Refreshing

Daily
in Gods Word
Emphasis on

Why
Government
Is Not The
Answer

September 2016
2016

Biblically Correct

September 1

 Bible Reading: Psalms 33

Key Verse: Verse 12- Blessed is the nation whose God
is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for
his own inheritance.
Key Words: Blessed is the nation whose God is the

LORD
There was a time when almost everyone could name
the Ten Commandments; but in todays world most people,
not only cannot name the Ten Commandments, they appear
to oppose them, if not in action then certainly in word. I can
remember a time when stores were closed on Sunday out of
respect for the Lords day. But today Sundays are just
another day of business. There was a time when our citizens
stood up and opposed the homosexual lifestyle and pastors
proclaimed hot and hard from the pulpit the wickedness of
adultery and promiscuity. Cursing and obscene language
were unthinkable and considered a moral wrong. But today
citizens, when polled on such issues, view them as acceptable
or inconsequential.
My, my, how times have changed! The strong
Christian influence and spiritual standards that helped to
shape our culture have given way to compromise and
paganism. Yes, I said it: paganism (one who is not a
Christian, someone who worships a false god). In the United
States, political leaders, legislative bodies, and our courts have
adopted an anti-Christian attitude and agenda. We have been
so bent on being politically correct that we are spiritually
wrong.
Public institutions and officials now no longer call it
homosexuality, it is called an alternative lifestyle.
It is no longer called abortion; the courts call it
reproductive freedom.
Instead of calling it fornication and sin, we say that
kids should have safe sex.
Graphic, vulgar language is called freedom of
expression.

We live in a society so bent on being politically correct

that we have been spiritually grievous to God.

Believers today would rather please the flesh and the

world than please God. Often our churches are no
more Biblically correct than the government.
Churches today have become worldly in philosophy for
the sake of gaining numbers rather than giving God
the glory.
Churches today talk about religious freedom to
assemble together yet church doors are closed today
more than they are open.
Churches today fight for the rights of the children
physically but ignore them spiritually.
Churches fight to have God put back in our schools,
but lock Him out of our churches.
Churches fight for the right of prayer in public schools,
but many churches no longer have prayer meeting.

Lets be Biblically correct, but lets be correct in all

areas, not just in areas of our choosing.

What to do:
Remember, if you are not Biblically correct, then
you are just flat wrong.

****************************************

Patriotism
September 2
Bible Reading: Psalm 144
Key Verse: Verse 15 - Happy is that people, that is

in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose

God is the LORD.
Key Words: happy is that people, whose God is
the LORD

Maybe you saw all the news shots and photographs of

President Barak Obama, standing on the platform with his
hands to his side while the National Anthem is being played.
You probably have heard him say that patriotism is not in the
wearing of the American Flag pin. And some weeks ago he
said that patriotism is not in whether you are a Republican or
a Democrat, but patriotism is in your love for your country, no
matter what your political views may be.
Now, while I understand what Mr. Obama was saying,
I also understand that one cannot be truly patriotic until they
understand that true patriotism sees America as being a
nation, not controlled by mankind, but controlled by God.
Our countrys Pledge of Allegiance was written
especially for children in 1892 as a part of a celebration for
Columbus Day in public schools all across our land. The
original version first appeared in an educational publication
called The Youths Companion on September 8, 1892. It read:
I pledge allegiance to my flag and the republic for which it
stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
The author, Francis Bellamy, was an assistant editor for the
Companion. It was intended to be used just for the 400th
anniversary of Columbus discovery, but its popularity led to
an annual tradition. The pledge later became a daily ritual at
school rooms throughout the country.
In 1923, the first revision was made: my flag was
replaced with the words the flag of the United States of
America. Then in 1954, President Eisenhower signed a bill at
the peoples urging that added the words under God.
You see, in 1954 people understood that there could be
no true patriotism until a nation has submitted itself, not to
mans rule or authority, but to Gods rule and authority.
Now from that I will let you judge which of our
politicians are true patriots.

What to do:
Are you a true patriot?

The Greatest Liberty of All

September 3

Bible Reading: John 8:1-32

Key Verse: Verse 32 - And ye shall know the truth,

and the truth shall make you free.
Key Words: the truth shall make you free

It was in 1776 the Liberty Bell was rung for the first
time. Fifty years later on July 4, 1826, it ushered in what was
known as the Jubilee Anniversary of the American Republic.
The bell, now cracked, no longer tolls but it is still very much a
symbol of our freedom.
No doubt our forefathers were well acquainted with
the Bible so it is not surprising that they associated liberty
with a bell. You may recall that on the Day of Atonement, the
High Priest went alone into the Holy of Holies to offer a
sacrifice for the nation of Israel. When he entered the
tabernacle he had on a beautiful robe. At the bottom of that
robe was a series of tiny bells (Exodus 28:33-34). As the
priest moved inside the Holy of Holies the bells could be
heard, but when it was time for the sacrifice to be made the
High Priest would take off the robe and it could not be put on
again until God had accepted the sacrifice for sins. When the
people would once again hear the bells there was great
rejoicing for they knew that God had accepted the sacrifice
and their sins were forgiven.
Christ, our Great High Priest, also laid aside His
garments of Glory and made atonement for us. As a result,
the spiritual liberty bell of freedom can ring out anthems of
joy for we are free not because of our effort but because of
Jesus. You too can be free today if you would but trust Jesus
as your Savior. John 8:32, And ye shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free.
What to do:
Thank God today for your spiritual freedom.

The Ant and the Grasshopper

September 4
Bible Reading: Provers 6:1-11
Key Verse: Verse 6 - Go to the ant, thou sluggard;

consider her ways, and be wise:

Key Words: Go to the ant, thou sluggard
The following was sent to me and I thought I would
share it with you. Two different versions! Two different
morals!
Old Version: The ant works hard in the withering heat
all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for
the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and
laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter,
the ant is warm and well-fed. The grasshopper has no food or
shelter, so he dies out in the cold.
Moral of the Story: Be responsible for yourself!
New Version: The ant works hard in the withering heat
all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for
the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and
laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter,
the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and
demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm
and well-fed while others are cold and starving.
CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide
pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant
in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. America
is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be, that in a
country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to
suffer so?
Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the
grasshopper, and everybody cries when they sing, Its Not
Easy Being Green. Jesse Jackson stages a demonstration in
front of the ants house where the news stations film the group
singing, We Shall Overcome. Jesse then has the group kneel
down to pray to God for the grasshoppers sake. Nancy Pelosi
and John Kerry exclaim in an interview with Larry King that
the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and
both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him
pay his fair share. Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic

Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of

the summer.
The ant is fined for failing to hire a
proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left
to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the
government.
Obama gets his wife to represent the
grasshopper in a defamation suit against the ant, and the case
is tried before a panel of federal judges that he appointed from
a list of single-parent welfare recipients. The ant loses the
case.
The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up
the last bits of the ants food while the government house he is
in, which just happens to be the ants old house, crumbles
around him because he doesnt maintain it. The ant has
disappeared in the snow. The grasshopper is found dead in a
drug-related incident and the house, now abandoned, is taken
over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the once peaceful
neighborhood.
P. S. This article was used previously, but re-used by
special request.

What to do:
Make sure you always vote.
****************************************

President Nixon
September 5
Bible Reading: Mark 8:31-38
Key Verse: Verse 36 For what shall it profit a man,
if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own
soul?
Key Words: For what shall it profit a man, if he

shall gain the whole world, and lose his own

soul?

As a college student former President Richard Nixon

wrote that he did not believe in the bodily resurrection of

Jesus. There is no proof that he ever changed his mind. Mr.

