JANUARY 1 Bible Reading: Genesis 4:1-10 Key Verse: 5-But unto Cain and to his offering he had not

t respect. And Cain was very

wroth, and his countenance fell.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Key Words: But unto Cain and his offering he had not respect All of life is full of decisions. We go from one decision to another often giving little thought to the decisions we make. But each decision is important and affects not only our life, but the lives of others. From our Bible reading for today we see that Cain made a decision to bring an offering of fruit rather than an offering of blood which was a bad decision on his part. One bad decision always leads to another bad decision. Because of Cains jealousy of his brother Abel, he slew him. First we make our decision and then our decisions makes us. Notice the results of Cains decision. Genesis 4:11-14, And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brothers blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. The words of Eleanor Roosevelt ring true: Our philosophy is not best expressed in words. It is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility. How true!

What to do: Make wise Godly decisions because first you make your decisions, then your decisions make you.

JANUARY 2 Bible Reading: Genesis 6:9-22 Key Verse: 9- These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect
in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

THE DECISION TO WALK WITH GOD

Key Words: Noah walked with God A question I hear on occasion is What does it mean to walk with God? The answer is simple. Walking with God is just going where God goes. Now the hard part is doing it!! We so often want to go where we want rather than where God wants. Abraham in Genesis 12 and Jonah in Jonah 1 are prime examples of this. Its the decision to do what we think is best which leads to many difficult times in our lives. Dr. Jim Phillips who for years pastored in Matthews, North Carolina, tells the story about wanting a doughnut from Krispy Kreme. He just happened to ride by the doughnut shop on his way to the church so he simply prayed, Lord, if you want me to have a doughnut today, have an empty parking place right in front of the Krispy Kreme. He closed the story by saying, I had to drive around Krispy Kreme eight times before it was finally Gods will. And so it is with many of us. We find ourselves doing our will rather than Gods will, and the decisions leave us driving around continually in circles. If this describes you today, I would advise you to stop doing your own thing and walk with God because thats where the real blessings are. What to do: Go with God and you will never go wrong.

HE MADE HIS DECISION

JANUARY 3

Bible Reading: Exodus 7:8-18 Key Verse: 14-And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaohs heart is hardened, he
refuseth to let the people go.

Key Words: he refuseth to let the people Because Pharoahs heart was hardened he refused to let the children of Israel go. Even though God would through many miracles and trials reveal to Pharoah that He was the true and living God. Pharoah had made up his mind, not just to oppose Israel but to oppose the God of Israel. The incredible irony of his whole life is that at one time Josef Stalin had been a seminary student, preparing for the ministry. At a later time it seems that he made a

decisive change from his belief in God. This dramatic and complete reversal of conviction that resulted in his hatred for all religion is why Lenin chose Stalin and positioned him in authority a choice Lenin too late regretted. (The name Stalin, which means steel, was not his real name, but was given to him by his contemporaries who fell under the steel-like determination of his will.) And as Stalin lay dying, his one last gesture was a clenched fist toward God, his heart as cold and hard as steel. Most of us know of someone who has made the decision to oppose God. We need to pray for these people and ask God to make Himself real to them. My prayer is that their decision to oppose God is not their final decision.

What to do: Dont be foolish. One can never defeat God.

JANUARY 4 Bible Reading: II Chronicles 7:1-15 Key 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.

THE DECISION TO TURN

Key Words: turn from Have you ever given any consideration to two of the words found in the oftenquoted verse II Chronicles 7:14? Those words are turn from. If God is to heal our land, we must as a people eliminate the wicked things from our life. I must turn from the wicked and turn toward God. This means Im leaving the things of wickedness behind. This must be a conscious decision on my part. Kenneth Langley writes: Film maker Walt Disney was ruthless in cutting anything that got in the way of a storys pacing. Ward Kimball, one of the animators for SNOW WHITE, recalls working 240 days on a 4 1/2 minute sequence in which the dwarfs made soup for Snow White and almost destroyed the kitchen in the process. Disney thought it was funny, but he decided the scene stopped the flow of the picture, so out it went. When the film of our lives is shown, will it be as great as it might be? A lot will depend on the multitude of good things we need to eliminate to make way for the great things God wants to do through us.

Which raises the question, What does God want you to turn from thats keeping you from turning to God?

What to do: Make the decision to turn to God.

JANUARY 5 Bible Reading: Joshua 24:1-18 Key Verse: 15-And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day
whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

CHOOSE A CHAIR

Key Words: choose you this day whom ye will serve Some people have a hard time making decisions: choosing between this thing or that thing, this occupation or that occupation, this life or that life; and as a result, they end up straddling the fence which can result in failure. When I was a boy, my father, a baker, introduced me to the wonders of song, tenor Luciano Pavarotti relates. He urged me to work very hard to develop my voice. Arrigo Pola, a professional tenor in my hometown of Modena, Italy, took me as a pupil. I also enrolled in a teachers college. On graduating, I asked my father, Shall I be a teacher or a singer? Luciano, my father replied, if you try to sit on two chairs, you will fall between them. For life, you must choose one chair. I chose one. It took seven years of study and frustration before I made my first professional appearance. It took another seven to reach the Metropolitan Opera. And now I think whether its laying bricks, writing a bookwhatever we choosewe should give ourselves to it. Commitment, thats the key. Choose one chair. Come on, choose a chair: Gods or the worlds. We all must ultimately make that decision.

