This coming weekend, I will be on my way to Salt Springs, Florida for a family reunion. I am looking very forward to it! Although I am ashamed to admit it, this will be the first one that I have attended in 3 years. I haven't been absent from the past 3 reunions because of anything me family did to me. I have been absent from the past 3 reunions simply because of my own self-centered, bull-headiness. Each year that I would announce I wasn't going to attend, my family, though not too surprised, was still very understanding and encouraging. You see, I have the best family in the world, and I know they always love me. As I write this devotion, I am almost in tears, both happy ones and sad ones. I am sad that I have wasted 3 years with them that I will never, ever get back. But I also have happy tears too, because, well, I feel like I am coming home. I feel like the Prodigal son, and just like the Father in the Bible story, my family will be waiting for me with open, forgiving arms. Trust me, I am going to absolutely enjoy every single second of this trip!
If you are having any trouble with your family, whether it is a result of your own doing or theirs, I encourage you to make every attempt to patch it up as quickly as you possibly can. You know, when it comes right down to it, family is all we truly have. Think about those people in the world that have no family. They probably feel extremely isolated, like tiny islands surrounded by a big ocean. Can you only imagine their loneliness? But God chose to bless most of us with family. Why would we try to separate ourselves from the very thing God gave us? I can not tell you what a relief I feel for reuniting with my family. Is it now possibly your turn to do the same?
Father, thank-you for our families, and I ask you to please help those who may not be seeing things eye-to-eye. In Jesus name, Amen.
Do you know where Jesus was born? Do you know who His earthly parents were? Do you know where He was baptized? Do you know how old He was when He started His ministry? Do you know where He was the night He was arrested? Do you know who sentenced Him to death? Do you know where He was crucified? Do you know what day He was resurrected? Now, the most important question of all? Do you know Him personally?
As we begin a new week, let's focus less on all the facts about Jesus and more on getting to know Him on a personal basis. The Bible teaches us that He longs to have a deep relationship with us. Just think about the scope of that for a minute: The Lord that created this whole world and everything in it still wants to be a personal basis with us. How awesome is that?
John 15:15 says, "I no longer call you servants....instead I call you friends."
Father, please help us get closer to You today. Teach us how to have a personal relationship with the God of the universe. In Jesus name, Amen.
Like many, I sure do enjoy watching a good college football game on TV. This past weekend, I saw some of the most fierce, bone-crunching hits on the field that I think I have ever seen before. You know the ones I am talking about. The receiver goes out for a pass, gets to the end of his route, and then turns around to find the ball almost already in his arms. He has great sight on the ball, but unfortunately for him, he is the only one in the entire world that doesn't have sight on the 290-pound defender closing in on his position ready to lower the boom. And then, BOOM! A collective "ugh" echos throughout the entire stadium. But the receiver just bounces right back up and hurries back to his team's huddle, ready to go out for another pass. How in the world can these guys take such violent hits and still keep going? I'm told it is through daily exercise, intense training, and an almost inhuman will to play this game called college football.
The rest of us may not play college football on Saturdays, but I think we all know what it feels like to get blind-sided by things in our everyday lives. Unexpected bills, aggravations at work, arguments with the family, and about a thousand other things stand in the shadows waiting to knock us out cold. We can't avoid these things, but there is a way to keep them from knocking us out of the game. We, too must exercise and train everyday. But our trainers are Jesus Christ and His Holy Word. When we take up our crosses daily, pray without ceasing, and meditate on His Word continously, we, too are able to bounce right back up and go out for another play. I am thrilled that the leader of my team is Coach Jesus, and that he gives me an almost inhuman will to play this game called life.
I Corinthians 15:58 says, "Stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
Father, oh how I thank you for helping me back up when things knock me down. Please help me to train even harder to be more prepared for 290-pound defenders. In Jesus name, Amen.
I am not sure if you have ever heard this poem before, but it sure is a good one! I was asked to re-post it, and I am glad to do so.
BEST POEM IN THE WORLD (Author Unknown)
I was shocked, confused, bewildered
As I entered Heaven's door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
Nor the lights or its decor.
But it was the folks in Heaven
Who made me sputter and gasp--The thieves, the liars,
the sinners,The alcoholics and the trash.
There stood the kid from seventh grade
Who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
Who never said anything nice.
Dan, who I always thought
Was rotting away in hell,
Was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
Looking incredibly well.
I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal?
I would love to hear Your take.
How'd all these sinners get up here?
God must've made a mistake.'
