Tag: Italy
Mothers Day 2013
My Mean Mother
Lyn Chatman tells her story of growing up.
She says by far we had the meanest Mother the world ever know.
Mother did not believe in someone sitting idle with nothing to do, so everyone had there jobs around the house, we worked.
We had a TV but it was only for watching the news, Mother would always say it was Satan time piece and that it was better to read a good book and use ones mind.
When we got home from school Mother made us do all our home work first before we could do anything else.
Many of times some of my friends would ask me to come over to there house after school and chill and have some fun, but I would tell them I can’t I have to get home and they would always laugh and ask if I was always punished.
Mother insisted that we went to Church and be on time, if you missed you better know you were sick, because if you were not sick, you were when Mother finished giving you medicine
My life growing up was hard and it did not get any better as a teenager, if I went out with some of my friends, Mother had to know who, and where we was going and how long we would be.
If someone came to pick me up there was no meeting them in there car outside, they had to come inside and talk to Mother.
By far the worse part was Mother dead line to be home at 11 O’clock and not a second later. Most of my friends would say man the party does not start to 1am.
As time went on my friends and I drew apart, drifted in different direction and there was no one to blame but my mean Mother.
I went on to collage and got a degree, most of my old friends went to jail and some of the others were killed in gang fighting.
Through the years I look back at those days and thank God that I had a mean Mother who loved me so much to care about me.
I find now that I am also a mean Mother who Loves and cares about her children.
Let us Prayer and thanks God today for Mothers!
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There was a little girl, age eight, Diane.
She wrote a little note and handed it to her mother,
“I hope you like the flowers I got you for Mother’s Day. I picked them myself out of Mr. Smith garden when wasn’t looking”. Good intentions, but villainous methodology.
A mother is someone who can love and reward the good intentions of a child’s best efforts. (EG White) says: “No other work can equal (the work of the mother) in importance.”
Lets pretend that we are in need of a mother and we are going to run an add in the news paper What are we going to be looking for.
Needed one hard working Woman to rise and bare children must also double as a part time made.
For most of us the Mother is a 24 hour on call live in made.
She must be on call rain or shine, and sick leave is not option
There are many things we have in this world that we take for granted but none so much as our mothers.
Job Requirement:
Must be On Call 24 hours a day
Medical back ground a plus, but on the Job training can will be provided.
Teacher
Taxi Driver
Banker
Baker
Cook
Cleaner
Washer
Seamstress
And a reminder of thing to be done
No Vacations, No pay and little or no admiration
A mother is one that when we are sick can make us feel better, a Mothers her baby is the most pretty in the world.
Have any of you ever been visited by an angel? I am sure you have, many times unknown.
One day the angel of the Lord said to Mary: The Lord is with you! God was pledging Himself to guide this mother. God does that for every Christian mother.
The Lord was with Mary. Who was Mary?
This Mother was entrusted with the most importance job of all Mothers;
She was giving the task of raising Gods Son.
Mothers you will never be a Success unless God is with you. Success comes from above.
There was a mother name of Monica.
When her son became a teenager it was like living with a total stranger.
Then her son broke her heart by leaving the church. After much conflict he finally ran away and took up with some local scum of the earth.
His Mother continued to pray for her son. She found out that her son planned to sail to Italy in a great ship and live with some buddies in a life of sin.
She pleaded for him not to go. But he went anyway. Once in Italy he met AMBROSE and he led him to Christ.
In rising Children I can understand this, how when they become teenagers they turn on you.
I too growing up were not my Mother best son
Mothers all you can do is pray, and pray, and pray God hears the prays of faithful Mothers and Fathers
Mothers, pray for your children. Even when it seems that your prayers are not being answered, don’t give up praying for your son or your daughter.
Never give up. Remain on your knees. You may be the only person praying for your child.
Mary was a mother of prayer.
LUKE 1:46–55 Records one of the beautiful prayers of Mary which she sang as a song to God.
Here are the actual words written by Jesus own mother. This is a spectacular prayer.
My soul doth magnify the Lord,
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
Obviously Mary knew God in the depths of her heart.
If you are to be a success as a mother you must be a Mother of prayer.
No wonder Jesus did so well. His Mother was a woman of prayer before she had Jesus.
Blessed are the children whose mothers & Fathers go to church and are an example for them to follow
Luke 2:27 pictures Jesus parents going into the temple as the custom was.
Mary was a church going mother. She and her husband spent the full number of days at the Passover.
They went to camp meeting and attended as many as possible. They went in for all they could get out of the worship experience.
MARY LOST JESUS TWICE!
And both times she lost Him for 3 days!
