➕Once a Year Event or is it?😎👍

 Don’t miss that which is incredible waiting to be known.

Once a year 1000’s gather at Gobbler’s knob waiting and watching to hear about the weather. Yes I’m talking about Punxsutawney Phil and a day called Ground Hog day, a tradition that started back in 1886 a 140 years ago. Phil comes out of his hole when the sun comes up. If Phil sees his shadow and returns to his hole, tradition says 6 more weeks of bad weather. If he doesn’t see his shadow then it’s a sign of spring and he stays above ground. Legend has it that Phil is 150 years old and stays immortal by drinking the elixir of life.

Can Phil tell and does he really know the weather?  Has this same groundhog somehow found some type of elixir that has given him life for the last 150 years? Do all those 1000’s of people who attend and the many that will watch the event really believe that? If we really knew the truth it would surprise us. After February 2 Punxsutawney will return back to normal and all the groundhog watchers will return to their homes with the feeling that I was there.

A lot of those same people will attend another event in a few weeks. This time the travel will not be as far; but once again many will return home just as empty. This time it will not be 6 more weeks of bad weather or expect an early spring. No, not at all the Churches will see many they haven’t seen in a year and even a few new faces will be there. They will hear about a man who died on a cross, Jesus Christ. They will hear how awful man can be as they drove spikes into hands and feet and pierced his side with a spear. How unloving man can be as they spit in Jesus’s face and the crowd with their unbelief as they yelled words of hate and disbelief. Then the words from the cross.

Luke 23:34 (KJV) Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Then Jesus dies like all humans will. He is taken to a grave just like we all will be taken to our final resting place. Man has done his awful deed never seeing what he has really done. There is no need for you and I to sit back and say we have never done an awful deed. Oh we have not done anything of this nature. Rest assured we have all done some type of awful deed against another person. 

When it was done to us did we have the attitude of forgiveness? Then it happened, it was early and still dark. A woman named Mary Magdalene headed to where Jesus had been laid to rest. When she arrived the stone that had the grave sealed was now rolled away. What had happened? She runs and tells Peter and John. Peter and John take off running when they arrive it looks like someone had taken the body of Jesus; who would do such? 

Peter and John return but Mary stays and weeps then she looks into the grave and sees something that the other two didn’t. There were two angels sitting in there. Then the angels speak to her and she speaks back to the angels. Then she looks back and sees someone standing there who wasn’t there a minute ago. Then the man speaks and Mary thinking it was the gardener and maybe he had removed Jesus. Then she asked if he had please tell me where and I will take Him away. The man called her by name Mary! When she heard her name she knew it was Jesus. Jesus had resurrected from the grave. Jesus showed himself to the disciples. Then Jesus was seen above 500. Every Easter many will gather, they will hear and maybe somewhat believe. Then back home and wait for next year when they will return. This day Easter is not 6 more weeks of bad weather or not. It’s about the Elixir of eternal life Jesus Christ He forgave us our debt (our sins). If you have ever been forgiven from the giver of Life you know it. Six more weeks, six more years or six more days. It’s external life, a wonderful place we call Heaven. To be honest I want to be like Mary, keep hanging around the last place Jesus was. I want to see and feel things others don’t. It is important to me that I attend Church more than once a year. Why? I just wrote why; I don’t want to at home like Peter and John. I think I just keep hanging around the Church House. I know all services are not as exciting as others. The only way I know is not to miss those that are. I think I’ll do like Mary, just keep hanging around. 

👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨We Know💯

 Love is not what you say; love is what you’d do.

We know, it is an interesting statement. The first thing I know is that I don’t know everything. One of my professors made this statement “you don’t have to know everything, all you have to know is to know where to find what you need to know.” There is the problem of knowing. Where to find what you need to know. Plainly stated we don’t know everything. Now you can know how to do something but are not able to do it. The older you get the more you know how but the less you can physically do what you know how to do. I took the time to look how many times the phrase “we know” was in the Bible. In the Old Testament 8 times in the New Testament 44 times. My question is what do we want to know? Now that will be a different range for all of us. Sit with an auto mechanic and talk about cars and your knowledge might be limited. The same will be true with everyone you sit with that doesn’t have your occupation. Now what about our Biblical knowledge? That doesn’t have to be that way. God wants us to all know some things. God wants us to know why He sent a baby into this world. God gave the answer before it ever happened. 

