Weekly Word Devotion

Religion

1 Coronicles 29:14 “For all things come from You.” There are some 150,000 Life Coaches (personalized helper who for a fee, will partner with you in designing your future). For Christians, our Life Coach is the indwelling Holy Spirit. Einstein wrote, “Any intelligent fool can make things more complicated.” Isaac Newton once wrote, “Truth is found in simplicity.” Jesus is simply all we need (John 14:6).

Weekly Word Devotion

Religion

In 1995 the U.S. Stock Market experienced a modern record downturn. Investors lost 37.6% of their investments. In 2008 investors lost 37%. Market experts caution investors, warning of possible negative results due to uncertain economic relations with China.

I recall my study of economics in college, and how stocks and bonds chart up and down at a fast pace. There is one investment that will always pay positive returns: invest our time, talents, and treasure in growing the Kingdom of God. Mark 10:30 ” . . . and in the age to come eternal life.”

Weekly Word Devotion

Religion

Continuing with John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way . . ” There is only one way to be physically born. Whether it’s in the womb or test tube, there has to be a natural union of a sperm and egg to produce birth. When Jesus said, “You must be born again…” (John 3:3), He was speaking of the super-natural union of a soul with the Savior. Being born of the Holy Spirit makes us a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Weekly Word Devotion

Religion

John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way . . .” If we say Jesus is the only way to God, we risk being labeled intolerant. When Larry King interviewed Billy Graham and his son Franklin, he asked them if Jesus was in fact the only way. Both replied YES, and explained that Jesus stated He was the only way, and He is not a liar. You and I know who is the LIAR. Other religious leaders interviewed by Larry King stated there were many paths to God. A South American missionary hired a guide to lead him to a remote village. After several hours of slashing their way through the thick jungle, the missionary asked his guide if he really know the way. The guide dropped his large knife, opened his hands to display scars, and said, “Follow me for I know the way.”

Weekly Word Devotion

Religion

The TV show TMZ consist of a platform where the host calls on entertainment reporters with celebrity news. On one episode, a picture was shown of a female movie star with a Bible in her hand. The host asked why she would take a Bible to lunch with her friend. The reporter responded, “the Bible makes for good reading in the Old Testament when David the warrior is really dramatic, but when Jesus shows up in the New Testament, its all downhill from there.” The Lord’s miracles were really dramatic, and His is the greatest love story ever told. Pray for the host, reporters, and producers of TMZ.

Weekly Word Devotion

Religion

We celebrated EASTER SUNDAY, victory in Jesus over sin and death. In 2018 Jeremy Sutcliffe killed a rattlesnake in his backyard, cutting off its head. He got a plastic bag, and when he picked-up the head, the snake closed its fangs in his hand. A helicopter rushed him to a hospital where he received antivenom that saved his life. The ER doctor told Jeremy that decapitated snakes can bite for up to an hour. Jesus decapitated satan at Calvary, but the old serpent still strikes. In John 10:10 Jesus tells us that the thief comes to KILL. Stay clear of his deadly bite by staying in the Word.

Weekly Word Devotion

Religion

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:22 that Christ SEALED us and gave us the Holy Spirit in our hearts as a deposit. Imagine a fruit bar inside a protective wrapper. Once opened and left exposed, the bar begins to decay. However, if the bar is sealed in a zip-lock bag, the sweet fruit is preserved. Jesus has sealed our soul, preserving us from the rot of sin. 2 Timothy 2:19, Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those that are His.”

Weekly Word Devotion

Religion

As a boy I wanted more freedom of choice. My mom would say, “You’re acting too big for your britches” meaning act your age. When we’re too big for our britches, the answer is not bigger britches, its fitting into the size we have. It takes time to grow up. The best growth comes from the Word of God. 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for teaching , for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness.”

Weekly Word Devotion

Religion

Psalm 1:7 ” . . . fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Today is April Fools: Tricks played on others that are based on a lie. As a young husband and father, I played April Fool pranks on my family. My father-in-law once called my wife the night before to warn her, but I still pulled it off! Then it all changed when I was on the receiving end. We were at a beach rental during Spring Break, and told not to flush the hallway toilet or it would flood the condo. One morning my youngest daughter in a panic told me she forgot and flushed that toilet. I ran to the toilet and while bent over, my family yelled, “April’s Fool”. After my blood pressure returned to normal, I promised no more tricks. Don’t be fooled by fakers.

