Daily Devotional; formerly Chaplains Corner

[tcox4freedom]

Thanks Terry;
I really needed this one!
I've been struggling in business & ministry for the last 10+ years. I have grown weary; extremely so. But, I still can't give up.

I have to pray everyday for enough strength just to get out of bed. I also have to pray for the ability to bear the pain that shoots through my body every step I take.

But, God has been faithful and one day I hope to be 110% restored in my health and every other area of my life that the enemy has tried to destroy.

God Bless-

[BlackEagle]

Thanks again, Terry.
Terry and tcox, Moses had two men who held up his hands while he prayed for Israel in Exodus 17 as Joshua led the fight against Amalek. I do pray for you, Terry, and I'll add you tcox, as you daily do God's work where you are.

[ampaterry]

Thank you!!

And I uphold all here as well, daily -

Tim, special intercession for you has been ongoing for some time now.

For today, I want to relate an account told by Harriet Taylor:

Billy Graham was invited to a luncheon in his honor in Charlotte, NC. He hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson's disease, but they told him, "We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you." So he agreed. After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, "I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of each passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his other pocket. It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it.

As he continued searching, the conductor said, 'Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it. Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. The conductor rushed back and said, 'Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are. No problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.'

Einstein looked at him and said, 'Young man, I too know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.'"

Having said that Billy Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My wife, my children, and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion. You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am, I also know where I'm going."

You all know who you are. Do you know where you are going?

May God bless each one of you with that sure knowledge -

[tcox4freedom]

Good one Terry.

I do appreciate your prayers. Please keep them up because I thing I beginning to move toward a new chapter in ministry. (I really feel your prayers are working!)

I think God has placed me in a position work closely with a leaders of a particular denomination which I feel God will use in a significant way in future. I've just begun meeting with a few people, as to the direction I need to take & the responsibilities I must face to continue.

I think I may end up having to return to school & seek a Masters of Divinity degree. However, I may be able to participate in ministry activities while I attend seminary.

Thank You BlackEagle for adding me to your prayer list. As I move forward in what may be an EIGHT year long journey, I can use all the prayer I can get.

[BlackEagle]

Thankful I know where I'm going too.

[ampaterry]

Today, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of St. Theodore. Theodore was a general who commanded a Legion under the Emperor Licinius in Pontus in the year 310 AD. He became a Christian at a time when Christianity was one of the outlawed sects in Rome. Theodore openly admitted his Christian belief, and was arrested for it. He was tortured by having iron hooks forced into his flesh and then torn out. Still refusing to renounce Jesus Christ, he was placed in a furnace and burned to death.

Matthew 10:32-33 (KJV);
“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”

We all know that passage, but how many of us can FOLLOW it? How many of us, in Theodore's position, would openly admit to being a Christian? I know people who claim to be Christians who do not mention that fact outside of Christian circles simply to avoid confrontations with others.

Back when I was in the service, we were told we could NOT carry a bible with us when we went to any Islamic nation because the USA did not want to risk offending any Muslims there. Well, brothers and sisters, look around at the world we live in. While Christianity is not illegal in the country we live in right now, it certainly is being discriminated against more and more as the Atheists fight to remove all mention of God from all public venues.

And the Muslims are complaining more and more because Christian holidays are celebrated here in the USA while their own holidays are not. To me, it makes no sense to move to Iran if one wants national recognition of Easter - -

We may soon discover if we can follow that passage or not.

Consider this passage concerning the end times:
Revelation 20:4 (KJV);
“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image . . . .”

Let me see now; who practices be-heading today?

May God bless, guide, and strengthen each one of us as we proceed into troubled times.

[jack404]

spot on as usual Terry

but if i may , here the full verse

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

[Python]

Originally Posted by ampaterry

Let me see now; who practices be-heading today?

I don't believe the be-heading has anything to do with Islam during the Tribulation period. I believe it will be because "psychologically" it's the most fearful methods of killing in modern society. Considering that Ezekiel 38-39 is currently staring the world in the face, and God will destroy all but 1/6th of the invading armies, it's safe to say that Islam will cease to be a global threat before the 7 years of Tribulation even begin. Anti-christ and NWO be-heading yes, Islam no.

[BlackEagle]

Regardless of whether it is the Roman Empire, the Inquisition, Communist, Athiest, socialist, Humanist, Islamist, or any other persecution, it is here now, and always has been. Some church somewhere in the world will know the reality of Christ's words to Smyrna in Revelation 2 8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:

9 ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. [f]Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’

We all face it one way or another at some time or another from one source or another.

Thanks, Terry.

[ampaterry]

I appreciate those comments, guys, very much! The feedback is a daily reminder that these ARE being read.

For today:

"Even sermon making, incessant and taxing as an art, as a duty, as a work, or as a pleasure, will harden and estrange the heart by neglect of prayer from God. The scientist loses God in nature. The preacher may lose God in his sermon."