Isaiah 9:6 (KJV) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Why was a baby born? “For unto us” 

John 3:16 (KJV) 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.

A baby comes into this world for us; everyone (whosoever) I like what a man said one night. He said “For God so loved the world” then he said this “who is in the world?” People! You and I. Why did God do that? “For God so loved.” I hear people all the time saying that they love the Lord. Now that may be so but before they loved the Lord the Lord loved them. 

1 John 4:19 (KJV) We love him, because he first loved us.

I try to be transparent when I write, I  love the Lord but He has always loved me. When my children were born I loved them but they didn’t know what love was. In time they loved me because of my love for them. I know there are those who were not brought up in a loving home and many aren’t sure what real love is. They were beaten physically, mentally abused by harsh and awful words and some sexually abused and suffered from things that are unspeakable. So when they hear the Lord loves them they aren’t sure what that means. Love is more than words. I quit using the word “love” loosely. Like not saying things like I love cherry pie, I love pizza, I love chócate ice cream. I don’t love those things, that is just an expression we use which means we like. Love is a much stronger word. Many may not have ever experienced real love. Love is not made because love can’t be made. How do you know what real love is? The Bible tells us we can know. Love is giving without expecting anything in return. “For God so loved the world, that he gave.” Me and my wife got married and we hardly knew each other so how could we have loved each other? We didn’t. Why did we get married? Great question. My reason was selfish. I was home on leave and she blew me away with her looks and her smile and I knew if I went back she wouldn’t be available when I got out of the Military. I had 3 years left and it looked like a tour to Vietnam might be at hand. I also knew long term relationships don’t work. I talked her into marrying me and we ran off and got married. The next 3 years would be very hard for us. Four months after our marriage Uncle Sam sent me away and I was gone. We made it through that. With only 9 months left we headed to Altus Oklahoma me and her and our 9 month old son. What about love? I can’t say that I loved her because I didn’t really know what love was. Fast forward I got saved and then I began to understand what love was. I remember clearly the moment I knew I loved her. No it wasn’t in some big romantic moment. I was walking toward her and my eyes met her eyes and I knew without doubt I loved her. Today I love her more than I can write and words can tell. The first thing I say to her in the mornings is “I love you” the last words I say to her at night are “I love you.” I tell her many times during the day that I love her. Way more than I love her, our Heavenly Father loves us and when I say us I’m talking about this world. So if you are in this world know that you are loved by God and the proof is that He gave us a baby. 

😡Who Was It?👀

 Nothing is impossible. Even the word itself says, ‘I’m possible.

The fewer there are the easier it is to tell. I was 2 years old when my brother was born and it would be 5 years before our baby brother would be born. When my mother or dad would say “who did this?” Well there were 4 living in the house and our mother didn’t do it nor did our dad so that only left 2. See how easy it is to get caught doing wrong. The same was true on the day that Cain killed his brother Abel. We are not deep into Genesis Chapter 4 when we read about Cain and his baby brother Abel. We know Cain had an anger issue. 

 Genesis 4:6 (KJV) And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

Uncontrolled anger will always lead to disgrace. What I mean by that is we will always do things in anger that we wouldn’t do at all had we just waited and cooled off. Cain was angry but not with Abel. Cain was angry with God, and took it out on his brother Abel. In verse 6 Cain is “wroth” very angry . In verse 7 God is wanting Cain to cool off and tells if he doesn’t then sin is knocking at his door. 

Genesis 4:7 (KJV) If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

Cain didn’t cool down, he let his anger get the best of him and the next thing he knew he had killed his only brother.

