JULY 1 Bible Reading: Genesis 2:18-25 Key Verse: 23-And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and

flesh of my flesh:
she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

THIS MY WIFE

Key Words: This is now bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh Outside of the Lord Himself we men are told that our wife is to be the one we have the closest relationship with! No wonder we are told to: honor her (I Peter 3:7), love her (Ephesians 5:25), and dwell with her (I Peter 3:7, Ephesians 5:31). I read an article once that pretty much describes the average marriage. Marriages begin warm and intimate but over time they can become cold and businesslike. In time we show more consideration to our friends and fellow soldiers than we do to our own husbands and wives. The following humorous anecdote illustrates this point. HUSBAND - FIRST YEAR: Sugar, I'm worried about my little baby girl. You've got a bad sniffle. I want to put you in the hospital for a complete checkup. I know the food is lousy, but I've arranged for your meals to be sent up from Rossini's. It's all arranged. HUSBAND - SECOND YEAR: Listen, Honey, I don't like the sound of that cough. I've called Dr. Miller and he's going to rush right over. Now will you go to bed like a good girl just for me, please? HUSBAND - THIRD YEAR: Maybe you'd better lie down, honey. Nothing like a little rest if you're feeling bad. I'll bring you something to eat. Have we got any soup in the house? HUSBAND - FOURTH YEAR: Look, dear. Be sensible. After you've fed the kids and washed the dishes you'd better hit the sack. HUSBAND - FIFTH YEAR: Why don't you take some aspirin? HUSBAND - SIXTH YEAR: If you'd just gargle or something, instead of sitting around barking like a seal. HUSBAND - SEVENTH YEAR: For heaven's sake, stop sneezing. What are you trying to do, give me pneumonia? But the truth is we are to honor her, love her, and dwell with her all the days of our lives so we can say this my wife: bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh we are onefrom the time of marriage until God calls one of us home.

What to do: Men, honor your wife, love your wife, dwell with your wife.

JULY 2 Bible Reading: Genesis 14:13-24 Key Verse: 14-And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed
his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

THAT MY BROTHER

Key Words: that his brother Now, we know that Lot was the nephew of Abraham but in our text verse he is referred to as his brother who had been taken captive. Before Lot was a captive of the enemy, he was the captive of sin; but no matter, when Lot became captive, Abraham knew he had to go after him. Today, many of our brothers are prisoners of sinthe sin of sex, alcohol, drugs, tobacco, caught in a trap of Satan and they cant get out unless we go after them. Now, think about this: while we sit and watch our televisions, play on our computers and iPads, and talk and text on our cell phones, our brothers are being held captive. We need to go tell our brother Who can free them. When our children were younger one of my daughters came to me with a jump rope and said, Daddy, if you tie me up, I can get free. So I took the challenge and tied her up. I mean I really tied her up. I tied her hands to her legs and knotted that jump rope really good, and then I left. A few minutes later, I heard a little voice saying, A little help, please. I waited for a while until the cry for help became too much for me to bear. By the time I got there my wife had freed her. My daughters response was, Dad, where were you when I needed you? Today, we have brothers everywhere crying out, A little help, please. May they never be able to say to us, Where were you when I needed you?

What to do: Your brother is being held captive; a little help, please.

JULY 3 Bible Reading: Acts 4:1-12 Key Verse: 12-Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

ANY OTHER

Key Words: neither is there salvation in any other Its amazing. People want objective standards when it comes to everything else, but not for how to live their life. But suppose you went to the doctor and he was getting ready to perform an operation and he said, Now, I think this is where I need to cut. Other doctors have ideas of where to cut, but this is what I think. Lets just check it out and see if I cut right. Is that the doctor whom you want? Suppose you went to a pharmacist and he said, Well, I think this is the medicine you should take. Now, the pharmacist down the street has another view, but this is what I think. Why dont you try it? Suppose you got on a plane and the pilot said, Now, I think this is the button Im supposed to push. Now, my engineer over here thinks I ought to push this button. My co-pilot over here thinks I should push that button. The flight attendant thinks I should push this other button. Welllets try this button and see if it gets us off the ground. No! At the doctors office, you want truth. At the pharmacists, you want truth. In the airplane, you sure enough want truth. You dont want a pilot saying, I think, or a doctor saying, I think, or a pharmacist saying, I think. Youre going to sue him if he thinks wrong. You want him to think right. Well now, if you can respect the truth of a doctor and the truth of a pharmacist, and you can respect the truth of a pilot, how come God cant be trusted? Hes truth an absolute standard of reality found in the Word of God. There is no salvation in any other other than the Lord Jesus Christ!!

What to do: Accept the truth. Accept Jesus as your Savior.

