Refreshing

Daily
in Gods Word
Emphasis on

People

Do all the good you can, to all the people

you can,
in all the ways you can, as long as you

People

March 1

Bible Reading: John 3:16-21

Key Verse: Verse 16 - For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.
Key Words: For God so loved the world
The ministry is people. Jesus Himself said in John
3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life. The word world means
people. The ministry is about people.
In spite of our high-tech world and efficient
procedures, people remain the essential ingredient of life.
When we forget that, a strange thing happens: We start
treating people like inconveniences instead of assets.
This is precisely what humorist Robert Henry, a
professional speaker, encountered one evening when he went
to a large discount department store in search of a pair of
binoculars.
As he walked up to the appropriate counter he noticed
that he was the only customer in the store. Behind the
counter were two salespersons. One was so preoccupied
talking to Mama on the telephone that she refused to
acknowledge that Robert was there. At the other end of the
counter, a second salesperson was unloading inventory from a
box onto the shelves. Growing impatient, Robert walked
down to her end of the counter and just stood there. Finally,
she looked up at Robert and said, You got a number?
I got a what? asked Robert, trying to control his
astonishment at such an absurdity.
You got a number? You gotta have a number.
Robert replied, Lady, Im the only customer in the
store! I dont need a number. Cant you see how ridiculous
this is? But she failed to see the absurdity and insisted that

Robert take a number before agreeing to wait on him. By

now, it was obvious to Robert that she was more interested in
following procedures than helping the customer. So he went
to the take-a-number machine, pulled number 37 and walked
back to the salesperson.
With that, she promptly went to her number counter,
which revealed that the last customer waited on had been
holding
number
34.
So
she
screamed
out,
35!...35!...36!...36!...37!
Im number 37, said Robert.
May I help you? she asked, without cracking a smile.
No, replied Robert, and he turned around and
walked out.
People are not a number they are the reason Jesus
came to live, die, be buried and rise again! Jesus loves people,
lets reach people.
What to do:
Love people; use things for when we love things we
will use people.
********************

Quitting People
March 2
Bible Reading: I Corinthians 15:50-58
Key Verse: Verse 58 Therefore, my beloved
brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye
know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Key Words: always abounding
Speaking of not quitting, there is an old fable about a
spider and a king. The story goes like this.
In the thirteenth century, there was a disagreement
between Scottish leaders about which of them should be king.
England's King Edward I stepped in and took the honour for

himself, stripping Scotland of its crown, its royal regalia, and

even the sacred Stone of Scone on which the kings of Scotland
had always been crowned.
The latter he placed in
Westminster Abbey in London.
The outraged Scots secretly crowned Robert Bruce
their king, but they seemed no match for the English army.
Scottish troops were scattered, living in the mountains,
surviving on eels and salmon and deer, and under constant
attack from their enemy. Robert Bruce himself was wounded,
and his capture seemed imminent. The English had even
captured one of his bloodhounds and were using it to search
for him.
After madly careening through the Scottish woods,
exhausted, frightened, and bleeding, Bruce suddenly came to
a stream. Plunging in, he waded alongside the bank until
hoisting himself onto the limb of a tree. There he stayed, and
the dog lost the scent.
Bruce spent the following winter hidden away in a
hovel in the mountains, keeping himself alive on a bag of old
potatoes. One cold, gray afternoon, he felt almost hopeless,
spirits badly draining. But he noticed a spider trying to weave
a web in the corner of the window. The spider was having a
hard time of it, because the wind kept blowing away the
threads. Time after time, the spider gave another effort until
finally the thread held.
"I might be that spider," said Bruce. "I, too, have
failed. Like those threads, my lines have been broken and
blown away. But you have shown me that there is always one
more time--a time for one more attempt and, with
persistence, a winning one!"
Bruce left the hovel to gather his scattered troops, and
by spring he had an army that was tougher than ever. Battle
after battle raged until their lines finally held and they drove
the English out of Scotland.
The moral of the story is the winner never quits and a
quitter never wins. So which are you today? A winner or a
quitter?

What to do:

Remember: a winner never quits.

Serving People
March 3

Bible Reading: Matthew 20:20-28

Key Verse: Verse 27 And whosoever will be chief

among you, let him be your servant:
Key Words: let him be your servant

Like most physicians of great experience, Dr. Evan

O'Neil Kane had become preoccupied with a particular facet of
medicine. His strong feelings concerned the use of general
anesthesia in major surgery. He believed that most major
operations could and should be performed under local
anesthetic, for, in his opinion, the hazards of a general
anesthesia outweighed the risks of the surgery itself. For
example, patients with heart trouble or anesthesia allergies
ran the risk of severe complications when placed under
general anesthesia for surgery. Kane's medical mission was to
prove to his colleagues once for all the viability of local
anesthesia. It would take a great deal of convincing.
To prove the viability of major surgery using only a
local anesthetic, Kane would have to find a patient brave
enough to go through what he hoped all patients would one
day experience major surgery without the dangers of
general anesthesia. In his thirty-seven years as a surgeon,
Kane had performed nearly four thousand appendectomies.
This freed him from worrying about the complications of the
surgery and focusing on the local anesthesia aspect. Having
found a volunteer, he proceeded.
The patient was prepped in all the normal ways, but in
the operating room was given only a local anesthetic. As he
had thousands of times before, Kane entered the abdomen,
slicing tissues and clamping blood vessels as he went.
Locating the appendix, the surgeon nimbly clipped it away
from its surrounding tissue, folded the stump back in place,
and sewed up the patient's woundall with the patient being
wide awake and experiencing only minor discomfort. After a
restful recovery of two daysfaster than most general

anesthesia casesthe patient was released from the hospital

to recuperate at home.
Kane had achieved his goalto demonstrate that
successful general surgery could be accomplished without the
risks of general anesthesia. Since Dr. Kane's experiment in
1921, his breakthrough technique has changed the face of
surgery but not only for scientific reasons. For Dr. Kane's
name was added to a short list of pioneers in the medical field
who, so utterly convinced of the validity of their theories,
chose to use them first on themselves. Kane's first volunteer
appendectomy patient was none other than himself. To prove
his theory regarding local anesthesia, Dr. Evan Kane had
removed his own appendix.
Let us stop looking for someone else to do the job that
we can do!! Let us be the volunteer.
What to do:
Be a chief by being a servant.
********************

Friendly People
March 4
Bible Reading: Proverbs 17
Key Verse: 17 A friend loveth at all times, and a
brother is born for adversity.
Key Words: A friend loveth at all times
A friend is someone who walks in when everyone else
is walking out.
Out of the furnaces of war come many true stories of
sacrificial friendship. One such story tells of two friends in
World War I, who were inseparable. They had enlisted
together, trained together, were shipped overseas together
and fought side-by-side in the trenches. During an attack, one
of the men was critically wounded in a field filled with barbed
wire obstacles, and he was unable to crawl back to his foxhole.
The entire area was under a withering enemy crossfire, and it

was suicidal to try to reach him. Yet his friend decided to try.
Before he could get out of his own trench, the sergeant yanked
him back inside and ordered him not to go. Its too late. You
cant do him any good and youll only get yourself killed.
A few minutes later, the officer turned his back, and
instantly the man was gone after his friend. A few minutes
later, he staggered back, mortally wounded, with his friend,
now dead, in his arms. The sergeant was both angry and
deeply moved. What a waste, he blurted out. Hes dead and
youre dying. It just wasnt worth it.
With almost his last breath, the dying man replied,
Oh, yes, it was, Sarge. When I got to him, the only thing he
said was, I knew youd come, Jim!
One of the true marks of a friend is that he is there
when there is every reason for him not to be, when to be there
is sacrificially costly. As Proverbs 17:17 puts it, A friend
loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
A closing thought: I went out looking for a friend and
found one nowhere. I went out to be a friend and found them
everywhere.
What to do:
Go out and be a friend and you will find friends
everywhere.
********************

People Who Give It All

March 5
Bible Reading: Psalms 9
Key Verse: Verse 1 I will praise thee, O LORD, with
my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous
works.
Key Words: with my whole heart
The following article was written by Matt Bookout.

