Praying for Ian

Psalm 44

23 Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep?

Get up! Do not reject us forever.

24 Why do you look the other way?

Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression?

25 We collapse in the dust,

lying face down in the dirt.

26 Rise up! Help us!

Ransom us because of your unfailing love.

This morning, Ian, my beloved son, got up to go to a temporary work assignment. he was supposed to be there by 6:15, left the house by 5:45, got to the work site, and there was no one there to instruct him or even talk to him. He tried calling the person with whom he had spoken about the job, but got no answer. So, he turned around, came home, and went to bed in what is no doubt a very depressed state of mind. I am crushed for him. Lord, help me to be an encouragement to him to get him back on his feet this day.

Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain

2 Corinthians 4

3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! Satan is the “man behind the curtain” attempting to blind the eyes of people so that they do not believe the Gospel. It is my job as a follower of Christ to expose that man behind the curtain for the fraud that he is. Satan is all smoke and mirrors, trying to frighten people away from the freedom they can have in Jesus. May my life shout out for those blinded by satan, “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!” Let us instead focus our gaze on our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

Freedom in Christ

2 Corinthians 3

17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Reminds me of the chorus to the Charlie Hall tune, “I Am Free”

I am free to run

(I am free to run)

I am free to dance

(I am free to dance)

I am free to live for You

(I am free to live for You)

I am free

(I am free)

My freedom is in Christ, and because of Jesus, I am free indeed!!!

Gospel Spreader

2 Corinthians 2

14 But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. 15 Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. 16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?

17 You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.

The thought that God uses me to spread the knowledge of Christ is overwhelming. See, I know what a sinful goober I am, and so does God. Yet, God CHOOSES to use me to spread the Gospel anyway! I cannot praise Him enough, nor can I thank Him enough for His great love for me. I am blown away to think that God uses me in this way. I am not arrogant enough to think I am worthy of this great honor, and I am humbled when students and former students of mine talk about how I have impacted their lives for Christ. Thank You Lord for the privilege of serving You in this way!

Holy Enabler

2 Corinthians 1

21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, 22 and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.

God is the Holy Enabler! 25 years ago today, I was buried with Christ in the watery grave of baptism, and raised into a new life in Jesus. God has enabled me to carry His message to a couple of generations of students now (I have even had the privilege of baptizing into Christ the child of a former youth group student of mine). I know that I have been commissioned by the Lord, and it is my desire to spread His message of love and redemption wherever I go, to whomever I come in contact. Thank You, Lord for this awesome privilege!

True Comfort

2 Corinthians 1

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 6 Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. 7 We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.

I am so glad that I can turn to the God of all comfort and mercy in times of trouble, and that I can point others in trouble to turn to God as well! I have been praying for a couple of brothers in Christ this week, who are facing job issues, and turning to the Word has been a great source of comfort for us all. May I turn to my Lord not just in times of trouble, but in times of rejoicing, and in all the times between those two extremes!

A New Song To Sing

Psalm 40

1 I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,

and he turned to me and heard my cry.

2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair,

out of the mud and the mire.

He set my feet on solid ground

and steadied me as I walked along.

3 He has given me a new song to sing,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see what he has done and be amazed.

They will put their trust in the Lord.

I have been praying for a dear brother in Christ today who may have a job opportunity of a lifetime awaiting him. The past couple of years have been beyond tough for him, physically, mentally, and most importantly, spiritually. In fact, he told me today that his walk with Christ has suffered over the past two years. He acknowledges that he cannot do it on his own, that he needs Jesus every single day. He is doing better, and just a job interview today has him walking on clouds. My prayer with him today was that God’s will is done, and that my brother is drawn closer to Jesus no matter what. May God be glorified and praised in this situation and in my brother’s life. And in mine.

Realign Myself

Proverbs 21

30 No human wisdom or understanding or plan

can stand against the Lord.

Humble me, O Lord, and make the desires of my heart to be Your desires. I foolishly make plans on my own far too often, when I need to rely on Your plan, on Your wisdom, on Your understanding. Forgive my rebellious heart, and help me to realign myself with You always. Father, You know plans I hope to have in the works, and I pray that if those plans align with Yours all goes smoothly. If those plans do not, then give me to strength to carry on and the humility to accept it without any bitterness in my heart.