Weekly Word Devotion

Religion

In Proverbs 28:2 , King Solomon points out that with sensible government leaders there is stability. On 12/6/18 NASA launched a space shuttle with experimental worms to study the human aging process. Seriously? Spending tax dollars when faced with what would become the longest government shut-down in U. S. history. Thousands of unpaid federal employees could have used those funds to feed their families and pay bills. What’s in your wallet?

Weekly Word

Religion

Hebrews 4:12, “The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword . . .” In 1921, a New York doctor, Evan O’Neill, operated on himself. Using a local anesthetic, he removed his inflamed appendix. The surgery was successful. In like manner, we need soul surgery. Using the scalpel of Scripture (Sword of the Spirit), we can remove the deadly disease of sin.

Weekly Word Devotion

Religion

Charles “Chuck” Colson was Attorney General for President Nixon. He was sentenced to prison for his part in the WATERGATE scandal. Chuck came to Christ while in jail, and upon his release, formed a prison ministry. While visiting inmates, he noticed one man in an unclean cell in the fetal position. Chuck shared the gospel with the man, and told him to say aloud the name of Jesus daily. Upon his return visit, Chuck noticed the man’s cell was clean. When asked about the change, the man replied, “Jesus lives here now.”

Taken from my book Power, War, and Love

Religion

The devil and India

I have a doctor friend in south India by the name of Dr. Babu Narendran,  his wife Sally is also a doctor.  He came to America to find help for the work he was doing in south India. After him and his wife graduated from medical school in India, they moved to a very poor village in the jungle area of south India. He started a small clinic, and he was ever thing to everybody in the medical field. He delivered babies and pulled teeth when he had to although he was not a dentist. He said to me Bob can you get a dentist to come here for a week or two to help the people? I said maybe, I am standing in this Two room clinic, and I said Dr. how would he work you have no equipment or no place for him to work. I will let you think of what the place looked like there is no running water or a well in the village. Everyone carries there water from the river with cows, monkeys elephants, and every animal in India in it.  Woman are washing their close and yes diapers in it. Dr. Babu said he doesn’t need any equipment just pluck; he said I pluck. I said but you are not a dentist he said no, but have to pluck This poor people have never had the thought of a real dentist or never heard of filling a tooth-like Dr. said just pluck.  The Doctor charged thirty-five cents a visit, and twenty-five dollars from the first visit through the nine-month delivery of a baby. The problem was very few in that area of India could pay that kind of money. Dr. Babu and his wife got saved I believe the last year of medical school. When he got to the little village in the jungle, he started preaching in all the surrounding villages and starting churches as well as training pastors for them, and he was trying to feed children, as well as taken in orphans.  He decided to come to America looking for money to take care of orphans, and feeding a mass amount of children. When he landed in New York somehow, someway, he said the Lord told him to call me. When I picked him up at the airport, I had no clue how I could help him. I remember when he was staying at my house we would do lots of praying Dr. would pray for things like toothbrushes, soap, clean water, and money to buy food to feed children.

 I went to India to see what all Dr. Babu was doing, and just to see if there was anything I could do. When I saw a great need, and how the doctor and his wife had laid their lives down for the people I was moved and motivated. I came back home and started trying to raise money.  We bought property; vehicles built a school, orphans which would double as a Church; we build Dr. a new clinic and a house.  We also dug a well for Dr. it was at that time the only good water in his area Please let me make this clear I did the least of all, many people helped I was just the front man. I take no credit, but I would like to greatly honor my dear friend, and mighty man of God, the late Pierre Tullier  who was a great supporter   of this work, and of course an honorable mention goes to the men in my long term Friday morning Bible study group led  by Pierre  I want to honor  another great group of people called Kings Kids in Stuart Florida, led by pastor Evans Crary they gave us much support.  Let me say again many other people helped. Today this is a wonderful ministry worthy of our support.

You have heard it said don’t mind small beginning. Well, this is a story worth talking about.  Dr. Babu told me his story of how he got to be a Christian from a Hindu  He said he was in medical school, and one day an American missionary or Evangelism was standing on the corner giving’s out tracts. He said I was curious I didn’t know what they were so I got in line {believe me anything free in India they will take it.}  He said when it came to my turn he was out of tracts and he said I have no more and walked away. Now the guy in front of me crumbled his tract up, and threw it on the ground and walked away.  Dr said, I picked it up unscrambled it, and the rest is history.

