How about you? Do you have the same zeal and the same fire down in your bones that you had when you were first saved? Is it still blazing inside of you or is it barely flickering? Were your first efforts as a believer much greater than your current ones? If you were honest with yourself, could you admit that you spend little effort at being the person God wants you to be? How sad is it when someone�s faith was brighter in the past than it is in the present?

�Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for �God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.� Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.� - I Peter 5:5-7.

Watching the Olympic skating last night I was surprised to find the drama unfolding of a 16 year old unexpectedly winning the gold medal. Sarah Hughes said, "Tonight was probably my greatest skate ever. Going into it, I didn't really think I had a chance for a medal, let alone a gold because I know the competition is really difficult here." Sarah�s competitors were excellent with years of training behind them in preparation for the few moments of last night�s event.

Over and over again in the Bible we see that those who thought they didn�t have a chance or the world thought didn�t have a chance are blessed and raised up by God. The world laughed at Noah but he and his family were the only ones to survive the flood. Joseph was sold into slavery, unjustly thrown into prison and yet rises to become the second most powerful person in the most powerful country of the known world. David was just a shepherd boy but he slew the giant Goliath and outlasted the onslaught of King Saul to be king of a great empire. Shadrach, Mehsach, and Abednego survived the fiery furnace and were raised to prominence. Daniel continued to pray to God even when it was outlawed and was cast into the lion�s den but survived through angelic intervention. Daniel the Bible says, �Prospered.� Our Lord Jesus was just a poor carpenter�s son who was rejected by the world but the world could not change the fact that Jesus was God Incarnate, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

Humble yourself under God�s mighty hand and He will lift you up. That is a promise that we can count on. We may not be lifted up to fame and glory on planet earth but we will be lifted up. Peter says, ��and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away (I Peter 5:4).� �But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you (I Peter 5:10).�

The world may say you do not have a chance. Your own family may say you do not have a chance. Your own heart may say you do not have a chance. Do not trust in them! Humble yourself under God�s mighty hand casting all your cares, burdens, anxieties upon Him and He will lift you up in due time. That is reality, that is truth, that is the promise of God.
(Read the entire sermon at NEWEST SERMONS

Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you - the former rain and the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust. - Joel 2:23-25.

Carolyn Risher says, "We are taking everything back that the devil ever stole from us." Last year in Inglis, Florida the mayor of Inglis, Carolyn Risher issued a proclamation banning satan from the town. She declared the small city (pop. 1,400) to be a satan-free zone and embedded copies of the proclamation in posts at four entrances to the city. The mayor said she was concerned about the kids dressing "Goth," DUI drivers and child molesters.

Once you have banned the devil from your life, what do you do then? Take it back! Take back what the devil has stolen from you. Take back what the locusts have eaten up.

When we are involved in sin the devil eats up our time and lives just like devouring locusts eat up crops. Time and resources that could have been used to bring glory to God are redirected to bring pain and shame to our own lives and families. Years may go by while the demons romp and play destroying all that they can that is good in your life. When we finally turn back to God, and He kicks the devil and sin out of our lives we may be tempted to think that it is too late to live the way we should. We may think that it is too late to do anything productive with our lives to bring glory to God.

When the prophet Joel spoke those words so long ago God’s people had experienced firsthand the devouring locusts. God’s promise to them, and I believe to us as well, is that God can restore the years to us that have been wasted. How can He do that? He will do it through quality of life and blessing. As we take back what the devil has stolen by living our lives to bring glory to the Lord the years will be restored. Joy and blessing will pour from the Lord to our lives, and from our lives to the lives of countless others.

Take it back!!

�No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.� - Luke 13-14.

Geri Halliwell a former Spice Girl donated some of her old clothes to a charity in Singapore. In response to a question about why she made the donation she said, "What's the point of keeping things? You should never let your possessions possess you." I understand what Halliwell is saying because I have felt in the past that some of my possessions have possessed me and have prevented me from serving my Lord in the way that I knew I should.

During a period of time when I was unemployed because of a downturn in the oil and gas industry we were burdened with a large house payment at a high interest rate. I no longer possessed the house it possessed me! We prayed for months that we would be able to sell the house. I finally prayed and asked God to sell the house as a Christmas present for my wife. God did sell it and we moved out December 26, 1983. We moved into a much smaller apartment but it was wonderful to free of the house that had held us back from pursuing God�s plan in our lives.

It is not just houses that can possess a person�s life and hold you in bondage. Almost any material thing can wreak havoc in your life. Too large of a car payment, or too much indebtedness to credit cards, and countless other things can prevent you from being obedient to your Lord or at least from taking the very best course of action as you walk through life.

What Jesus said is very true and we must choose which master we want to serve. Which master are you really serving? God or material things?

�Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?� - I Corinthians 5:6.

It was just a little mistake, a little typing error that could cost UBS Warburg (a financial services firm) over $100 million. A trader for the company typed a sell order of 610,000 shares for 16 yen each, instead of 16 shares at 610,000 yen. The conversion rate for a dollar to yen is currently 1 to 132.7. So instead of selling 16 shares for $287 per share the trader obligated the company to sell 610,000 shares for pennies each which would still cost them $287 per share. The devil does appear to be in the details!

The apostle Paul points out that only a little leaven is enough to leaven the whole. Leaven is yeast that will make bread dough rise and leaven is symbolic of sin. Paul is using leaven to refer to known sin, which the church in Cornith had allowed. Known sexual sin such as was present among the members of the church at Cornith could not be tolerated. To protect the whole this blatant sinfulness had to confronted and excised.

Most of us would say that this only makes sense and that the church must be protected from this evil. However, it can also be applied to our lives individually. Only a little leaven in our lives is enough to contaminate the whole. Only a little sin left unconfessed and tolerated in our lives can result in a lack of spiritual growth and even spiritual regression. Because if we will tolerate one sin, then it is not that hard to tolerate another sin, and then another, and then another�.

Do you have a little leaven in your life? The apostle says, �Therefore purge out the old leaven (I Corinthians 5:7a).� Why not even now confess (I John 1:9) those little sins to the Lord and allow Him to purge them from your life? Get the devil out of the details of your life!

�Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortunetelling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, �These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.� And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, �I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.� And he came out that very hour.� - Acts 16:16-8.