What to do: Choose the right chair; your future depends upon it.

JANUARY 6 Bible Reading: I Kings 12:1-19 Key Verse: 15-Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was
from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

A WRONG DECISION

Key Words: Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people After Solomons death, his oldest son, Rehoboam, became king. During his reign he implemented some harsh requirements of the people. The people of Israel requested that the harsh requirements be lessened, so Rehoboam took the matter before two groups of counselors. The older group counseled him to lessen the requirements while the younger group recommended that he make the requirements even more harshwhich he did. It proved to be the wrong decision as the people under Rehoboams leadership rebelled, causing a divided kingdom which we know as the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom. This is why we need Gods wisdom in our decisions because every decision is potentially a divisive one. Some years ago an overpass collapsed during the night in Greenville, Alabama. A passerby, seeing the collapse, attempted to stop oncoming traffic heading for the overpass but to no avail. The first car, thinking the Good Samaritan was drunk, went speeding by crashing over the overpass; and as a result, two people died. The result of wrong decisions can be great. Thats the reason we need to pray daily that God will give us special wisdom and insight so that we can make the decisions He desires rather than making the decisions we desire.

What to do: Ask God to help you make wise decisions, not wrong ones.

JANUARY 7 Bible Reading: Joshua 7:1-10 Key Verse: 2-And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on
the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.

INSIGHT, NOT SIGHT

Key Words: and the men went up and viewed Ai So often (and I do mean way too often) we make decisions by sight rather than insight. Sight sees what is visible, it sees what is; but insight sees what can be and will be. We call it discernment. If we base our decisions solely on sight, we will frequently make unwise choices. So it was with Joshua and the people of Israel. They looked at Ai and said, We can take them; but they never sought insight from God. A man was dying in the desert. As he stumbled over a sand dune he was greeted by a man selling ties. The dehydrated man begged for water, but the salesman said he only had ties. In frustration and anger the weakened man continued on his journey for survival. In an hour he reached an isolated restaurant in the middle of the desert. Was it a mirage? As he drew closer, he saw it was real. He was ecstatic. With renewed energy he ran for the door. He was stopped at the entrance by a security guard who denied him entry. The guard said, Im sorry, sir, but you need a necktie to eat here. The point is: we often make decisions based on the here and now rather than the sweet by and by-which is the opposite of what we might call insight.

What to do: In making decisions its nice to look at what is, but it is imperative to see what can be and what will be the consequences of the decision we are making.

JANUARY 8 Bible Reading: Matthew 6:24-34 Key Verse: 33- But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all
these things shall be added unto you.

A CONSCIOUS DECISION

Key Words: But seek ye first the kingdom of God Most believers will tell you that Christ is the center of their lives, that they are indeed seeking the kingdom of God first. But for most this just isnt so. In my house, we have a den that we use as a family room. We also have a living room that is rarely used. It just occurred to me that we dont do a lot of living in the living room. That room is not really named properly. Its more of the visit room than the living room. Now, the living room is in the house, but it really isnt the life of the house. Its not where we live. Most folks live in their den, or family room. Some folks live in the kitchen. Rarely do we live in those specially decorated places in our homes reserved for guests. For many of us, God is in the house, but hes been relegated to the room in our house reserved for special occasions. He is only allowed in the living room. Hes not allowed in the center the den or the family room. Hes not allowed into the places where we live our lives. Hes not allowed in the center of our lives; Hes only allowed in designated areas. Many Christians say that He is the centerpiece of their lives when He is really not at all. Putting God first in our lives is a conscious decision either we decide to or not to, but its a decision we make.

What to do: Genuinely seek Gods kingdom first.

THE DECISION TO BE PERSISTENT

JANUARY 9

Bible Reading: Ephesians 6:1-14 Key Verse: 14- Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on
the breastplate of righteousness;

Key Words: Stand therefore Persistence pays! Now its a costly investment, no question about it. But the rewards are so much greater than the cost.

A primary reason we are tempted to throw in the towel and give up is other people. You know, that 20% to 25% who believe its their call in life to discourage those who are attempting to accomplish something, those white-flag specialists who never run out of excuses as to why you and I should quit, and why all the hours, sweat and tears are not worth it. Im sure Anne Mansfield Sullivan had a host of folks telling her that the blind, 7year-old brat wasnt worth it. But Anne persistedin spite of temper tantrums, physical abuse, mealtime madness, and even thankless parents. In her heart she knew it was worth all the pain. Was it ever! Within two years her pupil, Helen Keller, was able to read and write in braille. She ultimately graduated cum laude from Radcliffe College (where Miss Sullivan had spelled each lecture into her hand), and Helen Keller devoted the rest of her life to aiding the deaf and the blind all because of the persistence of Anne Sullivan, who would not listen to critics but persistently kept after it. I recently read about a couple of men who were working alongside the inventor Thomas Edison. Weary to the point of exasperation, one man sighed, What a waste! We have tried no less than seven hundred experiments and nothing has worked. We are not a bit better off than when we started. With an optimistic twinkle in his eye, Edison quipped, Oh, yes, we are! We now know seven hundred things that wont work. If necessity is the mother of invention, persistence has to be the father. Ephesians 6:13-14, Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore . Be persistent!

What to do: To quit or not to quit? Its a decision you have to make and youll live with the results of that decision.

