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I love to read or hear a refreshing sermon or message once in a while to stir up the spirit or to fire up the passion inside. In this colume, I'll try to put up such messages monthly, either written by myself or adapted from elsewhere. You can feel free to send me some too.

Many a times, we listen to a power packed sermon and woa, you feel the spirit rising up inside you and wanna do something passionate abt it. But come Monday, maybe Tuesday...we go back to the world and engage ourselves back into our own activities and busy schedule. Ha...this happens sometimes, yar? My prayers will be that even in your daily life - when you're walking along that usual busy sidewalk to school or work; or being scolded by that ever unpleased boss, you hear Him whispering to you gently, but mightly...reminding you that He's there for you.
He is sufficient.

From the series of 'Dare to Dream Again'
A Tale Of Three Trees

A story is told of three trees that lived a long, long time ago. Each of these trees had a dream...a goal which they hoped will not be too difficult to achieve.

The first tree said,' After I grow up, I want my wood to be made into a beautiful box, a chest that will be used to contain the finest gold and house the most percious silver on earth.'

The second tree then said,' When I grow up, I want my wood to be made into a majestic boat, one that would brave the stromy waves of the ocean and ridden upon by the great kings and conquerors of the world.'

Well, the third tree's dream wasn't so extravegant. Simply, he said,' I just want to grow as tall as possible, above the other canopies...so when people look to me, I'll always be pointing up to heaven.'

Then one day, many many decades later, a woodcutter came to chop down the first tree. With the lumber, he made it into a trough, a wooden container that farmers would use to contain the food for the farm animals. Thrown into a corner, the trough was filled with scraps and leftovers that pigs would feed on every day. It was stained with filth and dirt. And the first tree cried out,' Why did this happen to me? No gold, no silver, but only filth which I can feel...'

A woodcutter then came to chop down the second tree. Looking at the size and quality of the wood, he figured that it could only be made into a small size boat. Hence, the second tree was crafted into a little fishing boat. Setting off to the ocean early in the morning only to return with the stench of fishes. The second tree became very miserable and wondered if his dream was too far fetched.

Another woodcutter chopped down the third tree. He took it back to the mills and merely chucked it into one corner...forgotten by the lumber workers. And for decades, he will be left there.

Then one night, in the midst of the stillness, a joyful father watched as his tired wife placed their new born baby into a trough filled with soft hay. A group of shepherds stood around the stable, bewildered by what has happened. The trough then saw a star shinning brightly above. And the first tree knew...that at that moment in time, what he was containing was something more costly than gold and more percious than silver.

A few decades later, the fishing boat was caught in the middle of a terrible storm. The waves were towering over the boat and rain was crashing in. Everyone on board was frightened and anxious. Then suddenly, one man stood up and with that authority in His voice, He commanded the storm to be still! And at that moment, the second tree knew that his dream had came through. He knew that he was carrying on board the King of kings...and the Lord of lords.

One fateful morning, a worker walked into the lumber mill. He noticed the third tree lying in that forgotten corner. He took it and sawed it into two pieces...and nailed it together to form a shape that of a cross. It was then carried on the bruised back of a man up to a hill to be executed...only that he was a man like no other. The noon sky turned dark and the ground shook. The man they called Jesus...the King of kings and the Lord of lords, finer than the finest treasure, was nailed on the cross and left to die. And the third tree knew, at long last, that from that moment on, whenever the people on earth look at him, he'll always be pointing up to heaven.

You see my friends, it's okay to dream. Dream a dream for God too. God rejoices when we dare to dream. There may be disappointments along the way. Things may not turn out the way you thought it should be. But continue to press in. And your dreams will come to past.

God bless.

Justin

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