Once at the temple when they thought he was with relatives. This shows that Jesus had relatives who also went to church. Godly aunts, uncles, grandmothers!
The second time she lost Jesus was when He was on the cross. Gone from her Three days.
It is hard to lose your son when you are already a widow.
Jesus showed His love for his Mother by placing her into the care of one of His disciples.
Mary risked her life to be with her Son there by the cross. This shows MARY WAS A LOVING MOTHER.
Mothers; love your children. Your children need your love.
Barbara Barton was a loving mother. She lived in Oregon and delivered TWINS in 1994.
She refused treatment for leukemia during her pregnancy because that could have harmed her babies.
She died Jan. 22, 1995 leaving behind her husband, twins and a 4-year old daughter. She, like all true mothers, placed her children above her own life.
Mothers are special. Their love is priceless.
Back in the old days the UPS delivery drivers had to get your signature before they could drop off a package.
Now they just leave it there and the dogs shred it and eat it up.
One day the driver knocked on the door and a little boy answered.
HI, Little fellow. Are you all alone? Yes, Mom is in the hospital and me and my brother and my 2 little sisters and my daddy, we are here all alone!
When the mother is gone, you are all alone!
The mother makes the house into a home, and Jesus makes the lady into a great mother.
Invite Jesus into your heart. Jesus will make you into a woman of integrity. Your children will be blessed.
With Jesus in the Mothers heart—you will have a happy home.
Look at what is said in Proverbs 31 said about Mothers
Proverbs 31:
She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
There was a woman in the Bible named Hannah who had no Children
Understand the setting of Hannah’s times, the glory of a Woman was to bare Children to her Husband,
Woman who had no Children were looked down upon and made fun of.
Hannah was a woman that feared God and gave him glory and praise, but for some reason God had shut her womb
Finish the Story of Samuel
What are you going to do for Mothers Day? Maybe do the one year visit at the nursing home to see if the old girl is still alive.
Send a Card saying happy Mothers day and sign your name
Send some Flowers
Call on the phone…..
STORY: Mother & the Rat My story when I was growing up
My Mother had passed away for almost 25 years now. If I could do one thing, I would like to thanks her for all the tears she Cried, and ask her to forgive for all the hurt I caused.
I would like to hug her and tell her something I never said to her while she was alive.
Mom I love you! Thanks for being the best Mother…..For it was her prayers that helped me to find Jesus…
FACING TRIALS ALONE
Act 27:
31: Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
At the height of his popularity, Rudyard Kipling was one of the most widely read authors of all time.
At one point it was estimated that each word he had in print was worth twenty-five shillings.
A group of students at Oxford University pooled their change and sent twenty-five shillings to Kipling, and the accompanying letter read, “Send us your best word.”
Before long, the reply came back. And so with great anticipation, the students opened the envelope from Kipling to find a single word printed on the piece of paper.
It simply said,
“Thanks.”
One little word, but what power can it accomplish
How often do we use this simple word that can say so much all by its self?
Thank you Jesus, for being my savior, my Lord and my Friend.
Lets us Pray?
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We all have a bad habit of doing things all by ourselves and perhaps no one is worst with that then me. I hope I am the only one here today with that problem.
When someone needs help I am willing to go and help them, but when I need help and they ask me I just say ”That’s OK I can do it”. Then I suffer through the heat of the mess all because of some stupid little inner me that can’t seam to say OK I need you to help me.
I am glad Paul was not like that he knew where his help came from and he trusted God with his life.
Our story today starts with Paul being under arrest and escorted by a Roam guard.
First we must understand the setting of the story and the reason why Paul was where he was.
Paul was a prisoner and on his way to see the judge in Roam, Why because He was a Roman Citizen so he could only be judge by a Roman court
There are two reasons in life that we all suffer;
Number 1: Is problems we cause and bring upon ourselves. This we do through
Drinking, Drugs, Partying, This hurt our bodies
Number 2: Is problems that come because we refuse to be like what the world calls normal.
Jesus was one of these types. He was not the Normal
When he was just a little boy I am sure there were many of times his friends called him to go with them and do a little hell raising, but he would not go with them.
Sometime in life we must learner to stand alone.
We will not always be able to hide in our pleasant of comfort places where we feel warm and cozy. We need to take a stand of being different at being a true Christian
At being someone that said No; I will not follow the crowd Jesus is my leader and I will follow only Him.
Why do we fear to stand alone, what makes us afraid?
There is a day when we will be called to stand before kings and rulers of this world. How does that make you feels?
The Bible said don’t worry about what you are to say.
Mark 13
9: But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
10: And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
11: But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
Mt:10:28: And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Now let’s look at Paul and his problems
Act 27:
6: And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.
7: And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;
8: And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.
