Dr. Falwell always said "Never, never, ever Quit!"
I should always remember that... I have it pasted to my monitor. I think about it all the time in
reference to work and my Internet business. But not always in my day to day life. One of the
virtues is Long Suffering I think...which has it's basis in Faith...
So it is with Faith that we get this ever so hard to grasp concept of Long Suffering. Faith in
ourselves, our God and our fellow man. All these are important in living this Life of abundance.
(which many only see as financial). Abundant life is the fulfillment of the life that Christ has for
us. It is not always happy, happy glad, glad, but sometimes crappy, crappy, sad, sad. Sometimes
God's will is painful, as in the example I am about to render, if you will stay with me for a while.
Sherri and I have invested our lives in someone who was struggling to get his life back on track.
he had discovered his daughter's dead body after she was shot in the head because she would
not have sex with her boyfriend, and his wife leaving him for someone else (I will spare the details
of that).
This man I will call Bill to protect his Identity. Bill is someone we met in the grocery store and he
just happened to be in our line and started sharing how God was working in his life. Many of us
will never understand the life God has allowed for Bill or others like him, to live.
He shared with us with great joy, how God had provided a job, as he had been unemployed for
nearly a year. And that he has diabetes and he had worked all day, his first day I might add, without
insulin or food. He dared not tell his new employer about his condition or he would have most probably
fired him his first day on the job. He just seemed so grateful to have a job, and at the same time completely worn out. I gave him my change which was less that $7.00 to buy something else to eat. (he had purchased
some pork skins and 2 sodas for his supper and lunch for the next day).
When we left the store, Sherri, my wife, asked him about his Insulin and he said he could get it for
$17.00 at the clinic so, we offered him a ride to the clinic and gladly paid the $17.00 to get his Insulin.
We checked on him the next day and he told us that he needed work boots or he would not be allowed to keep his job. So, we asked some of the folks in our Bible Class in our Church to help out and we raised enough money to get him the boots.
A few days after the boots were purchased Bill said that his foreman was telling him that he was going to have to get the Company uniforms or he could not keep his job. (Bill is Black and he said that his boss was a redneck and hated blacks). I was starting to see a pattern and wanting so much to help this man, I couldn't help believing that He was taking advantage of us and our Church. However, we kept working with him and we even got him to come to Church with us. Bill continued to have a new (and very creative I might say) story. Very believable stories, and I must say that even though Sherri and I began to doubt some of them we at the same time had grown rather close to Bill and wanted so bad to believe in him.
At this point I guess you are thinking that Bill finally got saved and joined the Church and everyone lived happily ever after. Well, I finally got evidence that we were being scammed and we were not the only ones. Bill has some sort of addiction and finally he stopped calling as he could sense I guess that we were on to him.
I know that Bills biggest need is not financial but spiritual. I pray for him and I will never forget him. But, we cannot continue enabling him by giving him money. Even as I write this, I can't help but think that there must be something else we can do for him and maybe someday soon we will. I still haven't given up on him, but I must say we need a break from him and all the drama.
I know I started this off by saying Never, never, ever Quit. Well Randy, didn't you quit? The answer is no. I would have given up long before I did, had the Lord (and my wife) not pressed it upon us to continue. You see, I am sure others have helped and given up maybe before Bill could see that someone really cared. I am absolutely sure that Bill knows what Christian Love is all about and he has had his opportunity to receive the Lord's greatest gift of all, and that is the gift of Salvation. Bill knows his Bible but my hope is that he know the Aurthur, Jesus Christ.
I never wrote this to brag or lift myself up in any way. I give all Glory to my Lord who sustains me and is my sole provider. If you don't know the Lord Jesus Christ, please get alone with Him now and receive this Gift. In the Bible, Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father but by Me".
He also said, "Come unto me all ye that are burdened and heavy laden and I will give you rest". God only requires that you confess you are a sinner and that you are willing to repent (turn away from your sins) and believe that Jesus died for you, that is took the punishment for your sins, all of them past present and future. The Bible say "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". And believe that He rose from the grave on the 3rd day. Then, simply ask him to come into your heart and take control of your life.
I promise you that your life will not be simple. It may even seam harder at times but the Joy that passes all understanding will be with you forever. And your life will never be the same.
Mine Hasn't, and never will.
