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Devotions of Encouragement

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Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of Articles of Faith
Article 1. Article 2. Article 3. Article 4.

We believe in one only true and living God, and that there are three in the God-Head – the Father, the son and Holy Ghost. We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God and the only rule of faith and practice. We believe that God chose His people in Christ before the foundation of the world; that they should be holy and without blame before Him in love. We believe in the doctrine of original sin and man’s impotency to recover himself from the fallen state he is in by nature. Article 5. We believe that sinners are justified in the sight of God only by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. Article 6. We believe that God’s elect shall be called effectively, regenerated and sanctified by the Holy Ghost, and shall persevere in grace and never finally fall away. Article 7. We believe that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances of Jesus Christ and to be practiced by His faithful children. Article 8. We believe in the resurrection of the dead and a general judgment and that punishment of the wicked will be everlasting, and the joys of the righteous will be eternal. Article 9. We believe that ministers of the Gospel are called by God to minister to those in need with love and encouragement. Article 10. We believe that God hath ordained good works; that His children should walk in them, and that good works are only such as God has commanded in His Word

10/18/2026

Real Bread
"I don't want the world to define God for me. I want the Holy Spirit to reveal God to me."
Aiden Wilson Tozer
The world gives us many impressions of God.
Quite a few could be listed but here’s some common ones-
God is the power in the sky watching and ready to zap us with punishment or send us to Hell when we mess up.
God is for old people and the uneducated.
God is just for good people that are boring and not people like me that are still looking for fun.
Here’s one some think of as “new age” but history actually contradicts that idea-God is what we define him and appoint him as being.
In the past we saw some people appoint him as being the Sun and some a piece of gold made by King Nebuchadnezzar that was about 9 feet wide and 90 feet tall.
Presently “we are our own god” seems to be the most common god closely seconded by karma and fate both followed even closer by various variations of magic and superstition.
Jesus tells of the Holy Spirit and the truth it brings in John 6:63 KJV-
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
No matter which one of the above chosen, there’s one thing they all have in common-The Holy Spirit doesn’t witness to and make that god real for anyone having a mind for reality. And the same Holy Spirit isn’t present to make the Savior, Jesus Christ real for God’s children.
These delusions of unreal gods may temporarily aid in those unwilling to accept the truth that people are unable to endure without a living and real God in their lives and need a personal live relationship with the real God, but they will leave the deceived in a miserable spot.
The only real true God is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit that comes into our hearts and minds and makes our dead soul riddled with the terminal disease of sin alive and well in the body of Christ.
John 6 KJV
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Praying that the Holy Spirit defines God for all His children and they receive Christ as their Savior.

10/11/2026

Eye of the Storm
The pine trees in the front yard were bent almost horizontal. The wind hitting the front of the house seeped by the window frames and blew the curtains up in the air. The never ending whistling of the 100 plus mph wind outside made it impossible to sleep even if one had wanted to. Down the road in our neighborhood, where the houses weren’t as fortunate to be in a low valley as we were, trees fell onto cars leaving them flattened beyond recognition. Roofs caved in and water damaged what was left of the house’s interior. Power lines fell across the roads sparking wildly in the night only to leave the entire area without power for about a week afterward. Yes, Hurricane Opal had hit the town of LaGrange Georgia hard even though it was hundreds of miles from where it first made landfall. It left a path of death and destruction that will never be forgotten across the entire eastern United States. The damage brought by the wind, hail, rain, and storm surge left 63 dead and about 4.7 billion dollars in damage.
Ironically with all the destructive wind and rain that came with Opal, it had a 12-mile-wide eye that had clear seemingly perfect weather inside it. It seems hard to believe that something that destructive would possess within it 12 miles of calm peaceful clear weather that would make one think there’s no danger whatsoever. Weather so calm that kids could get out and play and adults walk around the neighborhood only to be forced minutes later back to cover to avoid more destruction.
Romans 6 KJV
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 8 KJV
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Satan tricks people into thinking sin is the most satisfying path to self fulfilment. His eye looks calm and peaceful but he leaves a pathway of destruction (Genesis 3:4). After all, everything fell from perfection when he tempted Eve into eating of the forbidden fruit. He didn’t represent the action with the death and destruction it would bring, but enticed her with appetite and pleasure.
The result was death for all of the human race. Sickness, hatred, and destruction from sin’s pathway of damage continue today. No good will come from following the corrupt flesh .
Galatians 5 KJV
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
We must take the shield of Jesus Christ through faith and be protected from the toll of sin. We can know real peace and joy that comes from the fulfilment of trusting in God. He wants all His children to survive the storms of life and emerge victorious over sin in Christ. He wants us all to stay out of the damage path Satan tries to bring our way and walk the pathway He has prepared for us before the foundation of the world.
Matthew 7 KJV
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