Nixon never gave testimony to having a salvation conversion.
Knowing these things it should not surprise us that he used
profanity as if he were addicted to it. He was known in
political circles as a deceitful man, thus the reason for his
nickname, tricky Dick.
Politically, Nixon was a genius. Although I do not
personally agree with all his politics, Lyndon Johnson called
President Nixon the best president in history. Time
magazine said, He was the most important person of the
post-war era. Jonathan Aitken, a former member of British
Parliament, called Richard Nixon the finest foreign policy
president of the 20th century. Nixon opened foreign policy
with China. He began dente with Russia. He convinced both
President Bush and President Clinton to help reorganize
Russian government. President Nixon negotiated the peace
agreement between the U.S. and Viet Nam. The list could go
on and on.
But in spite of all President Nixons
accomplishments, he undoubtedly would give them all up for
a drop of water as he burns in hell, which raises the question
for us: What have you accomplished if you gain the whole
world but lose your own soul? Your salvation is the most
important decision you will ever make. Everything else pales
in comparison. Have you accepted Christ?

What to do:
Make sure of your salvation.
****************************************

Think About It
September 6
Bible Reading: Philippians 4:1-8
Key Verse: Verse 4 - Rejoice in the Lord alway: and
again I say, Rejoice
Key Words: Rejoice in the Lord

Finally, they may be getting it! The following article

ran in The Birmingham News on September 10, 2008.
Marie Leech - Birmingham News Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY Although Alabamas education
system is well-funded, its academic results are some of the
lowest in the nation, according to a report released Tuesday
by the Alabama Policy Institute.
The group describes itself as a nonpartisan, nonprofit
research and education organization dedicated to the
preservation of free markets, limited government and strong
families.
The 116-page report Alabamas Public Education
Dilemma: Does Funding Influence Outcomes? states that
Alabamas education investment, or input, is high. Teachers
salary and benefit packages rank 19 th highest in the nation
when adjusted for pensions, cost of living and other value
factors, it states.
However, the results, or outputs, dont add up, the
report states. Alabama students consistently score below
those in most states on the National Assessment of
Educational Progress, also known as the Nations Report
Card, and on the ACT college entrance exam, it states.
Alabamas graduation rates are 45th in the nation, and the
state spends between $304 million and $454 million per year
on remedial education.
John R. Hill, author of the report, used a ScoreSpending Index for individual school systems and found that
students test scores were usually higher where the per-pupil
spending was below the state average, and lower in schools
that spent hundreds more dollars per child. Throwing more
money at these problems does not appear to be the solution,
Hill said.
The government makes a poor educator. Nowhere in
Gods Word do you find that the government is responsible
for the education of our children. That responsibility belongs
to the parents. Why, just a simple reading of the book of
Proverbs makes that clear.
The lack of education in our society is just a little
glimpse at the national problem with our economy, same-sex
marriages, and abortion rights and the list goes on and on.
When will we come to the realization that righteousness

exalts a nation? We cant continually be wrong and live wrong

and expect things to turn out right!! Think about it!!

What to do:
Remember, its the Lord that makes a difference so
rejoice in the Lord, not money.
****************************************

Government Programs

September 7

Bible Reading: Titus 3

Key Verse: Verse 1- Put them in mind to be subject to
principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be
ready to every good work,
Key Words: to be subject to principalities
Today many believers find it difficult to submit to
government, primarily because government has stepped
outside of its boundaries and gone against the very principles,
not just of our Constitution, but of Gods Word.
Charles Colson in his book, Why America Hates
Government, says that the federal government has reached
its tentacles into more and more areas never before under its
jurisdiction most of them controversial social issues that tie
the government up in endless political conflict. As sociologist
James Q. Wilson explains in The Public Interest, before the
1960s the federal government was much more limited. The
few tasks it did, it did well: it ended the depression, helped
win World War II, built the interstate highway system,
established Social Security. Americans took pride in their
government. But today the federal government has plunged
into every area imaginable. It tries to control education,
manage race relations, stop sex discrimination, set up
universal health-care schemes, and even outlaw so-called hate
crimes (as though the state could control peoples motives).
These are all issues over which the American people

themselves disagree sharply. Which just about guarantees

that the government is twofold: to promote justice and
restrain evil. The first is a positive task: promoting harmony
among people so they can live together in shalom, the Hebrew
word for peace. Even if there were no sin in the world,
societies would still need organization and leadership.
Someone would have to work out procedural rules to maintain
public order, starting with simple things like where to place
traffic lights. But after the Fall, a second task was given to
government: restraining evil. Public order must now be
maintained through coercion. The angel that drove Adam and
Eve out of the garden with flaming sword in hand was the first
cop on the beat. In Romans 13, Paul says God has given the
state the power of the sword to punish evildoers. The Biblical
teaching of a limited state is revolutionary. We must
remember that in the first century when Paul was writing his
epistle, the Biblical idea that the state has specific, limited
tasks was revolutionary. It meant that government does not
have ultimate or unlimited authority over its citizens. Yet at
the very time these words were penned, the Roman emperors
were making a claim to exactly that kind of unlimited
authority. They were setting themselves up as deities. It was
a collision course that ended with Christians being thrown to
the lions. In our own age, Christians arent faced with a
Roman coliseum, but the Biblical teaching is just as
revolutionary. Our national government increasingly rejects
any inherent limits. It keeps reaching deeper and deeper into
social and moral issues that ought to be the province of
churches, families, and local communities. That may well be
why Americans hate politics.
The answer is not to withdraw and hide our heads in
the sand. The answer is in knowing what Gods Word says
and in acting on it. Amen and amen!!

What to do:
Do right. Be kind. Be loving...but you cant just do
nothing.

You Tell Them, Senator

September 8

Bible Reading: Proverbs 12:1-17

Key Verse: Verses 17 He that speaketh truth

sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness
deceit.
Key Words: He that speaketh truth

While former Senator John Glenn and I would never

be in agreement in the political arena, I do admire what he
said from the floor of the Senate on January 26, 2004.
Senator Glenns address was sparked by one of his colleagues,
Howard Metzenbaum, who said, How can you run for Senate
when youve never had a real job? The following is Senator
Glenns response.
I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps.
I served through two wars. I flew 149 missions. My plane was
hit by anti-aircraft fire on twelve different occasions. I was in
the space program. It wasnt my checkbook, Howard; it was
my life on the line.
It was not a nine-to-five job where I took time off to
take the daily cash receipts to the bank. I ask you to go with
me as I went the other day to the Veterans Hospital and
looked at those men with their mangled bodies, and I want
you to tell them they didnt hold a job! You go with me to the
space program at NASA and go, as I have gone, to the widows
and orphans of Ed White, Gus Grissom, and Roger Chaffee,
and you look those kids in the eye and tell them their dads
dont hold a real job. You go with me on Memorial Day and
you stand in Arlington National Cemetery, where I have more
friends buried than I would like to remember, and you watch
those flags waving. You stand there and you think about this
nation, and you tell me that those people didnt have a real
job. I will tell you, you should be on your knees everyday of
your life thanking God that there were some men who held a
real job and their job required a dedication to purpose, and
a love of country, and a dedication to duty that was more
important than life itself. Their sacrifice is what makes this
country great. I have held a job a real job. What about
you?
Way to go, Senator!

