- MONDAY -

Good morning forever family,

The first chapter of Paul's letter to the Colossians is an amazing truth.  Verses 15-20 in the NIV is called "The supremacy of the Son of God".  I love Colossians as it lays to rest the idea that the cults love to push... the idea that Jesus was just a good man.  Cults are alive and well in America because they are doing the work of Satan.  The answer is, and always has been, the word of God.  If we pay attention to all of Scripture we will have a firm solid foundation for a vibrant and accurate faith.  The Christ follower who knows God's word well is simply not easily fooled by any false teacher, or cult.

God's desire is that we KNOW His desire for us.  Communication with Him in prayer.  Reading His word every day, and attending a strong bible-believing church are all keys to being secure in knowing God and His will for us.  "The supremacy of the Son of God" 

¹⁵ The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.   Colossians 1:15-20 NIV 

One of most interesting verses above is verse 17.  He holds all things together.  I once heard a scientist explain this verse down to the level of the atom.  When we split the atom we see a great release of power (think atomic bomb).  It makes us start to understand the power it takes to hold all things together! 

While I started this devotion this morning telling about how we can know God by His word I must say that even His word cannot fully describe a few things about our Lord.  Such things like His LOVE, His JUSTICE, His POWER cannot be fully understood by our human minds.  I'm actually blessed to know that His love, for instance, is deeper than I can even imagine. 

Think about that today as you navigate through your day!

Be blessed, be a blessing, 

Randy

- TUESDAY -

Good morning forever family,

Within the ministry we get to do Jackie and I see a lot of idolatry.  It's something that happens primarily with those who are addicted to anything.  An idol, of course, is anything that we place above God.  An addict won't agree with that, however on closer examination it proves true.  For instance the addict may or may not go to church on Sunday.  However they will each day, or many times a day, go to their drug, alcohol, or other habit. 

Beyond this an idol by definition may be any object or even a person who has more importance in our hearts than God.  Last year in a sermon Pastor Brandon called the human heart an "Idol factory".   As I thought about what he said I can remember fighting concern that I too have a tendency to create idols out of material things I let have too much importance in my life.  Things like good touring motorcycles back in the day.  Or, even relationships after my 42 year marriage ended when my spouse abandoned it.

We can place too much importance on most anything.  I know a friend who restores cars and one car, I believe, has become an idol to him.  I have seen people who place far too much importance on what others think of them on Facebook.  Whatever we place above God is an idol.  All that means is that the one thing we cannot place too much importance of is GOD.

So all this is to say that we have to have a set of priorities in life.  That would be...

#1. GOD

#2. Spouse

#3. Children and the rest of family.

Under these is the rest.  Church.  Ministry.  Work.  And, all other things.

Absolutely nothing ever gets above God.

Scripture gives plenty of basis for this... 

³ “You shall have no other gods before me.  Exodus 20:3 NIV

⁸ “I am the Lord; that is my name!
    I will not yield my glory to another
    or my praise to idols.  Isaiah 42:8 NIV 

I hope God is at the top of your priority list!

Be blessed, be a blessing,

Randy

- WEDNESDAY -

Good morning forever family,

This Verse for Today was first sent out 10/30/2015. Check out this old post.

I received an up lifting email from our brother in Christ, Jerome from Baton Rouge LA.  Although I've never met Jerome I have enjoyed working with him and his company over the years. 

His email had this story in it and the theme was that we need to pay attention to all people and never miss an opportunity to help someone, anyone, in need.  In doing so we are fulfilling the desire of God to be His hands and feet in a world with growing needs.  I call this story a “God appointment”. 

One night, at 11:30 pm., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rain storm.  Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride.  Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.  A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960's.  The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.  She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him.  Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home.  A special note was attached.   It read… 

"Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night.  The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits.  Then you came along.  Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's' bedside just before he passed away... 

God Bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."

 Sincerely,
 Mrs. Nat King Cole.   

Thank you Jerome for this reminder!

My mind went to this Scripture and how it pleased God to use it to explain righteous action as He used it as a lesson for all. 

30 Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. 31 And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, 34 and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ 36 Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” 37 And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”  Luke 10:30-37 NASB 

Be blessed, Be a blessing,
Randy

- THURSDAY -

Good morning forever family,

I never cease to be amazed at the foolishness of anti-religious bias.  The Ivory league towers of "lower learning" like Harvard and Columbia University are battling our current President over antisemitism.  Jewish students are being threatened while the terror organization Hamas that murdered over 1200 people (primarily Jews) on October 7th 2023 is being supported. 

The age old battle against Jesus is incredible.  That means to me it has no credibility.  Ever since I put my trust in Jesus as my Lord and Savior I have studied how Jesus' heart has always been for the poor.  The "down and out".  The ones with issues, sicknesses and hurts.  The foolishness of those opposed to Jesus just shows the blackness of their hearts.  They are actually pawns of Satan.

This battle is an old one.  It started with the fall of Lucifer.  I believe this is explained in Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14.  This created Angel rebelled against God, was full of pride, He wanted to be above God and was thrown down to earth along with his followers (demons).  His name was changed to Satan (adversary, accuser) and has been battling God and His people ever since.  His destiny is spelled out.  He will be bound in a pit at Christ's second coming for 1000 years during Jesus' millennial reign (Revelation 20:3) and eventually thrown into the lake of fire with all his demons (Matthew 25:41).

So, you see the hatred that is spewed out against God, Christ the Son, and all His followers is not something new.  I agree it is growing (according to the Voice of the Martyrs), but it is certainly not new.  We are in a very old battle.

For myself and most all believers the evil is so clear to see.  Check this account of Jesus love and healing of a man with a withered hand from Mark 3... 

¹ Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. ² And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. ³ And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” ⁴ And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. ⁵ And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. ⁶ The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.   Mark 3:1-6 ESV 

I was a fireman in Maine for a number of years.  I simply can't imagine not being able to fight a fire and save lives simply because it fell on the Sabbath.

By the way, our Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath and EVERYDAY too! 

Be blessed, be a blessing,

Randy

- FRIDAY -

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