Saint Paul was always polite to his captors

Proverbs 11:13
13 A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.

This proverb is about two different people, those speaking spitefully of a person behind their back versus those who can be trusted to keep something confidential. The first are tale-bearers that carry all the stories they can pick up, true or false, from house to house, to make mischief and sow discord, reveal secrets which they have been entrusted with, and so breaks the moral laws, and forfeits all the privileges, of friendship and conversation. The second is a close, trusted and respected person with whom confidences can be placed and they are kept safe and secure. You are assured what you have said will be held in the highest confidence unless what is known needs to be revealed for a greater good.



Mildred Fister has a rule in her beauty parlor, �NO GOSSIP�. "Sometimes people don't have anybody to talk to," she said. "So they confide in me. They tell me things about themselves. They know I'll never repeat what they say." If you have to choose a friend do you want one you can trust or one that will reveal your most private details?

Proverbs 15:2 says: �The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.� Choose friends that know how to direct knowledge. They are safe people you can trust.

Keep away from those who gush out every detail about everything they know. They lack safety and can compromise the details of your life.

Romans 12:2 (NLT)
2 Don�t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God�s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Matthew Henry states, �Conversion and sanctification are the renewing of the mind, a change not of the substance, but of the qualities of the soul. It is the same with making a new heart and a new spirit-new dispositions and inclinations, new sympathies and antipathies; the understanding enlightened, the conscience softened, the thoughts rectified; the will bowed to the will of God, and the affections made spiritual and heavenly: so that the man is not what he was-old things are passed away, all things are become new; he acts from new principles, by new rules, with new designs.�



Proverbs 4:23 tells us �23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.� I grew up in a dysfunctional home. My mother divorced when I was 1 year old because my dad was an abusive alcoholic. My mom avoided my dad and only I saw him twice in my life. At the age of 10 he requested to give me a Christmas present. I believe he had some measure of good in him, but alcohol had taken away most of what was good. My mom agreed to meet him for my sake, which she later regretted. After about 10 minutes we were leaving because he was drunk, had started to curse and was becoming aggressive. From that point on I didn�t know where my father was until I was 47. On that occasion it was my father�s funeral. It�s strange looking in a coffin at your father and not knowing or recognizing him.

Unfortunately my father did not guard his heart against the alcohol that had set him on a path of self-destruction. He was offered help several times, but unless a person is willing to change, to be transformed, they will go back to the old habits they are familiar with. My father remained an active alcoholic until his death.

If you find yourself on a path to self-destruction turn your life over to our Lord Jesus. Allow Him to transform you into a new person and change how you think about your destructive choices. Allow His will to work in your life, which will perfect you and make your life pleasing. But you must be willing to allow Jesus to take control of your life and make the changes needed.

A member of the Salvation Army was present at the funeral and they did offer some comfort in saying my father knew Jesus. They said he had worked in the shelter and at times did remain sober, but the alcohol had done its damage. He couldn�t resist the temptation to go back to the bottle that destroyed him.

There is someone who needs to hear this today. Alcohol can ruin your life, the life of your loved ones, and can lead you down a part of destruction. Allow Jesus to help you and allow those He brings into your life to help you. Don�t be like my father wandering the streets at times not knowing where he was because he was too drunk and delusional to know.

May God bless you, keep you safe, and transform you into new life you are meant to have.

How many evils have been caused by alcoholism I often wonder.
All of the ruined marriages, broken homes, abused children, abused spouses, it truly can be the devils drink.

Today it's glorified with beautiful women drinking beer on television and appears enticing to young people.

I have two neighbor kids at my home all the time because they live in alcoholic homes. One kid eats dinner with us every night. Otherwise he just feeds himself cereal at home for dinner. And he is 7 years old.

I could be wrong but Im beginning to think that half of the population is affected by alcoholism in some way.

And I enjoy to drink beer, in moderation. They hand it out at the end Of marathons and it's refreshing.

Truly we live in a world infected with sin and Jesus said I am the way the truth and the light. And if we cling to Him our lives are so much more peaceful.

