NITTY-GRITTY REASONS

A nitty-gritty reason is the kind that any one of us can have - at any time, on any day - and it can cause our lives to change. Let me tell you what happened to me.

One day I was lounging at home when I heard a knock at the door. It was a timid, hesitant knock. When I opened the door I looked down to see a frail little girl of about 10. She told me, with all the courage her little heart could muster, that she was selling Girl Scout cookies.

It was a masterful presentation - several flavors, a special deal - only $2 per box. How could anyone refuse? Finally, with a big smile & ever so politely, she asked me to buy. And I wanted to. Oh, how I wanted to!

Except for one thing. I didn't have two dollars!

Boy, was I embarrassed! Here I was - a father, had been to college, was gainfully employed - and yet I didn't have two dollars to my name. Naturally I couldn't tell this to the little girl. So I lied to her. I said, "Thanks, but I've already bought Girl Scout cookies this year. And I've still got plenty stacked in the house."

Now that simply wasn't true. But it was the only thing I could think of to get me off the hook. And it did. The little girl said, "That's okay, sir. Thank you very much." And with that she turned around & went on her way.

I stared after her for what seemed a very long time. Finally, I closed the door behind me & leaning my back to it, cried out, "I don't want to live like this anymore. I've had it with being broke & I've had it with lying. I'll never be embarrassed again by not having any money in my pocket."

That day I promised myself to earn enough to always have some money in my pocket at all times.

This is what I mean by a nitty-gritty reason. It may not win me any prize for greatness, but it was enough to have a permanent effect on the rest of my life.

My Girl-Scout-cookie story does have a happy ending.

Several years later, as I was crossing the street to get into my car, I saw two little girls who were selling candy for some girls' organization.

One of them approached me, saying, "Mister, would you like to buy some candy?"

"I probably would," I said playfully. "What kind of candy do you have?"

"It's almond roca."

"Almond roca. That's my favorite. How much is it?"

"It's only $2."

Two dollars. I was excited. "How many boxes of candy have you got?"

"I've got five."

Looking at her friend, I said, "And how many boxes do you have left?"

"I've got four."

"That's nine. Okay, I'll take them all."

At this, both girls' mouths fell open as they exclaimed in unison, "Really?"

"Sure," I said. "I've got some friends that I'll pass some around to."

Excitedly, they scurried to stack all the boxes together. I reached into my pocket & gave them $18.

As I was about to leave, one of the girls looked up & said, "Mister, you're really something!"

How about that! Can you imagine spending only $18 & having someone look you in the face & say, "You're really something!"

Now you know why I always carry a few hundred dollars on me. I'm not about to miss chances like that ever again.

And to think it all resulted from my own embarrassment, which when properly channeled, acted as a powerful motivator to help me achieve.

How about you? What nitty-gritty reasons do you have waiting to challenge & provoke you into change for the better?

- Jim Rohn (aksermonillustrations.blogspot.in)

Pro 21:21 (CEV): "If you try to be kind and good, you will be blessed with life and goodness and honor."

THE REFINER’S FIRE

C H Spurgeon, who experienced many physical & spiritual trials, said that there is no education like adversity, testifying:

“I have derived more real benefit & permanent strength & growth in grace & every precious thing, from the furnace of affliction, than I have ever derived from prosperity.

And in all our troubles we have found the character of God a comfort, for the Refiner is never very far from the mouth of the furnace when His gold is in the fire.”

While God never promised we would miss the storms, He has promised we will make it to the harbor!

As Wiersbe said, “When God puts His own people into the furnace; He keeps His eye on the clock & His hand on the thermostat. He knows how long & how much.” He is not an arsonist, but a Refiner!

(preceptaustin.wordpress.com)

1Pe 1:6-7 (GNB): “Be glad about this, even though it may now be necessary for you to be sad for a while because of the many kinds of trials you suffer. Their purpose is to prove that your faith is genuine. Even gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire; and so your faith, which is much more precious than gold, must also be tested, so that it may endure. Then you will receive praise and glory and honor on the Day when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

GOD LOVES ME

Some years ago two gentlemen were riding together & as they were about to separate, one addressed the other thus: "Do you ever read your Bible?"

"Yes," was the answer, "but I get no benefit from it, because, to tell the truth, I feel I do not love God."

"Neither did I," replied the other, "until I thought of how much God loves me."