JANUARY 10 Bible Reading: Philippians 3:1-14 Key Verse: 14-I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus.

THE DECISION TO DO YOUR BEST

Key Words: I press toward the mark For the apostle Paul, each day was the continuation of an exciting and challenging race. He wasnt striving to gain entrance into heaven; he was confident of being welcomed there through his faith in Christs atoning work on the cross. The

apostles concern was to be at his best for the Savior- to grow in His likeness and to realize in daily experience the power of his resurrection (Phil 3:10). This meant forgetting what was behind, letting neither success nor failure hinder his growth. It meant pressing on till the day he would hear his Master say, Well done, good and faithful servant. (Matthew 25:23) John Baker, a high school junior, surprised everyone by winning his first crosscountry race. He outran the state champion and set a new record. Later he said that as he was running he asked himself, Am I doing my best? This question motivated him to try just a little harder. Rather than being discouraged by the runner in front of him, he would determine to pass him- somehow! When he did, he set another goal of passing the next runner, and the next. By giving his all and letting nothing distract him, he found an unexpected reserve of power that ultimately brought him to victory. Something of that determination must keep us moving forward as believers. Victory does not come to those who are easily turned aside, or who are less than wholehearted in their commitment and service. Lets ask ourselves, Am I doing my best for Christ? This will help us press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Im pressing on the upward way, New heights Im gaining everyday, Still praying as Im onward bound, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground. Remember, pressing forward, and doing your best is a conscious decision one has to make.

What to do: Today surrender yourself to make a conscious decision to always do your best.

JANUARY 11 Bible Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 Key Verse: 1- To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the
heaven:

THE DECISION TO BE PROMPT

Key Words: To everything there is a season, and a time We read in Ecclesiastes 3:1, To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. If you were to read Ecclesiastes 3:2-8, you would read a list of twenty-eight things which have a time. Everything has a time. Yes, even to

God promptness is important. We read in Ephesians 5:16, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. One of our members sent me the following in regard to punctuality. I could never think well of a mans intellectual or moral character if he was habitually unfaithful to his appointments. (Emnons) Method is the very hinge of business; and there is no method without punctuality. Appointments once made, become debts. If I have made an appointment with you, I owe you punctuality; I have no right to throw away your time, if I do my own. (Cecil) I have always been a quarter of an hour before my time, and it has made a man of me. (Lord Nelson) Want of punctuality is a want of virtue. (J. M. Mason) I give it as my deliberate and solemn conviction that the individual who is habitually tardy in meeting an appointment, will never be respected or successful in life. (W. Fisk) Every child should be taught (Proverbs 22:6) to pay all his debts, and to fulfill all his contracts, exactly in manner, completely in value, punctually at the time specified. Everything he has borrowed, he should be obliged to return. William Shakespeare said, Better to be three hours early than one minute late. Ones promptness does affect his testimony. An airline pilot flying over the southeastern U. S. called the local tower and said, We are passing over at 35,000 give us a time check. The tower said What airline are you? What difference does it make? I just want the time, replied the pilot. The tower responded, Oh, it makes a lot of difference. If you are TransWorld Airline or Pan Am, it is 1600. If you are United or Delta, it is 4 oclock. If you are Southern Airways, the little hand is on the 4 and the big hand is on the 12. If you are Skyway Airlines its Thursday. Let me ask, is your lack of promptness the brunt of everyone elses jokes? Well, Ive got to go Ive got an appointment and I cant be late.

What to do: Just as in every other facet of our lives, being prompt or tardy is a decision we make. Decide today to be prompt!

HOMOSEXUALITY IS A CHOICE
JANUARY 12 Bible Reading: Romans 1:18-32 Key Verse: 21-Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God,
neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

(It is a decision one makes.)

Key Words: but became vain To listen to those who believe in or promote a homosexual lifestyle you would have to come to the conclusion that God made them that way (homosexual). If you take the same line of reasoning then you would also have to say that God made Adam and Eve love the apple so much that they couldnt resist sinning, or that God made Cain a murderer so that he would kill Abel, or that God made David commit adultery with Bathsheba, or that God made me love sweets so that I would overindulge. How silly is that! We are born with a sin nature, but the choice to sin is a conscious decision we make, whether it be homosexuality, murder, adultery, or overindulgence. Years ago Stanford University ran a survey using 100 four-year-old boys. The survey was simple. They brought in each of the 100 four-year-olds one at a time and laid one marshmallow in front of them. The individual doing the survey told each boy he had to leave the room for a minute, but that if he didnt eat the one marshmallow, he would give him two marshmallows for resisting the one. Of the 100 four-yearolds, 80 of them decided to eat the one marshmallow foregoing the benefit of getting two marshmallows for waiting. The conclusion they reached was that each boy made a decision based upon the ability to control their desires. So it is with us all. We make decisions based upon our desires: the desire to satisfy self or the desire to please God. Its a decision we each make. So it is with homosexuality: it is a choice; it is a decision they makenot because God made them that way, but because of a sinful desire to please self.

What to do: Who are you pleasing today? Your decisions will tell you!

