By GARY ANDREWS
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind, but now I see.
To me this is one of the greatest songs ever written and continues to be as popular today as it was when it was penned in 1748 by John Newton. Newton had gone through some serious trials in his early life and it wasn’t until he was captain of his own ship that he realized that God is in control and through His mercy and grace we are saved. Newton had some religious instruction from his mother; however she passed away when he was a child and he became a victim of the world.
Newton is like so many of us today. We may have heard about God when we were at home because our parents taught us this. So many of us leave the nest and many times we leave behind our spiritual teachings plus our ethics, integrity, morals, and many other features needed to survive.
Just as it did in the 1700’s and earlier, the world teaches us to look out for number one and to get above others anyway we can. It doesn’t matter who we step on or hurt when we need to further our own glory. There are many of our leaders in today’s society, and even some preachers that will lower their values to those of the world to get ahead in society. We work really hard at getting people to envy us because we are self-sufficient in our jobs, our families, our homes, and our communities. We have no compassion for others and push them aside to make sure our way is not deterred.
I see in many of our younger generation homes the loss of courtesy, respect, manners, and the teachings of our elders. The world is telling them to move ahead in the careers using any method they can. When we see this in business ethics we will also see it in the homes, especially when two parents are working and our children and grandchildren being raised by others.
Newton observed May 10, 1748, as the day of his conversion, a day of humiliation in which he subjected his will to a higher power. He wrote in his journal that all seemed lost as his ship went through a violent storm and would surely sink, he asked the Lord to have mercy upon him and his crew. He later reflected on what he had asked the Lord and realized the God’s grace had begun to work for him.
He wrote, “Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come, ‘tis grace has bro’t me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.” After returning home Newton married, self-educated himself in several languages, then went into the ministry, preaching and writing songs.
How many of us today have gone through these same type tribulations that John Newton went through? How many of us have asked God to help us in our times of need? How many of us have stopped to thank our Lord and Savior for bringing us through difficult times and then turning our lives around to be a disciple for Him?
Scripture that all of us need to remember and hold close to our heart is Psalm 145:8-9; “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.” It doesn’t matter what you have done in the past as long as you lay it all out before the Lord and confess your wrongs, then He will forgive you and lead you where He wants you to be.
Prayer: Father God thank you for being with me and leading me in the direction you would have me go. Thank you for your grace and mercy for a sinner such as I. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – Psalm 103:8-14; Monday – 4-8; Tuesday – Exodus 34:4-8; Wednesday – Romans 5:15-19; Thursday – Nehemiah 9:16-18; Friday – John 1:15-18; Saturday – 2 Corinthians 6:1-10.).
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.

By GARY ANDREWS
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sometimes I find it hard to sleep and get up early in the morning because I have something on my mind. Most of these times of insomnia I have a particular subject on my mind and until I get up and talk with the Lord about it, I cannot ease my mind of these thoughts.
My family and I have been thoroughly blessed and I wonder if I have praised God enough for all the blessings He has given me. I once heard a pastor say to his congregation, “What if we wake up in the morning and all we have is what we have thanked or praised God for?”
A Psalm of David tells us, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” Have you ever thought that the word “Bless” also means “Praise”? Everything we have or ever will have is given to us by the Lord God and many of us never take the time to say “Bless you Lord” or “Praise you Lord” or “Thank You Lord”.
Many will tell you that the Lord had nothing to do with their success and that through hard work and dedication on their part they earned what they have. It is a sad day when anyone would think this, especially a child of the Living God, but there are many people in the world today that will tell you this. It is a sad day that when people believe all of their riches came from within them and what they have done to obtain them. They live it up on earth and never realize that when their time comes to an end what is going to happen to all of their riches. They are certainly not going to take it to the grave with them. These riches are going to someone else to squander and use as they see fit or either to someone that will say “Bless you Lord” and use these riches for the kingdom of God.
In verse two of this Psalm we are told, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” What is your definition of benefits? Again, many of us do not think that all we have is a benefit of the Lord. Where would we be without Him and what would we have if the Lord God had not created us and give us a world to live in? Not only has He given us a world to live in but He has given us a Christian nation to live in. We are the most blessed nation in the world and have riches beyond belief compared to others in this world. To the ones of us that complain about what we don’t have should really stop and thank God for what we do have. There are many people in other countries that don’t have the luxuries that we enjoy and complain about.
The Psalmist started his chapter with “Bless the Lord” and ended his chapter with “Bless the Lord.” In everything we do or say we should bless the Lord’s Holy Character. He is a merciful God, a forgiving God, and a gracious God. If it were not for the grace of God where would any of us be? Whether we are His child or not, each one of us will stand before Him on judgment day and give an account of how we spent our life and what we did for Him. Our God wants to be praised and when our time on earth is done and we go to eternity with Him, this is what we are going to be doing. Why should we praise God; because He is God.
Prayer: Father God, I do praise you in everything. You are the light of the world and I give you all the praise for all you have blessed me with. Thank you for loving a sinner such as I. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – Psalm 103:1-22; Monday – Nehemiah 9:1-6; Tuesday – Revelation 7:9-17; Wednesday – 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13; Thursday – Daniel 2:19-23; Friday -  Psalm 115:1-3; Saturday – Acts 12:21-24.)
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
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