Psychics apparently are looking into the future and seeing the money. They are seeing all the money they can scam from people who may be tempted to use their services. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has filed a complaint in federal court accusing Miss Cleo and her backers of scamming as much as $360 million from those calling her psychic hotline. The FTC in the past 18 months has received over 2,000 complaints about Miss Cleo. Miss Cleo offers a toll free number to callers to her service but then are told to call another number which costs $4.99 a minute after the first three minutes. One of the problems with deception comes in when customers are told there will be no charges while they are on hold, however, they are still charged. The average charge encountered by those calling Miss Cleo is $60.00.

Let�s be clear about one thing and that is that any power that psychics may have is demonic. Have you ever heard of a psychic acknowledging Jesus Christ as Lord and as the One from which their knowledge comes? The apostle John tells us, �By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God (I John 4:2-3a).�

Another way to determine whether a spirit is of God is to see whether it is in agreement with the Word of God. If there is a conflict you know it is not of God. Isaiah makes it very clear when he says, �And when they say to you, �Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,� should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them (Isaiah 8:19-20).�

For those who decided to seek out psychics we can see one sad result from their decision was the loss of money. But beyond the loss of money receiving false ungodly advice and acting upon that advice is far more damaging. If we really want help in our lives, guidance in our lives, and wisdom for our lives then let us do as Isaiah suggests and seek the One who can truly give it to us. �To the law and to the testimony!�

�Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God.� - I John 4:7.

Valentine�s Day has been officially banned in Saudi Arabia. As a result of the ban shops are prohibited from selling red roses and couples are prohibited from displaying public affection. Saudi Arabia�s Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Evil will be conducting constant patrols to make sure no one is celebrating Valentine�s Day, which they consider an un-Islamic holiday. Students have even been cautioned by their teachers about the danger of wearing red or any Valentine related things on February 14. Not all Islamic countries take the view of Saudi Arabia. Iran and the United Arab Emirates do permit the celebration of Valentine�s Day.

Can you imagine how drab and dreary our world would be without love? How sad would it be if no one ever demonstrated their affection for another person in public. If acts of kindness born out of love were banned it would indeed be an ugly world in which to live. It is hard to imagine even the possibility of such a place but not very long ago Afghanistan under Taliban rule was very close to being exactly that.

There is so much hatred and evil in the world surely we should take every opportunity to express the love of God. The dictionary defines a �valentine� as a gift or greeting sent or given on Valentine�s Day. And since it is on Valentine�s Day we would assume the gift or greeting would be one of love. Our Heavenly Father has given us the greatest example of sending gifts of love. He has sent us the greatest love gift of all. �For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).� �But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).�

Think for a moment about how you can demonstrate the love of God toward those around you. Here are some ideas: kindness, patience, generosity, unselfishness and putting interests of others before your own. You can probably think of many other ways to demonstrate the love of God toward others. Today on Valentine�s Day let us send a message of love from God to those we encounter along the road of life by our words and actions. Let us not stop with today but continue on throughout the year spreading the love of God.

Today�s devotional is from an article written by my son, Clark Wrather, for his church newsletter. Clark is the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Broken Bow, Oklahoma. The title and Scripture were added for the devotional. Clark�s email is: fbcbb@pine-net.com

�But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, that she caught him by his garment, saying, �Lie with me.� But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.� - Genesis 39:12-13. (Read all of Genesis 39 for the complete context.)

A couple of weeks ago, on the way back from Dallas, something weird happened to me. It had been a long day and I guess I was not thinking too clearly. Well, let me first tell you my story before I try to explain it�

We pulled into a gas station in Paris, TX. Libby went in to get something and when she came back, she made sure that I was aware of something. Brand, new, bright-yellow, parking lines had been painted around the store. They were glimmering in the fluorescent lighting of the parking lot. The bright-yellow paint glistened and anyone could see that these lines were very, very wet.

I just nodded at Libby, a bit annoyed she had made such a big deal about telling me all about those wet lines of paint. What did she think I was, her third little boy? I finished filling up the car and confidently walked around and carefully avoided the wet paint. In fact, the painter was still there waving people away and telling them to be careful.

I paid for the gas and headed back out. The painter had his back to me and I heard him telling another fellow that the paint was wet. There was a step down from the sidewalk to the parking lot itself. I looked down and right below me was that glistening, bright-yellow line. I just thought I would step down and right over that line with no trouble. This is actually what I intended to do, but there was a problem�

The next thing I knew, I was on the ground and had one leg folded up under me. I honestly could not figure out how it happened. The new pair of pants I was wearing suffered a grievous, fatal would. Those light colored khaki pants did not look right with a streak of bright-yellow running down from one knee to the cuff. Of course, Libby laughed and laughed�

Sometimes in life, we walk right into situations knowing we will face certain temptation to sin. Usually we think that we can confidently step right over these temptations. Often, we end up falling right into the temptation we had thought to be so easy to avoid.

My new rule for life is to simply avoid any place where they are painting new parking lines. If I see wet, glistening paint, I will drive away as fast as I possibly can. I am positive that the same strategy would work with those situations, which hold certain temptation. If you know you will be tempted, go out of your way to avoid that situation in the first place.

�He who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him. If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.� - John 14:21; 23.

Ann Landers said about the many letters she received. "I�ve learned plenty-including, most meaningfully, what Leo Rosten had in mind when he said, �Each of us is a little lonely, deep inside, and cries to be understood.� I have learned how it is with stumbling, tortured people in this world who have nobody to talk to. The fact the column has been a success underscores, for me at least, the central tragedy of our society, the disconnectedness, the insecurity, the fear that bedevils, cripples and paralyzes so many of us. I have learned that financial success, academic achievement, and social or political status open no doors to peace of mind or inner security. We are all wanders, like sheep, on this planet." (Saturday Review)

Nearly everyone at some point in their lives will feel lonely. What do you do if you are lonely? Where do you turn? There is a cure for loneliness but it is not an easy cure. Jesus says in Luke 9:23, �If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.� The key to escape from loneliness is found in dying to yourself. The cross is an instrument of execution and we see that dying is to be a daily dying to self. In order to die to self we must deny ourselves and follow our Lord each day. In the process we lose our life but gain the life that our Lord has planned for us.

As we die to self and seek to follow our Lord what happens? What happens is �My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him (John 14:21).� �We will come to him and make Our home with him (John 14:23).� As we lose our life in the life of our Lord we will find life and fellowship with Him. Our loneliness will disappear as we follow Him step by step through each day.

�Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.� - Romans 8:35-39.