What to do:
Speak the truth, but make sure its true and always
given in love.
****************************************

Tough Economic Times

September 9

Bible Reading: Psalm 34

Key Verse: Verse 17 - The righteous cry, and the

LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their
troubles.
Key Words: The righteous cry, and the LORD

heareth

The American government is trillions of dollars in

debt. General Motors, AIG, Bank of America, and other
institutions now belong to and are being run by the
government. Unemployment is over 8% and climbing. The
President just announced that he is pushing for a national
health care program that will cost the American taxpayer
trillions of dollars more. America is on the verge of no longer
being financially solvent. We borrow almost daily from China
and Middle Eastern countries in order to stay afloat. Gas
prices are going higher; government is growing while
everything else is shrinking. The baby-boomer generation
which had dreams of retirement now has nightmares of what
might have been.
Now, with all that being said, we are still pretty well
off, are we not? What we are experiencing is nothing
compared to what Israel has been through as a nation.
Imagine wandering through a wilderness with no food or
water and no place to call home. Or even imagine in more
recent days living in Europe during the Great War (World
War II): no food, millions homeless, sickness on every hand
and bombing raids continually. Or even yet a more recent

time: remember Rwanda? Thousands upon thousands died

due to a famine, homeless, helpless, and hopeless. Think of
Chad, Africa, where over 50% of the population has died or is
dying because of famine and sickness. Imagine as a mother
watching your children starving to death, and you are helpless
to stop it. And even worse yet, imagine those who will be left
behind after the rapture to go through and merely exist during
the tribulation period.
Its time we as believers stop our doom and despair
attitude, and begin to cry out to God to save not just our
nation but the souls of men and women, boys and girls all
across the world. We are the light of the world; we are the salt
of the earth, so lets let our light shine and our salt preserve.
I close with the words found in II Chronicles 7:14, 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.

What to do:
Dont get down and out; get up and atem.
****************************************

I Dare You
September 10

Bible Reading: Job 12

Key Verse: Verse 23 He increaseth the nations, and

destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and
straiteneth them again.
Key Words: He increaseth the nations

I read the following article and found it interesting.

For those who want to light Old Glory on fire, stomp
all over it, or spit on it to make some sort of statement, I say
let them do it. But under one condition: they MUST get
permission from three sponsors.

First you need permission from a war veteran. Ask

any veteran who faced and fought the Axis on foreign soil in
every corner of the globe. The American flag was raised over
Mount Surabachi upon the bodies of thousands of dead
buddies. Each night spent on Iwo Jima meant half of
everyone you knew would be dead tomorrow, a coin flip away
from a bloody end upon a patch of sand your mother couldnt
find on a map. Or maybe ask a Vietnam vet who spent years
tortured in a small, filthy cell unfit for a dog. Or a Korean
War soldier who helped rescue half a nation from
Communism, or a Desert Storm warrior who repulsed a
bloody dictator from raping and pillaging an innocent
country.
That flag represented your mother and father, your
sister and brother, your friends, neighbors, and everyone at
home. I wonder what they would say if someone asked them
permission to burn the American flag?
Second, you need a signature from an immigrant.
Their brothers and sisters may still languish in their native
land, often under tyranny, poverty and misery. Or maybe
they died on the way here, never to touch our shores. Some
have seen friends and family get tortured and murdered by
their own government for daring to do things we take for
granted everyday. For those who risked everything simply for
the chance to become an American, what kind of feelings do
they have for the flag when they pledge allegiance the first
time? Go to a naturalization ceremony and see for yourself,
the tears of pride, the thanks, the love and respect of this
nation, as they finally embrace the American flag as their own.
Ask one of them if it would be OK to burn the flag or spit on it.
Third, you should get the signature of a mother. Not
just any mother. You need a mother of someone who gave his
or her life for America. It doesnt even have to be from a war.
It could be a cop, or a fireman, maybe a Secret Service or NSA
agent. Then again, it could be a common foot soldier as well.
When that son or daughter is laid to rest, their family is given
one gift by the American people an American flag. Go on. I
dare you. Ask that mother if you can spit on her flag.
Away from family, away from the precious shores of
home, in the face of overwhelming odds and often in the face
of death, the American flag inspires those who believe in the

American dream, the American promise, the American vision.

Americans who dont appreciate the flag dont appreciate this
nation. And those who appreciate this nation appreciate the
American flag. So if you want to desecrate the American flag,
before you spit on it or before you burn it, I have a simple
request. Just ask permission. Not from the Constitution. Not
from some obscure law. Not from the politicians or the
pundits. Instead, ask those who have defended our nation so
that we may be free today. Ask those who struggled to reach
our shores so that they may join us in the American dream.
And ask those who clutch a flag in place of their sacrificed
sons and daughters, given to this nation so that others may be
free. For we cannot ask permission from those who died
wishing they could, just once or once again see, touch, or
kiss the flag that stands for our nation, the United States of
America, the greatest nation on earth. Go ahead, ask. I dare
you!

What to do:
Pray for those who stand daily in harms way for our
freedoms.
****************************************

Paid Not To Work

September 11

Bible Reading: II Thessalonians 3

Key Verse: Verse 10- For even when we were with

you, this we commanded you, that if any would not
work, neither should he eat.
Key Words: that if any would not work, neither

should he eat
I read the following and thought you should as well.
From the Desk of:

Don Genereaux
Honorable Secretary of Agriculture
Washington, DC
Dear Sir,
My friend, Dan Hansen, over at Honey Creek, Iowa, received a
check for $1,000.00 from the government for not raising
hogs. So I want to go into the NOT RAISING HOGS
business next year.
What I want to know is, in your opinion, what is the best kind
of farm not to raise hogs on? And what is the best breed of
hogs not to raise? I want to be sure that I approach this
endeavor in keeping with all government policies.
As I see it, the hardest part of the NOT RAISING HOGS
program is keeping an accurate inventory of how many hogs I
havent raised.
My friend Hansen is very joyful about the future of the
business. He has been raising hogs for twenty years or so, and
the best he has ever made on them was $422.90 in 1968, until
this year when he got your check for the $1,000.00 for not
raising 50 hogs.
If I get $1,000.00 for not raising 50 hogs, then would I get
$2,000.00 for not raising 100 hogs? I plan to operate on a
small scale at first, holding myself to about 4,000 hogs not
raised the first year, which would bring in about $80,000.00;
then I can afford an airplane.
Now another thing these hogs I will not raise will not eat
100,000 bushels of corn. I understand that the government
also pays people not to raise corn and wheat. Would I qualify
for payments for not raising these crops not to feed my hogs I
will not be raising?
I want to get started as soon as possible as this seems to be a
good time of the year for the NOT RAISING HOGS and
NOT PLANTING CROPS business.

Also I am giving serious consideration to the NOT MILKING

COWS business and any information you would have on the
endeavor would be greatly appreciated.
In view of the fact that I will be totally unemployed, I will be
filing for unemployment and food stamps, and was wondering
how long that process takes.
Be assured, Mr. Secretary, you will have my vote in the
upcoming election.
Patriotically yours,
Don Genereaux
P. S. Would you please notify me when you plan to give out
the free cheese again?

What to do:
Work, its Gods plan.
****************************************

The Humanist Manifesto

September 12

Bible Reading: Proverbs 4:14-27

Key Verse: Verse 23 Keep thy heart with all
diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Key Words: Keep thy heart
You have probably heard of the Humanist Manifesto.
It is the bible for propagating humanism around the world. It
is a socialistic one-world movement promoted by a
humanistic philosophy. Time and space do not allow us to

print the manifesto but below is a brief summary of its

contents.
1. We find insufficient evidence for belief in the
existence of the supernatural. No deity shall save us,
we must save ourselves. (Atheism)
2. We regard the universe as self-existing and not
created, the human species an emergence from natural
evolutionary forces. (Evolution)
3. Ethics is autonomous (not controlled by others): birth
control, sexual preferences, lifestyle, all is based upon
a persons self-interest and needs. (Amorality)
4. We have reached a turning point in human history.
We believe in maximum individual autonomy, reject
all religious and moral codes that suppress our
individual freedom. We demand civil liberties,
including the right to socialized medicine, a right to
die with dignity (Euthanasia), and suicide
(Socialism).
According to Tim LaHaye in the book, The Battle for
the Mind, the following organizations are card-carrying
humanists.
ADA (Americans for Democratic Action)
AEU (American Ethical Union)
ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)
SIECUS (Sex Information and Education Council of
the United States)
NOW (National Organization of Women)
NEA (National Education Association)
The Ford Foundation
The Carnegie Foundation
UNWHO (United Nations World Health Organization)
UNICEF (United Nations International Childrens
Emergency Fund)
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific &
Cultural Organization)

These are just a few of the many organizations that

promote the humanist agenda, along with Hollywood and
much of the media.
We teach the kids the song, Be careful, little ears,
what you hear. Be careful, little eyes, what you see. But I am
afraid that today much of what they hear and see is
humanistic. We must protect their ears and eyes, but most of
all, their heart by teaching them moral righteousness and
Biblical truth. Without parents being extremely vigilant,
Proverbs 22:6 can and will never be fulfilled.

