Refreshing

Daily
in Gods Word
Emphasis on

Patriotism

Biblically Correct
July 1
Bible Reading: Psalms 33
Key Verse: Verse 12 Blessed is the nation whose
God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath
chosen for his own inheritance
Key Words: Blessed is the nation whose God is the

LORD

There was a time when almost everyone could name the

Ten Commandments; but in todays world most people, not
only cannot name the Ten Commandments, they appear to
oppose them, if not in action then certainly in word. I can
remember a time when stores were closed on Sunday out of
respect for the Lords day. But today Sundays are just
another day of business. There was a time when our citizens
stood up and opposed the homosexual lifestyle and pastors
proclaimed hot and hard from the pulpit the wickedness of
adultery and promiscuity. Cursing and obscene language
were unthinkable and considered a moral wrong. But today
citizens, when polled on such issues, view them as acceptable
or inconsequential.
My, my, how times have changed! The strong Christian
influence and spiritual standards that helped to shape our
culture have given way to compromise and paganism. Yes, I
said it: paganism (one who is not a Christian, someone who
worships a false god). In the United States, political leaders,
legislative bodies, and our courts have adopted an antiChristian attitude and agenda. We have been so bent on being
politically correct that we are spiritually wrong.
Public institutions and officials now no longer call it
homosexuality, it is called an alternative lifestyle.
It is no longer called abortion; the courts call it
reproductive freedom.
Instead of calling it fornication and sin, we say that
kids should have safe sex.
Graphic, vulgar language is called freedom of
expression.

We live in a society so bent on being politically correct that

we have been spiritually grievous to God.
Believers today would rather please the flesh and the
world than please God. Often our churches are no
more Biblically correct than the government.
Churches today have become worldly in philosophy for
the sake of gaining numbers rather than giving God
the glory.
Churches today talk about religious freedom to
assemble together yet church doors are closed today
more than they are open.
Churches today fight for the rights of the children
physically but ignore them spiritually.
Churches fight to have God put back in our schools,
but lock Him out of our churches.
Churches fight for the right of prayer in public schools,
but many churches no longer have prayer meeting.
Lets be Biblically correct, but lets be correct in all areas, not
just in areas of our choosing.
What to do:
Remember, if you are not Biblically correct, then
you are just flat wrong.
********************

The Greatest Liberty of All

July 2
Bible Reading: John 8:1-32
Key Verse: Verse 32 And ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free.
Key Words: the truth shall make you free
It was in 1776 the Liberty Bell was rung for the first time.
Fifty years later on July 4, 1826, it ushered in what was known
as the Jubilee Anniversary of the American Republic. The

bell, now cracked, no longer tolls but it is still very much a

symbol of our freedom.
No doubt our forefathers were well acquainted with the
Bible so it is not surprising that they associated liberty with a
bell. You may recall that on the Day of Atonement, the High
Priest went alone into the Holy of Holies to offer a sacrifice for
the nation of Israel. When he entered the tabernacle he had
on a beautiful robe. At the bottom of that robe was a series of
tiny bells (Exodus 28:33-34). As the priest moved inside the
Holy of Holies the bells could be heard, but when it was time
for the sacrifice to be made the High Priest would take off the
robe and it could not be put on again until God had accepted
the sacrifice for sins. When the people would once again hear
the bells there was great rejoicing for they knew that God had
accepted the sacrifice and their sins were forgiven.
Christ, our Great High Priest, also laid aside His garments
of Glory and made atonement for us. As a result, the spiritual
liberty bell of freedom can ring out anthems of joy for we are
free not because of our effort but because of Jesus. You too
can be free today if you would but trust Jesus as your Savior.
John 8:32, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall
make you free.
What to do:
Thank God today for your spiritual freedom.
********************

