From: "Dwayne Savaya" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Gods Work Ministry Inspirational and Encouragement E-Mail
Dear Friend, We are to have perfect love towards one another at all times and fulfill the command of the Lord. Many times we become preoccupied with what we are doing and forget that there is a hurting world in need of our intervention. If we confess that we belong to Christ, then our fruit should bear witness to our confession. We cannot think so highly of ourselves that we focus only on our importance and betterment and do not think of the needs of others. As our example, the Lord Jesus gives us a lesson that we are to always remember. The Lord Jesus declares in John 13:14-15 "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." The Lord did not think it to be beneath Himself to wash the feet of His disciples, but wanted to show us how we are to treat one another. I pray that we all keep in mind the pureness of heart that Jesus left as our example and hope that we carry on as His disciples to care for, love and have compassion towards all who are in need physically, emotionally and spiritually. (Philippians 2:3-8) (Galatians 6:1-4) (1 John 4:11-12) I hope you are inspired and encouraged by today's message to be a blessing when the opportunity arises and allow the light that shines within you to come forth to positively affect someone else's life that is sure to never be forgotten. THE CHRISTMAS ROSES Andy was getting cold sitting out in his back yard in the snow. Andy didn't wear boots; he didn't like them and anyway he didn't own any. The thin sneakers he wore had a few holes in them and they did a poor job of keeping out the cold. Andy had been in his backyard for about an hour already. And, try as he might, he could not come up with an idea for his mother's Christmas gift. He shook his head as he thought, "This is useless, even if I do come up with an idea, I don't have any money to spend." Ever since his father had passed away three years ago, the family of five had struggled. It wasn't because his mother didn't care, or try, there just never seemed to be enough. She worked nights at the hospital, but the small wage that she was earning could only be stretched so far. What the family lacked in money and material things, they more than made up for in love and family unity. Andy, the only boy in the family, had three sisters, two older and one younger. His older sisters ran the household in their mother's absence. All three of his sisters had already made beautiful gifts for their mother. Somehow it just wasn't fair. Here it was Christmas Eve already, and he had nothing. Wiping a tear from his eye, Andy kicked the snow and started to walk down to the street where the shops and stores were. It wasn't easy being six without a father, especially when he needed a man to talk to. Andy walked from shop to shop, looking into each decorated window. Everything seemed so beautiful and so out of reach. It was starting to get dark and Andy reluctantly turned to walk home when suddenly his eyes caught the glimmer of the setting sun's rays reflecting off of something along the curb. He reached down and discovered a shiny dime. Never before has anyone felt so wealthy as Andy felt at that moment. As he held his new found treasure, a warmth spread throughout his entire body and he walked into the first store he saw. His excitement quickly turned cold when salesperson after salesperson told him that he could not buy anything with only a dime. He saw a flower shop and went inside to wait in line. When the shop owner asked if he could help him, Andy presented the dime and asked if he could buy one flower for his mother's Christmas gift. The shop owner looked at Andy and his ten cent offering. Then he put his hand on Andy's shoulder and said to him, "You just wait here and I'll see what I can do for you." As Andy waited, he looked at the beautiful flowers and even though he was a boy, he could see why mothers and girls liked flowers. The sound of the door closing as the last customer left jolted Andy back to reality. All alone in the shop, Andy began to feel alone and afraid. Suddenly the shop owner came out and moved to the counter. There, before Andy's eyes, lay twelve long stem, red roses, with leaves of green and tiny white flowers all tied together with a big silver bow. Andy's heart sank as the owner picked them up and placed them gently into a long white box. "That will be ten cents young man." The shop owner said reaching out his hand for the dime. Slowly, Andy moved his hand to give the man his dime. Could this be true? No one else would give him a thing for his dime! Sensing the boy's reluctance, the shop owner added, "I just happened to have some roses on sale for ten cents a dozen. Would you like them?" This time Andy did not hesitate, and when the man placed the long box into his hands, he knew it was true. Walking out the door that the owner was holding for Andy, he heard the shop keeper say, "Merry Christmas, son." As he returned inside, the shop keeper's wife walked out. "Who were you talking to back there and where are the roses you were fixing?" Staring out the window, and blinking the tears from his own eyes, he replied, "A strange thing happened to me this morning. While I was setting up things to open the shop, I thought I heard a voice telling me to set aside a dozen of my best roses for a special gift. I wasn't sure at the time whether I had lost my mind or what, but I set them aside anyway. Then just a few minutes ago, a little boy came into the shop and wanted to buy a flower for his mother with one small dime. When I looked at him, I saw myself, many years ago. I too was a poor boy with nothing to buy my mother a Christmas gift. A bearded man, whom I never knew, stopped me on the street and told me that he wanted to give me ten dollars. When I saw that little boy tonight, I knew who that voice was, and I put together a dozen of my very best roses." The shop owner and his wife hugged each other tightly, and as they stepped out into the bitter cold air, they somehow didn't feel cold at all. Author Unknown Read and meditate on these scriptures: Isaiah 49:13-16 "Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted His people, and will have mercy upon His afflicted. But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; thy walls are continually before Me." Habakkuk 3:17-19 "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will Joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places..." Philippians 4:4-7 "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible. Today's Selected Poem: HAVE FAITH IN GOD Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem97.htm Today's Selected Testimony: WHO CRUCIFIED CHRIST? Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony192.htm I pray that you have a very Merry Christmas and a blessed and prosperous New Year. I believe God will do great things this coming year so let us praise Him together in advance and thank Him for Jesus who was born to die and through His death and resurrection; God now calls us His children. Jesus is the reason for this season, so don't forget to wish Him Happy Birthday on this day that is meant for Him. In Christ's Love and Service, Dwayne Savaya Gods Work Ministry Please feel free to visit the Website to read more Encouraging and Inspirational stories, poems and testimonies. Our E-mail Archives are available as well to read the messages that have been sent in the past. You can also send Free E-cards to friends and loved ones with the many choices available. You are also welcome to post your prayer requests in our Prayer Forum. All this and more available at --- http://www.Godswork.org You can also send prayer requests to --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Add your E-mail address if you'd like correspondence with the prayer partners. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/IYOolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Mailing List Jesus-Net Ministry Indonesia - JNM - Daftar : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Keluar : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Posting: jesus-net@yahoogroups.com Bantuan Moderator : [EMAIL PROTECTED] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Yahoo! 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