So what is important?

Greetings:

Do you remember what happened November 4, 2008?

Took out the trash. Walked the dog.

Voted for the 44th president of the United States.

That last one was pretty big news to a lot of people, but not to the publisher of the Sapulpa (Oklahoma) Daily Herald. His paper made no mention of the election in its November 5 edition, other than to note that John McCain won the county.

His rationale?

The paper is focused on local news, he said. Of his readers and the elections? "I'm sure they watched it on TV."

So--- what is important to you? As a child of God seeking to please Him should be the prime thing on our list of importance. Today - seek to please Him in all that you do.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

Check what you say...

Greetings:


Days after posting a bilingual traffic sign in Swansea, Wales, officials were alerted to a problem. The English half was fine, but the Welsh, which had been e-mailed to the translator and returned minutes later, read, when translated back into English, "I am not in the office. Send any work to be translated."

Jesus warned in Luke 6:45 - "A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart. An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart." We need to be careful that everything we say is in line with God, we show what we are really like often by what we say.

Today, seek to have only what is good to come out our mouths.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

Rightside Up

Greetings:


For nine years, the Tate Modern in London displayed two paintings by abstract artist Mark Rothko. Just how abstract they were became apparent when someone noticed the location of the signature on the back of the paintings and realized that they had been hung vertically instead of horizontally.

How do we look at those around us? The world has an upside down view of mankind and truth. Acts 17:6 states about Paul and his companions - "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too..." If the truth seemed upside down to these men - what were they looking at?

Today, help share with those around you the right-side up truth. Help them to see the truth of God in the world around us.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

Are you forgetting something?

Greetings:


A German man put his luxurious 20-foot yacht up for sale on an online auction site, hoping to get at least $18,500 for it. He made one minor mistake: He forgot to set a minimum bid. In the end, the yacht was sold for $34.65. Ouch!

John 3:16 - "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."

That yacht was sold cheap. However, we are not. The cost of buying us back from the "slave market" was a very high price. It was the price of the death of God's Son. I for one don't want to take it for granted.

Still, we often look at our fellow-man as being cheap. Don't we know that they are bought with that price - if they will except it. God didn't set a minimum bid - He set the ultimate bid. So, when you come in contact with others today - consider their worth. And treat them that way.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

Aliens did it...

Greetings:

John 15: 19 - "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."

We have all read about the supposed alien bodies held in Hangar 51 in Roswell, NM. I read the following article online, and wondered if they were teaching the locals how to boast their economy.

"To drum up business, a Roswell, New Mexico, car dealership hired a direct marketing firm to mail out 50,000 scratch-off tickets with one grand prize of $1,000. The dealership got the publicity it craved when a typo resulted in 50,000 $1,000-grand-prize winners instead."

We don't always get the publicity that we desire - often in this world when we follow the teachings of our Lord and Savior, the world misunderstands us. And, when it misunderstands us - it looks for ways to discredit and undermine us.

Sometimes, when we seek to do the right things, we are not shown in the best of light. Sometimes our attempts to do right - don't. We need forgiveness - and those around us also need forgiveness. Today, when something doesn't end up right - forgive.

For Kingdom Education, Doc

The Butterfly and the Cocoon

Greetings:

Hebrews 12:11 (HCSB): "No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it."

I remember hearing the story of a young boy who was watching a cocoon daily. He had brought it into his room hoping to see what would emerge.

One morning when he got up, the cocoon had split and he watched in wonder as the butterfly struggled so hard to extricate itself from the cocoon. The boy watched as the struggle seemed to go on forever. Finally, feeling sorry for the butterfly, the boy gently torn open the cocoon to free the trapped butterfly.

At last - it was free from the struggle. But, as the boy watched, it was malformed. It wings were shriveled and weak. And in a short time, the butterfly died. What the boy did not know was that the struggle to free itself was what pumped life into the butterfly's wings. It was necessary for the butterfly to survive.

Often in our lives, we are like that butterfly. God has placed struggles into our lives to strengthen us - to help us survive. We should rejoice in these trials. Not easy, but necessary. Think about this today.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

Inconsistent

Greetings:

Today marks the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. I have been told that since that time more babies have been aborted than lost in our wars.

