- MONDAY -

Good morning forever family,

As some of you know I have been writing these daily devotions since 2000.  I have done this exercise now each weekday for over 25 years.  I have a copy of most all of them.  Today I was reading one from 8/25/2004.  I want to share it again today as I feel even more strongly about what I wrote back then.

While living back in Maine we had some political leaders visit our workplace.  They wanted to promote their leadership abilities and ask for our vote in the upcoming election.

I had already written an email to one of them asking for more support of the traditional marriage and an end to the State's support of homosexual marriages in Maine.  As you can imagine he wrote back in full support of both.  A politician will never let himself get pinned down on ANY subject.  They will always tell you what they think you want to hear.  Well folks it's like this... God ordained marriage and tells us clearly in His word what that is to be.  Marriage is by God's design. Gay marriage is Satan's response to it.  The more a culture supports the sinful, the less it supports the righteous.

As for the believer, it comes down to this.  Either we believe ALL of God's word or none of it.  If it is true as it says it is... it is ALL true.  Once we nullify a single verse, we might as well not believe any of it and live life any wicked way we want.  We don't have the right to change any of God's word.

I choose to believe it on it's own merit for it is from GOD.  I've never been able to disprove a word of it and I feel His pleasure when I live by it.

I also choose to vote for leaders who have some moral fortitude.  It's RARE.

We cannot set aside this verse.  It is not to be overlooked. 

³⁴ Righteousness exalts a nation,
    but sin condemns any people.  Proverbs 14:34 NIV 

Be blessed, Be a blessing and live by the word of God,

Randy

- TUESDAY -

 Good morning forever family,

I have written many times of how I admire strong men of God in the Scriptures.  Joshua was certainly one of them.  Joshua loved the Lord and as a result God blessed all he did.  Joshua also loved his people and led them correctly.  He was a mighty example... "As for me and my house- we will serve the Lord!" (Joshua 24:15)

In Joshua chapter ten we are told of how the five kings of the Amorites came against the people of Gibeon.  Joshua was asked to help and God reassured Joshua that He would deliver them into his hands. That he would prevail.  What follows is an amazing account.  The enemy was routed.  The Lord cast down huge hailstones on the enemy and even stopped the sun in the sky giving Joshua's army time enough to finish the job!

Is there anything the Lord cannot do?  No there isn't. 

¹⁰ So the Lord routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. ¹¹ And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the Lord cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.

¹² Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel:

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon;
And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
¹³ So the sun stood still,
And the moon stopped,
Till the people had revenge
Upon their enemies.

Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.  Joshua 10:10-13 NKJV 

These accounts of Gods' passion for His people are what drives me to write about America's own sins.  How can we expect this all-powerful God to have leniency on America when His word warns so strongly against the sin we are protesting for everyday?  Abortion, homosexuality, and corruption of all kinds tell me we absolutely NEED to repent as a nation.  Instead of building antisemitism we need to love God's people and change the direction we are headed.  I am utterly amazed at the amount of Grace God has given us to this point. 

Here's a word.  Joshua prayed and the sun stopped in its track.  That's an example of the power of prayer (the power of God).  We need to pray for America to stop in its track of sin and repent, Right now.  It starts with us. 

Be blessed, be a blessing,

Randy

- WEDNESDAY -

Good morning folks,

I've been amazed at the growing hatred I have seen in recent years.  On October 7th 2023 the Hamas terrorists killed over 1400 innocent people, women, children, and even babies for no other reason then they were Jewish.  A great deal of them were at a music festival.  We haven't seen such evil since WWII when over 6 million Jews were killed... simply because they were Jewish.  I'm also amazed that a large portion of those in American universities believe the Hamas is a good group!  That such killing is okay, even good!!!  Just recently an illegal immigrant in Boulder Colorado set eight people on fire (including an 88 year old holocaust survivor) because they were doing a peaceful walk supporting Israel.

