Daily Devotional; formerly Chaplains Corner

[jack404]

Deo duce, ferro comitante



Amen!

[Woodnut]

AMEN !!! Terry, and I agree whole heartedly with the way you think, and interpret the Scripture.

[Juker]

Amen!

[Airdale]

Amen!

Thanks Terry

[cutter]

Amen!!! You are spot on! Terry, Thanks so much for your posts, they have become my daily reading in the morning!!!

[ampaterry]

I truly appreciate th amount of support I have received as Chaplain of TFF. It means a lot to me, guys, and is just the impetus I need to continue these messages each morning.
THANK YOU!!!

Many folks seem to get themselves into trouble on a regular basis. Most of the trouble we are in is of our own doing, actually. We are broke because we did not plan for a future rainy day, we are sick because we did not take good enough care of ourselves, our marriage is not good because we failed to put the proper time and effort into it, our job is unsatisfying because we never spent the time needed get into a career we could enjoy, and so on.
Are you good at getting yourself into trouble? Today, let's look at some old proverbs on the topic of 'trouble':

Proverbs 15:16 (KJV);
"Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith."
Proverbs 13:17 (KJV);
"A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health."
Proverbs 15:6 (NCV);
"Much wealth is in the houses of good people, but evil people get nothing but trouble."

And now let's look at some NEW proverbs on getting into trouble:
There is an upside to always having your foot in your mouth; at least you are able to make ends meet.
It's better to sleep on something before doing it, than to do it wrong and stay awake worrying about it.
The trouble with being a grouch is that you have to make new friends every few months.

So what do you plan to do about it? If you find yourself in trouble, and just keep up the same old actions that brought you to this state, where do you think you will be tomorrow? Remember that one definition of insanity is to perform the same actions, over and over, and expect to get different results. If you don’t like where you are AT, then change what you are doing.

God Bless each and every one of you, guys -

[Woodnut]

Originally Posted by ampaterry

If you don’t like where you are AT, then change what you are doing.

-

AMEN !! Thanks Terry. I do very much appreciate what you are doing as Chaplain of the TFF forum. It is such a good way to start the day, reading your words, then the scripture.
Many thanks my friend.

[jack404]

Terry , i'm my own worst enemy that way
but i figured The Good Lord wanted me this way


in Proverbs in reference to that Terry, I like

14:23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.


Thanks Terry , You get me thinking every night before i hit the sack

not a bad way to crash

[Juker]

Amen, brothers. So much of Paul's writings revolve around a core principle: You're a Christian, so act like one! It is far too easy to waste one's life consumed with fear and worry and anger.

Years ago my pastor made a simple statement that has stuck with me always: People shouldn't be surprised to find out you're saved.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16, KJV)

[ampaterry]

We all know folks that make much of their piety and devotion. They show up at church on Sunday in their finery, sing hymns and praise God with the group, but outside of those walls one would never guess they were a Christian. They are found in places and in activities which a Christian has no business being involved in. Their language is unsuitable, and their desires are of a low sort. There religion is for show only! This is not a modern phenomenon, however.

Over five hundred years ago, Louis XI made a donation to the Virgin Mary of the whole country of Boulogne. The problem was, he retained the revenue of the country for his own use! A solemn deed was drawn up, signed, sealed, and delivered, and it bears the date 1478. What a ridiculous farce! The instrument gives away absolutely nothing at all!

The Word of God addresses this duplicity, this lack of TRUE devotion:

Isaiah 29:13-14 (GWT);
"The Lord says, "These people worship me with their mouths and honor me with their lips. But their hearts are far from me, and their worship of me is based on rules made by humans. That is why I am going to do something completely amazing for these people once again. The wisdom of their wise people will disappear. The intelligence of their intelligent people will be hidden.""

These folks are just muddling around with God. They are not committed for Him, neither are they opposed to Him. It is these which Jesus said would be better off if they were either cold or hot, but since they are just lukewarm, he will vomit them out!

Make a commitment to God, Brother – Make Jesus the Lord of your life, Sister – for until you are wholeheartedly committed to Him, you are just playing games – and the stakes are far beyond any which you can afford to loose.

