Character

You can tell alot about a man by the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.

From Swindoll’s Ultimate Book of Illustrations and Quotes - Charles R. Swindoll. Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN, 1998. Page 66

Sign of Strength and Majesty

The religious and political leaders who were in power at the time misread the events of Jesus’ birth. When a woman is to have a baby, she goes to the best hospital she and her husband can afford. They find the best doctors and highly trained specialists. They get the best that money can buy. And they do this not because they feel strong, but because they feel weak.

When God’s Son was born, He was born in a stable under very austere and unsanitary conditions. It happened this way not because God was poor, but because God was sure of himself.

The leaders misread the signs. The baby born in the stable is not a sign of a weak and ineffectual king. But it is a sign of a majesty who is secure and knows who he is. It is a sign of love. The leader of that time didn’t know anything about that. And so they missed it.
-Earl Palmer

From Illustrations Unlimited – James S. Hewett. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL. Page 76.

The Plot Thickens

A small boy was bitterly disappointed at not being cast as Joseph in the school Nativity play. He was given the minor role of the innkeeper instead, and throughout the weeks or rehearsal he brooded on how he could avenge himself on his successful rival.

Came the day of the performance. Joseph and Mary made their entrance and knocked on the door of the inn. The innkeeper opened it a fraction and eyed them coldly. “Can you give us board and lodging for the night?” pleaded Joseph, who then stood back awaiting the expected rebuff.

But the innkeeper had not pondered all those weeks for nothing. He flung the door wide, beamed genially and cried, “Come in, come in. You shall have the best room in the hotel.”

There was a pause, then with great presence of mind, the youthful Joseph said to Mary, “Hold on. I’ll take a look inside first.” He peered past the innkeeper, shook his head firmly and announced, “I’m not taking my wife into a place like that. Come on, Mary, we’ll sleep in the stable.”

The plot was back on course.

From 1001 Quotes, Illustrations and Humorous Stories for Preachers, Teachers, and Writers. Edward K. Rowell and Leadership Journal. Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI, 2005, Page 64.

A Significant Gift

Lynne Hybels, the wife of renowned pastor Bill Hybels, tells of a touching scene she witnessed years ago. As a child she was very intrigued with a man in a discount store who was struggling with the purchase of a small and inexpensive figurine. His attire revealed much. He was an older man whose children were no doubt grown. The lines in his face and the worn clothes on his back told of a hard and bittersweet life. Yet everything about this man communicated the intensity of his love for the recipient of that gift. His gift would not compare with the countless other gifts purchased by those whose incomes afforded much more. The wrapping would probably be less than elaborate. It might be the only gift he could give her. But somehow his gift seemed more significant than any other. Since that time Mrs. Hybels has seen thirty years of Christmas shopping frenzies, but each year this anonymous shopper is the one who tugs at her heart and moistens her eyes. She says, “Sometimes the most beautiful love stories are etched on the faces of the lowly and shared by the humble.” May such stories of intentional love define your Christmas season this year!

* Decision, Dec. 1992, p. 33
McHenry’s Quips, Quotes and Other Notes, HeavenWord Stories for Teachers and Preachers, CD-ROM, Raleigh NC, 1999.

Pressing On

In a far country lived a band of minstrels who had traveled far from town to town presenting music to make a living. They had not been doing well. Times were hard; there was little money for the common folk to come to hear the minstrels, even though their fee was small. Attendance had been falling off, so early one evening the group met to discuss their plight. “I see no reason for opening tonight,” one said. “To make things even worse than they may have been, it is starting to snow. Who will venture out on a night like this?” “I agree,” another disheartened singer said. “Last night we performed for just a handful. Fewer will come tonight. Why not give back their meager fees and cancel the concert? No one can expect us to go on when just a few are in the audience.” “How can anyone do his best for so few?” a third inquired. Then he turned to another sitting beside him. “What do you think?” The man appealed to was older than the others. He looked straight at his troupe. “I know you are discouraged. I am too. But we have a responsibility to those who might come. We will go on. And we will do the best job of which we are capable. It is not the fault of those who come that others do not. They should not be punished with less than the best we can give.” Heartened by his words, the minstrels went ahead with their show. They never performed better.