In my Philosophy class that I teach, when we study the idea of worldviews - one thing that we look at is whether they are consistent or not. If they are not consistent, they cannot be completely valid.
So, I was pondering this morning - how can those who fight against child abuse and capital punishment be the same people who fight for abortion? Isn't abortion the ultimate form of child abuse and capital punishment?

Just a thought for you to ponder today.

For Kingdom education,
Doc

A tribute to my wife

Greetings:

One advantage of writing these devotions, I get to choose the topics. Today is my 38th anniversary. Just think - Linda has put up with me for 38 years. Who says miracles still don't happen.

Proverbs 31: 10, 11 (NKJV) states - "Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain."

I found her. Linda has been a blessing in my life. I enjoy her company. I look forward to time with her. She has enriched my life far more than anyone can image. For 38 years, I have been the recipient of a gift from God that nothing besides my salvation can measure up to.

Today - if you have the chance - tell her “ Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all.” Prov. 31:29 (NKJV). She is one blessing that I would not have wanted to miss in my life.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

It's my birthday

Greetings:

Today I get another year older - and I pray - another year wiser. Moses wrote in Psalm 90:12 - "Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts." (HCSB).

A little insight into my daily prayers. I ask God on a regular basis for three things - wisdom, discipline, and strength. I pray for wisdom because it will allow me to serve others the way that God desires. I pray for discipline so that I might accomplish whatever it is God has for me to do. And, I pray for strength to accomplish the first two requests.

Today I turn 57. Today, I have asked God for these three things in my life. Today, would you join me in this prayer? For me - and for yourself.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

A New President

Greetings:

Today, we witness the inauguration ceremony of the 44th President of this great United States of America. As Christians and Americans, it is our duty to pray for him each and every day. God taught in 1 Timothy 2:1-5 -

"First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and
thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in
authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all
godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our
Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the
knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one
mediator between God and man, a man, Christ Jesus...."

From this moment on, let us bind together to pray for wisdom, strength, and protection on our new President -

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

Martin Luther King Day

Greetings:

Today we remember the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. He worked hard for civil rights in a non-violent way. As a preacher of the gospel he advocated forgiveness and seeking to get along. Consider this item that I read -

"On Christmas Day, 1957, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a sermon at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. It was based on this passage and the sermon title was, 'Loving Your Enemy.' Through the course of his sermon, Dr. King suggested three ways by which we can do just that.

First, we must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. Such forgiveness doesn't mean that we ignore the wrong committed against us. Rather it means that we will no longer allow the wrong to be a barrier to the relationship. Forgiveness, according to King, 'is a catalyst creating the atmosphere necessary for a fresh start and a new beginning.'

Second, we must recognize that the wrong we've suffered doesn't entirely represent the other person's identity. We need to acknowledge that our opponent, like each one of us, possesses both bad and good qualities. We must choose to find the good and focus on it.

Third, we must not seek to defeat or humiliate our opponent, but to win his or her friendship and understanding. Such an attitude flows not from ourselves, but from God as his unconditional love works through us."*

As followers of Christ who seek to lead as He led, we must remember that the more freely we forgive, the more clearly we reveal the nature of our Heavenly Father.

Today, be proactive about forgiving those who have been the source of pain in your life.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

*From -Francois de Fenelon 100 Days in the Secret Place, Destiny Image Publishers, Shippensburg, PA p. 117 2001

Be Peaceful

Greetings:

2 Cor. 13:11 (HCSB) - "Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be restored, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you."

Okay - here we have a present command. And again, we are commanded to make it happen. It is our task to cultivate or keep peace, to be at peace with others. You know, I think sometimes it would be easier for me to do the dental work on myself I spoke of earlier.

God restore,God encourages, we must make harmony and peace. Takes a lot of work. Some of us are easy to get along with - however others make this a real challenge. One thing - this command does not rely upon what others are doing. We are each commanded to do this - in spite of what others are doing. Talk about a real challenge!

However, the rewards for seeking to fulfill all five of these commands is - "the God of love and peace will be with you." God's Presence. Makes it all worth it.

Today - seek to be at peace with your fellow man. Seek in the coming days to fulfill all five of these commands. The reward is awesome.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

Be Unified

Greetings:

2 Cor. 13:11 (HCSB) - "Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be restored, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you."