JULY 4 Bible Reading: Genesis 3:1-13 Key Verse: 13-And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast
done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

THIS MY SIN

Key Words: What is this that thou hast done? Truth be known, the bottom line to all sin is self-centeredness. Whether it be Achan taking that which belongs to God or David committing adultery with Bathsheba, all sin has at its root self-centeredness and it will be this selfcenteredness that ultimately destroys us. Radio personality Paul Harvey tells the story of how an Eskimo kills a wolf. The account is grisly, yet it offers fresh insight into the consuming, self-destructive nature of sin. "First, the Eskimo coats his knife blade with animal blood and allows it to freeze. Then he adds another layer of blood, and another, until the blade is completely concealed by frozen blood. "Next, the hunter fixes his knife in the ground with the blade up. When a wolf follows his sensitive nose to the source of the scent and discovers the bait, he licks it, tasting the fresh frozen blood. He begins to lick faster, more and more vigorously, lapping the blade until the keen edge is bare. Feverishly now, harder and harder the wolf licks the blade in the arctic night. So great becomes his craving for blood that the wolf does not notice the razor-sharp sting of the naked blade on his own tongue, nor does he recognize the instant at which his insatiable thirst is being satisfied by his OWN warm blood. His carnivorous appetite just craves more--until the dawn finds him dead in the snow!" It is a fearful thing that people can be "consumed by their own lusts." Only God's grace keeps us from the wolf's fate.

What to do:

Desire Gods will. It keeps the wolves away.

JULY 5 Bible Reading: Psalm 27 Key Verse: 4-One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may
dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

THAT I MAY DWELL

Key Words: that will I seek after The psalmist loves to assemble with others and worship God. The services in the psalmists day may have lasted for hours, but yet still the psalmist says, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. Is it just me, or do you see it as well? For a three-hour football game, a sports lover will be on time. He will only miss the opening kickoff if its unavoidable. He will sit in his favorite seat. He wont get up to eat. He will sit in front of the game for three hours and not complain that the game is going on too long. This sports lover will not budge because he has a high regard for whoever his favorite team is. If by chance the game goes into overtime, he will not even bother to look at his watch. He will be engaged because the team on the screen is worthy of his respect. Many times football games get more respect, time, and intensity than a visit to Gods house on Sunday morning. May I add while we are here that we are seldom if ever late to find our way to the television set for a game, but seldom do we arrive on time for worshipping God?! These things say a lot about our priorities and desires. May we ask God to help us become like the psalmist who said, One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.

What to do: Ask God to help you become more like the psalmist, and love and worship the true and living God.

JULY 6 Bible Reading: Matthew 6:19-29 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 OTHER MASTER

Key Words: hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. If you want to find a criminal, there is an old saying, Follow the money. The same is true when it comes to knowing the heart of man: show me where you spend your money and I will show you your heart. Maybe you heard about the little girl who one day was given two dollars by her mother. The mother said, Darling, one dollar is for church and one dollar is for candy after church. The little girl started on her way to church. It was a windy day, and after a bit, she tripped and the dollars fell out of her hand. The wind took both of them, but she was able to catch one. The other one flew away. She said, Well, God, there goes your dollar. Isnt it interesting that its always Gods dollar that flies away? Isnt it interesting that when you have to cut, you always cut God but not anybody else? God watches that and He weighs it. Have you heard about the man who had two prize-winning calves? These calves would win thousands of dollars. The man came to his wife and said, Honey, this is something. The Lord done blessed us with two prize-winning calves. Im going to honor the Lord. One calf is ours. The other calf is the Lords. Whatever the Lords calf brings in, we will give it to Him. Whatever our calf brings in, we are going to keep for ourselves. The man came home a week later, depressed and downhearted. His wife said, Honey, whats wrong? He said, Honey, the Lords calf just died. Have you every noticed its always the Lords calf that dies? Have you noticed that when things get tight, its always the Lords money that gets left out?

What to do: Remember, cutting God out of your finances is not only a sin, its a bad financial decision.

JULY 7 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 2:1-15 Key Verse: 7-For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he
knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.

THIS GREAT WILDERNESS

Key Words: For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee God makes no mistakes; even though it may appear He does. Let me explain. Solomon Ginsburg, a Polish Jew, became a flaming evangelist across both Europe and South America. In 1911, needing rest, he decided to head to America on furlough. His route took him to Lisbon where he planned to cross the Bay of Biscay to London, then on to the States. Arriving in Lisbon, Ginsburg found the bulletin boards plastered with weather telegrams warning of terrific storms raging on the Bay of Biscay. It was dangerous sailing, and he was advised to delay his trip a week. His ticket allowed him to do that, and he prayed about it earnestly. But as he prayed, he turned to his prayer calendar and found the text for that day was Deuteronomy 2:7(see Key Verse above). The Lord seemed to assure him that his long, worldwide travels were under divine protection. Ginsburg boarded ship at once, crossed without incident, and caught the Majestic in London. His transatlantic voyage was smooth and restful. Only after arriving in the United States did Solomon learn that had he delayed his trip in Lisbon, he would have arrived in London just in time . . . .to board the Titanic. So when God has you walking through this wilderness, remember its for your safety and His glory.

What to do: Trust in the Lord, always!!

JULY 8 Bible Reading: Jeremiah 12:1-12 Key Verse: 1-Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with
thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

THE EVIL ONES THAT ARE HAPPY

Key Words: wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? One of the things I have to deal with in regard to Gods people is: why do the wicked prosper, and those who are doing right struggle? Let me give a little insight by way of the following illustration. About four or five years ago in Texas, a pilot left the motor running on a plane and somehow this plane engaged itself. It was without a pilot and took off. It was flying on its own. It stayed in the air for over 90 minutes. Then, the inevitable happened: it ran out of gas, crashed, and was totally destroyed. For a while, you can fly on your own. For a while, you can take off and be somebody. For a while, you can act like God does not exist. For a while, you can play a little religion, but not be serious about subordinating yourself. And for a while, you can fly. I know there are atheists, and they look like theyre flying. I know, sometimes you look at evil people and you say, How come they can be so evil and can fly so high? I know sometimes you are jealous when you look at folk who have no respect for deity and seem to be flying high. Keep watching, because sooner or later, they will run out of gas, crash, and be destroyed. When you fly your life without God in the pilots seat, thats what happens. Thats why the Bible says dont be envious of the evildoers. Just because they are making money and getting ahead by doing wrong, dont get jealous of them. One can only fly high on their own for a while, but there will come a point where they will run out of gas and will discover in an abrupt way there is a God Who is Lord over the universe.