JANUARY 13 Bible Reading: Luke 14:25-33 Key Verse: 28- For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and
counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

A STAGE THREE DECISION

Key Words: and counteth the cost Genuine believers in Jesus Christ can be divided into three groups or stages. Stage #1, where the majority of believers live, is the born-again group. Remember Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:7, Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. Most believers stop right here never to move again. They live with great satisfaction in the land of being born again; but God never intended for us to stop here, it is just a starting point. God wants us to move from this first stage of being born again and mature into stage two, which is called being a Christian. Stage #2, the word Christian carries the idea of being Christ-like. Remember in Acts 11:26b, And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. But stage two isnt our final destination either. God wants us to move on to stage three which is known as discipleship. Stage #3, discipleship: it is interesting that Jesus never tells those who are referred to as born-again to count the cost, nor does he ever say to the Christian, count the cost only to the disciples, those who were dedicated to following God and doing the will of God, no matter what the cost. Remember in Luke 14:28, Jesus asked the question, For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? And then in verses 31-32, he asked the second question, Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. Then Jesus gives us the knock-out blow in verse 33 when he says, So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Jesus did not say that he could not be born again he did not say he was not a Christian but he did say the person who cant give all up for Him will never live in stage three, the stage of discipleship. The key word here is forsake. It means bid adu. The idea is not that I give up my house but that my house never stands in the way of my service for God. I dont give up my mom and dad. They will always be my mom and dad. But my parents will never separate or hinder me from my service to God. It is this third stage, the stage of discipleship, where we are asked to count the cost.

If you feel all crowded by living in stage one or even stage two, why dont you plan a move to stage three to the land of discipleship? The cost of living is high but it is not crowded.

What to do: Make the decision to live in Stage Three.

MAKING THE DECISION TO STAY ON TRACK

Bible Reading: I Timothy 4 Key Verse: 12- Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the
believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

JANUARY 14

Key Words: be thou an example It was September 1, 1988, when KAL (Korean Airlines) Flight 007 left Anchorage, Alaska, headed for Seoul, South Korea, with 240 passengers and 29 crew members on board. Some four hours later the plane was shot down by a Soviet mig-fighter for invading Soviet air space. All 269 on board died that night as the plane plummeted 35,000 feet crashing into the Caspian Sea. It is believed that when the flight crew programmed their flight plan into the planes computer, they miscalculated by less than one degree the proper flight path which resulted in the plane being some 400 miles off course, which resulted in the tragic death of all 269 on board KAL Flight 007. That less than 1% mistake led them 400 miles off course. The same thing can happen to us and our churches unless we determine to stay on track, which raises the question of how and what steps can we take as a church, what steps can you take as a believer to stay on track spiritually? Let me suggest the following. Lead by example. In this day when all of Hollywood and many athletes are demanding that they not be an example for your children (and I agree that they should not be), both you and I should be an example and should want to be. Paul told Timothy to be an example in six areas. 1. Word: what we say and how we say it. 2. Conversation: thats your manner of life. 3. Charity: thats your love.

4. Spirit: thats your attitude. 5. Faith: what can I say...faith is faith. 6. Purity: thats both your actions and thoughts. Be an example. If you are an example for others, you will stay on track.

What to do: Make the decision to stay on track.

MAKE THE DECISION TO USE YOUR ADVERSITY

JANUARY 15

Bible Reading: Psalm 32 Key Verse: 8- I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will
guide thee with mine eye.

Key Words: I will instruct thee In Psalm 32, the psalmist is going through a great illness but rather than bemoan the illness, he makes the decision to use his adversity for God. Shouldnt we all do the same? One of the greatest preachers in these modern times is Dr. John Henry Jowett. Dr. Jowett to everyones amazement once said, You seem to think that I have no ups and downs, but just a level and lofty stretch of spiritual attainment; but this is not true! I am often perfectly wretched and almost everything in life appears most murky. I am the subject of depression of spirit so fearful that I hope none of you ever get to such extremes of wretchedness as I go to. These are the words of the prince of modern-day preachers, Charles H. Spurgeon. Discouragement is no respecter of persons. Discouragement seems to attack the successful far more than the unsuccessful, for the higher we climb the farther down we have to fall. Warren Wiersbe. No doubt that many a believer has battled with adversity and discouragement, but did you know that God desires for you to use your adversity as a ministry to others? Look at II Corinthians 1:4, Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. Dr. George Truett tells the story about an unbelieving couple whose baby suddenly died. Dr. Truett conducted the funeral and later had the joy of seeing this couple trust Jesus Christ as Savior. A few months later a young mother in their

church lost her baby and again, Dr. Truett was called upon to help comfort her. But nothing he shared with the young mother seemed to help. But at the funeral the mother who had lost her baby just a few months earlier walked up and sat down by the grieving mother, placed her arms around her and began to share with her how just a few months before God had called her little one home. As they wept together, it became very obvious that the first mother, because of her past experience, was able to minister to her where the rest of us had failed. The first mother did not let her adversity get the victory, but rather she used her adversity to minister to others. We all face adversity in life and this adversity will do one of two things to us. It will either cause us depression and defeat, or it will open the door of opportunity for God to use us to minister to others. My prayer for each of you is that you will use your adversity to minister to others for Gods glory.

What to do: Make the decision to use your adversity for God.

MAKE THE DECISION TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR CHRIST

JANUARY 16

Bible Reading: James 1:13-24 Key Verse: 22- But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own
selves.

