Feed On the Source

I didn't write a devotion yesterday, and I am almost embarrassed to tell you why. I have gone three days without reading the Bible, therefore my tiny mind just can't think of a devotion to write. I have to feed on God in order to write a devotion. Yesterday was a big stress-day for me. I know we all have those kinds of days, but mine seem to be worse when I don't take a little time out to be with Jesus. To me, it is kind of like eating. The better I eat, the better I feel. I just feel better and have less stress when I spend some time "feeding" on the Lord. So tonight, I am going to turn off the TV and the radio and spend some good, quality time with Him. Maybe then I can write a nice, heart-warming devotion tomorrow. My Papa used to tell me, "If you can't pay as you go, then you are going too fast." It is the same as spending time with God. If you have too much to do to spend time with Jesus, then you have entirely too much to do!

Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek first the Kingdom of heaven and its righteousness, and all things things shall be added unto you."

Father, forgive me for not stopping to spend some quality time with You. I ask You to help me study Your Word tonight. In Jesus name, Amen.

Bank Account

Suppose I deposited 1440 dollars into your bank account every single day with only one requirement: You are free to spend every penny of it, but whatever you don't spend today can't be carried over to tomorrow; You would just lose it. What would you do? Well I am pretty sure you would spend every bit of it and not waste a single cent. Well God gives each of us 1440 minutes in every single day. We can choose to "spend" those minutes wisely or we can choose to waste them. Whatever is wasted, though, is gone forever. The definition of "wasting" time varies from person to person. But I would think anything that we do that doesn't glorify God would be wasting time. That does not mean that we need to spend all our time only praying, going to church, or reading the Bible. We can Glorify God with everything we do. We can Glorify Him while we are doing our jobs, while we are driving in traffic, and even while we are shopping at the grocery store. Today, let's ask God to help us find some additional ways we can Glorify Him. After all, our 1400 minutes are ticking away.

Colossians 3:23 says, "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people."

Father, please help us to not waste anytime and to learn how to spend every minute Glorifying You. In Jesus name, Amen.

Strange Coincidence

I know it was only a coincidence, but it still feels very strange. Last night as I was falling asleep, I was listening to a CD of Doo Wop music. I must have fallen asleep to a song by one of my all-time favorite singers, Johnny Maestro, because I dreamed about being at one of his concerts. Well this morning, I learned that he died late last night in Florida. I am in shock! You might remember him as the lead singer of the Crests and Brooklyn Bridge. He was the singer on the hit songs 16 candles and The Worst That Could Happen. What an awesome voice he had. The good Lord definitely blessed him with talent! And today, he is singing with the angels in heaven.

Although he had been battling cancer for the past few years, we all know that we could be promoted to Glory at any moment. Are we ready? Let me ask you a very serious question: If you died right now, would you go to heaven? I know I would because I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Have you also accepted Him? As confusing as the Bible can be, this is one point that is crystal clear. Look at it like this: We all carry life insurance "just in case". So how much more important is Eternal Life insurance? If you have not made Jesus Master of your life, please do so right away. And if you have made Him Master of your life, please share Him with as many people as you can today. Because today may be all the time they have left.

Jesus said in John 6:47, "Truly I say unto you, he that believes in Me has Everlasting Life."

Father, please help us to share the Good News about Christ. Thank you for offering us Eternal Life. In Jesus name, Amen.

We Must Forgive Others

We all make mistakes and sin against God. We all fall way short when it comes to pleasing the Lord. Sure, we all do some good things that I am sure God likes. And some of us make less mistakes than others. But the fact is we all fail and do some really dumb things. That is why we should never judge others for their mistakes. Whenever we see others making really dumb choices, that should remind us that we are no better. What those people need is the very same thing that we need when we have failed: Love, understanding, and forgiveness. After all, isn't that what God gives each of us? Today, I am going to try extra, extra hard not to judge anyone for anything. Instead, I am going to take a moral inventory of my own life and ask God to help me remove my defects and character flaws. I know that is one tall order, but I also know I can do anything with God's help.

