NEWSPAPER DEVOTIONAL ARTICLES
JULY - DECEMBER, 2005

    These weekly articles were written by Rev Mike Jones for South Carolina Newspapers on a busy Pastor's schedule. Space was limited to around 300 words so in depth exposition is not possible.
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        Rev Mike Jones, Minister Ministry
        2434 Allen Road, Effingham, S C 29541
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Lessons for Living for Tuesday, July 5, 2005

    Recently I took our van to the local Super Center to have our tires rotated. The nice lady at the check in station told me it would be an hour or so before it could be done so I decided to get a hair cut while I waited. Bad decision. Very bad decision. I assumed that a hair cut would be less expensive at a discount center. Wrong! It was the most expensive hair cut I have ever gotten.
    Not only was it the most expensive haircut I have ever had but it was also the worst haircut I have ever received. I told the lady doing the haircut exactly what I wanted. As soon as she started I realized something was wrong so I asked her again if she understood what I had said. She assured me she understood my instructions completely and then proceeded to disregard everything I had said as she cut everything off she could cut. The only "lemonade" I could get out of this "lemon" was that I will not need to get another hair cut this summer!
    I wonder if God feels as frustrated as I feel right now? He has given us very plain instructions about how to live life and, just like this girl cutting my hair, we completely ignore them. And when instructions are ignored consequences will come. God warns people about adultery. Many proceed to ignore God and end up suffering disease, divorce, and divided families. God warns about coveting but we get so caught up wanting "things" until we end up captives to debt.
    God has told us what to do but we want to do what we want to do. And when instructions are ignored you can end up frustrated, or embarrassed, or saddled with consequences you really don’t want to experience. Remember that this week as you read God’s word about God’s will.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, July 6, 2005

    One of my least favorite songs is "The Unclouded Day". I like clouds. I think they are neat and I sure hope we have some in Heaven.
    I like clouds for the shade they provide. If you have ever picked butterbeans on a hot July day then you know exactly what I mean! It sure would have been miserable out there in the hot sun if it weren’t for an occasional cloud.
    I like clouds for the shapes they assume. Time after time I look at the sky and marvel at the majestic artistry of God as He rolls and tumbles clouds into a never ending tapestry of wonderful shapes. I can’t even imagine the sky without God’s cloud painting in it.
    I like clouds for the showers they produce. Sure would be dry down here if we had day after day of unclouded skies.
    I like clouds for the Savior they herald-Mark 13:26 "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory". Jesus was received up into the clouds when he left earth and He will return in the clouds so I am just going to enjoy the marvel and majesty of clouds and all they represent as I travel my life’s journey.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, July 12, 2005

    A sculptor, chipping away at an enormous slab of marble, was asked by a curious observer, "What are you making?" "A horse," he replied. "How can you make a horse out of that?" the onlooker asked skeptically. "Well," mused the artist, "I simply take away everything that is not a horse."
    If you are a Christian then God is at work in your life attempting to chip away everything that is not like Christ. It may not be pleasant as the chips fly all around you but if you will yield to His loving work the master sculptor will ultimately shape you into a living image of His Son. Your success as a Christian will depend on whether you fight God’s efforts to shape you or you rejoice in the transformation that is taking place.
    If God is going to release "the horse in you" then you must completely turn control of yourself over to His soul changing work in your life. You must trust God enough to give Him a blank sheet of paper with your signature at the bottom and allow God to fill in the details that are best for your life. That kind of commitment will take a trust in God that goes far beyond the show up at church on Sunday morning Christianity that many people experience. But the changes it produces will be the life transforming Christianity that so many people deeply crave and long for.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, July 13, 2005

    1) Talk good, instead of bad, about your enemies. Saying bad things about your enemies causes hatred and resentment to build up in your heart- Rom 12:14 "Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not."
    2) Don't let wrongs done by others make you do wrong- Rom 12:17 "Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men."
    3) Don’t allow your anger to corrupt you worst than your enemy's actions-Prov 24:17-19 "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him. Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;"
    4) Trust God to even the score at the right time and in the right way-Rom 12:19 "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."
    5) Uncontrolled anger is the sign of an uncontrolled man- Proverbs 25:28 "He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls." So learn to be a real man by channeling your energy correctly- Prov 19:11 "The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression."

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, July 19, 2005

    The perception about how Christianity works is wrong so the results of becoming a Christian do not turn out like many people anticipate. Many people come to Christianity with the "magic potion" perception. Their marriage is in trouble or the doctor just told them they have a dreaded disease or they are deep in debt so they come to God with the assumption that saying, "God forgive me" will suddenly solve all their problems. They soon find, however, that becoming a Christian does not keep your wife from running around. Nor does it cure your disease (although I certainly believe in the healing power of God!) or pay all your debts.
    The Bible declares that "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17). If the outward circumstances surrounding a man do not become new when he accepts Christ then what does become new? That is the marvel and majestic of Christianity. God knows that changing your circumstances will not deal with the real problems so when you accept Christ as your personal Savior God begins a supernatural work inside you that eventually has a transforming impact on the circumstances surrounding you. God does not make your circumstance new but He does make you new so you can begin having new circumstances! Glory!
    People want the world around them to change. God wants to change the person so the person can change the world around them! That is what makes Christianity so different from other religions. Christianity is not about imposing laws to make everyone act in the same way. It is about Christ moving into a man’s heart and making him a new creature so that he can impact the circumstances and conditions surrounding him. Nothing is new but everything is new!

Miracle Message for Wednesday, July 20, 2005

    Almost everyone knows the story of how the little boy, David, killed Goliath the giant with a slingshot. If you read the story closely you will see that David stopped at a brook on his way to battle the giant and picked up 5 smooth stones. I think the story of those stones is one all of us need to hear again as we battle life’s giants of discouragement, disaster, debt, and disease.
    These were smooth stones. God had used their daily tumbling and tossing with other stones in the river to smooth them out so they could fit in the slingshot correctly. Ever wonder why life is filled with so many people rubbing you the wrong way? Maybe God is smoothing you.
    These were selected stones. Out of a river bottom filled with stones David picked these five (Just as God today chooses men at His will to do His work). These were sufficient stones. Goliath had 4 sons so David picked 5 stones to enable him to deal with all the giants. That should remind us that God will never send more "giants" our way than He provides power to defeat.
    These were supernatural stones. Armies had stood trembling before this giant but God enabled a shepherd boy to defeat him with a single stone.
    When life’s giants cause nations to tremble just remember that God prepares the stones needed to defeat the enemy and bring the victory. Maybe the stone He is preparing is you!

