Happy Friday

Your Default Setting

 Dr. Thomas Steele

Today’s Passage:  Psalm 1:1 – “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

 

Devotional Thought: Why does the Bible have so many warnings against wrong behavior?  For example, why doesn’t our passage say, “Blessed is the man that walks after God and His law”?  It is because everything that we become and will become as a child of God is contrary to our default setting.  Because we were born in sin, our default setting is to sin.  When you look at our passage for today, it sounds pretty bad, but it is just the formula for getting ahead in today’s world.  If you were a contestant on “The Apprentice”, following this formula just might get you a job in Trumps empire.  The counsel of the ungodly is called shrewd business advice in today’s world.  Standing in the way of sinners is simply hanging out at the same bars as the movers and shakers.  Then sitting in the seat of the scornful is simply taking advantage of your competition’s weaknesses.  So, you see, the Bible lets us see what many are doing through God’s eyes and to God, it isn’t just getting ahead.  Although this kind of behavior might get someone a position in Trump’s empire, it won’t get you anywhere in God’s Kingdom.  Yet, when we do what verse 2 says to do, we can keep from falling back to our default setting.  If you do nothing, you will sin.  If you diligently pursue God’s Word, it will keep you from sin.  Besides, wouldn’t you rather be God’s apprentice than Donald Trumps?

Action Point:  Start every day with one verse that you can meditate on throughout the day.  As a matter of fact, this verse makes a great meditation verse. 

 

 The Ole Rugged Cross

1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
   The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
   And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
   For a world of lost sinners was slain.
   • Refrain:
     So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
     Till my trophies at last I lay down;
     I will cling to the old rugged cross,
     And exchange it some day for a crown.
2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
   Has a wondrous attraction for me;
   For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
   To bear it to dark Calvary.
3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
   A wondrous beauty I see,
   For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
   To pardon and sanctify me.
4. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
   Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
   Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
   Where His glory forever I’ll share.

Daily Smile:
An old man is talking to his friends. He says, “I’ve got my health, everything is fine, my mind, knock wood… who’s there?

In The News:

Student Punished for Exposing Vandals of Pro-Life Display
The leader of DePaul University's Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) chapter is fighting charges that he intimidated 13 students who vandalized a pro-life display, WORLD News Service reports. After the students confessed to the crime, Kristopher Del Campo released their names to the public. School officials charged Del Campo with "disorderly, violent, intimidating or dangerous behavior to self or others" and violating the school's judicial process by sending the names of the vandals to the national YAF organization, which posted the list on its blog. Del Campo is appealing the charges.

North Dakota Second State to Pass Bill Criminalizing Abortions After Heartbeat is Detected
Legislators in North Dakota have passed one of the strictest abortion bans in the nation, criminalizing any abortionist that kills a baby after a heartbeat is detected, the Christian News Network reports. Senators voted to approve the "Heartbeat Bill" Friday, sending the legislation to Republican Gov. Jack Dalrymple for signing. Dalrymple, who is pro-life, has not yet indicated whether he will sign the bill into law. According to reports, the bill would require any abortionist in the state to check for a fetal heartbeat, which can be detected by medical equipment as early as 12 weeks -- though fetal development experts state that an infant's heart begins beating just 20-25 days after conception. If the abortionist performs an abortion despite the existence of a heartbeat, he or she would face felony charges and could spend up to five years in prison and/or pay up to $5,000 in fines. The mother would not face any criminal charges. The bill includes exceptions for the physical impairment or death of the mother, but no exceptions for rape or incest. "The images and heartbeat from the womb provide strong and overwhelming evidence of -- at the very least -- potential life," said Sen. Spencer Berry, a sponsor of the bill. "And we have been instructed by the Supreme Court to protect that very potential." North Dakota becomes the second state in the nation to pass the "Heartbeat Bill"; legislators in Arkansas voted the week prior to override the veto of their Democratic governor and make the bill state law.