December 20, 2019

Daddy’s Coming Home - Mark 13:28-33

"Hey I had a fantastic dad. People called him Spike. And you know, my dad was firm. I'll never forget my last spanking from my dad with this belt. That was in seventh grade and I lied to my mom and I remember him coming in and he said. It was Friday and he said, bring me my belt on Sunday."

Family Discussion:

  1. Recall an event that you anticipated with excitement or one that you anticipated may be with fear. What was the difference?
  2. How do you personally view the imminent return of Christ?
  3. What can you do to make these days feel secure and bringing great peace in your mind?

Transcription:

00:13          I've entitled this devotional today, "The Lesson of the Fig Tree." But a more personal title would be "Daddy's Home." Listen to this. This is great. We're going to be in Mark chapter 13 in verse 28 and we're talking about the second coming of Christ. In fact, Jesus is giving us the signs of his coming. He said, these things are going to be happening all over the world and when you see these things happening, you better get ready because Christ is going to come and he's going to consummate the age in which we live. Verse 28 says, "now learn the parable from the fig tree when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. Even so, you too when you see these things happening recognize that he is near right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation shall not pass away until all of these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." And then he, and then he hits the nail on the head. He said, "but if that day or hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven nor the son, but the father alone, but take heed. Keep on the alert. For you do not know when the appointed time comes."
 
01:29          Hey I had a fantastic dad. People called him Spike. And you know, my dad was firm. I'll never forget my last spanking from my dad with this belt. That was in seventh grade and I lied to my mom and I remember him coming in and he said. It was Friday and he said, bring me my belt on Sunday. I had three days to die knowing that on Sunday I was going to get creamed. But he probably didn't give me enough of 'em actually I probably deserve more but he was a great dad. Usually when my daddy would come and when I see my daddy, I was really happy to see him. My daddy would travel and he didn't travel because he wanted to. He traveled because he needed to. But when he'd come home, I was always so happy to see him. I'd go wait out in the driveway to see that old station wagon drive into my house. And then as a daddy myself, when my kids were small in the home, I had to travel a lot. And every time I'd leave home I'd look in the rear view mirror and I would grow so sad knowing that I had to go away for two or three weeks on the road to recruit. But I'll tell you what, coming home was an believable. I drive through the night oftentimes to get home, just to get one little glimpse of my kids. It might be three in the morning or four in the morning when I'd get home. And then man, the kids would run upstairs and you know, daddy's home, daddy's home. I'd hear the little pitter patter of their little feet. Those little footie pajamas that they'd wear. Sometimes they put signs and posters on the front of the house and in my closet, daddy's home.
 
03:02          Y'all, I think the best understanding of the return of Christ, if you really do love him, if you're a follower of his, if he lives in your heart, is that daddy is coming. Oh, it's not to be feared if you're a follower of Christ. Daddy's coming home. Hey, here's the questions for today. Recall, an event that you anticipated with excitement or one that you anticipated may be with fear. What was the difference? And how do you personally view the imminent return of Christ? And I believe it's imminent. And then next, what can you do to make these days, I mean, anticipation. Feel secure and bringing great peace in your mind? And then here's the thought for the day. Daddy's coming home. Daddy's coming home can be the three sweetest words in the English language.
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October 30, 2019

Together in Paradise - Luke 23:43

"Have you ever wondered when can death be a good thing? Have you ever wondered when a funeral can be really and truly a celebration for real?"

Family Discussion:

  1. What does it mean to you that that thief heard those words from Jesus the savior?

Transcription:

00:13          Have you ever wondered when can death be a good thing? Have you ever wondered when a funeral can be really and truly a celebration for real? Well, today's passage will help you understand that. It's in Luke chapter 23 verse 43 and if you've ever lost a loved one, or if there's someone in your life now that you love a lot, who you feel like is on the brink of death, hopefully today's devotional will be comforting to you as it is to me. Jesus is on the cross. There's a thief beside him and the thief sees Jesus and he recognizes who he is. And he puts this tiny seed of faith in the heart of the only one that can save him. And the thief says, Jesus, will you remember me when you come into your kingdom? And Luke 23:43 says, "and Jesus said to him, truly, truly, I say to you today, you shall be with me in paradise."
 
