Mom's empty chair

[mick silver]

A woman's daughter had asked the local minister
to come and pray with her mother.
When the minister arrived,
he found the woman lying in bed with her head
propped up on two pillows.

An empty chair sat beside her bed.
The minister assumed that the woman
had been informed of his visit..
'I guess you were expecting me, he said.

'No, who are you?' said the mother.
The minister told her his name and then remarked,
'I saw the empty chair and I figured you knew
I was going to show up..'

'Oh yeah, the chair,' said the bedridden woman
'Would you mind closing the door?'
Puzzled, the minister shut the door.
'I have never told anyone this,
not even my daughter,' said the woman.

'But all of my life I have never
known how to pray.
At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer,
but it went right over my head...'

I abandoned any attempt at prayer,'
the old woman continued, '
until one day four years ago, my best friend said to me,
' Prayer is just a simple matter
of having a conversation with Jesus.
Here is what I suggest..
'Sit down in a chair;
place an empty chair in front of you,
and in faith see Jesus on the chair.

It's not spooky because he promised,
'I will be with you always'..
'Then just speak to him in the same way
you're doing with me right now...'

'So, I tried it and I've liked it so much
that I do it a couple of hours every day.
I'm careful though.If my daughter saw me talking
to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown
or send me off to the funny farm.'

The minister was deeply moved by the story and
encouraged the old woman to continue on the journey.
Then he prayed with her, anointed her with oil,
and returned to the church.

Two nights later the daughter called
to tell the minister that her mama
had died that afternoon.
Did she die in peace?' he asked.

Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock,
she called me over to her bedside,
told me she loved me and kissed me on the cheek.
When I got back from the store an hour later,
I found her ..

But there was something strange about her death.
Apparently, just before Mom died,
she leaned over and rested her head on the chair
beside the bed. What do you make of that?'

The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said,
'I wish we could all go like that.'

Just send this to four people or more,
and do not break this, please.

Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive.

I asked God for water, He gave me an ocean.*
I asked God for a flower, He gave me a garden.*
I asked God for a friend, He gave me all of YOU...
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God

[Half Sense]

Religious chain letters in General Discussion?

[Awoke]

Religious chain letters in General Discussion?

I agree that it doesn't belong in GD, but I'm happy to see something like that posted by Mick.

[Ponce]

I am not into religion.........but..........something good belongs everywhere.

[Spectrism]

I had read this before, but you know.... the simple truths are powerful. We usually don't care about this stuff until we are broken and have reached the end of our strength and will. When we see how meaningless all our accomplishments are in the face of eternity and when we see how far we are from perfection when we make an honest assessment of ourselves, then we begin to realize the gaping emptiness in us can only be filled by an infinite God.

We just happen to be fortunate enough that the Creator is kind and gentle and wishes for us to join Him. We are separated in this world by our "imperfection" but He has made a way.

[Half Sense]

Simple truths are powerful?? What was the simple truth? All her life she never knew how to pray, even though she dutifully went to church? WTF was she doing all those years? She had to have it explained that prayer was like talking with Jesus, as if that is not both explicit and implicit. Now for some reason she thinks praying, if discovered, will get you locked up as crazy.

And why go for the chair as she died? Trying to hitch a ride to heaven?

I have family members always emailing me these goofy parables, and like this one, they never ring true. Surely some disgruntled ex-Hallmark employee sits around and makes this stuff up.

No offense to the believers, of course. As Lazarus Long says: One man's theology is another man's belly laugh.

[Ponce]

She placed her head on the lap of Jesus because she knew that she was going go die and wanted to do it in his comfort.

I don't go for religion but do believe in the meaning of religon and in the spirit in which people believe in.

In my own way I pray when ever I walk in the woods or take my dog for a walk or look out my window and see the forest and beauty of nature........."What's already in you let no man take away, for your innerself knows the truth".....I know the truth.

[Spectrism]

Hey Ponce.... it would be great to see you as one of the Messiah's. With a new body that never dies, you would be the best looking Puerto Rican walking those streets of gold. We don't have much time left here.... any of us.... and knowing the Messiah before we go is the only ticket. So, keep praying and talking with Him from your heart.

[Ponce]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr CUBAN, not Puerto Rican........and you would have the best, God Jr Cuban in training, in the world.

By the way, you don't need "religion" to believe in what people refer to as "God".

And the time that you have left? all the time in the world.........some butterfly are born and die the same day.......to them we are inmortal.