Remember what I said about small beginnings thinking about the poor guy giving out tracts that day he might have walked away that day thinking he accomplished little yet to his credit he has built a mighty work in India out of that one single track that will last forever He has fed the multitudes, hundreds if not thousands will be saved There is no end of his mighty work with one tratyck. The Dr, Son Daniel just finished medical school and loved the Lord. This man who no one knows, and he don’t know himself what he accomplished that day will have many rewards waiting for him in heaven, because of one man Dr. Babu who he didn’t even have a track for.  I love this story, and when all else fails use tracts.

India was a real culture shock for me. My first day there Dr. took me that night to a small village to preach. There was no electricity in the village, so he ran a wire off of his old jeep battery to the middle of the village and hung one light you could not see much, but it did draw a ton of bugs that you had to swat away as you preached. Now the doctor was doing this on regular bases; this was how he had to preach all the time.  I looked up and saw I believe was two very dim fluorescent lights on polls in the middle of the village. I said.  Dr. There is electricty why can’t we use it? He said o no  it is not for the people, the people can’t have electricty, the people can’t  buy it, no village has electricty the Government puts it there to keep the elephants away at night they have trampled a lot of children over the years. I am thinking back where I’m from some good old boy would have tapped that poll already, and had him some power.  I preached that night and at the end of my message many young people came for healing and all had a stomach ache. I ask Dr. Why all of the young people would have stomach problems, and he said it was from worms caused by the water. He told me the average man lived to about forty-six maybe forty-seven years old, and they looked like to me they weighed about ninety pounds.

Working with Dr. Babu, I learned that about one and a haft percent maybe two percent is Christians in India.

 The doctor worked at the clinic all day, and I could not speak the langue, and without him, I had no interpreter.  He had a motorcycle that he used in his work, so I used it and took off in a new direction every day just to see what I could learn I was chased by a large group of very large monkeys, I felt threaten by elephants, and stayed fearful of the many tigers You could mention Jesus and the people never even heard the name. I stayed in some little place by the jungle. I guess you could call it a resort it had a few small cottages. My food and cottage together were twelve dollars a day. People came there once in a while to explore the jungle. Different universities would come to study the wildlife. I had a man approach me that wanted to be my tour guide he said he knew the jungle, and the animals better than anyone else, and that he takes most everybody in that visit the jungle. He could speak a little English from just taken university people into the jungle. He said he could handle the tigers because he was well trained. He also said that there was a tribe hidden deep in the jungle that no one knew about that he would take me to visit. His fee would be a dollar for the day This was for me, I loved it, but I was sick from the minute I got there, and I knew that I could not handle the jungle in that condition, so I told him to keep checking back with me. I was the only American in the town, so he kept a close watch on me. I never did get to the jungle which I would have loved, but I was never up for the trip. One day my new friend approached me and asked me if I could get him a job in America he could work in a zoo and that he could handle and train all animals, but he would need two dollars a day. I ask him why he had to have so much I said you are only getting a dollar now, and he said I know, but I heard things are more expensive in America. I agreed.

 I thought I would try to talk to him about Jesus, and just as I thought, he knew nothing about him.  I started to tell him about Jesus being the son of God, and he said I have a priest, and of course, he was Hindu. As I was preaching to him, he said what can you do? I said what do you mean? He said can you walk the fire I said what are you talking about? He said the priest could walk the fire, can you do that? I said did you see him do it, and he said yes he said we were doing spiritual ritual all night and midnight we had made a very large bed of hot Colds, and the priest walked across them barefooted, and it did not burn him. He then said again, can you do that? I was looking for an answered when he said I walked the fire. He said when the priest gives you the power you can do it. I guess If the Priest is deceived by the devil than the devil can empower him to deceive many.  He said I walked barefooted across the hot Colds and never felt a thing.  Then he said to me can you go under the knife, and I said what do you mean he said the priest could take a large knife, a meshedie, and hold it in his hands with the blade pointing between his eyes, and hit his forehead very hard right between the eyes, and blood gushed out everywhere he would then touch it with his finger, and it would be perfect the blood would just disappear, and you could not tell he had been cut. I said well did you go under the knife? And he said no but my wife did, and you could not even find the place where she had been cut he said I watched her. He said so what can you do? I am thinking here, I am hafe sick, and I’m just a little preacher, and not to good of one at that;   I didn’t need this so what do I do now I began to pray under my breath in the Holy Spirit, and this just came to me, and I said did you ever see or feel any love from this priest? He said no the priest don’t love, and then I said have you ever seen or felt any love from the God of this priest? He said no the gods don’t love you just fear them and try to please them when you see the little thing they paint on their forehead or maybe even on their pet monkey that is the god they are trying to satisfied at that time. They seem to be no love whatsoever associated with their gods.