E. M. Bounds wrote that in Leadership magazine, and I consider it a most astute observation. I know of astronomers who have grown distant from God. I know of biologists who have grown distant from God. These scientists have moved beyond the desire to study the works of the almighty, and have instead set out to discover the nature of all things without God. They only seek one explanation for all things: Naturalism. They have bought into the lie that says Science cannot embrace the supernatural. Yet, the greatest scientists that ever lived were virtually all believers in an infinite God as the source of all things. Faraday, Maxwell, Newton, Kepler - all sought to discover the workings of God's creation - they did not seek to replace God with science.
Indeed, the same danger applies to me when I am preparing my sermon, researching a question someone has posed to me, or preparing these devotionals. It is all too easy to get caught up in the study, in the illustration, in the language and phraseology – and omit the fact that first and foremost I need to communicate with God.

He tells us in his word that this failing is part of our human nature:
Matthew 26:41 (KJV);
"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

And He tells us that we need to be in constant communion with God in order to not find ourselves weakened in our labors:
Luke 18:1 (KJV);
"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;"

May God bless each one of you in everything you seek to do, by causing you to do all for the glory of Him.

[Woodnut]

Amen, Terry, very well put. And you quoted one of many of my favorite verses. Spot on.

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

[BlackEagle]

Amen to that, Terry.

It's all to easy to become academic and forget that God's Word is a living Word that meets us where we're at.

One thing that kept me from falling into the trap was to do an ABC type study on the passage I was working on...I could hear God talking to me, and I made my response to God. Then I could pass that message on to others. I leaned the ABC outline from the Navigators many years ago and it never grows old.

My seminary professors in Belfast were full time pastors, and their lectures were spiced up by the practical real life application in their ministry of the things they were teaching. It became more than just academic ideas.

[ampaterry]

Thanks, guys!

For today, some statistics from a study by Barna Research Group a few years ago:

12% of all American adults read the Bible every day of the week.
52 % do not read it at all.
33 % read the Scriptures at least once during a typical week.
(May I presume the other 3% don't know if they read it or not?)

By demographics:
70 % of blacks read the Bible at least once a week.
49 % of Hispanics do.
42 % of whites do.

50% of women read the Bible at least once a week.
39 % of men do.

Here in the south, 56 percent of adults read it at least once a week.
In the Northeast, only 30 percent do.

26 % of evangelicals read the Bible daily.
50 % of evangelicals read it at least once a week.
22 % of evangelicals never read the Bible outside of church.
(And the other 2%? Evangelicals who don't know how often they read the Bible?)

In contrast to all of these, how often does the word of God tell us we should read the scriptures?

Deuteronomy 17:19 (KJV);
"And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:"

Acts 17:11 (KJV);
"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."

And Jesus tells us why we should do this:
John 5:39 (KJV);
"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."

So many people rarely, if ever, read the Bible.
And so many people wander through life aimlessly, with no idea of the meaning of it all.
There is more than a coincidental connection there -
It is actually a causative relationship.

May God bless each one of you, guys, with a deeper desire than ever to delve into His word!

[jack404]

i gotta admit i've got slack that way , when in the service, of a morning i'd open The Good Book at a random place and read for 10-20 mins but night time i would be following a study course i was gifted ( what a great gift eh! )

nowdays i still do the same of a morning , but have been missing days here and there ,

i do get a "passage of the day" in my email but thats often overlooked as yahoo sometimes deems it spam ( dunno why )

gotta get back into the habits of old again

cheers for the reminder Terry

been focusing on other reading materials to educate myself on the enemy , probably too much eh ..

[Zane71464]

Good informative post Terry!
I know I dont read as much as one should but I know a few that doesnt even
have a Bible in their home. That's a scarry to me! If they havent got one, they
more than likely havent read out of one in years.

[jack404]

know their email ?

http://www.christnotes.org/email.php

[Zane71464]

Thanks Jack! Just the thing.

[BlackEagle]

Interesting info, Terry and thanks. Joshua 1:8 is another one.
Good email link, Jack. I have a Bible open at the table and read a few verses or a chapte while eating breakfast. Gives me more than just food to digest.

[ampaterry]

Just a few more statistics today -

92 % of Americans households have a Bible.
37 % of Americans read that Bible outside of religious services.

So - there are a LOT of bibles out there that are not being read -
Perhaps most people just aren't getting anything out of their scripture reading, so they stop?

Not necessarily. There is no close correlation between continuing an action and the result you obtain from it. Millions of people (including ME) play the lottery every week - in spite of the fact that they do not win anything. Millions more pour into Las Vegas or Atlantic City where they are parted from their money with virtually no chance of reward.

Then, on the other hand,
95% of Americans say they have had their prayers answered, But only 75% pray on a daily basis.

Why do we BUY Bibles, but don't READ them?

Why do we have prayers ANSWERED, but do not pray daily?