What to do: Remember, the wicked are at home. As a believer, Im not home yet!!

THE OTHER SIDE

Bible Reading: Matthew 8:18-39 Key Verse: 18-Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave
commandment to depart unto the other side.

JULY 9

Key Words: to depart unto the other side There is an old saying, The service that costs nothing, accomplishes nothing. In our text there is a bragging scribe, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. Reminds me of the time I had to go to Walmart to get some stuff. I wanted to be the first one there when they opened because I hate anything with mart in its name. If its a mart I dont want to be there. I got up early to hit Walmart and when I got there, to my dismay, the parking lot was full. Ive never been so irritated in my life. I got up thinking that day that I was getting a head start! I walked inside the store and there were lines of people. I retrieved what I came there for and got in line, still a little baffled as to why the store was so congested. I shortly discovered that on this particular day, at this particular Walmart, there was a storewide sale. The place was full because everybody had showed up to get their goods at reduced prices. It dawned on me as I stood in line, that is the problem with most people today. Everyone wants to show up with God when Hes on sale. As long as He comes at reduced prices and low expectations, well shop there. Well come to church when nothing is expected, but the moment He comes at full price, the parking lot gets empty in a hurry! Do you know what I mean? Sure you do. People are willing to follow Jesus anywhere, even to the other side providing it doesnt cost anything.

What to do: Remember, a service that costs nothing, accomplishes nothing.

JULY 10 Bible Reading: I Samuel 10:17-27 Key Verse: 19-And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of
all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.

THIS DAY

Key Words: And ye have this day rejected your God When the children of Israel asked for a king and took Saul, it meant they were turning their backs on God. I believe the people knew that Saul would give them what they wanted (see I Samuel 15). When the focus of our lives is Me, Myself, and I, all others must take a back seat. There is a story of a little boy who wanted his mother to pay him for all the services he was rendering in the home. He left her a note that read: For washing the dishes, you owe me a dollar. For cleaning my room, you owe me a dollar. For hanging up my clothes, you owe me a dollar. For mowing the lawn, you owe me a dollar. Mama, you owe me, pay up. He printed a bill for her, totaling four dollars and gave it to her. The mother came and put four dollars on the kitchen table with a note of her own. The note simply said. For carrying you nine months and being sick as a dog, no charge. For staying up all night with you, night after night when you were sick, no charge. For working overtime so that I could get you those special tennis shoes, no charge. For entertaining your friends when you wanted to bring em over without notice, no charge. Signed, your mother who loves you. Total: Zero. After reading the note, that young man realized that he had lost sight of the goodness of mother. He had turned a love relationship into a business deal. He had said to his mother what a lot of Gods children say to Him: Pay up. Whats in it for me?

What to do: Remember, the person who doesnt focus on God will ultimately fail in this life.

JULY 11 Bible Reading: Malachi 3:8-18 Key Verse: 10-Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in
mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

THAT THERE MAY BE MEAT

Key Words: that there may be meat Most of us, when it comes to financial giving, do one of two things. Most rob God; still a few others work by faith and obey God, which isnt always easy, is it? One day a man was lost in a desert without water, but he saw an old shack. He was dying of thirst. He knew he didnt have much longer so he painfully made his way to the shack. Inside the shack was a little jar of crystal clear water set on the floor next to a pump. Flooded with relief, he walked over to the jar to quench his overbearing thirst. As he reached down to pick up the jar of water, he noticed a sign. The sign said, Use this water to prime the pump out back. When you are satisfied, refill it and leave it for the next person who will pass this way. He found himself on the horns of a dilemma because he was so very thirsty. What if he followed the directions on the sign and there was no water in the well? He had to make a decision to either serve himself now, or invest and take the chance that deep down there was so much more. Giving is a method of priming the pump of Gods blessing in the life of a believer. You have a choice. You can take a little that God has given you now and consume it for yourself. Or you can use it to prime something thats got so much more. So, what will you do?

What to do: The choice is yours; the consequences are Gods.

JULY 12 Bible Reading: Joshua 24:14-21 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.

GOD ON THE OTHER SIDE

Key Words: were on the other side of the flood In encouraging Israel to serve God, to put God first, Joshua refers back to the days before the flood. He reminds Israel that God flooded the earth because man made some sinful choices and rejected Gods message of grace preached by Noah. The essence of Joshuas speech is choose carefully. I have never seen a single Indiana Jones movie. As a matter of fact, Im not a big movie watcherI mean any kind of movie, but I have heard that in one of the Indiana Jones movies, Indiana was looking for the Holy Grail. When he and his team finally arrived at the site where it was located, he had to go through a number of tests to get to the specific room where it rested. He weathered death. He had to spell the name of Jehovah correctly in Latin. He had to take a step of faith across a deep precipice. Finally, making it through the tests successfully, he came into a room with an assortment of cups. He was faced with the challenge of having to choose which one belonged to the carpenter from Nazareth. His enemies were pursuing him and they too wound up meeting him in the room with the assortment of cups. There was a guardian knight there, and that guardian knight said that the person who chose the cup must choose carefully. In fact, his exact words were choose wisely because there were consequences tied to the choice. Choosing the right cup led to life. Joshua says, Choose wisely because there are blessings and cursings in what you choose.

