WEEK 8, 2021

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Upon turning to the age of 100 recently, a former U.S. Secretary of state had this to say about trust: I’ve learned much over that time, but looking back, I’m struck that there is one lesson I learned early and then relearned over and over: Trust is the coin of the realm. When trust was in the room, whatever room that was — the family room, the schoolroom, the locker room, the office room, the government room or the military room — good things happened. When trust was not in the room, good things did not happen. Everything else is details.

Schultz, now considered to be America’s elder statesman stated a lot of wisdom. He’s one of only two Americans to have held four cabinet posts – State, Treasury, Labor and OMB. America needs leaders of this stature. Our world needs more of this kind of leadership. While Schultz wrote about great wisdom, the Bible writes about even more.

According to King Solomon, wisdom is gained from God, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” Proverbs 2:6. … “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” Proverbs 3:5-6. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:5. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! Psalms 111:10

Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered. Proverbs 28:26. Don’t trust your own mind, but get wisdom from above. It must be an important goal for all Christians, as it appears 367 times in the King James Bible.

It’s been said that knowledge comes from education, but wisdom comes from experience. Wisdom is knowing what you don’t know. Knowledge will bring you to power, but wisdom brings respect. As Malcom Forbes said: The dumbest people I know are the ones who think they know it all. Real knowledge is the ability to know ones ignorance.

Be careful to not think you know anything just because it has been written, this is particularly true in this supersonic, cyber powered world of rapid factual transmission of allegedly false facts and news. Investigate on your own and be sure that the Bible is the best place to begin.

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

A Christian pastor in China was recently imprisoned and fined for refusing to join the state-supported church. A mob attacked the homes and shops of Christians in Egypt. Terrorists slit the throats of three Christians in Indonesia and beheaded a fourth.

Pew Research Center reports that government restrictions on religion have risen 65 percent since 2007, when Pew began its survey. The level of social hostility has doubled over this time.

Could that ever happen in America?

— o —

THE PANDEMIC:

Wherever you live in the world, you have likely encountered a global pandemic, social isolation, economic slowdown, and civil unrest. Whether or not you have been personally affected by any of these factors, you almost certainly know someone who has. Mental well-being has suffered as a result.

In the USA, according to the CDC:

• 40% of people have experienced a mental or behavioral health condition related to the coronavirus epidemic.

• 1 in 4 have experienced symptoms of depression—4X higher than previous years.

• 1 in 10 had considered suicide at some point during the last 30 days—an increase of 100% from previous years.

• 13.3% of Americans have begun or increased substance use to cope with stress related to the epidemic.

Our mental well-being suffered greatly during 2020.

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Jesus came to save you from yourself. Jake English

Noah was locked in an ark while God was preparing a whole new world. During these days, God is doing the same for each of us.

A world that is different, but one we know little about. Martha Moore

Considering the current state of the World, Truth and Tradition have never been more important.

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By retired Senator John Grant

Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit. Proverbs 25:28

The concept of the wall is prominent in the Scriptures. The Book of Nehemiah tells of the rebuilding of the wall that surrounds the city of Jerusalem. The Book of Revelation, when describing the new Jerusalem, places great emphasis on the wall that surrounds the holy city and on the twelve foundations of the wall.

There have been walls throughout, the most notable in our time was the wall that separated east and west Berlin. Its dismantling marked the beginning of the end of the “Cold War.”

I walked through the Brandenburg Gate only a few months after the beginning of the dismantling. As I took in the sight of the massive wall, I bent over and picked up a small part of the wall, and today, it sits on my desk as a reminder of how people and nations can become divided and ultimately reconciled.

Another wall needs to be removed as well – the wall between humanity and God. That barrier was built in the Garden of Eden when a man and a woman committed the first act of rebellion against God (Genesis 3). And we all have continued that rebellion ever since. Can you visualize that impenetrable wall? Isaiah 59:2 says: “your sins have cut you off from God.”

Jesus’ death and resurrection, however, has made reconciliation with God possible. All those who accept Christ’s sacrifice for sin will have the barrier of sin torn down and be reconciled to God. He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation. (Ephesians 2:14).

What are the walls in your life and how do they separate you from fellowship with God? We need to remove what we think we need and replace it with what we actually need.

God wants us to submit to Him by humbling ourselves and praying, as we seek His face and turn from our wicked ways. Then the wall between us and God comes down and He not only hears us and heals us, but He promises to forgive our sin and heal our land.

Of how our sins both individually and as a nation need to be forgiven and of how our land in these divisive times needs a healing. Remember it all begins with you!