01:08          You know, I watched my daddy die and I watched my daddy go to heaven and I hated to see my daddy die. But Oh, how that man wanted to be with Jesus. It was time for him to go. One of our great counselors here at Kanakuk worked at a wilderness kamp we have called K-Wet on the edge of the Lake where kids go out and they camp out for a night or two and do wakeboarding and barefoot skiing and doing fun things with sailboats. But this guy had a granddad who loved Jesus. I mean, he'd love Jesus with everything that was with him. And on his death bed in the hospital, the granddad had a chair next to his bed and people would come to visit the granddad all the time, but they couldn't sit in that chair because in a very kind, polite way, he would say, please don't sit there. That's where Jesus is sitting. And one night, the family was out of the room getting something to eat. And when they came back in, the man was dead, but his head wouldn't laying on the pillow where he'd been laying for several weeks. His head was laying in the chair. His head was laying in Jesus's lap. Be assured, if you have faith in Jesus, that's where your head will lay. And that's where you'll breathe your last breath. It won't be on a pillow, it won't be in a chair, but your head will be in Jesus's lap because just as it was to the thief, when you place the tiny seed of faith that you have, and if you're like me, sometimes you feel like that's all you have to offer. But he says, if you place that tiny seed of faith in him that to be absent from the body, scripture says, we'll be present with the Lord. That you'll only blink your eyes one time and you'll open your eyes again and the presence of God.
 
02:53          And so let me ask you this, as you feel some days as I do, like you're the thief on the cross with nothing to offer at all. What does it mean to you that that thief heard those words from Jesus the savior? When he put his faith in him today, you shall be with me in paradise. You're my son now after this ordeals over today on this cross. You're going home with me now. Take that truth and go hug somebody today.
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October 22, 2019

The Godl is in the Riverbed - Revelation 22:7;12

"The story goes of three riders who were riding through a desert. And when they had come to the end of themselves and had run out of food and run out of water, they encountered three other riders who were riding in the opposite direction on their camels. And the three riders who were coming to encounter these three men said, "well, what's it like on the other side of the desert?"

Family Discussion:

  1. How much are you putting in your backpack and will you be happy or will you be sad when you reach the oasis of Eternal Life with Christ?

Transcription:

00:13          The story goes of three riders who were riding through a desert. And when they had come to the end of themselves and had run out of food and run out of water, they encountered three other riders who were riding in the opposite direction on their camels. And the three riders who were coming to encounter these three men said, "well, what's it like on the other side of the desert?" And the three riders said "between here and the oasis that you'll find in a two day ride, there is a dry river bed. And in that dry riverbed, there are stones take the stones. And when you get to the oasis, you'll be happy and sad." And then the three riders rode away. Well, sure enough, about a day's journey, the three riders in the desert came to the river bed and there were stones just as they had been told. And one of them took some of the stones and put them in his backpack. One of the riders took as many stones he could, and he filled his lap even though he was tired and wary. And their stones were heavy. He filled everything he had in his saddlebags that were beside him. And one writer said, "you know what? I don't have the energy to pick up any stones." Well, in one more day, just as they had been told, they came to the oasis and they were happy and they were sad because when they came to the oasis, they looked down and saw that the stones were rich gold nuggets. They were happy because they had some. But they were sad because they didn't have more. And so it is with the book of Revelation. When you read it, you're happy and you're sad. You're happy because of the love of Jesus that's in your heart and that you get to win it at the Great Victory Party. But there are those who are sad because they didn't pick up the gold along the way.
 
02:00          Chapters 22, verse seven says this, "And behold, I'm coming quickly. Blessed is he, his backpack is full of gold. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book." And then verse 12 says, "For behold, I'm coming quickly and my reward is with me to render to every man according to what he has done." The story goes, and I believe it's historical of Augustine, you know, now, one of the most, you know, noted and famous, you know, writers and followers of Christ that ever lived. But one time, Augustine was a womanizer. At one time, Augustine had elicit relationships with women. But Augustine went to England where he received Christ at a crusade and then Augustine went home a new man. And he went back to one of his old, you know, stomping grounds.
 