The Ant and the Grasshopper

July 3

Bible Reading: Proverbs 6: 1-11

Key Verse: Verse 6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard;

consider her ways, and be wise:
Key Words: Go to the ant, thou sluggard

The following was sent to me and I thought I would share

it with you. Two different versions! Two different morals!
Old Version: The ant works hard in the withering heat all
summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for
the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and
laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter,
the ant is warm and well-fed. The grasshopper has no food or
shelter, so he dies out in the cold.
Moral of the Story: Be responsible for yourself!
New Version: The ant works hard in the withering heat all
summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for
the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and
laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter,
the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and
demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm
and well-fed while others are cold and starving.
CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide
pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant
in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. America
is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be, that in a
country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to
suffer so?
Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper,
and everybody cries when they sing, Its Not Easy Being
Green. Jesse Jackson stages a demonstration in front of the
ants house where the news stations film the group singing,
We Shall Overcome. Jesse then has the group kneel down
to pray to God for the grasshoppers sake. Nancy Pelosi and
John Kerry exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the
ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both
call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his
fair share. Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity &
Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the
summer. The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate
number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his
retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the government.
Obama gets his wife to represent the grasshopper in a
defamation suit against the ant, and the case is tried before a
panel of federal judges that he appointed from a list of singleparent welfare recipients. The ant loses the case.

The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the

last bits of the ants food while the government house he is in,
which just happens to be the ants old house, crumbles around
him because he doesnt maintain it. The ant has disappeared
in the snow. The grasshopper is found dead in a drug-related
incident and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a
gang of spiders who terrorize the once peaceful neighborhood.
P. S. This article was used previously, but re-used by
special request.
What to do:
Make sure you always vote.
********************

America and Greatness

July 4
Bible Reading: Proverbs 14:1-23
Key Verse: Verse 23 In all labour there is profit:
but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
Key Words: In all labour there is profit
America has become a nation of people who ask, What
can you do for me? rather than a nation that asks, What can
I do for my country? We see this throughout our society and
even in our church people. As a rule, we arent looking for
churches in which we can serve but in churches where we can
be served.
Lyman Abbot wrote, A nation is made great, not by its
fruitful acres, but by the men who cultivate them; not by its
great forests, but by the men who use them; not by its mines,
but by the men who build and run them. America was a great
land when Columbus discovered it; Americans have made it a
great nation.
The author of the following is unknown. Those who built
this nation to its present greatness believed in the invincibility
of intelligence, economy, and hard work.
Guided by
Providence, they entered a wilderness with vision, industry,

and courage. They took the forked stick and made a steel
plow. They took the rude sickle and made a reaper. They
took the wagon and made an engine, an automobile, an
airplane, a tractor. They made an iron thread into an ocean
cable, rough type into great color printing presses, and steel
beams into soaring skyscrapers. They made forest trails into
magnificent highways. They put the little red schoolhouse
and the little white church on a thousand hills. America is
great because individual men have freedom and equality;
because individual men have been given the incentive to
create, to produce, and to save, because individual men have
been rewarded for their labor with a generous share of the
goods they helped to produce. America has taken its place
among the great civilizations of history because the
cornerstone upon which the republic rests is the social,
economic, and spiritual betterment of individual man.
I might add that this all comes by the grace of God.
What to do:
I thank God for America. Lets all pray and strive
for America to be a Godly nation.
********************

Patriotism
July 5
Bible Reading: Psalm 144
Key Verse: Verse 15 Happy is that people, that is in
such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is
the LORD.
Key Words: happy is that people, whose God is the

LORD

Maybe you remember the news shots and photographs

sometime back of President Barak Obama, standing on the
platform with his hands to his side while the National Anthem
was being played. You probably have heard him say that

patriotism is not in the wearing of the American Flag pin.