1 Peter 5:10 (NIV)
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Here we find the apostle offering a prayer not that they might be excused from sufferings, but that their sufferings might be moderate and short, and, after they had suffered awhile, that God would restore them to a settled and peaceable condition, and perfect his work in them�that he would establish them against wavering, either in faith or duty, that he would strengthen those who were weak, and settle them upon Christ the foundation, so firmly that their union with him might be indissoluble and everlasting.



On a trip with his wife, a pastor stopped in a small Iranian village to purchase some water. Before entering the store, the minister noticed a man holding a machine gun and leaning against the wall outside by the door. The minister's wife looked at the man's face and the gun, and then put a Bible in her husband's hand and said, "Give this man this Bible." Her husband looked at the man-his menacing beard and his machine gun-and replied, "I don't think so." But she persisted: "I'm serious. Give it to him. Please, give him the Bible."

Trying to avoid the issue, the husband said, "Okay, I'll pray about it." He went into the shop, purchased the water, climbed back in his car, and started to drive away. His wife looked at him and said, "I guess you didn't give him the Bible, did you?" Looking straight ahead, he replied, "No, I prayed about it and it wasn't the right thing to do." She quietly said, "You should have given him the Bible," and then she bowed her head and she started to pray. At that point, he turned around and told his wife, "Fine! If you want me to die, I will."

When the minister returned to the store, the man with the machine gun was still standing against the wall. The minister approached him and placed a Bible in his hand. When the man opened it and saw that it was a Bible, he started to cry. "I don't live here," he said. "I've had to walk for three days in order to get to this village. But three days ago an angel appeared to me and told me to walk to this village and wait until someone had given me the Book of Life. Thank you for giving me this book."

Fear in our lives will often cause us suffering. We know what we should do, but we linger to do the right thing. Peter understood this as he denied Christ three times. Yet Peter became the pillar of the church and died defending the word of Christ.

The minister mentioned above became a courageous witness for Christ in all things. Eventually, along with many other co-workers in the Iranian church, he was later martyred for his faith, but not before sharing the Good News of eternal life.

You see, as believers in Jesus, we're not just called to make it through the day by faith. Faith calls us to trust in Jesus Christ, to face the challenges of the day in His Name -- Not only for ourselves, but for others. In fact, we are called to be agents of His confidence and trust, proclaiming His enduring love, His eternal kingdom amidst the uncertainties and the hopelessness that are so real in our world today.

[Portions from Michael Ramsden, "An Uncompromising Faith Lived Out with Grace," Just Thinking (1-26-09)]

Philippians 2:1-2 (NLT)
1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

The apostle continues in this chapter to continue with further exhortations to Christian duties. The apostle encourages them to be like minded, in conformity to the example of the Lord Jesus, the pattern of humility and love.



In his sermon titled "Think Hard, Stay Humble," Francis Chan told the following story about a man named Vaughn who radiated the love of Christ to everyone around him:

A few years ago, a missionary came to our church and told a beautiful story about sharing the gospel with a remote tribe in Papua New Guinea. At the end of the story this missionary said, "I should really give the credit to Vaughn, my former youth pastor who loved me and inspired me to live for Christ and share the gospel with others." The next week another guy came to our church and he challenged us to start sponsoring kids living in poverty. The second speaker also concluded by saying, "I'm involved in this ministry because of my youth pastor, a guy named Vaughn." I found out those guys were from the same youth group!

Then the next week another speaker named Dan told us about his ministry at a rescue mission in the inner city of L.A. After Dan's talk, I casually mentioned, "It was so weird: the last two weeks both of our speakers mentioned how much impact their youth pastor, Vaughn, had on them." Dan looked surprised and then he told me, "I know Vaughn. He's a pastor in San Diego now, and he takes people into the dumps in Tijuana where kids are picking through the garbage. I was just with Vaughn in Tijuana. We would walk in the city, and these kids would run up to him, and he would show such deep love and affection for them. He'd hug them and have gifts and food for them. He'd figure out how to get them showers. Francis, it was eerie: the whole time I was walking with Vaughn, I kept thinking, If Jesus was on earth, I think this is what it would feel like to walk with him. He just loved everyone he ran into, and he would tell them about God. People were just drawn to his love and affection." And then Dan said this, "The day I spent with Vaughn was the closest thing I've ever experienced to walking with Jesus."