Genesis 4:8 (KJV) And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Do you know what else anger does? It causes one to lie. After Cain killed his brother he had to do something with him. I think he buried him. Wait, I'm getting ahead. Cain had let his anger get so bad that he killed his brother. Next, God asked Cain where his brother was. Cain said that he didn’t know. Now Cain is trying to cover up his wrong doing by lying, but he lied to God! Oh we must not lie to the one who knows all. I mean there are only 3 possible choices who could have done it. 

Genesis 4:9 (KJV) And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

God says I know what you have done!

Genesis 4:10 (KJV) And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

Cain I know what you have done because your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. Wonder what Abel was saying? Was it words of forgiveness? Words of unbelief? Words that it was an accident? We are not told. We must never forget that our actions have consequences. Cain said that his punishment was greater that he could bear.  Genesis 4:13 (KJV) And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

I’m not completely sure how Cain handled his punishment but I know it never left him. Why would I say that? Well there was a time in my life on a night long ago, in a far away place, that I did a foolish thing that has never left my mind. The deed done, the courtroom, the lawyers, the Judge, the jury and the verdict. The punishment for the deed was completed many, many years ago. Oh but my mind keeps saying what were you thinking, why did you even get involved? The cost was greater than I wanted to pay. It would be another 2 years or so before I asked the Lord to save me and He did. He didn’t say well I will as soon as you and I take care of some of these wrongs you have here on record. Oh no the Lord forgave me completely for all of my transgressions. 

1 John 3:4 (KJV) Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

1 John 2:12 (KJV) I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his (Jesus) name's sake.

Cain had the same opportunity but he chose to be angry. I choose Christ Jesus. What did you choose? 

🫡Duty🥱

 Sometimes the duty of intelligent men is the restatement of the obvious. George Orwell 

Have you ever heard someone say “now this is the bottom line?”  Which means the final results or ultimate outcome. In Ecclesiastes 12:13 (KJV) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

The first thing I noticed about this conclusion was the word “hear.” My first thought was this  

Romans 10:17 (KJV) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Want more faith? Then you are going to be where you can hear. I remember hearing others talking about how they trusted God not knowing what would happen. I remember when I was young in my faith. We lived in Lithonia. The weather had turned really bad and a tornado was on the ground. I ran to our bedroom and prayed to God to protect us. The report came that the tornado had lifted and was no longer on the ground. When I told what God had done many shunned it off and told me that was just a coincidence. It may have been but no one will ever convict me it was just a coincidence. There was another time when I picked up a man that was hitchhiking. I wrote about that some time ago. Anyways hearing is important; think not? Just lose your hearing. Now the bottom line or conclusion of the whole matter needs to be heard so let’s get to it. What is this “conclusion of the whole matter?” I want to know. Solomon says the conclusion comes down to this “Fear God” Over the years this important fact has been ignored. Most do what they want to do and God, well He is not ever thought of let alone feared. Sounds like Judges 17:6 (KJV) In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

There was no law being enforced, oh my 🥳😱

Notice next we are to do “keep his commandments.” Well are we doing that? A man was having an affair with a woman who was about to get a divorce. That’s bad enough but another person said “I don’t see anything wrong with that, she’s getting a divorce. What! We live in a society where there is no fear of God and His commandment, are not even allowed out where we can see them, let alone know them. Well what do you expect? Solomon said the conclusion of the whole matter is “Fear God, and keep his commandments.” Why should we do that? Good question and Solomon answers that too “for this is the whole duty of man.”  Not part of the duty of man but the whole duty of man. Stop and ask someone to give you 2 of the 10 commandments and see what they say. We don’t know the law of God. How in the world can we keep it? Oh listen to what people are saying; I need some me time. Do what you want to do, it's your life. If it feels good how can it be wrong? Have it your way. You deserve this. Are we racing to the top of the ladder to be first and forgetting who is already first. I don’t think God cares about the football championship game but he does care about both teams and all who are sitting in the stadium. He also cares about all those watching and those who aren’t. Fear God, Keep His Commandments that is the lease we can do.  

