DI TANAH YANG SALAH

Ada sebuah cerita menarik dari negeri Tiongkok kuno, di zaman Negeri Berperang, jauh sebelum masehi, mungkin bisa menjawab berbagai pemikiran kita yang cenderung rasialis. Di bawah ini ceritanya:

Yanci adalah cendekiawan yang sangat cerdik dari negeri Qi, suatu ketika dia diutus berkunjung ke negeri Chu untuk berunding dengan Raja Chu. Sebelum perundingan resmi, Raja Chu bermaksud menjatuhkan mentalnya, maka disusunlah sebuah rencana untuk mempermalukan dirinya.

Ketika Yanzi bersama Raja Chu sedang melewati keramaian, berpapasan dengan rombongan prajurit yang sedang mengawal seorang tahanan. " Siapakah orang itu, apa kesalahannya hingga ditahan?" tanya Yanzi.

"Oh, itu adalah orang dari negeri Qi, dia ditangkap karena menjadi rampok. " jawab Sang Raja:" Disini orang Qi banyak yang menjadi pencuri dan maling, apa memang itu tabiat bangsa Qi?"

Dengan tenang Yanzi menjawab : " Ada sejenis buah yang ditanam di selatan sungai, rasanya sangat manis, namanya "Jeruk". buah yang sama coba ditanam di utara sungai, karena kondisi tanah yang buruk dan cuaca yang tidak sesuai, rasanya menjadi kecut dan pahit, namanya bukan lagi jeruk, tapi dinamai "Jurek". Orang-orang Qi yang lahir dan hidup di negeri Qi, mayoritas adalah rakyat yang berperilaku baik dan warga yang taat pada hukum. Sedangkan sekarang, baginda memberitahu saya begitu banyak orang Qi di negeri Chu telah menjadi penjahat, itu mungkin juga disebabkan hal yang sama, mungkin karena mereka hidup di tanah yang buruk dan iklim yang salah."

Raja Chu terperangah dan tak bisa menjawab " Celaka, aku malah mempermalukan diri sendiri!!!"


Sumber : --

Be Still With God

Author: Nancy B. Gibbs

All day long I had been very busy; picking up trash, cleaning bathrooms and scrubbing floors. My grown children were coming home for the weekend. I went grocery shopping and prepared for a barbecue supper, complete with ribs and chicken. I wanted everything to be perfect.

Suddenly, it dawned on me that I was dog-tired. I simply couldn't work as long as I could when I was younger. "I've got to rest for a minute," I told my husband, Roy, as I collapsed into my favorite rocking chair. Music was playing, my dog and cat were chasing each other and the telephone rang.

A scripture from Psalm 46 popped into my mind. "Be still, and know that I am God." I realized that I hadn't spent much time in prayer that day. Was I too busy to even utter a simple word of thanks to God? Suddenly, the thought of my beautiful patio came to mind. I can be quiet out there, I thought. I longed for a few minutes alone with God.

Roy and I had invested a great deal of time and work in the patio that spring. The flowers and hanging baskets were breathtaking. It was definitely a heavenly place of rest and tranquility. If I can't be still with God in that environment, I can't be still with Him anywhere, I thought. While Roy was talking on the telephone, I slipped out the backdoor and sat down on my favorite patio chair. I closed my eyes and began to pray, counting my many blessings.

A bird flew by me, chirping and singing. It interrupted my thoughts. It landed on the bird feeder and began eating dinner as I watched. After a few minutes it flew away, singing another song.

I closed my eyes again. A gust of wind blew, which caused my wind chimes to dance. They made a joyful sound, but again I lost my concentration on God. I squirmed and wiggled in my chair. I looked up toward the blue sky and saw the clouds moving slowly toward the horizon. The wind died down. My wind chimes finally became quiet.

Again, I bowed in prayer. "Honk, honk," I heard. I almost jumped out of my skin. A neighbor was driving down the street. He waved at me and smiled. I waved back, happy that he cared. I quickly tried once again to settle down, repeating the familiar verse in my mind. Be still and know that I am God.

"I'm trying God. I really am," I whispered. "But you've got to help me here."

The backdoor opened. My husband walked outside. "I love you," he said. "I was wondering where you were." I chuckled, as he came over and kissed me, then turned around and went back inside.

"Where's the quiet time?" I asked God. My heart fluttered. There was no pain, only a beat that interrupted me yet again. This is impossible, I thought. There's no time to be still and to know that God is with me. There's too much going on in the world and entirely too much activity all around me.

Then it suddenly dawned on me. God was speaking to me the entire time I was attempting to be still. I remembered the music playing as I'd begun my quiet time. He sent a sparrow to lighten my life with song. He sent a gentle breeze. He sent a neighbor to let me know that I had a friend. He sent my sweetheart to offer sincere sentiments of love. He caused my heart to flutter to remind me of life. While I was trying to count my blessings, God was busy multiplying them.