Vaughn was working with one mind and one purpose and that was to be like Jesus Christ. His impact on others was so obvious those around him felt like they were in the presence of Jesus. That is how our lives should be lived. Our hearts should be tender and compassionate � ready to reach out to others in love. We should be working together and showing Jesus to others through our good deeds.

Proverbs 1:17 (NLT)
1 A dry piece of food with peace and quiet is better than a house full of food with fighting.

These words recommend family-love and peace, as conducing very much to the comfort of human life. Though there only be dry morsels with which to feed they find their comfort in each other and in the peace of God. Better to live this way that to have a house full of food where families live in contention, strife and embitterment.




Martin Luther (1483-1546) said If we are correct and right in our Christian life at every point, but refuse to stand for the truth at a particular point where the battle rages-then we are traitors to Christ.
The movie Nuremberg, based on the book Nuremberg: Infamy on Trial, by Joseph Persico, is about a series of trials held in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1945-46, in which former Nazi leaders were tried as war criminals by the International Military Tribunal. In this scene, Nazi defendant Hans Frank (played by Frank Moore) is attempting to explain his actions to Army psychologist Gustav Gilbert (played by Matt Craven). Frank explains, "I turned my diaries over to the Americans voluntarily. You see, they prove that I tried to resign as Governor General of Poland. I did not approve of the persecution of the Jews. Anyone reading my diaries, they will know what was in my heart. They will understand that such things I wrote about Jews, the orders I signed, they were not sincere." "I believe you, Frank," says Gilbert. "And yet, you did do those things. How do you explain it? I don't mean legally; I'm not a lawyer or a judge. I mean how do you explain it to yourself?" "I don't know," replies Frank. "It's as though I am two people: the Hans Frank you see here, and Hans Frank the Nazi leader. I wonder how the other Frank could do such things. This Frank looks at that Frank and says, 'You're a terrible man.'" "And what does that Frank say back?" asks Gilbert. Frank, appearing to plead for understanding, replies, "He says, 'I just wanted to keep my job.'"

We can often think our lives are correct, but we can still be living in chaos. We might think we are enjoying a wonderful meal, but the whole meal is nothing but a battle of words. Make sure we are finding the comfort in God even if it means we are doing without in order to find the peace God would bestow upon us. It is better to have a quiet moment with a dry piece of food that living a life of contention.

This devotional should be carefully considered by many in the SAA forum.

Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Pride and vanity is a Christian�s enemy. Christ came for the purpose to humble us and remove the arrogance preventing us from seeing our sin. We must be willing to lift others up in spirit. We should look sternly at our own infirmities and yet be willing to make favorable allowances and find charity in our judgment of others. We must interest ourselves in the concerns of others, not in a way of curiosity and censoriousness, or as busy-bodies in other men�s matters, but in Christian love and sympathy.


A group of four pastors was travelling into a Communist country which known to persecute Christians. Their flight had a layover and they were met by Christian friends who put them up for the night. While having dinner the friends begged the pastors to smuggle in some Bibles they had gathered for the underground church. Knowing it was illegal at first they refused, but their friends pleaded they pray about what God would have them do. During the night the pastors thought maybe a Bible or two wouldn�t hurt and so they accepted. What they weren�t prepared for was the following morning's delivery. It was a small library of Bibles, books about Christianity, study tools, and videos. The divided up the materials placing them in suit-cases, carry-on bags, and whatever they could fit the materials in. All was going without issue until they were about to land and the stewardess passed out custom declaration forms. The forms had their names, passport numbers, and wanted answers to pointed questions, such as were they bringing guns, narcotics, or literature into the country? The four sat paralyzed over what to write. Saying they were not bringing literature, was lying. Checking they had books and Bibles placed them in serious jeopardy. It was one of those moments when the Holy Spirit spoke to them and gave a simple solution they could not have thought about themselves. They didn't answer the question. They left it blank. As they passed through immigration surrounded by armed guards and immigration officers, their forms were scrutinized and all four were waved through.

It took humility to listen to God and carry the materials into a country where they knew they could become prisoners. They had to put aside self-ambition for the sake of others interest. They knew they had done the right thing as they looked into the faces of those who belonged to the underground church - for they rejoiced in the materials they had received.

It is amazing what God can do in our lives if we just trust Him. Where man saw the potential problems God saw the rewards that were waiting. God was able to protect these men and lead them through a difficult time and still maintained their integrity.

