Loch Ness

An atheist was spending a quiet day fishing when suddenly his
boat was attacked by the Loch Ness monster. In one easy flip,
the beast tossed him and his boat high into the air. Then it
opened its mouth to swallow both.
 
As the man sailed head over heels, he cried out, "Oh, my God!
Please help me!"
 
At once, the ferocious attack scene froze in place, and as the
atheist hung in mid-air, a booming voice came down from the
clouds, "I thought you didn't believe in Me!"
 
"Come on God, give me a break!!" the man pleaded. "Two minutes
ago I didn't believe in the Loch Ness monster either!"
 
 
from The Mountain:
There comes a time in everyone's life when they will face a
monster in some form. In that moment, you realize that you need
help beyond that which logic can provide.
 

Verse from 2 Corinthians

因此，我为基督的缘故，就以软弱、凌辱、艰难、迫害、困苦为喜乐，因为我甚么时候软弱，甚么时候就刚强了。 (哥林多后书 12:10)
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)
As we pour out our hearts to God, let’s be even more concerned with seeking His will than we are with receiving the answer we want. That’s where the grace and the strength come from.

Verse from Psalm

你们要赞美耶和华。敬畏耶和华、热爱他的诫命的，这人是有福的。(诗篇 112:1)
Praise the LORD! How blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who greatly delights in His commandments. (Psalms 112:1)

Verse from Psalm

耶和华我的盘石、我的救赎主啊！ 愿我口中的言语、心里的意念， 都在你面前蒙悦纳。 (诗篇 19:14)
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O L ORD , my rock and my Redeemer. (Psalms 19:14)

Verse from Thessalonians

又愿主叫你们彼此相爱的心，和爱众人的心，都充充足足，多而又多，好象我们爱你们一样。 (帖撒罗尼迦前书 3:12)
and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; (1 Thessalonians 3:12)

Verse from Matthew

他回答：“你要全心、全性、全意爱主你的 神。 这是最重要的第一条诫命。 第二条也和它相似，就是要爱人如己。 (马太福音 22:37-39)
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:37-39)

Verse from Psalm

我惧怕的时候要倚靠你。
(诗篇 56:3)
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. (Psalm 56:3)
Trusting God’s faithfulness dispels our fearfulness.

Verse from Ephesians

上帝的能力运行在我们里面，能够丰丰富富地成就一切，超过我们所求所想的。 (以弗所书 3:20)
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, (Ephesians 3:20)
Whether God gives us more than we imagined or far less than we desired, we can trust that His plans are much better than ours.

Verse from Romans

愿那赐盼望的 神，因着你们的信，把一切喜乐平安充满你们，使你们靠着圣灵的大能满有盼望。(罗马书 15:13)
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

The Next Door Neighbor

I'm thankful today for good neighbors. I've never met one like
ours. My car broke down last spring. All summer, we tried to get
it fixed but after 300k miles and two accidents, it gave up.
 
James had no way to work, so our neighbor insisted we use his
spare van, which he used to haul supplies or as a 'loaner' for
family, until we could save the down payment on a replacement.
 
With trying to catch up our mortgage and medical bills, it took
six months. The day we picked up the car, James took the van
keys to our neighbor and offered to pay whatever we could for
using his van so very long (we had of course paid for all the
gas and maintenance).
 
The neighbor accepted only our thanks, he refused to take a dime.
 
You want to see some Christian charity? Yeah, his name's Tom,
 
he's next door.
 
~A MountainWings Original by Whitney Bland, Independence, MO~
 
He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats,
let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat,
let him do likewise. (Luke 3:11)

Verse from Psalm

耶和华啊，你的慈爱上及诸天； 你的信实达到穹苍。 (诗篇 36:5)
Your love, Lord , reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. (Psalm 36:5)

Prayer

Holy God, I ask that you bless all those everywhere who are trying to cross cultural, linguistic, and nationalistic barriers to share the grace of Jesus with those who do not know you and do not honor your Son as Lord. Father, I pray that You led us and push us to break through racial hatred and cultural ignorance. Help us to be the kind of people who rejoice and praise God for every barrier that falls that divides people. Help us to press on until the triumphant promise of the Gospel is fulfilled:
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
并不分 犹太 人、希腊 人，自主的、为奴的，或男或女，因为你们在基督耶稣里都成为一了。(加拉太书 3:28)
In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Verse from Psalm