Psalm 86:5 says, "For thou, lord, art Good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee."

Father, forgive my sins and forgive when I judge others. Help each one of us to remember that we need You at the very center of our lives. In Jesus name, Amen.

Shipwrecked

I just recently bought seasons 1 and 2 of Gilligan's Island on DVD. Bailey and I have been watching episode after episode ever since. I remember watching it as a kid, so it brings back some sweet memories for me. And now watching it with Bailey makes it extra sweet. This is the first time she has really sat down to watch it. Although it is a comedy and meant to be silly, most episodes also include a lot of drama and adventure. There are storms, diseases, various visitors, and even a ghost that visits the island. It can be a lot of fun to watch. In the end, the story revolves around 7 completely different people from all walks of life. There is a skipper of a boat, his not-so-smart first-mate, a millionaire and his wife, a professor, a movie star, and a down-home, level-headed farm girl. Through their adventures on the island, they learn to cooperate and help each other survive the horrors of being shipwrecked with little hope of rescue.

If you like action and adventure, read chapters 27 and 28 of the book of Acts. Here's the Reader's Digest version: Paul was a prisoner and was placed on a ship bound for Rome. During the the trip, a huge, 2-week-long storm blew up and tossed and battered their ship. Eventually they washed up safely on the Island of Malta. Then more trouble started. Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake but miraculously suffered no harm. God had a plan for Paul that a terrible storm, being shipwrecked, and a poisonous snake bite couldn't stop. And while Paul waited on the island to be rescued, he shared his testimony about Jesus with those around Him. In Paul's life, obstacles became opportunities to share the Good News about our Savior. Perhaps we could take on that same attitude. The next time we hit a snag, maybe we can look around and find a way to share Jesus.

I Peter 4:16 says, "Yet if man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf."

Father, help us to remember that bad circumstances in our lives may simply be opportunities that You have provided for us to share the Good News about Christ. Help us to do Your will during these times. In Jesus name, Amen.

Frustrated

As satisfying as teaching is, it is almost just as frustrating at times, especially after an extended off-period like Spring Break. Trying to get some students re-oriented is like pulling teeth. Justin forgot his book, Brittany doesn't have any paper, Karen dropped her pencil somewhere in the hall, Corey is asleep, and practically none of them remembers what we did the last time we were in class. Instead of picking up where we left off, valuable class time is wasted just to get them back to where they should already be. It can be so frustrating. But I would not swap careers for anything in the world. Teaching brings me joy, even during the frustrating moments. I have some great students, and I love every single one of them...even when I feel like pinching their heads off.

I wonder how frustrated God gets with me sometimes. I am not always on-task with Him just like some of my students are not always on-task with their subject matter. Can you just imagine how frustrated God must get sometimes? He gave us His Bible that tells us just what to do and how to do it. We have learned that when we choose to not do things His way, it only leads us to pain and suffering. He can no more do it for me than I can learn for my students. I don't understand why they don't just simply do what they know they must do. But God feels that way about me, too. God wonders why I do things the hard way instead of the way He outlined for me to do. Although He may get frustrated with me, Thank God he still loves me and still tries to keep me on-task with Him. He never gives up on me. I need to always remember that lesson and never give-up on my students, either.

Psalm 32:8 says, "I will teach thee and instruct thee in the way which ye shall go."

Father, forgive me for the times I fail and frustrate You. Teach me to have patience for when my students do the same to me. In Jesus name, Amen.

Last Kiss

In 1964, a one-hit wonder group, J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers, had a huge hit with the song Last Kiss. The song was based on a very sad , but true story. Just two years earlier, Jeanette Cook and J. L. Hancock, both 16 years-old, were out on a date only a few days from Christmas in 1962. Their car was struck by a tractor-trailer on a road in rural Barnsville, Georgia. A local gas station attendant helping with the recovery of the bodies didn't even recognize his own daughter. In the song, the girl dies in her boyfriend's arms. The lyrics are as follows: Where, oh where, can my baby be? The Lord took her away from me. She's gone to heaven so I have to be good, so I can see my baby when I leave this world.