What to do: The right choice is the God of The Book the Bible. Choose wisely.

JULY 13 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 29:10-20 Key Verse: 18- Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe,
whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;

THIS OF TURNING AWAY

Key Words: whose heart turneth away this day When will people learn you cant run from God without paying the price for running? Adam and Eve didnt learn and they ran. Jacob ran; Elijah ran from Jezebel; Jonah ranand so it goespeople running from God. I remember running from my Dad on one occasion. Lets just say the end of that run didnt pay off too well. Running never does. If you are running from God, let me caution you that there is a price to pay!! Whenever you run from God, you must pick up the tab. Whenever you run from God, youve got to pay for the trip of deserting His presence. When youre in Gods will even if you dont like Gods will, God will pick up the tab. If your company sends you on a trip, then theyre responsible for paying your way. Now, when you go on your own trip or vacation, your company doesnt pay for that. Its your trip so you must pay. So let me close by asking you: what are you paying for today because youre running from God?

What to do: Run if you want to, run if you will; but it will cost you.

THAT THEY TRESPASS NOT

JULY 14

Bible Reading: II Chronicles 19 Key Verse: 10-And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in
their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD, and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass.

Key Words: that they trespass not against the LORD Israel would have done well to heed the warnings of God. We would do well to heed Gods warnings as well. Pastor Tony Evans records the following:

We have lights in our cars today that let us know when something is not right with our engine. There are lights for checking the engine, checking the coolant system, and checking the tires. One time, my check coolant system light was on and had been on for four months! I wished that light wouldnt come on. But that light still kept coming on. It was trying to tell me that I had a problem and it was going to keep blinking until I took it to the manufacturer to check the car out. Now, if I wouldnt have ever taken that car to be checked out, eventually Id have a much bigger problem on my hands. The light was there to give me a warning that would drive me to the manufacturer. The Bible is shining and throwing up various caution signals and lights. It shows us where we sin and where we offend God. If we dont go to the Maker and allow Him to address the issues in our life, we are going to end up with much bigger problems on our hands in years to come. Just a word of advice: Remember, he who trespasses against God is asking for trouble.

What to do: Heed those Biblical caution lights.

OTHER FOUNDATION

JULY 15

Bible Reading: I Corinthians 3:10-23 Key Verse: 11-For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus
Christ.

Key Words: For other foundation can no man lay People seldom look at the foundation of houses when buying. They look at the size, the color scheme, the yard, the square footage, the plumbing, etc. But the most important part of any building is the foundation. If the foundation isnt strong, nothing else matters. The same is true for our lives. Its what we are built upon that determines our security. Some are built upon their education, others their physical prowess, still others are built upon their beautynone of which lasts. Only that which is built upon Jesus Christ can withstand the storms of life. Once upon a time there was a tree. It was a lovely-looking tree, shapely, strong, and stately. But appearances are not always to be trusted, and they were not in this case. For the tree knew inwardly that its massive strength was beginning to wane. When the wind was strong it had felt itself shaking ominously, and heard suspicious creaks. So, wisely, it took itself in hand. With much effort, it grew another branch or

two, and then looked stronger and safer than ever. But when the next gale blew, there was a terrific snapping of roots and, but for the support of a friendly neighbor, it would have been flat on the ground. When the tree had recovered from the shock, it looked at its neighbor curiously. Tell me, it asked, how is it that you have not only stood your ground, but are even able to help me too? Oh, replied the neighbor, thats easy. When you were busy growing new branches, I was strengthening my roots. So what is your foundation today? What are you built upon?

What to do: Make sure you have a firm foundationwhich is Jesus Christ.

THIS LIFE

JULY 16

Bible Reading: I John 5:7-15 Key Verse: 11-And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this
life is in his Son.

Key Words: this life The most important decision that anyone makes in life is the decision in regard to their eternal destiny. Which raises the question of how can we be saved? The answer is found in Gods Word: I John 5:11-12 says: And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. How do we have the Son? One of the most popular verses in the Bible tells us. John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Salvation only comes by believing in Jesus Christ. There is a story I love to tell about Dr. Lee Roberson. It seems as though one Sunday morning a young boy went down to get saved. That night he was baptized. The next Sunday, here comes the same little fellow down the aisle again, telling Dr. Roberson he needed to get saved. That night after making a profession of faith, he was baptized again. The next Sunday, you guessed it: here he comes again. That night at the baptismal service Dr. Roberson dunked him under the water and held him there. After a few seconds, he brought him up and asked him what he wanted. The little fellow said, Air, please, air! Dr. Roberson said, Wrong answer! and dunked him again. After a few seconds he brought him up and asked again, What do you want? The little fellow cried, Mother, save me!