[Spectrism]

Simple truths are powerful?? What was the simple truth? All her life she never knew how to pray, even though she dutifully went to church? WTF was she doing all those years? She had to have it explained that prayer was like talking with Jesus, as if that is not both explicit and implicit. Now for some reason she thinks praying, if discovered, will get you locked up as crazy.


She was a simple woman who went her own way her whole life. And now, as she could see her life draining away, she realized that there was peace and hope in the promises of God. Here are some of those views on that simple truth....
Psa 34:17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
Psa 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.




And why go for the chair as she died? Trying to hitch a ride to heaven?


Yeah... I sure am trying to hitch a ride to heaven myself... and I will go to Him when I see Him.



I have family members always emailing me these goofy parables, and like this one, they never ring true. Surely some disgruntled ex-Hallmark employee sits around and makes this stuff up.


Maybe. But you should get to know some people who really know the Messiah and see how they die. You will know that such stories are true.



No offense to the believers, of course. As Lazarus Long says: One man's theology is another man's belly laugh.


And one man's belly laugh can turn quickly to tears of dispair. I have seen people weep and moan in utter dispair. There is nothing more pitiful than that. And I have seen people smile through tears of grief. Joy is a gift of God.

[ximmy]

OOps... these people did not pass the chain to 4 or more people...
did not die in peace...

[Spectrism]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr CUBAN, not Puerto Rican........and you would have the best, God Jr Cuban in training, in the world.

By the way, you don't need "religion" to believe in what people refer to as "God".

And the time that you have left? all the time in the world.........some butterfly are born and die the same day.......to them we are inmortal.

Oh that's right.... Cuban is easier.... less letters.

Religion is not a good thing in my way of thinking. Religion is man setting up a system to complicate and corrupt what God gives us freely and simply.

I point to Messiah, not religion.

[Spectrism]

OOps... these people did not pass the chain to 4 or more people...
did not die in peace...

You might include a link or reference for a pic like that.

There are many who die horrific and tortuous deaths at the hands of men or disease. This does not mean they died without peace. See if you can discern the meaning of this:
Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Joh 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Joh 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Col 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

[joboo]

My mother was extremely religious all her life. She organized, and taught, and did so many extra curricular church functions everyone at every church she went to loved her. She got skin cancer from a mole on her back that spread throughout her entire body...hip joint, stomach, intestines, brain, lungs. She died in a delusional state of twisted agony that was simply unimaginable. It was the most horrific thing one could ever endure watching take place, and I got a daily dose of the macabre reality by visiting her daily. It still makes me sick to think about it 10 years later as it killed a part of me as well. She was 58.

True story, no exaggeration. Life can really suck.

There's my chain letter.

[Serpo]

Hey Ponce.... it would be great to see you as one of the Messiah's. With a new body that never dies, you would be the best looking Puerto Rican walking those streets of gold. We don't have much time left here.... any of us.... and knowing the Messiah before we go is the only ticket. So, keep praying and talking with Him from your heart.

We are all our own Messiah

[Spectrism]

We are all our own Messiah

Can you walk on water, heal the sick, raise the dead and pay an infinite debt and still have unlimited wealth left over?

[Half Sense]

Hey Ponce.... it would be great to see you as one of the Messiah's. With a new body that never dies, you would be the best looking Puerto Rican walking those streets of gold. We don't have much time left here.... any of us.... and knowing the Messiah before we go is the only ticket. So, keep praying and talking with Him from your heart.

Christ Almighty! Ponce as "one of the Messiah's"? Exactly how many "Messiah's" do you worship? That's blasphemy, BTW. And 1900+ posts here yet you do not know Ponce is Cuban? Then you go on about how great his body will look if it never dies? America is doomed. Somebody please move this abortion to the proper sub-basement....

[Half Sense]

And one man's belly laugh can turn quickly to tears of dispair. I have seen people weep and moan in utter dispair. There is nothing more pitiful than that. And I have seen people smile through tears of grief. Joy is a gift of God.

Joy happens without God, let me assure you. So do despair, grief, and all the other emotions. Life went on after you learned about the Easter Bunny. You can do this.

[Awoke]

Christ Almighty! Ponce as "one of the Messiah's"? Exactly how many "Messiah's" do you worship? That's blasphemy, BTW. And 1900+ posts here yet you do not know Ponce is Cuban? Then you go on about how great his body will look if it never dies? America is doomed. Somebody please move this abortion to the proper sub-basement....