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, July 26, 2005

    I can not understand why any servant of God who is able to work is not faithfully engaged in working for God. The need has never been greater yet multitudes of Christian workers seem content to simply attend Church and have their own needs met instead of sacrificially serving in the work of the Lord.
    I have seen that fact vividly illustrated in my denomination. We consistently have almost twice as many ordained ministers as we have churches. Yet, many times churches find it difficult to secure a Pastor. Many of these ordained ministers have been contacted numerous times about positions but there was always something that was not perfectly right so they continue to sit on the sideline while the sheep cry for a shepherd.
    I believe with all my heart that God never calls a person into His service without providing a place for that person to serve. If a man claims he is called to preach and never finds a place to preach then he has missed his calling or he is not willing to serve where God wants or in the way God desires.
    The fields are white unto harvest. Multitudes die each day without help or hope. God still works mightily through people yielded to Him. The problem is that we have too many workers who want to sit around the table and enjoy the fellowship and the feasts instead of laboring for their Lord in the harvest fields.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, July 27, 2005

    If God could use a Dove to tell Noah when to leave the ark then He can use you. If God could use Ravens to feed the prophet Elijah then He can use you. If God used a sparrow to preach on worrying about worry and a fish to pay Peter’s taxes then He can use you. If God preached to wayward preachers with a donkey and a rooster then He can use you.
    God is not nearly as concerned about our abilities as He is about our availability. It is not what we have that God can use. It is about what a mighty God can do with an insignificant person completely yielded to His will. It is not the hammer that builds the house, it is the hand that holds the hammer that accomplishes the work.
    God used old men to lead nations, young men to defeat giants, and a baby born in a manger to save the world. Women were the first ones told to announce the resurrection, a young slave girl told her master where he could find a preacher to show him how to have his leprosy cured, and a business woman helped start the first European church. Many of God’s best servants spent time in jail and He even used a murderer to lead His chosen people out of bondage.
    Can God use you? Just give Him your heart and life and stand back in awe as you marvel at what God can do with a yielded vessel.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, August 2, 2005

    Worry gives a small problem a big shadow. In fact, the word "worry" is not found in the Bible. The closest you can come is the phrase "Why take ye thought?" as used by Jesus to censure people who were overly concerned about God’s care for them- "And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? (Matthew 6:28, 30).
    The thing I have noticed about a shadow is that the further you are from the light the bigger the shadow becomes. That is the same way with Worry’s Shadow. Worry’s Shadow drives us away from the facts of a problem so that we see only darkness and despair as we concentrate on what could possibly go wrong. Worry’s Shadow destroys our faith in God’s ability to deal with the problem and fills our hearts with paralyzing fear.
    David was a warrior king who faced death on many occasions. Early in his life he realized that worrying about death would destroy his ability to function in a fight so he refused to allow Worry’s Shadow to conquer him before he went to battle. His faith in God’s care and protection were such until he could boldly proclaim, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." (Psalms 23:4)
    Jesus said He was the Light of the world. Rest in Him today and allow His presence in your life to dispel Worry’s Shadow so you can live the abundant life God intended for you.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, August 3, 2005

    I love a good book. My ultimate dream would be to spend most of my time reading and writing books. I love to learn information and I love to give information. Looking around at my crowded bookshelves at home and at work, however, revealed an interesting truth that also relates to my relationship with Jesus Christ.
    Some books on my shelf (such as dictionaries and concordances) are only used when I need specific information. I seldom read them just for the joy of reading. In the same way, I sometimes tend to treat Christ as if He is a reference book only good for when I need something to help me obtain something I desire.
    Some books on my shelf (such as Bible study and devotional books) are well worn and often used. I enjoy reading them so I use them a lot. Isn’t that also what I am inclined to do with Christ? Do I seek Him most when I want to feel comfortable and cozy?
    Some books on my shelf are practically brand new but covered with dust. I wanted to learn more about that subject so I bought the book but never took the time to actually read the book and make the corrections it suggested. I wonder if I treat some areas of my relationship with Christ the same way.
    Consider your relationship with Christ today. Where would He fit on your book shelf? Is He the active Lord of your life or just a cozy comfort when you need some help?

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, August 9, 2005

    I drove up behind a car recently that was sporting a sign which read, "I have been dead and I did not like it". I do not keep up with music or movies so this may have a meaning I am not aware of but it sure did speak to me. I wanted to ride up beside the car which had the sign and yell out my window, "Me too. I have been dead and I like being alive much much better".
    Paul told the Ephesian Church that a person without Christ is dead in trespasses and sin. Been there, done that, and didn’t like it. I didn’t like the crowd I associated with when I was dead in sin. I’ve had Christians to fail me and sometimes even hurt me but I sure would chose the church crowd over the bar crowd any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
    I didn’t like the conflicts I had when I was dead. I didn’t like the heartaches or the hangovers or the health problems that came with the "fun". The pleasure I obtained from sin did not come close to compensating for the misery I received or the grief I gave to others.
    I did not like the consequences I faced when I was dead. Divorce, disease, and debt all hang around people dead in sin and wreck their life. Add to that the eternal consequences of facing God dead in sin instead of alive in Christ and you can see why being dead is a sorry way to live.
    I have been dead and I did not like it. Thank God I have been resurrected to a new life through faith in Jesus Christ.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, August 10, 2005

    God does not call us to simply be pawns or play things; He calls us to be participates in His purpose. He gives us opportunities to become active in His work and then allows us the freedom to use our own initiative in the fulfillment of that work. This tremendous privilege of having a free will that can work within the Divine plan is one of the great joys we have as humans. The worry I have is that sometimes this "free will" can be wrongly used and cause a lot of damage.
    In one of the minor prophets (Zechariah) God tells about a time when He removed the wall of protection from His people because of their sinful actions and allowed the heathen to come in to punish them. The most amazing statement, however, is when God declares that the heathen did more harm to His people than He had intended!! God wanted them to punish His people a little but they punished them a lot.
    America is heading down the slippery slope of abandoning God’s guidance and directions at a break neck speed. God says that if He loves someone then He will have to chasten them when they do wrong. My biggest worry is that when God opens the gate and allows the heathen to come in and punish America that they will not know when to stop and we will see destruction and chaos on a scale we cannot imagine. Oh, if we could just see what is coming and mend our ways!

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, August 16, 2005

    Someone has rightly said, "The Christian life is a pilgrim journey, not a sightseeing trip." Never has that advice been more needed than today. Far too many churches are filled with far too many people who believe that Christianity is simply buying a "salvation ticket" at a church altar sometime and then trying to live a pretty good life until they finally must die and go to Heaven. They know little or nothing of discipleship and duty. They only want sermons about prosperity and pleasure so they never feel guilty about settling down in this world and never making an impact for Christ or for God.
    The Bible declares that Pilgrims are to be people who exemplify purity- "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;" (1 Peter 2:11). They are to be an example to the world by having attitudes and actions that point toward God instead of fulfilling the desires of the flesh. Saints who live like sinners will never get sinners to want to live like saints.
    Christian Pilgrims are also typified by the fact that they are looking for God’s promises more than they are seeking for worldly pleasures- "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." (Hebrews 11:13). Christians are people with a vision of what God can do instead of a desire for what the world does do.
    Are you a Pilgrim who is longing for God’s Heavenly Kingdom or have you settled down in this sinful world with such satisfaction until you, like Lot’s wife, would look back with longing at Sodom’s pleasures if God came to deliver you from the coming world changing destruction?