When the show was over and the small audience gone, the old man called his troupe to him. In his hand was a note, handed to him by one of the audience just before the doors closed behind him. “Listen to this, my friends!” Something electrifying in his tone of voice made them turn to him in anticipation. Slowly the old man read: “Thank you for a beautiful performance.” It was signed very simply—“Your King.”

From Illustrations Unlimited – James S. Hewett. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL. Pages 168-169.

Worship

When I was overseas, I was working with a man who was under great stress and pressure. He was a maverick sort of missionary. He didn’t fit the pattern or mold of what you think of as a missionary. His ministry was in great part to the soldiers, who happened to be on the island of Okinawa by the thousands—in fact, it might be safe to say tens of thousands.

I went to his home one evening to visit with him, and his wife said he wasn’t there but was probably down at the office. The office was downtown in a little alley off of the streets of Naha. It was a rainy night. And I decided that I would get on the bus and travel down to be with Bob. She’d mentioned his stress and pressure, so I expected to find the man folded up in despondency, discouragement, and depression, and just ready to finish it off.

I got off that little bus and I walked down the alley about a block and a half and I turned right, down a smaller alley, to a little hut with a tatami mat inside. As I got away from the street noise, I heard singing, “Come, Thou fount of every blessing, / Tune my heart to sing Thy grace.” And then that next stanza, “Prone to wander—Lord, I feel it, / Prone to leave the God I love.”

Quietly I eavesdropped on his private praise service. As I stood in the rain and looked through the walls of that little cheap hut, I saw a man on his knees with his hands toward heaven giving God praise, with his little spiral notebook, worn from use. And I saw him turn from page to page, where he would read it to God, then he would find a hymn and he would sing it to God.

And the remarkable thing is that that pressure that he was under did not leave for perhaps another two weeks, it seems. But that praise service alone before God absolutely revolutionized his life.

From Swindoll’s Ultimate Book of Illustrations and Quotes - Charles R. Swindoll. Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN, 1998. Pages 627-628.

Mother's Worth

Sylvia Porter is a noted financial analyst. Mrs. Porter took her calculations to the computer and punched in an average hourly fee for a nursemaid, housekeeper, cook, dishwasher, laundress, food buyer, chauffeur, gardener, maintenance person, seamstress, dietitian, and practical nurse. She found that the labor performed by a mother each year at home would cost a family [at that time] $23,580 in Greensboro, South Carolina, $26,962 in Los Angeles, and $28,735 in Chicago. Even at that, the list is not exhaustive. In addition to the roles cited above, most moms also function as coach, teacher, interior decorator, religious educator, mediator, counselor, and child psychologist. Punch up salaries for all of those professions, and mom’s worth at least six figures!

* Focus on the Family, Jan. 1992, p. 7
McHenry’s Quips, Quotes and Other Notes, HeavenWord Stories for Teachers and Preachers, CD-ROM, Raleigh NC, 1999.

Four Year Old Reminder

A daily time of worship with God is very important. So much so that when we miss it others can tell. Such was the case when four-year-old Andrew made an honest mistake and spilled something in his house. His mother responded in a screaming tirade. The little psychologist made an astute observation: “Mommy, you forgot to ask Jesus to help you be nice today, didn’t you?”

McHenry’s Quips, Quotes and Other Notes, HeavenWord Stories for Teachers and Preachers, CD-ROM, Raleigh NC, 1999.

Conscience

In Focus on the Family, Rolf Zettersten writes:

A good friend in North Carolina bought a new car with a voice-warning system…At first Edwin was amused to hear the soft female voice gently reminding him that his seat belt wasn’t fastened…Edwin affectionately called this voice the “little woman.”