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Some of the world’s greatest men and women have been saddled with disabilities and adversities but have managed to overcome them, observed author and evangelical leader Ted W. Engstrom.

Engstrom offered these illustrations to prove his point.

• “Cripple him, and you have a Sir Walter Scott.”

• “Lock him in a prison cell, and you have a John Bunyan.”

• “Bury him in the snows of Valley Forge, and you have a George Washington.”

• “Raise him in abject poverty, and you have an Abraham Lincoln.”

• “Subject him to bitter religious prejudice, and you have a Benjamin Disraeli.”

• “Strike him down with infantile paralysis, and he becomes a Franklin D. Roosevelt.”

• “Burn him so severely in a schoolhouse fire that the doctors say he will never walk again, and you have a Glenn Cunningham, who set a world’s record in 1934 for running a mile in 4 minutes, 6.7 seconds.”

• “Deafen a genius composer, and you have a Ludwig van Beethoven.”

• “Have him or her born black in a society filled with racial discrimination, and you have a Booker T. Washington, a Harriet Tubman, a Marian Anderson, or a George Washington Carver.”

• “Make him the first child to survive in a poor Italian family of eighteen children, and you have an Enrico Caruso.”

• “Have him born of parents who survived a Nazi concentration camp, paralyze him from the waist down when he is four, and you have an incomparable concert violinist, Itzhak Perlman.”

• “Call him a slow learner, ‘retarded,’ and write him off as uneducable, and you have an Albert Einstein.

All of these examples speak to the power of persistence and the quality of determination. It’s a trait we see in the apostle Paul, who overcame a “thorn in the flesh,” misrepresentation by false teachers, beatings, stoning, imprisonment, and numerous hardships in his missionary travels. We get a glimpse of his indomitable spirit from Philippians 3:13-14.

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? John 11:25-26

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today. Abraham Lincoln

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? John 11:25-26

Let’s not make changes, let’s make only improvements. Wally Byam

The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men. Aristotle

At night we tie the dog up and let the kids run loose. Ken Whitten

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John Grant, Week Six, 2021

The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:37

These past few months have been difficult for all of us, one way or another. Some have had health problems and even death in their families. Others have lost employment or even the business they had worked so hard to build up.

Difficulties hound all of us throughout our lives and they have since Eve bit into the apple. As I have looked around and talked with people recently, I have noticed they face their difficulties in a myriad of ways.

How to face our difficulties is illustrated multiple times in the Bible, but no better example there is better than the story of David and Goliath.

David and Goliath

The Israelites and the Philistines were at war with one another. The Philistines greatest weapon was not mechanical. It was human… a great big giant named Goliath. He could kill anyone.

Here’s what we learn from this story:

▪ The battle is the Lord’s and He will provide.

▪ David ran into the battle and not from it.

▪ David used what he had and did not lament over what he did not have.

I can’t help but to think how David victoriously faced Goliath. Fighting this overwhelming giant in the name of the Lord. Fighting and winning for God’s glory. Fighting and winning in God’s strength.

As we face our giants, as we face our fears and our concerns, as we face what life throws our way, let’s try to stand as David stood. Stand with strength and confidence in the Lord. I know that it is far easier said than done. We can see that in the fear and trepidation of all the other warriors who heard and saw Goliath. But David stood strong. Strong in the Lord. An example of how we can and should face our Goliath, knowing that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Remember to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”

As you face your Goliath, give Jesus your burdens and your fears, concerns, issues, illnesses… Trust in Him and He can and will give you peace beyond understanding and confidence, courage and strength to face your Goliath, with stones and sling in hand… “For the battle is the Lord’s.”

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

In America’s Expiration Date, Cal Thomas makes this prophetic statement: “Given the history of other empires and great nations, the decadence that now is tightening its grip on America almost guarantees our demise, or at the very least a radical decline that will leave the country devoid of the liberties we now enjoy, but are rapidly exchanging for a license to do whatever we wish.”

God destroyed the nation of Israel because of its sins (Amos 9:8). The less we fear divine judgment, the more we should (cf. v. 10). If a tiny virus can bring the world’s greatest superpower to its knees, what about the judgment of an omnipotent and holy God?

But as we discern and grieve for the sins of our nation, we must remember that it is always too soon to give up on God. And never too late to intercede for a mighty movement of His Spirit.

Methodist minister Samuel Chadwick wrote, “Satan dreads nothing but prayer. His one concern is to keep the saints from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, he mocks our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.”