10/04/2026

Trust Issues
Raisin cookies that look like chocolate chip cookies are the main reason I have trust issues.
😂
Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
The greatest gift we have been given is our will – our ability to choose. No matter what, we can choose what we think, what we believe, what we do. Sure, that’s not easy, but the capacity for mankind to make wise choices in the face of incomprehensibly difficult circumstances is astounding. And, the converse is true as well: the ability for mankind to make incredibly poor choices in the midst of the best of circumstances and influences is confounding.

So, if you were to do an inventory of your choices how would you fair? Probably a mix of wise and foolish choices I assume. We are all similar in that regard. However, maturity is to learn from our poor choices so we make less of them and make more wise choices. Foolish is the leader who does not learn from his poor choices, and is, therefore, destined to repeat his mistakes.
We all have an equal opportunity to choose what we will think, believe and do. Awareness and education certainly play a significant role in our ability to make wise choices, but even in the midst of our ignorance we can choose to recognize we don’t know what we don’t know and then seek input from those wiser than us.
Regardless of the decisions we have made, the decisions we make, make us. We are all products of the decisions we make – what we embrace and what we reject. The decisions we have made have led us to where we are. We can make decisions that lead to good outcomes, or ones that lead to bad outcomes.
How do we make good decisions? That’s never an easy thing to do. I mean, I could write hypocritically that I knew exactly what the right decisions are, but I’m human and prone to error.
Romans 3
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
One basic component that I have noticed looking back on my 51 years is that all good decisions were based on picking what I knew to be told as right in the Bible and not what felt pleasurable or easy at the moment. And that part of the equation wasn’t as tough to discern as I sometimes like to tell myself. Looking back and being honest leads me to believe that I was always aware of the times the wrong decisions were made. It also fact checks any of the ridiculous lies I told myself. “The devil made me do it”, “my parents or someone else’s reaction made me do it”, “my financial or education situation caused me to do it”, etc.
Following God is as simple as not only asking Him forgiveness for destructive decisions we made, but accepting His love and mercy for a new chance to make better ones. He wants what is best for His children. He’s not holding their bad decisions under a magnifying glass and trying to condemn us for them. He offers salvation from mistakes through faith in Jesus our Savior that brings the completeness we can never find on our own.
God has many great decisions prepared for us in the future that will be accompanied by blessings that will surpass any human pleasure conceived. Praying that all His children trust Him and follow with good decisions.

09/27/2026

Fall Weather is Coming
The temperature dropped from 95 to 60 like it saw a state trooper. 😂

Fall is near and the beauty of the changing colors approach along with more desirable temperatures. Hopefully this will allow more enjoyment of outdoor activities for us all. Maybe some hikes in the mountains, long bicycle rides, fishing cooler more fish active waters, or even a nice ride to the nearby mountains to enjoy the views?
Whatever it may be we do at this beautifully pleasant time of year, let’s take Jesus with us. Keep him in our hearts, minds, and souls and dwell on His goodness. Rejoice in the life He gives to a dying world. Be thankful He reaches out to lost sinners that are blinded by darkness, gives them life eternal, and allows God’s children to be worthy of being united with the Father in Heaven for an eternal joy that even fall weather can’t match.
Philippians 4 KJV
4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Prayers that we all enjoy the beautiful fall weather while thinking on the good things of God and His love and peace given to us through His son.