I laughed to realize that the "interruptions" of my quiet time with God were special blessings He'd sent to show me He was with me the entire time.


Sumber : http://www.heartnsouls.com/

Asked From God

Author: Unknown

I asked God to take away my pain
God said, No.
It is not for Me to take away, but for you to give it up

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said, No.
His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience.
God said, No.
Patience is a by-product of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is learned.

I asked God to give me happiness.
God said, No.
I give you blessings. Happiness is up to you.

I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, No.
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to Me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, No.
You must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you fruitful.

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said, No.
I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all things.

I ask God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
God said...Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.

THIS DAY IS YOURS DON'T THROW IT AWAY May God Bless You. To the world you might be one person, But to one person you just might be the world


sumber : http://www.heartnsouls.com/

The Power of Prayer

Author: Unknown

A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible Study. The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice. The young man couldn't help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people?"

After service he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways.

It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, "God...If You still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey."

As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, "God is that You?" He didn't get a reply and started on toward home.

But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk. The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli.

"Okay, God, in case that is You, I will buy the milk."

It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.

As he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge, "Turn down that street." This is crazy he thought and drove on past the intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street. At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will".

He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in semi-commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed.

Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street."

The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat.

"Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid."

Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk. Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this is You, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If You want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here."

He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?" Then the door opened before the young man could get away.

The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. "What is it?"

The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, "Here, I brought this to you."

The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway speaking loudly in Spanish. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying.

The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying, "We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk."

His wife in the kitchen yelled out, "I ask him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?"

The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face. He knew that God still answers prayers.


sumber : http://www.heartnsouls.com/

UTANG KEPEMIMPINAN

Selamatkanlah hamba-Mu yang percaya kepada-Mu!

—Mazmur 86:2

Baca: Mazmur 86

Perhatikanlah kata-kata dalam Mazmur 86, dan mungkin Anda lupa bahwa Anda sedang membaca pergumulan seorang pemimpin yang baik. Raja Daud berdoa, “Ya TUHAN, jawablah aku, sebab sengsara dan miskin aku” (ay.1). Raja Israel ini menyebut dirinya sebagai “hamba” dan memohon belas kasihan. Coba pikirkan! Daud adalah orang yang dipilih Allah untuk memimpin umat-Nya dan ia memohon pertolongan Allah. Wow!

Ketika berpikir tentang peran pemimpin—baik di abad silam ataupun zaman sekarang—penting sekali bagi kita untuk mengkaji ulang apa makna dari kepemimpinan. Menurut Max De Pree, seorang pebisnis dan penulis buku, yang berhasil membawa perusahaannya hampir mencapai puncak dalam daftar 500 perusahaan terbaik dari majalah Fortune: “Tanggung jawab pertama seorang pemimpin adalah menyatakan realitas. Tanggung jawab terakhirnya adalah mengucapkan terima kasih. Di antara keduanya, pemimpin harus menjadi seorang hamba dan seorang yang berutang. Itulah totalitas seorang pemimpin yang handal.” Dua definisi itu, seorang hamba dan seorang yang berutang, menggambarkan bagaimana Daud memandang dirinya sendiri ketika ia meminta tolong kepada Allah selama masa kepemimpinannya.

Kita semua yang berada di posisi kepemimpinan—baik memimpin keluarga, gereja, kelas, ataupun bisnis—perlu menjadikan perkataan yang rendah hati di dalam Mazmur 86 sebagai panduan. Pemimpin berhati hamba yang “sengsara dan miskin” (ay.1) dan yang percaya kepada Allah adalah seseorang yang pada akhirnya, dapat berkata seperti Daud, “Engkau, ya TUHAN, telah menolong dan menghiburkan aku” (ay.17). —JDB

Mengatur kehidupan orang lain
Bukanlah karakter seorang pemimpin yang rohani;
Tetapi melayani kebutuhan orang lain
Adalah tindakan yang agung di mata Tuhan.
—Sper

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Pemimpin yang berkualitas untuk memimpin hanyalah mereka yang telah belajar untuk melayani.

disadur dari : http://www.rbcintl.org/

From An Angel

Dear Mommy,
I am in Heaven now, sitting on God's lap.
He loves me and cries with me;
for my heart has been broken.
I so wanted to be your little girl.
I don't quite understand what has happened.
I was so excited when I began realizing my existence.


I was in a dark, yet comfortable place.
I saw I had fingers and toes.
I was pretty far along in my developing,
yet not near ready to leave my surroundings.
I spent most of my time thinking or sleeping.
Even from my earliest day,
I felt a special bonding between you and me.

Sometimes I heard you crying and I cried with you.
Sometimes you would yell or scream, then cry.
I heard Daddy yelling back.
I was sad, and hoped you would be better soon.
I wondered why you cried so much.
One day you cried almost all of the day.
I hurt for you.
I couldn't imagine why you were so unhappy.

