By GARY ANDREWS
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It seems that each day I open my emails, someone has sent me a good story with a tremendous ending. Sharing these stories on occasion allows me to new insight to people and their plights and/or pleasures.
The other day I received a story about an older couple that continued to live on a farm outside the hustle and bustle of city life. Their children were grown and moved on to the faster pace living and really couldn’t understand why their parents wouldn’t want to do the same.
On a visit home one day, one of the children began reminiscing about his youth and walked around the farm with his parents. They spoke about the great gardens grown in the past and all of the animals they have had. The family had been in the horse business for many years but had slowed down quite a bit from showing and selling their horses.
One of the older horses was still among the younger horses in the barn and the son posed the question, “Why do you keep the older horse? She is not a productive animal anymore. Sell her or getting rid of her would give you some extra money that you probably need.”
Without hesitation the older farmer looked up and said, “We keep her because of love. Nothing else but pure love.”
That evening after the son had gone back to the city and the farmer and his wife had gone to bed, the farmer was awaken by the smell of smoke. He looked out the window to see that the barn was on fire.
He couldn’t get inside the barn and his greatest fear was that he had lost all of his horses to the fire. He told his wife there was nothing they could do but to praise God for He had blessed them over the years. He told her, “let’s go the big old tree on the hill and say our prayers there.”
As the older couple, during the coldness of the night, trudged their way to the hill so they could talk with God under the tree where they had been many times before. As they were approaching the tree they could see shadows on the hill next to the tree and when they arrived they found the older horse had led the younger ones out of the barn when the fire started.
The older horse had been to the tree with the couple before and her innate wisdom allowed her to take the younger generation of horses to this same spot when trouble approached them.
Life is like a fire to some of our younger generation today, just as it was when all of our older folks were young. Sometimes we get into situations and don’t know which way to turn and then, through the wisdom of an older generation, we see solutions that can ease our problems. Just about every solution will lead us back to the God that has guided so many generations across this earth.
In most every situation we will find our problems are when we leave God on the outside and try to fix them ourselves.
The most valuable resources and the most Godly people will rank among the senior citizens of today. Be smart, pay attention to them, and invoke on their wisdom plus their trust in the Lord.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for our senior adults and for the wisdom they possess of past times. Thanks to you they know that you are the one and only true God and they are not ashamed to tell people about your Saving Grace. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday - Job 32:1-9; Monday - Psalm 111:10; Tuesday - 2 Corinthians 2:1-10; Wednesday - Luke 12:8-12; Thursday - Proverbs 8:1-11; Friday - 1 Kings 3:5-15; Saturday - Galatians 2:6-10.)
Gary Andrews is the author of “Encouraging Words – 30 days in God’s Word” an uplifting devotional book leading into a daily journey. To obtain a copy of his book visit his website at www.gadevotionals.com or stop by the Yazoo Herald for an autographed copy.
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By Gary Andrews
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If you ever hear of someone that has played golf with me, they will tell you that I am probably the most inconsistent golfer they have ever seen. Listen to them because they are telling the truth. For 40 something years I have chased golf balls, that is, the ones I could find, all over golf courses. I have never tried to be better than my playing level because this is a game I enjoy but have never pursued mastering.
There are many of us walking this earth that try to be someone that we are not. I have met and seen many people that have said they could do things that they had no idea of even where to start. Then there are people that play games with life, just as my golf game, playing hard but never mastering the subject. Why are we like this?
Are you one of those people that would rather tell a lie than tell the truth? Does it give you a sense of security, value or prestige knowing that the person you are talking with may never know the truth? What if the person you are talking with challenges you and asks you to fulfill the task?
I have seen this happen many times. The person doing the bragging or telling lies to fill their self-worth cannot do what they have said they could. You then become labeled as an inconsistent person and this label is something that you will carry until you actually can walk the talk.
Many of us call ourselves great Christians, but are we really? Do we live and do what we say we do? Are we living by the standards that Christ gave us and are we witnessing for Him through our talk and actions? Are we listening to the gospel that is Christ ordained or have we tuned into the gospel of the world and allowed our thinking to be subpar to what Christ has asked us to do?