The word whole means complete; having nothing

missing; not divided or in pieces. Many times we are
stretched to the limits in our service for the Lord. We are
serving in many different ministries, we have personal
responsibilities and, on top of that, we are trying to live the
Christian life daily, all at the same time. God does not desire
that we give Him a half-hearted effort. Jesus Christ did not
give His life half-heartedly so that we could have eternal
life. He suffered the pain, endured the cross, and despised the
shame all in obedience to His heavenly Father.
The next few verses that I will give deal with mans
heart attitude toward the Lord. Psalm 111:1 says, Praise ye
the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole
heart Psalm 119:10 says, With my whole heart have I
sought thee Psalm 119:34 says, Give me understanding,
and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my
whole heart. Psalm 119:58 says, I intreated thy favour with
my whole heart Psalm 119:69 says, but I will keep thy
precepts with my whole heart. Psalm 119:145 says, I cried
with my whole heart Psalm 138:1 says, I will praise thee
with my whole heart It is amazing to think that if it was
this important to those in scripture, how much more
important it is for us?
The last verse that we find with this phrase is found in
Jeremiah 32:41. This deals with Gods heart toward His
people. The Bible says,Yea, I will rejoice over them to do
them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with
my whole heart and with my whole soul. There is a song
that goes like this, With all my heart, I want to love you Lord;
and give my life each day to know you more. All that is in me,
is yours completely. Ill serve you only, with all my heart.
May it be said of us, in every area, that we serve the
Lord with our whole heart.

What to do:
Serve God with your whole heart.

A Witnessing People
March 6
Bible Reading: Proverbs 11:23-31
Key Verse: Verse 30 The fruit of the righteous is a
tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
Key Words: he that winneth souls is wise
Naomi was an ordinary woman who faced some
extraordinary challenges. Both her husband and her sons had
died. Her place of living (Moab) was in a famine. Naomi was
forced to move to Israel. Her daughter-in-law, Ruth, went
with her. But Naomi was up to the task and here, an ordinary
woman, mentored Ruth through all of her adversity; and it
was through Naomis guidance that God brought about the
lineage of Jesus Christ.
Naomi, an ordinary woman, accomplished an
extraordinary feat because of her steadfastness.
William Carey, the father of modern missions,
wanted to translate the Bible into as many Indian languages
as possible. He established a large print-shop in Serampore
where translation work was continually being done. Carey
spent hours each day translating Scripture, while his insane
wife ranted and raved in the next room. Then one night his
print-shop, where the Bibles were being printed, burned to
the ground. Yet Carey persevered, and went forward and
accomplished his goal. The secret to Careys success is found
in his steadfast determination. He once wrote, There are
grave difficulties on every hand, and more are looming ahead.
Therefore we must go forward.
What to do:
Be wise: be a soul-winner; but to be a soul-winner
you must be wise.

Praying People
March 7

Bible Reading: Luke 18:1-8

Key Verse: Verse 1 And he spake a parable unto

them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and
not to faint;
Key Words: men ought always to pray, and not to

faint

In Luke 18 Jesus tells us about a widow woman who

was persistent in regard to the judge hearing her case. The
judge finally decided to hear her out. Jesus used this
persistent widow woman to illustrate how we should be
persistent in our prayer life.
Kenny McComas in his book on prayer says the
following in regard to the widow. The poor widow of that city
was the judges least concern. He has no conscience, he feels
no guilt or suffers no remorse even if some crooked lawyer
forecloses the mortgage on her little property before its due
for payment. When the widow appealed to the judge, he
apparently attempted to display his shrewd, political ability.
He thinks he can dispose of her by explaining he sincerely
wants to help but his hands are tied. She reminds him of his
campaign promises, but he diplomatically explains the whole
situation is out of his jurisdiction. He further explains, as he
ushers the widow out the door, that he is a very busy man and
says, Good day, Maam. He probably wiped his brow and
bragged to his secretary of his capabilities in handling such
pesky constituents. The next morning, however, when he
opened the door from his private chamber to the reception
room, he could hardly believe his eyes, but there he beheld the
little widow. Try as he may to dispose of her, he cannot get
her off of his hands. All of his excuses that worked with
others will not work with her.
So I challenge you to pray and not to faint.

What to do:
Remember, he who is praying is not fainting; and he
who is fainting is not praying.
********************

People and Politics

March 8

Bible Reading: Matthew 11:20-30

Key Verse: Verse 28 Come unto me, all ye that

labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Key Words: Come unto me, all ye that labour and

are heavy laden

Let me shock you with a statement. The problem with

our nation is not government, its politics!! Government is
where you are going; politics is how you get there, and that is
where the disagreement comes in. Most Americans are fed up
with politics, both Republican and Democrat.
Teddy Roosevelt was interrupted during a campaign
speech by a man in the audience who kept yelling out, "I'm a
Democrat." Teddy finally just stopped cold and said, "All
right, sir, why are you a Democrat?" And the fellow said,
"Because my father was a Democrat, and my grandfather was
a Democrat, and my great-grandfather was a Democrat."
Roosevelt shook his head and replied, "Well, sir, what if your
father were a mule, and your grandfather were a mule, and
your great-grandfather were a mule; what would you be?" "A
Republican!" answered the heckler.
We today have little faith in politicians as a whole.
Here in our great State of Alabama, the Republicans want to
pass a gambling bill. The Republicans and Democrats voted
to approve Common Core for our public schools.
The governor and his wife are divorcing and when the
truth of that comes out, you will wonder, Why did I vote for
him?

