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JUNE 5
INTENTIONAL BLESSINGS
I knew I had to be a gentleman and let Grandma (my lovely wife) walk through the door of my Son’s house first. I knew those Grandbabies would smother Grandma with love, hugs, squeezes, and big Cajun Smiles. You see, Grandkids do not hug with just arms . . . they hug with the whole body . . . arms wrapped around your neck tightly and legs wrapped around as well. I love it!!!
Since Grandma would take the bulk of their strength, welcoming energy, and lovin’s . . . I knew Ole Papa would have to do something extraordinary to try to gain an advantage. I would get the leftovers . . . so this had to be good! I HAD TO HAVE A PLAN!!!
I’m a STUFFED ANIMAL kind of guy. I love to give Teddy Bears and all types of little stuffed creatures. So with that . . . I placed on my shoulders a couple of stuffed animals . . . one for ZOE and one for TATE. When it came my turn for the hug . . . Oh Yeah! . . . Big eyes . . . Big smiles . . . and . . . HERE IT COMES . . . ‘What is that Papa Steve?’ ‘Oh, my, that is for you my precious little friend!’ Both of them reached up and squeezed their fuzzy new friend. Needless to say – IT WAS A HOMERUN! Next to Grandma Darlene – this was my only chance! lol
My plan had to be obvious. The stuffed animals were not in a package. They were not gift-wrapped. They were out in the open (EXPOSED) because I did not want the Grandkids to miss them at all. I intentionally wanted the stuffed animals to be discovered. You might say this was an INTENTIONAL BLESSING! (ON PURPOSE)
GOD’S BLESSINGS ARE INTENTIONAL AND VERY OBVIOUS
Psalm 78:22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
Psalm 78:23 Though HE HAD COMMANDED THE CLOUDS FROM ABOVE, and OPENED THE DOORS OF HEAVEN,
Psalm 78:24 And had RAINED DOWN MANNA upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. – Psalm 78:25 Man did eat angels’ food: HE SENT THEM MEAT TO THE FULL. –
Psalm 78:26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind. –
Psalm 78:27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
Psalm 78:28 And HE LET IT FALL IN THE MIDST OF THEIR CAMP, round about their habitations. (God delivered right to their door step – Hallelujah! /emphasis mine)
Psalm 78:29 So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;
God made His Blessings so obvious. He wanted the MANNA to be discovered. It RAINED IN THE MIDST OF THE CAMP (not a hard to reach place – not a far away place). God sends OBVIOUS BLESSINGS that He wants the recipient to DISCOVER, just like those Stuffed Animals.
God says, ‘Oh My, this is for you! Go ahead, squeeze your Blessing –
Thank God for:
INTENTIONAL BLESSINGS
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JUNE 4
THE NEXT GENERATION
When I came to the Lord and was gloriously saved – the year was 1973. I was a Senior in High-School (in my last semester) when this great miracle happened. Today, after all the passing years, I still serve the same Mighty God and have never been happier. I am so thankful for the choice that I made to give my life to the Lord! It was the best decision I have ever made!
The reason it was such a great miracle was due in part to the fact that I and my family had never attended Church. Many people see me, as Pastor, and they think that I was raised in the Church and attended Sunday School from the time I was a child. I did not have a Christian upbringing at all. The only Church I attended was an occasional summer Vacation Bible School.
To be truthful, it took me three or four months after coming to the Lord to finally get on the right track of stability. For me to fully say, ‘NO’ to sin and to its temptations was a challenge to a young man. Thankfully, God never gave up on me and He stayed with me during those growing pains. Thankfully, I stayed with HIM!
One of the most difficult things I encountered then and one of the hardest things to understand was – As I was COMING TO THE FAITH . . . I met many young people (my age) . . . that were RUNNING AWAY FROM THE FAITH. The sin, I had just come out of, was the sin they were running to. What heartbreak to see this.
IT TAKES ONLY ONE GENERATION FOR A NATION TO FORSAKE THE LORD
Judges 2:7 And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, WHO HAD SEEN ALL THE GREAT WORKS OF THE LORD, that he did for Israel.
Judges 2:8 And JOSHUA the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, DIED, being an hundred and ten years old. – Judges 2:9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance . . .
Judges 2:10 And also ALL THAT GENERATION were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose ANOTHER GENERATION after them, WHICH KNEW NOT THE LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
Moses, Joshua, Caleb, and many of their generation witnessed some of the GREATEST MIRACLES ever recorded. They were truly BLESSED. When that generation passed away it equally amazes me how the next generation FORGOT GOD . . . ‘WHICH KNEW NOT THE LORD!’ We must pray for a continuance of generational blessings!
All of my Christian Life I have witnessed the traffic of SO-CALLED CHRISTIANS heading in the opposite direction (not toward but away from the Lord). This Loss must not go unchecked.
From one generation to another the choice is the same –
It is JESUS or the DEVIL.
Pray for the:
THE NEXT GENERATION
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JUNE 3
TAKE A STEP UP
One day a Farmer’s Donkey fell down into a deep well. The poor Donkey cried piteously for hours as the Farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old and the well was beyond use and needed to be covered anyway. He felt bad, but he just couldn’t see a way to retrieve the Donkey.
The Farmer invited his neighbors to come over and to help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the Donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement, he quieted down and was silent.
A few shovel loads later, the Farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. The Donkey was not silenced because he had died as the Farmer thought. NO! Something INCREDIBLE was happening.
With each shovel of dirt that hit the Donkey’s back, he was doing something amazing. The Donkey would shake the dirt off and then TAKE A STEP UP!
As the Farmer’s friends continued to shovel dirt on top of the Donkey, he would simply shake it off and TAKE A STEP UP. Pretty soon, everyone was filled with JOY as the Donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off.
