Thursday prayer & verses (15 04 2010)

Thought for the day

From our "stupid criminals" file:

A man, wanting to rob a downtown Bank of America, walked into the branch and wrote "This iz a stikkup. Put all your muny in this bag."

While standing in line, waiting to give his note to the teller, he began to worry that someone had seen him write the note and might call the police before he reached the teller window. So he left the Bank of America and crossed the street to Wells Fargo.

After waiting a few minutes in line, he handed his note to the Wells Fargo teller. She read it and, surmising from his spelling errors that he was not the brightest light in the harbor, told him that she could not accept his stick up note because it was written on a Bank of America deposit slip and that he would either have to fill out a Wells Fargo deposit slip or go back to Bank of America.

Looking somewhat defeated, the man said "OK" and left the Wells Fargo. The Wells Fargo teller then called the police who arrested the man a few minutes later, as he was waiting in line back at the Bank of America.

With all the stories going around, you have to wonder if one of the qualifications of being a bank robber is having an IQ lower than the temperature in Minnesota this time of year. He actually believed the teller when she said he couldn't do it! What a dummy!

Before I get carried away, though, how many times have I been "dumb" enough to believe somebody when they told me something couldn't be done? "We tried that once before, and it just didn't work!" "You're wasting your time!" "It'll never work!"

If we listened to everyone who told us what "can't be done," we'd never accomplish anything. How different was the attitude of Paul:

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

Verses

James 1:2-4

My brothers, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Philippians 2:9-10

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

John 16:33

"I told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have trouble. But be brave! I have defeated the world!"

Matthew 6:9

"In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

2 Corinthians 8:9

For by experience you know the unmerited favor shown by our Lord Jesus Christ; that although He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, in order that by His poverty you might become rich.

Prayer

Father, we are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy when we proclaim, “The Lord is risen. He is risen indeed!” Though we were not personal eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Your Son we have personally experienced and witnessed in others the transformational change that the ever-living Christ brings about in the lives of those who believe. The completion of Christ’s incarnation took place at the tomb when death was swallowed up in victory as He overcame the power and terror of death’s penalty. Satan’s plot failed as God’s plan flourished making us more than victors through Christ who loves us and atoned for our sins! Thank You, for all You went through so that we might have abundant life here and eternal life on the other side. Amen.