And some weeks ago, he said that patriotism is not in whether
you are a Republican or a Democrat, but patriotism is in your
love for your country, no matter what your political views may
be.
Now, while I understand what Mr. Obama was saying, I
also understand that one cannot be truly patriotic until they
understand that true patriotism sees America as being a
nation, not controlled by mankind, but controlled by God.
Our countrys Pledge of Allegiance was written especially
for children in 1892 as a part of a celebration for Columbus
Day in public schools all across our land. The original version
first appeared in an educational publication called The
Youths Companion on September 8, 1892. It read: I pledge
allegiance to my flag and the republic for which it stands, one
nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The
author, Francis Bellamy, was an assistant editor for the
Companion. It was intended to be used just for the 400th
anniversary of Columbus discovery, but its popularity led to
an annual tradition. The pledge later became a daily ritual at
school rooms throughout the country.
In 1923, the first revision was made: my flag was
replaced with the words the flag of the United States of
America. Then in 1954, President Eisenhower signed a bill at
the peoples urging that added the words under God.
You see, in 1954 people understood that there could be no
true patriotism until a nation has submitted itself, not to
mans rule or authority, but to Gods rule and authority.
Now, from that I will let you judge which of our politicians
are true patriots.
What to do:
Be a true patriot.

Think About it
July 6
Bible Reading: Phillipians 4: 1-8
Key Verse: Verse 4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and
again I say, Rejoice.
Key Words: Rejoice in the Lord
The following article ran in The Birmingham News on
September 10, 2008.
Marie Leech - Birmingham News Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY Although Alabamas education system
is well-funded, its academic results are some of the lowest in
the nation, according to a report released Tuesday by the
Alabama Policy Institute.
The group describes itself as a nonpartisan, nonprofit
research and education organization dedicated to the
preservation of free markets, limited government and strong
families.
The 116-page report Alabamas Public Education
Dilemma: Does Funding Influence Outcomes? states that
Alabamas education investment, or input, is high. Teachers
salary and benefit packages rank 19th highest in the nation
when adjusted for pensions, cost of living and other value
factors, it states.
However, the results, or outputs, dont add up, the report
states. Alabama students consistently score below those in
most states on the National Assessment of Educational
Progress, also known as the Nations Report Card, and on the
ACT college entrance exam, it states. Alabamas graduation
rates are 45th in the nation, and the state spends between
$304 million and $454 million per year on remedial
education.
John R. Hill, author of the report, used a Score-Spending
Index for individual school systems and found that students
test scores were usually higher where the per-pupil spending
was below the state average, and lower in schools that spent
hundreds more dollars per child. Throwing more money at
these problems does not appear to be the solution, Hill said.

The government makes a poor educator. Nowhere in

Gods Word do you find that the government is responsible
for the education of our children. That responsibility belongs
to the parents. Why, just a simple reading of the book of
Proverbs makes that clear.
The lack of education in our society is just a little glimpse
at the national problem with our economy, same-sex
marriages, and abortion rights and the list goes on and on.
When will we come to the realization that righteousness
exalts a nation? We cant continually be wrong and live wrong
and expect things to turn out right!! Think about it!!
What to do:
Remember, its the Lord that makes a difference so
rejoice in the Lord, not money.
********************

Government Programs
July 7

Bible Reading: Titus 3

Key Verse: Verse 1 Put them in mind to be subject

to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to
be ready to every good work,
Key Words: to be subject to principalities

Today many believers find it difficult to submit to

government, primarily because government has stepped
outside of its boundaries and gone against the very principles,
not just of our Constitution, but of Gods Word.
Charles Colson in his book, Why America Hates
Government, says that the federal government has reached
its tentacles into more and more areas never before under its
jurisdiction most of them controversial social issues that tie
the government up in endless political conflict. As sociologist
James Q. Wilson explains in The Public Interest, before the
1960s the federal government was much more limited. The