02:53          And as Augustine was walking down the road, one of his old girlfriends came up behind him and she tapped him on the shoulder and he turned around to see one of his old girlfriends. And she said, "Augustine Augustine, it is me." And Augustine simply turned around and looking at her eyes. And he says, "but it is not me." He had literally become a brand new man in Christ. He had picked up the gold. He had filled his backpack in his heart with the gold of Christ. And even though this person made herself available to him, and she said, "it is I." He said, "it is not I. I have a brand new heart." And so 2 Corinthians 5:17 concludes today when it says, "if any man is in Christ, he's a brand new creation. All things have gone. Behold, the new has come." My question to you today is this, the gold is in the river bed. How much are you putting in your backpack and will you be happy or will you be sad when you reach the oasis of Eternal Life with Christ?
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October 17, 2019

The Final Battle - Revelation 19:11-16

"There's one thing worse than hell and the same thing is worse is better than heaven. You know what it is? It's influence. It's going to either place and taking somebody with you. On that day when Christ reigns and rules, on that day, those that love him will be thankful to those that lead them there like you can't believe. And those that, that follow the enemy, Satan, into everlasting judgment are going to be sadness beyond sadness."

Family Discussion:

  1. Who are you influencing today and how are you influencing them?
  2. Where are you going to be?
  3. How are you going to get there?
  4. What are you going to do to influence the people in your family and in your school and in your place of business?
  5. What are you going to do to influence people to be on that victory ride with you? 

Transcription:

00:13          Do you know there's one thing that's worse than hell and the same thing is better than heaven? What is that? It's worse than hell. It is better than heaven and it's the same thing. Do you know what it is? Revelation chapter nine verses 11 through 16, "and I saw heaven open and behold a white horse and he who sat on it is called faithful and true and in righteousness he judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire and on his head are many diadems and he has a name written on him which no one knows except himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood and his name is called the word of God and the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean were following him on white horses and from his mouth comes a sharp sword so that with it he may strike down the nations and he will rule them with a rod of iron and he treads on the wine press of the fierce wrath of God the Almighty and on his robe. And on his thigh, he has a name written. He is king of kings and Lord of Lords."
 
01:24          This men and women is the final and greatest victory of all time as Jesus rides in with his saints, with those who follow him. And he ends the final battle, the final battle of Armageddon, the final battle on earth, the final battle of all time. And you know what? We get to come in with him and we get to ride and we get to reign and we get to rule with him, as true sincere followers of Christ. There's one thing worse than hell and the same thing is worse is better than heaven. You know what it is? It's influence. It's going to either place and taking somebody with you. On that day when Christ reigns and rules, on that day, those that love him will be thankful to those that lead them there like you can't believe. And those that, that follow the enemy, Satan, into everlasting judgment are going to be sadness beyond sadness.
 
02:24          So my question for you today is this, who are you influencing today and how are you influencing them? And you know what? You can't escape it. You and I are an influence every day of our life. We're either influencing people to heaven or we're influencing people to hell. And not so much by words, but by the way we live our lives and the way we act. And so as you visualize the victory and you visualize the one that reigns and rules and you visualize the greatest victory celebration of all time. One, where are you going to be? Two, how are you going to get there? And then three, what are you going to do to influence the people in your family and in your school and in your place of business? What are you going to do to influence people to be on that victory ride with you? Is there anything more motivating to live a life pleasing to Christ than that on this earth?
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October 11, 2019

Follow the Lamb Wherever He Goes - Revelation 14:3-4

"Do you know that there's going to be two different groups of people in Heaven? There are going to be a group of 144,000 in heaven. But there's also gonna be another group, which is what God calls the great multitudes. Those are going to be the followers of Christ, those who are faithful to the end. But the way I see the 144,000 is there going to be 12 groups of 12 tribes of Israel. I just look at them as heroes."

Family Discussions:

  1. What can you do today to be a hero to somebody in your life that needs a role model to follow? 
  2. If somebody looks at you, do they see a man or woman who's walking and following the lamb wherever he goes? 

Transcription:

00:14          Do you know that there's going to be two different groups of people in Heaven? Unfortunately today, one of the cults - the Jehovah's Witness Cult teachers, that there's only gonna be 144,000 people in heaven. That's it. And so there is a fight to see who can do the most good deeds so they can become one of the 144,000. Can you imagine living your life knowing that that's all that we're going to get to heaven? Well they haven't read their scripture clearly because there are going to be a group of 144,000 in heaven. But there's also gonna be another group, which is what God calls the great multitudes. Those are going to be the followers of Christ, those who are faithful to the end. But the way I see the 144,000 is there going to be 12 groups of 12 tribes of Israel. I just look at them as heroes.