Ephesians 4:21-24 (NLT)
21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God�truly righteous and holy.

Christ is both the lesson and the teacher. We learn about Christ as we allow Christ to work through us. The apostle tells us that our old nature must be thrown aside. We are then to allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives to change and renew our thoughts and attitudes. We are to put on this new nature like a garment, which leads us to righteousness and holiness.



It is amazing when you witness someone transformed by Christ; when their mind is renewed and the thoughts they were thinking totally change. An experience I refer to often is when God allowed me to share the gospel with a taxi driver. Not only was the life of the taxi driver transformed, but my own life was also changed. You see this taxi driver was in a bad mood until I mentioned my morning was going well because I had gotten up and read my Bible. Those few words make the taxi driver say, �I don�t about me and God. I have played in a church band, but I never understood Jesus.� After taking a few minutes to talk with the man he stopped the taxi, looked at me and said, �Would you pray with me now that I can change to be like Jesus? I want to be saved!� Right in the middle of downtown Washington, D.C. traffic we parked and prayed. The man looked up and said, �I asked God for someone to tell me about Jesus and he sent you.� The man was Mr. Brown and suddenly he had a new outlook on life and was smiling.

The story doesn�t end there. A year later I had returned to Washington, D.C. for another class I was teaching. I hailed a taxi and gave the cabbie my destination. In the cab was a picture and ID about the driver. It was the same man I had spoken with a year earlier. Sitting in the back seat I said, �Hello Mr. Brown do you remember talking to me last year?� He replied, �Yes, you are that man that told me about Jesus.� I asked, �How is life� and he said �With Jesus it is wonderful!�

Not only did God change Mr. Brown, but he changed me by allowing me to see the fruits of what happens when you take a few moments to talk about Jesus with another person. It was a blessing to see Mr. Brown so happy and ready to tell me what Jesus had done in his life.

Isaiah 5:11-12 (NLT)
11 What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol and spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk. 12 They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties�lyre and harp, tambourine and flute�but they never think about the Lord or notice what he is doing.

There verses speak of the woe to those who dote upon the pleasures and delights of sense. Sensuality ruins men as certainly as worldliness and oppression. Here we find those who search long hours for the delight of alcohol until they find themselves flaming drunk. Yet they never think about the Lord or notice what He is attempting to do in their lives; they live without God heading toward self-destruction.



I once listened to the testimony of a man who was a recovering alcoholic. It was disturbing listening to him as he described the seductive appeal of alcohol. He described how alcohol seduced him like a temptress. It started with the ice as it was being put into the glass. Each clink of an ice cube hitting the glass was like pleasant music giving rise to his desire for alcohol. Then as it poured freely from the bottle the aroma filled the air with a delightful smell of alluring seduction. Then as he pressed the glass to his lips the flavor brought lustful desire for the drink he was holding and he began to drink.

The problem was that when the seduction of one glass was over the next glass began call out to him all over again. The alcohol seduced him until it took him to a point of intoxication he could not deal with. His senses and thoughts were overpowered. The alcohol caused him to fall prey and it lured him in like a spider entangling him in his sinful desire for alcohol. It was not only damaging to him, but also to the relationship with his family.

It wasn�t until this person found out about the redeeming mercy and grace of Jesus that he was able to quit his drinking problem. Realizing Christ loved him for who he was began a process of change. Christ now appealed to him instead of the alcohol. Christ beckoned him to follow Him instead of a drink. Christ transformed his life and saved him from his own self destruction.

If you know someone with a drinking problem reach out for professional help. Your church, Al-Anon or similar organizations can help educate you on how you can help. Remember the alcoholic has to be the one who wants change, but Christ or Christ working through us can lead them to change.

AlAnon is a great organization.
A great system using the 12 step program.
Affair addicts are similar to alcoholics. I saw several traits my ex wife has that are a result of her growing up with a single alcoholic mother.

The old timers called alcohol the devils drink and for some it truly is.

2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV)
�May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.�

The apostle concludes the epistle by acknowledging the trinity of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The apostle asks that their grace may be upon them with the Holy Spirit acknowledging the salvation of Jesus Christ.