Innocent in God's Sight

Job 9

2 “Yes, I know all this is true in principle.

But how can a person be declared innocent in God’s sight?”

Poor Job. This is a statement he makes in response to his “friend” Bildad. It is a great question, though. How CAN a person be declared innocent in God’s sight? Only when that person is covered by the Saving Blood of Jesus Christ. Since Job lived before Christ came to complete that atoning sacrifice, his question is a little more difficult to answer. Yet, we know that Job was innocent, that God was simply allowing him to be tested. It was the tailor-made plan of suffering to make Job who he needed to be. Father, I pray today that I will have the strength and patience of Job to handle whatever suffering has been tailor-made for me so that I can be the person YOU want me to be. I am so thankful that I have been declared innocent in Your sight thanks to Jesus. Now, may I live my life in such a way as to please You and bring You glory each day.

Fortress of God

Psalm 37

39 The Lord rescues the godly;


he is their fortress in times of trouble.


40 The Lord helps them,


rescuing them from the wicked.


He saves them,


and they find shelter in him.

It is my desire to be godly. In Christ, I am made that way, and I want to remain in Christ always. I know that “Our God Is Able” and I will trust in Him always. I know that He can deliver me from times of trouble, just as He has this past week. I know that God is my fortress and my shelter. I will proclaim this daily as I seek to follow His Word to the very best of my ability.

Should We Accept Only The Good?

Job 1

1 There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.

Job 2

8 Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes. 9 His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”

10 But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.

Okay, so we know about Job. described as a man who is blameless, of complete integrity, who feared God and stayed away from evil. Satan wants to put him to the test, so God allows satan to kill all his children, and destroy all his wealth. Job is left with his wife and his health. Until satan is allowed to take away Job’s health. Then, even his wife tried to get him to speak against God, but he refused to do so. I LOVE his response in verse 10: “...should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” May my heart be more like Job’s every day, and may I accept what comes my way as nothing more than opportunities to grow closer to God!

Who I Want To Be

1 Corinthians 13

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

If I were to be the person that God wants me to be (and that I want to be), then I would be described by these verses from 1 Corinthians 13:

Scott is patient and kind. Scott is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Scott does not demand his own way. He is not irritable, and he keeps no record of being wronged. He does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Scott never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Now THAT is the Scott I strive to be every day. Father, help me to be that person.

Your Love, Oh Lord

Psalm 36

5 Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.

6a Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,

your justice like the ocean depths.

We are singing the Third Day worship Tune, “Your Love Oh Lord” this weekend. As I read this passage today, I couldn’t help but break out in my best Mac Powell imitation (as lame as that is), and just lift my voice to my Lord and Savior. Thank You God, for Your Word. Thank You for music to express my love for You. Thank You for loving me in spite of whom I am. Your love is as vast as the heavens and your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds!

Praising God All Day Long

Psalm 35

28 Then I will proclaim your justice,

and I will praise you all day long.

This has not been a morning filled with the best of news. My Doc told me that the time for playing games with my weight is long over. I am on the verge of becoming diabetic, and he wants serious action taken regarding my weight and exercise. Peggy and I had already started on the weight part as of Monday, but the seriousness of the message from the Doc has got to spur me on to action. Then came the financial news regarding a crown that I MUST get on this tooth or face the possibility of losing it. I know that God will provide, and that He does provide. I could sink into a funk of depression right now, but instead I think I will just sing some praises to my Lord Who is able!

Imitators

1 Corinthians 11

1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, then I want my life to be flattered as others imitate my imitation of Christ. Yeah, that sounds kind of cocky, doesn’t it? But remember, I want to imitate Christ, so if those around me are imitating me, then they would really be imitating Christ. Right? Well, I know that my children (both physical and spiritual) imitate many of my traits. My prayer is that they will distinguish between my faults and Christ living in me, and imitate only the latter. Father, help me to live a life that is so Christ-like that I would be proud to have others imitating me in their own lives each day.

Rescued by the Lord

Psalm 34

19 The righteous person faces many troubles,

but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

I spent a lot of time in a dentist’s chair today. First at my regular dentist who diagnosed a fracture and infection, which lead me to a specialist who performed a root canal. Next up, I must get this fractured tooth crowned. Yeah, troubles are all around me, but I have had a peace about me today that can only come from the Lord. Thank You, God, for Your presence in my life. Thank You for knowing how to take care of all of the stuff going on in my life right now. I don’t know how to do it, but I am glad that You are here and that You do know how!

