Fools

         Everyone seems to have a special day on the calendar.  We have birthdays, anniversaries, special days for secretaries, grand parents plus all of the national holidays and we even have a special day for "fools."  The definition of a fool is "a person who acts unwisely or imprudently."  I have done some "foolish" things in my life like driving Dad's 1955 Pontiac wide open while my friend watched the speedometer.  I finally took by foot off of the accelerator when we reached 115 miles per hour.  That was definitely foolish and would be viewed as acting unwisely.  The fool, however, also has a special day on our calendar and it is April first.  We just call it "April Fool's Day."  The Scripture has something to say about the fool.   Psalm 14:1 says,"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good."  
        The Bible refers to a person who refuses to believe that there is a God, as a fool.  Yes, they are acting unwisely.  The world is filled with more and more people who do not believe in God or that there is a God at all.  These same people have been corrupted by information from supposedly good sources that deny that there is God in the first place and while following this idea, they come up with the notion that there is no God.  The idea is not new as it obviously was around about 3,000 years ago when the Psalms were written.  The Fool or the Unwise person fails to observe the evidence around him.  It makes no matter where you look, whether it is in the magnitude of the heavens, or in the world of micro biology.  God's evidence is available to those who will look and see.  God's handiwork can be seen in things like flowers and bombardier beetles or in the attributes of water, or of the constellations in the universe or God's working in the lives of His people around each and everyone of us.  One of the greatest evidences available today is the New birth in Christ or even the physical birth of new born baby.  So, the "fool" is that individual that in spite of the evidence comes to the wrong conclusion and proclaims that there is no God at all.  As the definition states, that is an unwise conclusion.  One can be a fool in many different ways such as seeing just how fast the old car will go but the worst example of being a fool is found in the statement in today's verse.   If you are acting foolishly when it comes to God and His work, just take a look around you and then take heed to what God says in His Word.  Praise God that He is in control of each and every thing including you and me.

Really Exciting News

         There was a small lake in on the outskirts of a town where we once lived where my son and I would often fish.  You could walk to it in about 10 minutes from the house.  One year, we kept track of the number of bass that we caught in that lake.  We caught 105 bass that year and only kept them if they were over 15 inches long.  What was a little bit funny about the whole thing is that we took only one artificial lure to the lake, or large pond, to put on the end of our lines.  We did have a couple of spares with us, but it was the same lure and the fish in that pond seemed to be attracted to it all through the summer.  It was exciting, but not to the point that we had this great desire to broadcast it to the world. It was just exciting to us that the purple plastic Mann's jelly worm did the trick.  There are other exciting things in life that  are so important and so valuable, that you have this desire to tell someone about them to the point that they get just as excited as you did.   Second Timothy 2:2 says, "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also."   
        This verse of scripture tells about the excitement that the Apostle Paul had over the message of the Gospel.  When you look at the verse, you can see four generations of believers mentioned in the single phrase.  Paul was teaching timothy who was to teach faithful men who were to teach others.  It was so exciting that Paul had to get the excitement passed on to Timothy who then had to get the faithful men excited to the same amount who were then to give that same message to others.  That's four generations of believers.  How excited are you over the message of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ?  When people are alone, or hurt or feeling unloved, how do you respond?  Do you just say, "Well, hang in there!"  Do you say, "Better luck next time."  Or, do you say something about the blessed gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ?  Do you tell them about the good news that so excited you that you can't contain yourself and are excited to tell them about it.  There are many believers who are rather "blah" about their faith and could care less if anyone else got excited about it.  What happens in that case is the people that they come in contact with are just as blah as they are in the end.  Maybe we would get excited if we had been in the group of women that walked to the tomb on that first Sunday morning to find it empty and the Savior of the world resurrected as He said He would be.  Maybe you would get excited if you were standing on the Mount of Olives forty days later and actually see the Lord Jesus Christ ascend up into heaven.  Are you that excited?  You should be because He said that He is coming again.  Praise god today for the excitement about the Gospel message.

How Will They Hear Without a Bible?