Will you make Satan tremble today?

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Live by faith, not by fear. Ken Whitten

Waiting is like putting your gear in neutral when you feel like stripping your gears. Howard Hendrix

God doesn’t call a machine or artificial intelligence to do His work, He just calls people like you and me if we are truly His disciples. Dwight Short

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages. George Washington

While we were wishing for a return to the old normal, God wants to create a clean heart and a new normal. Why not let Him? Dwight Short

When the prayer police come through your neighborhood, will you be arrested for spending too much time on your knees?

Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential. Winston Churchill

January 3, 2026

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! (Psalm 100)

What could possibly be the right thing to give my bride for her birthday? I thought and thought and finally came up with a way-out idea. I decided to buy her a dog. I picked out a cute one at the dog store and brought her home. I hid her in a box and put a note on my bride’s desk that said my name is Joy and I love to play hide and seek. Come and find me. She did and they bonded instantly. They have been joined at the hip ever since and the little puppy has been every bit of her name, “JOY GRANT”

The Bible says a lot about joy, 155 times, in 38 books of the Bible. Joyful is mentioned 25 times. In the book of Job, one of Job’s friends utters some insightful words: “…the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment?” (Job 20:5). There can be no true joy apart from God. Joy is a prominent feature of the true worship of God in the Old Testament. Wherever people know, love, and worship God, His love instills a joy, that only He can give, into the hearts of His worshipers (I Chronicles 15:16) Merriam-Webster defines ‘rejoice’ in this way, ‘to feel joy or great delight’.

Here are the five Biblical highlights on joy:

▪ Joy Is A Gift From God

▪ Doing God’s Will Increases Our Joy

▪ Circumstances Cannot Take Away Our Joy

▪ The Only Thing That Can Steal Our Joy Is Sin

▪ Christians Should Rejoice Always

What are you grateful for today? Will you take time to thank Him?

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

A Baptist minister named John Harper was on board the Titanic when it sank in the Atlantic Ocean in April 1912. He had a seat on a lifeboat alongside his sister and six-year-old daughter, but gave it up so he could stay on the sinking ship to preach to its doomed passengers. He even gave his life jacket to another passenger, who miraculously survived the disaster.

Rev. Harper continued sharing the gospel on the ship as it sank and then with those in the freezing water before he died. His daughter, Annie Jessie, went on to become the longest-living Scottish Titanic survivor.

Before the Titanic set sail, Pastor Harper wrote a letter to another clergyman, dated April 11, 1912. He thanked his fellow minister for his kindness when they had been together recently and closed his note, “The warriors are with me here and are doing well so far on the journey. With kindest love, your loving auld Pastor, John Harper.”

The letter recently sold at auction for more than $55,000. Its author’s sacrificial service after he wrote it was beyond price. Jim Denison

— o —

At night we tie the dog up and let the kids run loose. —Ken Whitten

John 14:12 records what we have to imagine was one of the most shocking things the disciples ever heard Jesus say:

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Upon hearing this, the disciples must have been floored. They had seen Jesus give sight to the blind, feed the five thousand, and raise Lazarus from the dead. We’re going to do “greater things than these” Jesus? Yes.

— o —

We are called to…

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

If being a Christian is a criminal offense, is there enough evidence to place you in jail or just enough for you to receive a warning ticket for acting like one?

Did you ever wonder what worship might look like if we began singing songs to God instead of just singing about God?

Moral Therapeutic Deism – worshipping a creator God who blesses people who are good, nice, and fair and helps believers be happy and feel good about themselves.

Jesus did not come into this world to save us from hell, rather He came to save us from sin. —Ken Whitten

One-time Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz said, “Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.”

We can’t learn from the problems of our past if we refuse to shine a light on them and acknowledge them. —Dineen Wasylik

Now go therefore and make a difference… Be a world changer and glorify God through it all. —Marty Stubblefield

Are you failing, surviving, or thriving? —Jim Denison

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

Week Three, 2021

We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, character and hope. Romans 5:3

Fear can be debilitating. It can tear us down and steal our confidence. It can bring great anxiety that has us feeling as if we are boxed in and the walls are moving closer.

Fear can cause us to freeze up, to not move or do. It can cause us to just freeze, being unable to help, unstable to think clearly. Fear can cause us to run, to flee, to take flight. Fear can cause us to fight, to become angry, to defend. Fear keeps men from rising up to greatness. Fear keeps men cowering in a boat, while the Savior beckons us to step out and walk on water, to trust and believe. Fear causes us to thrash about in the water, even after we’ve taken a few steps on that water.

