By Gary Andrews
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Several years ago I viewed the movie “The Passion of the Christ”. I found the movie to be very good and gave explicit graphic displays of what our Christ actually went through when He was crucified. One can only imagine the agony Jesus Christ went through on the cross and the days leading up to His crucifixion.
I appreciated Mel Gibson standing tall and producing this movie when many others were against him and said it would never survive. The movie did well even though Gibson was criticized by many for his undertaking. Maybe Gibson was the one person that helps us realize the suffering that Christ went through for our sins and maybe, just maybe, bring all of us back into the realization that all of us need to get on our knees and ask forgiveness for the way we have allowed our society and country to become as it is today.
I read a story several years ago and I cannot validate the story because I did not do the research, however I feel it could be well founded.
In 1858, a Boston Sunday School teacher named Kimball began visiting one of his students at the shoe store where he worked as a clerk. Eventually, he led him to Christ. That student’s name was D.L. Moody.
Twenty-one years later, Moody, now an evangelist, visited London, and a great spiritual awakening took place. F.B. Meyer, a local pastor, went to hear Moody, and his life was transformed. Late Meyer went to America to preach, and in one of his meetings, a student named J. Wilbur Chapman got saved. Chapman became active in the YMCA, where he met and discipled a former baseball player called Billy Sunday.
Billy Sunday became a great revivalist, and in one of his crusades in Charlotte, a group of businessmen came to Christ. A year later, they decided that their city needed another crusade, so they invited Mordecai Ham to be their speaker.
After three weeks, Ham left town, discouraged because he’d only had one convert: a 16-year old boy called Billy Graham.
One Sunday School teacher started it all.
One brother, Andrew, led another brother called Peter to Christ; and Peter brought multitudes. One woman whose name he still doesn’t know, led David Yonggi Cho, Korean pastor of the world’s largest church (over 1,000,000 members as of 2007), to Christ.
One person – just one – can make all the difference. Will you be that one?
Prayer: Lord God help me be the one person that will help others see and ask for you Saving Grace. Use me as your instrument and give me the words to say and the strength to say them. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – Acts 4:23-31; Monday – Isaiah 6:8-9; Tuesday – Matthew 5:13-16; Wednesday – Psalm 119:25-32; Thursday – Revelation 20:4-6; Friday – Proverbs 10:19-21; Saturday – 2 Corinthians 4:1-6.)
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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In today’s society we run across someone every day that has been in trouble or have some skeletons in their past. Most of us will say that we are forgiving people and what you have done in the past, well that is in the past and has been forgiven.
I remember working with a young man that was incarcerated by the state. He was a model inmate and was allowed to help with some community projects. We were putting out stakes to help line up that year’s Christmas parade. As we walked along the street I was able to ask this young man why he was a prisoner.
His initial response was, “I was stupid.” He told me that he was a school teacher, had a master’s degree in education, and thoroughly loved his job. From being around him I could tell he was a person that kids would relish to follow and listen to in a classroom. His goal in life was to help kids grow and become successful participants in life.
“At a low point in my life I allowed one so-called friend to talk me into delivering drugs to another person,” he said. “I was caught, sentenced, and about to finish serving my time in jail.”
He had paid his debt to society however, since he has been incarcerated he can no longer teach school or work with children. He did one thing wrong and was caught even though the person that talked him into it is still on the streets. Is this right or is this fair? Society says it is but what does Jesus say?
Another incident about a class room teacher that taught middle school, was well respected and well-liked by the students and parents has been dismissed and will probably never finish her career as a teacher because some students found out she was in porn ten years before. Is this fair? Society says it is.
I remember another man that had been in prison for torturing men and women, being an accomplice to murder, and treating all who did not agree with him with disrespect and harm. He was of a fiery temperament and very outspoken. However for all the bad he had done his life was changed and he became a noted writer and a well-disciplined person for his beliefs. He was the Apostle Paul of the New Testament. He had been forgiven for his persecution of the Christians by Jesus.
I am not saying that drug trafficking or porn people will be the best teachers of our children, I am just wondering when we say you are forgiven, are you?
Prayer: Thank you Lord for your forgiveness for our sins. May we realize that we need to forgive others as you have forgiven us? Lead us in the path you would have us travel and let us always look to you for guidance. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – Genesis 50:15-21; Monday - 2 Corinthians 2:5-11; Tuesday – Jonah 3:1-10; Wednesday – 1 Peter 4:7-11; Thursday – Psalm 103:11-18; Friday – Acts 7:54-60; Saturday – Micah 7:14-19.)