Key Words: be ye doers of the word The theme for our church for the year of 2006 was Making A Difference for Christ. Which raises the question of how...how can we make a difference? When you study the lives of those from Gods Word who made a difference in the lives of others you find one trait that stands out above all others. They made a difference because they determined to be different. Abraham was different in that he didnt begin his journey of faith until he was one hundred years old. Now thats different. Abraham made a difference in the lives of others. Abraham, rather than using his age for an excuse, determined to make a difference for God in spite of his age, proving that usefulness in Gods service has nothing to do with age, but everything to do with availability. Abraham made a difference by being different. David was but a runt of a lad when he defeated Goliath. When no one else would stand up to the Philistine giant, David determined to be different and as a result, he made a difference in the lives of others. Again proving that age has

nothing to do with being used by God, but availability has everything to do with being useful in Gods service. David made a difference by being different. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were different. When everyone else bowed to the image of the world, these three young men decided to be different, and as a result of being different, they made a difference. (See Daniel 3:28-30.) Daniel was different. When all others refused to pray because of the fear of being cast in the lions den, Daniel was never deterred. He made a difference by being different. (See Daniel 6:26-28.) Joseph made a difference. He refused to compromise in his moral standards, and as a result, he eventually became the governor of Egypt. He made a difference by being different. Deborah made a difference. You can read about this woman of God in Judges, chapters 4 and 5. She was a judge in Israel (because no man was willing to lead). Sisera, captain of the army of Canaan, declared war on Israel. Deborah sends word to Barak, the captain of the army of Israel, giving him his marching instructions for the upcoming war with Canaan. Baraks response was, Ill only go to war, Deborah, if you go with me. So here is a woman leading Israel to victory. Deborah made a difference because she was different. If you and I are to make a difference in the year 2013, we must determine to be different from the world in our walk, talk, demeanor, standards, spirit, and in our faithfulness to God. We must be different. Let us join together this year and make a difference for Christ in the lives of others.

What to do: Make the decision to be different for Christs sake.

JANUARY 17 Bible Reading: Proverbs 21:1-10 Key Verse: 5-The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one
that is hasty only to want.

HASTY DECISION

Key Words: every one that is hasty only to want We are often forced into hasty decisions; and while I know that on occasion haste is necessary, I do remember that haste makes waste. Robert Schuller records the following incident.

I remember one winter my dad needed firewood, and he found a dead tree and sawed it down. In the spring, to his dismay, new shoots sprouted around the trunk. He said, "I thought sure it was dead. The leaves had all dropped in the wintertime. It was so cold that twigs snapped as if there were no life left in the old tree. But now I see that there was still life at the taproot." He looked at me and said, "Bob, don't forget this important lesson. Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst mood. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come." In other words, dont rush to make a decision. When Im pressed into making a decision quickly, my answer is always no. There have been times I regretted saying no, but most of the time the refusal to make other decisions was a wise one. Haste can make waste.

What to do: Be cautious with hasty decisions.

JANUARY 18 Bible Reading: James 4 Key Verse: 13-Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city,
and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

DELAYED DECISION

Key Words: Go to now While we know that haste makes waste, there comes a time to make a decision; and when we fail to act in a timely manner, others will make the decision(s) we should be making. Former president Ronald Reagan once had an aunt who took him to a cobbler for a pair of new shoes. The cobbler asked young Reagan, "Do you want square toes or round toes?" Unable to decide, Reagan didn't answer, so the cobbler gave him a few days. Several days later the cobbler saw Reagan on the street and asked him again what kind of toes he wanted on his shoes. Reagan still couldn't decide, so the shoemaker replied, "Well, come by in a couple of days. Your shoes will be ready." When the future president did so, he found one square-toed and one round-

toed shoe! "This will teach you to never let people make decisions for you," the cobbler said to his indecisive customer. "I learned right then and there," Reagan said later, "if you don't make your own decisions, someone else will."

What to do: Make the decision delegated to you. If not, others will.

JANUARY 19 Bible Reading: Hebrews 11:24-31 Key Verse: 25- Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to
enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

A TOUGH CHOICE

Key Words: Choosing rather to suffer affliction Not all decisions are easy and that which goes against our flesh are extremely hard to make. There are times we know our decisions will cause us to suffer which is often hard to bear, but even harder is where the decision we make will cause others to suffer. During World War II, Winston Churchill was forced to make a painful choice. The British secret service had broken the Nazi code and informed Churchill that the Germans were going to bomb Coventry. He had two alternatives: (1) evacuate the citizens and save hundreds of lives at the expense of indicating to the Germans that the code was broken; or (2) take no action, which would kill hundreds but keep the information flowing and possibly save many more lives. Churchill had to choose and followed the second course. Making the tough choices requires much prayer and time alone with God; and certainly Gods grace will be sufficient!

What to do: If the lot has fallen to you to make the tough choices, make them; but not alonemake them with much Godly council and prayer.

JANUARY 20 Bible Reading: Joshua 16 Key Verse: 10-And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the
Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.

