Suffering for the Salvation of Another

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. - Matthew 5:11

Recently, a friend told a true story about one of his closest friends who experienced great suffering for the soul of his persecutor. This man worked on a cargo ship. His boss was the captain. This friend was a committed Christian who shared his faith with others and was a good worker. One day the friend led the sea captain's girlfriend to Christ. The sea captain already hated and ridiculed the Christian worker because of his faith in Christ. When his girlfriend came to Christ, she stopped sleeping with the captain. The captain blamed the Christian man for the change in his girlfriend. One day he entered the restaurant where the Christian man was having lunch. He walked over to his table and began hurling obscenities and began beating him. The Christian man simply tried to defend himself but did not fight back. The captain kept beating him until eventually the man lay on the floor bleeding.

Two men entered the restaurant and saw what was taking place. They jumped the sea captain and took him outside and began beating him. The sea captain was beaten so badly that he needed immediate medical attention. The Christian worker saw the condition of the sea captain, came to his aid, and began helping him. The sea captain was so moved that this man could do this after he had literally beaten him bloody that he began to weep, not understanding what could move a man to have such love in the face of being beaten. The sea captain accepted Jesus at that moment.

The Bible tells us that while we were yet sinners Christ came and paid our penalty so that we might live eternally. Many in the workplace have never known the love of Christ. You might be the only one they ever meet who can introduce them to this love. Ask God to show you how to love the unlovable in your workplace today.

Os Hillman

Verslaan die reuse in jou lewe

Daar is waardevolle lesse te leer uit die storie van Dawid en Goliat:

(1) Konfronteer die dinge wat jou bedreig! Nadat hulle vir 40 dae lank na Goliat se dreigemente geluister het, het iets merkwaardig gebeur: die vyand het sterker geword en God se mense het verswak. Onthou, dié dinge waarvan jy weghardloop, haal jou net in!

(2) Onthou die lesse wat jy voorheen geleer het! Dawid het sy oorwinning oor die leeu, wat God vir hom gegee het toe hy nog skape opgepas het, onthou. Jy moet dit ook doen. "Tog is daar een ding waarop ek altyd kan reken en waarop ek altyd kan hoop: Deur die Here se troue liefde is ons nie doodgemaak nie. Hy hou nooit op om vir ons om te gee nie. Sy liefde het geen einde nie. Op U ontferming kan 'n mens altyd vertrou. Dit is elke oggend nuut" (Klaagliedere 3:21-23 NLV).

(3) Gebruik die vyand se wapen teen hom! "Toe hardloop Dawid, trek die Filistyn se swaard uit die skede en kap sy kop daarmee af. Toe die Filistyne sien dat hulle baasvegter dood is, het hulle gevlug" (1 Samuel 17:51 NLV). Leer by jou vyand, en pas daardie lesse dan toe op sy eie swakhede. Moet nooit net aanneem dat hy dood is nie - as jy nie sy kop afsny nie, sal hy weer op 'n ander dag terugkeer. Versterk jouself met gebed, verkwik jou gedagtes deur die Bybel te lees en ontvang die ondersteuning van God se familie.

Bowenal, onthou dat jou krag slegs van God af kom. Met Hom aan jou sy, kan jy nie verloor nie.

Bron: Radiokansel

Interesting Facts

The world's most expensive jam (jelly) is Confiture de groselles. It is a redcurrant jam (jelly) from a 14th century recipe made in the tiny French town of Bar-Le-Duc.

Melba toast is named after Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba (1861-1931).

Three quarters of fish caught are eaten - the rest is used to make things such as glue, soap, margarine and fertilizer.

In September 1999 Dustin Philips of the US set a Guinness World Record by drinking a 400 ml (14-oz) bottle of tomato sauce through a straw in 33 seconds.

Humor

Gray hair

Mother: "Every time you're naughty I get another gray hair."

Son: "Wow, Mom, you must have been a terror when you were young... just look at Grandma."

Hunting

It was a beautiful Texas Saturday morning as Jake--an avid hunter--woke up ready to go bag the first deer of the season. He walks down to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee, and to his surprise he finds his wife, Alice, sitting there, fully dressed in camouflage.

Jake asks her: "What are you up to?"

Alice smiles: "I'm going hunting with you!"

Jake, though he had many reservations about this, reluctantly decides to take her along. Later they arrive at the hunting site. Jake sets his wife safely up in the tree stand and tells her: "If you see a deer, take careful aim on it and I'll come running back as soon as I hear the shot".

Jake walks away with a smile on his face knowing that Alice couldn't bag an elephant--much less a deer. Not 10 minutes pass when he is startled as he hears an array of gunshots.

Quickly, Jake starts running back. As Jake gets closer to her stand, he hears Alice screaming: "Get away from my deer!"

Confused, Jake races faster towards his screaming wife. And again he hears her yell: "Get away from my deer!" followed by another volley of gunfire.

Now within sight of where he had left his wife, Jake is surprised to see a cowboy, with his hands high in the air.

The cowboy, obviously distraught, says: "Okay, lady, okay!!!! You can have your deer!!! Just let me get my saddle off it!"

Revealing secrets

Married fifty years, the happy couple revealed their secrets for wedded bliss:

Him: "Never be selfish. There is no 'I' in the word 'marriage.'"

Her: "Never correct your husband's spelling."

This is the secret of joy.  We shall no longer strive for our own way; but commit ourselves, easily and simply, to God's way, acquiesce in his will and in so doing find our peace.

Evelyn Underhill

Wees nie bevrees nie, want Ek is met jou; kyk nie angstig rond nie, want Ek is jou God. Ek versterk jou, ook help Ek jou, ook ondersteun Ek jou met my reddende regterhand.

Fear not, for I am with you.  Do not be dismayed.  I am your God.  I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

"Now, the only thing that remains unresolved is the resolution of the problem."

Thomas Wells, Ontario legislature minister

Where you want to go in life and the path you choose to get there don't always agree - despite good intentions. Teaching that our direction determines our destination, Stanley offers a story-driven, Bible-based road map to help readers avoid unnecessary disappointments and attain their goals for their marriages, careers, finances, and more

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