Find thought provoking, interesting, inspiring writings that may make you just stop and think about your life, your beliefs, and your values.
Thought Provoking Christian Writings
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Inspirational Writings - #19
The Paradox Of Our Age
Author Unknown
We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less.
We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.
We have more degrees, but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, but more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry too quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, pray too seldom, and watch too much TV.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom and lie too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life, we've added years to life, not life to years.
We've been to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.
We've conquered outer space, but not inner space, we've done larger things, but not better things, we've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.
We've split the atom, but not our prejudice, We write more, but learn less, plan more, but accomplish less.
We've learned to rush, but not wait, we have higher incomes, but lower morals, more food, but less appeasement, more acquaintances, but fewer friends, more effort, but less success.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, tall men, and short character, steep profits, and shallow relationships.
These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare, more leisure and less fun, more kinds of food, but less nutrition.
These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce, of fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands,overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.
It is a time when there is much in the show window, and nothing in the stockroom.
Today, many want to gain the world at the "mere" expense of their souls.
Evil is contemplated and performed with both hands, yet we cannot lift a finger for our fellow man.
May God have mercy on our souls. Pray without ceasing. Let each of us examine our own ways.
Inspirational Writings - #20
The Burden
Author Unknown
"Why was my burden so heavy?" I slammed the bedroom door and leaned
against it. Is there no rest from this life? I wondered.I stumbled to my
bed and dropped onto it, pressing my pillow around my ears to shut out
the noise of my existence.
"Oh God," I cried, "let me sleep. Let me sleep forever and never
wake up!"
With a deep sob I tried to will myself into oblivion, then welcomed
the blackness that came over me.
Light surrounded me as I regained consciousness. I focused on its
source: The figure of a man standing before a cross.
"My child," the person asked, "why did you want to come to Me
before I am ready to call you?"
"Lord, I'm sorry. It's just that... I can't go on. You see how hard
it is for me. Look at this awful burden on my back. I simply can't carry
it anymore."
"But haven't I told you to cast all of your burdens upon Me,
because I care for you? My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."
"I knew You would say that. But why does mine have to be so heavy?"
"My child, everyone in the world has a burden. Perhaps you would
like to try a different one?"
"I can do that?"
He pointed to several burdens lying at His feet. "You may try any
of these."
All of them seemed to be of equal size. But each was labeled with a
name.
"There's Joan's," I said. Joan was married to a wealthy
businessman. She lived in a sprawling estate and dressed her three
daughters in the prettiest designer clothes. Sometimes she drove me to
church in her Cadillac when my car was broken.
"Let me try that one." How difficult could her burden be? I
thought.
The Lord removed my burden and placed Joan's on my shoulders. I
sank my knees beneath its weight. "Take it off!" I said. ""What makes
it so heavy?"
"Look inside."
I untied the straps and opened the top. Inside was a figure of her
Mother-in-law, and when I lifted it out, it began to speak.
"Joan, you'll never be good enough for my son," it began. "He never
should have married you. You're a terrible mother to my
grandchildren..."
I quickly placed the figure back in the pack and withdrew another.
It was Donna, Joan's youngest daughter. Her head was bandaged from the
surgery that had failed to resolve her epilepsy. A third figure was
Joan's brother. Addicted to drugs, he had been convicted of killing a
police officer.
"I see why her burden is so heavy, Lord. But she's always smiling
and helping others. I didn't realize...."
"Would you like to try another?" He asked quietly.
I tested several. Paula's felt heavy: She was raising four small
boys without a father. Debra's did too: A childhood of sexual abuse and
a marriage of emotional abuse. When I Came to Ruth's burden, I didn't
even try. I knew that inside I would find arthritis, old age, a
demanding full-time job, and a beloved husband in a nursing home.
"They're all too heavy, Lord" I said. ""Give back my own."
As I lifted the familiar load once again, It seemed much lighter
than the others.
"Lets look inside" He said.
I turned away, holding it close. "That's not a good idea," I said.
"Why?"
"There's a lot of junk in there."
"Let Me see."
The gentle thunder of His voice compelled me. I opened my burden.
He pulled out a brick.
"Tell me about this one."
"Lord, You know. It's money. I know we don't suffer like people in
some countries or even the homeless here in America. But we have no
insurance, and when the kids get sick, we can't always take them to the
doctor. They've never been to a dentist. And I'm tired of dressing them
in hand-me-downs."
"My child, I will supply all of your needs... and your children's.
I've given them healthy bodies. I will teach them that expensive
clothing doesn't make a person valuable in My sight."
Then He lifted out the figure of a small boy. "And this?" He asked.
"Andrew..." I hung my head, ashamed to call my son a burden. "But,
Lord, he's hyperactive. He's not quiet like the other two. He makes me
so tired. He's always getting hurt, and someone is bound to think I
abuse him. I yell at him all the time. Someday I may really hurt
him...."
"My child," He said, "If you trust Me, I will renew your strength,
if you allow Me to fill you with My Spirit, I will give you patience."
Then He took some pebbles from my burden.
"Yes, Lord," I said with a sigh. "Those are small. But they're
important. I hate my hair. It's thin, and I can't make it look nice. I
can't afford to go to the beauty shop. I'm overweight and can't stay on
a diet. I hate all my clothes. I hate the way I look!"
"My child, people look at your outward appearance, but I look at
your heart. By My Spirit you can gain self-control to lose weight. But
your beauty should not come from outward appearance. Instead, it should
come from your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet
spirit, which is of great worth in My sight."
My burden now seemed lighter than before.
"I guess I can handle it now" I said.
"There is more," He said. "Hand Me that last brick."