It way late in the year and the winter months were just about on them. There was still some time for sailing but for only short trips and close to shore.
9: Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,
10: And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.
11: Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.
12: And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.
This all makes good sense to me,
I am a sailor, I don’t expect Pastor Paul to be able to tell me how to run my Ship or when it is good or bad weather. I am an expert right.
So the Centurion would only be expected to believe the ship owners rather then believe Paul
In our world people who do not know God believe what they are told by men of the world, not by men of God
13: And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.
This is kind of like Sin, at first it seams that all is OK and you have manages to achieve your objective, but like all Sin it is not what happened in the beginning or in the middle, but what happens in the End.
14: But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.
We know it better by its 21 century name Typhoon
15: And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.
Let me explain what is going on:
The Captain of the ship has lost all hope; he and his crew are doing all they can to keep the ship on curse but the Seas and the Wind keep pushing them backwards.
They had no Compass, they had no GPS to tell them where they were. All they had was the Stars and the weather was so bad the could not tell where they were
16: And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:
The weather seam to lay down some and they took the opportunity to try and make what repairs they could to the ship.
17: Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.
18: And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
19: And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.
20: And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
The world would give-up hope, but not God people, they know with Jesus there is always hope
When things seam like it is over we know that is where God takes control
The same is true in our lives today. Satan may make you feel that the end is near there is no hope, your condition is beyond help.
Don’t listen to that, Do this real fast, put a mirror under your nose and bread out, quickly remove the mirror and look for vapor residue on it. If it is there then you are still alive and there is still hope for you.
Why because Jesus came to save all who call on his name, no matter what boat you are in he can save to the up-most in any condition
21: But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
No one was interested in what Paul had to say before, but they are interested in hearing what he has to say now.
A few weeks ago I was in Honduras, some of the Church leaders were telling a story about the resent Earthquakes there.
He said all the Churches were almost empty one week and then the earthquake and now its standing room only
It is funny how when there is trouble; the world looks to God, but as soon as the trouble is passed the world goes back to doing what it was doing before
Paul did not sway he stood firm because his Rock was Jesus and when your Rock is Jesus you can’t be moved.
Lesion to what Paul is telling the people
22: And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.
23: For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
24: Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
25: Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
26: Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
This was like a 9.9 Earthquake, and everyone was trying to get as close to Paul as possible
27: But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;
Have you been on a boat for more then a day, what was the sea condition, Good / bad.
We went fishing for my Son bachelor party in Tampa, what a good time, the ride was about 1 1½ hours out to the fishing area, the seas were about 4 to 5 foot, just beautiful for an old seaman like me.
Everyone was doing great except Pastor Edwin he was sick as a seadog, the only thing he was doing was feeding the fish over the side of the boat.
I almost felt sorry for him, almost that is.
I can only imagine how it would be with a boat load of men about 266 of them in a Hurricane force winds. I road out many of hurricanes offshore but never with so many people on board
Now the boat was coming up behind an Island, trained mariners can tell the difference in the sound of the sea and the waves of the Oceanic.
Look at verse 28
28: And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.
29: Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
30: And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,
31: Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
32: Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
Here is a massage for us today.
Only as we abide in Jesus can we be saved
The world may have all types of roads to heaven but none lead to Jesus
John:14:6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
There is only one way to heaven and that is by Jesus and the sacrifice he has giving on the cross in payment for our sins
And there is only one way to get forgiveness, Except it by faith what He has done for you
Now they are all waiting for Paul to give the word
The Roman centurion, the ship owner, the ship Captain, the crew, and the passengers, All eyes were now on Paul
Act 27:
33: And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.
34: Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.
35: And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.
36: Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.
37: And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.
38: And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.
39: And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.
40: And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
If you are to be saved you must committee your live to Jesus, you must put yourself in His hands and let go of the rope that holds you too this world. The ride may get bumpy but the end results is what counts
41: And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.
42: And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
43: But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
44: And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.
Many times in our life we will face trials; and come up against forces mightier then we are.
Eph:6:12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
When we are doing God will and going where God wants us to go, we must remember that He will take care of the problems that stand in the way.
God will not let his People Parrish, we may face trials but we will not face them alone
The ship was lost but the 266 souls were saved,
This is a great lesion for us today, by Faith we are saved through the Grace that Jesus gave on the cross; dieing in my place that I might have the life.
For he took my place in exchange he gave me his life . O what Love, O what a savior is Jesus my Lord.
Don’t be afraid to stand up for Jesus, someone’s life may be counting on your testimony
It is my pray that each of us will come to know Jesus as Paul did, that no matter what problems come to us in live we can say I know that my savior is in control and I have nothing to fear.
D5 Creation
