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.