I said,” look now the wonderful loving God that I know and serve is like a loving Father He would never ask you to walk on hot colds, and it would grieve him to see your little wife go under that knife and bleed. Then I began to talk about God giving his son to bleed for us and wash our sins away because he loves us. I could tell by his face that I had him then. I don’t think he ever thought of anyone loving him before especially a god. Whoever heard of a god that loves?
The sacrifice

One day I was out on the motorcycle, and I saw a big field with a lot of people gathering around three or four large pots as big as washtubs but made out of some kind of black cast iron they each had something boiling in them, and there seem to be lots of people and looking back I remember none of the men had shirts on. I saw a large tent set up, and I stopped the motorcycle right in front of it, and when over and looked at the large pots I have no idea of what was in them, but they were full, and the color was red.   The people were all friendly to me. I ask what they were doing, and they said they were making offerings to a god I ask if I could go in the tent and see, and they said yes I suppose I was just trying to learn what it was all about.

Inside the tent, they had a very hot fire and a very large pan with no handle on it somewhat like a frying pan, and it had all kinds of coins in it, and they were making a offering to this god. The fire was so hot it looked like to me they were frying money I was just watching just taking it all in and wondering about it all, and they said you make an offering to our god, you give coins, and money to our god. All at once it is just not a very good afternoon. They were about a dozen of them in the tent, and I didn’t know what to do, I was sure that I could not make an offering to a Hindu God, but I was scared I kept talking, and asking questions while and they kept insistent I make a sacrifice all the time I was trying to work my way to the tent door.  Finally, I took off running as fast as I could with them running after me I don’t know how it would have turned out if that motorcycle would have failed to start, but thank Got it did I was really frightened. I guess I should have minded mine own business I had no reason to be in that tent while they worship their god.

                                             Blind and Dumb

One night I was awakened about three in the morning I looked up and this very ugly hideous, blind, bald, blush colored, mule head was coming right at my face. This ugly thing was blind and had no hair what so ever it was completely bald as if it had been shaved it was just a very ugly blind blush colored head. It came from the left side, and as it got right at my face, I hit the thing with my left hand and knocked it to my right, and down to the floor, I thought I heard a thump when it hit the floor.  I don’t know why but I was not one bit scared, so I rolled over to my left and went back to sleep. The next morning I looked down on the floor I don’t know what I expected to see whether a mules head or a crack in the floor, I just knew I hit the thing, as far s I was concerned.

 As I was praying I ask the Lord what it was all about, and he said it is a picture of India The blind head was a picture of their condition  the devil keeps the people from seeing they are blind, and dumb the bald shaved head is because the people have not chosen me, therefore, they have no covering. The devil has them blind, naked, and dumb.

I later said to Dr. Babu this is a sad place why are there almost no Christians I hurt for these people. He is a very informed man he said,” look your country is only about two hundred years old you are a new country. He then said we have at least a five thousand years old history, he said God is not to blame, India is. He then said I could take you to the place and show you where the Apostle Thomas came here after Jesus was crusaded and preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to India,  He said I could show you where they killed him. So India killed God’s messenger. For all of those who reject the one the Father has sent there is another god waiting just around the Connor just for you.

                                         The Blessed Day.

One day I was really down I was still sick, and I was hurting because I knew my wife was not happy with me because I was in India and she thought I left her with a lot of responsibility, so I was worried about her.  I remember setting on a bank across from the place where I was staying just crying the blues. I was telling the Lord how bad I felt, and just how bad things were. I said I couldn’t witness to anyone they don’t understand me.  This is just a waste of time; I mean I truly complained. About that time two young men came walking up, and they looked different, and more prosperous and happy looking thae the men I had been seeing, and they just wanted to talk.  We could hardly understand each other, but we tried, and I notice they were dressed nice. I ask if they had jobs and they tried to tell me what they did, but I understood that they were on holiday that day or a day off. They kept trying to tell me, and to the best that I could understand, I thought that they were elections and that they made a dollars and a have a day. That was pretty good money, and I could tell they were doing well.