Fear can also be healthy as it causes us to prepare, to strengthen, to fortify. Fear can cause us to plan and strategize. It can be the catalyst to help us think outside the box, help us become creative, help see things we may never have seen otherwise.

And then… there is the fear of the Lord. The great respect. The awe. The knowing of His great strength, His great knowledge, even His great wrath. The knowing of His history, His dependability, His promises, His character, His love. The knowing of the Greatest gift of all, His Son who He sent to live and die and live again so that we might have life.

As we face the fears of life, whether large or small or somewhere in between, let us not be afraid. For we know that He will never leave us nor forsake us. We know that we are never alone. Though I may fear… I will not be afraid, for I know from where my help comes.

We glory in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall, I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. Psalm 27:1-3

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Sometimes we just need a little straight talk. No fancy story. No Fluff. No paint. Just truth. And here it is:

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” – 1 John 5:11-12 NIV

Straight up. Grace, forgiveness and eternal life can be only found one way and that’s through God’s Son, Jesus Christ. There is no other way to the Father. No other way to Heaven.

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6 NIV Marty Stubblefield

— 0 —

Crisis is a call to faith:

Max Lucado points to the time Jesus walked to the disciples on the stormy Sea of Galilee (John 6:16–20) and then quotes verse 21, “They were glad to take [Jesus] into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.” Then Lucado adds: “Follow the example of the disciples. Welcome Jesus into the midst of this turbulent time. Don’t let the storm turn you inward. Let it turn you upward.”

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Here’s the bad news: humans cannot change human nature. Here’s the good news: Jesus can. Jim Denison

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power. Abraham Lincoln

Don’t pull the clouds of tomorrow onto the sunshine of today. Ken Whitten

Our culture cuts the flowers off at the roots and then wonders why they die. Jim Denison

If your religion has not changed your life, then you need to change your religion. Adrian Rogers

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” Helen Keller

You can’t say that marriage is the union between one man and one woman. Until very recently, that’s what the vast majority of Americans thought. Now it’s considered bigotry. Jim Denison

For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (Romans 5:10).

He was known as “The Pitch Man,” appearing regularly on television making a “pitch” for all various kinds of products. He would describe the positive attributes of whatever kind of products he was selling, but Billy Mays always ended each infomercial stating, “But there is more”….. and then went on to describe more attributes or additional goodies that came with the product.

Paul talked about “how much more,” we gain. He said, “it was wonderful being reconciled with Jesus through his death, but there is more when we are saved through His life.”

Romans 5:10 deals with our personal relationship with God. Those who trust in Christ are reconciled to God by Jesus’ death, even though we were His enemies because of our sin. In other words, His death in our place for our sin made it possible for us to enter real and personal relationship, something not possible without Jesus.

Having laid the indestructible foundation that sinful man is irrefutably lost. At enmity with God through rebellion and sin and having proved that all humanity have fallen far short of the glorious perfection that God expects from His creation. Paul jubilantly proclaims the triumphant victory of Christ’s finished work on the cross… over Adam’s sin and our inherent sin nature.

Although sin caused us to be weak and powerless to help ourselves, we discover that Christ died on behalf of the ungodly – justifying and acquitting all who believe in Him for salvation and bringing us into a right relationship with the Father … through time into eternity.

It was Christ’s blood shed on the cross of Calvary that freed us from the indignation and wrath of God – which was poured out on Him in our stead. It was not because of our goodness that we were delivered from our just punishment for sin… for it was while we were still enemies of God and dead in our trespasses and sins… that Christ died for us.

Having been made righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ, while we were still enemies of God and wallowing in sinful rebellion… and having received the free gift of eternal life, by grace through faith in Him… how much more certain is it during this life, we shall be delivered daily through Christ’s resurrection life, from the dominion of sin in our lives.

The Christian life on this earth is a joyous one, but as you contemplate your ultimate life transition remember… there is more!

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Cal Thomas’ new book, America’s Expiration Date, is subtitled The Fall of Empires and Superpowers . . . and the Future of the United States. Thomas builds his narrative on an argument advanced by Sir John Glubb (1897–1986), an English officer who served in the newly independent countries of Iraq and Jordan. As Thomas reports, Glubb “found patterns, or stages, in the rise and fall of great nations. He called them the age of pioneers, the age of conquests, the age of commerce, the age of affluence, the age of intellect, and finally the age of decadence.”