Unified. Unity. Someone has said that you can tie two tomcats together by their tales - you will have togetherness --- but not unity! This time we have a command in the present, but it is not passive. We are commanded to make this happen.

The Greek word used here means to be of the same mind i.e. agreed together, cherish the same views, be harmonious. And, we are commanded to make it happen. God will restore us, He will encourage us, but it is up to us to be in unity. Sometimes, I feel it would be better if God would do this. It would make it easier on me. But, He expects me to be in harmony with my fellow believers.

Today's assignment -- I'm sure you can guess -- seek out ways to create unity and harmony with the believers you are in contact with. Not easy - but a command from God.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

Be Encouraged

Greetings:

2 Cor. 13:11 (HCSB) -"Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be restored, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you."

Are you fixed yet? Probably not. Brokenness takes time. Let God continue to work.

Today, let us meditate upon being encouraged. Again, this is a command. It is passive (see yesterday's post), and it takes place in the present. The word used here is the Greek word - parakaleiothe - it means "to be called to one's side, to encourage, to strengthen." Remember, this is something that is being done to you. The question then is "By who?" As with the previous command - the person doing it to us is God.

Think that He is walking beside you today. Every step. Every place. And He is giving you the strength and encouragement to walk the Christian walk. So - step out and let Him do it.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

P.S. - this is the same root word that Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit - the Comforter.

Be Restored

Greetings:

2 Cor. 13: 11 - (HCSB) - "Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be restored, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you."

Did you do it? Did you rejoice in everything yesterday? Not easy is it. Keep working at it this week. Each day seek to rejoice a little more.

Today, let us seek to BE RESTORED. In the Greek this is a command. Yet, it is in the passive voice and means that it is action being done to a person. It carries the concept of being mended or repaired. Let's face it - we are broke. And God's Grace is there to fix us.

A while back, I broke a tooth. I went into the Dentist, and he put a crown in place of the broken tooth. He made me do all the work to fix it. NOT. I simply laid back in his chair, and he did all the work to make it right.

Today, let us listen to the voice of God, and let Him mend the brokenness that exists in us. He will do the work - we don't have to do a thing. Let Him do it. Let Him repair that which is broken.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

Be Joyful

Greetings:

2 Cor. 13:11 (HCSB) - "Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be restored, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you."

This week let us consider some "Be's" that are in this verse. In this second letter to the Corinthian believers that God has preserved, this last part is a section of of final warnings and exhortations that Paul is giving them. He is coming back to see them a third time, and he wants them to "do what is right" (13:7) when he comes. This verse lists 5 states that we should exist in. I ask us to meditate upon one a day this week.

First - be joyful. So much of the world around us draws us down - seeks to lead us to despair. However, being an adopted child of the Heavenly Father should lift our spirits. We may not always be happy - but we can have an inward joy. You see joy comes from a cause or source that brings great delight. As a Christian - joy comes from Christ. To rejoice is an expression of this joy.

Today - seek to rejoice in everything that you do. Show forth the joy that Christ gives you inside.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

God uses nobobies

Greetings:

Amos 1:1 (CEV)- "I am Amos. And I raised sheep near the town of Tekoa when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel. Two years before the earthquake, the LORD gave me several messages...."

I received this story from someone, and would like to share it today -

The true test of a person's spiritual life and character is not what he does in the extraordinary moments of life, but what he does during the daily grind of everyday life when there is nothing tremendous or exciting happening. In the 1600's, there was a monk named Brother Lawrence who was a dishwasher in his monastery.

He made a profound discovery that is true for every believer in the workplace today. "For me the time of activity does not differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are calling together calling for as many different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as when upon my knees at the blessed Sacrament."

You see, he found no urgency for retreats, because in the common task he met the same God to love and worship as he did in the stillness of the desert. It is this kind of life that Jesus desires for each of his children. Enoch was also a man that practiced the presence of God. The Bible does not give a detailed account of is life. All we know about him is that "He walked with God." In fact, it says in Genesis 5:22 that Enoch walked with God 300 years! Wow! That is faithfulness!