Miracle Message for Wednesday, August 17, 2005

    Recently we noticed that the water at our office did not taste good. Finally it became so bad until I started bring water from home to use in making my coffee each day (Several days later we saw an article in the local paper telling us that there was a problem with water in our area and people should boil their water before using it- Sort of like closing the barn door several days after the horse was already roaming free!).
    I make a full pot of coffee each day and some days, because of my schedule, I do not drink all the coffee. Normally, I empty the old coffee, put the amount of fresh water I need in the pot, pour that into the coffee maker, and then place the empty pot on the heating area. When I started bring water from home I simply poured water from the jug into the coffee maker. The problem was that I then forgot to empty the old coffee out of the pot so the new coffee went into the pot with the old bitter coffee. The first cup told me something was bad wrong!
    Mixing the old with the new is a bad thing according to Jesus and according to my coffee pot. Maybe the reason your life is still bitter even after you have trusted in Christ is because you have some left over "coffee" in the pot that must be poured out before you can start enjoying the fresh new brew coming into your life.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, August 23, 2005

    If I am going to be a Christian then I want to be the best Christian possible. I want to have a faith that makes a difference in my life and is readily seen by those around me. I want to have the same kind of faith that was shown by the four men who brought their friend to Jesus to be healed.
    First of all, this faith moved them to think of someone else. May God grant me a faith that looks beyond my personal happiness so that I can see the needs all around me. Secondly, their faith moved them to become involved. It was not enough to go to church and pray for this man who was sick. They decided to become personally involved in getting him to Jesus. Thirdly, their faith moved them pass discouragement. When they arrived at the meeting place they found a crowd so large until they could not get the sick man to Jesus. Many people would have said, "We tried to do something but it did not work." These men refused to give in to discouragement.
    Fourthly, their faith moved them to do what was necessary to get the person to Jesus. In this case, it meant climbing onto the roof of the house and digging a hole in the roof big enough to let the man down to where Jesus was teaching. May God give us a genuine faith that is willing to "shake thing up" if that is what it takes to get a person to Jesus. Finally, their faith moved Jesus to take action by first of all forgiving the man of his sin and then healing him. Their faith helped this man find the spiritual and physical help he needed.
    That is the kind of faith we need today if we are to move from pitiful little groups singing about our faith inside a nearly empty church into world changing congregations that draw men to trust Christ and live for God,.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, August 24, 2005

    When one of the leading men in my denomination wanted to describe our first missionary to India he talked about her faith- Strong faith, courageous faith, and persistent faith. Miss Laura Belle Barnard approached my denomination at a time when it had little mission conscience and asked for the opportunity to carry the good news about Christ to the multitudes in India. People often talk about her courage and her determination but it was her faith that drove her from her comfort zone and into a strange new land where she would need every bit of wisdom and skill God could provide her.
    As I look at the description of her faith I realize how important it is for us to instill these same faith characteristics into this present generation if we are to continue to reach the World with the good news about Christ. We need men and women, boys and girls, who have a strong faith that will drive them out of their own little corner of the world into a place of God’s calling. They will also need courageous faith which will enable them to envision and attempt great things for God. Finally, they must have a persistent faith if they are to overcome the obstacles and objections that friends and foes will put in their path.
    Miss Laura Belle Barnard was a lady whose faith made a difference for thousands of people in her denomination and for multitudes in India. Do you have a faith that is making a difference for anyone?

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, August 30, 2005

    Have you prayed for the children in your neighborhood today? Every day 114 teens will run away from home, 44 will have an abortion, 376 will get drunk, 456 will be beaten, molested, or abused, and 58 will attempt suicide (one will succeed). You can talk about how bad kids are becoming or you can make it a policy to pray for the children in your neighborhood each day.
    Sign on a lawn- "Your feet are killing me". I was recently reading a sermon by a preacher friend of mine and it reminded me of this sign. It was a powerful message about sinful behavior and its impact on a person’s health, his home, his happiness, and his holiness. The reason this sign brought this sermon to mind was that the preacher who preached it got off the narrow road with God and started walking on the lawn of lust and, sure enough, the grass that he thought was greener began to die and it impacted everyone around him in a very negative way.
    An ad for a travel agency- "Please go away". Normally when someone tells us to "go away" we get hurt feelings. If they were telling us to "go away" to a wonderful vacation home where we could have a great time of enjoyment, however, we would look at their statement in a different light. That is the difference Christ makes in the life of a person. Death is a sorrowful separation only because we miss our regular fellowship with our loved one. For them, however, they "go away" to a grand and glorious place where sickness and sorrow are known no more. No wonder preachers can stand over coffins and rejoice that someone has gone away.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, August 31, 2005

    Sometimes a short sentence can be just as good as a full length sermon (Don’t tell the preacher I said that!!). Here are a few short sermon sentences I have picked up as I traveled. I pray they will speak to your heart in a special way.
    TV is an invention that permits you to be entertained in your living room by people you wouldn’t have in your home.
    If you want to stay out of debt your earnings must exceed your yearnings.
    In this world of give and take not many are willing to give what it takes.
    Trouble in a marriage often starts when a man spends so much time earning his salt until he forgets his sugar.
    Movies have gone from being silent to being unspeakable.
    The richest soil, if uncultivated, produces the rankest weeds.
    Christianity is bread for daily use not cake for special occasions.
    The only exercise some people get is jumping to conclusions, sidestepping responsibilities, dodging issues, passing the buck, and pressing their luck.
    Christians show what they value most with what they do with what they value.
    Many a wayward child has been straightened out by being bent over.
    There is always free cheese in the rat trap, but there are no happy rats there.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, September 6, 2005

"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" (1 Peter 4:17-18).

