HEAVENLY MANNA

  I can't remember the names of all seven of Snow White's dwarfs, but I   don't feel bad about that. I do remember one - Grumpy. Actually I've heard   that the Grumpy shirt is one of Disney's big sellers these days. I might   know why. Grumpy is kind of the mood of a whole lot of people these days.   I mean, you know, when you take just the state of politics in America,   most people don't seem to be very excited about anybody. We've got one   group who wants us to stop spending money, and then there are some who   want people to stop making money. And there are some who don't like what   the President's doing, and some don't like what Congress is doing. And a   lot of people aren't impressed with any candidate so far. "Hello, Grumpy!"   I'm OLUWAFEMI OLAWALE and I want to have A Word With You today about "None of   the Above."   See, if there was a "none of the above" choice on the ballot, he...

  WHAT NEXT AFTER CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION   I know that Christmas is over, but I've been thinking a lot about the   shepherds in the Christmas story lately. We all know that a host of angels   appeared to the shepherds and told them about the birth of our Lord and   Savior, Jesus Christ. The shepherds were thrilled with the news and told   many others about what they had seen and heard. That impressed me.   But verse 20 is what struck me this year. "Then the shepherds returned,   glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and   seen." (Luke 2:17 NIV) They returned to their sheep and resumed their   former lowly lives, accept for one thing “ they continued "glorifying   and praising God . . ."   A question shot through my mind. What do I do after Christmas? When things   return to normal after the holidays, what do I do with Jesus? Do I wrap   Him up in tissue paper, so to spea...

  My nephew's 10 year old son came for a visit one hot, July weekend. I was enticing him to stay inside by joining him in a Wii game. After being mercilessly defeated by a more experienced player, I suggested that we relax awhile. I collapsed into my favorite recliner to let my neck muscles relax and my ego recover from such a beating. He had slipped out of the room and I was catching a few relished moments of peace and quiet. "Look, Femi ," he said enthusiastically as he ran over to the chair where I was recovering. "I found a kite. Could we go outside and fly it?" Glancing out a nearby window, I noticed there was not a breeze stirring. "I'm sorry, Tripper," I said, sad to see his disappointed eyes, but thankful for the respite from more activity. "The wind is not blowing today. The kite won't fly." The determined 10 year old replied. "I think it's windy enough. I can get it to fly," he answ...

     I heard a story about a student named Donald MacDonald from the Isle of Skye (in Scotland), who was admitted into the prestigious Oxford University, and was living in the hall of residence in his first year there. His clan was so excited that one of their own had made it into the upper class of education, but they were concerned how he would do in "that strange land."  After the first month, his mother came to visit.      "And how do you find the English students, Donald?" she asked.      "Mother," he replied in his thick brogue. "They're such terrible, noisy people.  The one on that side keeps banging his head against the wall, and won't stop.  The one on the other side screams and screams and screams, away into the night."      "Oh Donald!  How do you manage to put up with these awful noisy English neighbors?"      "Mother, I do nothing.  I just ignore them. ...

Who will be left behind?   The cultist and modernist church Suppose the Lord Jesus came on Sunday   morning about 11:30 AM. The cultist and modernist church, who deny that   Jesus is Lord, won't miss a thing. Church will go right on as usual. There   could be a believer who would suddenly disappear and shock a few but that   would be all.   The Bible believing church. Remember Jesus had a Judas. They could have   some visitors or professing Christians who would be shocked to death to   suddenly see almost everyone around them just disappear in a "moment, in   the twinkling of an eye."   A moderate church. Imagine a church where about half are saved and about   half don't have a clue.  Can you imagine the consternation that will come   over the lost left behind. There will be a lot more done than just   scratching their heads in wonderment.   Transportation vehicles. Can you imagine what is going...