In the federal government, our leaders have made a

deal with the devil by negotiating with Iran on nuclear
weapons.
The government is over $17 trillion in debt because of
politics. Most of that money is owed to China, a God-less
Communist nation. Economists are saying that we are headed
for a depression even greater than the depression of 1929; and
the politicians, or at least some of them, are more concerned
about global warming and decreasing of ice in the Arctic
Region of the world than they are about the economy.
My point is that politics is never the answer. Jesus
Christ is the answer. God has still promised to bless the
nation that blesses Israel and exalts righteousness. When our
politicians get this, America will return to prosperity and
prominence!
What to do:
It is better to be Biblically correct than politically
correct.
********************

Spiritually Mature People

March 9

Bible Reading: I Peter 2:1-8

Key Verse: Verse 2 As newborn babes, desire the

sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.
Key Words: desire the sincere milk of the word,

that ye may grow thereby

I love babies. I think others ought to have as many as

they wish. I think it's a delightful, enjoyable experience to
watch babies grow up and to become little people, little men
and women, adolescents, and functioning persons. But you
and I know that there are some things about little babies that
are not very attractive. We humor them because theyre
babies.

Heres a list of things: They are dependent and

demanding. They are unable to feed themselves. They are
unable to stay out of messes. They love to be the center of
attention. They are driven by impulses, such as hunger, pain,
sleep. Theyre irritated when theyre dirty, even though they
made the mess, and youve gotta clean it up. They have no
manners, no control. They have little attention span, no
concern for others, no abilities or skills.
Now these are natural things that are a part of
babyhood. But when you see adults with those characteristics,
something tragic has happened, something terribly unfunny.
The Christian who is not interested in growing wants to be
entertained. He wants a diet of milk when he cries for it. He
wants his way. And hes gonna get it, no matter how many he
will have to disrupt to get it.
You see, in order for a Christian to handle solid food,
he has to have a growing, mature digestive system. He needs
teeth. He needs to have an appetite that is cultivated over a
period of time for deep things, for the solid things of God.
Spiritual babies must grow up. In the church of Jesus Christ
some of the most difficult people to live with are those who
have grown old in the Lord but havent grown up in Him.

What to do:
Desire the milk of the Word so that you can one day
digest the meat from the Word.

A Failing People

March 10

Bible Reading: Philippians 4:1-8

Key Verse: Verse 8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever

things are true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are
pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever
things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and
if there be any praise, think on these things.
Key Words: think on these things

On the once bloody battlefield at Saratoga there stands

a
towering
obelisk.
A
155-foot-high
monument
commemorative of that decisive struggle where the British
made their last stand over two centuries ago. It is a solemn
and sober moment as visitors stand on that windswept hill,
savoring that slice of national history. In the distance are the
stately Adirondacks and the Taconics. The monument gives
mute testimony to those heroes of yesteryear who refused to
bow the knee to England.
About its base are four deep niches, and in each niche
appears the name of one of the American generals who
commanded there. Above the names stand giant bronze
figures on horseback . . . as famous today as in the day they
shouted their commands. You can almost hear their voices.
In the first stands Horatio Gates; in the second, Philip John
Schuyler; and in the third, Daniel Morgan.
But the niche on the fourth side is strangely vacant.
The name appears, but the soldier is absent. Conspicuously
absent. As one reads the name, the mind rushes on to the
foggy banks of the Hudson where the man sold his soul and
forfeited the right to be remembered. How the mighty are
fallen! The brigadier general who once commanded West
Point, the major general who distinguished himself at battles
along Lake Champlain, Mohawk Valley Quebec, and Saratoga,
committed treason and died a synonym of disgrace---the
infamous Benedict Arnold. As Clarence Macartney one put it
so eloquently, The empty niche in that monument shall ever
stand for fallen manhood, power prostituted, for genius
soiled, for faithlessness to a sacred trust.

Whatever failures I have known, whatever errors I

have committed, whatever follies I have witnessed in private
and public life, have been the consequence of action without
thought.
~ Bernard Baruch

What to do:
Think on these things.
********************

Self-Centered People
March 11

Bible Reading: Genesis 3:1-6

Key Verse: Verse 6 And when the woman saw that

the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant
to
the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one
wise,
she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and
gave
also unto her husband with her; and he did
eat.
Key Words: shedid eatand he did eat

In Genesis 3:1-6, we find thirteen personal pronouns.

No doubt Satans plan was to get Adam and Eve to focus on
themselves; and in doing so, they would be rendered
ineffective in doing the will of God.
Well, Satans plan never changed. You see this
throughout the Word of God. This is the primary reason that
we face the challenges and difficulties we face today in our
families because we fall for Satans plan, and we focus on us
and on our family rather than on God and Gods will.
As you study the Word of God, you will find that the
world and the flesh pull us toward a life of selfishness while
God directs us toward a life of selflessness. We read in
Matthew 16:24-25, Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any
man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up

his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life
shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall
find it.
But let me caution you that the self-centered life will
always come back to haunt you. All you have to do is look at
the result of focusing on self in the lives of Adam and Eve,
Achan, David, Uzziah, and others to see that, while Satan
paints a beautiful picture of a life of selfishness, it always ends
in tragedy.
The first time I visited the Great Salt Lake, I was sorely
disappointed. It was dirty, had a foul odor, and was lifeless.
The pastor I was with informed me that the reason the lake
was in such a putrid plight was because it had inlets but no
outlets. So it is with our lives and the lives of our families if all
we do is focus on self. We, as well, will end up dirty, full of
worldly odor, and lifeless in Gods service. Let me encourage
you to spend your life in Gods service, focusing on Jesus and
others; and you will then have the sweet smell of selflessness.

What to do:
Invest your life in others. The person who only has
inlets but no outlets is a pretty decayed person.
********************

Successful People
March 12

Bible Reading: Joshua 1:1-8

Key Verse: Verse 8 This book of the law shall not
depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate
therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do
according to all that is written therein: for then thou
shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt
have good success.
Key Words: then thou shalt have good success

We are told in Joshua 1:8, This book of the law shall

not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein
day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all
that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way
prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
The word success is an interesting word. In our world
success is being popular, having fame, having more. But the
Hebrew word for success means to place under or to put
under. So Joshua, in essence, is saying that success is when
we put ourselves or place ourselves under the authority of
Gods Word. Now, theres a different twist! Success is not
being uppity but being under, under Gods Word.
In his book Be Free, Warren W. Wiersby mentioned
the fact that young ministers often visited the great British
preacher G. Campbell Morgan to ask him the secret of his
success. When someone inquired of him what he told these
aspiring pastors, Morgan replied, I always say to them the
same thingwork; hard work; and again, work!
And Morgan lived up to his own advice. He would be
in his study every morning at 6 oclock, finding rich treasures
out of his Bible to pass on to Gods people.
So let me close by asking, based upon the Hebrew
meaning of the word: Are you successful? Just asking.

What to do:
Its always wise to remember that the worlds
definition of success is Gods definition for failure.