Why do we invest in things that have NEVER rewarded us, while ignoring things that DO reward us?

The world discourages Bible reading and prayer, while encouraging gambling. We are in the world, and the world has a greater influence upon us than we would care to admit -

Jesus tells us:
Matthew 11:9-13 (KJV);
"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"

I pray that we all become wiser investors - -

[jack404]

best investment is the Eternal kind

cheers to you Terry

[BlackEagle]

Originally Posted by jack404

best investment is the Eternal kind

cheers to you Terry

Spot on, Jack.

Today's message made me think of Matthew 6:19-21: 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Thanks again, Terry. Those unread Bibles have so many answers to people's problems, and the answers are free and eternal, but they choose to pay for bad temporary fixes.

[ampaterry]

Thank you, guys!

Today, our Jewish friends celebrate Ta'anit Esther, or the Fast of Esther in commemoration of the Fast observed by Mordechai and Esther and all Israel. On that very day, the enemies of the Jews had planned to subjugate and destroy them. The opposite, however, occurred and the Jews ruled over their enemies.
The practice of fasting was observed by the people of Israel whenever they were faced by war. Thus Moshe Rabenu also fasted when he came to wage war against Amalek. The aim of the fast was to affirm that a man does not prevail by physical or military strength, but only by lifting his eyes heavenward in prayer so that Divine Mercy might give him the strength to prevail in battle. This then was the purpose of the fast observed by Israel at the time of Haman, when they gathered to defend themselves against those who sought to destroy them. In memory of that Fast, a yearly Fast was fixed for generations on the same day. We are to recall thereby that God accepts each person's prayer and penitence in the hour of his trouble.

The acceptance of this Fast of the 13th of Adar on the part of Israel for later generations is alluded to in the book of Esther:
Esther 9:31 (KJV);
To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.

The Fast is called by the name of Esther because it was she who first requested the observance of a fast, of Mordechai:
Esther 4:15-17 (KJV);
Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

Today, the fast is not observed for a three-day period, as was the case with the original Fast, nor is it observed on the same date. Originally the Fast was observed on the 14th, 15th and 16th of Nisan, immediately after Mordechai was informed of Haman's decree and of the letter of annihilation which Haman wrote on the 13th of Nisan. Today, it is observed on the 13th of Adar, in memory of the Fast observed by Israel on the day of their mobilization for war against the enemies. The Fast is nevertheless called by the name of Esther since it was she who first proposed its observance.

Tomorrow, the celebration of God's answer to the Jews plea - -

May God bless you, guys -

[nightwalker]

I'm one who reads his Bible almost every day, and sometimes it is a challenge to keep it fresh. But that means I need time alone with Him, right? Thanks for doing this daily devotional thing. It's encouraging.

[ampaterry]

Nightwalker, prayer and meditation will absolutely enhance your Bible study. There are other ways as well; using some study aids like a good concordance with which you can look up words and see what the original language was, and all possible definitions, can be helpful.
Also, there is no edict that says you have to start with Genesis and read straight through to Revelations. It is often helpful when you are bogged down, say, in Numbers, to take a little break and read a few passages from Luke or John.
I am glad to be some encouragement, and thank you for letting me know that!

For today;

Esther 9:20-22 (KJV);
“And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far, To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, as the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.”

Today begins the Jewish celebration of Purim. This is the most festive of Jewish holidays, a time of prizes, noisemakers, costumes and treats. Purim commemorates the victory over oppression which is recounted in the book of Esther. Purim takes place on the fourteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month of the Jewish calendar. Purim means “lots”, so named from the plot by Haman to draw lots to see which Jews to kill first in his plot to kill all of them. This is the only instance of the word in any Jewish Holy book, and this book has another distinction; it is the only book that never mentions the name of God. If you have not read the story, I encourage you to read the book of Esther; it is actually a riveting story which documents how the Jewish people – once more – are rescued from annihilation by circumstances that can only logically be credited to God, even though he is not mentioned.

I remember a wonderful message that I heard preached on the book of Esther, in which the preacher told the story from the viewpoint of one of the kings servants. At the conclusion of the book, when the Jews were saved from destruction and the one plotting against them was put to death, the servant said “These Jews! They sure are lucky!”

I am here to testify to you about the Jewish people, brothers and sisters. They are one heck of a lot more than just lucky! They are blessed by God, because he made a covenant with them. They are His Chosen People. They always have been, and they always will be. We, as the followers of Jesus, are fortunate enough to be accepted by God into the royal family. But our admission has no effect upon the Jews; they were there before us, and always will be.

May God richly bless each one of you -

[BlackEagle]

Thanks again, Terry;
I do like Esther. She had guts, and used the circumstances and position God put her in for good. She won the beauty contest but didn't let it go to her head !! She was good about following the advice of her uncle.

Yesterday's message brought James 5:16 to mind:
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much