STORY OF THE WEEK

  "IT WAS ONLY A QUARTER"

Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas.  Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area.  When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.  As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, "You'd better give the quarter back.  It would be wrong to keep it."  Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter.  Who would worry about this little amount?  Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it.  Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet."  When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change."  The driver, with a smile, replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town?  I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship.  I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change.  I'll see you at church on Sunday."  When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, "Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter."

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read.  This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians and will put us to the test!  Always be on guard and remember that you carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself "Christian."

Watch your thoughts - they become words.                                                     Watch your words - they become actions.                                                                 Watch your actions - they become habits.                                                      Watch your habits - they become character.                                                   Watch your character - it becomes your destiny. 

 STORY HALL OF FAME

This is a story of a little Indian boy who wanted  to become a brave in the tribe.  He desired the approval of the tribal council.  He sought to prove himself by climbing the highest peak in the mountain range.  Finally, the day came when he was old enough and big enough to give it a try.  So off he went to climb the mountain.  It was bigger than he realized and higher than he thought, and it really caused him to pause and think.  But, determined as he was, he kept going and to his joy, after great effort, he finally reached the top.  He was exhausted and exhilarated at the same time.  Celebrating his huge success, he looked down and at his feet laid a huge rattlesnake.  The snake looked up at him and spoke softly saying..."Please help me, young brave.  I am cold up here and I need help back down to the bottom of the mountain.  Will you please pick me up and carry me down with you?"  "I will not!  You would bite me and kill me!" The young brave said.  "No I won't, I promise you.  I will not bite you," said the snake.  "Well, OK, if you promise not to bite me," replied the young brave as he very carefully and slowly approached the snake.  He reached down and picked up the snake and put him in his coat and took him back down the mountain.  When he reached the bottom, he opened the coat and reached inside to remove the snake which promptly bit him, injecting its deadly poison.  The young brave cried out in pain and disbelief.  "You bit me and poisoned me.  Now I will die!  I just now became a brave.  It was all I ever wanted to be and you have poisoned me...WHY?  Why did you bite me when you promised me you would not hurt me?"  The snake hissed his reply with laughter..."You knew what I was when you picked me up!"

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There was a man who was asleep one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared.  The Lord told the man, he had work for him to do and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin.  The Lord explained that he wanted the man to push against the rock with all his might.  The man did as the Lord directed, day after day.  For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down.  His shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive rock pushing with all his might.  Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.  Seeing the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture placing thoughts in the man's mind such as, "You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't budged.  Why kill yourself over this?  You are never going to move that rock!"  Satan placed the doubt that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man even more.  The man thought, "I'll just put in my time.  Giving just the minimum effort and that will be good enough."  That was his plan until he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.  "Lord", he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength into that which you have asked, yet after all this time, I have not even budged that rock a half a millimeter.  What is wrong with me?  Why am I failing?"  To this the Lord answered compassionately, "My friend, when long ago I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done, never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it.  Your task was to push and now you come to me, your strength spent, thinking that you have failed, but is that really so?  Look at yourself, your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewed and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard.  Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that you used to have.  Yet you haven't moved the rock.  Your calling was to be obedient and to push the rock and to exercise your faith and trust in my wisdom. This your have done, you have not failed.  Now, my friend, I will move the rock."