Illustration results for abide
Free Memorial Day Resources
Sermons & Illustrations: Top SermonsTop Illustrations
Sermon & Worship Packages: Time to Remember
WHICH WINDOW?
Catherine Marshall wrote:
"My friend Marge had an experience aboard a plane bound for Cleveland, waiting for takeoff. As she settled into her seat, Marge noticed a strange phenomenon. On one side of the airplane a sunset suffused the entire sky with glorious color. But out of the window next to her seat, all Marge could see was a sky dark and threatening, with no sign of the sunset.
"As the plane’s engines began to roar, a gentle Voice spoke within her. 'You have noticed the windows,' He murmured beneath the roar and thrust of the takeoff. 'Your life, too, will contain some happy, beautiful times, but also some dark shadows. Here’s a lesson I want to teach you to save you much heartache and allow you to abide in Me with continual peace and joy.
"'You see, it doesn’t matter which window you look through; this plane is still going to Cleveland. So it is in your life. You have a choice. You can dwell on the gloomy picture. Or you can focus on the bright things and leave the dark, ominous situations to Me. I alone can handle them anyway.
"'And the final destination is not influenced by what you see or feel along the way. Learn this, act on it and you will be released, able to experience the peace that passes understanding.'"
"Every house where love abides And friendship is a guest, Is surely home, and home, sweet home; For there the heart can rest."
In the spring of 1940, war between England and Germany was beginning to wage in the Atlantic. The allied fleets of America and England were still abiding by a disarmament treaty that limited the size of warships. But the Germans were building ships of gigantic proportions. One such ship, the largest ever built up to that time, was the German battleship Bismarck.
The Bismarck displaced 42,800 tons making it 22% larger than the most powerful ships of the allied fleets. It had eight 15” guns and some 80 smaller guns, most of which were antiaircraft. It could reach speeds of 31 knots. Its armor was so thick that no existing British torpedo could penetrate its hull. If the British did not hunt down the great battleship, she had the potential to single-handedly destroy the British fleet at the loss of countless lives.
On May 21st, of 1940, two Spitfire reconnaissance planes stumbled upon the great warship as they searched a Norwegian fiord. Because of poor weather and other problems, it was several days before the British would have a crack at sinking the Bismarck.
With some of the oldest biplanes still in service, and torpedoes that were, for all intents and purposes, obsolete, the British Navy attacked the Bismarck. One of the planes, with both men wounded and 175 holes in the plane from the Bismarck antiaircraft guns, made it back to the British aircraft carrier. Several of the other planes in the squadron were badly damaged.
The pilots reported with excitement that they were sure at least one of the torpedoes found its mark. The mighty Bismarck had taken a torpedo in the rudder. She was dead in the water, only able to maneuver in circles like a wounded fish. Once the British neutralized the battlewagon’s rudder, they had control of the entire ship. And on May 27th, the British navy converged on the Bismarck’s position and sunk her.
Hitler’s plan was to use the Bismarck to create a wake of destruction across the Atlantic, to bring the European fleets to their knees in submission and humiliation. Had the rudder not been damaged, it would have steered the great ship into battle after lopsided battle, destroying everything in its path.
In the book, No Bad Dogs, by British dog trainer Barbara Woodhouse, she says dogs understand
love better than we do. She writes, “In a dog’s mind, a master or a mistress to love, honor, and obey is
an absolute necessity. The love is dormant in the dog until brought into full bloom by an understanding
owner. Thousands of dogs appear to love their owners, they welcome them home with enthusiastic
wagging of the tail and jumping up, they follow them about their houses happily and, to the normal person
seeing the dog, the affection is true and deep. But to the experienced dog trainer this outward show is
not enough. The true test of love takes place when the dog has got the opportunity to go out on its own
as soon as the door is left open by mistake and it goes off and often doesn’t return home for hours. That
dog loves only its home comforts and the attention it gets from its family; it doesn’t truly love the master
or mistress as they fondly think. True love in dogs is apparent when a door is left open and the dog still
stays happily within earshot of...
“Of thirty Roman emperors, governors of provinces and others in high office, who distinguished themselves by their zeal and bitterness in persecuting the early Christians, one became speedily deranged after some atrocious cruelty, one was slain by his own son, one became blind, the eyes of one started out of his head, one was drowned, one was strangled, one died in a miserable captivity, one fell dead in a manner that will not bear recital, one died of so loathsome a disease that several of his physicians were put to death because they could not abide the stench that filled his room, two committed suicide, a third attempted it but had to call for help to finish the work, five were assassinated by their own people or servants, five others died the most miserable and excruciating deaths, several of them having an untold complication of diseases, and eight were killed in battles, or after being taken prisoners.
Among these was Julian the Apostate. In the days of his prosperity he is said to have pointed his dagger to heaven, defying the Son of God whom he commonly called the Galilean. But when he was wounded in battle, he saw that all was over with him, and he gathered up his clotted blood and threw it into the air, exclaiming, thou has conquered, O thou Galilean.” (Boise 25)
Towering over Edinburgh, Scotland, is the Edinburgh Castle. And in the midst of very old buildings is the comparatively new World War I memorial. It carries a quotation from Thucydides: "The whole earth is the tomb of heroic men, and their story is not graven only on stones over their clay, but abides everywhere, without visible symbol, woven into the stuff of others’ lives." -- Robert C. Shannon, 1000 Windows, (Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Company, 1997).
SAILING AWAY
A personal testimony.