        During my years in the U. S. Navy, I attended a few Bible studies that were sponsored by a representative of a mission group that served the military.  They have since branched out to serving many more people than just the military.  The group, called the Navigators, had a number of ways in which to study the Bible.  You would learn of the various methods and then one day, begin studying the Bible for yourself.  I recall a couple of those ways.  One was called the ABC study method and a second one was called an STS (Search The Scriptures) method.  Then, upon entering college a number of years later, I learned that there was a course called "Hermeneutics" that would give you tools to use in your daily Bible study.  At this point, you can see that we have gotten the tools ready, but so far, have not studied the Bible.  You can have the methods, but fail to use them and all you have is a good tool box but nothing to show for it.  People have to hear the message from the Word of God in order to be saved in the first place.  Romans 10:14 says, " How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?"   
       Notice that the people have to have heard the message in order to believe in the first place.  There has to be that time when the basics are learned and then to go on to teach the wonderful message of the Gospel.  You can purchase a Bible in the Dollar Tree for a buck.  We have access to Bibles everywhere we go.  At least, this is true in this present age in which we live.  You can go to other countries only to find that they do not have a Bible, nor do they have a written language and certainly, they do no know how to read.  So, how are we going to get the message to them for them to have heard and to have believed in that message.  There are still a few groups in the world today that are involved in the task of Bible translation.  If the group has no written language, then one has to be created then the people have to be taught how to use it, in other words, how to read and then finally to translated the Bible and then to teach it to them in order that they might be saved.  Wow.  What a process.  It used to take a missionary's lifetime to do it but now it is accomplished in a much shorter time with the advances of technology that we have today.  What good would it all be if we produced the Bible for them and then left them without the preaching of the Word to them individually?    We look at this passage and point to the fact that we need a preacher to preach the message, but first, we need a Bible in order to have something to preach to them in the first place.    Literally thousands of languages have been written down and the Bible put into the language of the various people groups that they might hear the message and then to believe.   Praise God today that He has given us His Word.

Finding Hope in A Modern World

       We live in a technological age where all kinds of information are at our fingertips.  Out of curiosity, I asked Alexa, my artificial intelligent gizmo where the cat was and it answered, "It will come home when it is hungry."  To be honest, I didn't expect it to say anything.  You would think, we could find hope in such a modern world but instead, we find that there are many people in the world which have no hope.  There is nothing in their life that would help them see that they have some kind of hope either in someone or in some thing for the future.  A life that is void of Christ in any respect will be a life that is void of any kind of hope.  It is also true that some people have created their own hope by making a false statement.  Many of the false religions of the world promote a false hope.  Christianity is unique in that it has the only true basis for hope which is the Lord Jesus Christ being risen from the grave.  Our hope is based in the fact of the resurrection.  Psalm 78:5-7 says, "For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:  That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments."  
       In the Old Testament, God provided the basis for hope.  When the Israelites were introduced to God while they were in Egypt, they saw first hand what He could do.  The miracles were profound and offered to the Israelites a basis for true hope.  All they had to do was to remember what the Lord had done in the story of their deliverance while they were in the land of Egypt.  All they had to do was to tell their children what God had done and then the children would be able to see the hand of God.  We sometimes forget what God can do and how He does work in the world and specifically, in our lives.  We sometimes forget the miracle of our new birth or how He provided during lean years or how He gave us enough strength to get through that problem we had a couple of years ago.  We often forget how God worked during times for suffering or grief.  Now, God hasn't changed.  The only thing that has changed is the fact that we have forgotten how God worked in our lives.  At least every person that reads this devotion has access to a copy of the Bible.  More than likely, you have more than one.  So, you have access to the account of what God did in the lives of the Israelites and you also have access to the promises that God has said for you.  For those who feel as if they have no hope, just take a moment and remember what God did in the past, what he has done for you already in your life and the promises that He has given in His Word.  Praise God today for the hope that He has given to all of us.

The Prize in the Middle of the Field

        Sometimes you find something in a place it just isn't supposed to be.  One of the collectibles we always had in Indiana were glass insulators used on old telephone poles or electric poles.  They were usually either green or clear glass and the wires were wrapped around them.  It would be common to find them in someone's basement where a person would see how many of them they could collect over the years.  There were a few times that I would find them in the middle of a field after I had plowed a section.  I could spot one that was turned up in the newly plowed ground, stop the tractor and take the insulator back to the farm house to clean it up.  I was never an authority on insulators but some could tell a lot of information from them and they would then turn up in antique stores alone with Singer Sewing machines and Roy Rogers lunch boxes.  What was surprising was how the insulator got to the spot where it was buried in the field.  Sometimes you find something right in the middle of where it is not supposed to be.   Ephesians 3:20-21 says, " Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."
         Here is a scriptural example of finding something where it isn't usually found.  You would expect to find a blessing at the end of something.  There is a familiar and similar blessing found in the final verses of the Book of Jude where it is found in the last two verses of the book.  The "benediction" in Ephesians, however, is right in the middle of the book and not near the end of the book at all.  Ephesians, to me, is divided up into two sections.  The first section, gives us the blessings of the book and naturally, ends with the blessing or the "benediction" in the last two verses of chapter three.  Then, chapter four begins with a "therefore" and we head into the practical section of the book.  Something great was found where it was not expected to be found.  Not only is it where one would not expect to find it, but it also has a great message for all of us.  I especially get excited about the words, "Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think..."  We might have our own expectation of what God is going to do in our lives, but this passage reminds us that we are only guessing at the half of it.  God is able.  He is able to do much more than we can ever think about.  Now how great is that?  You may be wondering how God is going to make ends meet in your life or how He is going to relieve the pain and suffering in your life or how He is going to work in any situation that comes up.  We know that not only is He able, He is able to do much more than we even ask or think.  So, praise God today for His greatness and His working in our lives.  "To God be the glory!"

