Graduation

As we approach another graduation at Dothan High School, I can't help but to feel blessed that I get to be a part of kid's lives.  It's such an amazing feeling to see these kids grow-up and mature right before my eyes between the 9th-grade and the 12th-grade. Once they walk across the stage and are awarded their diplomas, their world completely changes as they know it.  Some are scared but most are excited.  With the world at their feet, they literally can do whatever they want to do; the choices are endless.

Over the past couple years, it has really begun sinking-in how quickly timing is flying by. I have to admit that this aging process is for the birds.  Oh, what I would give to be walking across that stage again today with my entire future ahead of me. Ah...to be young again. But you know what?  When I think deeper on this subject, I realize that with each passing year, I am one step closer to graduating from this world and stepping into my eternal world. When we are called to heaven by Jesus, it will be like walking across the stage of life and receiving something much greater than a diploma.  As good as God has been to us, it's nothing like how good He is going to be when we get to heaven. With Him, our possibilities will be endless.  So will our lives.  No more growing old.  No more sickness.  No more death.  No more sorrow.  What a promotion that will be!!  Christians, our "graduation" is almost at hand. 

Philippians 3:14 says, "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus"

Father, thank-you for being so good to us.  We long to be with you at this very hour.  Please guide our seniors as they continue their life's journey.  In Jesus name, Amen.    

Quiz Time

Ok, here's a little quiz. Which of the following statements is/are true?

1. TV's Mr. Ed was a horse.

2. Kentucky Fried Chicken changed its name to KFC to eliminate "fried" from its title.

3. Tapping the side of a soda can will prevent it from spewing when opened.

4. Swimming less than 30 minutes after eating will cause cramps.

5. Poinsettia plants are poisonous to humans.

6. The plane in which Buddy Holly died was named American Pie.

7. Elephants are afraid of mice.

8. The Great Wall of China is the only man-made structure visible from the moon.

9. German chocolate cake comes from Germany.

10. Eating turkey will make one sleepy.

So which statements are true? Actually, NONE of them are true; Each one is just an urban legend (Mr. Ed was in fact a zebra). These myths are spread around so much that after a while, we all start believing them. There is no telling how many "facts" we have heard over the years that we believe to be true, but actually are just myths. The only way to know if something is true or not is to investigate or research it ourselves. I used to believe some things from the Bible, not because I had read it, but because I had always heard it. But since I have started studying God's Word, I have realized that some things I have always believed were in the Bible are actually not there. To find out what is actually in the Bible, we need to spend time reading it. A friend of mine likes to say that Bible stands for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. God's Word is our instruction manual while we are here. In order to follow what His Word says, we must read what it says. Have you read your Bible lately? It will sure help guide your steps. And that, my friend, is no myth!

Romans 10 :17 says, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."

Father, thank-you for Your Holy Word. Help us to discern what is really in it. In Jesus name, Amen.

Duck!

I love the 70's sitcom All In The Family. I recently bought a few DVD's of the 2nd and 3rd seasons. Archie and Edith Bunker crack me up! They play their parts so well, they almost seem married in real-life. Archie, the always-mad-at-the-world bigot, and Edith, the always-happy "Dingbat" make the show all by themselves. I was watching an episode last night in which Edith got an idea and shared it with Archie. As usual, the idea was a little lame, so Archie popped off at her. He said, "Edith, the next time a thought comes your way, DUCK!"

That could be good advice for all of us. I pray and ask God to lead my steps and thoughts everyday. But how can one tell when a coming-thought is from God or from some place else? We all get thoughts that we think came from God, but then later, we realize it was only our thought, and it was a bad one. I guess it takes lots of practice and lots of praying to get it right all the time. But until then, we really need to size-up our thoughts and decide if they are truly from God or not. Until we learn the difference, maybe we should take Archie's advice. Maybe we should "DUCK" from some of our thoughts.

James 1:5 says, "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you."

Father, please help us discern those thoughts You give us from other thoughts that come from somewhere else. The Bible teaches us that You will give wisdom to all whom ask. Lord, please give me the wisdom to do Your will. In Jesus name, Amen.

