Picked up the March '13 papers Wednesday night in McComb... I was too tired to tackle the Devotional when I got home and my feet hit the floor running this morning, no time this morning either... It is a good thing that I was so tired last night, I don't believe I would have picked today's Devotional... God see sin as sin, there are no little sins, no big sins, Just Sin... How ofter we overlook the so called little sins in our lives... YES, I too am guilty... This is why I say, I might have overlooked this one last night...
I added Friday's Devotional at the bottom... I need to get a nap before I tackle my delivery tonight...
Happy Reading,
Richard
It's The Little Things!
"Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom." - Song of Songs 2:15
Many Christians treat sin as some people treat extreme weather. They feel invincible and don't perceive it as a threat. Consequently, they aren't prepared to meet each day as it comes. Their quiet time takes a back seat to hurried morning preparations and the rush to get to work; they begin to compromise their values here and there. Over a period of time, their spiritual life degenerates into nothing.
In Isaiah 17:4, we read a sobering prophecy: "In that day the glory of Jacob will fade; the fat of his body will waste away." God was saying what would happen to His people because they had turned their backs on Him. The glory of Jacob was numerical strength. But God said this glory was going to fade slowly away like the body of a person with a lingering disease. Little by little, sin would take its toll until finally the nation would be nothing but skin and bones. In Isaiah 17:10, God's assessment of the cause is clear: "You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress." They had left their first love!
Are there little things in your life that fails to bring honor to God? Are there areas of compromise that have begun to undermine your walk with Him? If so, bring them to the Lord and seek His forgiveness and restoration. The time to deal with it is now. If you wouldn't think of walking in winter without a coat or hiking in the desert without a canteen of water, don't begin your day without a time of personal fellowship with the Lord. It really is a matter of spiritual life or death.
Prayer
"Lord, search me and bring to mind the little things that prevent me from walking with You. Amen."
Is there any "little" thing you are doing, or perhaps some subtle thing you are tolerating in your environment, that has compromised your walk with God?
I encourage you TODAY, to turn your eyes upon Jesus and LIVE in His Glory and Grace! Give Jesus FIRST PLACE in your life.
Have Thine Own Way, Lord
Have Thine own way, Lord
Have Thine own way
Thou are the potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
After Thy will
While I am waiting
Yielded and still
Have Thine own way, Lord
Have Thine own way
Search me and try me
Master today
Whiter than snow, Lord
Wash me just now
As in Thy presence
Humbly I bow
Have Thine own way, Lord
Have Thine own way
Wounded and weary
Help me I pray
Power all power surely is Thine
Touch me and heal me
Savior divine
Daily Smile:
“How did school go today? a mother asked her little boy. “Fine”, the little fellow replied. “We had a new teacher and she wanted to know if I had any brothers and I told her I was an only child”.
What did she say?” his mother asked.
“The teacher said, “Thank goodness”
In The News:
Tim Tebow Cancels Appearance at Jeffress' First Baptist Church
New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow announced on Thursday that he had canceled his scheduled appearance to speak at First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas, led by Pastor Robert Jeffress, whom some in the media are decrying as "anti-gay," the Christian Post reports. Though not being specific about his reasoning, Tebow posted on Facebook: "While I was looking forward to sharing a message of hope and Christ's unconditional love with the faithful members of the historic First Baptist Church of Dallas in April, due to new information that has been brought to my attention, I have decided to cancel my upcoming appearance. I will continue to use the platform God has blessed me with to bring Faith, Hope and Love to all those needing a brighter day. Thank you for all of your love and support. God Bless!" Prior to his cancellation, gay activist bloggers and some mainstream media broadcasters and reporters were questioning Tebow's decision to appear with Jeffress, whom some consider controversial. "Tebow's peace-and-love message could be tested by the megachurch's evangelical Christian pastor, the Rev. Robert Jeffress," a New York Daily News writer said. Recently, Jeffress responded to criticism that he leads a "hate-spewing" ministry after the news broke that Tebow would be a guest at his church. "We have been mischaracterized and misquoted as being a hate-spewing church," Jeffress said. "For us to simply say that Jesus Christ offers salvation to anyone who believes in him, and that sex should be between a man and woman and marriage, that that should be considered hate speech, I don't understand that. It really shows you not that the Word of God has changed, but society has changed."
Barna: Evangelical Movie-Going Habits Surprisingly High
According to a new survey of American adults by the Barna Group, faith determines a person's movie-going habits more than almost any other demographic factor except age -- especially if you're an evangelical Christian, Christianity Today reports. Evangelicals reported seeing an average of 2.7 movies in theaters last year, an average bigger than any of the age groups except those aged 18 to 28, who saw an average of 3.4 movies. The evangelical average is a full movie more than the national adult average, and just shy of the average of 3 films seen by those professing no religion. Large numbers of evangelicals turned out to see summer blockbusters like "The Avengers" (42 percent of evangelicals reported seeing it) and "The Hunger Games" (36 percent). Fewer evangelicals reported seeing "Skyfall" (12 percent), "Argo" (3 percent) and "Lincoln" (3 percent).