Fred and Olive Hodges are both 102 years old and have been married for nearly 77 years. They are the longest married couple in Great Britain. They have two children, 11 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Olive Hodges says, �It is all about love, give and take and considering the other person. Love is the main thing. When the Lord came into our lives it made all the difference.� Their long-lived marriage is even more remarkable in light of the fact that the average marriage in Great Britain only lasts a little over nine years.

Fred and Olive have been inseparable for almost 77 years and in their love we see the modeling of the love of their Lord. Ephesians 5:25 says, �Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.� Paul goes on to say, �So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh (Ephesians 5:28-31).�

To have a successful marriage takes both the husband and wife striving to demonstrate the love of Christ toward each other. This is not just the role of the husband and it is not just the role of the wife. Paul ends chapter five of Ephesians by saying, �let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband (Ephesians 5:33).� Think of the example of Christ as we see the example for how the husband and wife should conduct themselves in marriage. Jesus so loved the church that He suffered and died on the cross so that we would have a Savior. How far should we go in our self-sacrificing love for our spouse? Christ went to and through the cross. If we demonstrate that kind of love for each other in marriage our lives too will be inseparable.

The closeness and inseparableness of marriage is a small taste, a shadow of the inseparableness of our relationship to Christ. Once we know Christ as our Savior nothing can separate us from the love of God. Paul makes it clear that when he says nothing he means nothing as he lists everything that he can think of that we might think could separate us. Paul says, �For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.� What can separate us from the love of God? Nothing!! Once we know Christ as our Savior we are forever inseparable.

�The thoughts of the righteous are right, but the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.� - Proverbs 12:5.

�The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord.� - Proverbs 15:26.

We have to wonder sometimes what people are thinking like Bob Bowling who while practicing his quick draw on a snowman shot himself in the thigh. Then there is Paul Dimoff who rigged a booby-trapped shotgun to fire at any burglars entering his home. But somehow it was Dimoff who was accidentally shot in the chest on New Year�s morning at 2:00 A.M. Juan Manuel Lopez also shot himself. Juan was trying to impress and demonstrate his manliness in front of a girl by firing his gun toward the floor of her apartment. Juan shot himself in the foot!

Involvement in evil and wickedness to any degree warps our minds and even our thoughts. In Titus 1:15 we are told, �To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.� When our thoughts are wrong our actions reveal the true nature of our character. We may say we know God but when every action we take continually reeks of evil the truth of the matter is revealed.

Contrast the thoughts of the evil person with the thoughts of the righteous. As the writer of Proverbs says, �The thoughts of the righteous are right.� With right thinking comes right actions and words. Jesus says, �A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks (Luke 6:45).� Our thoughts often result in actions, which are sometimes good and sometimes bad. However, if our conscience has been corrupted our actions will always be influenced by evil.

To change our pattern of thinking we must begin with the basics. The very most important change that we can make is to receive Jesus as our Savior and be born again because it will radically change everything in our lives (II Corinthians 5:17). Then we must take advantage of the resources of God found in Christ (Philippians 4:19). To think right we must begin to think about good things and not bad things (Philippians 4:8). And there is nothing more good and excellent than God�s Holy Word. Renew your mind through reading, memorizing, and meditating upon God�s Word (Romans 12:2).

When your thoughts are right you won�t be shooting yourself in the foot anymore.

Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. - 2 Timothy 2:22-26.

Inglis, Florida has taken a positive step toward the elimination of evil in their community. Actually, it was the mayor who banned the devil. On the official town stationary the mayor has written a proclamation banning the devil from Inglis, Florida. It seems like a reasonable thing to do, at least to those of us who have had a few problems with the old beast. However, the ACLU is a little upset, and Howard Simon, who has been a director of the ACLU for 27 years says, "This is the most extreme intrusion into religion by a public official that I have ever seen." Hmm, wonder what religion the ACLU practices? A resident of the town, in defending the mayor and town pride says, if you don't like the proclamation, "Next time she comes up for election, don't vote for her."

In reality, it is not that easy to ban the devil from a town, or our lives. Why? Because he is after all the devil who is a lying, conniving, stealing, killing destroyer (John 10:10a; John 8:44). He sneaks into our lives snaring us, and taking us captive through the allures of the flesh, and the world. Many have been blinded by the devil, and are not even aware that they are his captives. In 1 John 2:11 we are told, "he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes."

How can we find release from the darkness, from the evil one? The first step is to turn to the light. Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life (John 8:12)." Receiving Christ as our Savior turns on the light switch (John 3:16-21). But to keep the light on, we must do as Jesus says and follow Him. The apostle Paul shares some excellent ways, in which we can follow our Lord more closely, and in so doing escape the captivity and darkness of the devil. Paul says run from the evil, and run to the good, pursuing righteousness, faith, love, and peace.

Have you been ensnared and taken captive by the enemy? Ban the devil, and give it the force of law in your life by resisting him, and submitting yourself to God (James 4:6-7). Make it official, write it out as your own personal proclamation banning the devil from your life, and inviting the Lord in. Sign it, date it, and you might even want to frame it, and hang it up on a wall to remind you of your own personal Independence Day.

Let's all ban the devil and won't that make the ACLU mad!?

�Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.� - Philippians 4:15-16.

Some of the top givers this past year were John D. Hollingsworth who when he died at 83 years of age left an estimated $400 million to several institutions and charities. Lucille Stewart Beeson who died at the age of 95 bequeathed $161 million to organizations in Birmingham, Alabama her hometown. Henry Melville Fuller dying at age 87 left a large portion of his $89.68 million estate to several New Hampshire organizations. Herbert Block who was an editorial cartoonist for the Washington Post died at the age of 91 and gave $53 million to the establishment of a foundation in Washington D.C. Having a giving heart apparently helps many to live a long life.

If we would please God we must give because God�s nature is to give. �For God so loved the world that He gave�(John 3:16).� �For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich (II Corinthians 8:9).� By giving we please God as we follow the example of our Lord.

The unconscious thought is that if we give we will have less and how will we then meet our own needs? As Jimmy Carter says, �When it comes to giving, some people will stop at nothing.� I like what Martin Luther said, �I have tried to keep things in my hands and lost them all, but what I have given into God�s hands I still possess.� Only through eyes of faith can we see that by giving we actually bless ourselves and when we fail to give we are hurting ourselves (Luke 6:38; II Corinthians 9:6-7; Proverbs 3:9-10; Malachi 3:8-10). As Augustine puts it, �Where your pleasure is, there is your treasure; Where your treasure is, there is your heart; Where your heart is, there is your happiness.�

When we think of giving we automatically think of money but the example of our Lord is that of giving His very life for us that we might have life. Certainly we should give of our money but we should not hold back ourselves in the process. As Jesus says, �Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21).�

Where is your treasure being stored up?

�Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.� - Philippians 3:13-14.

According to a survey of those planning to watch the Super Bowl there are a variety of reasons for viewing the game. Some people watch the Super Bowl because they like football and this is the premier event in football pitting the top two professional teams. Some watch the Super Bowl because strangely enough they like to watch the commercials. Another reason given for watching was the halftime show, which always has �star attraction.� Then there are reasons like, �Everyone else is watching it so I�m going to watch it too.� Or my all time favorite reason is, �There�s nothing else on TV tonight so let�s watch the Super Bowl.�

Most likely none of us will ever know what it is like to actually participate in a football Super Bowl by being a player, coach, or trainer. However, there is a Super Bowl that we can all participate in and in fact participation is mandatory. You could call it the Super Bowl of Life and whether you like it or not you are in it. The apostle Paul understood this saying, �I press toward the goal.� Paul was giving his passion for his Lord everything he had. Sadly, most Christians are not like the apostle Paul in their single-minded devotion. For various reasons we get off course and life is not about giving it all for the Lord. Instead we are much like the viewers of the Super Bowl and have many different reasons for the passions we have in life. We enjoy the commercials of life, and the halftimes of life, and the pageantry of life.

How can we have the passion that Paul had for his Lord? We begin where Paul began and he tells us what to do in verse 13. First, Paul tells that in spite of his service, knowledge, and godliness that he has not arrived yet and will never arrive at a point where he will retire. Paul says, �Brethren I do not count myself to have apprehended.� No, as long as he has breath he�s pressing on, he�s moving forward. We must do the same. Second, Paul is not dwelling on his failures of the past. They are over, they are past, they are done. He�s forgetting them and moving on toward the goal line. Paul says, �forgetting those things which are behind.� We have to do the same and I John 1:9 is a good place to start. Third, Paul is not standing still he is moving on, �reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize.�

There is still time left on the clock, the game is not over let us too continue on, reaching forward, pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ.
(You can read the entire message at http://www.theburningbush.org/newestsermons.html )

�For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.� - Romans 3:23.

�And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.� - Hebrews 9:27.

�For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.� - Romans 6:23.

�Jesus said to him, �I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.�� - John 14:6.

Mike Tyson was unsuccessful in his application for a boxing license from state officials in Nevada. In justification of his actions he said to the officials, �I�m not Mother Teresa, but I�m not Charles Manson either.� Sounds like the guy who said, �Don�t bother me with that religious stuff, when I die I�ll take my chances I�m not any worse than anyone else.� Or the often repeated mantra of the non-church goer, �If so and so is going to Heaven that is a member of your church than I�m going because I�m not nearly as bad as they are.� Sounds familiar doesn�t it? And in some ways it sounds good and it sounds like common sense thinking. But no matter how good something sounds and no matter how much sense something makes if it is wrong - it�s wrong!

God has provided only one way to Heaven, only one way of salvation from eternal torment, which a just and holy God must render, to those who reject the free pardon for sin available through Jesus Christ. The way of salvation, the free pardon of sin has been provided to all those who receive Jesus Christ as their Savior at great cost. Romans 5:8 says, �But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.� The cost was the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Payment had to be made for sin. There can be no remission of sin without the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22). Jesus was able to become that perfect sacrifice because He was tempted at all points without sin (Hebrews 4:15; Romans 5:18; II Corinthians 5:21). When we reject the One Way that has been provided God does not condemn us we condemn ourselves (John 3:16-18) because there is no other Way of reconciliation with a completely Holy and Righteous God.

I don�t know about you but I would not want to die and face the judgment of God depending upon my own works (Ephesians 2:8-10) and righteousness. Instead I have received Christ Jesus as my Savior and am cloaked/covered in His righteousness. When God looks at me He no longer sees the dirty rotten worm of a sinner that I am but He sees the righteousness of His Son (Philippians 3:8-9; Romans 3:22-28; II Corinthians 5:21).

Through what way have you been trying to get to Heaven? There is only One Way, the Way of Jesus Christ and I highly recommend it!

�Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.� - Matthew 13:44.

In Australia a man has lost his treasure. A middle-aged Irishman believes he threw out the winning lottery ticket (worth A$1.5 million or in American dollars $700,000) in an empty grocery sack. The city council of Kalgoorlie-Boulder has given the man special permission to search through the garbage at the city dump. It was reported that the man had spent four days searching but was not sure if he was continuing to search at this point. Sue Virgin a city spokesperson said �Can you imagine all the refuse at the tip (the garbage dump) after Christmas? It must have been disgusting.�

How disappointing it must have been for this man in Australia to lose his winning ticket, his treasure. To find it he was willing to go to great lengths even digging in disgusting garbage for days. If you have lost your treasure you will do all that you can to find it. Jesus speaks of a man who hides his treasure after finding it and gives all he can to buy the field and in doing so will own the treasure. The treasure is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Some of us have lost our treasure. We were once on fire for God but now we have gotten bogged down in the cares of the world. Many are bogged down in sin. Addictions have covered over the treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven in many of our lives. Some of our lives look like garbage dumps in the spiritual realm. We know it is true but what do we do? We need to dig through all of the stuff that has covered up the true treasure. Whatever it takes we should give it all to have the treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven restored in our lives. If someone will dig through a garbage dump for days for a lottery ticket surely we will dig for the spiritual treasure that has been lost in our lives.

How do we find our treasure? It will be necessary to throw out and dispose of some of the trash that has built up over the years. Cast off the sin that so easily besets us (Hebrews 12:1). Dig into the riches of God�s Word (Matthew 4:4). Ask God for his help (Matthew 7:7-8). Maintain contact with others who are treasure seekers as you can help each other (Hebrews 10:24-25). Shield your life from the trash that constantly tries to flow into our lives from the world, the flesh, and the devil (Proverbs 4:21; Luke 6:45).

Let�s start digging!!

�So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they went into the tent.� - Exodus 18:21.

I was shocked to read this morning about a man in southern Vietnam who has been sentenced to nine years in prison for causing the death of his father-in-law. The man died of an heart attack after part of his ear was bitten off by his son-in-law. The man had tried to intervene in an argument between his daughter and son-in-law and died as a result.