One of the hardest things for us to comprehend about Salvation is that it has nothing to do with how good we are. Salvation is a gift from God, not something we can earn. In our society, many things we do are judged based on comparisons to other people. But no matter how "good" we are, we will simply never measure-up to the Goodness of Christ. Further, no matter how much "better" we are than other people, in God's eyes, we fail just as miserably as they do. When I took calculus in college, my professor gave the class a diagnostic test to ascertain our strengths and weaknesses. I found out later that I did better than anyone else in the class-I got two correct out of 20 while everyone else only got one correct. I may have done better than they did, but I still failed just as badly as everyone else in the class. We can't earn heaven no matter how well we do. Today, let's thank God for His incredible gift of Jesus Christ and for eternal life that comes only through Him.

Titus 3:5 says, "God our Savior saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy."

Father, thank-you so much for Your only Son Jesus. Help us to remember that it is through Him only that we are given eternal life. In Jesus name, Amen.

Mention My Name

Recently, a friend of mine went to a job interview at a local company. I personally know many of the "top dogs" at that company, and I told my friend that when she got in the interview, to mention my name. She got the job! I am not sure if she ever mentioned my name in the interview or not, and even if she did, I doubt that had any bearing on their decision. My guess is that it probably didn't because she was very qualified for the job. And for all I know, maybe she did mention my name but got the job in spite of that. I encouraged her to mention my name, not because I think I am such a good person or because I have so much pull at that company. I wanted her to mention my name so in case they wanted to call me and get the "scoop" on her, I could brag about what a great person she is and how she would be such an incredible asset for their company.

I think that is what will happen to us on Judgement Day in heaven. First of all, we are all full of sin. The Bible teaches us that no human is immune from it. Further, God is a perfectly Holy God, therefore He can not even look upon sin. But when we stand before God on that day, we have a "friend" whom God loves very much. If we have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, all we have to do is mention His sweet name in the "interview". By doing this, God then sees us as sin-free. Wow, what a powerful name! The blood that Christ shed on the Cross was accepted by God as a ransom for our sins. My friend who got the job got it because she was qualified for it, not because she mentioned my name. But when we stand before God, we will not be "qualified", but the name of Jesus will have the Power to give us Eternal Life anyway. God is so awesome! His grace is sufficient for all of us, even for me!

Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Father, I am in complete awe when I think about how much You love me. You sent Your only Son to die in my place. I know I can never repay You for what You have done for me. But I do accept Your gift of Jesus Christ. Thank-you, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

That's God's Specialty

Our Bible is full of bad situations in which God turns around into good outcomes. Perhaps we have seen it in our own lives. I know I hear so many people use the phrase, "it was a blessing in disguise." I know in my life, I will occasionally come against a problem to which doesn't seem to have a very good solution. But then God gets involved with it, and what I didn't see during the problem becomes so clear afterwards...and after God interjects His work into it. When we study some of the miracles that Jesus performed, we see where the situation seemed hopeless to those around at the time. The disciples worried when Jesus wanted to feed the multitude of 5000 with only 5 loaves and 2 fish. They also panicked when a huge storm blew up on the lake one day, and Mary and Martha were so sad after Lazarus had died.

Perhaps the worst situation that was turned around by God was when our Jesus was suffering and dying on the Cross. Not only did the pain have to be excruciating to Him, but the humiliation had to be awful too. The Pharisees were delighted to watch Jesus . They mocked Him. To them, life was good. But to all the Followers of Christ, not only were they heart-broken, but they were also very confused. How could this man who performed so many miracles for others not be able to help Himself? But as we all know now, had Christ intervened on His own behalf, we would not have Salvation today. No, Jesus accepted all the suffering so you and I could be free. God worked perhaps His greatest miracle that day, and especially 3 days later when Jesus walked out of the tomb. Regardless how bad a situation you and I are facing today, God is there with us holding our hand. And in just a short time, He will turn our situation from bad to good. All we have to do is have a little patience and a lot of faith!