Remember what the apostle Paul told the church at Galatia in Galatians 1:6-7; “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel - which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.”
The world is really good at allowing you and asking you to live as the world does and get away from the teachings of Jesus Christ. People see us on the street of the cities that we live and work and see us doing things inconsistent of what Jesus tells us.
The only way that we can live a life for Christ is to stay in his word and obey His teachings. Then we can become masters of the Christian life and people will not see any inconsistency in our daily walk. It is the same as when I play golf. If I would take lessons I could better myself but I understand it is only a game for me to enjoy. As long as I can be the Christian person on the course that I am in everything else I do, then I believe God will bless me through it. He asks me to be consistent in my walk with Him in everything I do.
Prayer: Father God I praise you for all the blessings you have given me. I thank you for each and every day you give me on earth and I pray that I can serve and witness for you in all that I do. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – Galatians 1:6-9; Monday – Judges 17:1-13; Tuesday – Matthew 7:1-6; Wednesday – 2 Kings 10:18-31; Thursday – John 7:21-24; Friday – Luke 6:46-49; Saturday – Matthew 23:1-4.)
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.
Gary Andrews
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I find it strictly amazing that in light of the recent tragedies that have happened across our nation that people are reaching out to God for help and protection.
It seems that in so many instances that we only call on Him when we are in need. Why is it this way?
The world tells us that we don’t need God, however when people are down and out and the world is not helping, He is the one that will listen and bring us through our hard times. There are many who will help to satisfy our physical and emotional needs but few of these will talk to us about our spiritual needs.
Psalm 112:4 tells us, “Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.” KJV
Why is it so hard for anyone to realize who is in control? Tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, etc. don’t just happen. Sure the weather experts tell us it is due to certain conditions within the atmosphere that create these disasters, and I believe that, but who do they think creates these conditions?
Maybe we are in a day and time when the Lord is telling us, enough is enough. Maybe He is saying, “You’ve wandered away from me again and I will bring my wrath upon this earth once again.”
Any student of the Bible will tell you of countless times the Lord has gotten the attention of the misguided and immoral people on earth. All we have to do is look around us and see the ludicrous activities taking place on this planet and see and hear people telling us everyday that there is no God.
Christians, it is time for us stand up and be counted. The Lord has placed us in positions that we can also be heard, however we are cowering down to fanatics and allowing them to take center stage with their false promises and presentations.
What will you do today for the Lord? Will you stand up for His word and take exception to the ones telling us differently?
The horrible tragedies of today are bad; however we need to understand that we are not in control. Many have gone on to live with the Lord, even though we may have thought it was too soon, because they knew Him. It is my sincere hope and desire that the world, especially our great nation of North America, goes back to the days of recognizing who the creator of this earth is and that He is in control.
Prayer: Father, thank you for another day of life. I pray for all of the ones that have been affected by the storms and floods and ask that you comfort and guide them only as you can. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday - Psalm 78:32-39; Monday - Lamentations 3:22-32; Tuesday - Mark 6:34; Wednesday - Romans 9:14-24; Thursday - Hebrews 10:32-39; Friday - Micah 7:14-19; Saturday - Jude 1:20-23.) A139-11
Gary Andrews is the author of “Encouraging Words – 30 days in God’s Word” an uplifting devotional book leading into a daily journey. To obtain a copy of his book visit his website at www.gadevotionals.com.
By GARY ANDREWS
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Each day when we awake we get out of bed ready to take on the world. Most of us rush through a quick word with the family, then maybe a breakfast snack, and hit the door running. We can’t wait to get to our jobs, which many despise, and complain about the way things are going for us.
We live in a hurry up world. Many of us don’t take the time to say “Thank You Lord for another day of life.” In fact there are many people that don’t even acknowledge there is a God.
There is an old saying that says, “I would rather live my life as if there is a God, and die to find out there isn't, than live my life as if there isn't, and die to find out there is.”
We are so tuned into the world that we forget that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has provided life after death for us.