This is such a contrast to the respect that Moses had for his father-in-law, Jethro. Jethro at that time was not a believer and was a pagan priest but Moses still showed him the respect he deserved. Moses did not act like he was better than Jethro or attempt to humiliate him before the other Israelites. There is an important principle here for us as we attempt to lead our unbelieving family and friends to salvation.

Treating someone with respect does not mean that you have to agree with them about everything. It also does not mean that you have to let them tell you what to do or even live up to their expectations. It does mean that you treat them with respect which includes consideration and courtesy. You should treat them with at least the consideration and kindness with which you would treat a stranger.

The result of treating your family and friends with respect is that channels of communication remain open which can eventually lead to their salvation. We see this with Moses and his father-in-law. Moses treated him with respect and they were able to discuss the great miracles God had performed to deliver the Israelites from Egypt. As a result Jethro came to believe in the Hebrew God and offered sacrifices himself to the One true God (Exodus 18:12).

Is there someone in your life to whom you should show a little more respect, kindness, and consideration?

Today�s devotional is from an article written by my son, Clark Wrather, for his church newsletter. Clark is the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Broken Bow, Oklahoma. The title and Scripture were added for the devotional. Clark�s email is: fbcbb@pine-net.com

�Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.� - Jeremiah 17:7-8.

�No one really wants to hear that their baby is not perfect.� Those were the words Libby and I heard from a pediatric neurosurgeon at Children�s Hospital in Dallas a few weeks ago. All I could do was nod my head. The doctor continued and said, �...we�re most likely looking at surgery.� The phrase hit me like a shot to the belly from Evander Holy field.

Mason, the newest addition to our family was born with three dimples at the base of his spine. According to his doctors, this could be nothing or it could be something. Sometimes these dimples indicate that there is an underlying problem with the spine. The problem could be several different things and most of them are easily correctable by surgery. Often there is a connection that leads from the dimples on the outside all the way to the spinal cord on the inside.

There could be a microscopic opening from the dimples all the way to the spinal cord. This means any infection that Mason has could enter through these openings and travel to his spinal cord. An infection there could cause paralysis or death. Because of this, the neurosurgeon did not recommend that we wait until Mason was older to do surgery. Because it has the potential to be very dangerous, the doctor said that exploratory surgery should be done even if an MRI does not show anything.

�Surgery� - the word just reverberated through me when I heard it. �How could they do surgery on such a small baby,� I wondered to myself. Needless to say, Libby and I were dazed and upset during our drive home from Dallas. The upcoming months no longer seemed like a future full of wonderful opportunities waiting to be discovered. Instead, they loomed dark and menacing inspiring the kind of fear that only the great unknown can give.

At times, I have thought about why this happened or that it seemed unfair. A couple of times the thought, �how could God do this to my family,� would float across my mind. Usually, another phrase would come to me at these times: �they killed my Son (God speaking).� It was a still and quiet voice, but gave the impression of iron beneath velvet. My Lord was right. It could be much, much worse. I should be deeply thankful that Mason�s problem may be correctable with surgery.

I know my Father in heaven did not make this bad thing happen, but he could use it as an opportunity to work creatively in my life. I also know that whatever happens in the dark weeks ahead, my Good Shepherd will be right beside me, leading and guiding me through them.

�But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.� - John 1:12-13.

The email I received from an attorney in Lagos, Nigeria appeared to be very official and personal. It was a �Notification of Bequest�. Wonderful news! The notification stated in part: �On behalf of my late client late Pastor Polycarp Ekeocha, I write to notify you that my late client - Pastor Polycarp Ekeocha made you a beneficiary to the bequest sum of Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand US Dollars (US$470,000) in the last codicil to his last will and testament... According to him, he is giving you this because of your involvement in Christian activities and in making better the world�s situation... You are therefore required by this notification to confirm your ownership to this legacy by forwarding photocopy of any of the following proofs of identities... Best Regards, David Attah (Head of Chamber).�

Since I had received some previously suspicious emails from Nigeria I used a search engine to check out David Attah and Pastor Ekeocha. David Attah does appear to be an attorney but I found several instances of the exact same email having been sent to other Christians and Christian organizations. According to the information I found - once they are in contact with you fees are required for processing and for various things bleeding as much money as they can from those involved. Internet scam is the third largest industry in Nigeria! It was another example of something that was simply too good to be true.

Sadly, many carry over the situation of the world to the spiritual realm and are unable to believe that we have a God so good that His own Son would die (John 3:16) for our sins. It is hard for us to comprehend that the Creator of the Universe desires to adopt us in to His royal family and make us joint-heirs (Romans 8:17) with Christ. We don�t deserve it. But it is true! God loves us (sinful mankind - Romans 3:23) and has provided a way (Jesus - John 14:6) for us to be reconciled to the Holy, Righteous God. What must we do to become a part of the royal family and have our sins washed away? We must receive/accept the gift of Jesus Christ. Turn from our love of the world and turn to God. We can never deserve, never fully comprehend Him (Jesus) but by faith we receive Him (Jesus) and are born (John 3:3) into the Kingdom of God.

God has bequeathed to you the glorious riches of Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:19). There is no cost or hidden fees, it is a gift (Ephesians 2:8-10). Claim your inheritance today! Receive Him!

�Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.� - Mark 5:15.

In Quetta, Pakistan Ghulam Raza likes to smoke scorpions when they are in season. He takes the scorpion stingers and dries them in the sun and then grinds them into a powder. He then smokes this powder. Ghulam claims that when he smokes scorpion that heroin is �nothing to me.� Ghulam and his friends find the scorpions in the Quetta cemetery. Sometimes when they are hunting scorpions high on heroin or scorpion powder they may fall into one of the open graves. Ghulam was a mechanical engineer but years ago became an addict through the use of painkillers during recovery after being shot 18 times.

One thing is obvious about Ghulam Raza and the obvious is that he is not in his �right mind.� If Ghulam were in his �right mind� he would not be hunting scorpions in the Quetta cemetery. Most likely he would instead be employed as a mechanical engineer contributing to society. If he was in his �right mind� his home would not be a cemetery but a nice house in which he would live with his family. If Ghulam were in his �right mind� his thoughts would not be of how many scorpions he could catch but instead he would have thoughts perhaps of his family, his work, and of God.