Psalm 30:11 says, "You turned my wailing into dancing; You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy."

Father, please help us when we face what we see as a no-win situation. Help us to remember that none of our problems are greater than Your amazing Grace. In Jesus name, Amen.

Thank-You My Jesus

I want to write a very personal and loving devotion to Jesus today. I don't want to just simply write about Him, I want to actually write it to Him. I started and stopped writing these words over 10 times last night and this morning. I am not a good enough writer to find all the words that are in my heart. But please know I have written about my feelings for Jesus to the best of my ability. I hope you don't mind me sharing the final product with you.

Oh Heavenly Father, thank-you for allowing me to be born into this world, and thank-you even more for allowing me to be a born-again Christian. I don't want to even begin to think about just where I would be today if it hadn't been for You. It all started with my parents and grand-parents who took me to church and taught me the Truth about You. They were simply obeying what You had placed in their hearts. You have been so good to me, Father. Actually, You have been nothing short of a miracle. And even though the miracles you have performed in my life may not be on the same scale as You walking on water, feeding 5000, or raising Lazarus from the dead, my miracles are just as awesome to me. Lord, You walk on water everyday in my life! You have given me the most perfect career in the world. If I had written out the perfect script for my life, being a teacher and touching the lives of our young people would have never been written down. After all, there are so many other careers that earn much more money. But you know what Lord? No other career would have made me as rich as I am today in my heart.

Perhaps the greatest of all my responsibilities and blessings, however is the gift you gave me of being Bailey Boo's daddy. I never really understood just how deeply I could love another person until the day she was born. As soon as I looked into her eyes, I realized You had transformed me to the ultimate level of love. Thank you so very much for allowing me to be her daddy. Lord, I know I don't deserve all these blessings, but I also know You don't make mistakes. Thank-you for loving and caring for me enough to take the time to form and shape my life around me. I want to share you with every single person I see. You are so much more than my Savior, you are my very best friend. Oh Lord, You have blessed me with some pretty awesome friends that would do just about anything in the world for me. But nobody knows just how bad I can and have been, yet unconditionally loves me anyway like You do. And though there is nothing I can ever do to repay You for touching and blessing my life so richly, please accept this small note of appreciation. Lord, You know it comes straight from my heart. At this moment, I want to completely surrender, and yield my life to Your calling. I am totally Yours, Lord. Please continue to form and shape my life as You see fit.

A Powerful Tongue

It is in the middle of the night, and insomnia has struck me again. I know I will be a walking zombie tomorrow/this morning when I go to work, but I just can't sleep. I've tried warm milk, counting sheep, taking a hot shower, and even reading. Nothing has helped so far. Anyway, at least I have been constructive while I have been awake; I have been reading my Bible. Last year, I wrote a devotion called Spitting Poison. In the devotion, I compared the poison of a snake to the poison we speak with our tongues. Tonight I was reading about the untamable tongue in James chapter 3. I love the way he describes our tongue in verse 4: He says, "Look also at ships, although they are so large and driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Even so, the tongue is a little member that boasts great things."

As a teacher, I have learned how much what I say effects my students, good or bad. One little compliment can build up a student just as much as a negative comment can tear them down. Some are more effected than others, but all of them are effected to some degree. I need to be more aware of what I say and how I say it. When I think of some of the negative things I have said in the past, I feel so ashamed and embarrassed. I can always ask that person to forgive me, and they may always do it. But forgiving and forgetting are two different things. It is almost impossible to forget hurtful words that are directed toward us. James goes on to say in verse 8 that only God can tame our tongues. I pray that He will continue to tame mine by teaching me to use it for praising and not for cursing. We have power with our words. How will we choose to use that power?

Proverbs 21:23 says, "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity."