    Peter is very concerned about what will happen to the Christians in Jerusalem during the upcoming destruction of the city by the Roman general, Titus, but he also must ask a question of those who have not accepted Christ- "What will be end be of those who obey not the gospel of God?". History reveals that during the siege of Jerusalem Titus, for some unexplained reason, pulls away the armies surrounding Jerusalem for a short time. During this time the Christian in the city escape but the rest of the city remained. When Titus returns the city is destroyed and over one million of its inhabitants are killed and the remainder are sold into horrible slavery. Is that a preview of the soon coming rapture of the Church where the Christians will escape and the unsaved will be left to endure death and destruction under the Antichrist? What will the end be of those who obey not the gospel?
    Peter’s second question goes to the end of the end of the sinner - "Where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?". When the sinner has come to the end of his life what will happen to him then? Before whom will he appear? The answer is obvious, he will appear before the God he has rejected and there give account for his life and actions.
    If you continue on the road you are traveling, where will it end? God allows u-turns.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, September 7, 2005

    One of the things that perpetually perplexes me about human nature is the large number of people who continue to refuse to accept God’s free gift of eternal abundant life through faith in Jesus Christ. I have been a follower of Jesus Christ for over 43 years and I find it an absolutely fantastic way to live. Why would anyone not want the joy and peace I have?
    After careful consideration I have concluded that there are three obstacles that block a person from becoming a follower of Christ. First is the "love of sin". Some people enjoy the pleasures of sin so much until they forget about the pain and misery that comes with a sinful life style.
    The second obstacle is "pride". People hate to admit they are wrong and that they need help so they continue on the downward spiral of a sinful lifestyle. The final obstacle to a person becoming a follower of Christ is "unbelief". The imperfections in Christians, the corruption in churches, and the unwillingness to accept the simplicity of God’s offer of salvation by simple faith in the sacrifice of His son, Jesus Christ, all combine to raise a barrier to belief.
    Sinful living produces an artificial joy, serving God brings fullness of joy. Don’t let any obstacle stand in your way of accepting God’s free gift today. A million years from now you will still be telling people that it was the best decision you ever made.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, September 13, 2005

    As much as I hated it, I realized I was going to have to buy some gasoline. I was returning from a wonderful dedication service for a new church in North Carolina and the gas needle in my van was creeping toward empty. The price of gasoline at the stations I passed had varied but the lowest price I had seen in many miles was $3.19 a gallon. The Lord kept telling me to wait so I trusted the Lord and watched my needle creep toward that red "E".
    Now I have arrived at a place in the country where gas stations are few and far between. I was listening to a sermon as I traveled so I passed a country gas station without even realizing it until the Holy Spirit jerked my string and told me I had just passed my needed gas. I stopped in the road and looked back at the station. Now I could see a sign advertising gas for $2.99 a gallon. I immediately turned around and got my gas where God had directed.
    Several miles past this station I came to another station which was the last open station on my remaining trip home. Their sign advertised gasoline for $3.19 a gallon. The parking lot of this station was full of cars waiting to get gas. I suddenly wanted to be a "gas evangelist" and stop at this station to tell everyone that if they would simply drive 3 more miles they would save 20 cents per gallon!
    May God help me to always carefully listen to His guidance; and may He help me to be as excited about telling people about Jesus as I was about telling them about cheap gas.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, September 14, 2005

    It is a joy when joy comes to visit. In fact everyone should enjoy joy when it arrives. Sadly, we live in a world where real joy is rarely seen and seldom experienced. People have gotten so accustomed to the artificial laughter of TV until many of them do not know how to enjoy anything that does not have a curse word or a sexual innuendo connected to it.
    Jesus said He gave us His commandments in order that we might have joy. Most people do not connect receiving a commandment with joy. They think joy is the freedom to do what they please without constrains. Once they hear Jesus’ commandment, however, they know how it can bring joy- "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." (John 15:12)
    The Psalmist declared that you go beyond joy into "fullness of joy" when you get into the presence of the Lord (Psalm 16:11). He states that joy becomes complete (full) when you actually begin experiencing a living relationship with Christ.
    The Apostle Jude goes even beyond this. He shows that joy can go to the ultimate stage and become "exceeding joy". This happens when a person is able to stand "faultless before the presence of His glory" (Jude 1:24) because of their abiding faith in the redemptive work of Christ. When there is no guilt and no barriers between people then there is perfect joy.
    It is a joy when joy comes to visit. Is she a guest in your life today?

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, September 20, 2005

    My wife and I had a meeting in Greenville to attend so we left a day early in order to spend some time on our beloved Blue Ridge Parkway. We are both old and out of shape but when we came to the "Devil’s Courthouse" overlook we decided to try the climb one more time. It is a good 20 minute climb that we huffed and puffed and made in 30 minutes!
    When we arrived at the overlook the only other people there was a young couple and their child. We spoke to them and looked at the magnificent view before I took a picture of my wife to prove to my friends and relatives that we had indeed made that climb one more time. The child of the other couple was just beginning to walk and talk and wanted to know everything about everything and especially what I was doing when I took a picture of my wife.
    It was a cute little child with long curly hair so I made a comment about what a cute little girl she was. That is when they informed me "she" was a "he". Open mouth, insert foot!
    We both laughed and made a few comments to each other and enjoyed some fellowship. I thought about it later and realized that in the "Devil’s Courthouse" of life Satan is always trying to get us to see things incorrectly so we will say or do the wrong things and then become ineffective Christians because we are not always perfect.
    A mistake is a mistake. We all make them. Don’t beat up yourself, or others, over the fact that you sometimes call a curly headed boy a little girl. Learn to laugh at yourself and save your energy and efforts for the real problems you face in life.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, September 21, 2005

    Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth are considered two of the most successful baseball players in history yet Ty Cobb was thrown out more times trying to steal than any other man in baseball history and Babe Ruth struck out more times than any man in baseball history. Two of the world’s greatest mathematicians, Albert Einstein and Werner von Braun, both flunked courses in math during their school years. People do not think about the failures these men had, they remember their successes.
    The great apostle Paul had something like this in mind when he wrote these words, (1 Tim 1:12-14) "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus."
    During Paul’s early years he persecuted the church, isolated himself in the desert, and failed to continue a relationship with the man who originally befriended him in the church. He could have allowed these failures to cripple him. Instead, he looked to Christ for forgiveness and strength and became a man greatly used of the Lord. Go and do thou likewise.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, September 27, 2005

    When the Spirit of God came down on that great day of Pentecost it changed ignorant and unlearned fishermen into courageous preachers of the Gospel. Amazingly, when the Bible describes the message given by these Spirit filled men it does not say that they spoke the word of God to the multitude (although the sermon by Peter was based on Psalms 16:15-16 and pointed everyone to the prophecies about the appearance of God’s promised Messiah). The Bible declares that when the Apostles preached to this vast throng of people from many different nations that the people said, "We do hear them speak in our tongues, the wonderful WORKS of God" (Emphasis added).
    Sometimes the best Bible we can use is our testimony about the wonderful works of God in our life. With that in mind, let me share a recent "wonderful work of God".
    Recently one of the Senior Pastors in our mission work in India died unexpectedly of a massive heart attack. After the first few days of numbing shock I began to look past my grief and consider what needed to be done now. One glaring need immediately became obvious, this Pastor left behind a wife and 4 girls. Indian Culture makes it very difficult for this lady, who had never had a job outside of the home, to obtain work. After a time of prayer, my wife and I decided to trust the Lord for $100 per month to give to this family (That is what she would need in Indian economy).
    Now here is the wonderful work of God. The day we obligated to trust God for this $100 per month I received a letter from my insurance company saying they had been overcharging me for a year so they sent me a refund check for slightly over $100- Glory! I’m glad I serve a wonderful God who still does wonderful works.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, September 28, 2005

