Therefore comfort one another with these words. (Thessalonians I 4:18)
PRAYING FOR EACH OTHER.
A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and
only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small,
desert like island.
The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agreed
that they had no other recourse but to pray to God.
However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they
agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on
opposite sides of the island.
The first thing they prayed for was food. The
next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree
on his side of the land, and he was able to eat
its fruit. The other man's parcel of land
remained barren.
After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to
pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked,
and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of
the land. On the other side of the island, there was
nothing.
Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more
food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given
to him.
However, the second man still had nothing.
Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and
his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found
a ship docked at his side of the island. The first man
boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the
second man on the island.
He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's
blessings, since none of his prayers had
been answered.
As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a
voice from heaven booming, "Why are you leaving your
companion on the island?"
"My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who
prayed for them," the first man answered. "His prayers
were all unanswered and so he does not deserve
anything."
"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only
one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would
not have received any of my blessings."
"Tell me," the first man asked the voice, "what did he
pray for that I should owe him anything?"
"He prayed that all your prayers be answered."
For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our
prayers alone, but those of another praying for us.
This is too good not to share. With obedience come blessings. My prayer for all
of you today is that all your prayers be
answered. Be blessed.
"Working for God on earth does not pay much, but His
retirement plan is out of this world!"
GOD AND THE SPIDER
During World War II, a US marine was separated from his unit
on a Pacific island. The fighting had been intense, and in the
smoke and
the crossfire he had lost touch with his comrades.
Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in
his
direction. Scrambling for cover, he found his way up a high
ridge to several small caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled
inside one of the caves. Although safe for the moment, he
realized that once the enemy soldiers looking for him swept up
the ridge, they would quickly search all the caves and he
would be killed.
As he waited, he prayed, "Lord, if it be your will, please protect me. Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you. Amen."
After praying, he lay quietly listening to the enemy begin to
draw
close. He thought, "Well, I guess the Lord isn't going to help
me out of this one." Then he saw a spider begin to build a web
over the front of his cave.
As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the while, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave.
"Hah, he thought. "What I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humor."
As the enemy drew closer he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As they came to his, he got ready to make his last stand. To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on. Suddenly, he realized that with the spider web over the entrance, his cave looked as if no one had entered for quite a while.
"Lord, forgive me," prayed the young man. "I had forgotten that in you a spider's web is stronger than a brick wall."
We all face times of great trouble. When we do, it is so easy
to
forget what God can work in our lives, sometimes in the
most
surprising ways. And remember with God, a mere spider's web
becomes a brick wall of protection.
THE SNEEZE
They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-two students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With rich maroon gowns flowing and the traditional caps, they looked almost as grown up as they felt.
Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and Moms freely brushed away tears.
This class would not pray during the commencements----not by choice, but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it.
The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling. They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families .
The speeches were nice, but they were routine.....until the final speech received a standing ovation.
A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silent for just a moment, and then, it happened. All 92 students, every single one of them, suddenly SNEEZED!!!!
The student on stage simply looked at the audience and said, "GOD BLESS YOU, each and every one of you!" And he walked off stage...
The audience exploded into applause. The graduating class found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future with or without the court's approval.
Isn't this a wonderful story? Pass it on to all your friends.
OR 
Website design & concept by Alan Gaglio