[jack404]

yep lot's of submarine Christians Terry

just gotta make sure we aint one of em

good reminder mate , Cheers!

[Woodnut]

AMEN !
And Thanks again Terry for those wonderful words of wisdom.

[ampaterry]

I talk a great deal about our armed forces. I speak of their bravery and sacrifice, how they risk their lives for you and for me, and how they do it for so little pay. We also know that members of the armed forces subject themselves to a chain of command that can place them in peril at any moment, and from which they have virtually no respite. To make matters even worse, they are under constant control by rules and regulations which change at irregular intervals concerning when it is OK to use the weapon they carry. All of that is so very true, and God Bless every member of our fighting forces. They are the reason we live in safety here in our country.
But today is a different day entirely. Today, we recognize a completely different group of men and women who have lost their lives because they put themselves in an almost identical set of circumstances, yet did it here in our own country. Today is Peace Officers Memorial Day, a day set aside in by President John F. Kennedy in 1962 to recognize the sacrifice of the law enforcement people in our country that have lost their lives or become disabled in the line of duty. We owe these people every bit as much respect and gratitude as we do those that have served in the armed forces. In reality, these people ARE in the armed forces. They face evil every day in a completely different form! The evil these people face every day are from people in our country that are indistinguishable from the rest of us; they wear no uniform. So, not only do our peace officers have to risk their lives in combating our enemies, but they must first determine WHO the enemy is! God bless every member of our peace officer agencies at city, county, state and federal levels.
Lord, we ask that you would watch over all peace officers today. We ask for your blessing and comfort to every person that has lost a loved one performing this service for the rest of us. We ask that you would help each one of us to recognize that these men and women deserve our respect, our gratitude, and our love as they perform their duties. And we ask all of these things in the name of Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

God bless every one of us, and keep us safe -

[jack404]

Amen

[Woodnut]

AMEN!!

What would this world be without them.

[J.D. Bass]

Thanks to ampaterry for the great work. Side Bar: shouldn't the "Chaplains Corner" have its own forum? Then it could have Sub categories and sub topic discussions and so forth. Just a thought. Maybe this has been covered somewhere in this thread?
But again....I've really enjoyed it.

[ampaterry]

I appreciate that, guys!

JD, I could do that, but it would be rather self-agrandizing if I set it up. I will continue as is and if the other admin's think it is a good idea they can ring in on it.
In any event, I thank you for the kind words of support -

[Juker]

Thanks for this, Terry. My father was greatly influenced in his childhood by his grandfather, a sheriff murdered in the line of duty in the early 1940s. Dad still speaks of it as if it happened yesterday.

[Airdale]

I second J.D.'s suggestion.

[ampaterry]

In my Creation-Evolution discussion group, Talk About Origins, I have had Atheists make the charge that modern Christians have nothing to complain about. They claim that the REAL persecution of Christianity was long long ago in a land far far away, and modern Christians that speak of trials and tribulations are simply not being realistic and honest.

What do you think? Do you, as a Christian, feel persecuted? Do you look at the court ruling that forced Judge Roy Moore to remove the ten commandments monument from the court house, and say Christians are not persecuted? Do you look at the numerous court rulings that have forced various states to recognize Gay marriages as legitimate and feel that your beliefs are not under attack? Do you look at the public school system, that is allowed to teach the religion of evolution while being barred from mentioning even the possibility of Creation, and NOT feel your beliefs are being discriminated against?

In spite of claims to the contrary, Christians ARE being persecuted today! To be sure, in our country at this time we are not being fed to the lions. We are not being burned at the stake. We are not having our homes and property confiscated. But we ARE being persecuted in a myriad of ways. The thing each one of us needs to answer is 'how are we being persecuted and what am I going to do about it?'

Jesus told us in Matthew 16:18 (KJV);“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

And again in John 16:33 (KJV);“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

A government leader in the USSR who worked to end Christianity was upset by the amount of resistance he received from them, and said:
"Religion is like a nail. The harder you hit it the deeper it goes into the wood."