    Recently someone came to me with some information about something a Pastor’s wife had done that shocked me very badly. I knew this lady and I could not understand why someone of her character would have done what this person said. The person who shared the gossip just wanted me to know the gossip because when I told them to go to the person and make sure their understanding of what had happened was correct they said they did not want to get involved! (As if spreading gossip about a person is not getting involved).
    I investigated the situation and found that the person sharing the gossip had heard only part of the story. Instead of doing a bad thing, this Pastor’s wife was really doing something very good. The gossip was in knowing only part of the details. When you knew the whole story then everything changed.
    A half truth many times ends up being a whole lie. Satan began using this tactic in the garden of Eden and it has been a favorite weapon of evil ever since. People hear something and then jump to a conclusion (usually wrong) based on partial information that causes them to give out wrong information.
    I have a verse I quote to people about situations such as this- "He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him." (Proverbs 18:13). Don’t let your folly be your shame; and don’t let your shame be the wrongful destruction of someone else’s character.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, October 4, 2005

    The Pastor of one of our Free Will Baptist Churches recently told me about his gift to help the Hurricane victims. One of the companies in the town where his church was located said it would match any gifts given to help the Hurricane victims so his church decided to give their gift where this company would double it instead of sending it through the Free Will Baptist State Office. He asked me if that was alright and I simply said, "Glory! Anytime you can double your giving then I am all for it."
    We do not have to wait for a disaster in order to be "double givers". There are many opportunities in our local community where we can "double give" to those in need around us. Determine that every time you buy something new to put in your closet that you will take something out that still has value and give it to someone who could really use it. Every time you are blessed with new clothes then someone else is blessed with new clothes. That’s a double blessing!
    Many grocery stores have 2 for 1 sales from time to time. Use this sale to fill an extra bag with "free" groceries and then share those groceries with a family in your community that is going through a bad time. I know that 2 for 1 means you get items for half price but you would normally pay full price so get two items and count the extra as your contribution to those in need this week.
    There are many opportunities in life to be a "double giver". It just takes looking for ways to help those in need instead of looking down your nose at their plight.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, October 5, 2005

    "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

    I don’t know about you but I love doing something that God loves. And the Bible declares that God loves a cheerful giver. So I want to learn how to be that kind of giver.
    The word "cheerful" is the Greek word "hilaros" from which we get our word "hilarious". When something is hilarious it is more than amusing, it is uproariously funny. So God loves someone who gives with such delight until it does them good all over better than anywhere else!
    How do you give with such delight? Because you know the results of such generous giving- He which sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully. It would be a delight for me to give a generous offering if I knew it would return bountifully to me!!
    You also give with gleeful delight when you give to someone you love for a purpose you really care about. Adam Clarke says "cheerful giving" is giving done for the love of God and for the pity of the poor. It is not a dollar grudgingly given to ease your conscience or impress your neighbors.
    It is more blessed to give than to receive. Give and it shall be given unto you. God loves a cheerful giver. Have a "hilarious" time this week. Open your heart and open your wallet; and then watch God open up the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, October 11, 2005

    "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:26-27)
    I am part of a religious denomination that puts great emphasis on evangelism. We believe that the primary need in the life of an individual is for them to be "born again" and become a child of God. The most discouraging thing to many of our people, however, is the shallowness of the commitment of many of these people. They "come in the front door of the Church and exit the back door" at an alarming rate.
    Another item of concern in the lives of these "converts" is the ease with which they adapt to "church religion" that testifies about loving God but then they gossip about God’s children and split God’s family over the most trivial of issues. They "get religion" but many times the religion does not seem to make a difference in their actions and attitudes.
    The apostle James said that if you really get the good stuff (Pure Religion) then it will manifest itself in the things you don’t say (bridle your tongue), in the thing you do care about (those less fortunate), and in the way you live in society (You will look to better the world around you instead of allowing the world around you to bring you down to its level).
    Right religion changes your heart, your tongue, and the way you look at the world. Don’t settle for anything less.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, October 12, 2005

    ...Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. (Genesis 6:9) (God) spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; (2 Peter 2:5)
    More and more churches go "preacher shopping" when they look for a Pastor. They want to listen to 5 or 6 different men and then try to choose the "perfect preacher" out of that list. What they fail to realize, however, is that preacher have bills to pay and obligations to meet just like anyone else. This generally means that by the time a church gets around to realizing that the preacher they listened to 2 months ago is indeed the best choice for them that this preacher has already been forced to make a decision so he could move his family and pay his bills.
    People tell all kind of jokes about "perfect preachers" but let me share a real eye opening fact. The only preacher in the Bible that is described as "perfect" is Noah. Noah preached for 120 years and was only able to rescue the 8 member of his own family from the flood of God’s judgment. That would not look good on most resumes!
    Just because a preacher meets all your criteria does not mean he can get people in out of the rain! Seek God’s face and then seek God’s man. You may be astonished at the results.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, October 18, 2005

    Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Luke 14:34-35)
    Salt has been an important commodity throughout history. In a world without refrigeration it was the main way to preserve meat. In fact, it was so important until it became a method of paying workers- that is where we got the phrase, "He is not worth his salt".
    Salt was not only used to preserve food, it was also used to flavor food (That is the way we generally think of salt today). And if you do not think salt flavoring food is important then try having a heart attack and going to the hospital where they put you on a salt free food diet!!
    Jesus said that if salt loses its ability to flavor food then it is worthless. He went on to declare that this kind of salt was not even fit for the land (to kill weeds) nor for the dunghill (to destroy waste). That is salt that is surely not worth its salt!
    Jesus uses this statement about the value of salt in the context of a conversation about the influence a person exerts on those around him. He is literally saying that if people do not have a positive influence on their society then they are worthless salt that needs to be cast away. That is a pretty hard statement for the son of God to make about men. No wonder He ends this sermon by stating that if we have ears then we had better use them to hear what He is saying.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, October 19, 2005

    Longevity of life has taught me a few things about prayer. I have learned that God answers prayer on His time schedule; and His schedule is seldom my schedule. I have learned that the answer God gives to prayer often show He is a God with a great sense of humor (It is easy to pray, "Slow me down, Lord" until you see the blue light in your rear view mirror!). I have learned that God often ignores prayers that are silly (Help my team beat another team) or prayers meant to impress people instead of petition God (Isn’t it amazing how many sermons are preached during a prayer!).
    Probably the greatest prayer lesson I have learned, however, is to always pray for God’s will to supercede my wants. It is easy to believe that because I want it then it must be right but having seen God finally give in to my pleading and give me what I requested has taught me that sometimes you get what you want but you don’t want what you get.
    True faith in praying means you not only trust in God’s ability to answer prayer but you also trust in God’s wisdom about the answer to that prayer. Maybe that is why Jesus taught us at the beginning of the "Lord’s Prayer" to say, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven". That moves our prayers from telling God how to run the universe into joining God in His marvelous work- and that makes Christianity an exciting life to live.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, October 25, 2005