Dear Lord, please forgive me for saying hurtful things to others. Teach me to use my tongue for building up instead of for tearing down. In Jesus name, Amen.

Hard To Stay Focused

I don't know if things today are any worse than they were 20 years ago, but it sure seems like it. Crime reported in the local paper today alone included 6 robberies, 2 break-ins, 2 cases of money extortion, 1 murder, and one case of a 20-something year-old sodomizing a 9-year old. Crime was not the only bad news. There are current talks of possibly 200 people losing their jobs in the school system in which I teach. Job loss is not confined to just my school system. It is estimated that due to proration, over 3500 teachers in the state of Alabama could be unemployed by the end of the school year. I read on the Internet where the Kansas City School System is about to close half the schools in its district. Our school board here in Dothan is about to vote on combining the two high schools. And the problem is effecting more than just the education field. Almost every industry is being hit hard with unemployment and downsizing. If these are not the End Times, I sure hope I'm not here when they come.

The Bible teaches us that we are to focus on things that are cheerful, Godly, and good. We should spend our time thinking about love, kindness, and friendship. It is so hard to try to block out the bad things that are roaring around us. I could not even begin to imagine how I could get along without Christ. I find I need Him everyday. When I pray to Him, I can actually feel His loving arms around me. He is much more than just a friend to me. Jesus is my Rock and my Savior. He is like the calm eye of the worst hurricane. Not all things are good right now, but Jesus has a way of sewing all the pieces together to make something great! I have to remind myself of this fact every single day. God is with us! Satan may be winning this little battle, but we all know who will win the War.

2 Timothy 4:18 says, "And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly Kingdom: to whom be glory forever and ever."

Father, help us to stay focused on the positive things You have made for us. Help us to remember that all things will work according to Your perfect will. In Jesus name, Amen.

You Rang?

March 10, 1876- Alexander Graham Bell made the first successful call with the telephone. He spoke the words "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you". Since then, telephones have come a long way. Once crank-style and rotary dial, now practically all phones have digital numerals. Only recently have phones come in various shapes and colors. I wonder if Mr. Bell ever envisioned cell phones? I can still remember the first car-phone I ever saw. I was living on Chincoteague Island in Virginia, and our neighbor had one in his 1974 Ford Maverick. When he had a call coming in, the car horn would beep until he answered it. I used to think he must be the richest man in the world to actually have a phone in his car. I was always puzzled, though, where he kept the phone lines.

I don't think any of us could imagine the world now without telephones, especially cell phones. It is amazing to me how one can send a text message with the simple push of a few buttons. In fact, I could write this devotion from my cell phone. Simply amazing! Although phone technology has exploded since Bell, it is still light years away from the speed and effectiveness of prayer. It doesn't matter where you are or what you are doing, you can dial up Jesus just by thinking it. One simple thought can get God and His angels dispatched to you faster than 911 can summon an ambulance. Prayer is one of the most important things we can do as Christians. Prayer is our life-line to heaven. And to pray, we don't even have to take the time to bow our head or close our eyes. I have just recently discovered the importance of prayer. I mean, I knew it was important, but recently I feel like my prayers to God are more personal and less generic. I pray many times throughout the day and night, because it helps me in my heart. Try to increase your number of prayers today. See just how much better you will feel. God's line is never busy or out of order. You never run up your "minutes" when you call Him; It's a free call. Jesus picks up His phone on the very first ring, and He doesn't need Caller ID! Have you given Christ a ring today?

Psalm 55:17 says, "Morning, noon, and night, I pray to God, and He hears my voice."

Father, thank you for prayer. Teach us how to do it more often and more effectively. In Jesus name, Amen.

Need Your Prayers

We all know that money is tight right now. The coming year in the school system where I teach will see more cuts of teachers and programs than ever in the history of the State. Possible cuts include sports, ROTC, band, art, foreign languages, and scores more. It is reported that all the non-tenured teachers will be let go at the end of the school year. That is 30 teachers at just my school alone! The problem seems to be in the way education is funded in Alabama. Nobody here or there seems to know how to get more money into education without these drastic cuts. Many teachers will be unemployed in the next 2 months with very little prospects for a future job. The situation is bleak and very sad.