THE DECISION NOT TO COMPROMISE

Key Words: and they drave not out the Canaanites We read in Joshua 16:10, And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute. When we compromise, we always end up being servants to the world. The Canaanites were an ungodly people and the Ephraimites refused to run them out of the land. In other words, they were willing to live and dwell among the ungodly. They were willing to compromise. Believers must realize that they cannot compromise with evil. The tribe of Ephraim failed to understand this truth. In 1992 the Boy Scouts were under fire in California. The Berkeley, California, schools closed their doors to the Boy Scouts because they refused to admit homosexuals and atheists. A judge in Santa Ana, California, ordered Cub Scout Pack 519 to re-admit atheist twins. The two boys were ousted when they refused to say God during their pledge. All across California people began to pull their financial support from the Scouts. In San Francisco alone $849,000 was withdrawn from support of the Scouts because of their exclusion of homosexuals. Blake Lewis, spokesperson for the Boy Scouts, said, Mainstream families want moral values for their youth. He went on to explain that there is no chance that the Boy Scouts will change its policy no matter how much financial support they lose. He closed by saying, Our values are not for sale. Because they took a strong stand, people from every corner of the United States began to send in money and, as a result of their stand, the Boy Scouts were much better off financially in the end because they would not compromise. We must, as believers, come to the place where we understand compromising doesnt pay. Stay the course. Do right. The psalmist 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: Make the decision not to compromise.

JANUARY 21 Bible Reading: I Kings 18:30-40 Key Verse: 39-And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said,
The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

THE DECISION TO BE A LEADER

Key Words: And when all the people saw it You know the background of our text. Elijah is opposing the prophets of Baal. I find it interesting that God calls us all to face challenges. Its these challenges that we all face that makes leaders of those who make the decision to face the challenges head-on. J. Keith Louden lists seven qualities of a leader in his book, Leadership: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. The ability to look ahead and see what's coming -- foresight. Steadiness, with patience and persistence and courage. A buoyant spirit that in spite of cares generates confidence. Ingeniousness, the ability to solve problems soundly yet creatively. The ability to help others. Righteousness, the willingness to do the right thing and speak the truth. Personal morality of a quality that commands the respect of others.

So go ahead and lead, but remember, youll face some challenges. And also remember, God is not doing something to you but for you.

What to do: Remember, leaders dont run from challenges.

JANUARY 22 Bible Reading: Psalm 7:1-8 Key Verse: 8-The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my
righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.

THE DECISION TO BE JUDGED

Key Words: judge me The word judge is a judicial term. It means to turn inside out, to see if what I pretend to be on the outside is really what I am on the inside.

We all need to make the decision to ask God to judge us, turn us inside out and evaluate us to see if what we are on the inside and what we are on the outside matches. In 1988, an awesome event happened. Ben Johnson of Canada broke out of the starting gates like no other man in history. I remember sitting and listening to the commentator say, Did you see that start? Ladies and gentlemen, its Ben Johnson! Its Ben Johnson! Its Ben Johnson! As we watched, the time lines on the TV said that the man had broken the Olympic record. Ben Johnson had turned that sprint for the fastest human alive upside down as it had never been demonstrated before! The crowd went wild! The other runners congratulated him. What a run by Ben Johnson! Until it all hit the fan. When it went before the judges, they tested his blood and found steroids. When they found steroids, they sent word back for Ben Johnson to give up his gold medal and they awarded it to another. The gold medal that Ben Johnson had won was snatched and turned over to another. He went back to Canada a disgrace. The crowd didnt know it when he was running it. The crowd didnt know it when he was sprinting. When he was darting out of the blocks, the people went wild. When he did his victory lap, he looked like he was a winner. The only problem was the judges went inside of his body and extracted what was on the inside and brought it to light. On that day, many of us who think we have won will find out that we have to turn in our medal because we didnt run according the rules. The question is: will He call your name or will He strip you of your crown? Carnality will receive its just reward. Do you have the courage today to ask God to judge your righteousness and your integrity?

What to do: Live your life for Christ. One day He will judge us all.

JANUARY 23 Bible Reading: Matthew 6:19-25 Key Verse: 24-No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and
love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

THE DECISION TO GIVE OR NOT TO GIVE

Key Words: No man can serve two masters Every Sunday in our churches across America decisions are made. Yes, Im speaking of a spiritual decision. No, its not about salvation, rededication, or even

church membership. People make the decision to give financially or not give, but the decision is made each and every Sunday. If statistics are correct, then fewer than 40% choose to give meaning that over 70% choose not to give. A country preacher once delivered a sermon on giving. He said, Now church, you know weve got to go somewhere and so we need the church to walk. And the deacons lined up on the front row and they said, Rev, let the church walk. Let the church walk. The preacher said, Weve got to start moving. And the deacons said, Let it walk. The preacher saw that he had the deacons with him, so he said, And then after weve walked for a little while, church, weve got to run. The deacons said, Yeah, let the church run! He went on preaching, getting the congregation and deacons more excited as he continued. He said, Then, after weve run for a little while, its time for the church to fly! Weve got to fly! The deacons said, Yes, Reverend, weve got to fly! Weve got to fly! Then the preacher said, Well, now, you know its going to take money for the church to fly. The deacons said, Let it crawl, Rev! Let it crawl!

What to do: All of us are givers or takers. Which one are you? Be a giver (Acts 20:35).

THE DECISION TO BE AN ENCOURAGER

JANUARY 24

Bible Reading: Acts 27:9-24 Key Verse: 22-And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of
any mans life among you, but of the ship.

Key Words: be of good cheer All of us make a daily decision to encourage or discourage others. The story is told of two men, both seriously ill, who occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the rooms only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where

his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the beautiful scene. One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man could not hear the band - he could see it in his mind 's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Days, weeks and months passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly and painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

What to do: Make a decision today to be an encourager.