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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In light of all the tragedies from shootings in our schools and other public forums, we have many people asking why this is going on. When did this begin? Why are we having such abnormal behavior?
Being a senior citizen and reminiscing from my past I can’t remember this type of behavior going through our neighborhoods. I saw something that interested me on a facebook post that said, “Dear God, Why do you allow so much violence in our schools? Signed, A Concerned Student.” God’s answer went like this, “Dear Concerned Student, I’m not allowed in schools. God.”
When I was in school we had devotionals and Bible readings every morning. No one every complained and the ones that didn’t want to participate or listen to them, didn’t have to. Now that we had one person stand up and speak up against prayer and Bible reading in school our government officials decided it was unfair for her children to hear about the saving grace of Jesus Christ and the sweet harmony and peace that only He can provide for each of us. Ultimately the United States Supreme Court agreed with her and penalized everyone else.
Former Arkansas Governor and Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has repeatedly stated that taking prayer out of school has hurt our education system. I totally agree with him.
Mr. Huckabee has taken untold criticism about his statements because of the way the world has changed and all of the agnostics and atheists speak up. He has been challenged by people saying where is your God and why would He allow all of this to happen. Incidentally the national media give more attention to the naysayers and their ideas than to a Christian point of view. These media outlets and all of the political pundits rely on the national government as the savior of the world and not realize that someday this world will perish. Proverbs 14:12 tells us, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”
Studying God’s Word and staying in His will is the only way we are once again going to be one nation under God. Until this happens I believe we can expect these horrible tragedies to continue. It is a shame that the people that criticize the views of Governor Huckabee really don’t understand his point of view.
Prayer: Holy God I call on you to heal this land and this people again. I pray that all of us will understand that you are the one and only true God and that you are ultimately in control. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – Isaiah 53:4-6; Monday – Hebrews 6:4-8; Tuesday – Ezekiel 33:10-20; Wednesday – Revelation 3:14-22; Thursday – Joshua 23:9-16; Friday – Titus 3:1-5; Saturday – Habakkuk 1:5-11.)
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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It wasn’t long ago when a very wise lady told me she only prayed for two things for her life. She also told me she prayed for a lot of people and situations but she was only interested in a couple of things for herself.
She stated, “I pray every day that the Lord will let me live until I die.” Many different reactions come when she tells people of this request. Many will furrow their brow and some will smile with misunderstanding written all over their face. However many people, especially in the older generation, understand exactly what she is saying.
I remember my paternal grandmother lying in a nursing home bed for five years before the Lord called her home. She did not know any of her family, had to be helped up and down to the bathroom, and on many occasions was fed through a tube. One often has to wonder the reasoning of the Lord when He allows a person such as this to live out her remaining years not knowing anyone around her or able to do anything for herself. I can only envision the Lord using this experience to help others gain patience and wisdom on caring for His people. My grandmother was a Christian lady and I remember staying with her when I was young and being carried, not sent, to church by her.
Many people today do not understand why someone would suffer and be a burden on someone until they die. These people may not know Jesus personally and doesn’t understand His grace and mercy. These people also don’t understand that when you accept Jesus as your Savior that your life on earth may end but your eternal life will be with Him in His heavenly home. Agnostics and atheists of today will tell you that the life you are living now is the only one you will ever have and that when you are buried you are through. Maybe this is why they are so burdened about the luxuries of the world and doesn’t worry about anyone else but themselves.
My wise friend prays for these people often and hopes that they will soon find their way to the cross and understand why Jesus died for them also. She prays that they will find their way to the resurrection morning and understand that Jesus lives today and wants them to understand that His grace and mercy is free for the asking. One only has to go to Romans 3:23-24 in the Holy Bible, God’s inerrant Word, to understand Jesus wants you to be one of His own.
My friend is a wonderful lady and a great, true friend. She loves people and she loves Jesus. She is about doing His work in everything she does. Her request of living until she dies is the same as mind. Both of us want to do God’s work until He calls us home. We don’t want to be a burden on anyone when we aren’t able to do His work anymore and just want to be at home with Him.
Her second prayer is that she outlives her teeth. This also is a good prayer.
Prayer: Thank you Jesus for the life you have allowed me to have. I pray that you will take me home when you are through with me on earth. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – Romans 3:23-24; Monday – Isaiah 28:10-15; Tuesday – 2 Peter 1:19-21; Wednesday – 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24; Thursday – Mark 7:5-13; Friday – Philippians 3:17-21; Saturday – Thessalonians 1:8-10.)
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.