ran it until the gas was gone. Heh heh. He said not too long ago my sermons followed him around like a dog or something to that effect. The truck thing was funny though after I cooled off a bit, he had took the thing but made sure he closed the garage door. Ha. But Diana I cannot understand why Christians ask such questions as the guy ask about 911 its like they donít see anything, those men that flew those planes were deceived by their religion, people better wake up. Oh well. Guess Iíll go look for another sheep to feed. Still got colds so its T.V preachers for me this morning. Blessing on you. River | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 3175 Registered: 3-2004 |
God must have put those words in my mouth, because at the time I did not know Jesus Christ and that all we need is Him. I am discovering that God put words in my mouth and head when I did not know Him. He showed me how to raise my son, who is now a Christian. Even though his name is on the SDA church books, he does not believe their beliefs and will not attend their church. So, I have a whole lot for which to be thankful. Take care of that cold. They are miserable. I had one the weekend before I flew to Little Rock Ark. to be with my son and his family for Thanksgiving. Never forget what an awesome God we have. Diana |