May God bless and strengthen each one of us -

[Woodnut]

AMEN !!
Thanks again Terry for a wonderful teaching. Yes we are persercuted and we must try to overcome it. All of the things that you mentioned have happened in our life time, just think what will happen in our children's life time. Something has to be done, but nothing I can think of will work except prayer.

[jack404]

Terry , Thank you for raising this ,

http://www.compassdirect.org/ for anyone thinking Christians are not being persecuted

Its strange how they say religion does not matter but the lefties love to throw it about like its a sword, in many ways Faith is ..

It was found out i am Militia Dei of the Anglican Church ,

Miltia Dei is a charity group made up after the first world war , only combat veterans we raise funds for veterans groups and children's charities , we also keep and eye on other veterans , those who may need someone to talk to etc ..

( i sell raffle tickets !!! shhhh !!! and occasionally i organise a BBQ , or bush cooking competition or a dinner dance )

whilst trying to answer peoples questions about Sharia law in a online debate held after a TV debate on islam here a leftie who months before had promised big things to come , started throwing this around like it was a membership in the KKK , and stating we where a ultra right wing Christian militia , like terrorists or something , and of course it hit the news , this was from a internal news letter its part toungue in cheek, all vestments listed are not what they are , and special ops, that means get a BBQ or dance together in 2 weeks ... but they posted it on the TV stations facebook page and it hit the fan ..

and later i and my Militia Dei friends where stated as those behind a plot that hijacked a face book group vote for leadership of the Australian Defence League , we had nothing to do with it theres 30 of us , never less , never more , average age is 70+ (i'm a youngun), like we care ... but we been tainted as some secret army by the lefties hahahaha

thats lefties

maybe its the lack of Faith that leaves em so empty they gotta throw crazy stuff like all this about

but after all the mess was sorted , we had a huge raise in revenues for a while , its not gone all the way back down yet so we are hoping ..

for a while we had clubs ask us to explain what was happening , that really cut things back for a while , but the Truth came out in the end

with God , it generally does

Thanks again Terry

[ampaterry]

When I was a young teenager, I experimented with smoking. There was no law against children smoking in those days, but my dad and mom had their own law, so I did it only in secret. I would go down to a little store that my parents did not shop at, pull a piece of paper from my pocket and pretend to read what Dad had sent me for; a particular kind of cigar, usually. I would then go out and ride away from the store on my bicycle before lighting it, then peddle around in different neighborhoods puffing away on it. On one such day, I recognized an approaching car as one belonging to my sister and her husband, which sent me into a panic. Fastened to the handlebars of my bike, I had a WWII vintage knapsack, made of OD Canvas, which I used to carry things on my bike. I opened the flap, dropped the cigar in, and rode on trying to act innocent. The car stopped when they got even with me, and my sister and her husband talked briefly to me. I don't remember anything they talked about, but I sure do remember the coil of smoke that rose from my knapsack. I am sure they noticed, but they never said a word about it. My knapsack suffered a hole burned in the bottom from the incident, and my desire for cigars was considerably lessened in the future.
A lit cigar cannot be concealed in a canvas bag. It will betray itself with smoke, and eventually flame. Neither can pet sins be kept hidden beneath the most glorious sounding profession of faith; they will sooner or later discover themselves, and burn sad holes in a person's reputation. Sin needs quenching in the Savior's blood, not being hidden under the knapsack of religion.
The Word of God tells us:
Numbers 32:23 (KJV);
"But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out."
Proverbs 28:13 (KJV);
"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."

I will talk to you again tomorrow - and may God bless and protect each one here.

[Woodnut]

AMEN !!!
Terry, that story brings back a lot of memories of my childhood, but without the bike. Just the secret smoking, rolling your own and grape vines. Whatever would lite. But you are so right, you cannot hide it for very long, and you certainly can't hide your sins from God, eventually they will catch up with you.
Thanks Terry for the wonderful words, and the inspiration for the day.

[ampaterry]

Always do, Carl - sometimes quickly, sometimes years later, but they ALWAYS do.

Grapevines!
Man, I had managed to forget about those nasty things -

And the corn-field smokes: Corncob pipe, corn stalk stem, and dry corn silk to smoke in it.

We were wild and crazy guys, back then - -