This answer produced such an effect upon his friend that, to use his own words, it was as if one had lifted him off the saddle into the skies. It opened up to his soul at once the great truth, that it is not how much I love God, but how much God loves me.

(moreillustrations.com)

“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.” - Augustine.

1Pe 1:18-19 (GW): “Realize that you weren't set free from the worthless life handed down to you from your ancestors by a payment of silver or gold which can be destroyed. Rather, the payment that freed you was the precious blood of Christ, the lamb with no defects or imperfections.”

DOING RIGHT

Lenny Skutnik had no intention of being a hero that day. The staffer at the Congressional Budget Office in Washington was having an ordinary winter day when Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the 14th Street Bridge over the Potomac River shortly after takeoff. Those who survived the crash faced death as the plane sank in the icy waters.

A helicopter dropped a rescue line to one of the survivors, but she was too weak to hold on. Lenny Skutnik saw what was happening & dove into the water. He swam out to her & pulled her back to shore, saving her life.

Two weeks later, President Ronald Reagan invited Skutnik to attend the State of the Union address & in describing the accident said: “We saw the heroism of one of our young government employees, Lenny Skutnik, who, when he saw a woman lose her grip on the helicopter line, dived into the water & dragged her to safety.”

Skutnik was honored by the president of the United States, not because he tried to draw attention to himself but because he did what was right in a crisis. Satan tells us that we need to be sure everything we do is seen & praised. Yet God reminds us that attempts to promote ourselves eventually backfire.

- Presidential Voices, Allan Metcalf (ministry127.com)

Jas 4:17 (ISV): “Therefore, anyone who knows what is right but fails to do it is guilty of sin.”

“It is not your business to succeed, but to do right: when you have done so, the rest lies with God.” - C.S. Lewis.

GOD REWARDS THOSE WHO SEEK HIM

An old man, so the story goes, once lost a currency note in his barn. He said to himself: "That note certainly is in the barn somewhere & I will search for it until I find it."

After long & patient seeking, he found the note & returned to the house & related the circumstance to his wife.

A few weeks later, having been awakened to a sense of his spiritual state, he asked his wife, "What must I do to become a real Christian?"

She replied, "You must seek Christ as you sought the currency note until you find Him." And he did so.

- Pentecostal Herald. (moreillustrations.com)

Pro 8:17 (ASV): “I love them that love me; And those that seek me diligently shall find me.”

“Many who plan to seek God at the eleventh hour, die at 10:30.” - Author Unknown.

Heb 11:6 (GNB): “No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him.”

How to seek God?

“In all things seek to know God's will and when known obey at any cost.” - Jonathan Goforth.

HE WAS DETERMINED TO READ THE BIBLE

William McPherson was the superintendent for a stone quarry when a blast severely injured him.

He lost his eyesight & both hands in the explosion. He was determined to read the Bible & learned to read raised letters with the tip of his tongue.

It is said that he read through the Bible four times in this manner.

- Annual Report of the American Bible Society, Volume 97. (ministry127.com)

“Within the covers of the Bible are all the answers for all the problems men face.” - Ronald Reagan.

Heb 4:12 (GNB): “The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart.”

“If I were doing something that the Bible condemns, I have two choices. I can straighten up my act, or I can somehow distort and twist and change the meaning of the Bible.” - Jerry Falwell.

GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS (but differently sometimes)

A little boy wanted $100 very badly. He prayed for weeks, but nothing happened. So, he decided to write a letter to God requesting $100.

When the postal authorities received the letter to "God, USA", they decided to send it to the President.

The President was so amused that he instructed his secretary to send the little boy a $5 bill. The President thought this would appear to be a lot of money to a little boy.

The little boy was delighted with the $5 bill and sat down to write a thank-you note to God. The postal authorities forwarded this letter also to the President.

It read:
"Dear God, Thank you very much for sending the money. However, I noticed that for some reason you sent it through Washington, D.C., and those guys deducted $95 in taxes!"

It's a funny story but what we can learn from this is:

When God answers our prayer, sometimes it will not be exactly what we wanted it to be.
But we just have to trust Him. Trust that God's answer to our prayer is the best for us.

(aksermonillustrations.blogspot.in)

Jesus said: "Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” (Mat 7:7)

“God will either give you what you ask or something far better.” - Robert Murray McCheyne.

Jesus said: “Even though you're evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. So how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?” (Mat 7:11)