🍃A Season🍂

To Everything There Is A Season

There are all type of seasons, fishing, hunting, school season and on and on there are seasons. I want to write about the seasons in our live. There was a day I could run with the youth and out run some of them. Play ball with the youth but that season of my life has ended and will not return; Oh but it was great while it lasted. When that season ended another took its place. Solomon writes about our lives seasons in the book of Ecclesiastes and chapter 3 where he starts off with this.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (KJV) To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Every thing has a season. He goes on in verse 2 Ecclesiastes 3:2 (KJV) A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

Solomon writes about “time” Solomon is teaching about LIFE. When the world was created and time started our time had not yet come. Solomon writes about that in chapter 1 and verse 4  

Ecclesiastes 1:4 (KJV) One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

Our generation is here and we are living the seasons of it. Solomon reminds us that there is a time to be born and there is a time to die. Then he warns us by saying there is a time to plant and a time to harvest what you planted. Do you think that Solomon is talking about planting beans and corn? I don’t think so. We plant seeds in our life and they one day will come up in harvest. It could be a harvest we really don’t want. I think we all can say Solomon was right. When we were in our twenties we were indestructible and rushed in without giving it much though. As we got older we started thinking about things that could easily go wrong and we became more careful. Then as we became older we said no to things we at one time had no problem saying yes to. Then we began to say I just can't. I wish I could but I just don’t have it in me to do it. Solomon calls them seasons. There was a time to be at the hospital rejoicing over the baby. Then there is a time to be at the funeral home weeping over that which is now gone. Time, the clock is ticking and we can’t stop it. We look at the clock and the day and dates are different. The seasons of our life are passing by so fast. We just wish we could slow some of them down to enjoy just a little while longer but we can’t do that either. The kids that used to sit in our living room on Saturday morning as we talked about the week and many other things. Why, they have kids of their own now. Oh wait my kids that sit in our living room on Saturday morning have grand kids too, what? Where did the time go? Oh it went by so fast. I shouldn’t be surprised James told us this would happen.  

James 4:14 (KJV) Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Or as Solomon said “A time to be born, and a time to die” what season are you in now? I had a friend whose name was Alvin Honea. He was much older than me and I spent a lot of time with Alvin and we became close friends. Alvin told me of the days of old like my dad did. I remember my dad telling me what things cost when he was a boy and I just marveled and couldn’t believe it. I have told my boys that my mom would send me to Harrison grocery on Flat Shoals Rd to get a king size loaf of bread and it cost 21¢ just like me they couldn’t believe it. Those seasons are gone in my life and I am now living in another season. No matter what season we are living in, there must be one thing you and I are prepared for: "prepare to meet God.” Use see this isn’t guess work, it doesn't just happen. Solomon tells us “A time to be born, and a time to die” Best to be prepared, for one generation comes and one generation leaves.  

🫶Beyond Foundational Basics🤝

Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.—Ruth Bader Ginsburg

He walks in, it’s night, a ruler of His time. His name, we will call him Nick. Nick has a troubled heart and like many have kept it quiet. Really, who cares? So why not just keep it silent, but silence gets no answers nor understanding at all. Tonight is different. Nick decides to go to a place where a man named Jesus is. Nick starts off the conversation on a positive note by telling Jesus how good a teacher He is and about the miracles He has done. Nick tells Jesus that we know that there is no way these things could be done without God being with Him. Jesus looks at Nick and reads his look in his eyes, his silent thoughts and questions his troubled heart. Jesus then tells Nick that he is trying to see and find peace of heart without what it really takes. Nick's ears perk up as he listens to what is about to be said. It’s simple, Jesus explains, you or no one else can see the Kingdom of God without first being born from above. Now Nick has another question, he says How? Jesus says Nick you must be born again. Born again?  Nick, how can I enter my mother's womb for the second time and be born?  No Nick you are missing the point: flesh and blood give birth to flesh and blood; everything after its kind. Long story short Nick, your spirit that is dead within you needs to be born. Here is why. John 4:24 (KJV) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Nick, how in the world can you understand spiritual thing when you aren’t understanding earthly things? 

