SATAN'S MEETING
Satan called a worldwide convention of demons.
In his opening address he said,
"We can't keep Christians from going to church."
"We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth."
"We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their saviour."
"Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken."
"So let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish dinners, BUT steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ.."
"This is what I want you to do," said the devil:
"Distract them from gaining hold of their Saviour and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!"
"How shall we do this?" his demons shouted.
"Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered.
"Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow."
"Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles."
"Keep them from spending time with their children."
"As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!"
"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice."
"Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive." To keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music constantly."
"This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ."
"Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers."
"Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day."
"Invade their driving moments with billboards."
"Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes.."
"Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives. "
"Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night."
"Give them headaches too! "
"If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin to look elsewhere."
"That will fragment their families quickly!"
"Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of Christmas."
"Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about his resurrection and power over sin and death."
"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive."
"Have them return from their recreation exhausted."
"Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and movies instead."
"Keep them busy, busy, busy!"
"And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences."
"Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus."
"Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause."
"It will work!"
"It will work!"
It was quite a plan!
The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there.
Having little time for their God or their families.
Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives.
I guess the question is, has the devil been successful in his schemes?
You be the judge!!!!!
Does "BUSY" mean: B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke?
"No, matter how honest, how decent, how moral you might be, how good you might be, what a fine sociable fellow you might be; you still miss the calling unless you serve the Lord Jesus and become a son and daughter of God. No, matter how good a neighbor you might be, how good a anything you may be, that's all good and we appreciate that. But my brother, until you become a son of God, you fail to answer the purpose that God put you on the earth to be. That's right" - WMB
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
A WIFE'S CLASSICAL MISTAKE
It is not as easy as it seems to go from being an independent single woman to a wife. Many women can't wait for the day when they'll be wearing that long white dress and be seen as the most beautiful bride that ever existed. But marriage is much more than just a dress and having someone to go home to.
Marriage is a bond - a bond that cannot be broken. A bond that will last until the day you die. But I have seen many young couples struggle so much to get this bond working in their lives. It is as if all their dreams of a happy marriage were still dreams to come true in their lives.
There are 8 typical mistakes we wives ought to know and avoid:
1. The Critical Catherine. Many wives like to criticise their husbands for being too this or that, for not being like that other husband and so forth. As much as they're doing this only to help out, that is not how their husbands, (who tend to feel inferior by the words of the woman that knows him best), see it. The opposite works much better - if you praise him once in a while, his ego will start letting him do things he thought he could never do and that is how a woman builds her man up!
2. The Lazy Laura. This kind of wife does not like her duties in the house. She hates feeling like a domestic worker for her husband who in turn doesn't help out anywhere and on anything in the house. A good housewife will not demand from her husband to do what she is supposed to do. Imagine if he were to demand for her to go and make money to support him and the family? It is true that many wives work as well as their husbands, but it is still their responsibility to make sure that their house is clean, the food is on the table, the clothes are clean, and their intimate life is still active at the end of the day. Some husbands end up leaving their wives because other women can give them what their wives are too lazy to give.
3. The Sentimental Sarah. Every husband needs a strong wife. Someone who is ready for anything, someone who will go through hard times and still be the same one as when they were in good times. Women who are too sentimental can often make their husbands feel frustrated and alone. These women will cry for anything. If they are ever rebuked, expect the overflow of the Thames River! The husband will often deal with this kind of wife as if dealing with a crystal glass, which will end up being a burden to carry along for the rest of his life.
4. The Moody Margaret. This woman is like the waves of the sea. One minute she is up, the other she is down. One minute she is going to the right, the other she is going to the left. It is hard to live with such a person because you never know when she will be okay. Her difficult mood scares her husband off. When in the middle of the day, he is thinking about her, instead of thinking about how nice it would be if she were there with him, he'll be thinking what can he arrange after work so he won't have return home so early
5. The Jealous Janet is jealous of everybody that comes near her husband, even his own parents. When a woman shows her jealousy when it comes to her man, she immediately shows her insecurity about herself and that is a weak spot no man likes to see. As mentioned before, husbands like to have strong wives, women who are secure enough to go through anything and still stand at the end of the day. The wife should by all means take care of her man but not to the point of having the sinful feeling of jealousy.