Summer Vacation

Oh, the excitement, the thrill, the laughter, the anticipation! They are running up and down the halls, hugging everyone in sight! They are about to bubble-over with happiness! And that is just the teachers...imagine how excited the students are! Summer vacation is just 6 days away. Do you remember the excitement you used to feel when you were in school? This is my 18th year as a teacher, and I am just as excited about summer vacation right now as I was when I was a student. Knowing that vacation is close-by gives everyone a boost of adrenaline. We are friendlier to each other. We smile more. It is an awesome feeling!

Why can't we all feel this excited everyday, knowing that Heaven is in our future? Why can't we run around hugging everyone and bragging about what all our Jesus has done for us? He has truly blessed every single one of us, and He is preparing a perfect place for us to spend Eternity. The Bible tells us that there are no words available to describe how wonderful heaven will be. There could only be a few more days left here before He calls us to our perfect home. I am so ready to leave this world behind and be with my Jesus! That will be the best "Summer Vacation" ever!

Jesus said in revelation 22:7, "Look, I am coming soon!"

Father, we long to be with You in heaven. Help us to spread the Good News about Your coming. In Jesus name, Amen.

Funny How...

Funny how we set our clocks for 6am to rise for work or school but can't seem to get up by 10am Sunday morning for church.

Funny how we call God our father and Jesus our Brother but find it hard to introduce them to our family.

Funny how small "our" sins seem and how big "their" sins are.

Funny how we demand justice for others but Mercy for ourselves.

Funny how we can't think of anything to say when we pray but how easily we can spread the latest gossip.

Funny how we are so quick to take directions from a total stranger but hesitate to take God's directions for our lives.

Funny how churchgoers sing Standing On The Promises but all they do is sit on the premises.

Funny how we want God to answer our prayers, but we refuse to listen to His counsel.

Funny how it is alright to blame God for evil and suffering in the world but it is not necessary to thank Him for what is good and pleasant.

Funny how we believe what the newspaper says but question what the Bible says.

Funny how lewd, crude, and obscene pass so freely through Cyberspace but God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Funny how we can send a thousand jokes through Email but think twice about sending good things about Jesus.

(Author unknown)

Church Signs

I think the best devotion can sometimes be a single line. Have you noticed the increase in Christian messages on church signs? I've decided to share a few that I have seen around town. Feel free to Email me some that you have seen. I hope you enjoy!

When the water gets deep, trust in the One who walked on it.

The tomb is empty so you don't have to be.

Stop, drop, and roll will not work in Hell.

Don't fear tomorrow. God is already there.

God expects spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.

Make your eternal reservations now: Smoking or Non-Smoking

It's hard to stumble when you are on your knees.

Caution: Exposure to the SON may prevent burning.

What is missing from ch ch? u r.

Wal Mart is not the only Saving place.

Don't be so open-minded that your brains fall out.

Read Revelations. It will scare the HELL out of you.

The Rapture: Separation of Church and State.

God answers knee-mail.

The best vitamin for a Christian is B1.

Sign broken. Message inside.

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the Called.

Again, I hope you enjoyed these. If you have some good ones you would like to share, please Email me.

Don't Let It Grow

I once heard a story about an old tutor and his young student. They were walking in the woods when suddenly the old tutor stopped. He pointed out four plants to his student. The first one was barely visible above the ground, the second one was about 2 inches tall, the third one was a medium-sized bush, and the fourth one was a tall tree. The tutor told his student to pull each one out of the ground. The first two plants were easy for the student to pull out of the ground, but the third one, the bush, was very difficult. After some fighting with it, he finally managed to pull it out of the ground as well. But then he attempted to pull up the full-grown tree. He wrapped his arms around the tree but with all his strength, he was unable to even shake its leaves.

This lesson is simple. Bad habits are easy to uproot from our lives when they are new. But the longer they take root, the harder they are to destroy. I have learned that either you can destroy the bad habit, or it can destroy you. I had to deal with a couple bad habits this past summer, and with God's help, I was able to defeat and destroy them. So I am now a witness to God's enormous strength. Maybe you are fighting some "large trees" in your life. No matter how hard you try, you can simply not defeat them on your own. But God sure can! Further, He wants to help you. Consider doing what I did..I let go, and let God! It made all the difference in the world. With God's help, you can even uproot a giant Redwood!