I want to say.  This is a very old battle.  Evil is rearing it's ugly head.  It truly is a battle between good and evil. God is good.  Satan is evil.  There are the two sides.  There is no fence to sit on to watch this battle unfold.  EVERYTHING God does Satan rages against.  If God says marriage is between a man and a woman Satan says it can be between a man and his dog, another man, or 165 other things.  If God says there are only two sexes, man and woman, Satan says there are MANY.  If God says "Do not kill," Satan says kill everyone.  If God says "I will provide a path for men to be saved from their sin by way of Jesus," Satan says kill them all.  If God says (in John 14:6) that Jesus is the truth and the life and the only way to get to Heaven, Satan claims there are many ways.  There are even churches to help Satan spew his lies.  You get the point.

All through Scripture we see Satan rage against anything good (can you just imagine the rage of Satan when Christ Jesus rose from the tomb)?

We see Jesus for what He is... God, the very Son of the living God the Father.  Satan sees Him as his greatest adversary.

Jesus warned us all when He warned His disciples in Mark chapter 13...

⁹ “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. ¹⁰ And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. ¹¹ Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

¹² “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. ¹³ Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.  Mark 13:9-13 NIV

We must work while it is still day for the night is coming. we must tell others the good news of Jesus.  We must pray for all of God's people.  We must call whatsoever is good GOOD!  And we must call evil evil.  May we never be seen supporting anything evil.

Be blessed, be a blessing,

Randy

- THURSDAY -

Dear Ones,

Often Christ Followers focus on the fact that Christ set us free.  For instance, Isaiah 61:1 and Luke 4:18 tell us that Christ has come to proclaim freedom to captives or prisoners.  However, sometimes we take the freedom that we have in Christ as license to follow our heart which we may assume is following Christ.

John didn't see himself or Christ followers as free to follow our hearts or determine our own paths.

The revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave Him to show His slaves what must quickly take place. He sent it and signified it through His angel to His slave John, who testified to God’s word and to the testimony about Jesus Christ, in all he saw (Revelation 1:1-2 HCSB).

The word slave really struck me in a recent Bible study.  Fortunately, my translation has bullets for frequently used important or easily misunderstood terms.  Slaves had a bullet point, so I read the explanation.  According to it, the Greek word doulos is most accurately translated slave to show in this instance “the ownership called for by Christ.”

The question I then asked myself is:  Do I see myself as a slave to Christ who on a daily, minute by minute basis obediently and respectfully does His will?  Do we as a body of believers see ourselves under the ownership of Jesus?  Are we really acting as Christ followers?  John was as he wrote Revelation on the Island of Patmos.

Be Blessed. Be a blessing.

--Jackie

- FRIDAY -

Good morning forever family,

Last night after praying and just before sleep I lay there feeling quite grateful to God for all the small ways He has blessed me.  Honestly, this doesn't come natural for me.  An "attitude of gratitude" is a habit that my wife, Jackie, has finally been able to develop in me after 8 years of marriage.  Every night Jackie praises God and thanks Him for MANY little things.  Things like our pets, our garden (she even mentions individual plants sometimes), and she thanks Him for our fruit trees and hummingbirds.  You get the picture.  I finally got the habit and it's a GOOD habit! 

So last night I lay there thanking God for our dog Lily who was laying at my feet.  God knew Jackie and I needed that dog and provided her through a rescue shelter.  She was found abandoned on the Navajo reservation.  This dog is very intelligent.  She's very loving and extremely loyal.  She let's us know when there is a potential danger present.  She protects her domain which is a large fenced-in backyard where her chickens live.

When Jackie and I hike, Lily runs wide circles around us to make sure nothing will harm her "parents." 

This idea of having an "attitude of gratitude" is actually something we are asked to do in Colossians chapter 3.  Paul give us great advice in living a worthy life as a Christ follower.  In the New International Version, or NIV, this passage is entitled "Living as Those Made Alive in Christ" for verses 1-17 and the rest, verses 18-25, is called "Instructions for Christian Households."

Check out these verses below and notice "Singing to God with gratitude in your hearts" in verse 16.  Great advice! 

¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Colossians 3:15-17 NIV 

We have a lot to be thankful for.  Start with salvation itself.

The world wants us to focus on issues.  God wants us to focus on blessings, for those blessings point to Him.

Be blessed, be a blessing,

Randy