09/20/2026

Trouble Averted
“Most of the trouble in the world is caused by people wanting to be important”-T. S. Eliot
What think ye on that proclamation of Mr. Eliot’s? While the desire to be important is the cause of most of the trouble or not may be debatable, at least we can all agree it is a huge problem in today’s environment and has been all throughout the history of all the civilizations before us. Is that not what caused the fall of man from the very beginning? Genesis is pretty clear on the fact that Adam and Eve desired to be like gods and chose to disobey our Great Creator in an attempt to be important (Genesis 3:5 & Romans 8:20).
Yes, I think we can all agree the world could use less self serving people trying to create the allure of importance and more of those that selfishly contribute their God given talents to help those around them in our current society.
A story of just such a person comes to mind-
He was in Washington D.C. on business when he received a letter that his wife was ill. He rushed back via horseback and a steam powered passenger train to his home in New Haven, Connecticut to find he was too late. She had already died and been buried. Heart broken in the knowledge that he had been unaware of his wife’s failing health and that she had died a lonely death, Samuel Morse moved to pursue a means of rapid long distance communication. The scars from his pain were looked to for motivation rather than self pity.
Morse went on to develop the telegraph which served the people, businesses, and our country well for many years. The telegraph first connected Washington D.C. and Baltimore and soon after New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Buffalo, and Mississippi were on line.
Morse received many honors from his invention of the telegraph but felt undeserving: "I have made a valuable application of electricity not because I was superior to other men but solely because God, who meant it for mankind, must reveal it to someone and He was pleased to reveal it to me."
I admire this true story because it describes a very gifted, intelligent, and hard working person giving all the glory of their works to God. The world needs more of that today.
2 Corinthians 10:17-18
But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
A pat on the back, so to speak, from ourselves doesn’t bring approval. God is the one that brings glory and commendation. We that brag on God and what He has done in our life will find the approval and self worth we need. We that know Christ and the great sacrifice made by Him to save our very soul will know the healthiest of self esteem needed to confidently function as God designed us to.
Praying that all God’s children know their importance to their Father by receiving Christ into their hearts and glorifying God in all the things they do.

09/13/2026

Driven
“If we are not customer-driven, our cars won’t be either.”- Donald Peterson former CEO of Ford Motor Company
America’s past is full of men that seized opportunity and diligently developed businesses that produced products to meet the people’s needs. Henry Ford, one of my favorites, saw the need for Americans to afford quick reliable mobility and devoted a lot of thought and effort in the automobile and mass production. His efforts allowed the speedy and inexpensive building of the Model T so that the average American family could have one of the shiny black beauties sitting in their driveway.
Proverbs 21:5
The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.
When one can look outside themselves and see that there are certain needs of people in society and work to provide them, it's not only good business, but it's a helpful and positive contribution. Making such a positive contribution takes diligence in both preparing a needed item and marketing it so as others can easily access it and reap the intended benefits.
A person that neglects to see the needs of the needy and decide to hastily look for the quick fix of selfishness reaps poverty.
While this applies to business and marketing along with career goals, it also applies to the ministry we have been called for in Christ. First, there is a demand for Christ in this lost and suffering world. Second, we must selflessly and lovingly look for thus special demand of each of God's children so as to present Christ to them.
A diligent worker for God will think outside themselves and look at the needs of those in spiritual need. They will then minister to that need and the work will not be ineffectual.
Isaiah 55:11 KJV
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Working diligently to minister to other's needs not only accompanies great blessings of the work of God and the Holy Spirit to the receiver, but also blesses the humble servant seeking to glorify the Father.
Praying that God's children are successful in providing for the needs of His children and all involved experience His blessings to the fullness intended.