THE STORY OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC’S WELLS
Genesis 26:15 For all the wells which his father’s servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had STOPPED THEM, and FILLED THEM WITH EARTH (dirt).
Genesis 26:18 And Isaac DIGGED AGAIN THE WELLS OF WATER, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had STOPPED them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
Genesis 26:19 And Isaac’s servants digged in the valley, and FOUND THERE A WELL OF SPRINGING WATER.
The Philistines were representative of a sinful world. They were always throwing DIRT in the Children of God’s wells. The People of God were never stopped. They always found a way to STEP UP and go on. What they did then – we MUST do now!
Life is going to shovel and throw a lot of dirt on you . . . ALL KINDS OF DIRT! The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and TAKE A STEP UP. Each of our troubles is a stepping-stone. We can get out of the deepest wells simply by not quitting. WE MUST NEVER GIVE UP!
When the world throws dirt in our wells . . . WE MUST BE DETERMINED . . . WE MUST DECLARE THAT WE ARE NOT THROUGH . . . .
SHAKE IT OFF . . .
TAKE A STEP UP
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JUNE 2
STUCK WITH THE BAD SEED
There is a great story of a Far Eastern King who was growing old. One day he called for the children in the kingdom and explained to them that he had devised a plan to find the next king. The king declared that he would pick one of the children to become the next king.
‘It is time for me to step down and choose a new king. I have decided to choose one of you,’ the king said. The king continued, ‘I’m going to give each of you a very SPECIAL SEED today. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and then bring it back to me in one year. The new king will be chosen based on the plants that are brought at that time.’
One of the children was named Bobby and boy was he excited. He went home and told his mother what was happening. With her help, they got a pot and some soil and planted the seed and watered it carefully everyday. After a few weeks, some of the children were talking about how their seed was beginning to grow. Bobby kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.
When the time allotted began to expire many of the children were bragging about their luscious plants and trees. They were boasting about how well their plants had grown. They were all excited about their opportunity – to show the king – and their chances of being chosen by him. Bobby said nothing and was very sad. He knew he had killed the seed and he was so stressed about bringing his pot of – NOTHING – to the king! He was ashamed. Why is my seed bad?
His Mother said to Bobby, ‘Son, you must be honest and tell the truth about what happened. You must tell the king that you tried but nothing grew.’ As Bobby prepared to go to the castle – He knew his Mother was right and he knew that the truth was the only way to explain his empty pot and what had happened.
‘My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you all have grown.’ ‘Today, one of you will be the king!’
Just then the king saw Bobby hiding in the back and ordered his guards to bring him forward. ‘Where is your plant young man?’ With a tear in his eye he told the king the truth about his seed and how he tried to no avail.
‘Boys and girls, meet your new king!’
‘One year ago I gave all of you a BOILED SEED – One that I knew would never grow. When you saw that your seed would not grow – all of you – substituted that seed for another and all of you brought me plants. Bobby brought me the TRUTH and HONESTY. All of you should be more careful about the seeds you plant.’
Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. —
I guess we know now who was:
STUCK WITH THE BAD SEED
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JUNE 1
THESE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR WALKING
At first, I laughed at what I saw because Children can be so cute and adorable. My son, Justin, was standing in my boots and standing right in front of me with the most precious little grin. ‘Look, Daddy, I’m in your boots!’ As I looked at that sweet innocent Child my heart sank with a most sobering (serious) thought. ‘If he is going to walk in my boots then I had better be an example for him to follow!’
The reality of that moment had a profound impact on me as a Dad. The reality was – that my Son WOULD BE FOLLOWING ME. My example – whether good or bad – would create a path for him to walk down. That moment brought a sense of URGENCY to my living. As a Dad – I MUST GIVE HIM A GODLY EXAMPLE!
We may not think much about people FOLLOWING US or PAYING ATTENTION to our lives, but believe me WE SHOULD. The Apostle Paul knew that his life would IMPACT (in a big way) the lives of New Converts and Seasoned Christians:
HE WANTED THE PEOPLE TO FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE
1Corinthians 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, BE YE FOLLOWERS OF ME.
1Corinthians 11:1 BE YE FOLLOWERS OF ME, EVEN AS I ALSO AM OF CHRIST.
He did clarify – that as HE FOLLOWED CHRIST – They could FOLLOW HIM. This has huge ramifications when considered. WE MUST PRAY if someone is to follow my example then I had better follow HIS (Jesus)! PEOPLE WILL FOLLOW AN EXAMPLE EITHER GOOD OR BAD. WE MUST MAKE IT GOOD!
1Thessolonians 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; AS YE KNOW WHAT MANNER OF MEN WE WERE AMONG YOU FOR YOUR SAKE.
1Thessolonians 1:6 And YE BECAME FOLLOWERS OF US, AND OF THE LORD, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
The missionary martyr, Jim Elliot, wrote in his journal: ‘In spiritual work, if nowhere else, the CHARACTER OF THE WORKER decides the QUALITY OF HIS WORK. Shelley and Byron (known friends) may be moral free-lancers and still write good poetry. Wagner (known friend) may be lecherous and still produce fine music, but IT CANNOT BE SO in any work for God. Paul could refer to his OWN CHARACTER and MANNER OF LIVING for PROOF of what he was saying to the Thessalonians. Nine times over in this first epistle he says, “You know,” referring to the Thessalonians’ observation of Paul’s private as well as public life. Paul lived a life that illustrated what he preached; it went beyond illustration to convincing proof. No wonder so much work in the Kingdom is shoddy; look at the MORAL CHARACTER of the worker.
Our WALK and TALK need to AGREE. Our WALK must match our TALK –
Look at my Son:
THESE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR WALKING
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