God Bless,
Randy Tucker
I should always remember that... I have it pasted to my monitor. I think about it all the time in
reference to work and my Internet business. But not always in my day to day life. One of the
virtues is Long Suffering I think...which has it's basis in Faith...
So it is with Faith that we get this ever so hard to grasp concept of Long Suffering. Faith in
ourselves, our God and our fellow man. All these are important in living this Life of abundance.
(which many only see as financial). Abundant life is the fulfillment of the life that Christ has for
us. It is not always happy, happy glad, glad, but sometimes crappy, crappy, sad, sad. Sometimes
God's will is painful, as in the example I am about to render, if you will stay with me for a while.
Sherri and I have invested our lives in someone who was struggling to get his life back on track.
he had discovered his daughter's dead body after she was shot in the head because she would
not have sex with her boyfriend, and his wife leaving him for someone else (I will spare the details
of that).
This man I will call Bill to protect his Identity. Bill is someone we met in the grocery store and he
just happened to be in our line and started sharing how God was working in his life. Many of us
will never understand the life God has allowed for Bill or others like him, to live.
He shared with us with great joy, how God had provided a job, as he had been unemployed for
nearly a year. And that he has diabetes and he had worked all day, his first day I might add, without
insulin or food. He dared not tell his new employer about his condition or he would have most probably
fired him his first day on the job. He just seemed so grateful to have a job, and at the same time completely worn out. I gave him my change which was less that $7.00 to buy something else to eat. (he had purchased
some pork skins and 2 sodas for his supper and lunch for the next day).
When we left the store, Sherri, my wife, asked him about his Insulin and he said he could get it for
$17.00 at the clinic so, we offered him a ride to the clinic and gladly paid the $17.00 to get his Insulin.
We checked on him the next day and he told us that he needed work boots or he would not be allowed to keep his job. So, we asked some of the folks in our Bible Class in our Church to help out and we raised enough money to get him the boots.
A few days after the boots were purchased Bill said that his foreman was telling him that he was going to have to get the Company uniforms or he could not keep his job. (Bill is Black and he said that his boss was a redneck and hated blacks). I was starting to see a pattern and wanting so much to help this man, I couldn't help believing that He was taking advantage of us and our Church. However, we kept working with him and we even got him to come to Church with us. Bill continued to have a new (and very creative I might say) story. Very believable stories, and I must say that even though Sherri and I began to doubt some of them we at the same time had grown rather close to Bill and wanted so bad to believe in him.
At this point I guess you are thinking that Bill finally got saved and joined the Church and everyone lived happily ever after. Well, I finally got evidence that we were being scammed and we were not the only ones. Bill has some sort of addiction and finally he stopped calling as he could sense I guess that we were on to him.
I know that Bills biggest need is not financial but spiritual. I pray for him and I will never forget him. But, we cannot continue enabling him by giving him money. Even as I write this, I can't help but think that there must be something else we can do for him and maybe someday soon we will. I still haven't given up on him, but I must say we need a break from him and all the drama.
I know I started this off by saying Never, never, ever Quit. Well Randy, didn't you quit? The answer is no. I would have given up long before I did, had the Lord (and my wife) not pressed it upon us to continue. You see, I am sure others have helped and given up maybe before Bill could see that someone really cared. I am absolutely sure that Bill knows what Christian Love is all about and he has had his opportunity to receive the Lord's greatest gift of all, and that is the gift of Salvation. Bill knows his Bible but my hope is that he know the Aurthur, Jesus Christ.
I never wrote this to brag or lift myself up in any way. I give all Glory to my Lord who sustains me and is my sole provider. If you don't know the Lord Jesus Christ, please get alone with Him now and receive this Gift. In the Bible, Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father but by Me".
He also said, "Come unto me all ye that are burdened and heavy laden and I will give you rest". God only requires that you confess you are a sinner and that you are willing to repent (turn away from your sins) and believe that Jesus died for you, that is took the punishment for your sins, all of them past present and future. The Bible say "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". And believe that He rose from the grave on the 3rd day. Then, simply ask him to come into your heart and take control of your life.
I promise you that your life will not be simple. It may even seam harder at times but the Joy that passes all understanding will be with you forever. And your life will never be the same.
Mine Hasn't, and never will.
God Bless,
Randy Tucker