To which Dr. Roberson said: Wrong answer, and dunked him again. A few seconds later he brought him up and again said, What do you want? To which he replied, Dear Jesus, please save me! To which Dr. Roberson said, Now youve got it, son. Now youve got it! Salvation comes by believing in Jesus Christ- nothing else and no other way. Thats it. That is a foundational truth!

What to do: Read and study the following verses: John 3:16, 18, 36; John 5:27; John 1:11-13; Romans 10:9,10; Romans 1:16

JULY 17 Bible Reading: Luke 24:44-53 Key Verse: 47-And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his
name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

THAT GLORIOUS MESSAGE

Key Words: that repentance and remission of sins should be preached Luke 24:46 - 48, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. Did you witness to anyone last week? Do you understand the supreme importance of being a witness for the Lord? Mark J. Goodger made it a weekly practice to hand out tracts from door to door. One day in South Carolina he stopped at a house and rang the bell. Because he heard sounds inside, he knew someone was home; so he kept ringing, even though no one came. Finally a man appeared, took the tract he offered, and rudely slammed the door in his face. A week later, Goodger returned to the same house. This time the man answered almost immediately. Inviting him in, he asked him to come to the attic. There he saw a sturdy rope dangling from the rafters with a box below it. The man said, Friend, when you rang my bell last week, my head was in that noose. I was ready to jump! But you were so persistent that I decided to go down and see who it was. After receiving your tract, I read it because its title interested me, and through it God spoke to me. Instead of jumping off that box, I

knelt beside it and gave my heart to the Lord. How thankful Goodger was that he had been diligent in his witnessing! Without that leaflet the man would have gone into eternity unsaved. Everyday souls are literally at stake. Beginning today, dedicate yourself to being a witness for God.

What to do: Be a daily witness for Jesus.

NO OTHER GOD
Bible Reading: Exodus 34:10-20 Key Verse: verse 14-For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose
name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

JULY 18

Key Words: Thou shalt worship no other god Just a couple of thoughts on the topic of no other god. First of all, teenagers have an uncanny knack for caring more about the opinion of their peers than that of their parents. They are infamous for referring to what Bob, Butch, or Betty said at one time or another as though their view is relevant. There are a couple of problems with this mentality. Those peers dont provide a roof, clothes, or food. Their thoughts should not carry the same weight as the thoughts and opinions of parents who provide for the needs of that teen. No parent wants their child being so influenced by a peer that parental authority is overruled. God shares in this sentiment. He doesnt want His children bringing the thoughts of other gods into the relationship. The second thought involves, of all things, Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. They pretty much have a monopoly on the product. Most people associate baking soda with the Arm & Hammer brand because they sort of have the market cornered. Theres just not a lot of competition. In the same way, God wants to corner the market in terms of the amount of our affection and praise. He wants to have a monopoly. Even though there are a lot of idols out there that could compete with God for a share of the market, God does not want to share us with the competition.

Every time something shows up in the culture that distracts people from the true God, it encroaches on His 100 percent market share and God wants a monopoly. The question is: does He have it?

What to do: Let God have a monopoly on your life.

THIS THE WILL OF GOD

JULY 19 Bible Reading: I Thessalonians 4:1-12 Key Verse: 3- For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: Key Words: For this is the will of God
Many of our Christian young people (even adults) are living in perplexity. They are concerned about knowing the will of God for their lives and knowing the will of God is of the utmost importance. To be out of Gods will results in lost joy, peace and victory in our lives. It would be simple if we could do as Gideon did in Judges 6 and put out a fleece at eventide, go to sleep, wake up the next morning and have the will of God lying before us. A great deal has been written on knowing Gods will, and the over abundance of literature proves the interest of the subject by Gods people. But I am afraid all the literature on knowing Gods will still leaves most Christians looking for answers, still asking the question, How can I know Gods will? Well, let me see if I can be of any help on this particular subject by suggesting the following three things. Suggestion #1: If I am to know the will of God, I first must be willing to do the will of God. In John 7:15-17, Christ is speaking about truth that He sought to impart and He said that an unwillingness to receive truth precludes a man from understanding the truth that is being taught. A man must be willing to learn before you can teach him anything. Discovering the will of God is determined by this principle (read Romans 12:1,2). So before I can know Gods will I must be willing to do Gods will. Suggestion #2: Knowing Gods will does not come from man, pastor, mom or dad. It comes from the Word of God. Psalm 119:105, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Gods will comes from Gods Word. Let me show you.

1. Adam and Eve knew not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. How did they know? Genesis 2:16, And the Lord commanded the man, saying 2. Achan knew the will of God. He knew not to take the spoil from Jericho because God had commanded them not to do so. 3. Elijah knew Gods will by Gods Word, I Kings 17,18. 4. Moses knew to lead Israel. How? God commanded him through His Word. 5. Jonah knew to go to Ninevah because Gods Word told him to go.
So I know Gods will by Gods Word. I am afraid that is why we have so many ignorant of Gods will. It is because they are ignorant of Gods Word. Suggestion #3: It is not my responsibility to find Gods will but rather it is God Who is responsible to reveal His will to me. So much is made of seeking Gods will. Gods will is not so much to be sought as it is to be caught (or received). 1. Paul did not seek Macedonia. God sought Paul for Macedonia, Come over into Macedonia and help us. Acts 16:9 2. Jonah was called by God to Ninevah. He, of himself, never sought Ninevah. 3. God revealed to Elijah to stand before Ahab and the prophets of Baal. So the cry should be, Wherever you lead, Ill go. Lets close by reviewing: Suggestion #1: Before I can know Gods will, I first must be willing to do the will of God. Suggestion #2: I know Gods will because I know Gods Word. (Gods will comes through Gods Word.) Suggestion #3: Gods will is not so much to be sought as it is to be caught.

