I have often told you about my dad being a foreman in the wood’s camps of old. How often I would trudge behind him from crew to crew as he directed the daily operations. His size-eleven boots would sink into the mud and I would try and place my size-seven feet into the same spot. Walking in his tracks was a game I played in my mind. My desire was to be like him, telling others what to do. He quit making tracks at the age of sixty-three and I never became a foreman.

Thankfully, in life I discovered another Father who makes spiritual tracks and I’m trying to follow them. One of these days, that effort will come to an abrupt end and our tracks will converge in heaven. Until that time, I often think of this verse.

2 John 1:4

It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.

Give it some thought.

Gary

The will of God will never take you to where the grace of God will not protect you. To gain that which is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else.

This is a tremendous quote. The truth be known, would any one of us have a desire to put that concept into the test tube of life? There is an extensive record of individuals throughout the history of Christianity who have done exactly that.

Paul and Silas in a Roman prison experienced the same:

Acts 16:22-24

Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods.  And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely.  Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

We might never be called to such extremes; however, wherever we are called God has promised His grace is sufficient.

2 Corinthians 12:9

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Think about it.

Gary

Deception has a sting to it that sends a cold chill down your back. The first mention of such a diabolical event is found in Genesis chapter 3.

Genesis 3:1

Now the serpent was craftier than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.

He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”

The NKJV uses the word cunning and the NLT uses the term shrewd. I ran into a fellow like that that at a fairground years ago in one of those game booths, and before he was done with me, my money was in his pocket. I’m still holding a grudge against an individual who owes me money on a case of beer from fifty-three years ago. If he dies and I have his funeral, I’m going to say, “It’s too bad he passed before he could pay me back. Now turn to 1 Thessalonians 4.”

Deception is practiced not only by the devil but also by some individuals; anyone who lives only for this life and not for the next is self-deceived:

Galatians 6:7

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

How are you doing when it comes to deception? The concept is sown into the very fabric of life.

Give it some thought, and if the person who owes me that money reads this, please respond to this devotional with a personal check.

Think about it.

Gary

Michael Whitaker Smith is an American musician who has charted in both contemporary Christian and mainstream charts. He produced one of the most inspirational hymns of our generation.

Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world
They resound with God’s own heart
Oh, let the Ancient words impart

Words of Life, words of Hope
Give us strength, help us cope
In this world, where e’er we roam
Ancient words will guide us Home

Ancient words ever true
Changing me, and changing you
We have come with open hearts
Oh, let the ancient words impart

The writer of Hebrews put it the following way:

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Be very careful if you ever take the Word of God seriously because it could transform your life. One thing for sure, the Scriptures will draw you in or send you away disgusted. The problem is never the Ancient Words; the problem is always the individual.

Think about it.

Gary

I miss the rose-colored lenses of youth. Joe South (born Joseph Alfred Souter; February 28, 1940 – September 5, 2012) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. In 1970 he sang “Children.” Here are a couple of stanzas.

Children, Go and run and jump and play
You’ll be men and women someday
Then you’ll have to leave your world of make believe
Now children

Children (children), Need someone to understand
Children, Need someone to hold their hands
Yeah, To cheer you when you’re sad
To spank you when you’re bad now, Children

Haughty (children), Naughty (children), Children

Pride goes before destruction
A holy spirit goes before a fall
Don’t you know that we’re all children
And it’s all for one and one for all mmm

The smartest man in the world had this to say about children in the Book of Ecclesiastes:

Ecclesiastes 11:9 

Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

Existence can be pleasurable for a time and a life running from God is highly possible, but in the end we must stand before Him. He created us and we will answer to Him. Are you ready?

Think about it.

Gary

I was a sixth grader coming in off the playground after the bell had rung. I was stuck in the herd when a pair of hands reached in and picked me out and held me against the wall as accusations about my conduct were assailing me. It was a male teacher that no one argued with. Walking into my classroom, I informed my teacher as to what had just happened and related that I had done nothing to deserve such treatment. (Aunt Clara), I mean Mrs. McBreairty went straight down the hall to demand an explanation. Come to find out, the kid who committed the punishable crime had the same first name as I had. The executer of justice came and gave me a public apology. I would rather have had him give me a get-out-of jail-free card, but that was enough for me.

There is a verse about that happening:

1 Peter 2:20

For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.

I didn’t know anything about that Biblical policy in my youth, however I do now.  Every once in a while something similar still happens to me. I’m not always successful at handling it, but sometimes I take it, and when I do, that pleases God.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Peter, a fisherman who knew how to curse, met a man who changed his life. Saul, a religious Pharisee, who would kill for the faith, met a man who changed his life.

In the days of zealots, Simon was master. Zealots hoped to gain Jewish independence and accomplish this by inciting the people to rebellion, driving the Romans from Israel, and establishing a Mosaic theocracy. He met a man who changed his life. We have many zealots on the left and right who would desire to have their own way with the government.

What a transformation came into the lives of the aforementioned men. They came to realize their kingdom and citizenship was not of this world. When men come to realize that truth, they set their affections on eternal things.

“God is looking for those with whom He can do the impossible — what a pity that we plan only the things that we can do by ourselves.”—AW Tozer

God did the impossible with these men who came from a wide variety of beliefs. He accomplished something they could never do by themselves. Would you like for Him to change you?

Matthew 4:19

 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

God did the impossible with these and He can do that with you.

Think about it.

Gary