By GARY ANDREWS
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Not so long ago my wife and I were able to spend a few days at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. At our age our biggest adventure was spending time in Epcot and for most of our visit this was very educational and beneficial. The only down turn to this trip was our visit to the show that talked about the energy of the earth. The show was good and factual, I assume, with exception of one item and this is when the hosts told us the earth and the solar system were formed from the big bang theory.
Being a Christian this was completely out of line because I believe the Bible to be the inspired and inerrant Word of God. I am saddened to see a family oriented theme park promote the non-Christian values that man has come up with. I often wonder if Walt Disney were still alive would his theme parks promote such anti-Christian movements and cave in to the world’s desires instead of what our country was built on.
Disney World is a beautiful park and attracts millions of people from around the world. During our trip is was very evident that many people from other countries were here enjoying the sights and shows of America’s beloved theme park, because not many of them spoke our English language. I often wonder if their business from American tourist is off because of the stand they have taken from worldly values instead of Christian values. What made the energy show even more disappointing is to see television icon Ellen DeGeneres as hostess throughout the program and a promoter of the big bang theory.
I firmly believe that we as Christians are turning our backs on the generations that will come behind us. What is the United States going to be like in the next 25 years? Will our grandchildren even have a chance to voice their Christian views in this humanistic, unethical, immoral environment?
We as Christians have dropped the ball because of our lackadaisical attitudes and non-involvement theories. Where in the Bible does it tell us to remain silent and allow Satan to run rampant over the land and the people? For the past 50 years many of us have stood silent and let the humanistic approach take hold of our schools, our governments, and for some instances, our churches. Going to a theme park is a privilege and the opportunity of sharing the Christian faith is not barred from these outlets. It is a sad day when we as Christians, and I am as guilty as anyone, support these parks without speaking our peace about Christianity and telling all of these visitors about the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
We need to remember what we are told in Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Many of us are not doing this because we are missing the blessing of going to our knees and talking to God about what He would have us to do. Even if we do pray consistently about this, the prayer has no effect until we put feet and speech to it.
Prayer: Father guide me in the way you want me to go. Help me to have the strength to stand up and speak up against the world and to tell others about your Saving Grace. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – Ephesians 6:10-20; Monday – Joshua 24:14-15; Tuesday – Hebrews 1:10-12; Wednesday – Jeremiah 33:19-26; Thursday – Matthew 11:25-30; Friday – Lamentations 1:9-14; Saturday – Psalm 36:1-12.)
Gary Andrews is the author of Encouraging Words: 30-days in God’s Word. To obtain a copy go to his website www.gadevotionals. com.

By GARY ANDREWS
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Several years ago I attended a wedding of a friend of my son. The minister performing the wedding said something that I had never heard before, in a wedding ceremony, and said it loud enough that all in attendance was put on edge. The wedding party had made their way to the front of the church and then the bride came down the aisle and up on the platform. Her father gave her hand to the young man and took his seat.
The minister stared at the groom for a few seconds, which seemed like several minutes, without saying a word and then in a very loud voice said, “Who do you think you are?”
He said this two or three times and had the attention of everyone in the church. The stunned groom looked relieved when the minister’s voice tone came back to normal and he explained why he had said this.
This seasoned minister wanted this young man to understand the importance of marriage and the role of a husband. He did not want the groom to go into this marriage without the assurance that he was ready to fulfill his commitment to his new bride and to God. He wanted both of them to know that it takes two to have a successful marriage and they have to have love for each other without any hesitation. The Old Testament book of Amos 3:3 tell us, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?”
So many of our young people of today enter into marriage without the trust of each other and most of the time these two will end up in divorce. Marriage is not to be entered into lightly and if both or either of the happy couple does not have a relationship with the Lord, the marriage will probably endure trouble and many uncertainties. I am not saying this type marriage will not work because many of them have.
Marriages require commitment, love, understanding, forgiveness, dedication, loyalty, and a determination to move forward together instead of individually. I firmly believe that when a man and woman are married and they are well grounded in their Christian faith their marriage will be a huge success and long lasting.
I am very happy to report that after several years of marriage the young couple I was talking about is continuing to enjoy a very happy marriage and both are very successful in their careers. Asking Jesus to be the head in any marriage is the first thing any couple should ask for. There is an old saying that says, “The family that prays together, stays together.” How true this statement is.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for the marriage my wife and I have. You have blessed us so much and have been with us through our difficulties and our victories. I pray that any couple getting married will consult you first and ask you to be head of their household. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – Proverbs 5:18-20; Monday – Genesis 2:18-25; Tuesday – 1 Corinthians 7:1-7; Wednesday – Ecclesiastes 9:9; Thursday – Song of Solomon 6:1-3; Friday – Psalm 36:7-12; Saturday – 1 Colossians 1:9-12.)
Gary Andrews is the author of Encouraging Words: 30-days in God’s Word. To obtain a copy go to his website www.gadevotionals.com.