few tasks it did, it did well: it ended the depression, helped

win World War II, built the interstate highway system,
established Social Security. Americans took pride in their
government. But today the federal government has plunged
into every area imaginable. It tries to control education,
manage race relations, stop sex discrimination, set up
universal health-care schemes, and even outlaw so-called hate
crimes (as though the state could control peoples motives).
These are all issues over which the American people
themselves disagree sharply. Which just about guarantees
that the government is twofold: to promote justice and
restrain evil. The first is a positive task: promoting harmony
among people so they can live together in shalom, the Hebrew
word for peace. Even if there were no sin in the world,
societies would still need organization and leadership.
Someone would have to work out procedural rules to maintain
public order, starting with simple things like where to place
traffic lights. But after the Fall, a second task was given to
government: restraining evil. Public order must now be
maintained through coercion. The angel that drove Adam and
Eve out of the garden with flaming sword in hand was the first
cop on the beat. In Romans 13, Paul says God has given the
state the power of the sword to punish evildoers. The Biblical
teaching of a limited state is revolutionary. We must
remember that in the first century when Paul was writing his
epistle, the Biblical idea that the state has specific, limited
tasks was revolutionary. It meant that government does not
have ultimate or unlimited authority over its citizens. Yet at
the very time these words were penned, the Roman emperors
were making a claim to exactly that kind of unlimited
authority. They were setting themselves up as deities. It was
a collision course that ended with Christians being thrown to
the lions. In our own age, Christians arent faced with a
Roman coliseum, but the Biblical teaching is just as
revolutionary. Our national government increasingly rejects
any inherent limits. It keeps reaching deeper and deeper into
social and moral issues that ought to be the province of
churches, families, and local communities. That may well be
why Americans hate politics.

The answer is not to withdraw and hide our heads in the

sand. The answer is in knowing what Gods Word says and in
acting on it. Amen and amen!!
What to do:
Do right. Be kind. Be loving...but you cannot just
do nothing.
********************

You Tell Him, Senator

July 8

Bible Reading: Proverbs 12:1-17

Key Verse: Verse 17 He that speaketh truth sheweth

forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.
Key Words: He that speaketh truth

While former Senator John Glenn and I would never be in

agreement in the political arena, I do admire what he said
from the floor of the Senate on January 26, 2004. Senator
Glenns address was sparked by one of his colleagues, Howard
Metzenbaum, who said, How can you run for Senate when
youve never had a real job? The following is Senator Glenns
response.
I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps. I
served through two wars. I flew 149 missions. My plane was
hit by anti-aircraft fire on twelve different occasions. I was in
the space program. It wasnt my checkbook, Howard; it was
my life on the line.
It was not a nine-to-five job where I took time off to take
the daily cash receipts to the bank. I ask you to go with me as
I went the other day to the Veterans Hospital and looked at
those men with their mangled bodies, and I want you to tell
them they didnt hold a job! You go with me to the space
program at NASA and go, as I have gone, to the widows and
orphans of Ed White, Gus Grissom, and Roger Chaffee, and
you look those kids in the eye and tell them their dads dont
hold a real job. You go with me on Memorial Day and you

stand in Arlington National Cemetery, where I have more

friends buried than I would like to remember, and you watch
those flags waving. You stand there and you think about this
nation, and you tell me that those people didnt have a real
job. I will tell you, you should be on your knees everyday of
your life thanking God that there were some men who held a
real job and their job required a dedication to purpose, and
a love of country, and a dedication to duty that was more
important than life itself. Their sacrifice is what makes this
country great. I have held a job a real job. What about
you?
Way to go, Senator!
What to do:
Speak the truth, but make
sure its true and
always given in love.
********************

Tough Economic Times

July 9

Bible Reading: Psalms 34

Key Verse: Verse 17 The righteous cry, and the

LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their
troubles.
Key Words: The righteous cry, and the LORD

heareth
The American government is trillions of dollars in debt.
General Motors, AIG, Bank of America, and other institutions
now belong to and are being run by the government. The
President and his colleagues have pushed through a national
health care program that will cost the American taxpayer
trillions of dollars more. America is on the verge of no longer
being financially solvent. We borrow almost daily from China
and Middle Eastern countries in order to stay afloat. Gas
prices are going higher; government is growing while
everything else is shrinking. The baby-boomer generation