Hearing People

March 13

Bible Reading: Matthew 11:7-19

Key Verse: Verse 15 He that hath ears to hear, let

him hear.
Key Words: He that hath ears to hear, let him

hear.
Ive discovered over the years that people basically
hear what they want to hear.
An Indian was walking in downtown New York City
alongside a friend who was a resident of the city. Right in the
center of Manhattan, the Indian seized his friend's arm and
whispered, "Wait! I hear a cricket."
His friend said, "Come on! A cricket? Man, this is
downtown New York."
He persisted, "No, seriously, I really do."
"It's impossible!" was the response. "You can't hear a
cricket! Taxis going by. Horns honkin'. People screamin' at
each other. Brakes screeching. Both sides of the street filled
with people. Cash registers clanging away. Subways roaring
beneath us. You can't possibly hear a cricket!"
The Indian insisted, "Wait a minute!" He led his
friend along, slowly. They stopped, and the Indian walked
down to the end of the block, went across the street, looked
around, cocked his head to one side, but couldn't find it. He
went across another street, and there in a large cement
planter where a tree was growing, he dug into the mulch and
found the cricket. "See!" he yelled, as he held the insect high
above his head.
His friend walked across the street,
marveling, "How in the world could it be that you heard a
cricket in the middle of downtown busy Manhattan?"
The Indian said, "Well, my ears are different from
yours. It simply depends on what you're listening to. Here,
let me show you." And he reached in his pocket and pulled
out a handful of change a couple of quarters, three or four
nickels, and some dimes and pennies. Then he said, "Now
watch." He held the coins waist high and dropped them to the
sidewalk. Every head within a block turned around and
looked in the direction of the Indian.

See, we do hear what we want to hear.

My prayer is that our hearing will be in tune to God so
that we hear what He says.
What to do:
Spiritual hearing doesnt depend on our ears but on
our heart.
********************

Thankful People
March 14

Bible Reading: I Thessalonians 5:11-28

Key Verse: Verse 18 - In every thing give thanks: for
this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Key Words: In every thing give thanks
Being thankful is not something that comes naturally,
but supernaturally. Its the result of being filled with the
Spirit (Ephesians 6:18, 20).
A soldier in the American Third Army was sent to a
rest camp after a period of active service. When he returned to
his outfit he wrote a letter of thanks to General George Patton
and thanked him for the splendid care he received. General
Patton in his reply stated that for thirty-five years he had tried
to give comfort and convenience to his men, but this was the
first letter of thanks he had ever received in all of his years in
the Army! There are few points at which human nature is
more lacking than in lack of gratitude. Parents must
constantly say to their young children who have just received
something, "Now what do you say?" As we grow older we
become hardened to the good things of life and do not think of
thanking God Who is the Giver of every good gift and every
perfect gift. The best rule is the one given by Paul, "In every
thing give thanks," and especially Thanks be unto God for his
unspeakable gift.
I offer thanks for just familiar things;

The ruddy glory of the sunset sky,

The shine of firelight as dusk draws nigh,
The Cheery song my kettle sings.
The woodland music of my giant pine,
The last sweet tokens that my garden yields,
The mellow tints upon the autumn fields,
The far-off misty mountains purple line.
The sense of rest that home so surely brings,
The books that wait my pleasure, true and fine,
Old friendships that I joy to feel are mine,
I offer thanks for just familiar things.
~ Selected

What to do:
Thankfulness is not something that comes naturally;
it comes supernaturally from walking in the Spirit.
********************

Repentant People
March 15

Bible Reading: II Chronicles 7:12-22

Key Verse: Verse 14 - If my people, which are called
by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and
seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then
will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin,
and will heal their land.
Key Words: turn from their wicked ways

The promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14 was demonstrated at

the Jersey Village Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, on
February 26, 1995. The congregation began their evening
service at 6:30 p.m. expecting a routine worship service.
During the invitation, a young girl walked the aisle, confessed
her sin, sought the Lord's forgiveness, and sought
encouragement from the church.

After her response to God, other members started

coming forward and confessing their sins. Around 9:00 p.m.,
some members relieved a couple working in the nursery so the
workers could experience what God was doing. That couple
went to the altar and asked for prayer. Their son had run away
four months before because he wanted the freedom to live his
life as he desired.
While this church was praying, that young man was at
Mardi Gras in Galveston. He felt God telling him to go home.
He made the ninety-minute drive home, only to find a dark
house. He wondered why his parents would still be at church,
but he drove to the church anyway.
A deacon recognized him at the door and pointed him
to his parents, who were still kneeling at the altar. The son
tapped them on the shoulder. In a tearful embrace he told of
his desire to come home and recommit his life to Christ.
What if that young girl had not been obedient to repent of her
sins? That worship service may have just lasted the usual
hour rather than going until 11:00 p.m., and one family might
still be distant from each other and the Lord.
So the next time God speaks to your heart about going
to the altar, dont hesitate. Your response may be the
beginning of a revival.

What to do:
Repentance is when one is walking away from God
and turns and walks toward Godthats repentance.

People and Their Heroes

March 16

Bible Reading: Proverbs 4:20-27

Key Verse: Verse 27 - Turn not to the right hand nor

to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Key Words: remove thy foot from evil
Ralph Schoenstien, in his book The Modern Mount
Rushmore, paints a good word picture showing the results of
humanistic teaching. Schoenstein writes:
My daughter Lori, who is eight, told me she wants to
grow up to sing like either Judy Garland or Michael Jackson.
Try for Judy Garland, I said. A girl needs a great soprano
voice to be Michael Jackson. These two singers have become
Loris hero and heroine.
They are hardly figures for
commemorative stamps, but many children have no heroes or
heroines anymore, no noble achievers they yearn to
emulate.... One day last spring I stood before 20 children of
eight and nine in Loris third-grade class to see if any heroes
or heroines were inspiring them. I asked each child to give me
the names of the three greatest people he had ever heard
about. Michael Jackson, Brooke Shields, and Boy George,
said a small blond girl, giving me one from all three sexes.
Michael Jackson, Spider-Man, and God, a boy then said.
When the other children recited, Michael Jacksons name was
spoken again and again, but Andrew Jackson never, nor
Washington, Lincoln, or any other presidential immortal.
Just Ronald Reagan, who made it twice, once behind Batman
and once behind Mr. T, a hero who likes to move people by
saying, Sucker, Ill break your face. ... And I heard no modern
equivalent of Charles A. Lindbergh, Americas beloved Lone
Eagle. In answer to my request for heroes, I had expected to
hear such names as Michael Jackson, Mr. T, Brooke Shields,
and Spider-Man from the kids, but I had not expected the
replies of the eight who answered Me. Their heroes were
themselves. It is sad enough to see the faces on Mount
Rushmore replaced by rock stars, brawlers, and cartoons, but
it is sadder still to see Mount Rushmore replaced by a mirror.
I close with the words of the Apostle Paul which say in
Colossians 1:18b speaking of Jesus, That in all things he
might have the preeminence.

What to do:
Tell me your heroes and I will tell you about your
heart.
********************

Courageous People
March 17

Bible Reading: Joshua 14:6-15

Key Verse: Verse 12 - Now therefore give me this

mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for
thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were
there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so
be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to
drive them out, as the LORD said.
Key Words: give me this mountain

I recently received an article quoting Julia Gillard, the

prime minister of Australia. The article reads as follows.
Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law
were told to get out of Australia, as the government targeted
radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.
Separately, Gillard angered some Australian Muslims
by saying she supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's
mosques. Quote:
'IMMIGRANTS,
NOT
AUSTRALIANS,
MUST
ADAPT... Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation
worrying about whether we are offending some individual or
their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali, we have
experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of
Australians.
'This culture has been developed over two centuries of
struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women
who have sought freedom.
'We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese,
Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language.
Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the
language!