  When was the last time you felt completely powerless?   Maybe you have dreamed and trained all your life to swim for gold in the     Olympics then you realize you must compete against Michael Phelps.   Maybe it was it this morning when you welcomed the day then remembered you     could not move without assistance.   Maybe it was when your boss called you into his office and informed you     that you were being terminated.   Maybe it was when your bank called and informed you that there were     insufficient funds to cover the checks you had written.   Maybe it was when your wife admitted that she was having an affair and had     talked to an attorney about a divorce.   Maybe it was when your best friend called to tell you that her tests     results confirmed that her cancer was malignant.   Maybe it was when your daughter took off with her boyfriend leaving a note ...

 I Took Off My UNDERWEAR .. I used to be that innocent girl who had the world at her feet. I was beautiful and I had eyes and hips that could make men sway, and to top it all up, I was a Christian, a very good Christian with a heart burning for God. When I entered the university, I met a guy, his name was Derrick. I couldn’t believe my luck the first time I bumped into him on my way to class, he had such a kind smile and a tender look that weakened my knees when he spoke. Because I was late for class we couldn’t talk much but barely three weeks later, I met him at the fresher’s night party and I was overwhelmed. We got talking and I found out that he was in his second year and from that night, we became an inseparable pair. At first, we were friends and as months passed by, we got closer and closer and the chemistry between us was undeniable. About a year after I entered the university, Derrick and I started dating. He was everything a girl could ever want and...

HELPING THE NEEDY reason why some celebrate Christmas. Because Jesus helped people who were poor, sick, and afflicted, some want to follow his example. They feel that the best time to do that may be Christmas, when charities often put forth extra effort to collect donations. WHY IS IT A CHALLENGE? During the holidays, many people are preoccupied with shopping, entertaining, and visiting friends and family. All of this leaves them with little time, energy, or money to attend to the poor and needy, other than perhaps making a donation. WHAT BIBLE PRINCIPLES CAN HELP? “Do not hold back good from those to whom it is owing, when it happens to be in the power of your hand to do it.” (Proverbs 3:27) The poor, the hungry, and the afflicted do not suffer only at Christmastime. If you perceive that someone needs help and it is within “the power of your hand” to assist, why wait for a holiday to act? Your kindness and compassionate actions will be blessed.

THE JOY OF GIVING reason why some celebrate Christmas. As Jesus stated, giving makes both the giver and the receiver happy. In pursuit of that happiness, many view gift-giving as one of the most important features of Christmas. Even during last year’s economic crisis, one survey found, for example, that in Ireland, each household expected to spend over 500 euros (about $660 U.S.) on Christmas gifts. WHY IS IT A CHALLENGE? Many feel that Christmas gift-giving brings more stress, not more happiness. How so? A lot of shoppers feel compelled to buy gifts that they cannot afford. And since everyone is shopping for gifts at the same time, crowds and long lines make shopping an exasperating experience for many. WHAT BIBLE PRINCIPLES CAN HELP? “Practice giving,” said Jesus. * (Luke 6:38) He did not limit gift-giving to a certain time of the year when people would be expected to give. Jesus urged his followers to make Spontaneous gift-giving a practice, a way of life.

REMEMBERING JESUS CHRIST reason why some celebrate christmas. Regarding Christmas, some say that Jesus is “the reason for the season.” They celebrate Christmas to commemorate his birthday. WHY IS IT A CHALLENGE? Popular Christmas music and many Christmas customs have little to do with Jesus Christ. Millions who celebrate the holiday do not put faith in him; some do not even believe that he existed. In the commercial world, Christmas has become a holiday to advertise goods rather than an occasion to remember Jesus. WHAT BIBLE PRINCIPLES CAN HELP? “The Son of man came . . . to give his soul a ransom in exchange for many.” (Mark 10:45) Jesus spoke the words quoted at the beginning of this article, obviously not on his birthday, but on the night before he died. On that evening, he instituted a simple ceremony to memorialize his death. Yet, why would Jesus want his followers to remember his death rather than his birth? Because Jesus’ ransom sacrifice gives obedient humans...