One Way

       There have been some times when I had to give directions on how to get to some location.  My folks had a filling station for a couple of years, and people would come in and ask directions on how to get to some place in our area.  It was the time before GPS devices when people had to depend on paper maps. which were large when fully opened and usually hard to get back to their original size.  There were times when I was tempted to say, "Well, you just can't get there from here."  Acts 4:11-12 says, "This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.   Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."  
      The question does come up where a person asks how to get to heaven.  Granted, it doesn't come up a lot in that form, but people are interested in some ways on how to get to heaven.  I have had more people ask me, "What happens when you die?" than "How do you get to heaven?"  The Scripture is quite clear on the way to heaven.  Peter and John had it right on head when they spoke to the council.  They gave the clear message on how to get to heaven.  Unfortunately, people today look at the same passage and write it off by saying, "Well, that was their opinion."  The Apostle John also wrote in the Gospel of John that Jesus was the only way to the Father and so we can come to the conclusion that there is absolutely only one way to get to heaven.  The route is simple.  It is through the Lord Jesus Christ.  There may be many ways to get to Chicago or Paris, but there is only One Way to get to heaven.  Paul went on to say in acts 16:31 how it had to be done when he answered the question of the Philippian Jailer by saying that he needed to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in order to be saved.  The Gospel of Matthew also speaks about the road be narrow that leads to heaven but the road is wide that leads to destruction.  Your Bible speaks of the directions for eternal life with God in what we call, Heaven.  The Lord Jesus Christ was quoted as saying, "No man cometh to the Father but by Me."  As clear as it is, people still have a hard time accepting what Christ said or what is recorded in the Bible.  So, praise God today that He has given you a clear answer to the question of eternal destiny.  There are not 10 ways, or 100 ways or even a thousand ways to get to heaven.  There is only one way and you can get there from here, but you have to go through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Unbelievable Events

       There was a Thanksgiving Day a number of years ago, when all of our children and grandchildren were present, so I decided to take a picture of all of them.  The total number of people was thirteen.  If you have tried to take a group picture, you know how difficult it is to get everyone looking their best.  I took over seventeen different pictures and when I looked at them at home, I realized that there was not one picture where everyone was perfect.  Hands, arms, tongues and eyes were either stuck out, crossed or waving in the air.  So, I went to my photo program and took the arm on one person, the head of another a few eyes here and there and then came up with a finished product which now hangs on my office wall.  The photo is "photoshopped."  It is not real but is as close as I could get to the real thing.  So, if someone asks, "How did you get everyone with a good pose?"  The answer is, "I didn't."  There are some things that, when you look at them, just don't seem real.  They are "Photoshopped."   First Thessalonians 4:16-18 says, " For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."  
        Now, the rapture of the church is going to be so quick that you won't have time to take a picture of everyone leaving.  Even video monitors won't capture the event.  The results of the catching away will be easily visible as vehicles, tools, clothing, will all be left behind and unattended.  Most will probably feel as if their whole life was just "photoshopped" in that quick moment.  They may feel as if it is not real and will be searching for a logical explanation.  Of course, "logical" to the unsaved will mean looking for another reason for the catching away other than that which is recorded in First Thessalonians and First Corinthians Fifteen.  We will probably look to either alien abduction or the current president in power at the time and blame them for the disappearance of so many people.  The truth of the matter, however, is the description of the event in this book of the Bible.  For the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, this is "logical."  We expect it to happen and indeed look forward to it taking place and coupled with Second Timothy three, see that the actual event is getting closer and closer.  One day after this great "Catching Away" will be a time for people to try to "photoshop" the event but the truth is, the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ will have been caught up to meet the Lord in the air, just as it says.  Praise God for His promises.