你们要称谢耶和华，因他本为善； 他的慈爱永远长存！ (诗篇 107:1)
Give thanks to the Lord , for he is good; his love endures forever. (Psalm 107:1)

Verse from Psalms

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me. (Psalm 13:5, 6)
但我倚靠你的慈爱； 我的心因你的救恩快乐。我要向耶和华歌唱，因他用厚恩待我。(诗篇 13:5, 6)

Verse from Romans

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23, 24)
因为世人都犯了罪，亏缺了上帝的荣耀； 如今却蒙上帝的恩典，因基督耶稣的救赎，就白白地称义。 (罗马书 3:23, 24)

Who's Your Daddy?

A number of years ago a seminary professor was vacationing with
his wife in Gatlinburg, Tennessee where they were eating
breakfast at a little restaurant, hoping to enjoy a quiet family
meal.
 
While they were waiting for their food, they noticed a
distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to
table visiting with the guests. The professor leaned over and
whispered to his wife:
 
"I hope he doesn't come over here."  But sure enough, the man
did come over to their table.
 
"Where are you folks from?" he asked in a friendly voice.
 
"Oklahoma," they answered.
 
"Great to have you here in Tennessee," the stranger said.
"What do you do for a living?"
 
"I teach at a seminary," he replied.
 
"Oh, you teach preachers how to preach? Well, I've got a really
great story for you." And with that, the gentleman pulled up a
chair and sat down at the table with the couple.
 
"See that mountain over there?" (pointing out the restaurant
window). Not far from the base of that mountain, there was a
boy born to an unwed mother. He had a hard time growing up,
because every place he went, he was always asked the same
question:
 
'Hey boy, Who's your daddy?'
 
Whether he was at school, in the grocery store or drug store,
people would ask the same question, "Who's your daddy?"
He would hide at recess and lunchtime from other students.
He would avoid going in to stores because that question hurt him
so bad.
 
When he was about 12 years old, a new preacher came to his
church. He would always go in late and slip out early to avoid
hearing the question, "Who's your daddy?"  But one day, the
new preacher said the benediction so fast he got caught and
had to walk out with the crowd.
 
Just about the time he got to the back door, the new preacher
not knowing anything about him, put his hand on his shoulder and
asked him,
 
"Son, who's your daddy?"
 
The whole church got deathly quiet. He could feel every eye in
the church looking at him. By now, everyone knew the answer to
the question, 'Who's your daddy?'
 
This new preacher, though, sensed the situation around him and
using discernment that only the Holy Spirit could give, said the
following to that scared little boy...
 
'Wait a minute!' he said, 'I know who you are. I see the family
resemblance now. You are a child of God.'
 
With that he patted the boy on his shoulder and said:
 
'Boy, you've got a great inheritance. Go and claim it.'
 
With that, the boy smiled for the first time in a long time
and walked out the door a changed person. He was never the same
again. Whenever anybody asked him, 'Who's your Daddy?' he'd
just tell them,
 
'I'm a Child of God.'
 
The distinguished gentleman got up from the table and said,
"Isn't that a great story?"
 
The professor responded that it really was a great story!
As the man turned to leave, he said,
 
"You know, if that new preacher hadn't told me that I was one of
God's children, I probably never would have amounted to
anything!" And he walked away.
 
The seminary professor and his wife were stunned.
He called the waitress over and asked her,
 
"Do you know who that man was who just left who was sitting at
our table?" The waitress grinned and said,
 
"Of course. Everybody here knows him. That's Ben Hooper.
He's the former governor of Tennessee!"
 
~by Dr. Fred Craddock
Seminary professor of homiletics at Emory University in Atlanta~

Verse from Proverbs

耶和华所恨恶的有六样，
连他心所憎恶的共有七样：
就是高傲的眼，撒谎的舌，流无辜人血的手，图谋恶计的心，飞跑行恶的脚，吐谎言的假见证，并弟兄中布散纷争的人。
(箴言 6:16-19)
There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
(Proverbs 6:16-19)
God’s Word is full of loving warnings to protect and preserve us.