What does it mean to practice the presence of God daily? It means we are constantly talking to our Heavenly Father about the issues in our day. It means praying about things as they come up. It means stopping at a red light and praying for the person God brings to mind. It means singing a song in your car while you are sitting in traffic. That is practicing the presence of God.

Today, when God gives you times alone or there are needs that arise, stop and consult your Heavenly Father about the situation. Then you will be practicing the presence of God.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

Shaping the future....

Greetings:

Job 6:11: "What strength do I have that I should continue to hope? What is my future, that I should be patient?"

Dr. David Jeremiah has shared this story - let me share it with you:

"In 1968 army surgeon, Kenneth Swan, arrived in Vietnam and received his first case: a 19-year-old soldier who had lost his eyesight and both legs to a grenade. Dr. Swan fought for seven grueling hours to put the young soldier back together. To his surprise, the next day Swan was criticized by his colleagues; they felt the soldier would have been better off dead.

For 20 years those words haunted Dr. Swan, and he wondered if he had done the right thing. He got his answer when, after two years of searching, he found the soldier, in his forties, living a full life as a husband and father who had attended college, learned to scuba dive, trained others with debilitating injuries, and had a loving relationship with the Lord."*

When God asks us to do something, we rarely, if ever, know all the details. We can either choose to do God's will and trust Him for the outcome, or back away and miss the blessing simply because we don't know the details. Those students God has placed in our classrooms are there by design - not accident. What are we going to do with them? Remember they will be our next leaders in many fields - and you have a part in shaping the future.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

*http://elbourne.org/sermons/index.mv?illustration+4811

The way of success

Greetings:

Joshua 1:8 has always been one of my favorite verses. (Alright, alright, I can hear someone say that makes the list of favorite verses longer.) God is speaking to Joshua right after Moses died and Joshua assumed the responsibility for the nation.

"This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night, so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do." (HCSB)

Notice what God challenges Joshua to do. Memorize God's Word. Recite it day and night. And then - do it. And when we do this - a promise is attached. We will prosper and succeed.

I challenge you to start 2009 off right - read, memorize and do God's Word each and every day.
And see if you too will prosper and succeed in God's way this year.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

Way to Live

Greetings:

As Christian school teachers, we have a higher calling. We must instruct the students in the rudiments of knowledge, AND, we must instruct them how to live. As one mentor has said - We not only teach them how to make a living, but how to live in the making.

Exodus 18:20 (HCSB) - " Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and what they must do."

As we move into this 2nd semester, let us not forget our calling - to instruct all of our charges in God's way. In every subject, we can show them a Christian Worldview. We can help them understand the saying - "All truth is God's truth."

Keep looking for ways to incorporate the Christian Worldview in your classroom, and then share it with others.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

Welcome Back

Greetings:

1 Thess. 2:12 (HCSB) - "[W]e encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory."

Today we return from our Christmas Break to start the 2nd semester at MCS. All of your students, families, and co-workers are so excited to be back here. (Yeah, and the moon is made of green cheese.) Some are excited (like I hope you are), while others are still facing struggles and issues that keep them from feeling anything at all.

Today, take Paul's admonition and encourage someone. Comfort them. Challenge them to walk as a Christian. God has brought us into His Kingdom - we should be proud and excited. He has gifted us with Eternal Life. WOW! He has made us His adopted sons and daughters. DOUBLE WOW!

If we grasp these concepts - we can't help but be excite. We can't help but encourage others. We can't help but..... you fill in the blank. Now, get out there and encourage.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

A clean page...

Greetings and a Happy New Year!:

2 Cor. 5: 17 (HCSB) - "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come."

God is the God of the new. The word translated as new in this verse means fresh, novel, unheard of before. When we accept the free gift of salvation, God creates us fresh. we are as if we had never were before. In fact, the term old things means ancient. primal, from the beginning. Before we met Christ, we were as all men from the beginning - sin-natured. With Christ - we are all fresh and new.

Today is the first day of 2009. It is a blank calendar. The pages before you are fresh and clean. The question is - what are you going to do with it? Will you fill it with your wishes, desires, schemes and plans - or will you fill it with His plans?

The choice is yours. What will you do with it?

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

Welcome to some new readers. These are devotions that have been primarily prepared for the staff and faculty at Montrose Christian School. It is my prayer that they will help you in your daily walk with Christ.