Mercy and Grace

        I have never been in the Oval Office of the president of the United States, at least, not in an official capacity.  You can take a tour of the White House and stand on the edge of the room or probably see it from a distance.  I have had a few interviews that placed me in the boss's office.  You don't come in with the idea of rearranging the furniture or dropping a gum wrapper on the floor.  You usually have respect for the place and all that it represents.  Most of the offices that I have had the opportunity to see, were always neat, clean and well decorated.  Usually, I was not even asked to sit down unless it was an interview for a job.  Most of these times were either to answer a question or to make some request and I wasn't asked to sit down during those times.  Imagine the thrill of being in the place of the throne of God?    Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." 
       When you see the word, "therefore," we asked to find out what is there for.  The two preceding verses will give us that clue as we learn about the priestly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.  The result is found in today's passage where we find ourselves in the very majestic place of the "throne of grace."   If I were to think about it too much, I might forget just why I was there in the first place.  The point is, that we go to the Throne of Grace in prayer each and every time we commune with Him.  He was, in all points, tempted as we are, yet He was without sin.  He, the Lord Jesus Christ, was perfectly sinless and therefore able to be the sacrifice for my sin and for your sin.  Some people manifest the attitude that they are the buddy of the man upstairs and show no respect for God at all.  Some people seem to show the attitude of disrespect as they speak to God.  I used to have the impression that God looked like the old man featured on the ceiling of the Sistene Chapel and while it may be majestic it probably doesn't adequately described the place mentioned in this passage of Scripture.  No matter how majestic it might be, we still have the promise of the verse.  First, we can go there because the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sin, and He died for all of it.  It is also mentioned that those who go there are usually those that have a "need."   Who among us doesn't find themselves in a time of need?  We are always in the time and if you feel that you are not in a time of need, just wait for a few minutes and God will bring something to your mind.  It is also in this place of glory that we find mercy and grace to help.  Wow!  How exciting is that?  So, when you go to that special place today in prayer, remember where you are and to Whom you are speaking.  Then, praise God for the mercy and grace that you find in your own time of need.

The Word of the LORD

     We sometimes use the expression, "paved with good intentions."  We may use it in reference to our the "highway of life" which we all live and can be said that it is paved with good intentions.  We mean to do good, but that is not always what happens.  There have been times in my life when the statement I was about to make was meant to be good for the listener, but when it was said and interpreted by the hearer, turned out to be just the opposite.  I could have said about that experience, "well, it had good intentions behind it."  No matter how we may try to correct the thought, it still comes out as being bad for the one you meant to help.  Words said can never be retracted no matter how hard  you try.  As one man once said, it is like getting tooth paste back into the tube.  It can't be done.  This is usually the case except in one instance.  Isaiah 55:11 says, "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."  

     First of all, God never makes a mistake by what He says.  You can look through the Old Testament and find so many references to the phrase, "Thus saith the LORD."  There is no mistake in what God says and there is a purpose in what He says.  That does not mean that we understand the purpose, but the purpose is still there.  Every word that God utters will accomplish the purpose for which it was intended even though we may not see what is going on in our life time.  Isaiah mentioned that it will not reutn void.  The LORD further mentioned that His Word would accomplishe His purpose and that it shall prosper in the thing whereto it was sent.  We can be glad that this is not dependent upon our understanding but that in the end, it will always come together exactly the way that God intended in the first place.  Is God doing something in your life that you do not understand?  He probably is.  There are things that are going on that may be causing you grief or pain but God has His purpose.  Even amidst of the difficulties however, we can still cling to the promises that we have in God's Word, especially a promise like, "I will never leave you nor forsake you," or "I will complete that which I have started in your life," or "I am coming again for you."  May the words of Isaiah 55:11 be a comfort in your life today and in every day.  You can also remember Romans 8:28 and find comfort in His working in your life today.  Praise God that He is working out His plan in your life.

