Jack’s Winning Words 5/14/14
“You can’t love a crowd the same way you love a person, and a crowd can’t love you the way a single person can love you.”  (Hugh Macleod)  God has a tough job…loving billions of people, and then loving each one individually.  The question that bugs many…  Does God really know and care about me?   I like this song-- "Thank you Lord, for seeing me; thank you Lord, for knowing who I am; thank you Lord, for hearing me: it's so easy to get lost these days in the shuffle and the noise."   ;-)  Jack

FROM HY YO SILVER:  Such a wonderful and true quote.  Top ten of all time.====JACK:  I can understand how today's WWs might relate to the stressful environment that you are living in.  We all have (and have had) experiences that help shape us.  G-d sees and knows and cares!

FROM LS IN WISCONSIN:  What a small world!  I am so happy to hear from you and would love for you to add me to your daily positive message. I will pass your email along to Sue and Steve. Such a great surprise!====JACK:  What are the chances of two people meeting in Wisconsin and, in conversation, finding out that they know the same person in Michigan?  Slim!  But, God works in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform.  I'm happy to add you to the list (of over 400 worldwide) who receive Jack's Winning Words on a daily basis.  Amazing!

FROM TARMART REV:  Not a big thing any longer . . . but always used to appreciate the fact that God could count the hairs on my head . . . even I can do that nowadays! 0;-/ ====JACK:  A famous Hollywood make-up artist hired a girl to count the hairs on a human head.  The total was 135,168.  Since you no longer have that many, you can try counting the hairs in your beard.  You should find about 60,000.

FROM MICHIZONA RAY:  It is comforting to know that God knows me amongst the crowd. Maybe we can avoid the trappings we generate through classifications of race, gender, age, etc. I remember how important it was to remember that the client before me was potentially the exception to the rule. Hence, there is no rule -- at least as it relates to the one-on-one relationship. And a crowd is nothing more than a bunch of one-on-ones.====JACK:  A bunch of one on ones?  I try to remind myself of that each day as I write and send out WWs.  I try to think of that, too, whenever I prepare a sermon.

FROM RI IN BOSTON:  There's not much to love about a crowd.  Crowds are a restraint to moving, seeing, and hearing ideally.  Such a gathering is a setting for adversity.  Many persons will use the cover of a crowd for perversity, to do things they would never do out in the open.  You can get lost in a crowd but don't let your love be lost on a crowd.====JACK:  I find it interesting...the various reactions that Jesus had toward crowds.  He had compassion of them.  He wanted to make sure that he was fed.  There were times when he wanted to get away to rest and pray (signs of his humanity).  One of my favorite Bible stories concerns the guys who wanted to bring their sick friend to Jesus for healing, but couldn't get near, because of the crowd.  So they removed part of the roof over the place where Jesus was and lowered their friend down in front of him.  Can't you just visualize the scene and appreciate the ingenuity?  Faith and love causes us to do things like that.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  That of course is where Faith comes in; You can't decide questions about God for anyone else...with so many chaotic and horrible situations in the world, faith in a loving and caring God can certainly be  shaken.  We are called to love those around US, and do what we can to be His hands and feet in the world, which admittedly takes time, money and prayer!! And we could all do more than we do, with the gifts given to us, I'm sure. We count on God's mercy and caring, as to that!====JACK:   In the poem, "The Gospel According to You," there's this thought..."Be careful!  The only gospel some will read is the gospel according to you."  That's a responsibility, isn't it?

FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER:  Some of the people love all of the people all of the time and all of the people love some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people love all of the people all of the time. (Abe Frieden)====JACK:  Except, Jesus!