 
01:05          Listen to what scripture says about the 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel in Revelation chapter 14 verses three and four. It says this, "and they sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders and no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been purchased from the earth. These are the ones who've been not defiled with women, for they have kept himself at chased. These are the ones who follow the lamb wherever he goes." Isn't that great? "These are the ones who follow the lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among men as the first fruits of God. And to the lamb."
 
01:48          Even the 144,000 have to be purchased of the blood of the lamb. But I just see them as heroes and I don't know if that's the way God sees it, but it's the way I see it. And I love the passage. "They're the ones who follow the lamb wherever they go." Who's your hero by the way? Who are the people on this earth that you look up to? Well, for me, it's not the gigantic business. You know, guys, the successful, you know, Donald Trump's and Bill Gates. It's certainly not the ones who flesh trophies around after winning gigantic Olympic championships or sports championships. To me, it's the folks who follow the lamb wherever he goes. You know who my hero is? He's a boy named Johnny Stallings. Johnny was born with down syndrome and Johnny lived 46 years, even though the doctors told him that he was only gonna live for four months. When Johnny died a couple of summers ago, I went down to visit with his dad, Gene Stallings, who's one of my very best friends and coach took me to Johnny's room.
 
02:50          And you know what? There wasn't one trophy in his room, although Johnny had been given dozens of trophies because he was the most likable person that you've ever met. When we traveled with his dad for these coaching to teams all over the country. They'd give Johnny all these great trophies, but Johnny would give them away. They'd given footballs with signatures that were worth, you know, thousands of dollars, I suppose, of some of the greatest players that ever lived. And Johnny would go outside and he'd give it away to somebody else. Johnny was a hero and as Coach Stalling, said, you know, the kid, he never had an impure thought. He never had an impure word. Somehow this kid couldn't count to 10, but he never forgot your name. And he had a smile that would melt the ice caps.
 
03:33          You know who a hero is? A hero is a dad. Who would you look at his son or daughter. And you say, tell me about your dad and that son or daughter says, my dad is the purest man I know. My dad is a godly man. That man is my hero. There's heroes all over this planet. They're in every home in America. There are kids who are walking into the school and standing firm for Christ. There are university students who are walking across their campus and when they graduate, there are dozens of people following Christ because of their life. Well, the heroes of the Bible are 12,000 from 12 tribes of Israel, but the heroes of the earth are the multitudes who are following Christ. And my question for you today is this, what can you do today to be a hero to somebody in your life that needs a role model to follow? And if somebody looks at you, do they see a man or woman who's walking and following the lamb wherever he goes? What a great challenge. What a great way to live.
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October 3, 2019

Trail of the Martyrs - Revelation 6:9-11

"There were as many as 5,000 Christians martyred in the Colosseum of Rome under Nero and Marcus Aurelius and Domitian. But there's one story of a mortar named Polycarp, the 86 year old bishop of Smyrna that I'll never forget. Polycarp was so godly and he was influencing so many people to come to Christ, that Marcus Aurelius brought him to the Colosseum to have him killed and to have him silenced as a witness of Christ. "

Family Discussion:

  1. As you suffer as you're ridiculed as you are laughed at, What does the trail of martyrs do to encourage you?

Transcription:

00:13          I will never forget my first varsity game coming out of a little bitty small town in Texas and then going to Dallas to play football and my first Varsity game walking into Albridge stadium in southern Alabama and I don't know how many thousands of Auburn fans, crazy, wild Alabama people screaming at us as we walked on the field. Tiger meat, tiger meat, tiger meat, tiger meat! Man, I thought a bunch of tigers were going to come out and eat us. I'd never seen anything like that in my life. Scared me to death. We won that game and silenced the crowd that day. Sorry, Auburn fans, but ridiculed, even though that was really, you know, almost fun, kind of ridiculed, but real ridicule. The kind of ridiculed that Christians are facing around this world. The kind of ridiculed that Christian kids that I know that are facing in their schools and Christian businessmen and women are facing as they represent Christ in everything they do.
 
01:12          And because the world is so today set out to put down Christians and destroyed the basics of our faith, suffer real ridicule. In fact, there are people all over this world today that are being martyred for the cause of Christ. Having their heads literally cut off in some of the Muslim driven worlds because they're preaching Christ that kind of ridicule isn't fun. That kind of ridicule is awful. There is a history of martyrs in the name of Christ since the first day that they began to proclaim Jesus' name in Rome after the resurrection of Christ. But God is going to avenge the blood of the martyrs. In Revelation six verses nine through 11 talks about that. Talks about the vengeance of God in the fifth seal of the judgments of the future.
 
