BLESSED SERVANTS

" Serving Even When                       It Is  Inconvenient "

As they went on their way, a man said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lie down and rest.” (Luke 9:57-58 TEV) Jesus never calls us to blind obedience.  As we follow him and become familiar with his character, we learn he is always waiting on the other side of our steps of faith.  He forces us into a place where we must trust him and his promises, but he also tells us what to expect when we follow him (John 14:1-4). He wants us to count the cost of our commitment, because he knows it will demand every thing we have (Luke 14:28).  In essence, Jesus warns us away from a romantic view of following him.  He understands that when we volunteer to go anywhere at any time, our romanticism will wither when our commitment becomes inconvenient — or when it collides with the full cost of discipleship. Discipleship means we give up any thought that there will be bits and pieces of our lives that can remain unaffected by our relationship with Jesus.  We can’t say “yes” to Jesus and expect to hold on to a portion of our independence. He demands it all. We no longer have the choice to serve only when and where it is convenient for us.  “Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lie down and rest” (Luke 9:58 TEV). When we have a romantic view of discipleship, we may imagine ourselves giving up everything for Jesus as the world admires our faith and people express their heartfelt gratitude for our sacrificial service. But the cost of discipleship may bring the scorn of the world to your doorstep.  When you follow Jesus and do the things he tells you to do, even fellow believers may think you’re throwing away your future to help people who can give you nothing in return.  Discipleship may mean sacrificing for others who will have no appreciation for what you have done — much like Jesus was ridiculed as he died on a cross. The grace to go wherever Jesus tells us to go comes only through the call of Christ and the power of God infused into our being.  Grace obligates us to obey Jesus, regardless of the circumstances or consequences. How much of your service to Jesus is based upon what is convenient for you, and how much of it is based upon you doing what Jesus has told you to do?  Jesus loves you and plans his best for you.  He brings no condemnation; he wants to turn you in the right direction. =================================================

" Who Will Be Next C.E.O ? "

A successful businessman was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business. 

Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different.

He called all the young executives in his company together. 

He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next C.E.O. 

I have decided to choose one of you." 

The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. 

"I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. 

I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today 

with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. 

I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next C.E.O." 

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. 

He went home and excitedly told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, 

soil and compost and he planted the seed. 

Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. 

After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds

and the plants that were beginning to grow. 

Jim kept checking his seed but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.

Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however, 

he just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - he wanted the seed to grow. 

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the C.E.O. for inspection. 

Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. 

But she asked him to be honest about what happened. He took his empty pot to the boardroom. 

When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. 

They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. 

Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him! 

When the C.E.O. arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. 

Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the C.E.O. 

"Today one of you will be appointed the next C.E.O.!" 

All of a sudden, the C.E.O. spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. 

He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, 

"The C.E.O. knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!" 

When Jim got to the front, the C.E.O. asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.

The C.E.O. asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, 
and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim!" 

Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed. 
"How could he be the new C.E.O.?" the others said. 
Then the C.E.O. said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. 

I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. 
But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow. 

All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. 

When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. 

Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. 

Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!" Proverbs 4:18; 
The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
" Wonder if this goes with the Lion and the Lamb? "

" Animals are doing it better than mankind! "

" Just amazing and who knows why ? Photographer Michel Denis-Huot,  who captured these amazing pictures on  safari in  Kenya 's Masai Mara in October last year, said he was astounded by what he saw:"These three brothers (cheetahs) have been living together since they left their mother at about 18 months old, he said  'on the morning we saw them , they seemed not to be hungry, walking quickly but stopping sometimes to play together. At one point, they met group of impla who run away. But one younger was not quick enough and the brothers caught it easly.' These extraordinary scenes followed.

           
       

         

" And then they just walked away without hurting him " May your day be filled with blessings!    Life is short... forgive quickly,love truly,laugh uncontrollably...and never regret anythingthat made you smile.