When I was a young boy I had the opportunity of being in the Boy Scouts. It is a tremendous organization. I learned about God and Country and the respect and love I am to give to each one. The slogan “Be Prepared” will forever be etched into my mind and how precious this slogan has been to me over the years.
As I became an adult and went through my military training, the “Be Prepared” slogan meant more to me than I ever thought it would, especially going into a combat or hostile environment half-way around the world. Leaving the military and going into the business world, getting married and raising a family has always given me the opportunity of remembering and using this slogan.
I am an advocate of the scouting programs, boys and girls, and the training and lessons these young people receive from them. Neither program seems to be as popular as they once were because the teachings of these organizations challenge what many facets of this sinful world want. Many immoral and unethical values are being pushed on these programs because Satan is having his way with so many people in the world who look to him instead of God.
Not only are the scouting programs being targeted by these ungodly people, so are our public arenas, government, schools, churches and religious organizations. We as Christians need to always “Be Prepared” because Satan is hurling insults and innuendos at us at every possible opportunity. Jesus tells us in Luke 21:8; “Watch out that you are not deceived…”; then in Luke 21:12; “…they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.”
This passage in Luke is when Jesus is speaking with some of His disciples about the signs of the end of time. People, all we have to do is read God’s Word and our future is foretold. We all need to look ar   ound us and see what is happening in the world. We need to understand that our God given rights and freedoms are being taken away and we, as Christians, are standing around and letting this happen.
I feel that it is very important that we continue boys and girls scouts and allow them to be taught about God and Country. We, as a Christian nation, need to adopt the scout motto of “Be Prepared” because at any given time this world can cease being and our time will be gone for us to accept Jesus as our Savior and live with Him throughout eternity. Are you prepared for what will happen to your soul should Jesus come today?
Prayer: Father thank you for your love. Thank you for saving grace that allows sinners such as I to leave this sinful world and live with you for eternity. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – Luke 21:1-19; Monday – Hosea 10:12; Tuesday – 1 Peter 1:13-21; Wednesday – Joshua 3:5; Thursday – Ephesians 6:10-18; Friday – Ecclesiastes – 11:1-6; Saturday – Mark 1:2-8.)
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.

By GARY ANDREWS
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
It seems today that the discipline of children has become the topic of everyone. I watched a program on television recently about how a young lady has put a video on the internet about a whipping she received from her dad. The video went all over the world and the news media picked it up as a lead story talking about child abuse.
I definitely agree that some discipline children receive is not necessary and really is child abuse and the parents or adults should be dealt with.  There are too many incidents of this child abuse and unless the law steps in these children have little chance for a good life in society.  Too many of these adults, it is hard to call them parents, treat their children as necessary evils. They bring them into this world; however they do not care about them and certainly hate the responsibility of raising them. The children get in their way of everyday, worldly living.
Then there are loving parents who discipline their children to teach them the difference between right and wrong. My parents did this for my brothers, sister, and me. When we were told to behave, to not do or to do something and we didn’t respond, we were disciplined through a scolding or a whipping. Sometimes it would be with a belt, sometimes a switch, but every time it made impact on us. I, likewise, did the same with my children. Each time I had to discipline my children, either through talking or a spanking, I talked with them and explained why I was treating them this way. After the discipline was given I talked with them again and told them it hurt me to discipline them more than it hurt them, to which they replied, no way. Now that they are married and have children of their own, they have told me they fully understand what I was saying to them.
In the case of the young lady who taped the spanking she received, I have no doubt her father probably went above and beyond good discipline. It bothers me that the media is calling this child abuse when the video shows her being spanked with a belt for her doing something wrong and illegal. They are calling in all type of professionals who clearly think this is child abuse and something should be done to the father. This incident took place several years ago and this young lady has just released it to the internet. What is the gain for her?
In Proverbs 13:24 it says: “He who spares his rode hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.”
I despise child abuse and will stand up for any child being mistreated. Many times this comes from an angry parent, who should gather their senses before disciplining their children. I remember one story when a lady spent 30 days in jail because she smacked her teenage son in the mouth because he was cussing her, out loud, in the middle of a department store. Someone took offense to the smack and called the law. What would you have done as the parent or as the bystander?
I stand up for discipline when handled in the correct format. The problem with our society today is that everyone seems to know how to handle your children better than you do. I firmly believe that God allows us to have children so that we will raise them in the way that is pleasing to Him. Our worldly society has taken God out of the public arena and allowed Satan to attack us from all angles and allow the non-discipline type people to create problems when children should be chastised for doing wrong.
My wish is that all parents will consult the Word of God about disciplining their children and stay away from what the world is saying.
Prayer: Father I thank you and praise you for the children you have given Linda and I. They are truly a blessing and I give you all the glory for the lives they are leading now. It is my prayer that all parents will seek your guidance in raising and disciplining the children you have blessed them with. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – 1 Kings 1:5-6; Monday – 1 Corinthians 4:14-21; Tuesday – 2 Corinthians 7:8-9; Wednesday – 2 Chronicles 34:1-7; Thursday – Psalm 127:3-5; Friday – Ezekiel 20:18-21; Saturday – Luke 2:41-52.)A161-11
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.