Are you in your right mind? What are your goals, ambitions, dreams, and thoughts about? Your mind may not be in the sad condition of Ghulam Raza but is your mind where it should be? The Gadara Demoniac knows that the only way to have a right mind is to have Jesus in your life. There is still One today who can give even Ghulam Raza a right mind and that One is Jesus. What about you? Allow Jesus to renew a right mind in you (Romans 12:2).

�Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded.� - James 4:6-7.

In Garland, Texas Sherman Jackson was on his way to church with his seven-year-old daughter a few weeks ago when a robber confronted him. Sherman had stopped for gas when a man walked up and asked for help. His car needed a jump-start and Sherman agreed to help him. However, it was not long before the man had his gun out demanding all the money Sherman had. The man was not satisfied with the money in Sherman�s money clip and became very agitated demanding more money. Sherman began to pray and witness to the robber. He gave the robber a Bible. The man gave back the money clip and the last Sherman saw of him he had a gun in one hand and a Bible in the other.

What a picture of the double minded! A man with a gun in one hand and a Bible in the other. An agent with a drug task force shared with me that he could not understand when they made raids why they would find dangerous drugs and at the same time open Bibles and other religious materials. There is an epidemic of the double minded. To be double minded is to attempt to follow two opposite and antagonistic courses of action at the same time. It is spiritual schizophrenia. The theologian, J. I. Packer, describes the condition in this way: �People who live compartmentalized [schizophrenic] lives worship God and go to church and do their "religious" bit on Sundays; then they switch that off and pursue their professions, weekday work, weekend hobbies, and all their relationships as though these were matters entirely separate from their Christian commitment. They don�t even try to see their lives as a whole in terms of God and his Word. Instead they slip into their religious compartment on Sundays and their secular compartment of the other days of the week and allow no communication between the two.�

How can the double-minded change? James tells us �Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded.� To wash your hands deals with our physical outward actions. We must act right but in order to act right there must be a change of heart. Our hearts must be purified through our relationship with Jesus Christ. As the apostle Paul says in Romans 13:14 we must �put on the Lord Jesus Christ� or clothe ourselves with Jesus. It must be a constant relationship, a constant contact with the One, the only One that has the power to enable us for holy living. We cannot live the Christian life in our own power. We need help and Jesus is the only One who can help. �For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted (Hebrews 2:18).�

�And the Spirit and the bride say, �Come!� And let him who hears say, �Come!� And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.� - Revelation 22:17.

To quench our thirst we drink water. We know what that is like. But what if you are on a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean and there is no water but seawater? If you were to drink of the seawater what would happen? Your thirst would not be quenched and your thirst would only be magnified. Most likely you would die because of the salt in the seawater which would act to dehydrate your body. So, even though the seawater is tempting to a man dying from lack of water it would be foolish and dangerous for him to drink of it.

The Bible when it speaks of thirst is speaking of a spiritual thirst. We could think of it as a lust that we have for something or a desire that we have for something. There are many things that our flesh desires and the world claims it can satisfy those desires with a variety of things. We seek to satisfy our lust, desires, thirst through sexual immorality, through alcohol or drugs, or through the amassing of money and power. Those things in our lives act in the same way that seawater does for someone dying of thirst. They only make us thirstier and drain us of more life.

God designed each of us for Him. There is a place in each of our lives that only God can fill. That is what we are really thirsting after. We are thirsting after God. We try to fill this place in our lives with all of those other things but they only make things worse. God is the only One who can satisfy our thirst, who can give us life. Come to Him and drink of the �water of life freely.�

Today�s devotional was written by my son, Clark Wrather, who is the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Broken Bow, Oklahoma - fbcbb@pine-net.com

�...everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.� - Acts 10:43.

I just love weird and strange pieces of information. Why? I really have no idea. I guess I find them interesting because I�m a little weird myself. Here are a few of the weirdest facts that I find interesting:

*Marilyn Monroe had six toes on each of her feet.
*A duck�s quack does not echo and no one knows why.
*The highest point in Pennsylvania is lower than the lowest point in Colorado.
*In Cleveland, Ohio it is illegal to catch mice without a hunting license.
*Pound for pound, hamburgers cost more than new cars.
*The Bible has been translated in Klingon.
*Elephants can�t jump, but every other mammal can.
*Reno, Nevada is west of Los Angeles, California.
*The world�s termites outweigh the world�s human�s 10 to 1.
*The sentence, the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog, uses every letter in the alphabet.

How long do you think a person�s eyes are closed on average during a day from blinking? If you put together the span of time of all those blinks, how long would your eyes be shut during a day? This is one of those weird facts that is amazing to me. Do you think it might be a minute? Could the total be five minutes? What about fifteen? All of these numbers are way too small. An average person�s eyes are closed for about thirty minutes during a day from blinking - that�s weird...

Isn�t it strange that all those short blinks add up to a whopping thirty minutes?? There is something else that seems small, but when added together, creates something whopping. It is sin. Our sins seem small, but they add up to make something huge. Just think about it. How many sins have you committed in your life? Let�s say that you are a real saint and only commit one sin a day. I�m sure I have more than that, but we are talking about you, not me. If you just sin once a day, that makes seven sins a week. This is 365 sins a year. If you live to be sixty and minus five years for the age of accountability, your sins would be a stunning 20,075. This is your total if you only sin once a day.

Our sins are serious, because when you add all of them up they form a stunning pattern of rebellion against the Creator of the universe. Thank God for the forgiveness of sins that comes when a person believes in Jesus Christ!!

�...everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.� - Acts 10:43.

�But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.� - II Timothy 3:1.

A woman who was a child during the Vietnam War remembered after the September 11 attack what it was like for her during those dangerous times. She remembers her mother telling her to listen for the �click.� The noise her mother called the �click� was soon followed by jets screaming across the sky dropping bombs and the bone shaking explosions. If you heard the �click� you knew what was going to happen and you ran for whatever cover you could find.

We do not know what is going to happen next and there is great uncertainty and anxiety not only in the United States but also across the world. We do not know what is going to happen but we suspect that it will not be good. How do we go on with life, what are we to do during such uncertain times? The apostle Paul gives Timothy some advice, which is very much applicable to our lives today. There are at least four things that we need to apply to our lives as we move into the future listening for the �click.�

First, we need to continue on with the work of God putting the supernatural gifts we have been blessed with to work. The apostle says in II Timothy 1:6, �Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God....� Now is not the time to huddle in our foxholes. Now is the time to move forward for the Kingdom of God. There have always been wars upon planet earth and peace is the exception instead of the rule. Now is the time to step forward in service to our Lord.