What to do:
Be eternally vigilant in the training up of your
children.
****************************************

Forgive and Forget

September 13

Bible Reading: Zechariah 8:16-23

Key Verse: Verse 16 These are the things that ye

shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his
neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace
in your gates:
Key Words: Speak ye every man the truth to his

neighbour

The Starr Report, released on September 11, 1998, was

an investigative account of then President Bill Clinton by
Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr.
The following is taken from Chuck Colson commenting
on the government.
Forgive and Forget? The Christian View of Impeachment
- September 14, 1998
All America is reading the shocking Starr Report, and as
you might guess, my phones been ringing off the hook.
Naturally, the press wants comparisons to Watergate. But

Christians are asking questions as well. Do we forgive?

And is it right for Christians to urge impeachment? Isnt
that a political question? The first question is easy: Ill take
the president at his word in his statement of repentance at
his prayer meeting Friday. And if so, God forgives, and so
should we. The second question is more complicated:
Several Christians, including some pastors, have argued
that God has raised up both righteous and unrighteous
leaders for his people Israel. They believe that in the
modern era as well, we should accept our leaders. After all,
Jesus didnt advocate rebellion. And the Apostle Paul said
obey your rulers. Well, these Christians ideas miss the
great political changes brought about during the Protestant
Reformation. The reformers had a great phrase: Coram
Deo, meaning we live in Gods presence, literally in His
face. So man no longer has to deal with God through the
church or through the king. Instead, God deals with man
directly. The state, therefore, has limited authority over
man. A corollary was the principle of Lex Rex the Law is
King. It means that every single person is subject to the
rule of law the ruler and ruled alike. These two doctrines
made western democracy as we know it today possible.
Our rulers rule with the consent of the governed and are
subject to the same laws we all are. The rule of law is the
heart of a free society. So Christians have no business
avoiding their political responsibility.
In western
democracies we vote for our leaders. And as Christians we
should do so using Godly wisdom. And the same principle
would hold true for impeachment, a political process.
Impeachment, remember, is essential to preserving the
rule of law because under our Constitution, a sitting
president cannot be indicted for crimes. So the only way to
make him subject to the law, and preserve the rule of law,
is through the impeachment process. This is why
Christians have every right, indeed, a moral duty, to
express their views on this subject. We are entrusted with
preserving the rule of law, which is a product of our
Christian tradition. Now, the president said Friday that he
wanted to be forgiven and to get on with the job of
government. Is that appropriate? As most of you know,
Ive had some personal experience with this. Twenty-five

years ago, I became a Christian in the midst of Watergate.

I asked forgiveness for my sins, and I knew God forgave
me. But I also knew I had to pay the consequences for
breaking the law. I pled guilty and went to prison. I
hope and pray President Clinton is genuinely repentant,
and that hell be restored to his family, and that Americans
will forgive. But that doesnt mean hes entitled to avoid
the consequences of his sin. If the law has been broken,
justice demands a penalty be paid. Congress therefore
must do its duty, and decide if the facts warrant
impeachment. Theres much more involved here than a
salacious sex scandal. What hangs in the balance are the
two most important principles undergirding our free
society: limited government and the rule of law. No man is
above it. These are profoundly Christian principles. Yes,
wed better care and care deeply.

What to do:
Pray about everything, but speak the truth with your
Congressmen and Senators as well.
P. S. This is not a spiritual endorsement for Charles Colson,
just an interesting article.
****************************************

We The People
September 14

Bible Reading: Psalm 106:1-25

Key Verse: Verse 25 But murmured in their tents,
and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.
Key Words: But murmured in their tents
I have discovered that some Americans are just like
some Israelites. They love to complain. So for those
Americans, I have included the following article.
The following has been attributed to State
Representative Mitchell Aye from Georgia.

We the sensible people of the United States, in an

attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of
justice, avoid more riots, keep our nation safe, promote
positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt free liberty
to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby
try one more time to ordain and establish some common
sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden,
delusional, and other liberal bed-wetters.
We hold these truths to be self evident: that a whole
lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim
they require a Bill of NON-Rights.
ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to a new car,
big screen TV, or any other form of wealth. More power to
you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing
anything.
ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be
offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means
freedom for everyonenot just you! You may leave the room,
turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc.; but the
world is full of idiots, and probably always will be.
ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free
from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be
more careful; do not expect the tool manufacturer to make
you and all your relatives independently wealthy.
ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food
and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be
found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly
growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of
professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than
the creation of another generation of professional couch
potatoes.
ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health
care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public
housing, were just not interested in public health care.
ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically
harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim,
or kill someone, dont be surprised if the rest of us want to see
you fry in the electric chair.
ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the
possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the
goods or services of other citizens, dont be surprised if the

rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you
still wont have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of
leisure.
ARTICLE VIII: You do not have the right to a job.
All of us sure want you to have a job, and will gladly help you
along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of
the opportunities of education and vocational training laid
before you to make yourself useful.
ARTICLE IX: You do not have the right to happiness.
Being an American means that you have the right to PURSUE
happiness, which by the way, is a lot easier if you are
unencumbered by an over-abundance of idiotic laws created
by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.
ARTICLE X: This is an English speaking country.
We dont care where you are from, English is our language.
Learn it or go back to wherever you came from!
ARTICLE XI: You do not have the right to change
our countrys history or heritage. This country was founded
on the belief in one true God. And yet, you are given the
freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith at all,
with no fear of persecution. The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST
is part of our heritage and history, and if you are
uncomfortable with it, TOUGH!!!!

What to do:
Remember what you do not have a right to do.

Sad But True

Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:17-32

September 15

Key Verse: Verse 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit

of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of
redemption.
Key Words: And grieve not the Holy Spirit
The following is an excerpt from William Bennetts
speech entitled What Really Ails America.
Last year I compiled the Index of Leading Cultural
Indicators, a statistical portrait of American behavioral trends
of the past three decades. Among the findings: Since 1960,
while the gross domestic product has nearly tripled, violent
crime has increased at least 560%. Divorces have more than
doubled. The percentage of children in single-parent homes
has tripled. And by the end of the decade 40% of all American
births and 80% of minority births will occur out of wedlock.
These are not good things to get used to.
In 1940 teachers identified the top problems in
Americas schools as: Talking out of turn, chewing gum,
making noise and running in the hall. In 1990, teachers listed
drugs, alcohol, pregnancy, suicide, rape and assault. These
are not good things to get used to, either.
There is a coarseness, a callousness and a cynicism to
our era. The worst of it has to do with our children. Our
culture seems almost dedicated to the corruption of the
young. We have become inured to the cultural rot that is
setting in. People are losing their capacity for shock, disgust
and outrage...
The ancients called our problem acedia, an aversion
to spiritual things and an undue concern for the external and
the worldly. Acedia also is the seventh capital sin sloth
but it does not mean mere laziness. The slothful heart is
steeped in the worldly and carnal, hates the spiritual and
wants to be free of its demands.
When the novelist Walker Percy was asked what
concerned him most about Americas future, he answered,
Probably the fear of seeing America, with all its great strength
and beauty and freedom...gradually subside into decay
through default and be defeated, not by the communist
movement, but from within, from weariness, boredom,