which had dreams of retirement now has nightmares of what

might have been.
Now, with all that being said, we are still pretty well off,
are we not? What we are experiencing is nothing compared to
what Israel has been through as a nation. Imagine wandering
through a wilderness with no food or water and no place to
call home. Or even imagine in more recent days living in
Europe during the Great War (World War II): no food,
millions homeless, sickness on every hand and bombing raids
continually. Or even yet a more recent time: remember
Rwanda? Thousands upon thousands died due to a famine,
homeless, helpless, and hopeless. Think of Chad, Africa,
where over 50% of the population has died or is dying because
of famine and sickness. Imagine as a mother watching your
children starving to death, and you are helpless to stop it.
And even worse yet, imagine those who will be left behind
after the rapture to go through and merely exist during the
tribulation period.
Its time we as believers stop our doom and despair
attitude, and begin to cry out to God to save not just our
nation but the souls of men and women, boys and girls all
across the world. We are the light of the world; we are the salt
of the earth, so lets let our light shine and our salt preserve.
I close with the words found in II Chronicles 7:14, If my
people, which are called by my name, shall humble
themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their
wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive
their sin, and will heal their land.
What to do:
Dont get down and out; get up and at em.
********************

Paid Not to Work

July 10

Bible Reading: II Thessalonians 3

Key Verse: Verse 10 - For even when we were with

you, this we commanded you, that if any would not
work, neither should he eat.
Key Words: that if any would not work, neither

should he eat
I read the following and thought you should as well.
From the Desk of:
Don Genereaux
Honorable Secretary of Agriculture
Washington, DC
Dear Sir,
My friend, Dan Hansen, over at Honey Creek, Iowa, received a
check for $1,000.00 from the government for not raising
hogs. So I want to go into the NOT RAISING HOGS
business next year.
What I want to know is, in your opinion, what is the best kind
of farm not to raise hogs on? And what is the best breed of
hogs not to raise? I want to be sure that I approach this
endeavor in keeping with all government policies.
As I see it, the hardest part of the NOT RAISING HOGS
program is keeping an accurate inventory of how many hogs I
havent raised.
My friend Hansen is very joyful about the future of the
business. He has been raising hogs for twenty years or so, and
the best he has ever made on them was $422.90 in 1968, until
this year when he got your check for the $1,000.00 for not
raising 50 hogs.
If I get $1,000.00 for not raising 50 hogs, then would I get
$2,000.00 for not raising 100 hogs? I plan to operate on a
small scale at first, holding myself to about 4,000 hogs not
raised the first year, which would bring in about $80,000.00;
then I can afford an airplane.

Now another thing these hogs I will not raise will not eat
100,000 bushels of corn. I understand that the government
also pays people not to raise corn and wheat. Would I qualify
for payments for not raising these crops not to feed my hogs I
will not be raising?
I want to get started as soon as possible as this seems to be a
good time of the year for the NOT RAISING HOGS and
NOT PLANTING CROPS business.
Also I am giving serious consideration to the NOT MILKING
COWS business and any information you would have on the
endeavor would be greatly appreciated.
In view of the fact that I will be totally unemployed, I will be
filing for unemployment and food stamps, and was wondering
how long that process takes.
Be assured, Mr. Secretary, you will have my vote in the
upcoming election.
Patriotically yours,
Don Genereaux
P. S. Would you please notify me when you plan to give out
the free cheese again?
What to do:
Work. It is Gods plan.
********************

I Dare You!
July 11

Bible Reading: Job 12

Key Verse: Verse 23 He increaseth the nations, and

destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and
straiteneth them again.

Key Words: He increaseth the nations

I read the following article and found it interesting.
For those who want to light Old Glory on fire, stomp all
over it, or spit on it to make some sort of statement, I say let
them do it. But under one condition: they MUST get
permission from three sponsors.
First you need permission from a war veteran. Ask any
veteran who faced and fought the Axis on foreign soil in every
corner of the globe. The American flag was raised over Mount
Surabachi upon the bodies of thousands of dead buddies.
Each night spent on Iwo Jima meant half of everyone you
knew would be dead tomorrow, a coin flip away from a bloody
end upon a patch of sand your mother couldnt find on a map.
Or maybe ask a Vietnam vet who spent years tortured in a
small, filthy cell unfit for a dog. Or a Korean War soldier who
helped rescue half a nation from Communism, or a Desert
Storm warrior who repulsed a bloody dictator from raping
and pillaging an innocent country.
That flag represented your mother and father, your sister
and brother, your friends, neighbors, and everyone at home. I
wonder what they would say if someone asked them
permission to burn the American flag?
Second, you need a signature from an immigrant. Their
brothers and sisters may still languish in their native land,
often under tyranny, poverty and misery. Or maybe they died
on the way here, never to touch our shores. Some have seen
friends and family get tortured and murdered by their own
government for daring to do things we take for granted
everyday. For those who risked everything simply for the
chance to become an American, what kind of feelings do they
have for the flag when they pledge allegiance the first time?
Go to a naturalization ceremony and see for yourself, the tears
of pride, the thanks, the love and respect of this nation, as
they finally embrace the American flag as their own. Ask one
of them if it would be OK to burn the flag or spit on it.
Third, you should get the signature of a mother. Not just
any mother. You need a mother of someone who gave his or
her life for America. It doesnt even have to be from a war. It
could be a cop, or a fireman, maybe a Secret Service or NSA