He soon discovered his little woman was programmed to warn him about his gasoline. “Your fuel level is low,” she said one time in her sweet voice. Edwin nodded his head and thanked her. He figured he still had enough to go another fifty miles, so he kept on driving. But a few minutes later, her voice interrupted again with the same warning. And so it went over and over. Although he knew it was the same recording, Edwin thought her voice sounded harsher each time.

Finally, he stopped his car and crawled under the dashboard. After a quick search, he found the appropriate wires and gave them a good yank. So much for the little woman.

He was still smiling to himself a few miles later when his car began sputtering and coughing. He ran out of gas! Somewhere inside the dashboard, Edwin was sure he could hear the woman laughing.
People like Edwin learn before long that the little voice inside, although ignored or even disconnected, often tells us exactly what they need to know.

From Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching from Leadership Journal - Craig Brian Larson. Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI, 2000. Page 39.

Forgiveness

There are two ways of covering our sins: man’s way and God’s way. If you seek to hide them, they will have a resurrection sometime; but if you let the Lord cover them, neither the Devil nor man will ever be able to find them again.

From The Speaker’s Quote Book – Roy B. Zuck. 1997 Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI. Page 155.

Twelve Guilty Consciences

Arthur Conan Doyle found great humor in a practical joke he played on twelve famous friends. Doyle sent every one of these virtuous and highly respected men the same telegram: “Fly at once; all is discovered.” Within twenty-four hours, the dozen men of reputation had taken a trip out of the country. (With a creative mind like that it is no wonder Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created Sherlock Holmes.) No matter how noble our reputation is, we all have areas of shame and deeds we hope no one discovers. The only lasting solution to a guilty conscience is the forgiveness of God himself. (See Romans 8:1.)

* This Way to Happiness, Clyde Narramore, p. 13

McHenry’s Quips, Quotes and Other Notes, HeavenWord Stories for Teachers and Preachers, CD-ROM, HeavenWord, Inc., Raleigh NC, 1999.

A Soft Pillow

Legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden said, “There is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience.”

McHenry’s Quips, Quotes and Other Notes, HeavenWord Stories for Teachers and Preachers, CD-ROM, HeavenWord, Inc., Raleigh NC, 1999.

Forgiveness Not for Sale

One day a poor girl ventured into the garden of the Queen’s palace, and approached the gardener, telling him that her mother was lying very ill, and that she longed for a flower, such as she had seen in the Queen’s gardens. It was winter time, and the flowers were rare at that season. The child had saved a few pennies and wished to buy a rose for her sick mother. The gardener had no authority to give away the Queen’s flowers, and he said when she offered to pay, “The Queen’s has no flowers for sale,” and would have sent the poor child away. But the Queen herself just happened to be in the greenhouse, and unobserved either by the gardener or his little customer, had overheard the conversation. As the child was turning away sorrowful and disappointed, the Queen stepped from behind her flowery screen and addressed the child, saying: “The gardener was quite right, my child, he has no authority to give you the flowers you want, nor does the Queen cultivate flowers for sale; but the Queen has flowers to give away”; and, suiting the action to the word, she lifted from the basket into which she had been snipping the flowers a handful of rare roses and gave them to the child, saying: “Take these to your mother with my love, and tell her that the Queen sent them. I am the Queen.” So let me say to you, God has no forgiveness for sale; you cannot buy it with your poor penance of tears, prayers, or repentance; God has forgiveness to give, and you may take it by faith, but not barter for it with anything you can do.

From Book Four - Bible Illustrations, Heartwarming Bible Illustrations – Richard A. Steele, Jr. and Evelyn Stoner . AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN, 1998, Pages 148-149.

Pro-Life Plea

On February 3, 1994, Mother Teresa was the keynote speaker at a National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. President and Mrs. Clinton, Vice President and Mrs. Gore, and three thousand others were present to hear this eighty-three-year-old nun. She spoke forthrightly against abortion: “If we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill each other? Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want.” Although the current administration has advocated abortion, they can’t dismiss the logic they heard. Violence in America goes much deeper than drugs, gun control, and gangs. It is rooted in a philosophy that cheapens life from the moment of conception.