'Most Australians believe in God. This is not some

Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because
Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded
this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly
appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God
offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the
world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.'
'We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why.
All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and
peaceful enjoyment with us.
'This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR
LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy
all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and
griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or
Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one
other great Australian freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'.
'If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force
you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country
that accepted you.
In closing, I have two observations. First, I wish our
president would take the same stand. Can you imagine that?
No! Me either. Secondly, in case this offends people, we need
to be reminded that in 1942, the Congress unanimously
passed the Pledge of Allegiance which states in part: One
nation under God. Dont think they had Allah in mind!! Just
saying!!
What to do:
He who isnt courageous will soon bow to other
gods.

Holy People
March 18

Bible Reading: I Peter 1:13-25

Key Verse: Verse 16 - Because it is written, Be ye
holy; for I am holy.

Key Words: Be ye holy; for I am holy

The following is an excerpt from John Goetschs book
Revival Gods Way.
There is a threefold prescription for holiness. Titus 2
shows us that holiness begins with a specific pattern. But
before we study the pattern of holiness, we need to first
meditate on wisdom found in II Corinthians 10:12, For we
dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves
with some that commend themselves: but they measuring
themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among
themselves, are not wise.
It is very easy to compare ourselves with the average
Christian, with those we work alongside, or with those with
whom we associate. However, to compare ourselves or to
measure ourselves with how the world is or how somebody
else acts is not wise.
A Christian may look at the world and himself and see
a major difference, but he fails to realize the world is moving.
It is not static. The Bible says in II Timothy 3:13, But evil
men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and
being deceived. This world is moving farther and farther
away from God. We are not evolving into something closer to
God; we are devolving away from Him. Because the world is
always moving, we would be foolish to compare ourselves to
it. So the danger of comparing ourselves with one another, or
comparing ourselves with the world and culture, is that it is
not the supreme standard. The standard is shown through
the pattern of holiness, outlined in the Word of God.
A Sound Pattern: Titus 2:1-2 says, But
speak thou the things which become sound
doctrine; That the aged men be sober, grave,
temperate, sound in faith....
Titus 2:8
mentions, sound speech. The Apostle Paul is
describing a sound pattern; it is unmovable,
remaining the same. This never-changing
pattern is the Word of God.
A Spoken Pattern: Titus 2:1 and 3-4
continues to explain Gods pattern of holiness:

But speak thou the things which become

sound doctrine. The aged women likewise, that
they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not
false accusers, not given to much wine,
teachers of good things; That they may
teach.... This pattern of holiness is not only
sound, it is spoken. Titus 2:6 says, Young
men likewise exhort.... Titus 2:9 continues,
Exhort servants.... The terms teach and
exhort mandate speech.
Holiness must be taught, expounded, and
exhorted.
A Shown Pattern: Someone once said, Your
walk talks and your talk talks but your walk
talks louder than your talk talks. We could
talk the talk all day long, but we need
Christians who walk the walk. We need
Christians who will live a pattern of holiness.
Titus 2:7 says, In all things shewing thyself a
pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing
uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity. Titus 2:10
continues, Not purloining, but shewing all
good fidelity....
Parents can tell their children what to do, but they also
need to show them what to do. They need to show the pattern
by living the pattern. We can sit in church pews and hear the
Bible preached, taught, and expounded upon; but if we do not
go out into the community and live it, it is only shallow talk.
What to do:
Be ye holy as I am holy (I Peter 1:16b).

Principled People
March 19

Bible Reading: Philippians 3:13-21

Key Verse: Verses 16 - Nevertheless, whereto we

have
already attained, let us walk by the same rule,
let us mind the same thing.

Key Words: let us walk by the same rule

I have always found it interesting to read and even
study the principles that guided those who were spiritually
successful, while I would not have agreed with all of the
theology of some of the great men and women who have gone
before me, I have to admire their accomplishments for God.
For example, General Booth (Salvation Army founder) had
ten principles that guided his life.
1) Consider your body as the temple of the
Holy Spirit and treat it with reverence and
care.
2) Keep your mind active. Stimulate it with
thoughts of others that lead to doing
something.
3) Take time to be holy with daily Bible
reading and prayer.
4) Support the church of your faith.
5) Cultivate the presence of God. He wants
to enter your life and will as far as you let
Him.
6) Take God into the details of your life.
You naturally call upon Him in trouble and
for the bigger things.
7) Pray for this troubled world and the
leaders who hold the destinies of the
varied nations.
8) Have a thankful spirit for the blessings
of God: country, home, friends, and
numerous other blessings.
9) Work as if everything depended upon
work, and pray as if everything depended
upon prayer.
10) Think of death not as something to be
dreaded, but as a great and new experience
where loved ones are met and ambitions
realized and Jesus seen face to face.
What principles do you have that guide your life?

What to do:
Develop some Godly principles to guide your life.
********************

Angry People
March 20

Bible Reading: Esther 5

Key Verse: Verse 9 Then went Haman forth that

day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman
saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up,
nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against
Mordecai.
Key Words: he was full of indignation

Our anger usually comes back to haunt us. All one has
to do is study the lives of Cain, King Saul, Miriam; and in our
text, we read about Haman, all of whom had their anger
backfire on them.
When we become angry with others we tend to do one
of three things. Some repress their anger, still others
suppress anger, but the vast majority resort to a third
solutionthey seek revenge.
Have you ever hungered for a little sweet revenge? I
read recently about a story that took place in 1992. Lady
Sarah Graham Moon, at the age of fifty-five, was dumped by
her British aristocratic husband. She sought to get even with
him in the following ways. First, she poured gallons of paint
on his cherished BMW while it was parked in his girlfriends
driveway. A week later she cut four inches off the left sleeve
on thirty-two of his tailored suits, $1,600 suits I might add.
The following week she gave away sixty bottles of his finest
wine. Her actions did not go unnoticed, she caught the
attention of the press and became somewhat of a celebrity.
One lady wrote her to share how she had cleaned the toilet
with her unfaithful husbands toothbrush, then watched with
glee as he brushed his teeth. Of course, none of these can
compare with the revenge of Vera Czermak. When she

learned that her husband had betrayed her, Mrs. Czermak

became suicidal and decided to jump to her death from their
third floor apartment in Prague. Surprisingly, she survived
the jump because she landed on her husband who was leaving
the apartment on his way to work. She lived, he died. She
was charged with murder and is now serving time in prison.
Oh, by the way, Mrs. Moon was sued by her husband
and won. Vengeance really does not pay. Remember, we said
we usually do three things with our anger: we repress it,
suppress it, or attempt to get revenge. But there is another
thing we can do with anger which is far better, and that is
confess it (I John 1:8), and I have found that confession has
far better consequences than the other methods of handling
our anger.
What to do:
Remember, your anger will come back to bite you.
********************

