FIRST LOVE RECOVERY MINISTRIES

THE PENDANT OF PHENICE
There was a young man who had a very strange dream on a very cold and dark night. It was a dream about an unknown treasure that promised to give its owner real fulfillment. The treasure was called ‘The Pendant of Phenice’. Confident of the dream’s authenticity, the young man left his small country town and went to the mega city known as ‘Phenice’. ‘Phenice’ was a famous place that offered to make everyone’s dreams a living reality.
On arrival at ‘Phenice’, the young man booked into a cheap hotel in one of the suburbs. He immediately swung into action in search of ‘The Pendant of Phenice’.Everywhere he went he was given the most attractive offer but a trial proved abortive.
In the best night club, he was offered the best dance song.
In the best hospital, he was offered the best therapy.
At the best religious centre, he was offered the best religion.
At the best library, he was offered the best book.
At the best sports centre, he was offered the best entertainment.
At the best gallery, he was offered the best painting.
At the best restaurant, he was offered the best banquet.
After many days of search at the best places of attraction in ‘Phenice’, the young man obviously became very disappointed. To make matters worse, he was running short of funds. Worst of all, everyone he met in ‘Phenice’seemed to have their dreams turned into reality.
It was time for him to make a crucial decision, either to go back to his town or get stranded in ‘Phenice’. That same night he went to bed and had the same strange dream. He suddenly woke up with a cold sweat! When it was dawn, he made up his mind to find the best job in ‘Phenice’ so as to continue his search no matter how long it took him.
As he made his way to the best recruitment agency, he collided into an elderly gentleman who carried a familiar look and they had a very fascinating dialogue:-
“Good morning, young man” said the old man.
“Good morning, sir” said the young man.
“I’m so glad to have met you!” exclaimed the old man.
“You look kind of familiar but I can’t place the face” replied the young man.
“Your observation isn’t bad” said the old man.
“But I’ve only been here for a couple of days. Where did we really meet?” asked the young man politely.
“Everywhere you’ve been in ‘Phenice’” answered the old man without hesitation.
Shocked, the young man was lost for words.
“I know about the search” whispered the old man.
Hiding his fright, the young man feigned surprise and asked “what search are you talking about?”
“The search for ‘The Penchant of Phenice’” answered the old man with sparkles in his sharp eyes.
“How did you know” asked the young man.
“Well, we both share the same dream” replied the old man with a warm smile.
“So the dream is true!” shouted the young man.
Now a flicker of hope appeared on the face of the young man, and his heart began to race with sheer excitement.
“At last, the search is over!” he thought.
“Your search can end right now” said the old man softly.
“You must be a good mind reader” said the young man while he looked into the old man’s eyes expecting any sign of deceit or truth.
Without commenting on the remark or the suspicions of the young man, the old man made a shocking revelation: “Almost all the people of ‘Phenice’ who seemed fulfilled are only lost in their dreams without fulfillment”.
“I bet that you are the only exception” said the young man without hiding his sarcasm.
“Actually you are that exception” replied the old man calmly.
“Me-you must be joking!” laughed the young man in disbelief.
“I love your modesty!” said the old man amused.
“Please let’s cut this short, I’ve got a place to get to” remarked the young man impatiently.
“You are going to the best recruitment agency to get a job and end like the rest of us” commented the old man sadly.
The old man swiftly lifted his right hand and gripped the young man’s left arm with a strength that surprised the latter.
The old man looking straight into the young man’s eyes asked “Who do you really think I am?”
Embarrassed but eager to get rid of the old man, the young man quickly replied “You are old enough to be my grandfather. In fact you really look like him!”
“You aren’t too far from the truth” commented the old man.
“What then is the truth?” asked the young man anxiously.
“I am you fifty years in the future” answered the old man sincerely.
“Those fifty years were completely fruitless in search of ‘The Penchant of Phenice’!” continued the old man with tears flowing down his face.
This second revelation both shocked and silenced the young man.
Releasing his grip, the old man dried his face with a clean white handkerchief offered him by the young man.
Weakly the old man whispered “You are my first, last, and only chance-the chance to be truly fulfilled”.
“Real fulfillment is only possible in the person who gave you that dream twice”.
“Who is that person” asked the young man gravely.
“Your loving and wise Maker” replied the old man.
Shivering,the young man bowed his head in deep thought over these heavy statements but when he lifted his eyes so as to make further query, the old man was gone!

Dear reader,imagine that you are 'the young man' in the story above,or better still imagine yourself fifty years from now.
What is your decision in response to the words of 'the old man' in the story?
Before you make up your mind,consider the following truths:-

* Realise that God is your loving and wise Maker(Prov.22:2),and it is only in him that you can be fulfilled in life.

* Like everyone else,you were born in sin which estranges you from God(Rom.3:23).

* It is only through Jesus Christ that you can be reconciled back to God(Rom.5:8).

* You just need to repent from your sins(Rom.2:4) and believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour(Rom.1:16).

'In the desert of life,why chase the mirages when you can get the only one oasis where you will really quench your thirst for fulfillment?!'
The choice is yours right now!!!
Isaiah 55(KJV)
"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."
"Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness."
"Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David."
"Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people."
"Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee."
"Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:"
"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD."
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
"For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:"
"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
"For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."
"Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

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