展開清晨的翅膀 Wings of the Dawn

Verse from Psalms

耶和华啊，你已经鉴察我，认识我。
我坐下，我起来，你都晓得；
你从远处知道我的意念。
我行路，我躺卧，你都细察；
你也深知我一切所行的。
耶和华啊，我舌头上的话，
你没有一句不知道的。
你在我前后环绕我，
按手在我身上。
这样的 知识奇妙，
是我不能测的，
至高，是我不能及的。
我往哪里去躲避你的灵？
我往哪里逃、躲避你的面？
我若升到天上，你在那里；
我若在阴间下榻，你也在那里。 我若展开清晨的翅膀，
飞到海极居住，
就是在那里，
你的手必引导我；
你的右手也必扶持我。
(诗篇 139:1-10)
O L ORD , You have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O LORD,
You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
(Psalms 139:1-10)

Gratitude

Years ago I was in a devastating accident.

I am still in recovery daily.

The thing that has pulled me through it all has been having an
Attitude of Gratitude.

When I read the issue "Why Me," I wanted to share with you what
I have learned to do for myself each and every day.

To keep an Attitude of Gratitude at all times,
I have learned to have a "Gratitude Prayer" once a day.

I have this prayer just before laying down for the night.

I do nothing in it but pray my thankfulness for things that I am
grateful for on that particular day.

When I first started this practice, my prayers were very short.

As the years have passed, they have become a time of peace each
day that I look forward to as I share with my Father in Heaven
all the bounty He has given me that day.

I acknowledge His hand in the giving of that bounty.

My world is beautiful because of constant gratitude.

I have made it such a part of my life, that at times during the
day when something happens, I raise my eyes to Heaven and say
"Thank you, God."

My change in taking charge of my life in this manner has indeed
been a gift, for I have a constant smile, inside and out,
by merely looking at the world differently.

Sue Adams
Cheyenne, Wyoming

Verse from 1 Corinthians

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him— (1 Corinthians 2:9)
正如经上所记： “ 神为爱他的人所预备的， 是眼睛未曾见过，耳朵未曾听过， 人心也未曾想到的。” (哥林多前书 2:9)

Verse from James

你们应当顺服 神，抵挡魔鬼，魔鬼就逃避你们。 (雅各书 4:7)
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

Verse from Psalm

应当充满感恩进入他的殿门， 满口赞美进入他的院子； 要感谢他，称颂他的名。 因为耶和华本是美善的， 他的慈爱存到永远， 他的信实直到万代。 (诗篇 100:4, 5)
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100:4, 5)

Verse from Genesis

but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” (Genesis 3:3)
只有园中那棵树上的果子， 神曾经说过：‘你们不可吃，也不可摸，免得你们死。’” (创世记 3:3)
We need to realize that even as He denies us, He’s saying to our hearts, “You can trust Me. I know what is best.”

Verse from Psalm

For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. (Psalm 33:4, 5)
因为耶和华的话是正直的， 他的一切作为都是诚实的。 耶和华喜爱公义和公正， 全地充满耶和华的慈爱。 (诗篇 33:4, 5)

A prayer for everyone out there

Verse from Psalm

The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love. (Psalm 145:8)
耶和华有恩典有怜悯，
不轻易发怒，大有慈爱。 (诗篇 145:8)

Verse from Matthew

耶稣立刻对他们说：“放心吧！是我，不要怕。” (马太福音 14:27)
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27)
Trust the presence and power of Jesus in the midst of life’s storms.

我要向高山舉目

Verse from 1 John

亲爱的，我们应当彼此相爱，因为爱是从 神那里来的。凡是爱人的，都是从 神生的，并且认识 神。 (约翰壹书 4:7)
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7)
God can spread the fragrance of His love through us today.

最珍貴的角落 (讚美之泉)

Verse from Psalms

我的帮助从哪里来呢？ 我的帮助是从造天地的耶和华而来。
他必不使你的脚滑倒；保护你的必不打盹。
看哪！保护以色列的，必不打盹，也不睡觉。
保护你的是耶和华，耶和华在你的右边荫庇你。
白天太阳必不伤你，夜里月亮必不害你。
耶和华要保护你脱离一切灾祸，他要保护你的性命。
你出你入，耶和华要保护你，
从现在直到永远。
(诗篇 121:1-8)
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (Psalm 121:1-8)

Verse from Psalms

少年人用甚么洁净自己的行为呢？ 就是要遵守你的话。 我一心寻求你， 求你不要容我偏离你的诫命。 我把你的话藏在心里， 免得我得罪你。 (诗篇 119:9-11)
How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:9-11)
Let God’s Word fill your memory, rule your heart, and guide your life.