02:00          And He says this in Revelation six nine through 11. John is writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and he says, "when the lamb broke the fifth seal I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had maintained. The testimony they had maintained and they cried out with a loud voice. How Long, Oh lord, holy and true will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell upon the earth. And there was given to each of them a white robe and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer until the number of their fellow servants were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also."
 
02:42          Oh to be martyred for Christ. Fox's book of martyrs tells stories of martyrs in the first century of Christianity and some days, Fox's book says there were as many as 5,000 Christians martyred in the Colosseum of Rome under Nero and Marcus Aurelius and Domitian. But there's one story of a mortar named Polycarp, the 86 year old bishop of Smyrna that I'll never forget. Polycarp was so godly and he was influencing so many people to come to Christ, that Marcus Aurelius brought him to the Colosseum to have him killed and to have him silenced as a witness of Christ. And as Polycarp walked in before the proconsul of the Colosseum. The proconsul said recant and give your tribute to Caesar. And Polycarp looked at him with a smile on his face and peace in his heart. And he said, 86 years I've served him and never once he is wrong me. How can I now then blaspheme my king who has saved me? And the proconsul cried out to Polycarp in the coliseum. He said, I'll threaten thee with fire. And Polycarp says, you threatened me with fire that burns for an hour and then is extinguished with the fire of future judgment, the fire of eternal punishment reserved for the ungodly. You know nothing of, why do you wait, do what you please and as the fires of the martyrdom consumed Polycarp and literally burned him alive at the stake. The eye witnesses said that Polycarp had peace on his face and in the flames he said, oh Lord, I bless the for considering me worthy to go down with the martyrs.
 
04:16          And so before us is this trail, this long, beautiful trail of thousands of saints who have been martyred for the name of Christ. But the day will come. Scripture says when the fifth seal is broken on the scroll that they're punished. That their sacrifice will be redeemed and that God's Will will be the one that will avenge the blood of the martyrs. And so my question for you today is, as you suffer as you're ridiculed as you are laughed at, What does the trail of martyrs do to encourage you? Be encouraged as you walk with Christ in the face of ridicule.
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October 2, 2019

Move Closer - Revelation 5:9-10

" I heard a story years ago that I will never forget the story was of a man who entered the museum. And the museum was famous for all of its fantastic artwork. But when the man came in, his face was downtrodden and sad and the caretaker of the museum has seen this face many, many times because people would refer people to his museum when they were going through incredible difficulties in life. "

Family Discussion:

  1. Who is the object of your worship?
  2. What would your new song be if you were on your knees as close to Jesus as you can get looking up in his face today?

Transcription:

00:13          If you and I could possibly imagine the fascination that John must've been in the day that he saw the vision that the angels of the Lord began to speak to him and tell him that the things that were to come. In this particular passage in Revelation chapter five verses nine and 10, John comes to a moment when he begins to weep because he sees the scroll with the seven seals and scholars believe that the scroll may have been the title deed to the earth. In each of the seven seals is a judgment upon the earth. In Revelation five nine and 10 begins to open up the next chapter of the judgements of God and he says this, "And they sing a new song. Saying worthy are you to take the book and to break its seals. For you were slain and purchased of God with your blood. Men from every tongue and people and tribe and nation, You've made them to be a kingdom of priests to our God and they will reign upon the earth."

 
01:10          John weeps because no one can break the seals. But then Jesus, who has purchased us with his blood, comes and breaks the seals one at a time in the rest of chapter five and on. Tell us about each of the judgments in the seals of God, but as John beholds Jesus, he begins to worship. He worships Jesus as one who is worthy. He worships Jesus as one who was slain. He worships Jesus as one who bought us out. Scripture says he purchased us by his blood. He redeemed us. And this is where John begins to worship because the word for redemption is the Greek word exagorazo. Exagorazo means that we've been bought out the slave market never to be returned to the slave market of sin again. And John begins to praise and worship Jesus and begins to sing a new song. And it makes me think today, what is the object of my praise and worship? What is the object of your praise and of your worship?
 
