- MONDAY -

Good morning forever family,

I have mentioned the mountaintop community of Arrowhead before. This is a group of people I have really grown to love. I had the privilege of teaching up there yesterday. I spoke on Luke 15, the parable of the prodigal son.  Jackie and I love to go up there as we are always made to feel welcome.

The parable of the prodigal son reaches all of us as all of us have been a prodigal to some extent. Our sin is the reason. The son in this parable felt unworthy to be his father's son after he burned through his inheritance living a life of sin and finally destitute he returned home hoping to simply become an employee of his father. I love verse 20 of Luke 15. It is such a powerful example of God's love for us and His desire for us to return to Him. The robe, the ring, and the new shoes signify status. This young man is fully a son to his father. We are fully sons and daughters to our Father as well! It's His love for us that gives us this status. We didn't, nor could we, earn it! Our part is to place all our trust in Him via Jesus.

²⁰ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. ²³ And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. ²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.  Luke 15:20-24 ESV 

Teaching on this parable turned out to be a great choice (God knew that) as yesterday was our rededication of America to God. Let's rededicate ourselves to God. He is waiting and watching even if we feel like we are a long way off. 

Let's never forget our inheritance nor take it lightly!

Be blessed, be a blessing,

Randy

- TUESDAY -

Good morning forever family,

Here's an uncomfortable fact regarding me. If I'm not careful I can get really anxious about things. To the point of aggravation. The world is not a safe place and getting more so everyday. When I have my mind fixed on Jesus and his word my thoughts get focused on good. God is good all the time and all the time God is good! When I set my mind on Jesus I become more grateful... I have a better attitude of gratitude. 

This morning that whole process became clearer as I read Philippians 4.

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. ⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.  Philippians 4:4-9 NASB 

Regarding verse 8. I suggest starting with the bible. 

One of the points I wanted to teach my friends at Arrowhead Sunday is that I get GREAT encouragement when I realize God is unchanging. Unlike this world full of unwholesome things my God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Forever good! Good news!

Be blessed, be a blessing,

Randy

- WEDNESDAY -

Good morning forever family,

Last evening during our men's meeting called "Warriors at Heart" our teacher Ed Sparks spoke on Matthew 23 where Jesus addressed the Pharisees as hypocrites in what I call the 8 "woe to you"  addresses. In Matthew 23:33 Jesus even calls them a brood of vipers. To clarify He called them poisonous snakes who are about to be sentenced to hell.

 As I pondered what Ed was teaching I recalled how John the Baptist spoke the same words. John, driven by the same Holy Spirit, also addressed these hypocrites as a brood of vipers... about to face wrath.

This is serious stuff. Our Lord Jesus was normally soft spoken, humble, and very kind-hearted. Here we see Him being VERY direct with these guys. He wasn't pulling punches here. Here's a few things for us to consider. There are still Pharisees alive and well in our churches today. The same hypocrites bent on bending God's word to fit their own agendas. You can tell them by the haughty pride and arrogance they possess. Making new rules and acting like they know God's will for you better than God Himself.

Again. To protect ourselves from such influences we look to God's word. The bible explains very well God's desires for His people. The very best way to know God's will is to know all of God's word. Remember... God's word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Ps 119:105). The person who knows God's word well knows when it is being twisted by a Pharisee.

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  Matthew 3:7 ESV 

³² Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. ³³ You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? ³⁴ Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, Matthew 23:32-34 ESV 

I am so grateful that God gives each of us His word. His unchanging word. Our bibles are more important than the bread that we eat!

Be blessed, be a blessing,

Randy

- THURSDAY -

Good morning forever family,

Last weekend I went to visit my dear friends at Arrowhead. Their meeting is called "Fellowship of Friends" and that really describes them well. I always enjoy teaching up there as their love and acceptance of one another is remarkable. The feeling of community is amazing. They make Jackie and I feel right at home.

Part of the lesson I gave had to do with our inheritance, that is when we place our faith in trust in Jesus we become Christians and heirs of the Kingdom of God. This can be a bit of a mystery as I consider my sinful life before Jesus came in. My reading this morning was in 1 Peter chapter 1 and that's what I want to share with us all this morning.

Though on this earth we go through trails of all kinds we have His Holy Spirit and God's protection. We have His reassurance. Years ago my brother had a bumper sticker on his car that read... "I've read the back of the book and WE WIN!"

Yup it's true. There will be a reward for perseverance. SALVATION and eternity with our Lord!

So dear friends... persevere! 

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, ⁷ so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, ⁹ obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.  1 Peter 1:3-9 ESV 

Be blessed, be a blessing,

Randy

- FRIDAY -

Good morning forever family,

King David started life off as a young shepherd. He learned many things as a shepherd. He learned that on their own sheep are doomed. Sheep are basically defenseless and quite stupid. They need constant protection and care because of this. We know from Scripture that as a young shepherd David killed at least one bear and a lion (1st Samuel 17:36). He then went on and killed Goliath, the enemy of God's people... (God's sheep).

My dear friend and brother in Jesus, Bill Brassfield, recently did a teaching on Psalm 23 and he made many great points. One of the most important is that we (God's sheep) are also doomed on our own. Without Jesus (our Shepherd) we are absolutely helpless against the spiritual powers at work against God's sheep. With Jesus we have a GOOD Shepherd. He has bought our salvation. He has defeated our enemies. He is restoring us. He guards our souls as He leads us in the right paths. He leads us through the valley of death to bring us into His glorious kingdom. He protects us and comforts us. We need not fear anything.

He does what only He can do!  

¹ The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
³     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.

⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.  Psalm 23:1-4 ESV 

May you be blessed as you think about our Good Shepherd today and all of this weekend. We serve an AWESOME God!

Be blessed, be a blessing,

Randy