09/06/2026

Heavy Weights
A young man once mockingly asked the preacher-“You say that unsaved people carry a great weight of sin. Frankly, I feel nothing. How heavy is sin? Ten, Fifty, eighty, one hundred pounds?”
The preacher thought about it for a moment and gently replied- “If you laid a four hundred pound weight on a co**se, would it feel the load?”
The young man was quick to say- “Of course not, it’s dead.”
The preacher replied- “The person who doesn’t know Christ is equally dead and though the load is great, they feel none of it.”
Proclaiming the good news of the Gospel to all is not only something we should want to do, but is a great blessing and responsibility we as believers are to perform to glorify God in our own personal lives. It does come with a caveat-all that hear may not immediately respond to the word and if they do, it may be a negative response of sorts.
1 Corinthians 1:18 KJV
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
The cross carries no meaning for someone that only cares for the desires of the flesh. Expecting a lost sinner to heed the gospel, care about eternity, give thought to anything/anybody else but themselves would be like expecting a dead co**se to feel a load of weight pressing down. No, the lost person who are slaves to sin cannot feel, see, nor understand the need for the goodness of God but amazingly, those who are awaken by the Holy Spirit know that the cross that Jesus died on for our sins is the demonstration of the power of God and His magnificent saving grace for His born again children. Yes, we take great joy and consider it the greatest miracle known to man.
John 14:6 KJV
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
God’s born again children understand that Jesus is the only way to God and that without Him we are not able to come to God and the eternal life He holds. We not only understand that Jesus is the way, but that by Him we have access to God and His greatness.
The lost that do not believe that fact as stated in the Gospel before their time in the flesh is over will not be able to see God or be able to experience a joy filled eternal life in Heaven in God’s presence. No, God will declare He never knew them (Matthew 7:23).
John 6:44 KJV
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
This isn’t some sort of complicated conundrum. Lost man not only cannot see the things of God but will not want to come to Christ unless God draws them with His motivation. Only His spiritual quickening can make us alive and able to look for His righteousness. Only God can open our spiritual eyes to see the great gift Jesus offers to us and realize how much we are in need of it.
Thank God for his free gift of Christ. Thank God that Christ carries the heavy burden of sin that we are helpless against without Him. Thank God that He draws His children to Him and loves us even before we loved Him.
Praying that God’s born again children share the good news to everyone without bias and that all come to hear, understand, and respect the power of the good news in the Gospel and receive Christ as their Savior.

08/30/2026

Angry Response-Good or Bad?
Lincoln wrote a letter to General George Meade after the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, which he ultimately did not send. In this unsent letter, Lincoln expressed his disappointment with Meade's failure to pursue and potentially destroy Robert E. Lee's army after their retreat following the Union victory at Gettysburg.
The letter, described as a "hot letter" by Lincoln's biographers, was a common coping mechanism for the President when dealing with anger or frustration. He would write out his feelings, set the letter aside until his emotions cooled, and then often label it "Never sent. Never signed."
In the unsent letter to Meade, Lincoln wrote, "I do not believe you appreciate the magnitude of the misfortune involved in Lee's escape. He was within your easy grasp, and to have closed upon him would, in connection with our other late successes, have ended the war. As it is, the war will be prolonged indefinitely".
The decision not to send the letter to Meade, like other similar instances, likely resulted from Lincoln's understanding that his words, while offering personal relief, could have a demoralizing effect on the general, potentially hindering future military efforts. IN other words, Lincoln put his feelings aside knowing venting them would have no edifying effect.
Ephesians 3 KJV
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.

Two things to take away from this verse when considering anger that is often misunderstood and mistaught in our society-
1. Do not let our anger get such a hold on us that we are tempted to do something we shouldn’t do.
2. Allow yourself to be angry because anger isn’t the sin, as society often tries to portray it to be, but it’s how it is handled that becomes the problem.
So, let’s start with how to control our anger.
The first step that would benefit everyone that is angry would be to ask themselves in the heat of the moment one good question followed by a genuinely honest answer-
“Why am I so angry?”
That answer could be a number of things. Maybe someone did something to us they shouldn’t have? Or, and this one happens more often than many other reasons, is there some issue in my past I have not dealt with and all this anger that is coming out towards another person is undue?
Repressed anger from earlier events in life must be dealt with or it will stunt our emotional growth and cause problems when relating to others. Often, it takes a good bit of study to gain perspective. Sometimes the anger can go as far back as early childhood and may concern overbearing parents, overly competitive siblings, or some horrible wrong done to us at a time we just couldn’t understand how to file it in our mind so as to move on. Either way, understanding events in our past is often key to controlling our anger. Once we do, we may find a lot of anger we have towards others is undue and amplified by unresolved issues.
The second step when trying to control anger is admitting to ourselves that there are things we should be angry about and that those things motivate us to take action as needed. If someone is abusive to us, a defense of sorts is warranted. If someone is doing something horrible that hurts others, we may be in a position to help the helpless. If someone is committing an atrocious sin, we may find ourselves in the position to deal out much needed rebuke. After all, an angry Jesus ran the money changers out of the temple because of the disruption of their violation of the temple's sacred space and their exploitation of worshippers. He overturned the tables of the money changers, scattered their coins, and drove out both the merchants and the animals.
So, in conclusion, anger always comes for a reason and knowing that reason before reacting helps prevent unnecessary destruction and can motivate the proper action needed. There are times we should be angry and may need to take action and there are times we need to realize lashing out to feel good due to a particular action whether past or present isn’t the right thing to do.
Praying that all God’s children gain perspective on anger and avoid the temptation to sin that often accompanies it.