02:07          I heard a story years ago that I will never forget the story was of a man who entered the museum. And the museum was famous for all of its fantastic artwork. But when the man came in, his face was downtrodden and sad and the caretaker of the museum has seen this face many, many times because people would refer people to his museum when they were going through incredible difficulties in life. And as soon as he saw the man, he pointed to a painting over a wall. And it was a gigantic painting, but the man couldn't see what it was. And the curator, the museum said, move closer. And the man moved closer to the museum. And then the curator said, now lower.
 
02:43          And the man started stooping down and the curator said, move closer. And they may move closer to the painting. And the curator said, now lower. Move closer. Now lower. Move closer. Now lower. Move closer. Now, lower. Pretty soon the man was standing under the painting or actually kneeling under the painting, looking straight up into the painting right over his head and their on his knees as close to the painting as he could get. He could see the face of Christ on a cross crucified with blood down his brow, looking down at him. And a spirit of hope and a spirit of compassion begin to melt into this man's broken heart. And the man became relieved and smiled. You can only see Christ when you're low and when you're on your knees.
 
03:24          And when I think about the judgements that are coming upon this earth, and I think about the one who could open the scroll to begin to describe the judgments will be the one that would redeem you and redeem me. He purchased us by his blood. It makes me move closer and it makes me get lower. It makes me move closer and it makes me get lower. And there you'll find the compassion in the face of Christ. And when you're in that position, you will sing a new song and you will worship him both men and woman. And the questions for the day are this: who is the object of your worship? And the second question is, what would your new song be if you were on your knees as close to Jesus as you can get looking up in his face today? Make it be a day of worship.
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June 14, 2019

Focus on Eternity - 2 Corinthians 5:1-5

"The tornado of time will eventually scatter our bodies into the dust of the ground."

Family Discussion:

  • What is the blind spot that you have that causes you to focus so much time and attention on our earthly time and bodies?
  • What are some ways you can change your priorities to refocus on that part of you that will live forever?
  • How can you express high value for the spirit of Christ that lives in your heart?

Transcription:

00:06 Today I want to tell you about an amazing miracle in a horrible tornado. And I want to give credit to Dr. Bill Gillham, one of my heroes in the faith for something he taught me about the scripture. Today, tornadoes are the most devastating things, square inch per square inch, I think in the world. But in this tornado, something cool happened to a friend of mine. We're in Second Corinthians chapter 5 verses 1-5. I can't wait for this, it's awesome. Listen to this, "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile, we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling because when we're clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we were in this tent, we groan in our burden because we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now, it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come."

01:25 Randy Odom, oh man, what a great guy. One of the counselors at Kids Across America, these awesome summer camps that we have here in the Ozarks reserve, especially for some of America's most deserving kids who come from the financially depraved concrete world of the urban inner city in America. And, not only does Randy love God, but he loves urban kids with a passion. One stormy day in the spring, I'll never forget when Randy pulled up in front of his trailer house at the exact moment, a tornado arrived at his front door. True story. In haste, he jumped out of his car as the door was ripped off the hinges of that trailer. He dove into his home on wheels where he was met a head on in the hallway by a flying door.

02:13 The door pinned him to the floor while his whole house literally was demolished above him. Although his house was scattered for city blocks, Randy was protected by the door and escaped without injury. You know what these, as Bill Gilliam says, these earth suits we inhabit while we visit this earth are about as stable as Randy's mobile home in a tornado. You know, we can exercise them, we can feed them, we can doctor them all we want, but the tornado of time will eventually scatter our bodies into the dust of the ground. And you know, there's no medicine or vitamin or magic potion that can keep the inevitable from happening. You know, as, as for man, scripture say these days are like grass as a flower of the field. So he flourishes when the wind passes over it. It is no more in its place, acknowledge it no longer, Psalms 103 says.

03:04 But fortunately, oh, so fortunately our spirit is protected from destruction by the spirit of Christ, if he indeed is alive and well in our hearts. It's our spirit sealed by grace for eternity by his spirit that is destined to live with God forever, unscathed, unharmed, free to live and fit for a life with a king. And, here's the question for you today. What is the blind spot that you have that causes you to focus so much time and attention on our earth suit, as Bill Gillham says, with such a limited lifespan and so little time and attention to our inner man that will live forever? And then this question, what are some ways you can change your priorities to refocus on that part of you that will live forever? And then, how can you express high value for the spirit of Christ that lives in your heart? And here's the lifeline for the day, man, what a great time to pour your heart into these little daily devotionals to prepare the part of you that will live forever.

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