Psalm 72:12 says, "God will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help."

Father, thank-you for all You have done for me, and for what You continue to do.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Pencil Erasers

If you have ever taken a math class, you know why there are erasers on pencils. The people who make pencils sure do put a lot of confidence in us. They give us a long piece of lead with a little, tiny eraser. Now that is positive thinking!  But erasers are not just for correcting mistakes; they can also be used for changing plans. How many times have we heard the phrase, "pencil me in for this week?" We use this phrase because we have learned just how quickly our best-made plans can cave-in.  Let's face it:  plans change all the time.

Everyday, I am making my schedule in pencil instead of pen because I know things can change in a fraction of a second. As a teacher, I make plans every week but seldom am I able to stick to those plans to the letter. Something always seems to crop up and derail them. So I have learned to be flexible. I've decided to start making all my plans in pencil instead of pen but giving God control of the eraser.  He knows what is best for me.  If one of my plans gets changed, I will just assume that the Lord used the eraser because He had a better plan. I am putting forth more effort in seeking His will for my life. I don't always know where His will take me from day to day, but I do know it will take me to places that I otherwise couldn't go.  God's will is perfect!  That is why I am letting Him control the eraser.

Proverbs 16: 9 says, "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps."


Father, thank you for Your perfect erasers. I am willing to alter all my plans based on Your perfect will. In You, I have placed my total trust. In Jesus name, Amen.

Faith and Fish

It was sometime around dawn on the sea of Galilee. Some of the disciples had been fishing all night but had caught nothing. As they were about to row back to shore, they saw Jesus standing on the bank. He asked them if they had caught anything, but they told him no. So Jesus suggested that they cast their nets on the right-side of the boat and they would catch some. They did what He said, and the nets were barely able to hold the multitude of fish! How do you think they felt? These guys were professional fisherman, and they must have thought this man on the shore was crazy. You see, according to the Book of John, the disciples did not know that the man on the shore was Jesus...not until they had caught all the fish. They could not recognize him from their boat. What does this suggest?

If they had known it was Jesus from the start and followed His advice, then it would show that faith in Jesus is a very powerful thing. But how could it be considered faith in Jesus if they did not even know it was Jesus? This is the way I like to interpret it: Many times, Jesus leads us through someone else. When we ask Jesus for help, we shouldn't expect that help to come to us with ringing bells and flashing lights. Sometimes Jesus helps us in more simple, quiet ways...like a stranger on a shore. I think the key is that we need to remain full of faith and hope and stay open to the various ways Jesus may choose to reach us. God has used some pretty unique ways in the past to help His people. Maybe He is trying to help you today in an equally unusual way. Look around and see if you can spot Him.

2 Corinthians 5:7 says, "For we walk by faith, not by sight."
Father, please help us to remember that You answer all our prayers. Sometimes it is not in a loud way. Help us to remember that sometimes You simply whisper. In Jesus name, Amen.

Two Judgments

One of the questions that was presented to me this weekend from www.gotquestions.org was about the interpretation of 1Corinthians 3:12-15. After researching it a great deal, this was my response.  I thought it would also make a good devotion too,  Let me know if you like it. 

There will be two main judgments that God will pass on every human being:  The Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:12-15) and The Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10).  These are two very different judgments, as the first one listed will be for nonbelievers and the second one listed will be for Christians.  We who have accepted Christ will not go through a judgment based on sin, but instead, based on reward.  Jesus already paid the price for our sin at Calvary.  That debt was “paid in full” and will never be placed back onto our “accounts” again.  As Christians, we don’t have to worry about working to make it to heaven because Christ already did all the work necessary for us to go.   There is nothing we can do to add to His amazing and complete work (Galatians 3:1-5).  Instead, we should use all our time and energy trying to further God’s Kingdom and trying to earn heavenly rewards (Matthew 6:19-34).   This is the kind of judgment Paul is talking about in the verses you asked about.  He describes God as using a fire-test of discernment (also see 1 Peter 1:17-18 and Revelations 3:18).  Paul contrasts gold, silver, and precious stones with wood, hay, and straw.  Those quality materials represent Christians who have given dedicated spiritual service to the church while the inferior materials imply shallow activity with no eternal value.