cynicism, greed and in the end helplessness before its great

problems.
I realize this is a tough indictment. If my diagnosis is
wrong, then why, amid our economic prosperity and military
security, do almost 70% of the public say we are off track? I
submit that only when we turn to the right things enduring,
noble, spiritual things will life get better.
Most important, we must return religion to its proper
place. Religion provides us with moral bearings, and the
solution to our chief problem of spiritual impoverishment
depends on spiritual renewal. The surrendering of strong
beliefs, in our private and public lives, has demoralized
society.
Today, much of society ridicules and mocks those
who are serious about their faith. Americas only respectable
form of bigotry is bigotry against religious people. And the
only reason for hatred of religion is that it forces us to
confront matters many would prefer to ignore.
Today we must carry on a new struggle for the
country we love. We must push hard against an age that is
pushing hard against us. If we have full employment and
greater economic growth if we have cities of gold and
alabaster but our children have not learned how to walk in
goodness, justice and mercy, then the American experiment,
no matter how gilded, will have failed.

What to do:
Make sure make very sure that your children
know how to walk with God. Wednesday night prayer
meeting, Sunday School, both Sunday services, and a
Family Altar are certainly good ways to learn how to
walk with God.

Humanizing America
September 16

 Bible Reading: Romans 1:18-32

Key Verse: Verse 22 Professing themselves to be

wise, they became fools,
Key Words: they became fools

During the last 200 years humanism (mans wisdom)

has controlled the thinking of the western world. After
conquering European colleges and universities, humanism
spread to America where it has developed a stranglehold on
all public, private, and much of our Christian education.
Recognizing the strategic importance of education and
communication, the humanist developed a monopoly on
magazines, newspapers, television, and the movie and music
industry. The reason humanism is so successful is that it
seems so credible and logical to those who do not understand
the wisdom of God.
Todays wave of crime and violence in our streets,
promiscuity, divorce, shattered dreams, and broken hearts
can be laid directly at the doorsteps of humanistic philosophy.
As the scripture says in Romans 1:22, Professing themselves
to be wise, they became fools. We have learned from history
that the ultimate end of humanism is always chaos.
Simply defined, humanism is mans attempt to solve
his own problems independently of God. Since moral
conditions have worsened in direct proportion to humanistic
influence, you would think that even the humanists would
begin to see the error of their ways.
An obvious example of the futility of humanistic
thinking appears in the United Nations. Seventy-one years
ago the worlds humanist who founded the U.N. promised
that it would solve the problem of war and usher in peace.
Since that time we have had more wars, deaths, international
catastrophes, and terrorist activity than in any comparable
world history. If you doubt that statement, just ask what the
U.N. has done to help the Cambodians, Vietnamese,
Angolans, Ugandans, and other war-torn countries.
One did not have to be a prophet in 1945 when the
U.N. was founded to predict it would never meet its goals.
The reason being is that the Lord warned mankind that
without me ye can do nothing (John 15:5). Today we put our

$220 billion a year into our public education system because

we believe money produces a quality education, which is
totally false. God and God alone provides a quality education.
I realize I do not need to remind you but righteousness exalts
a nation. It is been proven that humanism is the ruin of a
nation.
Let me close by asking, who is teaching your child and
what are they learning?

What to do:
Make sure your thinking is Biblical, not humanistic.
See what to do for September 15 to see some aids for
thinking Biblically.
****************************************

Patriotism Is Not Enough

September 17

Bible Reading: Romans 5:1-10

Key Verse: Verse 10 For if, when we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son,
much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his
life.
Key Words: we were reconciled to God by the

death of his Son

When nations are engaged in deadly strife, it is

common for patriots to declare that he who gives his life for
defense of his country may be certain of a home in heaven
because of having made the supreme sacrifice. This teaching
is in accord with the principles of the Moslem religion and not
with true Christianity. Mahomet promised his fanatical
followers a place in Paradise if they died for the faith in
conflict with the infidels who rejected his teachings.
Patriotism is a virtue of which any man may well be proud.
But patriotism, praiseworthy as it is from the human
standpoint, will never fit the soul for the presence of God. It

can never wash away the guilt of sin. The testimony of Edith
Cavell, the brave British nurse who was killed by the Germans
during the former world war, is well worth considering in this
connection.
This noble woman was born in Swardeston, Norfold,
on December 4, 1865. She entered the London Hospital for
nurses training in 1895. In 1907 she was appointed first
matron of the Berkendael Medical Institute at Brussels,
Belgium. This became the Red Cross Hospital in Belgium at
the outbreak of the conflict in 1914. From August of that year,
until August, 1915, Nurse Cavell helped to care for wounded
French, Belgian, English and German soldiers alike. She
ministered faithfully even to those who had fallen while
fighting against her own nation. Naturally, her sympathies
were with the Allies, and in cooperation with the efforts of
Prince Reginald de Croy, she aided many derelict English and
French soldiers who had fled from the Germans. These
escaped by underground methods to the Dutch frontier,
where, with the aid of guides, they were conveyed across to
Britain. When some of these fugitives were traced to her
house in Brussels, she was immediately arrested and after a
court-martial was sentenced to face a firing squad. All her
kindness to the German wounded was forgotten. Her captors
considered her a spy and treated her accordingly.
Just before the bandage was placed over her eyes, as
she stood fearlessly facing the soldiers who were about to take
her life, she gave a last message to the world. I am glad, she
said, to die for my country. But as I stand here I realize as
never before that patriotism is not enough. Then she went
on to give a clear, definite testimony to her personal faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ and her assurance of salvation, not
through laying down her life for others, but because He laid
down His life for her. In perfect composure, she submitted to
the bandaging of her eyes and, in a few moments fell, pierced
by many German bullets.
Her words patriotism is not enough! have spoken
loudly to many in the years that have gone since she died a
martyr to her convictions.
What more is needed? you may ask. The answer is
Christ! It is through faith in Him alone that the soul is
saved and heaven assured.

What to do:
Remember patriotism is not enough. The world
needs Jesus. You need Jesus as your Savior.
****************************************

The Function of Government

September 18

Bible Reading: I Peter 2:1-16

Key Verse: Verse 14 Or unto governors, as unto
them that are sent by him for the punishment of
evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
Key Words: for the punishment of evildoers
The general function of human government, as
instituted by God, may be said to be threefold: to protect,
punish, and promote.
1. The Function of Protection: The moment Adam sinned
it was obvious that civilizations would need some form
of restraint and rule to protect citizens from
themselves. An example of this function is seen in
Acts 21:27-37 where Roman soldiers step in and save
Paul from being murdered by his own enraged
countrymen in Jerusalem.
2. The Function of Punishment: Both Paul and Peter
bring this out. Paul writes that duly appointed human
officials are to be regarded as Gods servants to bear
the sword, that is, to impose punishment upon
criminals (verses 3, 4). Peter tells us that governors
are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers (I
Peter 2:13, 14).
3. The Function of Promotion: Human government is to
promote the general welfare of the community where
its laws are in effect. Paul commands us to pray for
human leaders that we may lead a quiet and

peaceable life in all godliness and honesty (I Timothy

2:1, 2).
I Peter 2:13, Our Responsibility of Human
Government
It is impossible for a believer to be a good Christian
and a bad citizen at the same time. As children of God our
responsibility to human government is threefold:
1. We are to recognize and accept that the powers that be
are ordained by God. Let every soul be subject unto
the higher powers. For there is no power but of God:
the powers that be are ordained of God (Romans
13:1). This truth applies even to atheistic human
governments unless, of course, the law is antiScriptural. In that situation the believer must obey
God rather than man (Acts 4:18-20). In fact, when
Paul wrote those words in Romans 13:1, the evil
emperor Nero was on the throne. See also Titus 3:1.
2. We are to pay our taxes to human government
(Matthew 17:24-27, 22:21; Romans 13:7).
3. We are to pray for the leaders in human government.
I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made
for all men: For kings, and for all that are in authority;
that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all
godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable
in the sight of God our Saviour (I Timothy 2:1-3).
We must pray for our government leaders but we must
always look to God for answers, not men. If we spend more
time being political activists than we spend as prayer warriors,
we are bound for failure.
What to do:
Understand what the true
function of government is
and pray that those in
government will do right.
****************************************