Thomas explains: “In general, each great nation or empire begins with some type of pioneer activity, gains territory through battle, and then settles into remarkable commercial activity, which in turn brings great wealth, and with it increased literacy and learning. All begin their final slide when a sense of shared morality and common virtue is abandoned.”

Has America’s “final slide” begun? In light of this pattern, Thomas warns: “If America doesn’t learn from history—our own and the world’s—we are likely to suffer the fate of other great nations, rotting from within before either being conquered from without by an invading army or collapsing under the weight of self-indulgence, decadence, debt, a sense of entitlement, greed, and envy.”

If we think this cannot be our future, our complacency makes it more likely.

— o —

It is estimated that as many as 250 million Christians around the world live in nations where they face severe persecution for their faith. Hundreds of Nigerian Christians have been slaughtered by militant Islamists this year. China is waging war against all faiths, including Christianity. Chinese Christians are being forced to take down pictures of Jesus and worship the communist dictator instead. Facial recognition technology is being used to monitor who attends religious services. The Chinese Communist Party is even rewriting the Bible! Gary Bauer

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

I no longer listen to what people say, I just watch what they do. Behavior never lies. Winston Churchill

No matter their politics, people nearly always listen to those who say what they want to hear. John M. Barry

If you and someone with whom you disagree politically are willing to discuss your disputes over a cup of coffee, you’re blessed.

Sometimes we all need to be reminded of how blessed we are. No matter what we may be going through. No matter our stage in life or economic position, we are blessed if we belong to Jesus. If we are seeking Him first in our lives then no matter what we might face or might be dealing with, we are blessed. Marty Stubblefield

Frederick Buechner describes salvation as “an experience first and a doctrine second.”

This is the way the abortion war will ultimately be won: through Jesus Christ changing hearts, one by one. No amount of political force, no government, no laws, no army of Planned Parenthood workers… can ever stop a changed life. It is the one thing… absolutely invincible. Chuck Colson

The greater our challenges, the more necessary our courage. Jim Denison

Fear faces on the giants in your life. Faith focuses on the God in your life. Ken Whitten

Your legacy begins in your heart, in your relationship with God.

“How blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed.” Psalm 112:1-2

As an estate planning attorney, I deal with people who want to get their affairs in order and make sure that what they have goes where they want it to go. However, on average, an inheritance is gone in about five years because of careless debts and bad investment behaviors. I have seen many inheritances hurt more than help the recipients.

The real questions for Christians is not what they leave behind that can be measured in dollars, but rather what can they leave that has a more lasting effect. I was doing some ancestry research and came across Peter Grant and I found his will. He had little of this earth to leave, but he recited his belief in Jesus and bequeathed his faith to his future generations. I realized his faith he left was for me.

It made me think. What am I going to leave behind when I leave this world? I hope it will be more than tangible and monetary things and will last longer. I hope I leave behind positive influence on others. Our legacy is what we leave in others and not just in our family.

What Kind of Legacy Do You Want To Leave?

A husband and wife who walked by faith and, consequently, left a legacy far beyond anything they could have imagined, lived in the early 1700s in colonial America. Their names were Jonathan and Sarah Edwards.

Jonathan Edwards felt God’s call to become a minister. He and his young bride began a pastorate in a small congregation. During the years that followed, he wrote many sermons, prayers, and books, and was influential in beginning the Great Awakening. Together they produced eleven children who grew into adulthood. Sarah was a partner in her husband’s ministry, and he sought her advice regarding sermons and church matters. They spent time talking about these things together, and, when their children were old enough, the parents included them in the discussions.

The effects of the Edwards’s lives have been far-reaching, but the most measurable results of their faithfulness to God’s call is found through their descendants.

Researchers found 1,400 Edwards descendants.

* 100 lawyers and a dean of a law school

* 80 holders of public office

* 66 physicians and a dean of a medical school

* 65 professors of colleges and universities

* 30 judges

* 13 college presidents

* 3 mayors of large cities

* 3 governors of states

* 3 United States senators

* 1 controller of the United States Treasury

* 1 Vice President of the United States

What kind of legacy will you and your mate leave? Will it be lasting? Will it be imperishable and eternal? Or will you leave behind only tangible items—buildings, money, and/or possessions?

The apostle Paul instructed Timothy to invest his life in faithful men who would be able to pass God’s truth on to the next generation. Where does God want you and your mate to invest the time you have been given?

What kind of legacy will you leave?