* Pastor’s Weekly Briefing, Feb. 11, 1994, p. 1

McHenry’s Quips, Quotes and Other Notes, HeavenWord Stories for Teachers and Preachers, CD-ROM, HeavenWord, Inc., Raleigh NC, 1999.

Scared Together

 During the Civil Rights era, a first-grade white girl met a black girl on the first day of school. Segregation had prevented the white girl from associating with black people. Integration changed all of that and made both of the girls scared. When the white girl returned home after that historic day, she told her mother that she sat next to a black girl in school. The mother tensed, anticipating the worst. She asked her little girl what happened. The child said, “We were both so scared that we held hands all day.” The problems of our day would move toward resolution if we could learn from these little girls and holds hands rather than making fists.

* “Yea God ... for Being an Equal Opportunity Employer,” John Ortberg, Seeds Tape Ministry, Feb. 5, 1995
McHenry’s Quips, Quotes and Other Notes, HeavenWord Stories for Teachers and Preachers, CD-ROM, HeavenWord, Inc., Raleigh NC, 1999.

The Accepted Time

There trudged along a Scottish highway years ago a little old-fashioned mother. By her side was her boy. The boy was going out into the world. At last the mother stopped. She could go no farther. “Robert,” she said, “promise me something?” “What?” asked the boy. “Promise me something?” said the mother again. The boy was as Scottish as his mother, and he said: “You will have to tell me before I will promise.” She said: “Robert it is someting that you can easily do. Promise your mother?” He looked onto her face and said: “Very well, mother, I will do anything you wish.” She clasped her hands behind his head and pulled his face down close to hers, and said: “Robert, you are going out into a wicked world. Begin every day with God. Close every day with God.” Then she kissed him, and Robert Moffat says that that kiss made him a missionary. And Joseph Parker says that when Robert Moffat was added to the Kingdom of God, a whole continent was added with him. There are critical times in the history of souls. “Now is the accepted time: now is the day of salvation.”
—J. Wilbur Chapman

From Book Four - Bible Illustrations, Heartwarming Bible Illustrations – Richard A. Steele, Jr. and Evelyn Stoner . AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN, 1998, Page 136.

The Lean Year

The story is told that the aged pastor of a little Scotch church was asked to resign because there had been no conversions in the church for an entire year.

“Aye,” said the old preacher, “its been a lean year, but their was one.”

“One conversion?” asked an elder. “Who was that?”

“Wee Bobby,” replied the pastor.

They had forgotten a laddie who had not only been saved but had given himself in full consecration to God. It was “wee Bobbie” who in a missionary meeting when the plate was passed for an offering asked the usher to put the plate on the floor, and stepped into it with his bare feet, saying, “I’ll give myself: I have nothing else to give.” This  “wee Bobbie,” we are told, became the world renowned Robert Moffat, who, with David Livingston, gave his life to the healing of the open sores of Africa—then known as the “Dark Continent”.

From Book Four - Bible Illustrations, Heartwarming Bible Illustrations – Richard A. Steele, Jr. and Evelyn Stoner . AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN, 1998, Page 136.

Lincoln’s Partner?

During Lincoln’s tenure as president, he was visited by a guest who sought to flatter him by saying, “Back in my home state people say the welfare of the nation depends on God and Abraham Lincoln.” Humbly, Lincoln responded, “You are half right.” He later said, “Without divine assistance I cannot succeed. With it I cannot fail.” The welfare of our country is in the hands of God; therefore, said Paul, “I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men.” (1 Tim. 2:1)

* Today in the Word, May 1991, p. 30; Executive Speechwriter Newsletter, Religion & Philosophy, Vol. 1

McHenry’s Quips, Quotes and Other Notes, HeavenWord Stories for Teachers and Preachers, CD-ROM, HeavenWord, Inc., Raleigh NC, 1999.