Joy happens without God, let me assure you. So do despair, grief, and all the other emotions. Life went on after you learned about the Easter Bunny. You can do this.

Just sayin...




[14] (http://drbo.org/x/d?b=drb&bk=72&ch=1&l=14#x) Now of these Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying: Behold, the Lord cometh with thousands of his saints,
[15] (http://drbo.org/x/d?b=drb&bk=72&ch=1&l=15#x) To execute judgment upon all, and to reprove all the ungodly for all the works of their ungodliness, whereby they have done ungodly, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against God.

[16] (http://drbo.org/x/d?b=drb&bk=72&ch=1&l=16#x) These are murmurers, full of complaints, walking according to their own desires, and their mouth speaketh proud things, admiring persons for gain's sake.
[17] (http://drbo.org/x/d?b=drb&bk=72&ch=1&l=17#x) But you, my dearly beloved, be mindful of the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,
[18] (http://drbo.org/x/d?b=drb&bk=72&ch=1&l=18#x) Who told you, that in the last time there should come mockers, walking according to their own desires in ungodlinesses.
[19] (http://drbo.org/x/d?b=drb&bk=72&ch=1&l=19#x) These are they, who separate themselves, sensual men, having not the Spirit.
[20] (http://drbo.org/x/d?b=drb&bk=72&ch=1&l=20#x) But you, my beloved, building yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
[21] (http://drbo.org/x/d?b=drb&bk=72&ch=1&l=21#x) Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto life everlasting.





[22] (http://drbo.org/x/d?b=drb&bk=69&ch=2&l=22#x) Who is a liar, but he who denieth that Jesus is the Christ? This is Antichrist, who denieth the Father, and the Son.
[23] (http://drbo.org/x/d?b=drb&bk=69&ch=2&l=23#x) Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father. He that confesseth the Son, hath the Father also.
[24] (http://drbo.org/x/d?b=drb&bk=69&ch=2&l=24#x) As for you, let that which you have heard from the beginning, abide in you. If that abide in you, which you have heard from the beginning, you also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father.
[25] (http://drbo.org/x/d?b=drb&bk=69&ch=2&l=25#x) And this is the promise which he hath promised us, life everlasting.

[Spectrism]

Christ Almighty! Ponce as "one of the Messiah's"? Exactly how many "Messiah's" do you worship? That's blasphemy, BTW. And 1900+ posts here yet you do not know Ponce is Cuban? Then you go on about how great his body will look if it never dies? America is doomed. Somebody please move this abortion to the proper sub-basement....

Maybe English is not your first language, so I will splain it. When one uses an apostrophe ('), that means there is either a contraction (two words combined to one) OR possession. It is clear that this use is possessive. "One of the Messiah's" means one of those belonging to the Messiah.

As for never dying... once I receive my new incorruptible body, I will never die. This is promised to all who are Messiah's. Those who face judgment and the wrath of YHWH will also live forever, but in torment isolated from God.

1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

[Half Sense]

Maybe English is not your first language, so I will splain it. When one uses an apostrophe ('), that means there is either a contraction (two words combined to one) OR possession. It is clear that this use is possessive. "One of the Messiah's" means one of those belonging to the Messiah.

As for never dying... once I receive my new incorruptible body, I will never die. This is promised to all who are Messiah's. Those who face judgment and the wrath of YHWH will also live forever, but in torment isolated from God.


OK, so you're saying one gets OWNED by this Messiah. Got it. And if I choose not to get OWNED, something called YHWH is gonna judge me and not let me near this God I've rejected. Cool!

[Spectrism]

OK, so you're saying one gets OWNED by this Messiah. Got it. And if I choose not to get OWNED, something called YHWH is gonna judge me and not let me near this God I've rejected. Cool!

YHWH is the Almighty God. He is manifested in a variety of ways. He is Spirit and through Spirit works in this world. His Word became flesh and gave himself over to death as the Messiah and was resurrected to hold all authority in heaven and earth. In this time bubble, there is a prince of darkness temporarily ruling. Those who reject the Messiah are already owned by the devil.... and will meet the same judgment as the devil when they stand before God. When you stand before God in jugdgment, the last thing you will say is "cool". You would sooner walk the face of the sun than face that day calmly. There are worse things than torture and death in this world.

[Half Sense]

So, I stand before God and he will not let me near God? I guess that's as logical as anything else coming out of your keyboard.

[Spectrism]

So, I stand before God and he will not let me near God? I guess that's as logical as anything else coming out of your keyboard.

I would suggest you not be cute about so vital a matter.