6. The Angry Andrea is a constantly irritated woman. Anything that is said, or done can easily push her buttons. An angry woman makes everyone around her feel uncomfortable. As the Bible says: "Better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman." Pr 21:19
She is avoided by many and still thinks people are not understanding. Little does she know that this is not anyone's problem but hers, and hers alone.
7. The Independent Ingrid thinks she does not need her husband's existence except for social situations where it will look better on her to be beside a man. Her life is usually a mystery for her husband who constantly wonders why he got into this trap and became a white elephant in her life. Marriage is about unity. Unity of minds, of desires, of ideas, of everything you can think of. When one of the spouses does not understand the fact that they have now become one body, it is of no use to pray or fight for a blessing in the marriage.
8. The Busy Bianca is that wife that is always too busy with everything that is not related to her husband. Some wives get so busy with their work and with their children that they end up putting their marriage on hold. How can one be too busy for the most important part of her life? How can your children be happy and fulfilled if their parents have broken up? How can your work succeed and prosper you and make you rich, but alone? How can your charitable work towards others mean anything if the ones closest to you are the most needy?
Many wives suffer because of their own mistakes and if only they changed their behaviour and attitudes, they would see so much fruit out of their marriage and even out of their chains of prayer for the family! Prayer alone will not do it. We have to act wisely. Act and pray.
There have been many husbands becoming believers and being saved because of their wives' change of behaviour at home. It is exactly how that old Bible verse says: "Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives"
Marriage is a bond - a bond that cannot be broken. A bond that will last until the day you die. But I have seen many young couples struggle so much to get this bond working in their lives. It is as if all their dreams of a happy marriage were still dreams to come true in their lives.
There are 8 typical mistakes we wives ought to know and avoid:
1. The Critical Catherine. Many wives like to criticise their husbands for being too this or that, for not being like that other husband and so forth. As much as they're doing this only to help out, that is not how their husbands, (who tend to feel inferior by the words of the woman that knows him best), see it. The opposite works much better - if you praise him once in a while, his ego will start letting him do things he thought he could never do and that is how a woman builds her man up!
2. The Lazy Laura. This kind of wife does not like her duties in the house. She hates feeling like a domestic worker for her husband who in turn doesn't help out anywhere and on anything in the house. A good housewife will not demand from her husband to do what she is supposed to do. Imagine if he were to demand for her to go and make money to support him and the family? It is true that many wives work as well as their husbands, but it is still their responsibility to make sure that their house is clean, the food is on the table, the clothes are clean, and their intimate life is still active at the end of the day. Some husbands end up leaving their wives because other women can give them what their wives are too lazy to give.
3. The Sentimental Sarah. Every husband needs a strong wife. Someone who is ready for anything, someone who will go through hard times and still be the same one as when they were in good times. Women who are too sentimental can often make their husbands feel frustrated and alone. These women will cry for anything. If they are ever rebuked, expect the overflow of the Thames River! The husband will often deal with this kind of wife as if dealing with a crystal glass, which will end up being a burden to carry along for the rest of his life.
4. The Moody Margaret. This woman is like the waves of the sea. One minute she is up, the other she is down. One minute she is going to the right, the other she is going to the left. It is hard to live with such a person because you never know when she will be okay. Her difficult mood scares her husband off. When in the middle of the day, he is thinking about her, instead of thinking about how nice it would be if she were there with him, he'll be thinking what can he arrange after work so he won't have return home so early
5. The Jealous Janet is jealous of everybody that comes near her husband, even his own parents. When a woman shows her jealousy when it comes to her man, she immediately shows her insecurity about herself and that is a weak spot no man likes to see. As mentioned before, husbands like to have strong wives, women who are secure enough to go through anything and still stand at the end of the day. The wife should by all means take care of her man but not to the point of having the sinful feeling of jealousy.