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Praying the IOU’s of Psalms: John Piper

I: Incline my heart to Your Understanding

O: Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your Word

U: Unite my heart to fear You More

S: Satisfy me this morning with Your Unfailing Love

— o —

The owners of Pax & Beneficia Coffee in Irving, Texas, are concerned that in our politically divisive days, “we are quick to demonize and dehumanize the other side.” So, they have a solution: anyone who buys a cup of coffee with someone of an opposing view will get a free cup.

One of the owner’s notes, “Regardless of the outcome of the election and which side of the aisle you’re on, the nation still needs to heal, now more than ever.” Jim Denison

— o —

Mental health is improved by thinking the right kind of thoughts. The Bible instructs us to think on things that are True. Honorable. Right. Pure. Lovely. Admirable. Excellent. And Praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8). In doing so, we can fulfill the command “to gird up the loins of your mind” (1 Pet. 1:13). This simply means to discipline your thinking.

Healthy thinking is looking at life in a balanced way. Developing a proper perspective. Focusing on the good. Being thankful. And employing discernment.

Indeed, our thinking and our feelings impact us physically. As Jerry Augustine succinctly expressed it, “The body manifests what the mind harbors.”

But what about your spiritual health?

Too often the health of the soul is overlooked and forgotten. Mankind is a composite of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. To ignore the spiritual element is to do so at your own peril. Research has shown that there are physical, mental and emotional benefits connected to one’s spiritual well-being.

A stronger immune system, a lower risk of depression, reduced stress, lower blood pressure and more restful sleep have all been connected to a healthy spiritual life.

John’s prayer for Gaius was that his physical health and material prosperity be equal to that of his soul. What would your life look like if your physical health was based on your spiritual health?

Spiritual health is only achieved when we come to the great Physician for healing. Faith, Hope and Love are the vitamins for the soul. When they are supplemented by prayer, worship, fellowship, and Bible study and then exercised in our ministry, we will be spiritually healthy. Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. Aristotle

God doesn’t call us to be different from the world. He calls us to be better than the world. Ken Whitten

Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but you know they’re always there.

Have you noticed when we want to pick examples of our enemies, we can always find their worst possible examples as proof of their inferiority? Dwight Short

Let’s not allow an election, our earthly citizenship, or our patriotism to diminish, denigrate, or dishonor our heavenly citizenship. Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

You must never forget that you’re a citizen of heaven’s kingdom and that your behavior should correspond to your citizenship. Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

The Greatest Blessings in Life Are Often the Most Forgotten. The Minimalist

Whatever you are, be a good one. Abraham Lincoln

Faith is more than believing that there is one God. Marty Stubbblefield

We can disagree without hating each other. Spencer Cox

We forget what we should remember, and we remember what we should forget. Ken Whitten

Week Fifty-Two, 2020

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God” (Luke 8:11)

Everything living begins with planting of a seed, including animal and human reproduction. What happens after that varies along with other choices and events. Some, like the mustard tree begins with the smallest of seeds, but develops into a large tree. Others are stunted in their growth for a variety of reasons.

As we begin the new year, like this year, we will plant seeds, not necessarily the garden variety, but seeds that are more lasting and of greater importance. Jesus gives us an example, as He spoke of the scattering of seed in a parable.

“A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted.“

The disciples failed to understand the parable, so Jesus explained. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. He said then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.

The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted.

As we go through the coming year, we will plant seeds of influence, relationships, witnessing our faith and many others. The important seeds are not those that lead to materialism, but those that change the course of the future. We plant them with our family, friends, co-workers and everyone we will meet in the coming year. We may never know the results of the seeds we plant. There is a saying: One sows and another reaps is true.

We will plant seeds by the lifestyle we lead, the words we speak and the effort we make to keep focused on our Creator. We must keep our minds and actions on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking and doing what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise.

What seeds will you plant in 2021?

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

In 1992, Dennis Lee Curtis was arrested for armed robbery in Rapid City, South Dakota. In his wallet, police found a list of rules Curtis had written for himself – guidelines for his robberies. For example, he wrote:

▪ I will not kill anyone unless I have to.

▪ I will take cash and food stamps — no checks.

▪ I will not rob mini-marts.

▪ If I get chased by cops on foot, I will get away. If chased by vehicle, I will not put the lives of innocent civilians on the line.

▪ I will rob only seven months out of the year.

▪ I will enjoy robbing from the rich to give to the poor.”

However, the judge before whom Dennis Lee Curtis stood didn’t consult his list of rules. He didn’t say, “Well, at least you live by some values.” No, Curtis was judged by the laws of South Dakota. And convicted as a thief.