Morning Appointment

        Something seem to be done in an automatic mode when you get up in the morning.  How long does it take for you to think about your Creator?  More and more I feel thankful that I got up at all but then as soon as I get moving I head for the coffee pot.  Well, I head for the K cup machine which is my usual routine.  For me, the next step is to get the computer running and check the email even before I open up the Bible program.  While some may be a bit shocked at the order or things, there is a reason and it is to find out if there are any prayer updates to be included in the devotions for the morning.  Psalm 5:3 says, "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." 
        The Scriptures will speak of various times that a person is to approach God.  This particular verse mentions the morning time.  You can find some specific verses, such as this one, that remind us to approach God at a certain time.  Other verses that come to mind speak about a number of times during the day that a person is to speak to God.  Then, there are the verses that speak about "praying always."  There are those verses that remind us that we are to be constantly aware of and communicating with God in all parts of our day.  We will find that we are encouraged to speak to God about a certain situation as it comes to mind and there are those times when we have the urge to spend more time in our speaking with God.  Sometimes, we feel hard pressed for time due to over scheduling of the events in our lives and so wonder how much time we are going to be able to spend with God.  I was told once that Martin Luther stated that the more things he had scheduled for the day, the more important it was to spend time with God or it would all fall apart.  The Psalmist in today's passage makes the statement that he will be lifting up his voice in the morning to God and that he will be looking up.  In other words, he will be praying to God and seeking God in all that he is going to be doing.  There seems to be the tendency however, that when our schedule is full, the first thing to be shortened or left out is our time with God.  That ought not to be.  That time with God is the most important part of your day.  So, if you have a busy schedule now and then, don't shorten your time with God, but make sure you keep your appointment with Him..  Praise God that He is still working in our daily lives, each and every day. 

Press the Button!

       I remember back when my Mom used to wear a little emergency necklace that had an electronic button on it.  If she would fall, all she had to do was to press the button and help would arrive.  Many older people have such devices.  After a while, she developed her own plan and gave a key to a close friend.  When she would fall, she would simply call her friend and she would come over and help her get up. In fact, I now have one of those buttons myself and it hangs on my lamp.  It is only good in the house as it doesn't have a gps on it and so is useless when I leave the distance of my house phone. Most of us have someone on which we call when trouble occurs in our lives.  With some people, it is just simply someone to talk to and to express your frustrations as to what is going on in your life.  Others can offer some type of counsel.  It is good to have friends on which you can rely when you have needs arise in your life.  There is always the possibility however, that you can call upon God.  Psalm 50:15 says, "And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me."  
      These simple words remind us that we can certainly call upon God when we have trouble.    And, who doesn't have trouble now and then?   We often comforted by Hebrews 4:16 which says, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."   God is the one source that can get you the help that you need.  Sad to say but, many fail to call out to God but would rather try to take care of it ourselves.   In many instances, however, we fail to contact Him until the last resort.  So, take it to the Lord in prayer before things fall completely apart.  You will find that things will get a lot better.  I remember one instance when my Mom's hands were broken out and Dad had said that people had been praying for them.  He stated that they hadn't gotten any better at that point, but He quickly added that they didn't get any worse either.  At that point, He was attributing the prayer to keeping the hands from getting any worse.  Eventually, they did get better.   Why not begin today to take all of your needs to Him in prayer and make it a daily practice.  Praise God today that God answers prayer.

One Lost Lamb

        It's never fun when you lose something, especially an animal.  We have had a couple of animals during our past twenty years, usually consisting of a cat.  Our first cat was with us for a long time and finally passed on due to old age.  That was also true of our second cat which again, just passed away because of old age.  Then, we got a kitten which was far more animated than anything we had before.  Not too long ago, it was time for the kitten's annual checkup at the vet and so we loaded it up in a cat transporter and headed for the car.  The cat pushed the door open and was last seen flying down the road, never to be seen again, so far.  For the next month, we did about everything we could think of in order to find the lost pet but she could not be found.  We put up posters, scoured the neighborhood and reported it to animal shelters in our area but so far, she is still lost.  Matthew 18:12 says, " How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?" 
       God has used the account of the lost sheep to make a strong point.  God doesn't give up on us and the call keep coming forth from the Shepherd Who is looking for His lost sheep.  In the account, we naturally see that we have a lot of similar characteristics to a sheep and if it were not for the Great Shepherd, we would find ourselves in many dangers.  We are prone to wandering, we are continually the prey of wild animals, we get cast down on a regular basis and the grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence.  It is comforting to us to notice the characteristics of the Great Shepherd.  He will look for the lost sheep even though He still has ninety nine other sheep in the flock.  The Great Shepherd doesn't tire in His search or His work in getting the sheep back to the flock and doing what is best for the lamb.  The account in Matthew points out that the Shepherd will go search for the sheep even into the mountains.  I have seen so many churches where one lamb will go astray and it seems as if the whole church, or the rest of the flock, say to themselves, "Oh, well.  It's just one more sheep and we still have 82 other sheep to take care of so let it go."  God never says to "let it go."  Every lamb is important in God's flock.  Unfortunately, there are some under-shepherds who think differently.  So, Praise God today for the fact that He seeks and saves that which is lost.  There is a saying,  The one lost lamb is important when that lamb is you.