And why's everyone so quiet,
So somber - give me a clue.
''Hush, child,' He said, 'they're all in shock.
No one thought they'd be seeing you.
'JUDGE NOT.
Every saint has a PAST.... Every sinner has a FUTURE!
In the early 80's, Dan Hartman recorded a hit called I Can Dream About You. Hartman was a long-time singer/songwriter who once played in the band The Edgar Winter Group, a hard-rock band formed by Edgar Winter of Beaumont Texas. In fact, Hartman wrote one of their most memorable hits, Free Ride, in 1973. It is a very catchy, up-tempo song that is now famous for a couple of very hot guitar licks. I have always liked the song, but recently I really started focusing on the lyrics. They are powerful, and although I know Hartman probably didn't have this in mind when he wrote the song, they almost sound like lyrics about Jesus Christ and His plan of Salvation. Check this out:
The mountain is high, the valley is low
And you're confused 'bout which way to go
So I flew here to give you a hand
And lead you into the promised land
So, come on and take a free ride (free ride)
Come on and take it by my side
Come on and take a free ride
Jesus does in fact offer us a free ride to heaven. He booked our trip and paid for our tickets when He gave His life on Calvary. All we have to do now is accept His gift. Like the lyrics in the song say, there is no reason for us to be confused about which way to go, nor is there any reason we should wait any longer to accept His "once-in-a-lifetime" offer. I can still remember before I became a Christian, that I would feel an almost unexplainable tugging sensation deep inside whenever I would contemplate God. Of course now I know that that was the calling of the Holy Spirit. I am so glad I finally answered His call. I just wish I would have done it sooner. The last verse of Free Ride is:
We got to do better
It's time to begin.
You know all the answers,
are a stones-throw within.
Father, thank-you for offering me a Free Ride to the Promised Land. I pray for all those who are not Christians and who may be struggling with this decision. In Jesus name, Amen.
I tell my students to check over their tests very carefully after I grade them and hand them back. I am only human, and I can accidentally mark some of their answers wrong when in fact they are right. Once I am made aware of my mistake, I correct it immediately and add to their score. Sometimes I mess up the other way, though. Thankfully it doesn't happen much, but I have marked answers right before when they were actually wrong! For the student, that is just the luck of the draw. I will always grade in their favor. I will add to their score when necessary but never will I subtract from it.
Jesus promised us that if we believe in Him, He will give us Eternal life. John 3:16 is just one example of this Truth. But is it possible to sin our way out of that gift? Is it possible to lose our salvation? I believe with all my heart that the answer is no. Can our perfect God make a mistake? Would He give us Eternal life one day and then take it away the next? No way! If He did that, it would not be Eternal life. If God places an A+ on our paper, we can rest assured that He will never lower it to a B or a C, no matter what mistakes we may make or how many times we may make them. The more I learn about our Great Teacher Jesus Christ, the more I am amazed at His awesomeness! Praise Him!
My grandfather used to tell me this joke when I was younger. He said one day an elderly man was driving his wife to the store when they passed two teenage lovers in a sports car. The boy was driving the car and the girl was practically sitting in his lap. The elderly man's wife questioned, "Why don't we still drive like that? The elderly gentleman responded, "I have never moved".
During our hard times, we may ask, "Where is God?" But if we are truthful with ourselves, we know that we should be asking, "Where am I?" God promises He will never leave us in our most trying and difficult times. He is always sitting right there beside us in the driver's seat. Sometimes though, we get complacent and slowly inch away from Him. Then all of a sudden, a big bump in the road jars us awake and we look around and wonder where God has gone. But it is not He who has drifted from us, but instead, it is we who have drifted from Him. He is still right there, guiding us through the bumpy parts. We have all lived long enough to know that bumps in the road are simply a part of life and are bound to happen when we least expect it. Today, let's work on getting back to God, and let's practice on staying there with Him through thick and thin. Isn't it an awesome feeling to know that no matter how far away we may drift from Jesus, that He never truly drifts from us, and that He is always just one short "help" away? Call Him.
Hebrews 13:5 says, "I will never fail you nor abandon you."
Lord, thank-you for loving and caring for us so much that you will never leave us. You are an amazing God...You are THE amazing God. In Jesus name, Amen.
Are you facing a crisis right now? Do you feel like the whole world is caving-in around you and that there is no escape? Maybe your situation is not as severe as going through the death of a loved one or going through a divorce or even some kind of drug addiction. But if you are like me, even your tiny problems can seem like huge, over-whelming monsters. There is hope! I have a key chain that reads, "With God, all things are possible". Sure, we have all heard that a thousand times, and most of us quote it to people when they are struggling. But do we truly believe that God can help us? Do you truly believe that God can help you right this instant?