While Curtis’ behavior may seem odd, it’s no more different than folks who think they can live by their own standard and God will be pleased. People often compare themselves to others to judge themselves in a more favorable light. We may look at the things that we don’t do, to feel good about ourselves. I don’t commit murder. I don’t steal. I don’t commit adultery. I don’t get drunk.

Some folks excuse their bad behavior, their sinful habits, or their lack of self-control, by saying, “At least I’m nice to people. I help people. And I care about other people.” Yet, God isn’t going to judge us on the basis of what we don’t do. Or on a curve system based on the lives of those worse than we are. Or on our own value system.

While none of us will live perfectly sinless lives, we can clothe ourselves with God’s garments of righteousness. Excel to a higher level of living. And exemplify His holy standard in our lives. Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

— o —

One person said to another, “I’m too busy and have too many important things going on these days to spend time with the Lord praying and reading the Word.”

The other’s response, “I’m too busy not too.”

— o —

• All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV)

• 14% – Percentage of alcohol consumption over 30 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• It is the intentional promotion of the things we most value by removing anything that distracts us from it. He Minimalist

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Western society was built on three piers: democracy, free-market capitalism, and consensual morality. The first two cannot sustain us without the third. Rabbi Johnathan Sacks

Jesus didn’t die for us. He died instead of us. Ken Whitten

You have to have a fixed reference point beyond this world. Victor Frankel

You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending. C. S. Lewis

Sometimes we all have to be reminded of God’s great love for us through Jesus, His Son. Marty Stubblefield

The secret of change is to focus all your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new. Socrates

Whatever you fix your eyes on is what you will encourage; fix your eyes on Jesus.” Mark Parker

John Grant, Week Fifty-One, 2020

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus, life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ; One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase, so bravely run the race till we see Christ.

As I sat in a Cracker Barrell sipping my coffee and awaited my morning meal, I was looking at all the old things adorning the wall. There were all sorts of things, some old and rusty and some reminding me of things past. One in particular caught my eye. It was a degree from a prominent university with a man’s name printed on it and underneath it said Doctor of Medicine.

I thought how much he must have worked and studied to earn it and how it allowed him to practice medicine for many years. Now it was good for nothing other than to decorate the wall in a roadside restaurant. I thought about a certificate of which I am very proud that hangs on my wall. It is beautiful and along with my name, it says “Admitted to Practice Law” before the Supreme Court of the United States.

Here’s the point. All those things we work for will someday be worthless when Jesus returns. He doesn’t care about all we have done and accumulated. He cares about our relationship with Him. For those of us who know Christ and have given our heart and soul to Him and accepted Him as our Savior, we will see Him.

Dead or alive, life’s day will soon be over, all storms forever past. We’ll cross the great divide, to glory, safe at last. We’ll share the joys of heaven – a harp, a home, a crown. The tempter will be banished, we’ll lay our burden down. It will be glory when we see Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t care about how many trophies we have won, degrees we have obtained or things and fortunes we have accumulated. He doesn’t even care how many times we have gone to church and crossed it off the weekly list of things to do.

What Jesus cares about is how we have loved people He created no matter what race or economic status. He created us all. He created my inmost being knit me together in my mother’s womb. We praise Him because we are fearfully and wonderfully made. His works are wonderful, and we know that full well. (Psalm 139:13-14) They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” John 12:21

In a few days we will celebrate the commemoration of His miraculous and holy birth. American consumers will spend more than one trillion, an average of $942 per family on Christmas, buying trinkets, toys and even more expensive gifts to celebrate the “holiday.”

Yet, few will even connect the festivities, the lights, trees and gifts with the Savior of the world. In ancient times, people who saw and witnessed His marvelous works were changed and built churches, establishing ministries around the world. People who saw Jesus were wonderfully transformed, as he taught not about acquiring things, but about loving people. Today there are 2.4 billion, one third of the world’s population who are followers of Christ.

Someday we who have professed Him as our Lord will see His marvelous face and nothing else of this world will matter. For us, it is not what lies behind, but what lies ahead that matters.

Will you think of this perspective as you celebrate Christmas this year? Remember, it will be worth it all when we see Jesus.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Legalized abortion has killed more than sixty-two million babies in the US. So far this year, more than 675,000 preborn children have died by abortion, three times the number of Americans who have died from COVID-19. Abortion is the leading cause of death in the US, surpassing heart disease and cancer.

The Satanic Temple wants to put up billboards that show people how to obtain abortions more easily. Their “religious abortion ritual” is supposed to be a “sacramental act that confirms the right of bodily autonomy.” According to the Satanic Temple, if people perform this ritual, they can claim a religious exemption from mandatory waiting periods, counseling, ultrasounds, and other measures required by some states before an abortion can be performed.