    We live in a world full of turmoil. Hurricanes, earthquakes, wild fires, and natural disasters seem to dominate the news right now. And if it is not a report about a natural disaster then it seems that the news is filled with war, murder, bomb threats, or men doing unthinkable things to other men just for the joy of being mean! We almost feel assaulted by the bad news and wonder how we can endure the future with the present so filled with pain and problems.
    In the midst of this chaos and confusion I am glad to report that God is still on the throne and there is still peace available for the child of God. Here are three things that give me emotional strength when life’s problems try to sap my energy.
    I am at peace with circumstances. I cannot control the weather, the wicked, or the warring but I can rest in the fact that "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28). Circumstances are not bigger than God and I can rest in His care regardless of life’s storms.
    I am at peace with Society. I do not have to prove I am the "biggest baddest dude" in town by constant conflict. It is great strength to know I do not have to have great strength since I have a supernatural strength living within me-"Greater is he that is in me that he that is in the world" (I John 4:4).
    I am at peace with my Savior. "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21). I don’t fret life and I don’t fear death because I belong to the one who gives life and has conquered death. That provides emotional strength that is enough for anything life throws my way!

Miracle Message for Wednesday, October 26, 2005

    I recently spend a lot of time in the hospital with my sick mother. One of the good things about this bad time was the good coffee at the hospital concession stand. The problem I have is that I was drinking so much coffee until it started to develop a bitter taste. That is when I noticed the bottle of honey beside the coffee creamer. Normally I drink my coffee with just a little cream but I decided to add a little honey in order to cut the coffee bitterness.
    One thing became immediately obvious when I started using honey; prepare to wash your hands after you handle the honey jar. It seemed I always got a little honey on my hand and that hand was sticky until I could get somewhere to wash the honey off.
    Hospitals are bad places in a good way! They are full of sick people who need healing, help, and relief from pain. As I walked down the hall of the hospital with my good coffee and my honey sticky hand I began to think about ways I could be honey to the sick people all around me. I began to pray for God to help me relieve the bitterness that had come into the lives of these people because of physical problems and to fill me so full of His goodness and grace until everyone I contacted in the Hospital would get a "touch of honey" from His overflowing love in my heart.
    I trust that you will make it your prayer today that you might touch the people around you with a "touch of honey" from the heart of God.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, November 1, 2005

    It is easy for a Minister to spend so much time with his ministry until he fails to spend time with his master! The urgent cries of his sheep, the endless crisis of his congregation, and the constant need to find sermon material every time he reads his Bible causes many Pastors to have shallow meaningless devotions.
    How can you tell if a Minister’s devotional life is inadequate? First of all, he is tried all the time- "They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31). Many Pastors burn the candle at both ends and seldom get the necessary refreshment and renewal that comes from sitting at the feet of Jesus on a regular basis.
    Secondly, a Minister’s failure in his devotional life is exposed by shallow preaching and bitter attitudes. When a man does not get a message from the Lord he then must warm the left overs in his heart and try to make a delicious sermon out of "3 day old chicken". Because the message is man made instead of God given then it has no power to change lives and encourage people. Unwilling to admit his failure, many Minsters will turn on their people and blame them with a bitter attitude when the ministry fails because the sheep don’t thrive on husk.
    One of the first lessons learned in the early church was that Ministers must not leave their time in the Word of God in order to serve tables. There are a multitude of things that need to be done but spending time with God is something that must be done if you are to survive as a Pastor and as a person.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, November 2, 2005

    Sadly, sometimes it is possible to pray and read the Bible and walk away from your devotion time with the same cold heart you had when you entered into your personal time with the Lord. You went thru the motions of devotion but you never warmed your heart at the fire of God’s presence. You marked "have devotion" off your daily schedule of events but it not impact your day in a positive way.
    How do you change your motion of devotion into a meaningful time with the Lord? First of all, bring your mind as well as your body to your devotions. One of the devil’s weapons is to throw darts of distractions at you during your quite time. Jesus said we need to enter into a "prayer closet" where our minds can focus on Him instead of all our daily details.
    Secondly, determine to warm your heart instead of read your chapters. God is more interested in meeting with you on a personal level than He is in your bragging about the number of chapters you read. Listen for God’s voice as you read God’s word.
    Don’t go thru the motion of devotion. Your daily appointment with God is the most important time you spend in any day. Come before God’s presence with all your heart, soul, mind, body, and strength and enter into your day with the fullness of Joy that only comes from a close encounter with God.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, November 8, 2005

    The Bible lists many specific sins and people generally think of sin in the terms of particular actions. It is impossible, however, to list every thing that would be a sin in every situation so the Bible gives us several principles that give God’s definition of sin. And, since God will be the ultimate judge, these definitions are the ones we need to know.
    1) Dismissing Personal Belief- And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:23 ). If you think something is a sin then it is a sin to you because it violates your concept of God’s authority in your life.
    2) Dishonoring God’s Character- For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Rom 3:23). Sinful actions are those things that obviously violate the conduct required by God.
    3) Disregarding Society’s Needs- Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. (James 4:17) Albert Barnes in his commentary on this verse says it far better that I can say it- "The highest privilege conferred on a mortal, besides that of securing the salvation of his own soul, is that of doing good to others--of alleviating sorrow, instructing ignorance, raising up the bowed down, comforting those that mourn, delivering the wronged and the oppressed, supplying the wants of the needy, guiding inquirers into the way of truth, and sending liberty, knowledge, and salvation around the world. If a man does not do this when he has the means, he sins against his own soul, against humanity, and against his Maker; if he does it cheerfully and to the extent of his means, it likens him more than anything else to God."

Miracle Message for Wednesday, November 9, 2005

    Both incidents happened on the same day and both reminded me again of how important it is for me to maintain a consistent Christian testimony in every area of my life. The first incident happened when I walked into the hospital a little after seven in the morning. Because I have my ministerial badge, I normally just wave at the receptionist and go about my visitation. This morning the receptionist called me over and said the security guard wanted to know why I was late! That morning I had stopped to get gas and so I arrived at the hospital about 15 minutes later than normal. It had not dawned on me that the security guard and the receptionist had become so familiar with my routine until they knew if I was running late.
    Later, I went by the hospital coffee stand for a cup of coffee. When I stepped up to the counter the clerk already had my coffee waiting for me just like I like it. The person behind me told the clerk that I must be special to receive service without telling her what I wanted!
    Sometimes Christians are fooled into believing their "religious" life and their "normal" life are separate sections. I hope these incidents will remind them that the details of our daily walk with the Lord are under observation at all times and people watch how we live our Christianity in the work place as well as the worship house.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, November 15, 2005