What to do: Remember: in order to know Gods will it helps to be willing to do it.

JULY 20 Bible Reading: Proverbs 11:23-31 Key Verse: 30-The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is
wise.

THAT WITNESS

Key Words: that winneth souls is wise Would you not agree with me that being a witness for Jesus is not just of supreme importance but it is the most important thing that we as believers can do? The elementary students often sing Be a Missionary. The words go like this, Be a missionary everyday. Tell the world that Jesus is the Way. The Lord is soon returning; there is no time to lose; so be a missionary, Gods own emissary, be a missionary today. I read the following story which certainly illustrates the importance of being a witness. "Bill Faye, an evangelist who was a guest speaker at a church on Sunday, September 9, returned to his home in Denver on Monday, September 10. On his American airline flight he saw a stewardess breaking up ice with a wine bottle. He got up from his seat and asked her if there wasnt another way she could more safely do it. He said he was afraid she would hurt herself. She was moved that he would be so concerned. He then gave her a gospel tract to read when she had a spare moment. A short time later she found Bill and told him that this was the sixth gospel tract she had received from someone. What does God want from me? she asked. Bill responded, Your life. A few minutes later he was praying with her to accept Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. After Tuesdays terrible attack on America, Bill looked up the names of those on American Airlines Flight 11, the first plane that crashed into the World Trade Center. The stewardess name was listed. On Tuesday, September 11, she entered into the eternal presence of her Lord and Savior! What if Bill Faye had not witnessed to the stewardess? What if we never witness? What if!

What to do: Be wise; win souls.

JULY 21 Bible Reading: Matthew 13:1-9 Key Verse: verse 8-But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an
hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

THE OTHER THAT FELL

Key Words: But other fell into good ground Its amazing to me you can take one kernel of wheat and plant it, and they tell me that that one kernel will produce a stalk bearing three heads of wheat. In each head there are 15 to 35 kernels, altogether producing somewhere close to 100 kernels from one stalk. When planted those kernels will produce 10,000 kernels. When those 10,000 are planted, they will produce millions of kernels. It is amazing what one person could do if they just started right where they are. The same can be said for an acorn. That little acorn, when its planted into the ground, produces a full size oak tree, which produces thousands of other acorns. Its potential is phenomenal. There is no limit as to what you and I could do to grow Gods kingdom through soul-winning. But we have to do it. Plant the seed of Gods Word today wherever you go, and watch God produce souls for His kingdom and His glory.

What to do: Be a bearer of the seed of Gods Word.

JULY 22 Bible Reading: Mark 7:1-13 Key Verse: 6-He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you
hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

THIS PEOPLE

Key Words: their heart is far from me Talk is cheap! Oh, dont misunderstandwords are important, but only when spoken from the heart, which the Pharisees and scribes knew nothing of because their heart was far from God. We all know people such as this; they can talk the talk but walking the walk is not something they do. A guy was watching football on a Saturday afternoon. He had the remote in his hand when the phone rang. He walked over to the phone with the remote in his hand. Even while on the phone, he was interested in keeping up with the game so

as not to miss any big plays. He couldnt see the TV but he figured that at least he could half listen in. He pointed the remote in the direction of the TV and attempted to turn the volume up. Nothing happened because he was too far. Its not that the remote didnt work, and its not that the TV didnt work. He was just too far. Sometimes Christians will say that God doesnt work when in reality the problem is that they are simply too far away. Its not that Jesus doesnt work; its not that the Bible doesnt work, and its not that the Holy Spirit doesnt work. If a person is not in the vicinity, then it will certainly seem that way. Closeness and intimacy with God is what provides the full experience of walking with Him.

What to do: Maybe nothing is happening in your life spiritually because you are too far from Godjust a thought.

JULY 23 Bible Reading: Proverbs 8:24-36 Key Verse: 36-But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that
hate me love death.

THATS WRONG

Key Words: that sinneththat hate On a lonely three-mile stretch of Florida beach, 100 pilot whales hurled themselves onto dry ground in an apparent mass suicide. It was another example of self-destructive behavior that continues to baffle marine biologists. These huge creatures had beached themselves in a kind of follow-the-leader fashion. People came from miles around to try to turn them back. At one point a human fence was formed between the whales and the shoreline. But even when those sea mammals were pushed, pulled, and forced back into deeper water, many of them repeated their death surge and threw themselves onto dry ground again. Several theories have been advanced to explain this seeming bent toward self-destruction. One is that the whales directional sonar, which steer it clear of danger, may have gotten fouled up. Biologists found parasites in the inner ears of some of the huge creatures that may have disoriented them. Do you suppose we humans look like that to the angels? As Gods ministers for our good, they might wonder what strange urge causes us to self-destruct en masse. Its clear to them that the Creator has provided a sea of wisdom for us to live in. Yet theres something about man that mimics these whales. Like an unreasoning animal, he seems obsessed with a desire to break out of that element he was

created for. Instead of remaining in the expanse of a loving, conscious submission to God, he throws himself onto the dry ground of disobedience. We may think wed never do that. But believe what God says: All who hate wisdom love death.