08/23/2026

Kicking Against the Goads
“Many are stubborn in their pursuit of the path they have chosen, but few are in pursuit of the goal.” - Friedrich Nietzsche
Acts 9 KJV
1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks(goads).
Apparently, "to kick against the goads" was a common expression that rose from the practice of farmers goading their oxen in the fields. Though unfamiliar to us, everyone in that day understood its meaning. A goad is a spiked stick used for driving cattle.
Goads were typically made from slender pieces of timber, blunt on one end and pointed on the other. Farmers used the pointed end to urge a stubborn ox into motion. Occasionally, the beast would kick at the goad. The more the ox kicked, the more likely the goad would stab into the flesh of its leg, causing greater pain.
Saul’s conversion could appear to us as having been a sudden encounter with Christ. But based on the Lord's expression regarding his kicking back, I believe He’d been working on him for years, prodding and goading him.
I believe the words and works of Jesus haunted the zealous Pharisee. Quite likely, Saul had heard Jesus teach and preach in public places. Similar in age, they would have been contemporaries in a city Saul knew well and Jesus frequently visited.
Imagine Saul watching Jesus preach and teach all the while grudgingly wondering how this false prophet could be gaining popularity. Nonsense. He has to be of Satan! Pharisees loved to think that. Nevertheless, Jesus’s ministry stuck in Saul’s mind. The more it goaded him, the more he resisted God’s proddings.
Once you've seriously encountered Jesus, as Saul did, there's no escaping Him. His words and works follow you deep within your conscience. Things take on new meanings. Things once done in the past that don't align with obedience to God will jab our heart. The more we resist the more pain and discomfort we will experience. Surrendering our life to obedience is the only way peace and joy can be found. God's gentle correction is a great thing for those that believe and Paul went on to serve God preaching, writing, and establishing churches in His name. Once a murderer of Christians, Paul became a faithful servant of the Lord. People can change, God's active intervention in His children's life still happens today, and great things are in store for those that heed His call.
Prayers for God’s children to humbly submit themselves as Paul the chief of sinners ( 1 Timothy 1:15), stop resisting His driving Holy Spirit, and turn to Christ Jesus as their Savior.

08/16/2026

Are We Special?
Classic 10mm socket jokes-

I got 99 sockets, but a 10mm ain't one.
Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle: You can know where the 10mm socket is, or you can use it, but you can never do both at the same time.
Why did the 10mm socket cross the road? To hide in the tall grass where nobody will ever find it again.

In the shop we make fun of the most elusive and hard to find tool a technician possesses-The 10 mm socket. It's probably one of the most often used, yet we have the toughest time keeping up with it. Jobs without a the 10mm socket are tough as many trim panels, small accessories, etc are held on with bolts it fits. So, when technicians do find a 10mm socket that's been lost, a celebration occurs as if it is a special occasion. LOL
This brings to question-
Are we special? Does God look at each of us as special creatures and want us to be unified with Him?
Luke 15:1-7 KJV holds the answer-
15 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Sheep is a well-known story told by Jesus. A shepherd leaves his ninety-nine sheep in the open field to search for the one that is lost. When he finds it, he places it on his shoulders with joy, brings it home, and celebrates with his friends and neighbors.
Point of the parable-
God's Love: God cares deeply for every single person and reaches out to each of His children individually. Romans 5:8
Active Pursuit: God goes out of His way to look for people who wander off and is not willing that any should perish and remain lost.
2 Peter 3:9
Great Joy: There is great celebration in Heaven when a lost person turns back to God. Luke 15:7
Praise be to God that He values each of us special and searches for the unity designed before the foundation of the world!

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