    We had just finished basic training in Great Lakes, Illinois and I was headed back to South Carolina for a short leave before being shipped out for a tour of duty in Viet Nam. The father of one of the friends I had made in boot camp owned a taxi cab company in North Carolina. He had arranged to purchase a new cab from a Chicago dealer and several of us were going to drive it back to North Carolina in order to save the cost of bus fare.
    We left after graduation Friday and drove all night. Just at daybreak Saturday morning, we were crossing the fog shrouded river bridge between Ohio and Kentucky. Suddenly, a truck came barreling out of the fog and it was on our side of the road! I don't know if the driver was asleep or drunk but he was headed straight for us and we couldn't do a thing. At the very last moment, the truck swerved away from us, bounced off the curbing on the other side of the road and continued on it's way. My friend and I just looked at each other in stunned silence; knowing we had escaped death my inches. If my friend would have jerked the wheel or swerved to avoid the truck we would have crashed. Only the fact that he kept a straight line preserved us.
    Life throws many things your way. It's easy to panic and go all to pieces. The best advice I can give you is to keep a straight line by keeping your eyes on God. He sees the "trucks" coming your way long before you do. Just keep on the straight path with God and let him take care of everything.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, November 16, 2005

    Cold weather has arrived. One way that we know this is true is because the mice have once again tried to take up abode in our home. My wife is a "Princess". A Princess does not like mice, especially in her home, so I have put out my arsenal of mouse traps. So far we have fared pretty well in decreasing the mouse population of our part of the world.
    Recently, one of those "smart mice" has been playing with my traps. He has been eating the pecans I put out for bait without tripping the trap. Something like this generally happens each year and the outcome is always the same. This mice may run back to his buddies and tell them about all the free food he is getting and what a great situation he has found but every year I always end up throwing out another dead mouse after a few times of resetting the traps.
    When the Apostle Paul talked about preaching in such a way until "they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." (2Ti 2:26) I think he had someone like this misled mouse in mind. Many people think they can play with sin, enjoy the bait, and never get caught but all too late they learn that the bait was put out for a reason.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, November 22, 2005

    This is a hard article to write. It is absolutely true but it "preaches a lot easier than it lives!". Like you, I live in a fleshly body that craves comfort and ease and finds sickness and trouble hard to accept. Yet, the Bible is very clear in stating that much good can come to our testimony and our life from faithfully enduring trials and troubles.
    This Thanksgiving season as you endure your troubles and listen to others boast about being blessed with perfect health and abundant wealth just realize that you may be more blessed in your trouble than these boasters could ever imagine. It is certainly not wrong to thank the Lord for His care and provision but it is also necessary to remember that troubles are not a sign that God has forgotten or forsaken you. It is just that sometimes He can develop us more with sickness than He can with silver.
    Afflictions cause us to be faithful in our walk with the Lord- "Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word." (Psalms 119:67)
    Troubles can develop us into someone with a great testimony for the Lord who will bring great honor to our God- "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;" (2 Corinthians 4:16-17)
    Enduring tribulation enables us to be a help to others- "Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." (2 Corinthians 1:4)

Miracle Message for Wednesday, November 23, 2005

    I would guess that the least read chapter in the Bible is the 119^th Psalm. It is the longest chapter in the Bible with 176 verses to be read before you can put a mark by "read a chapter" on your devotional list. Interestingly, the longest chapter in the Bible (Psalm 119) and the shortest chapter in the Bible (Psalm 117) are separated by the middle chapter of the Bible (Psalm 118).
    As we approach the Thanksgiving season the message of Psalm 119 is very important. It can be summed up in one verse- "Incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness." (Psalm 119:36). Throughout this Psalm the writer exalts the word of God and the commandments of God, instead of the gold of this world, as his ultimate goal. He realizes that understanding and applying the commandments of God to his life is worth more to him than the accumulation of possessions.
    Most people who thank God this Thanksgiving season will talk about being thankful for health or wealth. Few will talk about the great privilege we have to read and study the eternal Word of God. Yet, a million years from now, as we walk on streets of gold with our new glorified disease free bodies it will be the Word of God that will be the center of our conversation and the object of our praise. Shouldn’t it be our priority today?

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, November 29, 2005

    Satan tries his best to destroy, discourage, or defeat people. He is out to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). His greatest weapon is his tongue. As soon as a trouble or trial comes into a person’s life Satan will immediately tell them to doubt God’s love and care. This is exactly how he defeated Eve in the Garden and how he tried to defeat Christ at the beginning of His ministry.
    Sometimes it is best to let God speak for Himself. If you ever have a reason to question God’s Love in your life remember these words that the Holy Spirit inspired the apostle Paul to write- Romans 8:31-39
    What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
    Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
    Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, November 30, 2005

    Sometimes life seems to come at you like you were a blind man walking through a battle field- Bombs drop on you from above, mines explode under you, bullets wiz by you, and tanks run over you! Like the blind man, you are in the dark about what life is bringing your way so it seems that you get clobbered from every side.
    The good news about Christianity is that Jesus came to give sight to blinded eyes and show you the path of life that is abundant instead of abusive. When you become a follower of Christ the heavenly light shines in your soul and the Holy Spirit warns you about incoming or impending dangers so you can avoid them when possible and survive them when necessary.
    Christ did not promise to immediately take us out of life’s battlefields but, as the good shepherd, He did say He would guide us into peaceful places and guard us from the enemies attacks. Satan may still throw fiery darts at a Christian but Jesus has promised that the shield of Faith will quench those darts and help us to be more than conquerors through Him that loved us.
    Don’t stumble around in the dark like a blind man on a battle field. Come to the Light of the World and discover the difference it makes in your life when you walk in the sunshine of God’s love instead of waiting for a mine to go off under your feet at any moment.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, December 6, 2005

    "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law," (Galatians 4:4)
    I had numerous things that I planned to do on my way to work so I left a little early. As I traveled, however, the Holy Spirit kept telling me to put off several of the odd jobs I wanted to accomplish. I kept thinking that I sure did need to get these done this morning since I knew I would not have time to do any of them when I left work. Finally, the Spirit said I needed to go to work right now so I stopped everything and went directly to work.
    As I drove up in the parking lot another vehicle drove up beside me and we both exited our vehicles at the same time. The person in the other vehicle was from a sign company and he had come to change the sign beside our office building. As soon as I got out of my van he looked at me and spoke to me. Wonder of wonders, he was a man I had talked to in a church in another part of the state several months before. Because of this "chance" meeting I was once again able to talk to him about his relationship with the Lord.
    Had I been a minute earlier I would have been in the building when he came up. Had I been a minute later he would have already been up the sign and probably not recognized me. The Holy Spirit knew exactly the time I needed to arrive at work in order to share Christ with this man.
    The Bible declares that Jesus was born at exactly the right time, in exactly the right place, under exactly the right circumstances. What a great God we serve as He guides so many details so that they are timed just perfect.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, December 7, 2005

    Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the president said that December 7^th was a day that would live in Infamy. This meant that it would always be a day of remembering a world changing event. Sadly, most people are so busy trying to get Christmas over before Christmas until they only recognize December 7^th as the day that should conclude their Christmas shopping or bring their main Christmas parties to an end. A newscaster may mention the history of the day in passing but for most people it is just another busy December day.
    I had the privilege of living in Hawaii for a little over 3 years. Infamy day was a big day in Hawaii. Too many monuments about the devastation of that day exist on the island to allow people to forget the horror of that Sunday morning surprise attack. For the People of Hawaii, Infamy Day is a day that must be remembered because what happened on that day is too important to forget.
    People in the United States have become so busy fighting about what can or cannot be said about Christmas in public until they have forgotten how important it was that the Son of God would become a baby in a manager. How terribly sad it will be when December 25^th, like December 7^th, simply becomes another day of busy activity on our December calendar.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, December 13, 2005

    For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
    For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)
    This Christmas season give the gift that keeps on giving- share with someone the wonderful news that Jesus was born in a manager to die on a cross in order that lost men and women could be born again into the family of God. Don’t get so busy with the symbolic gifts you are giving until you miss the real gift that was given on that first Christmas Day. Here is a simple "ABC" method that will help you give the greatest gift anyone could receive this Christmas, eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.
    First, get the person you are talking with to Admit they have broken God laws. This is called sin and all of us are guilty of sinful behavior. Secondly, ask the person if they Believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came to earth to die as a payment for the sin debt of mankind. Finally, lead the person to Commit their life to God with full faith that if they call upon the Lord in faith then God will forgive them of their sins and enable them to live an abundant life as a child of God.
    There are many gifts you can give this Christmas but none will be more needful or more meaningful than sharing the gift of eternal life through faith in Christ. And the good news is that it is the perfect "fit" for every person and is within the budget of every giver.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, December 14, 2005

    What would you do if God asked you to take care of His son for a few years? Normally it is parents who ask God to take care of their children. What would happen if the "tables were turned" and God entrusted the care of His son to you? I think after the initial heart attack I would really do a lot of praying!
    I can only imagine what Joseph must have felt when the angel told him that he was to be the earthly father of the son of God. No wonder that conversation began with "fear not". I know I would have been "sacred to death!".
    How did Joseph feel each night as he prayed to God to help him take care of God! What was it like to try to teach the word of God to the Word of God? When do you tell the son of God to stop crying like a baby and act like a man? How do you tell the light of the world to blow out his candle and go to sleep? What would it be like to tell the creator of the universe that the bench he was building was not being built correctly?
    Living with God is a challenge. I know because it is something I have been doing since I asked Jesus into my heart over 43 years ago.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, December 20, 2005

    As I took my morning shower recently I realized that I was taking a shower in a different city on 4 consecutive days. I travel many miles each year in my work for the Lord and I focus on the "business" of Christian ministry almost all the time. The amazing thing, however, is that I, like you, find myself so busy at Christmas until I don’t really have time for Christmas.
    One of the most astonishing incidents in the story of the Birth of Jesus is found when the wise men stopped in Jerusalem as they searched for the Christ Child. When they asked King Herod where Christ was to be born the king called for the main religious leaders of the country. These spiritual leaders immediately told the king that the Bible declared Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. It is only 8 miles from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. These religious leaders were so busy being religious until they did not take time to go see the new born Son of God even though he was only 8 miles away!
    The shepherds left their sheep in order to worship the newborn Son of God. The wise men left their country in order to bring gifts to the new born King. How far am I willing to go? Do I think tending my sheep is more important than visiting with the shepherd? Am I more interested in giving the right present to a child who has everything than I am in giving my gold and frankincense, and myrrh to the Son of God? If the wise men knocked on my door would I travel the 8 miles with them to Bethlehem?

Miracle Message for Wednesday, December 21, 2005

    It had been a long day of travel and church services and my wife said after the Evening Service that she just wanted to get a burger and go back to our motel and relax. There was a burger place right beside our motel so we decided to stop there and get our meal. When we walked into the building there was only one person there and he was walking out. As we passed him he looked at us very serious and said, "Good luck on getting any good food here."
    I may have been born at night but it wasn't last night so we decided to try another burger place right down the street. When we walked into "Mickey D's" and started to order our meal someone walked up and said to order anything we wanted and they would pay for it. Looking around in surprise we found that it was a couple from the church where I had just preached. How great it was that God had directed us to a place where He could give us good food for free!
    As I read the story about the birth of Jesus Christ I see over and over the directing hand of God. It is wonderful to know that the same God who directed wise men and shepherds is the same God working in my life and circumstances today. I pray that you will also see God at work in your life this Christmas as He guides and provides.

Lessons for Living for Tuesday, December 27, 2005

    We are about to embark on a new year with all of its potentials and problems. Christians can expect that an ungodly society, led by an increasingly hostile anti-Christian sector, will continue to attack everything that is godly and right. The sweet days of Christianity where Christians were loved, Church activities were honored, and God was respected have gone the way of the ten cent coke.
    In the upside down world of modern American society one ungodly person who is offended by anything that is right has more authority in our courts than multitudes of people who still believe in decency, order, and righteousness. If one crazy person can hire one crooked lawyer who can find one corrupt judge then that person’s opinion suddenly is more important than all the wants and desires of an entire community.
    Pastor Robert Morgan said, "Success is simply going from one obstacle to another without losing your enthusiasm!" Christians will need to remember that in these last days in which we live. When it appears that Satan is winning all the battles and it would be easy to give up and quit trying just remember that God has called us to be "Christian Corks"; always bobbing back to the top no matter what drags us down.
    Satan may win a few battles but I have read the end of the Book and God has already won the war- Glory! Just remember that Jesus said when we saw the world becoming self centered and anti-God to lift up our eyes because our redemption was drawing near. That should put a perk in any cork’s bobble.

Miracle Message for Wednesday, December 28, 2005

    Letters are formed from wiggly lines that make certain shapes. Words are formed from wiggly line letters that group together. Sentences are simply wiggly line words that join together to express a thought.
    The difference between one letter and another letter is simply the way the wiggly lines mold into their shape. If all the wiggly lines were straightened out then they would all look alike and we would never be able to know what they were trying to say.
    A new year is upon us. Each day will be the same twenty four hours but each day will be different because of the twists and turns that life’s circumstances and situations will bring our way. If every day was the same straight line then life would be boring beyond belief. It is the "wiggly lines" of the ups and downs of life that speak to us and allow us to experience the triumph of joy and the sorrow of sadness.
    The biblical song writer said, "This is the day the Lord has make. We will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24). Life is an adventure. Each new day is another opportunity to experience or to show God’s love and mercy. Just remember that it is what happens when life gets wiggly that communicates to those around you who you really are and how much God impacts your life.