By GARY ANDREWS
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As we travel down life’s highway each day we are going to be around certain people that we think are subpar to us because of physical or mental handicaps. I wonder just how off base or warped our minds could be, because people with handicaps are more sensitive to others than we ever thought to be. They are also more appreciative of what they have instead of what they don’t have.
I am reminded of a story of several business men running through an airport trying to make a plane schedule. As they hurried along one or more of them bumped an apple cart being cared for by a young blind girl. Apples went everywhere and the men knowing they had to make the plane hurried on their way without stopping. Within a few yards from the stand one of the men realized he needed to stop and help the young lady even though he would miss his plane.
Many of us hurry through life without thinking of whom or what is around us and how we could possibly impact their lives, especially people that are blind, deaf, or otherwise handicapped. Don’t get me wrong for there are many tremendous souls that have a calling to work with the handicap and cater to their needs. These people are God sent and their crowns in glory will contain many jewels. Most of us have an “I” problem and don’t stop to see what we can do help those we think have “imperfections.”
We always seem to be in such a hurry that stopping to speak, help or listen to someone we think may be below us seems to get in our way. We seem to be always looking for the quick fix to gain something that will not mean anything when we leave this world. Instead we need to look at others as we want them to look at us. We need to be encouragers, supporters and helpers to all people, not to the select few we think are going to help us the most. We need to listen to what the Lord told Moses to tell the entire assembly of Israel in Leviticus 19:14: “Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord.”
The business man that stopped running for his plane returned to the site of the young blind girl and her apple cart. When he arrived she was crying and groping around trying to find her apples. A crowd had surrounded her but no one would help her.
The salesman knelt to the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this he noticed much of the product had been bruised because of the spill they had taken. When he had finished he pulled out his wallet and gave her $40 for the damage. He asked her, “Are you okay?” She nodded through her tears.
As he got up to leave the young 16-year old blind girl asked him, “Are you Jesus?”
He stopped and gently said to her, “No, I am nothing like Jesus. He is good, kind, caring, loving, and would have never bumped into your display in the first place.”
The girl gently nodded: “I only asked because I prayed for Jesus to help me gather the apples. He sent you to help me, so you are like Him. Only He knows who will do His will. Thank you for hearing His call, Mister.”
Has anyone told you that you were sent by Jesus because you listened to His call? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference should be our destiny. We need to live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace. If we know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting scripture and going to church. It’s actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day.
Always remember that Jesus stopped what He was doing and picked all of us up on a hill call Calvary and paid for our damaged fruit.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for all the people in this world you have given us. Make me aware of everyone that I come into contact with and that I can be sensitive to their needs through your leadership. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – Philippians 1:12-19; Monday – Proverbs 31:8-9; Tuesday – Luke 1:57-66; Tuesday – Psalm 10:1-10; Wednesday – Hebrews 12:12-13; Thursday – Isaiah 35:1-10; Friday – Galatians 4:12-14; Saturday – Job 4:1-4.)
Gary Andrews is the author of Encouraging Words: 30-days in God’s Word. To obtain a copy go to his website www.gadevotionals.com.

By GARY ANDREWS
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For those of us that have been married for many years understand what true love and commitment means. My wife and I have stood by each other in all type situations, whether bad or good. The Lord has truly blessed our marriage as He has many others.
When we took our wedding vows we said them with all sincerity of keeping and believing in them. With the divorce rate of nearly 50% most marriages of today are not consummated with the belief of longevity, even if this is what is intended to be. So many outside variables and interest tear apart good marriages because the commitment level is not there on one or both partners. This is often true in our business dealings also where we have failed to honor commitments we gave our word on.
Looking in the Old Testament book of Ruth we find a commitment that goes above and beyond of what is expected. Ruth follows her mother-in-law, Naomi, to her home land and cares for her in her later years. Ruth’s and Naomi’s husbands have died and when times are tough on these women they return to Naomi’s homeland to find a better life. Naomi, being a godly woman, tries to get Ruth to stay behind with her own family, in her homeland of Moab, instead of going with her. Through her love and commitment to her daughter-in-law, she felt she would have a better life if she stayed with her people instead of going with her.
Ruth was committed through her love for Naomi to go with her and care for her. The Lord was also in this relationship since Naomi trusted in the Lord and Ruth was raised with pagan gods. The Lord was able to use Ruth in a tough situation that went good.
Many of us bail out on situations that seem beyond repair. All of us need to realize that nothing is beyond repair with the Lord’s help. He will answer our prayers and help us find solutions to our problems if we will talk to Him and lean on His guidance and His word.
If we have the Lord on our side then all of our commitments will be honored and treasured. Just as my wife and I said our “I do’s” over 40 years ago, the Lord has tremendously blessed us. The first thing we did after our ceremony was to get on our knees and ask Him to be Lord of our marriage and household. He has never failed us.
When you the know the Lord, you know true love and commitment.
Prayer: Thank you again Lord for my wife of many years and for the blessings you have provided for us. I pray that anything I say or do will be with your guidance. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – Ruth 1:15-17; Monday – Ephesians 5:1-2; Tuesday – Genesis 22:1-14; Wednesday – 2 Corinthians 2:12-17; Thursday – Joshua 24:14-15; Friday – Mark 1:16-20; Saturday – Isaiah 6:8.)
Gary Andrews is the author of Encouraging Words: 30-days in God’s Word. To obtain a copy go to his website www.gadevotionals.com.