What to do: Love wisdom!

LIKE OTHERS
JULY 24 Bible Reading: Judges 16:1-20 Key Verse: 17-That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a
razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mothers womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.

Key Words: be like any other man When it comes to physical power, Samson was like no other man until he lost his strength. Then he became like any other man because he lost his connection to the source of his strength. We must understand the reason almost all mankind looks like, acts like, lives like, talks like the world is that they are not connected to Gods power source. Most of you know what its like to have your car battery go dead. A powerless battery will take you nowhere. So you pull up the hood if you can and pull out the jumper cables. You get another car whose battery has life and you get the hood of that car to your car. You then connect the cable to your battery, positive to positive, negative to negative, so that there is a transfer of power. The live battery sends its power through the cable to the dead battery. Now your engine will start. Now your car will crank. Now your car can move. Why? Because it has power that it took from a living source. Surely we must all understand that we are powerless without God. We have no effect on others for Christ because we are trying to operate without His power. Surely without Him we can do nothing. Samson became like others. Without Christ we are like everybody else.

The question is: do you want to be just like everybody else? Well, do you? If so, continue on. If not, get connected to God, the Source of all power.

What to do: Get connected, stay connected, through a close relationship with God.

THIS IS THE QUESTION

JULY 25 Bible Reading: Luke 8:19-25 Key Verse: 25-And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid
wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

Key Words: what manner of man is this Why, even the disciples were amazed at the power of Jesushow nature itself obeyed His very command and the troubled waters and howling winds were calmed by His very words. Two painters were in a contest where each said they could paint a picture of peace. One painter painted this sunset with the sun going down over the calm water. It all looked very nice and the picture had a very calming effect. The other painter painted a picture of a storm. In it, the sky was dark and there was lightning, thunder, and dark clouds rolling overhead. The picture showed the waves crashing against the rocks. Things looked fairly chaotic. But in the corner of the painting, at the bottom, were two big stones with a bird in the middle of them. The bird was singing. Now thats peace. Peace is where Gods calm and Gods tranquility overrules your concerns. So why do we worry and fear in the midst of the storms of life when we have Jesus as our Savior? What a great peace knowing that even nature itself has to obey His commands.

What to do: Let Gods peace rule your heart; if not, your fears rule.

JULY 26 Bible Reading: I Timothy 6:13-21 Key Verse: 17-Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded;
nor trust in uncertain riches.

THATS A PROBLEM

Key Words: that are rich Poverty in itself is not a blessing, nor are riches necessarily a curse. But I do believe it is easier for poor people to be fervent in the Lords service than for those who are wealthy. An old story illustrates the point well. In an area where ocean ships often crashed on the rocks in violent weather was a harbor town widely known for its dedicated rescue team. Whenever the siren sounded, a group of men rushed to the scene of the accident, risking life and limb to save the sailors from drowning. After several years the citizens had enough money to build a rescue station close to the shore, which greatly facilitated the operation. A little later, some of the people took special training and became even more efficient. As time went by, they added some comforts and conveniences to the building. They furnished it with a lounge and a kitchen, then a bar and sleeping quarters. Finally it became a club where the townspeople gathered to have fun and relax. The alarm still sounded but nobody responded anymore. They were reluctant to leave their comforts and pleasures. A number of people would drown offshore, but no one seemed to notice. Can we view this story as a picture of the change that takes place among Christians as we begin to amass this worlds goods? Do we grow less concerned about the lost? Have we taken on a country club mentality? I am afraid we have. We do not need a country club mentality but we do need revival! A heart thats warm with deep concern when set on worldly goals, will quickly cool and cease to yearn for lost and dying souls.

What to do: You can tell when you need a revival by how concerned you are for those drowning in sin.

JULY 27 Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:17-32 Key Verse: 17- This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not
as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

AS OTHERS WALK

Key Words: as other Gentiles walk There is an old saying that goes, Your walk talks and your talk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks. I have discovered that it takes determination to walk right and do the right things. In Argentina a group of pastors were to hold an organizational meeting for an upcoming evangelistic crusade. The meeting was to be held in a small Argentine town. The weather was terrible with heavy rains, strong winds, and hail. Nonetheless, pastors were gathered from all over the region. Halfway through the meeting a man slipped in, drenched and looking exhausted. The coordinators were concerned about why he was so late for this critical meeting. They later found out that this man was tardy because he had actually walked 125 miles to attend the meeting. He did not have money for transportation, so he walked to make sure his town of 15,000 people was included in the evangelistic plan. The gospel was worth that kind of sacrifice for this dear saint. May the gospel move all of us to a similar commitment. To do so, we cant walk as other Gentiles walk. Our walk must be different filled with determination to do right!!

What to do: Remember, your talk talks, but your walk talks louder.

JULY 28 Bible Reading: Luke 22:51-62 Key Verse: 56-But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly
looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.