JANUARY 25 Bible Reading: Ruth 3:1-13 Key Verse: 1-Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not
seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

THE DECISION TO GIVE HOPE

Key Words: Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her Have you ever felt hopeless, then God sent just the right person to say just the right thing to give you hope? Well, thats what Naomi did for Ruth. She gave her hope that she would one day be the bride of Boaz.

In recounting his experience as a political prisoner in Russia, Alexander Solzhenitsyn tells of a moment when he was on the verge of giving up all hope. He was forced to work twelve hours a day at hard labor while existing on a starvation diet, and he had become gravely ill. The doctors were predicting his death. One afternoon while shoveling sand under a blazing sun, he simply stopped working. He did so even though he knew the guards would beat him severely perhaps to death. But he felt he just couldnt go on. Then he saw another prisoner, a fellow Christian, moving toward him cautiously. With his cane the man quickly drew a cross in the sand and erased it. In that brief moment Solzhenitsyn felt all the hope of the Gospel flood through his soul. It gave him the courage to endure that difficult day and the months of imprisonment that followed. What a joy when you are given hope!!

What to do: Be a bright spot in peoples lives. Give them hope.

JANUARY 26 Bible Reading: Proverbs 5:15-23 Key Verse: 18-Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Key Words: rejoice with the wife of thy youth
A happy marriage is a decision you have to make. How you look at marriage and how you feel about you and your spouse is your decision. Someone has suggested the following ten keys to a successful marriage. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Talk with each other. Tell each other I love you. Touch each other. Tantalize each other. Tolerate each other. Trust each other Treat each other. Treasure each other. Thank each other. Track with each other.

A HAPPY MARRIAGE IS A DECISION

When Winston Churchill was prime minister of Great Britain, his marriage was considered one of the best examples in England of true loyalty and love. Often,

when he gave a speech in the House of Commons, he would not begin until he had received a sign from her. Later in his life, someone interviewed Mr. Churchill and asked, If you could live again, what would you want to be? With a twinkle in his eye, Churchill replied, Mrs. Churchills next husband. What a benediction on a marriage! And what a monumental compliment for ones wife. Amen and amen!!

What to do: Make the decision today to do your part to make your marriage a happy one.

JANUARY 27 Bible Reading: Romans 8:31-39 Key Verse: 37-Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that
loved us.

THE DECISION TO REMOVE THE OBSTACLES

Key Words: we are more than conquerors through him that loved us All of us face obstacles in life. How we handle them depends on the decisions we make. Some choose to go around obstacles. Some choose to turn back when confronted by obstacles. Some find others to deal with the obstacles. But the reward of an obstacle is when we decide to handle it meet it head-on. There is an old legend of a benevolent king who had his men place a great heavy stone on a certain roadway over which all his subjects would have to travel. He then hid himself to see who would try to remove the stone. No one stopped to try to remove the stone, but all worked their way around it, loudly blaming the king for not keeping the roadway clear. Finally, a poor peasant farmer on his way to town with a load of vegetables which he hoped to sell in the marketplace came to the blocked roadway. He lay down his load and with considerable effort and loss of time managed to move the great stone to the side of the roadway. Then, turning to leave, he spied a purse which had been under the stone. He opened the purse and found it to be filled with pieces of gold, with a note from the king indicating that it was all to be the property of the one who would remove the stone.

on.

Dont run from the obstacles of life. With God leading the way meet them head-

What to do: Make the decision prayerfully to meet your obstacles head-on.

JANUARY 28 Bible Reading: Acts 5:24-42 Key Verse: 41-And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they
were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

THE DECISION TO GO ON IN SPITE OF PAIN

Key Words: And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing They called him "Old Hickory" because of his tenacity and grit. His mother chose the name "Andrew" on March 15, 1767, when she gave birth to him in an old run-down shack somewhere in South Carolina. Wild, quick-tempered, and disinterested in school, Andrew answered the call for soldiers to resist the British invasion at age thirteen. He was taken as a prisoner of war before he turned fifteen. Refusing to shine an enemy officer's boots, he was struck with a saber -- Andrew's introduction to pain. Although he bore the marks of the blow for the rest of his life, Andrew's fiery disposition never waned. A fighter to the core, he chose to settle arguments in duels and lived most of his days with two bullets painfully wedged in his body. After he distinguished himself on the battlefield, his name became a national synonym for valor and stern persistence. When politics nodded in his direction, "Old Hickory" accepted the challenge: first the Senate (serving a term as Senator), then nomination for President. The shadow of pain appeared again in another form as he lost a narrow race with John Quincy Adams. Four years later, however, he ran again . . . and won! But pain accompanied the victory. Two months before he took office he lost his beloved wife, Rachel. Griefstricken, the President-elect pressed on. Even as he was being sworn into office as our nation's seventh President, he fought the anguish of a raging fever caused by an abscess in the lung. Some time later, one of the bullets within him had to be surgically removed. He endured that operation---done without anesthetic---in typically courageous fashion. Even his political career was painful. A nasty scandal split his cabinet, and critics clawed at him like hungry lions. Although he stood firm for many months, the telling