"Oh, You don't have to take that. I can handle it."
"My child, give it to Me." Again His voice compelled me. He reached
out His hand, and for the first time I saw the ugly wound.
"But, Lord, this brick is so awful, so nasty, so.....Lord! What
happened to Your hands? They're so scarred!"
No longer focused on my burden, I looked for the first time into
His face. In His brow were ragged scars-as though someone had pressed
thorns into His flesh.
"Lord," I whispered. "What happened to You?"
His loving eyes reached into my soul.
"My child, you know. Hand Me the brick. It belongs to Me. I bought
it."
"How?"
"With My blood."
"But why, Lord?"
"Because I have loved you with an everlasting love. Give it to
Me."
I placed the filthy brick into His wounded palm. It contained all
the dirt and evil of my life: my pride, my selfishness, the depression
that constantly tormented me. He turned to the cross and hurled my
brick into the pool of blood at its base. It hardly made a ripple.
"Now, My child, you need to go back. I will be with you always.
When you are troubled, call to Me and I will help you and show you
things you cannot imagine now."
"Yes, Lord, I will call on You."
I reached to pick up my burden.
"You may leave that here if you wish. You see all these burdens?
They are the ones that others have left at My feet. Joan's, Paula's,
Debra's, Ruth's.....
As I placed my burden with Him, the light began to fade. Yet I
heard Him whisper, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you."
Inspirational Writings - #21
The Three Trees
Author Unknown
Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of
what they wanted to become when they grew up.
The first little tree looked up at the stars and said:
"I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and
filled with precious stones. I'll be the most beautiful treasure
chest in the world!"
The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on
it's way to the ocean. "I want to be traveling mighty waters and
carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world!"
The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy
men and women worked in a busy town. "I don't want to leave the
mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to
look at me, they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I
will be the tallest tree in the world."
Years passed. The rain came, the sun shone, and the little trees grew
tall. One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain. The first
woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful.
It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his ax, the first tree fell.
"Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful
treasure!" The first tree said.
The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree
is strong. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his ax, the second tree
fell. "Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the second tree. "I
shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!"
The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her
way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But
the woodcutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me," he
muttered. With a swoop of his ax, the third tree fell.
The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a
carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feedbox for animals.
The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, nor with treasure.
She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for hungry farm
animals.
The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a shipyard, but
no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead the once strong tree
was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small
and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river. Instead she was
taken to a little lake.
The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong
beams and left her in a lumberyard. "What happened?" The once tall
tree wondered. "All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point
to God..."
Many, many days and night passed. The three trees nearly forgot their
dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as
a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feedbox. "I wish I could
make a cradle for him." her husband whispered.
The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the
smooth and the sturdy wood. "This manger is beautiful." she said.
And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure
in the world.
One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old
fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly
sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and thrashing storm arose. The
little tree shuddered. She knew she did not have the strength to carry
so many passengers safely through with the wind and the rain.
The tired man awakened. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said,
"Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. And suddenly
the second tree knew she was carrying the king of heaven and earth.
One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were
yanked from the forgotten woodpile. She flinched as she was carried
through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed
a man's hands to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on
Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy
beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed
everything.
It had made the third tree strong. And every time people thought of
the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the
tallest tree in the world.
The next time you feel down because you didn't get what you want, sit
tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better to give
you.
Inspirational Writings - #22
If I Were The Devil
By Paul Harvey
If I were the Devil.....
I would gain control of the most powerful nation in the world.
I would delude their minds into thinking that they had come from man's
effort, instead of God's blessings.
I would promote an attitude of loving things and using people, instead
of the other way around.
I would dupe entire states into relying on gambling for their state
revenue.
I would convince people that character is not an issue when it comes to
leadership.
I would make it legal to take the life of unborn babies.
I would make it socially acceptable to take one's own life, and invent
machines to make it convenient.
I would cheapen human life as much as possible so that the life of
animals are valued more that human beings.
I would take God out of the schools, where even the mention of His name
was grounds for a law suit.
I would come up with drugs that sedate the mind and target the young,
and I would get sports heroes to advertise them.
I would get control of the media, so that every night I could pollute
the mind of every family member for my agenda.
I would attack the family, the backbone of any nation.
I would make divorce acceptable and easy, even fashionable. If the
family crumbles, so does the nation.
I would compel people to express their most depraved fantasies on canvas
and movie screens, and I would call it art.
I would convince the world that people are born homosexuals, and that
their lifestyles should be accepted and marveled.
I would convince the people that right and wrong are determined by a few
who call themselves authorities and refer to their agenda as
politically correct.
I would persuade people that the church is irrelevant and out of date,
and the Bible is for the naive.
I would dull the minds of Christians, and make them believe that prayer
is not important, and that faithfulness and obedience are optional.
I guess I would leave things pretty much the way they are."
Inspirational Writings - #23
Logic 101
Author Unknown
A college student was in a philosophy class which had a discussion about God's existence. The professor presented the following logic:
"Has anyone in this class heard God?"
Nobody spoke.
"Has anyone in this class touched God?"
Again, nobody spoke.
"Has anyone in this class seen God?"
When nobody spoke for the third time, he simply stated, "Then there is no God."
One student thought for a second, and then asked for permission to reply. Curious to hear this bold student's response, the professor granted it, and the student stood up and asked the following questions of his classmates:
"Has anyone in this class heard our professor's brain?"
Silence.
"Has anyone in this class touched our professor's brain?"
Absolute silence.
"Has anyone in this class seen our professor's brain?"
When nobody in the class dared to speak, the student concluded, "Then, according to our professor's logic, it must be true that our professor has no brain!"
(...The student received an "A" in the class.)
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