Without that spirit being born again you will never see the Kingdom of God. All one will ever have is 

a child’s understanding of the Bible at best. Ask yourself this question “what passage of scripture have I read this week, last week or last month that has shaped my relationship with my Heavenly Father?” If one has no answer then maybe there’s no relationship with the Heavenly Father. Jesus didn’t tell Nick that it would be a good thing if he were born again. Oh no Jesus said you must be born again then you will understand spirit things. 

John 3:7 (KJV) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

To MARVEL “A wonder; that which arrests the attention and causes a person to stand or gaze”

Don't stand and wonder Nick, if you want to see and understand spiritual things then “Ye must be born again.” Once that happens things change. Have you ever said something similar to this “if I could go back and relive I would do things differently.” Nick had that chance not to go back but to go forward a different man. I had the same chance and it has been wonderful. Oh I still have problems but this definitely happened to me   

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Want to know my answer to the question I asked?

In my walk with the Lord, as I let Him speak to my spirit from His Word. I drew closer as He taught me about Praising Him. My prayer is as you read these short devotionals that God would speak to you and draw close and make your relationship with Him stronger day by day. 

👋put Me In The Game📋

 Know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play.

Does God Use The Old? Well I would say He sure does. He greatly used a man named Moses in one of the greatest leadership positions in history. Somehow in our thinking we think we can’t do much after age 65. Ever hear the name Duncan Hines? Sure you have. Duncan did not become successful until he was 73 years old. 

It’s hidden, and no one knows when the Lord Jesus will return to receive His children. Maybe you remember  Edgar C. Whisenant the author of 88 reasons why the Rapture will be in 1988. He had it all figured out except he was wrong.  

Now the Bible says that day will come but the day and time is not known. The Bible tells us to number our days not to count them for no man can count the days he has to live. That is hidden from each of us. We are to number our days as if today is our last; for one day it will be.

Psalms 90:12 (KJV) So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

A friend of mine said this “you may tie your shoe laces this morning but someone else may untie them tonight. 

The meaning is simple: this morning you are breathing and your heart is pumping but tonight it may not be. 

Be careful how we handle this day, don't do, say or go where you know it’s wrong. One afternoon my dad dropped me off at the bowling alley where I met up with my friends. It wasn’t long before I walked over to a cigarette machine and bought a pack of smokes. Now my dad did not like cigarettes, I can hear him now telling us boys of the horror of cigarettes and all the harm they would do if we started smoking. He was right but at 15 that didn’t affect me much. Until he came back to the bowling alley and caught me smoking. Oh my I'm in trouble now. What was he doing back? My dad didn’t say a word; not then anyways. I thought he didn’t see me. Fat change, but it was a nice thought. 

He later said a whole lot!

Yes we are to live our days to our fullest so young or old we live today and do what we can for the Lord. We can say I can’t because I’m too old but how old will you be today if you do nothing for the Lord? Doing what you can and as much as you can is far better than doing nothing for zero + zero is still zero. Learn to use our disadvantages to our advantage. Sargent Tim Lee preaches in a wheelchair, and hundreds come to hear him preach. 

Austin Ziegler is blind, physically disabled and has delayed speech and people stand in amazement as he preaches. 

David Ring has cerebral palsy and has challenged thousands.

Nicholas James Vujicic has no limbs and that doesn’t stop him from preaching. His ministry is known as “Life without Limbs.”

Disabled isn’t Unabled. God uses our Disabilities to show His great Possibilities. If you think age is a disability it's not, so don’t convince yourself that it is, number your days. Be like the ball player sitting on the bench saying put me in coach, put me in game. I want to be in the game. My prayer is "Oh God Put Me In the Game!” Please don’t confuse me with those who ride the pine, 👋put me in the game.📋