Bible In Our Public Schools

September 19

Bible Reading: Revelation 22

Key Verse: Verse 22 And if any man shall take

away from the words of the book of this prophecy,
God shall take away his part out of the book of life,
and out of the holy city, and from the things which
are written in this book.
Key Words: : And if any man shall take away

from the words of the book of this prophecy, God

shall take away his part out of the book of life,
and out of the holy city, and from the things
which are written in this book.
There is a movement afoot to have Bible taught in our
public schools. Now while this may sound like a step forward,
let me assure you that it isnt.
The Bible course being pushed for the public schools
in Alabama is called The Bible and Its Influences or The Bible
Literacy Project.
The Bible and Its Influences is being backed and
promoted by the National Education Association (NEA), the
ACLU, People for the American Way, Council on Islamic
Education, and the course in part was developed by the
Communitarian/Pluralist and anti-National Day of Prayer
teacher, Charles Haynes.
A sample of the quotes from this curriculum is very
revealing about how anti-God this Bible course would be. For
example...
Do you think Adam and Eve received a fair deal as
described in Genesis?
If God allows evil things to happen, can God
honestly be described as good?
A statement from page 163 of the textbook reads,
Many students, although aware of good and evil,
have not thought deeply about it. In the JudeoChristian tradition God is considered to be all-

good, all-knowing and all-powerful, yet the view

presents many problems.
Also on page 161 of the textbook it reads, Job is
one of the most difficult books in the Bible in that
it provides no clear-cut answer to Jobs situation.
Gideon won the battle with the Midianites by a bit
of trickery (page 181 in the textbook).
As you can see, this Bible course does not attempt to
glorify God as much as it questions the very action of God.
When you allow secular humanists to develop a Bible
curriculum, the end result will always be a Godless
curriculum.

What to do:
Pray for our country.
Make sure your children receive a Christian
education (you cant afford not to).
Make sure your world view is Biblical, not
humanistic.

The Pledge of Allegiance

September 20

Bible Reading: Joshua 1:1-9

Key Verse: Verse 9 Have not I commanded thee?

Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid,
neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is
with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Key Words: Be strong and of good courage

Joshua, no doubt, did have courage to do as God

commanded because of his love for God and his desire to see
his people blessed.
One of my favorite stories is about Mike Christian, a
POW in Viet Nam during the Viet Nam war. This story is told
by Senator John McCain.
As you may know, I spent 5 years as a prisoner-ofwar during the Viet Nam war. In the early years of my
imprisonment, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) kept us in
solitary confinement or two to three to a cell. In 1971, the
NVA moved us from these conditions of isolation into large
rooms with as many as thirty to forty men to a room.
This was, as you can imagine, a wonderful change and
was a direct result of the efforts of millions of Americans on
behalf of a few hundred POWs. Ten thousand miles from
home one of the men who moved into my room was a young
man named Mike Christian. Mike was from a small town near
Selma, Alabama. He didnt wear a pair of shoes until he was
thirteen years old. At seventeen he enlisted into the Navy. He
later earned a commission by going to officer training school.
He then became a Naval Flight Officer and was shot down and
captured in 1967. Mike had a keen and deep appreciation of
the opportunities this country, and our military, provide for
people who want to work and want to succeed.
As a part of the change in treatment, the Vietnamese
allowed some prisoners to receive packages from home. Some
of the packages were handkerchiefs, scarves, and other items
of clothing. Mike got himself a bamboo needle. Over a period
of a couple of months, he created an American flag and sewed
it on the inside of his shirt. Every afternoon, before we had a

bowl of soup, we would hang Mikes shirt on the wall of the

cell and say the Pledge of Allegiance. I know the Pledge of
Allegiance may not seem the most important part of our day
now, but I can assure you that in that stark cell it was indeed
the most important and meaningful event.
One day the Vietnamese searched our cell, as they did
periodically, and discovered Mikes shirt with the flag sewn
inside, and removed it. That evening they returned, opened
the door of the cell, and for the benefit of all of us, beat Mike
Christian severely for the next couple of hours. Then, they
opened the door of the cell, and threw him in. We cleaned
him up as well as we could. The cell in which we lived had a
concrete slab in the middle on which we slept. Four naked
light bulbs hung in each corner of the room. As I said, we
tried to clean Mike up as best we could. After the excitement
died down, I looked in the corner of the room, and sitting
there beneath the dim light bulb with a piece of cloth, another
shirt and his bamboo needle, was my friend, Mike Christian.
He was sitting there with his eyes almost shut from the
beating he had received, making another flag. He was not
making the flag because it made Mike Christian feel better.
He was making the flag because he knew how important it
was to us to be able to pledge our allegiance to our flag and
country.
So the next time you say the Pledge of Allegiance, you
must never forget the sacrifice and courage that thousands of
Americans have made to build our nation and promote
freedom around the world. You must remember our duty, our
honor, and our country.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of
America, and to the republic for which it stands, one
nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice
for all.

What to do:
Be thankful for the brave soldiers who gave their
lives for your freedom to go about your daily activities
today. May God bless America!

Why I Opposed the Stimulus

Package

September 21

Bible Reading: Haggai 2:1-9

Key Verse: Verse 8 The silver is mine, and the gold
is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.
Key Words: The silver is mine and the gold is mine
Proverbs 14:34, Righteousness exalteth a nation: but
sin is a reproach to any people.
On Tuesday, February 17, 2009, President Barack
Obama signed the 787 billion dollar stimulus package into
law. Both our President and Vice-President told us that this
plan would have done the following:
Immediate action to create new jobs.
Immediate relief to struggling families.
Immediate assistance for homeowners and business
owners.
Help solve our current financial crisis.
I knew the stimulus package would not work. The
reason is that the problem our country faces then and now is
not a financial or economic problem, it is a spiritual problem
that has at its core righteousness or a lack of righteousness.
Let me list for you seven areas of unrighteousness in
our country.
1. We are unrighteous in our abortion of over one
million babies each year (Psalm 139:14-17).
2. We are unrighteous in our educational system that
bans prayer and the Bible.
3. We are unrighteous in our sexual conduct. Forty
percent of all adult men are involved in
pornography on the internet. Seven out of every
ten teenagers are involved in immorality before
they graduate.
4. We are unrighteous in that we look to the
government for answers, not God (Haggai 2:8).

5. We are unrighteous in that we have love for the

dollar more than we love God (I Timothy 6:10).
6. We are unrighteous in that we as believers are
ignorant in our knowledge of Gods Word. Let me
prove it to you. Answer the following questions
without looking up the answers. A) Name the
three sons of Noah. B) Name five of the Ten
Commandments. C) Name half of the sixty-six
books of the Bible. How did you do?
7. We are unrighteous in that we have failed to stand
for righteousness in our church attendance
(Hebrews 10:25).
The stimulus package did not work because finances
are not our problem, righteousness or the lack of it is our
problem. Dedicate yourself to righteousness for as David said,
I have been young, and now am old, yet have I not seen the
righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread.