THIS MAN

Key Words: This man was also with him Robert Morgan writes in regard to Peters denial. The knife sliced through the man's shirt like a razor, entering his back at the shoulder and cutting diagonally toward the spine. Skin and muscle melted like mutton before a cleaver. The shock paralyzed him, and searing pain tore through his

body like currents of fire. He tried to scream, but the knife had punctured a lung. Being withdrawn, it was plunged in again. And again. The third plunge was most cruel, stabbing, carving, nicking spinal cord and puncturing heart. The victim twisted toward his attacker, seeing through anguished eyes the face of his betrayer. Three times the scalpel lacerated the man's chest, scoring the skin, cutting along carefully drawn lines. Its surgical steel grew red. Flesh and fat separated, the chest opened. Soon the heart was bared. Two knives. One in the hand of a killer, the other in the hand of a healer. One cut into the back, the other into the chest. Three stabs for the betrayal. Three for the surgery. The surgeon, being healed, was operating on the man who had attacked him. This is the story found in Luke 22 and John 21. Three times Peter stabbed Jesus in the back. And three times, Jesus cut Peter to the heart. The Lord knew that Peter's guilt and his sense of shame was blacker than coal. But he also knew that Peter would never become the bold and brilliant leader of the early church if he spent his days groping in the coalmines of guilt and moping in his mineshafts of shame. So he told him, in effect, to get over it. To put it behind him. To renew his love for his Master, and to get busy feeding the sheep. This man who on three occasions denied even knowing the Lord turned out to be one of the leading Christians of all time!!

What to do: May our service be like this mans.

THAT SIFTING

JULY 29

Bible Reading: Luke 22:21-34 Key Verse: 31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have
you, that he may sift you as wheat:

Key Words: that he may sift you as wheat There have been some who have questioned the very existence of demons, but their existence is verified by the Scriptures. Jesus recognized their existence in Matthew 12:27-28. The word devils comes from the Greek word daimon or demon which is bad spirit or nature. The seventy to whom Jesus appointed and sent out two by two acknowledged the existence of demons. (Luke 10:17) Even the apostle Paul recognized the existence of demons. (I Corinthians 10:20-21)

Demons are subjects of Satan and servants to him. Their mission seems to be to carry on his warfare with God and to do his work. (Matthew 12:22-30) Demons are spirits of low moral character. They are vile and vicious in conduct. Demons have knowledge and discernment. (Matthew 8:29; James 2:19) Demons seem to cause dumbness (Matthew 9:32,33), blindness (Matthew 12:22), and suicidal mania (Mark 9:22).That is not to say, that all dumbness and blindness is the result of demon activity, but we do know that according to Scripture, demons operate in that manner. We also know some blindness and dumbness comes upon people for the glory of God. There is a debate among some who believe in devils that fallen angels are demons while others think not. To me, it matters not. They both oppose God and His Word. They both attack Gods servants and desire to see the servants of God suffer. (II Corinthians 12:7,8) They both do the work and will of Satan, which means they are both the enemy of God and thus my enemy as well. I challenge you to stand fast, for Satan desires to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.

What to do: Stand fast or you will fall fast.

NONE OTHER

JULY 30

Bible Reading: Daniel 2:1-13 Key Verse: 11-And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that
can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

Key Words: there is none other The wise men of Babylon didnt want to admit that they did not have an answer for the kings dream. Their response was, We dont know, but there is no one who can interpret the kings dream. Now most of the time we don't want to admit that we don't know an answer. I heard about a young doctor who had just opened his practice. When his first patient came in, he examined him but he had no idea what was wrong. He racked his brain, and thought back through all his medical training. He could not even guess what was ailing the man but he did not want to admit it. Finally, he looked at the man very seriously and said, "Well sir, have you ever had this before?" The man said, "Why, yes." "Well, said the doctor "you have it again." You see, we don't like to admit when we don't know the answers.

The wise men of Daniel's day were so arrogant that they said, Theres not a man on earth who knows this. The intellects of our day may think there arent answers to many of the great questions of life, but there are. Everybody needs answers to three questions: Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? So let me ask: Who are you? Where did you come from? Where are you going? How you answer these three questions says a lot about your wisdom.

What to do: Use Gods wisdom. Human wisdom makes rascals out of us all. P. S. The correct answer to the questions above: Who are you? Hopefully, you are a child of God. Where did you come from? You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Where are you going? If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, heaven. If not, hell.

KNOWING THIS

JULY 31

Bible Reading: Romans 6 Key Verse: 6-Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin
might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Key Words: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him Your sin factory was shut down when you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior. However, even though the factory closed down, it did not alleviate the flesh. Since the factory called sin is shut down, but the flesh has not shut down, then the sin nature and the flesh are not the same thing. What then is the flesh thats still alive and operating as opposed to the sin nature that has shut down? Simply stated, when the sin nature shut down, what the sin nature had produced had to find some place to lodge itself. So, the factory shut down but what it produced had to find some place to call home, and what it found was your body. The flesh is the body that has now been inhabited by the patterns of sin established when the sin factory was alive. The General Motors factory in Arlington, Texas, shut down. Though the factory is shut down, there are still cars riding up and down the highways that were produced at this factory. While shutting down the factory solves the problem of future production, it doesnt get rid of what has already been produced. When you accepted Jesus Christ, God killed the old person you used to be before you met Jesus Christ. He did this without changing your essential personality or your essential soul. He shut down the factory called sin. However, that factory has been producing a lot of stuff for a lot of years, and the stuff that was produced by the

factory has now lodged itself in the body. The new nature cant produce sin. Its impossible. But everything the factory of sin produced is still riding the highway of the flesh.

What to do: Ask God for victory over your old sin nature.

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