Gorilla Moment (Author Unknown) [Edited]

 Tony Whittaker wrote how a 30-second film shows six people playing basketball, three in white shirts and three in black. Volunteers are asked to count how many times the white shirt team passes the ball. At the end of the film, they are asked if they saw anything unusual. Most do not. The unusual thing is: halfway through the film, a man wearing a gorilla suit walks through the players, beats his chest to the camera, and then walks off. 


 "When shown the film again, people are utterly surprised to see him, to the extent that they often believe a different film has been substituted for the original one. Their focus on one task has blinded them to a truth." 


 He goes on to say, "This film trick illustrates a simple fact--that if we are only looking for one thing, we do not usually see anything different...The point at which people finally see the unexpected is what [could be called] a 'gorilla moment.'...So often in life people see only what they want to see and don't see what they don't want to see." 
 

To Have Succeeded -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.

PASTOR DISGUISES HIMSELF AS A DESTITUTE (Kevin K. Okwara)

This is very challenging from my friend and brother in Christ Kevin K. Okwara....

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Pastor Jeremiah Steepek transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000- member church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor that morning. He walked around the church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service in which only 3 people out of the about 10,000 people said hello to him.

He asked people for change to buy food – no one in the church gave him change.He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit in the back. He greeted people only to be greeted back with stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him.

As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such.When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation. “We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek.”

The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation. The homeless man sitting in the back stood up and started walking down the aisle. The clapping stopped with all eyes on him. He walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment then he recited: “Then the King will say to those on his right,‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him: ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’‘The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning. Many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame.

He then said, “Today I see a gathering of people, not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples. When will YOU decide to become disciples?”

Beating End Month Financial Blues

Towards the end of the month, most of us only have one thing common on our minds, money, either the lack of it, or how to get some more. It is my hope and desire that the following short piece will “humour” you and relief some end month related financial stress.

The ultimate trick in order to overcome end month financial blues is not to think of the money as your money. It is owned by your Central Bank or the issuing authority, so don't worry. What you spent was not yours.

If you hear them say that money talks do not worry, your money is still an infant learning to talk.

Being perennially broke will ensure that by the time you are old or retired; your children will have no motivation whatsoever to have you declared legally insane so that they can have control or total access of your property and estate.

Just imagine all those nagging family members and relatives enjoying your hard earned money after you are gone. Aren't you glad you spent and enjoyed it all while alive!

Unless you buy something, you actually have enough money to last you the rest of your life.

When your money runs out and are broke, take comfort in that you are talking a universal language understood world over, maybe beyond.

Even if all the rich and wealthy people in the world were forced to divide up all their money among themselves only, there would still not be enough to go around.

If money did not actually bring you total happiness as you spent it, at least it you were not miserable while you had it.

The best way for your growing children to learn more regarding money than getting your lectures is simply for you not to have enough.

Any amount of money can buy happiness if you simply know where to go for shopping or not go.

Keeping money is like keeping manure. For it not to stink, it has to be spread around quickly.

Never get alarmed that all the money is gone. After all, it was meant to be spent otherwise they wouldn’t have created it in the first place.

So the paycheck is gone? There will be another one and another one.

Lastly, always remember that the most important thing in life is not money or about money but love.

Money cannot buy real love, PARTICULARLY GOD'S LOVE

Enjoy your pay day memories!!

The Best Evangelism

The best evangelism in the world is laughter, a church laughing-not naive tittering, not sarcastic boisterousness, not angry irony, but deep, joyful laughter from the pit of our being…laughter which has suffered from the consequences of evil choices and found redemption and newness of life through the cross of Jesus Christ, laughter which remembers tears, yet knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are not to fear, for Jesus, God’s good-humored Christ, has overcome the world before us.

(Sylvia C. Guinn-Ammons)

Reading His Own Obituary

One morning while Alfred Nobel was reading the paper, he was shocked to discover his own obituary.

Someone at the newspaper had obviously made a great error and falsely reported that he had died. You might say that Nobel was given a luxury that few people will ever receive: a chance to see what's said about him after his death.

The obituary primarily remembered him as the man who had invented dynamite, which had been used as a weapon of warfare, killing thousands. It turned his blood to ice to think that above all his other accomplishments in life, he would be remembered as the man who gave the world its most destructive weapon. Then and there, he determined that he would make some changes in his life. Nobel made a personal vow: "From this day forward, I will dedicate my life to the pursuit of peace." Creator of the Nobel Peace Prize, today when we hear of Alfred Nobel, we no longer think of dynamite, but of peace.

THOUGHT: As you examine your spiritual life, how would you describe it? Would you describe yourself as strong? Weak? About to give up? Before you become discouraged and fall out of the race entirely, give it one more shot. Put everything you have into it. Give it your all, or one day you may wake up and realize that you wasted and squandered the resources and potential God placed within you.

- By Greg Laurie.

I Am Forgiveness

My Lord, forgive me I pray. Could I withhold forgiveness? I, who live ever to plead for My children, who told them that always when they pray they must forgive in their hearts? I am God but I became man. Perfect God and perfect man. So human and yet so Divine. Because I am Eternal -- that I must ever be. So see in Me all I enjoined My followers they must ever be and do. Could I withhold forgiveness?

BeELEVATED: FIVE ADVANTAGES OF HAVING PURPOSE

BeELEVATED: FIVE ADVANTAGES OF HAVING PURPOSE: "The PURPOSE of life is not to be happy; it is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate. To have it makes some difference ...

Is Your Hut Burning? 
 The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and everyday he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. BUT then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried. 



 Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied. 



 It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground - it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God. 



 For all of the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for it: 



 You say: "It's impossible" 
God says: All things are possible because God can do all things.....



 You say: "I'm too tired" 
God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30) 



 You say: "Nobody really loves me" 
God says: I love you.......



 You say: "I can't go on" 
God says: My grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9 and Psalm 91:15) 



 You say: "I can't do it" 
God says: You can do all things through Christ 



 You say: "I can't figure things out" 
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6) 



 You say: "I'm not able" 
God says: I am able (2 Corinthians 9:8) 



 You say: "It's not worth it" 
God says: It will be worth it 



 You say: "I can't forgive myself" 
God says: I FORGIVE YOU (l John 1:9 and Romans 8:1) 



 You say: "I can't manage" 
God says: I will supply all your needs 


 You say: "I'm afraid" 
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7) 



 You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated" 
God says: Cast all your cares on ME (1 Peter 5:7) 



 You say: "I don't have enough faith" 
God says: I've given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3) 



 You say: "I'm not smart enough" 
God says: I give you wisdom 



 You say: "I feel all alone" 
God says: I will NEVER leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5) 

GRACE

It is grace at the beginning, and grace at the end.  So that when you and I come to lie upon our death beds,  the one thing that should comfort and help and strengthen us there is the thing that helped us in the beginning.  Not what we have been, not what we have done, but the grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.  The Christian life starts with grace, it must continue with grace, it ends with grace.  Grace wondrous grace.  By the grace of God I am what I am.  Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

(D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)