My Bible in My Language

          I like to read.  It all started in first grade with Dick, Jane and Spot.  I guess I caught on fairly well as I had a tendency to read ahead in my book until the teacher decided to tape it shut at the new material.  I could only go through one chapter and so I had to wait until we came to the next class before I could read ahead.  It was opening new things for me.  I can't say that I an what people would call an "avid" reader, but I still like to get engrossed in a good story.  Recently, we had the Wycliffe Associates over for a meeting for the upcoming banquet.  I have enjoyed the banquets over the past 30 years or so as I hear the stories of people who are learning to read their own language and finally to have a copy of the Bible in their hands and to be able to read it for themselves.  Revelation 1:3 says, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand."  
        There are other verses that exhort us to read God's Word.  What is almost amazing about this is that we who have the ability to read, often just simply do not do it.  Perhaps we have taken the gift of reading for granted and laid it aside to have our minds tickled by other methods.  Whatever the problem might be, not only do we have to get back to reading the Scriptures, but to help in the area of translating the Bible for others in order that they might be able to read it for the first time.  There are those people groups that hear about the Bible and who are requesting, in fact begging, for a copy of their own, in their on language, in order that they might read it for themselves.  The time involved in producing a translation has been greatly reduced and the works can be printed on the spot as it is completed.  The years of typing on a portable Royal Typewriter have given way to the computer tablet being used in a jungle through a satellite hook up and a portable printer to do the work that would have taken years to accomplish just a few years ago.  What is so exciting is that you and me can be used to make this all possible for someone who lives far away.  Secondly, perhaps it will inspire us to take another look at that beautifully leather bound book that you carry to church on Sundays and Wednesdays.  Maybe you will rediscover the message of hope, love, peace, joy and of heaven itself in its pages.  Don't neglect the gift that has been given to you and then go and make it possible for someone else to have that same gift in their own language.   Praise God today for His Word and that you have you own copy.

Praying for Your Enemies

     What do you do with all of those broken relationships that seem to clutter your life?  You can't seem to forget them because they haunt your memory and you wish that things had gone better, but they didn't.  I can think back through different periods in my life and the memory of relationships gone bad are just there and you wish that you could go back in time and cancel the statement you made that set it all off.  Your mouth, perhaps, was already in gear and words were said and then you find yourself in another mess.  The subject of prayer is certainly an important one in the Bible.  The word, pray and all of its forms, is used over 500 times.  In the Old Testament, the word "pray" was used many times in a greeting or departing of people.  When it comes to the New Testament, the first use of the word is in the following verse of Scripture.  Matthew 5:43-44 says, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"   

      Almost in the absolute beginning of the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, He addresses the broken relationships that exists in all of our lives.  The Lord Jesus Christ gives new instruction on what to do with the relationships with enemies and those that curse you and to those that hate you.  We might like to think that everyone loves us and just things we are the sweetest things since frosting on a cupcake, but that isn't the case.  The list can begin within your own family and then travel to the people in your church family and then to your business transactions and then to even the stranger who doesn't know you that well in the first place.  The more you get involved in life, the more people that seem to crop up on this list of malcontents who don't like the way you part your hair.  The Lord Jesus Christ, right in the beginning of His ministry, exhorts believers to pray for this long list of people that are irritated by the things you do.  People come to mind and perhaps even the time of the irritation, or the conversation that ended it all and when that comes to your mind, do what the LORD instructed in the above passage.  Pray for them.  Now, don't pray that God will doing something terrible to them, but that they would grow in their own Christian life and this, by the way, is a great prayer for us also, that we would be growing in Christ as Peter said in Second Peter 3:18.  Get into the habit that when the people that hate you come to mind, pray for them right at that moment.  Praise God today that He answers prayer.