Second, we must not let our fears disable us from living the Christian life. Paul says in II Timothy 1:7, �For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.� Fear has already had a huge negative impact on the economy of the world. In the United States hundreds of thousands of people have joined the ranks of the jobless since September 11. The travel industry has been devastated and the effects will eventually be felt throughout the economy. Another translation of II Timothy 1:7 says in part, �For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice....� It will take courage for us to live during these perilous times but God will provide the power, love, and sound mind that we need to be courageous in the face of the effect of evil.

Third, we must be willing to suffer for those who need our help. Paul says in II Timothy 1:8, �Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God.� During these difficult times we must take up our cross, deny ourselves and follow our Lord (Luke 9:23). The Christian life is not just about the blessings that God gives to us, or the wonderful way that we feel when we worship Him, or the fellowship we have with other Christians. Sometimes we are called upon to go beyond the skin deep Christianity and share in the sufferings for the gospel in order to help those who so desperately need our help.

Then, we need to trust God for what will happen next. Paul shares with Timothy, �For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day (II Timothy 1:12).� He is �able� and as we move into the future listening for the �click� let us remember to continue serving, continue living, take up our crosses and trust God for what comes next.

The Psalmist in verse 9 says �I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.� We are still in the land of the living and there is a reason for our being here. We have work to do and as we do so let us remember the secret of Psalm 116.

�And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." - Revelation 21:4.

It is clear from this verse that there will be death, sorrow, crying, and pain even for Christians while on this earth. There is more than enough to go around. New York City, Washington D.C. and Afghanistan are the most recent names, which symbolize the pain of human agony.

It has been said there are no atheists in a foxhole. I have not heard any atheists testify to their unbelief since this tragedy and how their unbelief helped them make it through it. But I have heard survivor after survivor tell of how they prayed and how God protected them and helped them. Yes, some Christians died, some Christians were injured, and some Christians lost material possessions. But as Christians we have a peace which is beyond understanding, a joy that is unspeakable, and a hope that good will come from the bad.

The unbeliever only has more of the same and worse to look forward to after death. The Christian has hope, the unbeliever has nothing. For the Christian death will bring a New World. In this New World the �former things� will �have passed away.� God will wipe away our tears and �there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain.�

Today�s devotional was written by my son, Clark Wrather, who is the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Broken Bow, Oklahoma - fbcbb@pine-net.com

�If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.� - II Chronicles 7:14.

Our God is an awesome God. Last week, I mentioned that God does not cause bad things to happen and I truly believe it. I do believe that he allows the actions of human beings to affect our world. I also believe that our country had enjoyed a special blessing from God, which He has now removed due to our sinfulness.

God does not cause bad things to happen, but He is at work trying to turn those bad things into good. Our Creator moves about the world putting the pieces back together, trying to fashion something better out of the destruction left from the lives of His sinful creatures.

I believe that we can already see some good things that God is going to bring out of the tragedy of last week. Our nation is drawing together. We had thought in terms of: me, I, and myself. Now people are making decisions on what is best for our country. The feeling of community has replaced our rugged individualism. How many of us have had conversations with complete strangers about our country? I have had several and you probably have as well.

People are also turning from themselves to God. It is sad that it takes a tragedy to get people to look to God for answers. God had been an afterthought when everything was going well. Now, He is on the forefront of everyone�s mind. I believe that this is a good thing.

As God�s people, His church, we have a great opportunity. We have a great opportunity to do ministry and to know personal fulfillment. We can move from just thinking about ourselves to ministering to the needs of other people. We can minister to people while keeping God in the forefront of our minds. We are able to do this in the midst of a fallen world that is suddenly, spiritually hungry. We are able to demonstrate God�s love to people that are asking the deep, significant questions of life.

If God�s people would capitalize on these opportunities, our country might experience another Great Awakening. We might truly know revival. If God�s people would seek God, He will heal our land. We need healing.

The questions to ask yourself is this: What am I doing to minister to other people? What am I doing to reach people that are outside of the church? How am I making a difference? Am I focused upon myself or upon others? Am I truly following God in my life? Your answers to these questions are significant, because within them, lie the destiny of a nation.

"Look, I go forward, but He is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive Him; When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him. But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food.� - Job 23:8-12.

If anyone had a reason to be depressed it was Job. If anyone ever had a reason to be upset with God it was Job. Job had lost everything except his wife and he probably wished she had gone with the rest. Because Job�s wife told him why didn�t he just curse God and die. Job not only lost his family and material possessions but he also lost his health. Job suffered miserably from his physical condition. His friends were against him. His wife was against him. But Job continued on.

In the face of all of that, Job continued. Job did not understand why all this had happened but he continued to trust. Job did not know where God was during all of this but Job continued to trust. Job did not know why but Job knew that God knew the why. So, Job continued. Job continued to trust God, to obey God, and even to praise God.

So, many have been hurt by the terrorist destruction in New York and at the Pentagon. Across this country family members, friends and fellow Americans are grieving. But life goes on and we see God is giving strength to go on, to rise up out of the devastation. He is giving us strength to continue to live life. Before we give up. Before we throw in the towel. Let us take our eyes off of our problems and put them on God. He can give us the strength, and the courage to face whatever life may throw our way. Let us trust Him. Let us look up! Let us say with the Psalmist, �My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I WILL LOOK UP (Psalm 5:3).�

�And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.� - Romans 8:28.

We have the privilege of living in the greatest country on the planet. Even our poorest citizens, are wealthy by the standards of many third world countries. Yet, we are not immune to the strife and danger that comes with living in a fallen world.

Most of us went to bed Monday night feeling that everything was okay with the world. We felt safe, secure, and protected. The next morning, we woke up to horrific scenes on the news. All of us felt a little shaken when we realized that terrible, terrible things can happen even in our country. All of us know that anything can happen at any time, any where, but we tend to minimize this fact.

People that live in other countries are constantly aware of how uncertain life is. If we lived in Israel, we would live under the constant threat of some kind of bombing. Terrible things tend to occur weekly in that small nation. We are extremely fortunate to live in a country where terrorism is an abnormality.

Some people will wonder why God allows such bad things to happen. These kinds of questions are common to our faith. We know that God is good and loving and has the power to stop these tragic events. Why doesn�t He use His power to keep them from happening? If you have ever had questions similar to this, you are not alone.