Today is my 56th birthday. Considering the accidents, illnesses and other things that have taken place in my life I feel blessed to be alive. While a birthday marks a blessing of another year of life -- there is a greater blessing I am thankful for. In John 3:3-5, �Jesus replied, �Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.� �How can someone be born when they are old?� Nicodemus asked. �Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother�s womb to be born!� Jesus answered, �Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.�

I know my mother is glad I didn�t enter the womb a second time; I weighted over 10 pounds when I was born. But I know my mother was happy when I accepted Jesus Christ at the age of 7 to be my Lord and Savior and was reborn to an eternal life with Jesus. Today might be my earthly birth, but I have also had a spiritual rebirth allowing me to look forward to all the glory of the Kingdom of God!

If you have asked Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior I know one day I will be with you in heaven rejoicing. For now I am blessed to love the Lord with all my sisters and brothers in Christ here on earth!

If you don�t know Jesus Christ, know this � Jesus is the Son of God, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on a cross for our sin and rose to life three days later that we too may be born again to an eternal life. It�s easy to ask Jesus to be your savior. Let Him know you have sinned in your life and you desire to repent and move away from sin. Tell Him you trust Him as your Lord and Savior and you give your life to Him. It�s that simple; that easy. God bless you and Happy Birthday to all those who have been reborn.

AskMe

Is it really his birthday?
I think he copies and pastes these devotional stories

It was actually my birthday last Friday...all 56 years of it. The illustration I sometimes copy from another source, but I give acknowledgement to the source. My birthday devotion was totally mine.

SO thank you for the Happy Birthday Wishes. I had a good time with my family.

Hebrews 10:35-36 (NIV)
35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

These words from the apostle are intended to encourage the believers to keep their confidence in the salvation they have received from their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Their service to Christ will one day be richly rewarded. For those who follow the will of God will become heirs to all that He has promised.



I can relate to this story by pastor Bryan Wilkerson as I too have once ran the complete NY Marathon. �The first half of that race is a party. You�re swept along by 28,000 runners, crowds lining the streets, and people running in costumes. You�re touring the ethnic neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens. You feel like you could run forever. At mile 13, you cross over into Manhattan and start heading north, away from the finish line. Central Park is behind you, and you�re going in the wrong direction. The crowds are thinner now. The party�s over.

�At about mile 16 or 18, you hit the wall. You�re absolutely miserable. Physically and psychologically, you�re busted. All you want to do is stop running. I remember passing one of the first aid stations. There were runners lying on cots � pale and gaunt, with IVs dripping into their arms. I thought to myself, Those lucky dogs. At that point I began to despair. I imagined myself having to go home and tell everybody I didn�t finish. Why did I ever sign up for this race? What made me think I could do this?

That�s when it hit me. One way or another, I had to get to Central Park. That�s where my ride was. I had no car. I had no money. I would have to get there on my own two feet. So I might as well keep running. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Don�t think about the next 6 miles; just think about the next step. And if you can keep that up, keep putting one foot in front of the other, the miles pass. And when you cross that finish line, it feels like glory � even when you�re in 10,044th place.�

Yes, I completely understand as I ran for 5hrs to complete the NYC Marathon Race. The race is difficult. There are ups and downs in the race. There were times I had to just focus on the road ahead to know I was making progress. There were times I had to watch my footing as the road got slipperly. Sometimes you want to give up, but you know you need to keep going. Then it appears, The Finish Line, and your body suddenly gets one more surge of energy as you approach with confident the last few steps to the finish. And it�s there you are rewarded the NYC Marathon Finishers Medal for enduring 26.2 miles of running.

Run the race of life with confidence in The Lord Jesus Christ. Keep enduring all that the world throws at you knowing there is a Finish Line, an eternal afterlife with the Lord Jesus. Never give up doing His will for He will be there to greet you at the finish and reward you justly. May God bless each of you and keep you close to Him.

Well happy birthday. May the Lord richly bless you

Did you run the NY marathon?
I ran the Cincinnati marathon.
I also really understand St Paul's challenge to keep the course. Run the race and finish good.

I ran the San Francisco Marathon, NYC Marathon and Kiawah Island Marathon before the doctor told me to stop running or walk in cripple. I really enjoyed running and it helped me understand when the Apostle Paul talks about running the race keeping your eyes fixed on the prize ahead.