Meeting With God

      We have a new term these days called AI.  It stands for "artificial intelligence."  I got one in me mail because of changing my home owners insurance policy.  My new device has a woman's voice and talks to me and is able to do a  number of things but so far, it has not said anything about the gospel message.  The busy day has done much to keep men and women from speaking with God.  Our schedules are often crammed with all kinds of activities, programs, appointments and such.  We also find that much time is spent going to and from these appointments.  The result is that we spend far less time with God then before.  Life has not become simpler, but has become more complex.  There is one thing that often works to promote greater devotion in the lives of Christians.  It is adversity.   Psalm 55:17 says, "Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice."   
     When you look at the first verse of this Psalm, you see that it was when the Philistines took David in Gath.  David may have been a very devout man before, but He spent a good amount of time seeking God after his encounter with the Philistines.  The same can be said of believers today.  We often approach God once a day or maybe not at all when things are going well for us.  Then, when we add a little adversity, we find that we spend more time with God.  Maybe, even as much as David who said that he approached God in the evening, in the morning and at noon.  In other words, he spent all day with God.  How often do we spend a day with God?  It probably isn't too often.  As I look at the assortment of business cards on my desk, I can plainly see that they are appointment cards.  On each of them is a time written in which I need to be at that doctor's office.  What if we had an appointment card from God?  Would that help to make us come in the morning and at noon and at evening to seek Him?  It is clear that God desires us to meet with Him and to not restrict it to just a fleeting time in the morning.  One lesson we can learn from this Psalm is that God does have a way of getting us to move closer to Him.  It is through adversity.   Now, we can either come to God every day or wait until He mixes our lives with a little adversity.  So, take a lesson from the Psalmist and come to God before adversity hits.  You will be better prepared when it does come into your life if it hasn't already come.  Praise God today for His desire to have fellowship with His children. I really doubt if anyone will come up with a device that speaks the gospel message like a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Soldier and the Bee

        Since man has been created, he has set out to develop all kinds of methods whereby he can inflict injury upon his fellow man.  We are currently living in what is know as the nuclear age as far as war is concerned.  We can blow up many square miles with one bomb and leave it desolate with radio active garbage that makes the land uninhabitable.  Yet, there is one thing that is very small and can cause much hurt.  You may be driving along in your car and suddenly realize that there is a bee inside the car with you.  Even those who are not allergic to bee stings do not like to spend any amount of time inside a closed area with this small creature.  I am always glad that I have electric windows and can roll them all down quickly as I look for a place to exit and get out of the car.  One small bee can cause a lot of problems.  It is interesting to note that God used the hornet to help drive out the gentiles that had possessed the land prior to the arrival of the Israelites.   Exodus 23:28 says,  "And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee."   
       When a bee gets inside of a soldier's armor there is a lot of worry and concern on the part of the soldier and he cannot fight the way that he should until the bee is gone.  A large army could stand and fight for a long time but when confronted with an onslaught of hornets, they will turn and run.  Such is the case even today.  God's creatures can be used to deter an enemy.  From all of this, we can learn that God has His methods for dealing with certain issues.  We may be expecting the profound things to be happening to us, but God will work using all kinds of different methods.  Who would have thought to be prepared to drive off a swarm of hornets?  We can often pray for things to happen and then wonder how God could possibly make it so.  It is for us just to sit back and watch Him work.  Any number of things might be used in order to answer your prayers and it is often quite amazing when His methods become known to us.  So, praise God today for His working in our lives.  He might even put a bee in your bonnet to get you moving in the direction that He wants you to go.

In or Out

      I was walking down the hall at my place of employment a couple of years ago when I made the statement, "Well, I guess I am out of the loop."  I had just found out some information that most everyone else knew, but I did not know anything about it.   You are either in or you are out.  In my case, I was either in the loop or out of the loop.  There always seems to be two groups that exist in the world.  You seem to fit into one of those two groups.  You are either in one group or you are in the other.  You are either a member or a non member.  And so the list goes on and on.  The same is basically true of religious things.  You are either saved or you are lost.  There is never a third group.  You are never "almost saved" or "almost lost."  You are either in one group or the other.  No matter how close you might be, you are still on the other side or in the case of Christ, you are still lost.  Psalm 53 begins with a familiar phrase that was also seen in Psalm 14.  Psalm 53:1-3 says, "To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David.  The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.  God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."   
     God looks at us and sees one of two conditions.  Either we are saved or lost.  One thing is sure as He has said in His Word, there is none that doeth good and elsewhere He has said that there is none that seeketh after God.  The fool, which may also be described as an atheist, is one who has said that there is no God.  If you can't get into the group in your own way, then just say that the group doesn't exist.  Of course, you are also saying that millions of people have become a part of a group that is following after someone who does not exist.  For the believer, there is no doubt nor is there any problem.  You see, you can look around you and find testimony of the fact that God does indeed exist.  You can look at the smallest of God's creations and at the largest of God's creations and all of them will bear witness to the fact that God exists.  So, there are still two groups and you are either in or you are out.  You are either a Christian or a non Christian.  You are either a believer or a non believer.  You are either saved or you are lost.  Praise God that He does exist and that He is actively working in your life today.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