They were very nice young men, and they kept trying to tell me about their work. They said we are from the next village, and we are waiting on the bus to go home. It is not very far come and go with us, and we will show you our work. I told them I could not go because I was waiting for Dr. Babu and that we were going on a medical outreach to a village at four and when we finished I would be preaching in the village. I think they halfway understood me about liked I did them. They said the bus leaves our village at three and we will make sure you are on it, and we will talk to the driver and tell him were to let you off. I thought it was A change to see a new village, so I said I would go. We got on theis old looked like world war two bus, and the fee was seven cents, and they would not let me pay.  They were very happy to take me to their village, and I was happy to get out of the bluesy mood that I was in.  The first thing I saw was a sign that said no British aloud forever they said you are not British are you, and I said no, but why? They said this little village was at one time very large, and when the British ruled the country, they killed five hundred people at one time. I don’t remember for sure, but I think it was when India had the Gondi   uprising. He said we have made a pledge there will be no British enter here forever.

They took me to this large mountain to show me there work. They had one thousand men  digging a tunnel through a mountain for miles They were not electricians at all the plan was to trap water on top of this mountain  run it throws the tunnel and drops it off at each village all by hand. I hope it works out for them.

The young men took me to this very nice house for India I had not seen the likes of it in that whole country. It belonged to the man in charge of moving the mountain, and one of my new young friends was his son. They had me sit at a large table, and one of them when out and came back with crackers and a banana for my lunch. They never ate they just wanted to serve me, but I notice this very large room began to fill up with young men their friends I suppose, they told me some of us are Muslims, and some of us are Hindu. Dr told me later the Muslims there are not a problem at all they have never been introduced to hate they are just poor, humble just Muslims’ by name all people in that poor area just seem to be very humble He said the only trouble they cause is they can have four wife’s and now the Hindus want more wife’s. I think that if you had four wife’s that you would have three wife’s to many, but Good luck.

 I began to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit, and I knew I was there on behalf of the Lord Jesus. I was praying Lord how do I speak to people that can’t understand me.  Then I just began to share the Lord Jesus, and his love, and his saving power, so I just started preaching, I notice they looked spellbound they were so focused on every word I said. For some reason, I began speaking in tongues, and then I interpreted it to them  in what I believe was in there langue I truly can’t explain this, but I am going to try the whole room lit up with a type of glory a glow we were all aware of it. I said The Lord Jesus Christ wants every one of you to become his right now. Every man lifted his hand up when I gave that invitation and said yes I said to receive Jesus as your savior you must deny every Hindu god forever do you understand this, and are you willing, and every one of them said yes. I said are you sure you understand me and they all said yes I said to the Muslims are you willing to deny Allah, and Mahomet and they said yes. I led the entire room in the sinner’s prayer than told them about Dr, Babu and his Ministry, and in a few minutes they put me back on the bus and paid the driver the seven cents.  When I got to the place where I had been complaining to God I said to myself what a mighty God we serve.

Weekly Word Devotion

Religion

Stephen A. Brown, Marketplace Ministries, inc.

A news company reported a human interest story about a 69 year old lady who used her DNA to identify her birth mother. She discovered the name and address of a cousin who informed her that her mom was 88 years old and living in a nursing home. Their reunion was tearful as her mom shared that she had been told her daughter was still-born, and for almost seven decades, believed her only child was dead. There was no mention of a criminal investigation; but you can be sure satan was at work. In John 10:10, Jesus said, “A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance.”

Weekly Word Devotion

Religion

Stephen A. Brown, Marketplace Ministries, inc.

John Winthrop, Governor, Massachuetts Bay Colony, in a letter to his church, wrote, “We must delight in each other; make the conditions of others our own; rejoice together, mourn together, labor and suffer together as members of the same body, to keep unity in the bond of peace.” The lyrics of a Christmas song, “Peace on earth, goodwill to man” will be a reality when the Prince of Peace returns. Until then, let us claim Ephesians 3:14, “For He is our peace.”

The Weekly Word Devotional

Religion

Stephen A. Brown, Marketplace Ministries, inc.

1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is the root of all evil . . .”      Last week I wrote about the record recession of 2008; major money loss caused by misconduct in the investment industry. In 2009, in an effort to restore investor confidence, Harvard Business School adopted the MBA Oath. Graduates pledged “to act with the utmost integrity, to resist decisions and behavior that advance my own narrow ambitions, and work in a manner that enhances the value my enterprise can create for society over the long term.” I wonder how many grads have actually kept that oath. Invest wisely.

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