Important People
March 21

Bible Reading: II Corinthians 4:1-10

Key Verse: Verse 1 - Therefore seeing we have this

ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
Key Words: Therefore seeing we have this

ministry

The late Peter Marshall, an eloquent speaker and for

several years the chaplain of the United States Senate, used to
love to tell the story of the Keeper of the Spring, a quiet
forest dweller who lived high above an Austrian village along
the eastern slopes of the Alps. The old gentleman had been
hired by a young town council to clear away the debris from
the pools of water up in the mountain crevices that fed the
lovely spring flowing through their town. With faithful, silent
regularity, he patrolled the hills, removing the leaves and
branches, and wiped away the silt that would otherwise choke

and contaminate the fresh flow of water. By and by, the

village became a popular attraction for vacationers. Graceful
swans floated along the crystal clear spring, the millwheels of
various businesses located near the water turned day and
night, farmlands were naturally irrigated, and the view from
restaurants was picturesque beyond description.
Years passed. One evening the town council met for
its semi-annual meeting. As they reviewed the budget, one
mans eye caught the salary figure being paid the obscure
keeper of the spring. Said the keeper of the purse, Who is the
old man? Why do we keep him year after year? No one ever
sees him. For all we know the strange ranger of the hills is
doing us no good. He isnt necessary any longer! By a
unanimous vote, they dispensed with the old mans services.
For several weeks nothing changed. By early autumn
the trees began to shed their leaves. Small branches snapped
off and fell into the pools, hindering the rushing flow of
sparkling water. One afternoon someone noticed a slight
yellowish-brown tint in the spring. A couple days later the
water was much darker. Within another week, a slimy film
covered sections of the water along the banks and a foul odor
was soon detected. The millwheels moved slower, some
finally ground to a halt. Swans left as did the tourists.
Clammy fingers of disease and sickness reached deeply into
the village.
Quickly, the embarrassed council called a special
meeting. Realizing their gross error in judgment, they hired
back the old keeper of the spring...and within a few weeks, the
veritable river of life began to clear up. The wheels started to
turn, and new life returned to the hamlet in the Alps once
again.
The moral of the story is that every servant of God is
important no matter what their ministry may be. For those of
you who serve God faithfully, thank you.

What to do:
Your ministry is important. Be the keeper of the
spring that has God has given you.

Deceitful People
March 22

Bible Reading: Proverbs 12:17-28

Key Verse: Verse 20 - Deceit is in the heart of them
that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is
joy.
Key Words: Deceit is in the heart of them that

imagine evil

Recently two slick con men boarded a train that runs

between New York and Boston and singled out a prosperous
looking individual as their patsy. Sitting down next to him,
they invited him to play a game of cards. Soon the
unsuspecting victim was several hundred dollars in the red.
The winner agreed to take a check, but once he had it in his
hands, he acted conscience-stricken and tore it up. I never
thought youd lose so much money. Lets call the whole thing
off, he said. Impressed with their apparent generosity, the
loser insisted on writing out a new one. Later, when his
vouchers came back from the bank, he found that not only the
second but also the first check had been cashed! The crook
had quickly slipped the first one in his pocket and had torn up
a blank one instead. The loser was hooked twice.
We despise that kind of deception, even though
gambling is wrong in the first place. But do we fail to
recognize in our own lives the same tendency to deceive?
Have we fawned over others, inflating their egos to gain
personal favor, or winked at wrongdoing to advance up the
ladder of success? We may try to assure ourselves that we do
these things to win friends or to be diplomatic, when
actually we are motivated by self-interest, not kindness. Yet
because our hearts are evil, we constantly seek to justify
ourselves (Jeremiah 17:9).
Beware of deceitfulness. It originates with the devil,
the father of lies (John 8:44), and is one of the seven things
God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19).

What to do:
Remember, Be not deceived; God is not mocked:
for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
********************

People of Integrity
March 23

Bible Reading: Job 2:1-10

Key Verse: Verse 9 - Then said his wife unto him,

Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and
die.
Key Words: Dost thou still retain thine integrity?

We are told in Proverbs 20:7 that, The just man

walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him. If
our children are to be blessed then we must be parents of
integrity. The word integrity comes from the root word integer
which means whole. Let me explain. We as parents cant pick
and choose an area where we will be honest. We must be
honest and truthful in all areas of life, even if it hurts. We
must have character, not just in some areas, but in every area
of life. Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. used to say, Character is what you
do in the dark when no one else is looking. Let me explain
further. How many times has your child answered the phone,
and it was for you, but you didnt want to talk so you told your
child, Tell them Im not here. Not honest thats a lack of
integrity and it is teaching your children to have no integrity.
Have you ever covered for your children not doing their
homework or written an excuse for an absence which was not
totally truthful? Thats lacking integrity. Partial honesty or
partial integrity is no honesty or integrity at all.
A man in Long Beach, California, went into a chicken
franchise to buy lunch for himself and the lady with him. He
took his order of chicken and drove to a nearby park for a
picnic. When he opened the box of chicken, he was surprised
to find money instead of chicken. The manager kept the
earnings in a chicken box as a safety precaution in case of a

robbery, but he inadvertently handed the man the wrong box.

The man quickly returned his picnic basket full of cash to the
store manager. The manager, needless to say, was elated, so
elated that he proclaimed this man to be the most honest guy
in town. The store manager wanted to call the local
newspaper and have the story, along with the mans picture,
published for everyone to see. The man protested such an
idea. The manager pressed him for a reason for his protesting.
Finally, the man proclaimed, You see, I am married and the
woman I am with is not my wife. Now I ask you, do you think
the man was honest? You see, partial honesty is no honesty at
all.
Integrity is a holiness that directs every area of our
lives. The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are
blessed after him.

What to do:
Remember, those who walk in integrity never find
themselves on a slippery slope.

Visionary People
March 24

Bible Reading: Proverbs 29:12-27

Key Verse: Verse 18 - Where there is no vision, the

people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is
he.
Key Words: Where there is no vision

People often ask that I put in writing my vision for

Mountain View. Thats easier said than done. How do you
paint a picture with words? How do you put into words a full
auditorium of people singing and praising God?

How do you paint with words dorms filled with college

students studying for full-time service for God? How do you
paint a picture with words of a class full of kindergarten
students learning to read and write so they can read their
Bibles and write essays for God? How do you paint a picture
with words of elementary students seeing God in every
subject: math, history, science, and English? How can one
paint a picture with words of high school students longing to
honor their father and mother, and glorify God in all they do?
How can you paint a picture with words of busses
pulling into the parking lot each Sunday full of children who
are hopeless without Christ? How can you paint a picture
with words of childrens churches full of young children
longing to sing praises and hear stories of the wonderful
truths of Gods Word?
How does one paint a picture with words of people
surrendering to full-time service, and having a mission board
filled with pictures of Mountain View people serving in
foreign lands all across the world?
How do you paint a picture with words of young
marrieds growing in grace, and loving each other more and
more daily? How do you paint a picture with words of young
singles meeting their future spouses here, rather than trying
to meet them on-line?
How do you paint a picture with words of having a
printing ministry that reaches thousands with a daily
devotional?
How do you paint a picture with words of seeing our
current auditorium filled with Spanish people while next door
the new auditorium is filled with people like you and me?
How do you paint a picture with words of a youth
ministry full of young people going and growing in Gods
grace and being excited about Mountain View? Or a choir full
of musicians and an orchestra?
How do you paint a picture with words of a class full of
senior saints wanting to teach the younger generation about
God and setting a Godly example before them?
Visions can be put into words, but they are better
when they come from the heart.