GOP Lawmakers Join Hobby Lobby's Contraception Fight
Nearly a dozen Republican lawmakers have joined the legal fight against the Obamacare contraception mandate, CBN News reports. Nine senators and two House members challenged the mandate by formally backing arts-and-crafts chain Hobby Lobby, whose owners filed a lawsuit against the government, saying the mandate required them to choose between their Christian beliefs and providing insurance for abortion-inducing drugs. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, led the group of lawmakers in filing a "friend of the court" brief on Hobby Lobby's behalf. "Religious freedom is an issue our country was founded on, and it's not a Democrat or Republican issue," Hatch said. "Unfortunately, the Obama administration has time and time again ignored calls to stop the implementation of a policy some organizations or businesses are morally opposed to." Hobby Lobby is among the few corporations not granted temporary relief from the mandate by the courts.
Benedict XVI's Poll Numbers Can't Match John Paul II's
Pope Benedict XVI never inspired the deep love and admiration enjoyed by his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, but Americans -- and American Catholics even more so -- still look favorably upon the soon-to-be-former head of the Roman Catholic Church, the Religion News Service reports. A new Washington Post/ABC News poll also shows that nearly two in three Americans (64 percent) strongly approve of the pope's unexpected decision earlier this month to retire because of his failing health. More than half (54 percent) of Americans and three-quarters of Catholic Americans look favorably upon Benedict, who will retire on Feb. 28. Before he died in 2005, John Paul's positive ratings were higher: 67 percent among all Americans, and 87 percent of American Catholics. John Paul was also more popular than his church, but the current pope is not: 62 percent of Americans look favorably upon the church today, according to the poll. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, in its new poll of American Catholics, also found that John Paul's favorability ratings eclipsed Benedict's. Among other findings, a solid majority of U.S. Catholics (58 percent) told Pew researchers that they hope the next pope will permit priests to marry, and 46 percent hoped the new pope would take the church in "new directions." A slim majority (51 percent) want him to "maintain traditional positions."
HAPPY FRIDAY
Can God Be Trusted?
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. - Psalm 32:7
As I've talked with people and listened to their prayers, many of them are concerned with seemingly impossible situations: long-term unemployment, terminal illnesses, rebellious and estranged children... and on and on it goes!
... These are real issues in today's world. The international scene is filled with chaos, hate, and mistrust. There seems to be no power on earth that can turn things around to bring about peace and tranquillity. It all seems overwhelming. And it is, except for God.
In Isaiah 36, we find that King Sennacherib of Assyria had captured all the fortified cities of Judah and then laid siege to Jerusalem. He sent his field commander to call for King Hezekiah's surrender because, humanly speaking, there was no way Hezekiah and his people could survive.
Notice Hezekiah's reaction in 37:1,20: "He tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the Lord...and Hezekiah prayed, 'Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O Lord, are God.'" God answered Hezekiah's prayer in a miraculous way... out of Hid divine love for man!
Can God be trusted? Listen to Hebrews 13:5 from the Amplified Bible: "For He (God) Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless, nor forsake nor let [you] down.'" YES, God CAN always be trusted ... MAN often times will fail us, but God is ever-FAITHFUL, for God is LOVE! Would that all Christians "be also all about love"! ... never about hate, especially towards the brethren!
Prayer
"Lord, nothing is too hard for YOU. Yes, Your Grace is sufficient ... when man comes against me with hate, I will cast mine eyes upon YOU and LIVE in your Glory and Grace!" Amen.
When life gets overwhelming, I always have the choice to go before God in prayer and cast myself on His mercy and strength.... my weakness is made perfect in His strength! Nevertheless, I cry out to my Lord, Jesus, "Please, Oh Lord, why is man so wicked? ... even many Christians? Why, Why, Why... Why is there so much hate in this world, even right here in Bogalusa!" ...
This one thing I am certain of... we will each of us one day stand before Jesus and give account of every hateful action we heaped upon your chosen ones...
Daily Smile:
A Texas rancher was driving through Mexico and stopped at the edge of the road to admire the scenery and a white beautiful horse caught his eye. The horse looked healthy well kept and was in a separate corral. Just for tries the Texan asked one of the workers if the horse was for sale.
The worker trying to communicate said “No, no, he no look to good.”
The Texan was not satisfied with the answered because he saw that the animal looked great and insisted on buying it, after a few arguments the worker arranged for the sale and the Texan took the horse back to his ranch. He rode the horse through his ranch and galloped to the barn when suddenly the horse ran right into the barn wall. Frustrated the Texan takes the horse back to Mexico and talks to the worker that sold him the horse and explains what happened.
The worker said, “I told you he no look to good”
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