This is the exact situation where God seems to thrive. He knows how bad things are in our lives, but He has a plan. We may not see that plan today, but rest-assured, He will come through for us. I have 100% faith that God will intervene. I am asking for your prayers for all those whose jobs will be cut in May. There is strength in numbers. If we all say a prayer, God will surely listen. Please pray for us all. Please have faith that God will fix this problem. Look at all the miracles He has already performed. Our God is so much bigger than our problems, no matter how big those problems may be.

Hebrews 4:16 says, "Therefore let us come boldly unto the throne of the Lord, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in our time of need."

Father, bless those who are having to make the hard decisions about the future of education. Be with who are worried about their jobs. Remind us that You have the power to see us through these hard times. In Jesus name, Amen.

That's One Tough Germ!

I shared this devotion awhile back and was asked to re-print it. I am very happy to do s0. The devotion is based on the product Lysol and other cleaning agents like it. On the commercial and on the bottle, it says it "kills 99.9% of household germs." What I don't get is why it is strong enough to kill all the germs EXCEPT that .1%? That must be one tough germ! Couldn't the makers put just a tiny bit more chemical in the Lysol to kill all of the germs?

Jesus died at Calvary for our sins. His blood was sufficient to wipe away 100% of our sins, not just most of them. His blood didn't leave .1%, it got it all! There is no sin that God has not or will not forgive you for. I know the Bible says that blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is the only unpardonable sin. But if you are reading this devotion, and obviously you are, you are not guilty of that sin. As long as there is still a breath in your body, Christ stands ready at this very minute to wash all, and I mean ALL your sins away. Have you asked Him to wipe away your sins? As car dealers say, now is the perfect time to ask Him. Just stop what you are doing and ask Him to save you from your sins. If you are already saved, don't let Satan lay a guilt trip on you when you sin in the future. Just confess those sins to Jesus, and He will wipe 'em clean again. Jesus' bottle of "Lysol" never runs out!

I John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness."

Father, thank-you for wiping away our sins. I pray for those who may be reading this and don't know You as their Savior. Stir their hearts Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

Break These Chains

We all have something in our lives that chain us down. Maybe it is an addiction of some kind. I don't necessarily mean drugs or alcohol, although those are some of the worst kinds of addictions. It could be pornography, swearing, lieing, working too much, losing our temper, or just about anything that is a negative aspect of our life. Those chains are so very hard to break. More than just bad habits, these "addictions" may bind us to the point to where we have no control. Maybe we have tried over and over again to break free, but we still find ourselves locked to our problems. There is good news! Although we can't break free under our own strength, there is One who certainly can!

In the 12th chapter of Acts, we learn that Peter had been placed in prison, awaiting a "trial". Not only was he locked inside, but he was also bound around the wrists by chains Further, 16 soldiers (four squads of four each) stood guard in and around the prison. But it wasn't too much for our Lord to handle. As Peter slept, an angel appeared. The angel told him to quickly get dressed and put on his sandals. Then, the part that I love the best, "the chains instantly fell off his wrists.". The angel led him out of the prison and into freedom. He was saved by our precious Lord. There is absolutely nothing God can't do! So what are the chains that bind you today? Have you all but given up hope? Don't! God is near and ready to free you. It could be only a matter of minutes before you hear those chains hit the floor. Amen!

Psalm 34:17 says, "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles."

Father, we have chains that bind our lives. Please hear our cries and help us to break those addictions. We can do all things through Your Son Jesus Christ. In His name we pray, amen.