6. The Angry Andrea is a constantly irritated woman. Anything that is said, or done can easily push her buttons. An angry woman makes everyone around her feel uncomfortable. As the Bible says: "Better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman." Pr 21:19
She is avoided by many and still thinks people are not understanding. Little does she know that this is not anyone's problem but hers, and hers alone.
7. The Independent Ingrid thinks she does not need her husband's existence except for social situations where it will look better on her to be beside a man. Her life is usually a mystery for her husband who constantly wonders why he got into this trap and became a white elephant in her life. Marriage is about unity. Unity of minds, of desires, of ideas, of everything you can think of. When one of the spouses does not understand the fact that they have now become one body, it is of no use to pray or fight for a blessing in the marriage.
8. The Busy Bianca is that wife that is always too busy with everything that is not related to her husband. Some wives get so busy with their work and with their children that they end up putting their marriage on hold. How can one be too busy for the most important part of her life? How can your children be happy and fulfilled if their parents have broken up? How can your work succeed and prosper you and make you rich, but alone? How can your charitable work towards others mean anything if the ones closest to you are the most needy?
Many wives suffer because of their own mistakes and if only they changed their behaviour and attitudes, they would see so much fruit out of their marriage and even out of their chains of prayer for the family! Prayer alone will not do it. We have to act wisely. Act and pray.
There have been many husbands becoming believers and being saved because of their wives' change of behaviour at home. It is exactly how that old Bible verse says: "Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives"
Friday, May 8, 2009
THE MARRIAGE THING, SEE HOW THE WORLD IS TORTURED BY IT (Josh)
At a cocktail party, one woman said to another,
"Aren't you wearing your wedding ring on the wrong finger?"
"Yes, I am. I married the wrong man."
A lady inserted an ad in the classifieds:
"Husband Wanted".
Next day she received a hundred letters.
They all said the same thing:
"You can have mine."
When a woman steals your husband,
there is no better revenge than to let her keep him.
A woman is incomplete until she is married. Then she is finished
.
A little boy asked his father,
"Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?"
Father replied, "I don't know son, I'm still paying."
A young son asked,
"Is it true Dad, that in some parts of Africa
a man doesn't know his wife until he marries her?"
Dad replied, "That happens in every country, son."
Then there was a woman who said,
"I never knew what real happiness was until I got married,
and by then, it was too late."
Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence.
If you want your spouse to listen and
pay strict attention to every word you say -- talk in your sleep.
Just think, if it weren't for marriage, men would go through life thinking they had no faults at all.
First guy says, "My wife's an angel!"
Second guy remarks, "You're lucky, mine's still alive."
" A Woman's Prayer:
Dear Lord, I pray for: Wisdom, To understand a man , to Love and to forgive him , and for patience, For his moods. Because Lord, if I pray for Strength I'll just beat him to death "
You have two choices in life:
You can stay single and be miserable,
or get married and wish you were dead
This Pastor had guts
THIS IS SO TRUE... WHAT HAS OUR NATION BECOME!!!!!
when Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:
"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good", but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We have shot anti-abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin
and set us free. Amen!"
The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during
the prayer in protest.
The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this
prayer from India, Africa and Korea.
Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, "The
Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any
other he has ever aired.
With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and
whole-heartedly become our desire so that we again can be called: "one
nation under God."
when Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:
"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good", but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot anti-abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin
and set us free. Amen!"
The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during
the prayer in protest.
In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor,
logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively.
logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively.
The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this
prayer from India, Africa and Korea.
Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, "The
Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any
other he has ever aired.
With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and
whole-heartedly become our desire so that we again can be called: "one
nation under God."
Christian ways to reduce stress
1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36 . Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36 . Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)
Thursday, May 7, 2009
OUR BIG GOD
Two men went fishing. One was an experienced fisherman, the other wasn't. Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back.