What to do:
Pray for your spiritual leaders to have Gods vision
for the ministry.
********************

Gossiping People
March 25

Bible Reading: II Thessalonians 3:1-12

Key Verse: Verse 11 - For we hear that there are

some which walk among you disorderly, working not at
all,
but are busybodies.
Key Words: but are busybodies
A busybody is a person who sticks his/her nose in
other peoples affairs, and then spreads what they know or
think they know. Today we dont call them busybodies, we
call them gossips.
Are you aware that the word gossip is not found in the
Word of God? But its meaning has a spiritual significance, or
maybe I should say a lack of spiritual significance. The word
gossip comes from the old English god-sibb. The word god is
a false god and the word sibb means akin to, so then a
gossiper would be someone who is akin to a false god. Now,
isnt that interesting?!!
After three years of research, Indiana University
Sociologist Donna Eder, identified an important dynamic
involved in gossip. Eder discovered that the initial negative
statement was not the starting point for gossip. The critical
turning point was found in the response to the initial
statement. Shes a snob is not the starting point of gossip.
It is when someone else agrees that Shes a snob that the
gossip first begins. Eder found that the key is whether or not
a negative statement is seconded. If a second is provided,
then gossip ensues. If the second is not provided, then the
conversation changes directions. No one ever challenged an
evaluation that had been seconded. Now no matter how

cutting the opening remark, an immediate quibble from a

listener could send the talk into a less critical direction.
The moral of all this is gossip isnt any fun if you
arent willing to agree. Moral number two: we have the
power either to incite or defuse gossip.
But primarily I need to know that when I gossip, Im
akin to a false god and helping to promote the work of Satan.
So lets not gossip, but rather let us spread the gospel. Amen!

What to do:
Lets be busy spreading the Gospel, not the gossip.
********************

Lying People
March 26

Bible Reading: Proverbs 16:1-18

Key Verse: Verse 18 - Pride goeth before destruction,

and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Key Words: Pride goeth before destruction

Maybe we should title this devotional White Lie Cake.

Have you ever told a white lie? You are going to love
this, especially all of those who bake for church events.
Alice Grayson was to bake a cake for the Baptist
Church Ladies Group in Tuscaloosa, but forgot to do it until
the last minute. She remembered the morning of the bake
sale; and, after rummaging through cabinets, found an angel
food cake mix and quickly made it while drying her hair,
dressing, and helping her son pack for Scout camp.
When Alice took the cake from the oven, the center
had dropped flat and the cake was horribly disfigured. She
thought, Oh, dear, there is not time to bake another cake.
This cake was important to Alice because she did so want to fit
in at her new church and in her new community of friends.
So, being inventive, she looked around the house for
something to build up the center of the cake.

Alice found it in the bathroom - a roll of toilet paper.

She plunked it in and covered it with icing. Not only did the
finished product look beautiful, it looked perfect.
Before she left the house to drop the cake by the
church and head for work, Alice woke her daughter, Amanda,
and gave her some money and specific instructions to be at
the bake sale the moment it opened at 9:30 and to buy the
cake and bring it home. When Amanda arrived at the sale,
she found the attractive, perfect cake had already been sold.
She grabbed her cell phone and called her mom.
Alice was horrified - she was beside herself. Everyone
would know! What would they think? She would be
ostracized, talked about, and ridiculed! All night, Alice lay
awake in bed thinking about people pointing fingers at her
and talking behind her back.
The next day, Alice promised herself she would try not
to think about the cake and would attend the fancy
luncheon/bridal shower at the home of a fellow church
member and try to have a good time. Alice did not want to
attend because the hostess was a snob who more than once
had looked down her nose at Alice because she was a single
parent and not from the founding families of Tuscaloosa but,
having already RSVPd, she couldnt think of a believable
excuse to stay home.
The meal was elegant, the company was definitely
upper crust old South and, to Alices horror, the cake in
question was presented for dessert! Alice felt the blood drain
from her body when she saw the cake! She started out of her
chair to tell the hostess all about it, but before she could get to
her feet, the Mayors wife said, What a beautiful cake!
Alice, still stunned, sat back in her chair when she
heard the hostess (who was a prominent church member) say,
Thank you, I baked it myself. Alice smiled and thought to
herself, God is good.
What to do:
Stay away from little white lies and even the larger
ones as well.

P. S. I know that a lie is a lieno bigno smallno black.no

white.just lies.
********************

Fizzit People
March 27

Bible Reading: Nehemiah 2:1-10

Key Verse: Verse 2 - Wherefore the king said unto
me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not
sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I
was very sore afraid,
Key Words: Wherefore the king
Artaxerxes was the Persian king who reigned for forty
years. He is the king that appointed Nehemiah as the
governor of Jerusalem and authorized him to rebuild the walls
and provide for the Jewish people. Did you know, though,
that Artaxerxes was the son of Ahasuerus according to
Herbert Lockyer in his book, All the Kings and Queens of the
Bible? If this is the case, then Esther would have been
Artaxerxes stepmother, which no doubt played a role in why
the king allowed Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
We do serve a wonderful God! Surely Solomon was
right when he said, The kings heart is in the hand of the
Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he
will (Proverbs 21:1).
As I study, I again come to the realization that there is
nothing God cannot do if I will just get out of the way and let
Him do it.
I read this article recently: Fizzit, Mommy. Its
Broked.
My friend Cici recently shared a little parable in real
life. When her son was quite small, he had a small stuffed
gorilla that he dragged around with him everywhere and I
do mean EVERYWHERE he went. She could sometimes
sneak it away for a quick laundering during nap time, but
Heaven help her if her son awoke before his friend Rilla was
out of the dryer! As such loveys will do, Rillas seams

gradually began to weaken and his stuffing began to leak. As

she tells it, Poor old Rilla was in desparate need of some
corrective surgery, not to mention a stuffing transplant. One
day John waddled up to me and held up his battered, beloved
Rilla and said, Mommy, Rillas broked. I explained that I
would be happy to fix Rilla up a little new stuffing, some
seam reinforcement, and he would be all better again. John
held Rilla out toward me and said, Fizzit, Mommy! But when
I reached down to take the little gorilla in my hands, I found
that it had a two-year-old firmly attached to it. As all parents
know, a tug-of-war with a two-year-old is frequently a losing
proposition, and is frequently accompanied by loud cries and
copious tears. Finally in exasperation, I said, I cant fix it
until you let go of it! And just at that moment, the Spirit of
God tapped me on the shoulder, as it were and I realized
that God was waiting for me to let go of several things, too.
This is one thing that I suspect will always be a struggle for
many of us. Its so hard for us to get out of His way and let
our Creator fizzit in His own good time, because were living
in the present moment and He is living in eternity.