When you stand before a judge, are you "close" to him? No. He judges your guilt or innocence by the law and your acts. Standing before God in judgment is like standing naked in the desert before the sun... only much worse. You are not close to the sun, but it will still burn you. On the judgment day, your entire life will be laid bare for your accounting. God is an all-consuming fire. Try to be cute and you will get burned.

[Ponce]

Spect? that's the part that I don't like about "religion" the fact that you will be B U R N if you don't obey "their" rules and not the rules of "The Force"........different countries have different religion that means different things to different people and what is natural or their customs in one country is not in another one.......we must accept every every one for what they are and not as we want them to be........the only rule that I have? don't harm me with your belief or your customs.

[Spectrism]

Spect? that's the part that I don't like about "religion" the fact that you will be B U R N if you don't obey "their" rules and not the rules of "The Force"........different countries have different religion that means different things to different people and what is natural or their customs in one country is not in another one.......we must accept every every one for what they are and not as we want them to be........the only rule that I have? don't harm me with your belief or your customs.

Keep reasoning it out Ponce. You will have it figured. Religion IS man-made rules and something to be cautious of.

If you step off the end of a high cliff, you fall. Now if I come along and tell you: "Rule number 247 of this land is that you must not step off the cliff," am I steering you wrong? No. Some rules are in accord with reality. But violate the rule- regardless of where you see it come from, and you pay the consequences.

The rules of God are not to cause us trouble, but to keep us from trouble. His rules are like good software. But if a computer has a defective hard drive or bad memory chips, the work of that computer will be corrupted. If all computers are defective, you can't blame the software for not working in them. Even more- you cannot blame the software writer.

God lays out the reality very simply for us: violate the laws and you will pay the consequences. Step off the cliff and you will fall to death. What is wrong with that?

[Half Sense]

I would suggest you not be cute about so vital a matter.

When you stand before a judge, are you "close" to him? No. He judges your guilt or innocence by the law and your acts. Standing before God in judgment is like standing naked in the desert before the sun... only much worse. You are not close to the sun, but it will still burn you. On the judgment day, your entire life will be laid bare for your accounting. God is an all-consuming fire. Try to be cute and you will get burned.

Sounds like he's consumed what little sense you once had. Go threaten somebody else.

[Spectrism]

Sounds like he's consumed what little sense you once had. Go threaten somebody else.

I did not threaten you. What you feel is truth and conviction. Like a drug addict will deny he is owned by the drug and will kill for his next fix, you strike out at anyone who threatens your addiction. You dance to the tune of your addiction, believing that you and your addiction are one & the same.

I have nothing of value beyond the life that God has given me in His Spirit. I have no sense and no brilliance outside of what He gives me in His Spirit. The human soul finds perfect harmony in the worship of God. Anything else is confusion, collusion and contusion.

[wrs]

Can you walk on water, heal the sick, raise the dead and pay an infinite debt and still have unlimited wealth left over?

Why not, all it's supposed to take is faith the size of a grain of mustard? Right? You don't believe what your own teacher says, not surprising though.


God lays out the reality very simply for us: violate the laws and you will pay the consequences. Step off the cliff and you will fall to death. What is wrong with that?

Men wrote the rules, not god. It's pretty clear that men wrote the rules, only a deluded fool would think otherwise.

[Half Sense]

I did not threaten you. What you feel is truth and conviction. Like a drug addict will deny he is owned by the drug and will kill for his next fix, you strike out at anyone who threatens your addiction. You dance to the tune of your addiction, believing that you and your addiction are one & the same.

I have nothing of value beyond the life that God has given me in His Spirit. I have no sense and no brilliance outside of what He gives me in His Spirit. The human soul finds perfect harmony in the worship of God. Anything else is confusion, collusion and contusion.

Telling me that I will stand before your boy and I will cower and cringe and I will not dare say "cool" in his presence....and that I will burn forever for daring to question it....and that's not a threat? Lemmee guess...it's a "fact", right?

Your characterization of non-religion as a drug, was that supposed to be irony? If you're serious, and wish to ignore that whole "opiate of the masses" thing, , then you could say I have a lot of such addictions....I'm "addicted" to not driving a Yugo...I'm "addicted" to maggot-free meals. The list is endless...

As for the last part, I'm sorry you feel you are so worthless without the comfort of that specific subset of theology. You really should think more highly of yourself - I certainly think you are capable of existing "on your own". Perhaps I simply have higher hopes for humanity than you do.