However, billboards promoting their ritual have been declined by Lamar Advertising. In response, the Satanic Temple has sued the company. In their lawsuit, they state that Lamar rejected the content of the billboards as “misleading and offensive.” The Satanic Temple alleges that this rejection was based on religious discrimination. It would be hard to make this up.

— o —

Our society needs people characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But these are the “fruit” of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23), not the product of self-reliant effort. They are the result of being “filled” or controlled each day by the Spirit of God (Ephesians 5:18). Jim Denison

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus ~ Nothing!

Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing the monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward. C. S. Lewis

Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is.

When was the last time that you worshiped? I mean… truly worshiped? When you got so lost in Him. So moved by the Spirit that you let your walls down, forgot about everything and everybody else and you worshiped? You bowed down before Him filled with joy and hope and trembling fear?

Sometimes there is nothing more to say… the Word says it all.

JOHN GRANT, Week Fifty, 2020

If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

It is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. I call it the 4/3 test. When the going gets tough, God asks His people to do four things and in turn, He promises to do three.

HIS PEOPLE:

1. We are called to humble ourselves.

2. We are called to pray.

3. We are called to seek His face.

4. We are called to turn from our wicked ways.

GOD:

1. He will hear from heaven.

2. He will forgive our sins.

3. He will heal our land.

That’s a pretty simple and easily understood formula…. we do and He does. Those who believe must forsake sins, turn from the life that is centered on self, and yield to God’s word and will. They have to humble themselves and pray and seek His face and turn from their wicked ways, then and only then will the Lord hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

In this confused sinful time, when people are thinking of themselves, God wants us to think outwardly, not inwardly. People are born with an inward perspective naturally wanting to keep what they have and seize what others have. If there is any doubt in your minds about that, just observe a group of interacting two-year old’s in a room of toys. It’s a game of “gimmie.”

This simple formula tells us how to overcome those natural tendencies. It is a battle we have to face over and over again throughout life. Whether it is between nations or individuals the principles are the same. God tells us to pray and turn from our wicked ways, either as nations or individually before He will heal our land.

God wants us to pray like this: I pray to you, pledging my life to your service. Please forgive my sins, my heart, and my ways. I seek your face in prayer and in actions, please help me to be a blessing to those around me.

We all have wicked ways of various types, some more visible than others. We should examine our hearts and ask God to help us reveal and turn from our wicked ways.

As you ask God for guidance and direction, which wicked ways are you willing to turn from?

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

CONSISTENCY:

God wants us to be more consistent in life, calling us to be more consistent…

… as a follower of Christ

… as a leader at home and at work and all places in between

… as a husband

… as a father

… in my role as godly father and husband at home

… in helping my family (and friends) go deeper in their faith walk

… in me going deeper in my own faith walk

… in personal fitness and exercise

… even in getting a consistent night’s sleep

… in consistent bedtimes

… in consistent responses

… consistently fighting off sin and evil

… consistently putting on the full armor of God

… consistently taking up my cross (daily) and following Jesus

… which means consistent prayer, consistent reading and memorizing His word, and consistent devotion and accountability.

Striving to be consistent takes consistent effort and dedication.

— o —

Private Prayer

John Baillie’s A Diary of Private Prayer is empowering:

Dear Father, take this day’s life into your keeping. Guide all my thoughts and feelings. Direct all my energies. Instruct my mind. Sustain my will. Take my hands and give me the skill to serve you. Take my feet and make them quick to do whatever you ask. Take my eyes and keep them fixed on your everlasting beauty. Take my mouth and give me the words to tell others of your love.

Make this day a day of obedience, a day of spiritual joy and peace. Make this day’s work a little part of the work of the kingdom of my Lord Jesus, in whose name these prayers are said. Amen.

— o —

The new media gives everyone a microphone. The best way to communicate is face-to-face; the worst way is for communication to be anonymous, invisible, and unregulated. But the latter describes the way 3.5 billion people communicate every day. Jim Denison

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

There’s more to life than buying stuff. The Minimalist

Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues. Brother Lawrence

The good news is that our faith points the way to a better future. Here’s the foundational biblical fact about humans: “God created man in his own image” (Genesis 1:27). As a result, every person I meet today was created by my Father. They are not my competitor for survival but a member of my family. Jim Denison

When last did worshiping Jesus draw you closer to someone with whom you disagree? Jim Denison