Whatever It Takes

1 Corinthians 9

19 Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. 20 When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. 21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.

22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. 23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.

This is the attitude I try to take. I will do whatever it takes to share the Gospel with whoever I am with at whatever time that may be. No matter what!

My Hope Is In You

Psalm 33

20 We put our hope in the Lord.

He is our help and our shield.

21 In him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust in his holy name.

22 Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,

for our hope is in you alone.

My hope is in You. Show me the way. Guide me in truth. For all my days. My Hope is in You. How blessed I am to celebrate my Bride’s Birthday today. How blessed I am to have the love of God shower upon me each day of my life. May I never take that for granted, and may I praise the Name of Jesus daily.

Greater Determination

Nehemiah 6

9 They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination.

Throughout the process of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah faced fierce opposition from Sandballat and his ilk. They continually tried to discourage, distract, and destroy what Nehemiah was trying to accomplish for the Lord. I absolutely LOVE the statement found in Nehemiah 6:9. May that be the attitude of my heart as I press on with what it is that God has in mind for me to accomplish for His Kingdom. May I have even greater determination to complete the work God wants me to do, and may I never allow anyone to discourage, distract or destroy me in that work!

Joy

Psalm 32

1 Oh, what joy for those

whose disobedience is forgiven,

whose sin is put out of sight!

Oh what joy fills my life! I am forgiven of my sins, and I love my Lord with all my heart. May my joy be infectious so that all who are around me are filled with that Joy of Jesus!

God's Unfailing Love

Psalm 31

21a Praise the Lord,

for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love.

God has shown me the wonders of His unfailing love through the persons of Jesus and Peggy. For that I am eternally grateful!

Pleasing God

Proverbs 21

3 The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just

than when we offer him sacrifices.

I have nothing to sacrifice that would impress God. I mean, I am a lowly human being. I am a creation of the Most High God of the Universe. Anything I could offer as a sacrifice would be puny to Him. How could I possibly hope to impress God with my sacrifice? God wants me to live like Jesus lived. He wants me to do what is right and just, to love people like He loves them. When I have done that, I have only done what I was supposed to do in the first place. How could that be considered a “sacrifice”? May my life be pleasing to God always, and may my heart beat as one with the heart of my Lord and Savior, Jesus.

Seeing Through The Lord's Eyes

Proverbs 21

2 People may be right in their own eyes,

but the Lord examines their heart.

Father, God. Protect me from the sinful practice of thinking I am right in my own eyes. Lord, help me to always seek Your Word, and may I always seek to see myself through Your eyes. It is my desire to live the way You would have me to live, and to be the person You would have me to be. I want nothing more and nothing less.

God's Favor

Psalm 30

4 Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones!

Praise his holy name.

5 For his anger lasts only a moment,

but his favor lasts a lifetime!

Weeping may last through the night,

but joy comes with the morning.

I have nothing but praise for the God Who rescued me not only through Jesus, but through my Bride Peggy. 29 years ago she said, “I do.” Ever since then my life has been greatly enriched. God’s favor has rested upon me as Peggy and I have dedicated our lives to Him. We’ve seen good times and not-so-good times over these 29 years, but God’s favor has rested upon us nonetheless. My joy is complete with Jesus and Peggy in my life.

I am so blessed

Psalm 29

1 Honor the Lord, you heavenly beings;

honor the Lord for his glory and strength.

2 Honor the Lord for the glory of his name.

Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea.


The God of glory thunders.


The Lord thunders over the mighty sea.


4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;


the voice of the Lord is majestic.

Watching the sunrise at Vero’s South Beach with my Bride this morning is one of the coolest times I have had in many years. The pinks, oranges, blues, purples and that big ole yellow ball of fire coming up out of the ocean were all just magnificent. What a glorious way to start this special day with Peggy. God’s glory is all around, and while the sunrise absolutely declares the glory of God, my Bride is the definition of God’s glory in action. Thank You, Lord for allowing me the privilege of being married to Peggy for 10,5891 days now. Your voice echoed above the sea this morning, and it echoes in her words to me every single day of my life. I am so blessed!