The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing the man waste good fish. 'Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?' he asked.
The inexperienced fisherman replied, 'I only have a small frying pan.'
sometimes, like that fisherman, we throwback the big plans, big dreams, big jobs, big opportunities that God gives us. Our faith is too small.
We laugh at that fisherman who didn't figure out that all he needed was a bigger frying pan, yet how ready are we to increase the size of our faith?
Whether it's a problem or a possibility, God will never give you anything bigger than you can handle. That means we can confidently walk into anything God brings our way.
You can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13 .) Nothing is too big for God.
REMEMBER:
Stop telling God you've got big problems.
Tell your problems you've got a BIG GOD!
The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing the man waste good fish. 'Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?' he asked.
The inexperienced fisherman replied, 'I only have a small frying pan.'
sometimes, like that fisherman, we throwback the big plans, big dreams, big jobs, big opportunities that God gives us. Our faith is too small.
We laugh at that fisherman who didn't figure out that all he needed was a bigger frying pan, yet how ready are we to increase the size of our faith?
Whether it's a problem or a possibility, God will never give you anything bigger than you can handle. That means we can confidently walk into anything God brings our way.
You can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13 .) Nothing is too big for God.
REMEMBER:
Stop telling God you've got big problems.
Tell your problems you've got a BIG GOD!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back'
A successful business man was growing old and
knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.
Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children,
he decided to do something different. He called all the young
executives in his company together.
He said, 'It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO.
I have decided to choose one of you. 'The young executives were
shocked, but the boss continued. 'I am going to give each one
of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant
the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with
what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then
judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be
the next CEO.'
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others,
received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the
story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted
the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had
grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began
to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.
Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.
By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have
a plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he
had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but
he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however.
He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the
seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company
brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.
Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot.
But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick
to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment
of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot
to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety
of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful --
in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and
many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young
executives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. 'My, what great plants, trees,
and flowers you have grown,' said the CEO. 'Today one of you will
be appointed the next CEO!'
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with
his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to
the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, 'The CEO knows I'm a
failure! Maybe he will have me fired!'
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened
to his seed - Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim,
and then announced to the young executives, 'Behold your next
Chief Executive Officer!
His name is Jim!' Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow
his seed.
'How could he be the new CEO?' the others said.
Then the CEO said, 'One year ago today, I gave everyone in this
room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it,
and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds;
they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.
All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and
flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you
substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the
only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with
my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new
Chief Executive Officer!'
* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends
* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective
* If you plant hard work, you will reap success
* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation
So, be careful what you plant now;
it will determine what you will reap later..
knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.
Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children,
he decided to do something different. He called all the young
executives in his company together.
He said, 'It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO.
I have decided to choose one of you. 'The young executives were
shocked, but the boss continued. 'I am going to give each one
of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant
the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with
what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then
judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be
the next CEO.'
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others,
received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the
story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted
the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had
grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began
to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.
Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.
By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have
a plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he
had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but
he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however.
He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the
seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company
brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.
Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot.
But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick
to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment
of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot
to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety
of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful --
in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and
many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young
executives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. 'My, what great plants, trees,
and flowers you have grown,' said the CEO. 'Today one of you will
be appointed the next CEO!'
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with
his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to
the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, 'The CEO knows I'm a
failure! Maybe he will have me fired!'
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened
to his seed - Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim,
and then announced to the young executives, 'Behold your next
Chief Executive Officer!
His name is Jim!' Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow
his seed.
'How could he be the new CEO?' the others said.
Then the CEO said, 'One year ago today, I gave everyone in this
room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it,
and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds;
they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.
All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and
flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you
substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the
only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with
my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new
Chief Executive Officer!'
* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends
* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective
* If you plant hard work, you will reap success
* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation
So, be careful what you plant now;
it will determine what you will reap later..
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