I recently heard a testimony about a person’s life that was spared, in a tornado, by the grace of God. He spoke of how God heard his prayers and then put His loving arms around him and saved him from harm. The building around this person was totally destroyed and the tornado left a path of destruction that man can only stand in awe and wonder how anyone could survive.
When the news media spoke with the person and he told his story of how God spared him, the media outlet used it for news only. The person spared asked the commentator if he knew Jesus personally and the commentator said no. “I know about God but I do not know Jesus,” was the answer.
It is strictly amazing to me how someone can cover a horrific storm story such as this tornado and not believe in the Saving Grace of Jesus. It is evident that many people walk this earth today and refuse to hear about the eternal life that only Jesus can provide. I am also amazed at the amount of people that walk this earth and put their trust and hope on worldly visions and actions and not be cognizant of the fact that the earth and heaven was formed by the one and only God.
Where is your life today? Are you one of these doubters saying that there is no God or are you one of these people saying that I will find God when the right time comes. What if there is no right time for you and your life ends without the Grace that only Jesus can give?
The world promises nothing but death and destruction. Jesus promises us eternal life!
Prayer: Thank you Lord for the Saving Grace of Jesus. Thank you for the opportunity of knowing you personally and that I have a life with you when I leave this earth. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday - John 17:1-5; Monday -Titus 3:1-7; Tuesday - Deuteronomy 33:26-29; Wednesday - Isaiah 26:1-4; Thursday - Galatians 6:7-10; Friday - Romans 2:5-11; Saturday - Psalm 119:89-96.)
Gary Andrews is the author of “Encouraging Words – 30 days in God’s Word” an uplifting devotional book leading into a daily journey. To obtain a copy of his book visit his website at www.gadevotionals.com or stop by the Yazoo Herald for an autographed copy.
By GARY ANDREWS
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For many years I have heard the expression “that is good enough.”
How good is good enough?
Many times my wife has told me the task I was doing that I had done it “good enough”. My reply to her was that I don’t want to do it good enough, I want to do it right!
So many times in our lives and, especially, in our daily living we are accepting jobs and completion of projects as being good enough but not complete or exactly right.
Where is the line being drawn on when we decipher something as being good enough especially when it is not completed or right? Why has our acceptance level come down from the point of perfection to a wordly standard? Have we all gotten in such a hurry that time is dictating to us on what is right or good enough?
What do we not understand about the ten commandments? They are simple, straight forward, and to the point. God has told us and taught us through His Son Jesus Christ that the only way to have eternal life is through a sin-confessed relationship with Jesus. We sin, He forgives if we ask Him and our heart becomes changed with the purity of Jesus’ message. It is not we sin, He forgives us and we do not have a conversion experience within our heart. This is not good enough!
The first commandment tells us, “You shall have no other gods before me.” How many of us really obey this commandment? Too many of us put wordly values and treasures ahead of God and then go to church on Sunday, saying that this is good enough. No, it’s not!
“Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy.” What a far cry we are from this commandment. Look around you and then examine yourself, do we really obey this commandment? No, we don’t!
One more commandment that has really gotten lopsided is, “Honor your father and your mother.” For us to do this the family unit has to be in tact. With so many unwed pregnancies in the world today, is it a wonder that this commandment has gone awry?
Good enough is never good enough! God tells us the truth and what we have to do to reap the benefits of eternal life. Listen to His quiet still voice and you will be amazed at what He is telling you.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for another day of life. I pray that I will be in tune with you and not with the world. Guide me in the direction that I should go. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday - Exodus 20:1-17; Monday - James 2:1-13; Tuesday - Romans 3:9-20; Wednesday - Psalm 1:1-6; Thursday - Ecclesiastes 5:1-20; Friday - Matthew 16:13-19; Saturday - 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.)
Gary Andrews is the author of “Encouraging Words – 30 days in God’s Word” an uplifting devotional book leading into a daily journey. To obtain a copy of his book visit his website at www.gadevotionals.com or stop by the Yazoo Herald for an autographed copy.
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