What to do:
Remember our blessings come from God, not from
government.
****************************************

When The Wicked Rule

September 22

Bible Reading: Proverbs 16

Key Verse: Verse 25 There is a way that seemeth
right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of
death.
Key Words: a way that seemeth right unto a

man

John Adams wrote, Our constitution was made only

for moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the
government of any other. Our rejection of his thoughts can
be summarized by these truths:

 In public schools you may distribute condoms to

twelve-year-olds without parental consent, but you
may not give them a Bible under any
circumstances.
At school you may attack individuals with raciallymotivated hate language, but you may not pray
Gods blessings over them.
You may not display a cross on public property,
unless its on fire, in which case the First
Amendment protects your action.
In most states a minor may abort an unborn child
without her parents consent, yet she cant go on a
field trip to the zoo without parental permission.
In America, arguments are waged against the use
of dogs for medical research but in favor of the
right to abort babies for the same purpose.
The end of mans ways always leads to death.

What to do:
Make sure make very sure its Gods way, not
your way.
****************************************

The Right Answer

September 23

Bible Reading: Psalm 51

Key Verse: Verse 6 Behold, thou desirest truth in

the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt
make me to know wisdom.
Key Words: thou shalt make me to know wisdom

I love David, dont you? David was the apple of Gods

eye for a number of reasons. One of those reasons had to be
his honesty. He frankly admits to the Lord, I sinned with

Bathsheba because, quite honestly, Im just not very smart.

Reminds me of a story I read that goes as follows.
Given that Al Gore has no job, he decided to take a
sightseeing vacation to Europe. While visiting Europe, he is
invited to tea with the Queen. He asks her what her
leadership philosophy is. She says that it is to surround
herself with intelligent people. He asks how she knows if
theyre intelligent.
I do so by asking them the right questions, says the
Queen. Allow me to demonstrate.
She phones Tony Blair and says, Mr. Prime Minister,
please answer this question: Your mother has a child, and
your father has a child, and this child is not your brother or
sister. Who is it?
Tony Blair responds, Its me, maam.
Correct. Thank you and goodbye, sir, says the
Queen.
She hangs up and says, Did you get that, Mr. Gore?
Yes maam. Thanks a lot. Ill definitely be using that!
Upon returning home, he decides hed better put some
of his old friends to the test.
He calls Bill Clinton and says, Hi, Bill, I wonder if you
can answer a question for me. Why, of course, Al. Whats
on your mind?
Uhh, your mother has a child, and your father has a
child, and this child is not your brother or sister. Who is it?
Clinton hems and haws and finally asks, Can I think
about it and get back to you? Gore agrees and Clinton hangs
up.
Clinton immediately calls members of his old staff,
and they puzzle over the question for several hours, but
nobody can come up with an answer.
Finally, in desperation, Clinton calls Colin Powell at
the State Department and explains his problem, Now look
here, your mother has a child, and your father has a child, and
this child is not your brother or sister. Who is it?
Powell answers immediately, Its me, of course, you
idiot.
Much relieved, Clinton rushes back to call Gore and
exclaims. I know the answer, Al! I know who it is! Its Colin
Powell!

And Gore replies in disgust, Wrong, its Tony Blair.

Do not some politicians remind you of David who
cried, Make me to know wisdom? In other words, theyre
just not very smart.
Have a good day.

What to do:
Put your trust in God, not politicians.
****************************************

Politicians and Principles

September 24

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 14:1-14

Key Verse: Verse 14 Though these three men, Noah,
Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but
their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord
GOD.
Key Words: Though these three men, Noah,

Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver

but their own souls by their righteousness, saith
the Lord GOD

It is a rare thing to find a politician that has Godly

standards and upholds Godly principles, not just in this
present day but in every period of history. Politicians are
known for a lack of Godly principles to which they adhere, but
oh how true this is for our day!
Today politicians are known more for sex scandals and
compromise. But in our text we find three men: Noah, Daniel,
and Job. All three were politicians. Noah had to be a
community leader. So it was with Job, and we know of
Daniels political leadership under Nebuchadnezzar and
Darius. How refreshing it would be to have men of their faith
and character as leaders today!

With politicians in mind, have you ever heard of

President David Rice Atchison? Yes, I do mean president, like
President of the United States.
Forget what the history books say. The 12 th President
of the United States was David Rice Atchison, a man so
obscure that Chester A. Arthur seems a household word by
comparison. At exactly 12 noon on March 4, 1849, Zachary
Taylor was scheduled to succeed James Polk as chief
executive. But March 4 was a Sunday and Taylor, a devout old
general, refused to take the oath of office on the Sabbath.
Thus, under the Succession Act of 1792, Missouri Senator
Atchison, as President Pro Tempore of the Senate,
automatically became president.
Now, President Zachary Taylor was not a perfect man,
but he at least understood something that our current
president seems to have forgotten, and thats the importance
of being in church on Sunday. As a matter of fact, Im sure
some of you reading this devotion need to learn that same
lesson. I trust you will.

What to do:
Pray for the president and be faithful to Gods
house.
****************************************

A Different Type of
Politician

September 25

Bible Reading: Ecclesiastes 10

Key Verse: Verse 18 By much slothfulness the

building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands
the house droppeth through.
Key Words: and through idleness of the hands the

house droppeth through

The following article was taken from Readers Digest

Strange Stories and Amazing Facts: Americas Past.
At a White House dinner for Nobel Prize winners,
John F. Kennedy called his guests the most extraordinary
collection of talents that has ever been gathered at the White
House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson
dined alone.
Among Americas great statesmen, Jefferson stands
out as a Renaissance man with an incredible range of
interests, knowledge, and abilities. In the thick of politics for
forty years, he still found time for other pursuits, including
farming, architecture, law, geography, botany, natural history,
playing the violin, and enjoying fine food and wine. With an
inquiring mind and an incisive intellect, he wrote prodigiously
and insightfully about anything that interested him. His
writings on agriculture alone fill a 704-page book. An avid
reader, he amassed a personal library of 6,487 volumes that
became the nucleus of the Library of Congress in 1815.
More than an armchair genius, Jefferson found
practical application for his talents. A dedicated farmer, he
was the first person in North America to raise tomatoes for
food (they were considered poisonous), and his experiments
with rice made the nation a leading producer of that crop. He
also invented a new moldboard for the plow. Among his other
inventions were a swivel chair, a pedometer to measure his
walks, a chair that folded into a walking stick, a dumbwaiter, a
revolving music stand, and a calendar clock. (So that others
could have free use of his inventions, he patented nothing.) A
talented architect, he adapted Roman classicism to native
materials, developing a distinctive American style for the
University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Not only did he
design its buildings, he was also its general contractor,
bookkeeper, overseer during construction, and landscape
architect.
Perhaps Jefferson is best summed up in his own
words: Determine never to be idle. It is wonderful how much
may be done if we are always doing.
Today we need more politicians like Thomas Jefferson
who have determined not to live off the merits of others but to
blaze a trail for others to follow. Thats leadership. Thats
whats needed!