Put another way, once we have accepted Christ, we are promised eternal life (John 10:28).  Depending on how well we used the talents God gave us here on earth though will dictate our levels of reward in heaven.  I may see Billy Graham in heaven driving a Cadillac, but I’m sure in comparison to my Christian work, I will be on a skateboard.  Skateboard or Cadillac, we will both be there.  Again, it is very important to remember that this is not a judgment of sin.  Those who have not accepted Christ will be judged for sin in the Great White Throne Judgment.  I am so thankful God led me to Christ, and I will not have to be judged for sin.  I pray that through His Power, I can use the talents he gave me to His satisfaction.  Notice that verse 15 says that if we have been saved by Christ, even if our works don’t stand up to his test, we will still make it to heaven, “yet so as through fire”

In conclusion, Christians will never, ever be judged for their sins.  Instead, our works will be judged for degrees of reward.  Nonbelievers will be judged for sin, and the only thing they will receive from God is eternal punishment.  One of my favorite bible verses is Romans 6:23.  It puts the two topics in perspective: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  I pray that you have accepted Christ.  If you have, then “endure” with the talents He has given you, and tell as many people as you can about 1Corinthians 3:12-15.

Take My Daughter

As I was praying last night, thanking God for sending His only Son to die in my place, it hit home just how incredible of an act of love He showed me. My mind shifted to my daughter, Bailey Boo. Think about your child as you read this devotion today. I know we are not supposed to hate anybody, but think of a person you dislike a lot. Imagine that dirty, filthy person bringing unspeakable harm to say, your Mom and Dad. As hard as it is, try to imagine that person actually torturing your parents over and over again, while all you can do is helplessly watch. Now imagine that awful criminal is finally caught by the police and sentenced to death. But then, you become filled with tons of compassion for this evil person that just ruined your life. You decide to do something that nobody in the world would ever consider doing. You decide to ask the police to execute your innocent child in the place of this "evil slime".

As you stand by, watching your very own baby being beaten, and having to listen to her cries of sheer pain and agony, you notice that the person you just pardoned is standing around laughing and mocking your child. As your baby hangs there on a cross, bleeding from head to toe, that evil person does not even want your pardon! Your act of sympathy towards his crime is neither deserved nor appreciated. But instead of getting angry at the person, you choose to forgive him. Wow! There is NO way I could ever love another person that much. I know that may be a sin to feel that way, but I just don't see how I could do it. But God did it! When we sin against Him, it is even more painful to Him than it would be for us to watch the torture of someone very close to us. We may think of ourselves as being a good person, but in God's eyes, we are far worse than the worst criminal. But God loves us anyway. He chose to send His only Son Jesus to die in our place. Isn't that absolutely incredible? Have you truly thanked Him for that act of love? I mean, have you truly thanked Him?

Romans 5:8 says, "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Father, how do I thank you for what You have done for me? I promise to always keep You first in my life. In Jesus name, Amen.

Lord, Help me Make An "A"

My students crack me up sometimes. As some of them walk up to me to turn in a test, I will hear them say, "God, please help me to make an A". I want to ask them if they also prayed before they took the test. Although I know God can do anything He wants to do, changing the answers on a test is probably not one of them. Now He could help them during the test. He could divinely lead them to the right answer. But after the test is turned in, I believe that is that. Sometimes I will ask them if they studied for the test. Surprisingly, some say no. And those are the very ones who prayed for God's help.

I think there is a lesson here for all of us. We should pray before things happen and not just after they happen. Prayer should be the very first thing we do when we wake...before the day even gets started. Again, I know God can fix many things after they are seemingly broken. But heading off disaster before it even happens is wise. And just praying for things to happen may not always be enough. We also need to prepare for those things to happen. Praying for an A on a test is a good idea. But unless we study for the test, I doubt the Good Lord is going to simply give us an A. He did give us a brain, and He expects us to use it. Depending on God does not just mean blindly praying to Him for things to happen. God gave all of us smarts, talents, and creativity. By using what He gave us, that is also a way to depend on Him.

Psalm 16:2 says, "You are my Lord. Apart from You, I have no good thing."

Father, thank you for wanting to help us everyday. Teach us to depend on You and everything You have given us. In Jesus name, Amen.