    Many probably have heard of the expression that goes, "Actions speak louder than words."   It is one of those modern day proverbs that speaks about ones actions despite what a person says they believe.  It was hard for me to conform to a set of rules in my early life.  I wanted to be a boy scout and my parents got me the uniform and I was a member of the chapter in our little town.  I had the pants, shirt, web belt and even the knife with the can opener and the screw driver.  Then, there came a meeting where we had to learn how to tie certain knots.  That is when I stopped dead in my tracks.  It isn't that I couldn't learn the knots but rather I didn't have a desire to learn the knots.  When I was19 years old my Father gave me an ultimatum that resulted in my joining the U. S. Navy.  Things went well for about 2 weeks and then the pressures of boot camp came to bear on me and I pleaded with Mom to get me out of this mess that I was in.  Her reply was to simply "take it and grow up to be a man."  I was going to be a sailor for the next four years, and I had better get used to it.    First John 5:2 says, " By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments."  
       It was easy for me to say that I was a Christian for much of my life even though it wasn't true.  My four baptisms are evidence of that.  There was something lacking in my life and it turned out to be the fact that I didn't want to live the Christian life but to go alongside the Christian life almost in a parallel track if one could imagine such a thing.  I could say all of the right words, but there was something lacking.  I became aware of it on my day of salvation, and my lacking was due to the fact that was due to not being able to "keep His commandments" (John 14:21).  John, wrote in the his first epistle about the person who was a "conqueror" or the person who was the "victor" in the Christian life.  At that time in my life, I wasn't the conqueror but simply one who said that he was a conqueror.  While Ephesians 2:8-9 remind us that salvation is a gift and that it is by grace through faith that we are saved, verse 10 goes on to say that we "do" good works as a result of our salvation and not for our salvation.  John uses the word "nikao" quite often in his first epistle and it is the word "victor."   It is also used in the Book of Revelation where John writes to the seven churches and uses the same word.  The important thing to note in the Christian life is that we are obedient to God in all that we do.  It is a fulfillment of the "one another" commands given throughout the New Testament such as that found in John 13:34-35.  (love one another).  What we say is often contradicted by what we do, hence the phrase, our "actions speak louder than our words."  We may be "nominal" Christians, that is, believers in name only and not genuine.  There comes a time when we need to do a self examination and see if we are really keeping the commandments of Christ in our lives or are we just Christians in name only.  Praise God today for His wonderful grace by which He has saved us. 

One Unchanging Fact

       We were never great vegetable eaters at home.  Mom would make the usual green beans at times, but the rest of the vegetable family was somewhat foreign to us.  I can't recall ever having cooked carrots or even broccoli as a child.  We never planted broccoli in our garden but had plenty of corn and potatoes and of course, tomatoes.  Over the years, I have changed in some of my eating habits and have come up with some ways in which I really like broccoli.  Eating habits are only one way in which I have changed over the years.  I can't say that I won't change even more in the future.  There is however, a fact from the Scriptures that is a comfort to me and that is the fact that God doesn't change.  Hebrews 13:8 says, " Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."   There doesn't come a point at which the Lord Jesus Christ will say, "I have some additional requirements for you if you still want to come to heaven."   
       Paul and Silas didn't make additional requirements to the Philippian Jailer when he had asked the question about how to be saved.  The Lord Jesus Christ  has made a lot of promises in the Bible and the comforting part of all of them is that they don't change.  John 14:1-6 is a passage that tells us that Jesus was going to go away for a time and that He would be preparing a place for us and that He was going to return for us.  That never changes.  The fact that God does not change is a comfort for us because we can rest in what He has said to us in His Word that it will come to pass.  All of the promises that are in the Scriptures are still valid for today.  So, what does that mean for me?  Well, I can cast all of my cares upon Him because He cares for me.  It also means that He will never leave me nor forsake me.  It means that His work will be completed in me.  It means that He will supply all of my needs.  It would be a good thing to go through the Bible as you read it and take note especially of the promises that God has made and then to rejoice in them fully knowing that He will do what He says He will do.  It means also that each and every believer has the power to share the message of salvation to others by being a witness.  So, praise God today for His immutability.  God is the same as He always was, is and always will be.