Most of the time, it takes many steps to gradually crawl out of a hole and get ourselves back up. Taking the first step is the most important: Turning it over to the Master, Jesus Christ. But sometimes, that help can come to us in an instant. Remember when Jesus was peacefully sleeping during a storm on the Sea of Galilee? His disciples were in a panic and feared that they were about to drown. In a desperate attempt, they woke up Jesus and asked Him to save them. It's one of my favorite miracles in the entire Bible. Jesus calmed the storm instantly, not with a gradual decrease in rain and then a little less wind and then a clear sky. No, He did it fast, quick, in an flash, and with three simple words, not 12 steps or 6 sessions, or anything like that. I pray that God is spreading his arms over you right this second and saying, "Peace, be still". Do you believe He can do that in your life today? I sure do. Remember, David didn't just stun Goliath. He knocked him out cold, and in an instant! Maybe at this very minute, God has already fired that rock towards your enemy. I believe! Do you?
Psalm 60:12 says, "With God, we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies."
Father, I am praying for those who may be facing a major crisis in their lives. Remind us that You are the key to victory in every situation. Although You do work in steps, we know You have the Power for an instant recovery!
I love studying about Bible prophesy and the topic of End Times. There is a wealth of information out there about it. It fascinates me to hear the pros and cons. Some people are absolutely certain in their belief that we will be the generation that witnesses the return of Jesus Christ. Yet others hardly give it a second thought. I am not sure which I believe; I am probably somewhere in the middle. But no matter how convincing people may sound on either side of the argument, the truth is nobody really knows for certain. But there is one truth about it that can not be ignored. Whether we are the terminal generation or not, we might as well be. Either we will see Jesus coming back for us, or we will see us returning back to Him. The important thing is to be ready.
In a game of baseball, football, or basketball, a team always knows how much time it has left to come from behind. But the subject of Jesus' return is not a game. We don't know how much time we have left on the scoreboard. Whether it is the first two minutes of the game or the final 2-minute warning, we must be winning at all times. And the way we win is by accepting Christ now, not 10 minutes from now. The Bible promises us that we can be saved in an instant, but does not guarantee us another second to decide. We must be sure, positive, and certain now, just in case there is no later. We truly may be in sudden-death overtime.
Jeremiah 6:16 says, "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the Good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls."
Father, thank-you for saving us through Your perfect Son Jesus Christ. Give each of us the courage to accept Him. In Jesus name, Amen.
Earthquakes on the rise? Are earthquakes getting more intense? Depends on who you ask. I can find just as many websites that state there has been a sharp increase in earthquakes as I can find that say otherwise. If you check-out some Christian sites, the frequency and intensity of earthquakes are definitely on the rise, just as Jesus predicted there would be. But if you check out some science sites, there is really no significant increase in activity over the past million decades, give or take. Does it really matter, anyway?
I say no. I totally believe the Bible, and I feel strongly enough about its reliability that I don't need any "proof" to justify my belief. Being a Christian is completely and solely about just that... having a belief or faith in Jesus Christ. I have found that it is so much easier to just simply believe some things than it is to try to prove them. In mathematics, that is called a postulate; we accept some things to be true without proof. I can no more prove God's existence than an atheist can disprove it. So why fret over it? Instead, let's just remain steady in our faith, and do the best we can to share that faith with others.
Lord, please be with those who have been affected by the latest earthquake. Help us to remember that You are in complete control, no matter how tragic situations may get in the future.
This coming weekend, I will be on my way to Salt Springs, Florida for a family reunion. I am looking very forward to it! Although I am ashamed to admit it, this will be the first one that I have attended in 3 years. I haven't been absent from the past 3 reunions because of anything me family did to me. I have been absent from the past 3 reunions simply because of my own self-centered, bull-headiness. Each year that I would announce I wasn't going to attend, my family, though not too surprised, was still very understanding and encouraging. You see, I have the best family in the world, and I know they always love me. As I write this devotion, I am almost in tears, both happy ones and sad ones. I am sad that I have wasted 3 years with them that I will never, ever get back. But I also have happy tears too, because, well, I feel like I am coming home. I feel like the Prodigal son, and just like the Father in the Bible story, my family will be waiting for me with open, forgiving arms. Trust me, I am going to absolutely enjoy every single second of this trip!