signs of pain began to manifest themselves. He was one of the few men who left office, however, more popular than when he came. "For once, the rising was eclipsed by the setting sun," wrote a contemporary sage. And it was pain, more than any other single factor, which drew the qualities of greatness out of Andrew Jackson. Pain humbles the proud. It softens the stubborn. It melts the hard. Silently and relentlessly, it wins battles deep within the lonely soul. The heart alone knows its own sorrow and not another person can fully share in it. Pain operates alone; it needs no assistance. It communicates its own message whether to statesman or servant, preacher or prodigal, mother or child. By staying, it refuses to be ignored. By hurting, it reduces its victim to profound depths of anguish. And it is at that anguishing point that the sufferer either submits and learns, developing maturity and character, or resists and becomes embittered, swamped by self-pity, smothered by self-will. I have tried and I cannot find, either in Scripture or history, a strong-willed individual whom God used greatly until He allowed him to be hurt deeply. So today could it be, dear believer, that if you are going through pain and have been broken by it, that God is on the verge of greatly using you?

What to do: The test of your character is what it takes to stop you. Show Godly character and keep going.

JANUARY 29 Bible Reading: Mark 14:1-9 Key Verse: 8-She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my
body to the burying.

THE DECISION TO DO WHAT YOU CAN

Key Words: She hath done what she could Let me ask you a simple question: in your daily life, do you do what you can to bring glory to God and be a help to others? It is a conscious decision you and I must make each and every day to do what we can! In Elmer Bendiners book, The Fall Of Fortresses, he describes one bombing run over the German city of Kassel: Our B-17 (The Tondelayo) was barraged by flak from Nazi anti-aircraft guns. That was not unusual, but on this particular occasion our gas tanks were hit. Later, as I reflected on the miracle of a twenty-millimeter shell piercing the fuel tank without touching off an explosion, our pilot, Bohn Fawkes, told me it was not quite that simple.

On the morning following the raid, Bohn had gone down to ask our crew chief for that shell as a souvenir of unbelievable luck. The crew chief told Bohn that not just one shell but eleven had been found in the gas tankseleven unexploded shells where only one was sufficient to blast us out of the sky. It was as if the sea had been parted for us. Even after thirty-five years, so awesome an event leaves me shaken, especially after I heard the rest of the story from Bohn. He was told that the shells had been sent to the armorers to be defused. The armorers told him that Intelligence had picked them up. They could not say why at the time, but Bohn eventually sought out the answer. Apparently when the armorers opened each of those shells, they found no explosive charge. They were clean as a whistle and just as harmless. Empty? Not all of them. One contained a carefully rolled piece of paper. On it was a scrawl in Czech. The Intelligence people scoured our base for a man who could read Czech. Eventually, they found one to decipher the note. It set us marveling. Translated, the note read: This is all we can do for you now. They did what they could!!

What to do: Do what you can today and everyday for Gods glory.

JANUARY 30 Bible Reading: II Corinthians 6:1-10 Key Verse: 2-(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of
salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

THE DECISION TO ACCEPT CHRIST

Key Words: behold, now is the accepted time: behold now is the day of salvation Salvation is a choice we make. It is the most important choice one makes in their entire life. It is the only eternal decision we make. It comes with eternal blessing or eternal damage, but the choice is yours. Longfellow could take a worthless sheet of paper, write a poem on it, and make it worth $6,000thats genius. Rockefeller could sign his name to a piece of paper and make it worth a million dollarsthats capital. Uncle Sam can take gold, stamp an eagle on it, and make it worth $20.00 thats money.

A mechanic can take material that is worth only $5.00 and make it worth $50.00 thats skill. An artist can take a fifty-cent piece of canvas, paint a picture on it, and make it worth $1,000thats art. God can take a worthless, sinful life, wash it in the blood of Christ, put His Spirit in it, and make it a blessing to humanitythats salvation.

What to do: Make the right choice: accept Jesus today as your Savior.

JANUARY 31 Bible Reading: Psalm 86 Key Verse: 12-I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy
name for evermore.

THE DECISION TO GLORIFY GOD

Key Words: I will praise thee I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. Psalm 86:12 I have seen many books in recent days that tell us how to feel good about ourselves and how to attain financial success; but in all candor, I find that little is written about our obligation to glorify God. These writings present a whats-in-it-forme approach to spirituality. They do little to produce the kind of faith and character that helps us as a person to live a triumphant life in times of adversity, pain, and sorrow. At a family reunion, some of us discussed the type of faith we saw in our parents and grandparents. They seemed to have the same attitude as the psalmist did in Psalm 86:12. They viewed themselves as unworthy of Gods favor, they gave fervent thanks for their salvation, and made glorifying God their central aim. Those who farmed took good care of their buildings, land, and livestock as a means by which they could honor God Who provided for them. They faithfully attended church to hear Gods Word, not to be entertained. Instead of having selfcentered ambitions, they lived as servants of God. When they faced death, they looked forward to being with the Lord.

If you and I make pleasing God the guiding principle of our lives, we will glorify Him. And when we do, He will give us peace and satisfaction that money and possessions cannot give. Amid this teeming throng of earth The Lord seeks those who gladly say, Ill follow you, O Christ, my King, And glorify your name each day.

Author Unknown

What to do: Let your life glorify God each day.

I deeply appreciate the help of

Cathy Fortenberry Sandy Lancaster Glenda Myrick Mary Parsons John and Tascha Piatt Reba Pontbriand And my lovely wife, Linda

Without God using these people to help this devotional would not have been possible.

Dr. Mike Rouse