Wash Me

Have you ever seen those dusty cars in which some joker writes "wash me" on on the side of it? Well somebody did that to my truck today. I have to admit my truck is quite dusty, and with it being black in color, it really shows. So I guess I need to wash it, and a good wax job wouldn't hurt either. Reading that "wash me" on the side of my truck today reminded me of when Jesus washed His disciples' feet. Washing others feet in those days was reserved for the lowliest servants, so they were shocked when Jesus wanted to wash theirs. Peter even spoke up and told Jesus that he would never allow Him to wash his feet. In Peter's eyes, Jesus was "too good" to ever stoop to such a lowly thing. But Jesus responded, "If I do not wash you, then you have no part with me."

Obviously Jesus was setting a good example that we can follow today. We are to serve each other. None of us are any better than anyone else, and nothing should be "beneath" us when it comes to doing or caring for others. But Jesus' words also go much deeper. If Jesus does not wash us (cleanse us from sins), then we can't have any part with Him (be saved and receive eternal life). It is only through the washing of Jesus' blood that we can truly be cleansed from all sin and receive eternal life! Our response to that should be exactly as Peter's response was to Jesus: "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!"

Ephesians 1:7 says, "In Jesus, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's Grace."

Father, wash all of me! Help me to serve others and to tell them about Your free gift of Salvation. In Jesus name, Amen.

Doubt

I think we all have periods in which we doubt ourselves, others, and maybe even God. Doubt is a normal human emotion. We all know that Thomas was a doubter, which led to his famous name of Doubting Thomas. But even John the Baptist doubted while he was in prison, and Jesus called him the greatest man to ever be born. John asked a messenger to go to Jesus and ask Him if He was indeed the Messiah. Our Lord is a very loving and caring Lord. He does not wait for us to have moments of doubt and then pounce on us like a lion. No, Our Lord and Savior knows we all have serious limitations. He still loves us!

Maybe you are doubting something right now that you have been praying about. Maybe it seems that God has put you on "hold" and you are starting to doubt that He even cares. That is a normal feeling; Don't beat yourself up about it. Just keep on praying and hoping in the Lord. He will not let you down. I know sometimes it seems like the whole world is caving in around us. But God has it completely under control. Don't give up! For all we know, God's help may already be on the way!

Mark 9:23 says, "All things are possible if you can believe".

Father, please forgive us when we doubt ourselves and maybe even You. Help us to keep the faith. We can do all things through You. In Jesus name, Amen.

It's Only In the Mind

I enjoy watching TV shows about unexplained mysteries of our world. The universe in which God created is mind-boggling! This weekend, I saw a show concerning prayer. The one-hour program featured case studies of situations where prayer caused "miracles". For instance, one segment featured a 6-year old boy who was run-over by a car. He had internal injuries, and the X-rays showed his entire pelvis was crushed. His prognosis was not good. Doctors did not give him much chance for survival, and they explained that if he did survive, he probably would never walk again. His family called their minister and several friends to come to the hospital. They held a special prayer meeting for the youngster in the waiting room. God heard their prayer and responded with a miracle! Not only did the boy survive, he also made a complete recovery with absolutely no limitations on his walking ability. Doctors were stunned!

I was baffled by the discussion that followed. The doctors and "experts" tried to explain why the boy made such a turn-around. They believed that the prayer did help. But they did not believe it was a prayer to God that made the difference. They said the prayer was just a form of "positive thinking", and that positive thinking did the trick. Some brain "expert" said the positive thinking released certain healing chemicals into the boy's body. So in their estimation, prayer does help to make drastic changes in the body, but only because of the effects it has on the mind. It is so sad to me that even when God chooses to save a person's life, some people still ignore it and dismiss it as simple "Science". Prayer does change things. But it is much more than just positive thinking! It is the One and only True God that makes the difference. He is still in the miracle business. Yes, He can work through doctors and scientists, and He has given those people a lot of knowledge that helps us everyday. But let's not forget that it is God that is at the center of it all. He deserves all the Glory!

Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us come boldly unto the throne of God, that we may obtain mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need."

Father, we thank you for miracles. As our knowledge of our world continues to grow, help us to never forget that it is You at the center. In Jesus name, Amen.