That same day, the most horrible thing happened.
A very mean monster came
into that warm, comfortable lace I was in.
I was so scared, I began screaming,
but there was no sound.
I guess they had you all pinned down
because you never once tried to help me.
Maybe you never heard me.

The monster got closer and closer
as I was screaming and screaming,
"Mommy, Mommy, help me, please; Mommy, help me."
Complete terror is all I felt.
I screamed and screamed
until I thought I couldn't anymore.

Then the monster started ripping my arm off.
It hurt so bad; the pain I can never explain.
It didn't stop.
Oh, how I begged it to stop.
I screamed in horror as it ripped my leg off.
Though I was in such complete pain,
I realize I was dying.
I knew I would never see your face,
or hear you say how much you love me.
I wanted to make all your tears go away.
I had so many plans to make you happy.
Now, I couldn't; all my dreams were shattered.
Though I was in utter pain and horror,
I felt the pain of my heart breaking, above all.

I wanted more than anything; to be your daughter.
No use now, for I was dying a painful death.
I could only imagine that terrible things
they had done to me.
I wanted to tell you that I love you before I was gone,
but I didn't know the words you could understand.
And soon no longer I had the breath to say them;
I was dead.

I felt myself rising.
I was being carried by a huge angle
into a big, beautiful lace.
I was still crying, but the physical pain was gone.
The angle took me to Jesus and set me on His lap.
He said that He loved me, and He was my Father.
Then I was happy.
I asked Him what the thing was that killed me.
He answered, "Abortion. I am sorry, my child;
for I know how it feels."

I don't know what abortion is;
I guess that's the name of the monster.

I'm writing to say that I love you,
and to tell you how much I wanted to be your little girl.
I'd tried very hard to live.
I wanted to live.
I had the will, but I couldn't;
the monster was too powerful.
It sucked my arms and legs off and finally got all of me.
It was impossible to live.
I just wanted you to know how I tried to stay with you.
I didn't want to die.

Also, Mommy,
please watch out for that abortion monster.

Mommy,
I love you and I wouldn't hate for you
to go through the kind of pain I did.
Please be careful.

Love,
Your baby girl

http://touching-inspiringstory.blogspot.com/

KENAIKAN-NYA

Aku pergi ke situ untuk menyediakan tempat bagimu. . . . Aku akan datang kembali dan membawa kamu ke tempat-Ku, supaya di tempat di mana Aku berada, kamu pun berada.

—Yohanes 14:2-3

Baca: Kisah Para Rasul 1:1-11

Kemunculan Yesus yang berulang kali setelah kematian dan kebangkitan-Nya memberikan sukacita besar kepada para pengikut-Nya sehingga mereka pasti sangat berharap kemunculan-Nya akan terus berlanjut selamanya. Namun di hari ke-40 setelah kebangkitan-Nya dan Ia memberikan perintah terakhir kepada murid-murid-Nya, Yesus perlahan-lahan naik ke surga dan awan menutupi-Nya dari pandangan mereka.

Yesus dapat saja menghilang dalam sekejap mata, seperti yang pernah dilakukan-Nya sebelum ini (Luk. 24:31). Akan tetapi, Ia memilih untuk naik ke surga secara kasat mata guna memberi kesan kepada para pengikut- Nya bahwa saat itulah akhir dari kemunculan- Nya. Kehadiran-Nya secara fisik akan segera digantikan oleh “Penolong yang lain” yaitu Roh Kudus yang dijanjikan dalam Yohanes 14:16. Kenaikan Yesus menandai datangnya sebuah era baru.

Dengan tubuh manusiawi-Nya yang penuh kemuliaan, Tuhan Yesus terangkat, masuk ke surga, duduk di sebelah kanan Allah, mengirimkan Roh Kudus (Yoh. 14:16-18; Kis. 2:33), dan sekarang menjadi perantara kita (Rm. 8:34; Ibr. 7:25). Ia memenuhi seluruh alam semesta dengan kehadiran Roh dan kuasa-Nya (Kol. 1:15-23; Ef. 4:10).

Sebuah tulisan kuno yang mengatakan bahwa Yesus naik secara fisik ke surga “untuk meneguhkan masuknya kita ke surga, dan menyiapkan tempat tinggal bagi kita di sana” adalah benar. Namun, benar juga bahwa sebagai Allah, Ia secara rohani selalu menyertai kita saat ini dan “sampai akhir zaman” (Mat. 28:20). Sungguh luar biasa Juruselamat kita! —HVL

Tuhan naik secara jasmani
Dari dunia ke takhta di surga;
Sekarang Dia di sana untuk bersyafaat
Kepada mereka yang menjadi milik-Nya.
—Sper

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Yesus pergi supaya Roh Kudus dapat datang

disadur dari : http://www.rbcintl.org/