Crying Out to the Lord

Psalm 28

1 I pray to you, O Lord, my rock.

Do not turn a deaf ear to me.

For if you are silent,

I might as well give up and die.

2 Listen to my prayer for mercy

as I cry out to you for help,

as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.

A rough start to the morning. Tears and cries for sympathy from our two children still living under our roof, followed by a painful phone call from a Mom whose son has made a series of really bad choices over the past couple of years. Things look like they are about to hit the fan with this latter situation. So sad. I hurt for Mom and Son deeply and I am praying for clarity, peace and comfort for them both. I hurt for my two critters who are both hurting in their own ways. Lord, please give them peace as well as some comfort right now. It is so easy to see that, like David, we need to cry out to our Lord in times of distress, and that those times seem to come frequently in this life. I know that God has it all in hand, and I trust Him for every step I take today. May my children and this Mom and Son do the same.

Forget Everything Except Jesus Christ

1 Corinthians 2

1 When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. 2For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.

I’m not interested in using lofty words, I just want to communicate my story to others so they can see Jesus at work in me and through me. May I forget everything except Jesus Christ, and may He shine in me so others will be drawn to Him.

Thanking God for our College Crew

1 Corinthians 1

4 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus.

This is my prayer for the college crew at VCC. I always praise God for them and for the gracious gifts He has given to this energetic, enthusiastic group of young adults. They absolutely make my week. After a couple of pretty trying days on a personal front, it was so good to have them not only in my home for Bible study this evening, but to be part of the larger gathering at the Aldhizer’s this evening for the three baptisms we witnessed there. Several of the adults commented on our college crew, on how polite they are, etc. What a fantastic witness. I am so proud of their spiritual growth over the past several months. I am especially gratified by their desire to dig DEEPER into God’s Word, and then to apply what they are learning to their everyday lives. What a blessing to be a small part of this process! What a blessing to grow closer to my Lord with this crew!

Changed for the Better

2 Chronicles 34

14 While they were bringing out the money collected at the Lord’s Temple, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that was written by Moses. 15 Hilkiah said to Shaphan the court secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the Lord’s Temple!” Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan.

16 Shaphan took the scroll to the king and reported, “Your officials are doing everything they were assigned to do. 17 The money that was collected at the Temple of the Lord has been turned over to the supervisors and workmen.” 18 Shaphan also told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” So Shaphan read it to the king.

19 When the king heard what was written in the Law, he tore his clothes in despair.

The tearing of clothes in that society was a sign of sorrow and repentance. God’s Word had been hidden away from the people for years, and when the king finally heard what it had to say, he was mortified knowing that God’s judgment was upon the people and would be for some time to come. As our college group has been reading from the One Year Bible plan over these past couple of months, it has been amazing to see what God is revealing to them through their personal reading. Repentance and praise have followed! You rawk, God! May our lives be changed for the better because of the time we spend in Your Word each day!

Calling Out To God

Psalm 25

16 Turn to me and have mercy,


for I am alone and in deep distress.


17 My problems go from bad to worse.


Oh, save me from them all!


18 Feel my pain and see my trouble.


Forgive all my sins.


19 See how many enemies I have


and how viciously they hate me!


20 Protect me! Rescue my life from them!


Do not let me be disgraced, for in you I take refuge.


21 May integrity and honesty protect me,


for I put my hope in you.

Remembering that the Lord is good and does what is right, it is also a comfort to know that you can call out to God in times of distress and tribulation. On this Monday, I am calling out on behalf of my sister and my dad. Lord, strengthen them and give them both peace in the days to come. I know that You are in control, and I praise You always. No matter what.

Two New Births

Psalm 25

8 The Lord is good and does what is right;

he shows the proper path to those who go astray.

9 He leads the humble in doing right,

teaching them his way.

10 The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness

all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.

This evening, we had the privilege of witnessing two new births in Christ. Tracee and Ben both obeyed the Gospel and had their sins washed away as about 25 of us gathered to celebrate. Ben comes as a result of a recovery ministry led by Pete Binns. Tracee comes because Sue Smith invited her to church. Steve taught them (and several others) in our Discover Class today. They were drawn to Jesus and they responded properly. My prayer tonight is that they will continue to draw closer to Jesus each day, and that those of us who witnessed their new births will be a source of encouragement for them both in the days to come.