Sandy Our Hope Is Strong

You came in a force of power,
Waves high upon the land.
Many states went into darkness,
Broadway neon is no more.
Subway under water,
Streets and cars float away.
Homes are a pile of rubble,
But Sandy, our hope is strong.

Boardwalk a pile of wood,
Rock-a-by and no one sleeps.
New Jersey shore awash in mud,
Flooding everywhere abounds.
Landscape looks like Armageddon
A wasteland of memories lost.
Neighborhoods lost to fire and water,
Sandy look what you have done!

But, God has sent us saving angels,
Red Cross, Fire and Police have come.
EMT's have saved the babies,
Blankets for the cold and lost.
Pets are saved and little children,
People work together as one.
You may have destroyed what we owned,
But Sandy, our hope is strong.

People everywhere work together,
To help the helpless and rebuild.
Money is raised and awareness,
Food and water is divinely sent.
People may have lost possessions,
Homes and businesses are ruined.
Yet, home is in the heart not bricks,
And Sandy, our hope is strong.

~A MountainWings Original by Dixie Scott~

Verse from Ruth

“I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered. So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do. (Ruth 3:5, 6)
路得对她说：“你吩咐的，我就去作。” 于是，她下到禾场去，照着婆婆吩咐的一切去作。 (路得记 3:5, 6)
Ruth trusted God and followed Naomi’s instructions even though the ending was uncertain. We too can count on God to provide for us when life is unsure.
Fear hinders faith, but trust kindles confidence.

Verse from Colossians

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:23, 24)
无论你们作甚么，都要从心里去作，像是为主作的，不是为人作的， 因为你们知道，你们一定会从主那里得到基业为赏赐。你们应当服事主基督， (歌罗西书 3:23, 24)

Verse from John

He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" (John 9:25)
那人回答：“他是不是个罪人，我不知道；我只知道一件事，就是我本来是瞎眼的，现在能看见了。” (约翰福音 9:25)
If you had six words to express what Christ has done for you and can do for others, what would you say?
“I was blind, now I see.”

Verse from 1 Corinthians

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
爱是恒久忍耐，又有恩慈。爱是不嫉妒，不自夸，不张狂； 不作失礼的事，不求自己的益处，不轻易动怒，不计较人的过犯； 不喜欢不义，只喜欢真理。 爱是凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐。 (哥林多前书 13:4-7)

Sometimes We Need To Fall Apart

We don't always have to be strong.

Sometimes our strength is expressed in being vulnerable.

Sometimes we need to fall apart to regroup and stay on track.

We all have days when we cannot push any harder,
cannot hold back self-doubt,
cannot stop focusing on fear,
cannot be strong.

There are days when we cannot focus on being responsible.
Sometimes we cry in front of people.
We expose our tiredness, irritability, or anger.
Those days are okay.

Part of taking care of ourselves means we give ourselves
permission to "fall apart" when we need to.
We do not need to be perpetual towers of strength.

We ARE strong.

We have proven that our strength will continue if we allow us
the courage to feel scared, weak, and vulnerable when we need
to experience those feelings.

Today, help me to know that it is okay
to allow myself to be human.

Help me not to feel guilty or punish myself
when I need to "fall apart."

~Author unknown~

from The Mountain: Every Biblical character whose weak moments
were detailed "fell apart" at one time or another.
The sin is not in falling, for we ALL fall short.
The sin is in failing to get up.

Verse from 1 Peter

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
你们要谨守、警醒。你们的仇敌魔鬼，好像吼叫的狮子走来走去，寻找可以吞吃的人； (彼得前书 5:8)
Though evil may surround us,
We need not fear defeat;
For when God fights the battle,
Our enemies retreat.
- Sper

Verse from Isaiah

Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. (Isaiah 26:4)
你们要倚靠耶和华，直到永远，
因为耶和华是永存的磐石。 (以赛亚书 26:4)