What to do:
Let go! And let God fizzit.
********************

Winning People and Losing

People

March 28

Bible Reading: Colossians 3:17-25

Key Verse: Verse 23 - And whatsoever ye do, do it

heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Key Words: whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to

the Lord
A Winner says, Lets find out; a Loser
says Nobody knows.

When a Winner makes a mistake; he

says, I was wrong; when a Loser makes
a mistake; he says, It wasnt my fault.
Winner goes through a problem; a Loser
goes around it and never gets past it.
A Winner makes commitments; a Loser
makes promises.
A Winner says, Im good, but not as
good as I ought to be; a Loser says, Im
not as bad as a lot of other people.
A winner listens; a loser just waits until
its his turn to talk.
A winner respects those who are superior
to him and tries to learn from them; a
loser resents those who are superior to
him, and tries to find chinks in their
armor.
A winner explains; a loser explains away.
~ Sources Unknown
Suffering from terminal spinal cancer at the age or 47,
former North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano
spoke with a reporter earlier this year. He looked back on his
life and told a story about himself as a 23-year-old coach of a
small college team. "Why is winning so important to you?" the
players asked Valvano.
"Because the final score defines you," he said, "You
lose, ergo, you're a loser. You win, ergo, you're a winner."
"No," the players insisted. "Participation is what
matters. Trying your best, regardless of whether you win or
lose -- that's what defines you."
It took 24 more years of living. It took the coach
bolting up from the mattress three or four times a night with
his T-shirt soaked with sweat and his teeth rattling from the
fever chill of chemotherapy and the terror of seeing himself
die repeatedly in his dreams. It took all that for him to say it:
"Those kids were right. It's effort, not result. It's trying. God,

what a great human being I could have been if I'd had this
awareness back then."
~ Gary Smith of Sports Illustrated

What to do:
Dont be a loser!!
********************

Pessimistic People
March 29

Bible Reading: John 11:1-16

Key Verse: Verse 16 - Then said Thomas, which is
called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also
go, that we may die with him.
Key Words: Then said Thomasthat we may die

with him

If you would look up the word pessimist, I believe out

beside the word you would find a picture of old Thomas. We
read in John 11:16, Then said Thomas, which is called
Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may
die with him. We read in John 20:25b, Except I shall see in
his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the
print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not
believe. Old Thomas, the pessimist!
I once heard about a farmer who was continually
optimistic, seldom discouraged or blue. He had a neighbor
who was just the opposite. Grim and gloomy, he faced each
new morning with a heavy sigh.
The happy, optimistic farmer would see the sun
coming up and shout over the roar of the tractor, Look at the
beautiful sun and clear sky! And with a frown, the negative
neighbor would reply, Yeahitll probably scorch the crops.
When clouds would gather and much-needed rain
would start to fall, our positive friend would smile across the
fence, Aint this greatGod is giving our corn a drink today!

Again, the same negative response, Uh huh, but if it doesnt

stop fore long, itll flood and wash everything away.
One day the optimist decided to put his pessimistic
neighbor to the maximum test. He bought the smartest, most
expensive bird dog he could find. He trained him to do things
no other dog on earth could doimpossible feats that would
surely astonish anyone.
He invited the pessimist to go duck hunting with him.
They sat in the boat, hidden in the duck blind. In came the
ducks. Both men fired and several ducks fell into the water.
Go get em! ordered the owner with a gleam in his eye. The
dog leaped out of the boat, walked on the water, and picked
up the birds one by one. Well, what do you think of that?
Unsmiling, the pessimist answered, He cant swim, can he?
The optimist sees a silver lining behind every cloud.
But the pessimist sees a cloud behind every silver lining.
Which are you? I am convinced a balance of both is needed to
stay level-headed. Let your moderation be known to all men.

What to do:
Try to see the silver lining.
********************

People Business
March 30

Bible Reading: Matthew 28:11-20

Key Verse: Verse 19- Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost
Key Words: teach all nations
Frederick, the Great, once said, The more I get to
know people, the more I love my dog. The problem is we are
not in the dog business.
In the 1950s, marketing whiz Stanley Arnold was
working at Young & Rubicam, where he was asked to come up

with a marketing campaign for Remington Rand. The

company was among the most conservative in America. Its
chairman at the time was retired General Douglas MacArthur.
Intimidated at first by a company that was so much a part of
America, Arnold also found in that phrase the first inspiration
for a campaign. After thinking about it, he went to the New
York offices of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Beane, and
placed the ultimate odd-lot order:
"I want to purchase," he told the broker, "one share of
every single stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange."
After a vice president tried to talk him out of it, the order was
finally placed. It came to more than $42,000 for one share in
each of the 1098 companies listed on the Big Board at the
time. Arnold now took his diversified portfolio into a meeting
of Remington Rand's board of directors, where he argued
passionately for a sweepstakes campaign with the top prize
called A Share in America. The conservative old gentlemen
shifted around in their seats and discussed the idea for a
while. "But Mr. Arnold," said one, "we are not in the
securities business." Said another, "We are in the shaver
business."
"I agree that you are not in the securities business,"
said Arnold, "but I think you also ought to realize that you are
not in the shaver business either. You are in the people
business." The company bought the idea.

What to do:
If you think you cant live with people, try living
without them.
********************

Perfectionist People
March 31

Bible Reading: Genesis 4:1-8

Key Verse: Verse 5 - But unto Cain and to his

offering he had not respect. And Cain was very

wroth, and his countenance fell.
Key Words: and his countenance fell
I believe Cain was a perfectionist who could never
see himself as being wrong. If he failed, it wasnt his fault, it
was Gods and Abels. So it goes in the life of a perfectionist.
Writer, author and poet, Robert Burns, provides
fascinating evidence that, on strictly pragmatic grounds,
perfectionism is an enemy of excellence. He cites a study of
insurance salesmen, which revealed that perfectionists who
linked self-worth to achievement earned an average of
$15,000 a year less than the non-perfectionist control group.
A report on Olympic qualifiers among male gymnasts
was similar. The researchers found that the elite group
tended to underemphasize the importance of past
performance failures, while the athletes who failed to qualify
were more likely through mental images of self-doubt and
impending tragedy.
He also reports that perfectionism is allied with
impaired productivity, emotional disturbances, impaired
health, loneliness, and disturbed personal relationships. The
root of the problem is imbedded in dichotomous, all-ornothing thought patterns. The perfectionist is trapped in a
saint-or-sinner syndrome, which sees partial success as total
failure. Self-esteem is contingent on outstanding achievement
and total competence.
Need I remind all of us that none of us are perfect
except as we are in Christ (Colossians 1:28).
Thank God that when the Lord looks at us, He doesnt
see our sin, but our forgiveness through Jesus Christ. To God
be the glory.
What to do:
Understand that there is none righteous but all can
be forgiven through Jesus Christ.

I deeply appreciate the

help of
Mary Parsons
Glenda Myrick
And my lovely wife, Linda

Without God using these

people to help, this
devotional would not
have been possible.
Dr. Mike Rouse

is a ministry of

5568 Chalkville Mountain Road

Birmingham, AL. 35235
(205) 854-2741
www.mountainviewbaptist.org