Inspired by His calling, Joel Vicente. -------
I was secure at home when I heard the voice from the Captain exclaim,
"Come follow me. Go where I send you. No need to fear. I will be with you."
I asked, "But Captain, may I remain here on the shore where it is safe and help other sailors discover their way?" The voice echoed,
"Come after me. You’ll reach distant lands. No need to fear. You’ll be in my hands."
My plans did not include a journey to a strange land, so I again questioned the Captain. "How can I travel so far away if I am not skilled? What will I discover there?" The Captain advised me,
"This is my plan. Adding wisdom to your measure. Abide with me. You’ll find a hidden treasure."
I announced my venture as I said farewell to my yesterdays. These yesterdays included my family, friends, and dreams. The memories from home were cherished. Nevertheless, I would never return to repeat them. My departure became certain as I abandoned everything I knew to be familiar. So we sailed southward; I was unaware of my destination. Suddenly, I heard a roaring from the wind. I felt the crashing of waves and heard a whisper from the Captain say,
"Trust in Me. Do not fear. I’m with you. I’ll be near.”
The winds viscously forced me off the ship. The waves violently embraced me. I struggled in the grip of darkness. Below me was an endless void of despair. I yelled, "Captain, help me before I drown!" I heard no response. I reached for the ship and an outstretched arm took hold of mine and lifted me to safety. I appealed to the Captain, "You said do not fear. You said you would be with me. Why did I fall?" The Captain replied,
"Submit to My purpose. Surrender to My plan. Endure what surrounds you. With My strength you can."
The ship sailed on until it came to a sudden stop. I noticed that the anchor was launched. Ahead of the ship was an immense storm. I asked the Captain, "Why don’t we turn away from the storm?" The Captain replied,
“Keep watch for the calm. Storms are mysteries. Listen close to their secrets. In them are victories.”
At that moment, the storm leaped on me knocking me to the lower deck. The winds swept me back and forth like a pendulum. I had nothing to hold on to. I again shouted for the Captain. “Save me, before I go under!” As I glanced into the Captain’s quarters, there He slept as if the storm was my imagination. Ultimately, the storm would cease. I asked the Captain how He could sleep in the middle of the storm? Again I was replied to with silence. The Captain appeared to look right through my examination. Then the Captain handed me a compass. I read the engraved message, "Follow my direction, and do not fear for I am with you. When you don’t see Me, trust Me, when you don’t hear Me, remember my promises." I looked intently at the compass and the Captain appeaed to be gone. I felt alone on the ship. Just then, I saw someone else drowning in the same waves, so I reached out my hand and lifted him to safety. The lost gentleman thanked me and asked where my courage came from. I was beginning to discover the mysteries that the Captain was displaying. While we spoke, I noticed that another ship was headed toward the same storm that I just survived. So I jumped from my ship and anxiously swam to the other vessel. I yelled as if my volume would exceed that of the coming storm. I warned them of their direction into danger and they turned to safer shores. I then discerned the secrets that the storm was revealing. I found the victory in saving others. This was my hidden treasure!
Charles E. Fuller once announced that he would be speaking the following Sunday on “Heaven.” During that week, a beautiful letter was received from an old man who was very ill. The following is part of his letter:
“Next Sunday you are to talk about Heaven. I am interested in that land, because I have held a clear title to a bit of property there for over fifty-five years. I did not buy it. It was given to me without money and without price. But the donor purchased it for me at tremendous sacrifice. I am not holding it for speculation since the title is not transferable. It is not a vacant lot. For more than half a century I have been sending materials out of which the greatest architect and builder of the universe has been building a home for me which will never need to be remodeled or repaired because it will suit me perfectly, individually, and will never grow old.
Termites can never undermine its foundations for they rest on the rock of ages. Fire cannot destroy it. Floods cannot wash it away. No locks or bolts will ever be placed upon its doors, for no vicious person can ever enter that land where my dwelling stands. It is now almost completed and ready for me to enter in and abide in peace eternally, without fear of ev...
Once there were these 3 guys who needed to get to a town called Perfection in one day. Perfection was 200 km away. One guy decided to save money and walk all the way. He started off at 6 in the morning. He only walked for a few hours and managed to cover 20 km. After that he was too pooped to carry on so he gave up and didn’t make it. The second guy decided to ride a bicycle. He rode and rode and he had to take constant breaks because he would get so tired. The road wasn’t always flat. Sometimes he had to ride uphill and that was tough. Sometimes he got a free ride downhill. But he still had to expend a lot of effort. After 10 exhausting hours, he finally got there. But it had been a tremendous struggle and it took almost everything out of him. The third guy decided to get someone to drive him there. All he had to do was sit in the car. He got there in only three hours, fresh as a daisy. So, perfection is similar. If you’re trying to aim for perfection by yourself, you’ll never hit it. You’ll give up even before you’re halfway there. You’ll be so tired you’ll collapse from exhaustion. If you only partially depend on God, then you might get there but it’ll be tough and you’ll be totally exhausted. The key to Perfection is to totally depend on God. But you must make the decision to trust God and get into the car and let Him drive you. And inside the car, you still have to abide by the rules. You can’t do things like stick your head of the window. (Not unless you’re a dog.) You can’t fool around with the gear shift or the steering wheel. You’re like a passenger without a driving licence. You have to behave. You have to do your part. You have to obey the driver, God. Then your road to Perfection will be much easier.
"The whole earth is the tomb of heroic men and their story is not graven only on stone over their clay but abides everywhere without visible symbol, woven into the stuff of other men's lives."
Pastor's MediaVault