There are no easy answers, but I believe we can know with certainty that God loves us and cares about our lives. We know that we are capable of having a meaningful relationship with God. This means that to some degree, human beings have been given the freedom to make decisions. God wants us to freely make a decision to worship Him and honor Him and follow Him in our lives. If we did not have this freedom, we would not be true followers, but a bunch of robots that had been programmed to mindlessly follow God. Our Lord does not want robots, but real relationships with the beings He created.

This freedom to make decisions means that your decisions and actions make the world a better or worse place. Your good decisions spill onto the lives of other people and your bad decisions do as well. At times the bad decisions of other people and the good ones spill into your life, as well. If human beings did not have the God-given freedom to make decisions, we could not have a real relationship with God. If our Lord intervened constantly and interfered with these decisions all the time, we would still be little better than robots. God does not make bad things happen. People do He does give us a promise to someway, somehow, bring something good out of all bad situations.

It is frustrating to see the slow progress in clearing away the rubble and reaching those trapped. It reminds me of the Murrah Building. The WTC is many times over a larger problem with more debris. But I can't help but wonder if we would do better to emulate the example of some other countries and put two or three thousand of our troops in there to dig with their hands and to pass the buckets as we see so many of the rescue workers doing. I know it would be risky with other buildings weakened which may fall. But is this not war? Is this not life and death to try to rescue those who are perishing? Let us continue to pray.

�If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.� - II Chronicles 7:14.

The World Trade Center Towers were in many ways a symbol of the United States of America. The Towers represented the strength and financial power of the USA. They were very visible symbols towering above the skyline of the New York City metropolis. How could those powerful towers ever fall? The United States was invincible. Nothing could shake the foundations of those towers or of this country. Sadly we know the towers have fallen and those who make up the USA are being tested once again.

As a symbol of America what has happened to those towers is a symbol of what has happened to this country. God has removed his protection and blessing from us as a country. Why? Because the majority of the people in America no longer have a fear of God. The majority of the people in America no longer want God�s blessings. The majority of the people in this country have been growing further and further away from God. There are more people in America living lives of degeneracy and immorality than there were in Sodom and Gomorrah. It is not really a surprise that God has removed His blessing and protection from us.

Let us turn again to our God. Let us awake from how complacency. We must not deceive ourselves into thinking that we are invincible. Only through the power of God has this country been blessed and protected. If this country is to turn again to God this is the time. Tomorrow may be too late. The attacks upon this country are like the preaching of Jonah to Nineveh. God told Nineveh through Jonah, �Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!� It may not be forty days but America will be overthrown if we do not turn to God in repentance. Even the wicked Ninevites turned to God and they were spared from the destruction.

We have seen reports of prayer vigils across this country since the attack occurred. Last night was a time when a large number of churches have regularly scheduled prayer meetings. I was disappointed to see a handful of people come to our prayer meeting. We have scheduled prayer meetings and held prayer meetings all across this country. But how many people have actually attended those meetings? We must turn to God before it is too late. Will you humble yourself, pray, seek the face of God and turn from your wicked ways? If you will, God promises to hear, forgive and to heal our land.

Please pray for those who are still trapped but alive in the rubble of the World Trade Center Buildings and the Pentagon. Please pray for the strength and safety of the rescue workers.

�The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.� - Proverbs 18:10.

We are still in shock and horrified after the destruction of the terrorist attacks upon the United States yesterday. The World Trade Center had already withstood one terrorist attack in 1993. Who would have thought that those towers could have so quickly been destroyed? Yesterday, I listened to two architects who discussed the construction of the World Trade Center towers. According to them the towers were designed to withstand the crash of a Boeing 707. What the towers were not designed for was the crash a plane still loaded with most of the jet fuel. The steel had been treated to withstand fires of paper and wood but not the thousand degree prolonged fire of jet fuel. The buildings withstood the initial crashes well but could not withstand the extreme heat, which caused the steel to lose strength and collapse.

According to the architects it would be possible for a building to be built with the steel coated in such a way that would enable it to even withstand the jet fuel fires which caused so much destruction yesterday. However, even if the World Trade Center Towers were to be rebuilt to be resistant to jet fuel fires they could still be destroyed. They could be destroyed through atomic attack or even by an earthquake. The fact is that there is not a building that man can build that cannot be destroyed in some way. There is no place completely safe in this world from every kind of danger or enemy.

There is only one place of ultimate safety for the human race. That place of safety is a Strong Tower not made with human hands. That place of safety is the Strong Tower of the Lord. The only way of entry is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Let us run to the Strong Tower of our Lord.

Personal Note Concerning Events of September 11, 2001: I started watching the news this morning just in time to be shocked to see the second plane crash into the World Trade Center. That was just the first of many shocks this day has held so far as I watched with horror the events that have unfolded. Once again we have been forced to take our minds off of our little petty problems and think of the agony of life and death. We pray for those who are still alive but trapped. We pray for those who have been injured but struggling to survive. We pray for those whose loved ones have been killed or injured. Let us look to our Lord during this time. Isaiah 26:3 comes to mind. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee." - Ed Wrather 09-11-01.

�What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.� - Matthew 18:12-14.

Apparently there have been a great amount of things lost in the backseat of London cabs. There have been found in the back of London cabs 62,000 cell phones, a goldfish in a water-filled bag, $2900.00 in cash, a suitcase full of diamonds and one little girl. Those were some of the things left behind in just the first six months of this year. Surprisingly only half of the phones were claimed (We can only hope the little girl was promptly claimed!). The owners of those phones were hoping that their operating service would replace the lost phones with a newer and better one. Many companies do exactly that to avoid losing their customers to rival services who often give away the latest phones when customers switch to their service.

The example of our Lord is that He is continually seeking the lost. The Holy Spirit is wooing and working in the lives of the lost and we who are Christians have been commanded to go and to seek the lost. It is not the Father�s will that any of the lost should perish. But sadly there are many of those who are lost that do not want to be found. But even sadder are the lost that are like the unclaimed cell phones. There are countless millions of lost people who would gladly be found if only someone would come and share the gospel with them.

Would your Lord have you to leave the ninety and nine to seek that one who is lost but willing to be found? They are all around us waiting. The Holy Spirit has quietly worked in their hearts as people have prayed for their souls. All that remains is for someone to go and tell them the Good News. Will you respond as Isaiah saying �Here am I! Send me (Isaiah 6:8).�

Copyright � 1998-2002. Ed Wrather. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for use of this material on a non-profit basis with source noted.