What to do:
Teach your sons and daughters to determine to
never be idle, and with all they do to put God first.
Remember, an idle mind is the devils workshop.
****************************************

The Liberty Bell

September 26

Bible Reading: II Corinthians 3

Key Verse: Verse 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit:
and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Key Words: where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is

liberty

According to the well-known story, on July 4, 1776, a

boy ran to the steeple of Philadelphias Independence Hall
and told the feeble, white-haired bell ringer that
independence had just been declared. Rejuvenated by the
news, the old man rang the bell so vigorously that it cracked.
In fact, the bell never rang upon the news of
independence. Declaration was not actually proclaimed until
July 8, and the crack had occurred years before. The great
bronze bell, inscribed with the words Proclaim Liberty
Throughout All The Land Unto All The Inhabitants Thereof,
had been ordered from London in 1751 to commemorate the
50th anniversary of Pennsylvanias democratic constitution.
On arrival, the bell was hung in the belfry of the State House,
which was later known as Independence Hall. The bell first
cracked at this time, while it was being tested. It was melted
down, recast, and rehung. In 1835 it cracked again perhaps,
as legend has it, on the day it tolled for John Marshalls death.
The clappers would have been muffled, however, which makes
that legend unlikely. It pealed for the last time on George
Washingtons birthday, in 1846, after which it was taken
down.
It was not until 1839 when it was used as a symbol of
abolitionists because of its inscription that the State House
bell came to be called the Liberty Bell. In 1847, George

Lippard fabricated the popular story about the bell cracking

on the first Independence Day in a book called Washington
and His Generals, or Legends of the American Revolution.
This is how the Liberty Bell was launched as one of the
nations most potent and profitable symbols of patriotism and
started to be depicted on every conceivable item from neckties
and coffee cups to Liberty Bonds.
But true liberty is not found through patriotism. True
liberty only comes through the Spirit of the Living God. Let
us forever ring this bell for by it all men can be liberated.

What to do:
Let the freedom bell of salvation through Jesus
Christ be heard everywhere you go.
****************************************

Double-Minded
September 27

Bible Reading: James 1:1-8

Key Verse: Verse 8 - A double minded man is
unstable in all his ways.
Key Words: A double minded man is unstable in

all his ways

Have you ever heard of Richard Stockton? Stockton

signed the Declaration of Independence.
Just a few months after he had signed the Declaration
of Independence, Richard Stockton of New Jersey recanted
and swore allegiance to King George III. Born in 1730 into a
wealthy family, Stockton became a prominent lawyer and
served on the provincial council of New Jersey under its Royal
governor, William Franklin (the illegitimate son of Benjamin
Franklin). At first in favor of conciliation with Britain,
Stockton was won over to the cause of independence, and he
became a delegate to the Continental Congress in June 1776.

That fall, after signing the Declaration, Stockton was

seized by New Jersey Tories, who were British loyalists. He
was taken to New York, where he was imprisoned as a
common criminal and subjected to cruel treatment. When his
colleagues in the Continental Congress heard about it, they
asked General Washington to intercede. Whether he did so is
unknown, but in March 1777 Stockton was back home in
Princeton.
The British command had offered to pardon all
Patriots who would recant the call for independence and take
a pledge of neutrality. By the time spring rolled around,
4,800 people, most of them from New Jersey, had accepted
British amnesty.
Washington countered by ordering the defectors to
take the oath of allegiance to the United States of America.
Those who refused were to be treated as common enemies.
Stockton, ill in health and broken in spirit, finally complied.
The unhappy man, shunned by his former friends, died four
years later of cancer.
Ive never known of a double-minded person to be a
happy person. May God bless you as you are single-minded
for the cause of Christ.

What to do:
Set a goal to be single-minded for Christ.
****************************************

Gods Protection
September 28

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 32:30-43

Key Verse: Verse 38 - Which did eat the fat of their

sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink
offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your
protection.

Key Words: and be your protection

In our text God offers a challenge to the enemies of

Israel. Let them (your gods) rise up and help you, and be
your protection. No doubt that our protection comes from
God.
Are you aware of the following story in regard to
George Washington?
If George Washington had not led the Continental
Army in the Revolution, there might never have been a United
States. It could have happened that way if it hadnt been for
Phoebe Fraunces, a daughter of a New York City tavern
keeper, Samuel Fraunces.
Phoebe Fraunces was a housekeeper for Washington
when Thomas Hickey, a member of his guard, enlisted her
help in killing the general. Frauncess role was to serve
Washington a plate of poisoned peas, and she agreed to play
it. But as she was serving Washington, she warned him, and
he flipped the peas out the window.
The failed plot came to light on June 17, 1776. By then
Hickey, in jail for passing counterfeit money, was hatching
another plot. He was trying to enroll prisoners in a secret
Tory corps within the rebel army; some 700 soldiers, Hickey
boasted, were on the payroll of New Yorks Tory governor,
William Tryon, and New York Citys mayor, David Matthews.
The men planned to support a British invasion by turning
their guns on their comrades. New York City would be set
ablaze while a drummer in Washingtons guard would stab the
general.
An investigation was launched. Mayor Matthews
surrendered and was jailed; he later escaped to England.
Hickey was hanged in New York City on June 28, 1776, before
a crowd of 20,000.
In reporting to Congress, Washington wrote: I am
hopeful this example will produce many salutary
consequences and deter others from entering into like
traitorous practices.
If nations rise and fall by the authority of God, and
they do, then no doubt Gods protection was upon George
Washington. And just as God protected George Washington,
He protects each of us as well.

What to do:
Praise God for His marvelous providence and
protection.
****************************************

God or Government?
September 29

Bible Reading: Mark 8:1-9

Key Verse: Verse 1 - In those days the multitude
being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus
called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them.
Key Words: Jesus
Why?
Why did Jesus not seek the power of
institutions to provide for others? Because He knew the
infinite power and the infinite bounty of His Father, our
Lord God Almighty!
To put it in the vernacular, why fool around with a box
kite when there is a Boeing 747 at your disposal?
Remember the time Jesus fed the multitude? With
seven loaves He fed them four thousand persons, plus!
There in the desert, away from the city, the crowds had
gathered and Jesus ministered unto them. He healed the sick.
He made the lame to walk, the blind to see, the dumb to
speak, through the miracle of Gods love.
At eventide the people were hungry and Jesus had
compassion on them. The disciples questioned where they
would get food to feed so many. But Jesus said, How many
loaves have ye?
There is no need for them to leave. Feed them here.
Feed them! With what? Seven loaves of bread? They
asked this of Him to whom all power is given in heaven and
on earth.
Jesus took the loaves and blessed them and gave them
to His disciples to feed the multitude. And they ate every
one of them, the whole four thousand plus women and
children. They ate until they were filled and even then there
were seven baskets of food left over.

How great, how truly great, are the works of the Lord!
Oh, ye of little faith! How is it that we turn to Caesar for the
answers to our problems? Why do we feel the government
and not God is the answer for our lives, our families, our
community, our state, our nation, our world?
Where we look for aid says more about us than we
realize.

What to do:
Rely on God, not government.
****************************************

No Title
September 30

Bible Reading: Matthew 7:1-12

Key Verse: Verse 7 Ask, and it shall be given you;
seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened
unto you:
Key Words: Ask, and it shall be given you
Late in 1974, the ministerial association of
Washington, DC, conducted a survey to check on the needs of
the poor within that city. That survey indicated that there
were some pressing needs: need for food, need for housing,
need for clothing, and medical assistance. This is in a district
that has a higher per capita income than any state in the
union.
Spokesmen for the ministerial association called a
press conference to announce their plan of action to relieve
the needs revealed by the survey: they would call upon
government to provide the assistance required.
One cannot fault the pastors for their concern. But,
one can fault them for their course of action. Caesar was their
answer. They belittled God. In their impatience they
adulterated their compassion with a call for coercion.

Every one of those pastors represented a congregation.

What were the members of those congregations doing to help?
What of their personal Christian responsibilities? Were they
praying? Seeking Gods blessing? Doing His work?
Everyone in those congregations pastors and
members alike is the child of a rich and powerful Father.
He holds the wealth of the world in His hands.
Ask and you shall receive.
Had they forgotten that? Or, did they not believe?

What to do:
Have we forgotten that God is the answer, or are we
failing to believe?

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