agent. Then again, it could be a common foot soldier as well.

When that son or daughter is laid to rest, their family is given
one gift by the American people an American flag. Go on. I
dare you. Ask that mother if you can spit on her flag.
Away from family, away from the precious shores of
home, in the face of overwhelming odds and often in the face
of death, the American flag inspires those who believe in the
American dream, the American promise, the American vision.
Americans who dont appreciate the flag dont appreciate this
nation. And those who appreciate this nation appreciate the
American flag. So if you want to desecrate the American flag,
before you spit on it or before you burn it, I have a simple
request. Just ask permission. Not from the Constitution. Not
from some obscure law. Not from the politicians or the
pundits. Instead, ask those who have defended our nation so
that we may be free today. Ask those who struggled to reach
our shores so that they may join us in the American dream.
And ask those who clutch a flag in place of their sacrificed
sons and daughters, given to this nation so that others may be
free. For we cannot ask permission from those who died
wishing they could, just once or once again see, touch, or
kiss the flag that stands for our nation, the United States of
America, the greatest nation on earth. Go ahead, ask. I dare
you!
What to do:
Pray for those who stand daily in harms way for our
freedoms.
*******************

The Humanist Manifesto

July 12

Bible Reading: Proverbs 4:14-27

Key Verse: Verse 23 Keep thy heart with all
diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Key Words: Keep thy heart

You have probably heard of the Humanist Manifesto. It is
the bible for propagating humanism around the world. It is a
socialistic one-world movement promoted by a humanistic
philosophy. Time and space do not allow us to print the
manifesto but below is a brief summary of its contents.
1. We find insufficient evidence for belief in the
existence of the supernatural. No deity shall save us,
we must save ourselves. (Atheism)
2. We regard the universe as self-existing and not
created, the human species an emergence from natural
evolutionary forces. (Evolution)
3. Ethics is autonomous (not controlled by others): birth
control, sexual preferences, lifestyle, all is based upon
a persons self-interest and needs. (Amorality)
4. We have reached a turning point in human history.
We believe in maximum individual autonomy, reject
all religious and moral codes that suppress our
individual freedom.
We demand civil liberties,
including the right to socialized medicine, a right to
die with dignity (Euthanasia), and suicide
(Socialism).
According to Tim LaHaye in the book, The Battle for the
Mind, the following organizations are card-carrying
humanists.
ADA (Americans for Democratic Action)
AEU (American Ethical Union)
ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)
SIECUS (Sex Information and Education Council of
the United States)
NOW (National Organization of Women)
NEA (National Education Association)
The Ford Foundation
The Carnegie Foundation
UNWHO (United Nations World Health Organization)
UNICEF (United Nations International Childrens
Emergency Fund)
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific &
Cultural Organization)

These are just a few of the many organizations that

promote the humanist agenda, along with Hollywood and
much of the media.
We teach the kids the song, Be careful, little ears, what
you hear. Be careful, little eyes, what you see. But I am
afraid that today much of what they hear and see is
humanistic. We must protect their ears and eyes, but most of
all, their heart by teaching them moral righteousness and
Biblical truth. Without parents being extremely vigilant,
Proverbs 22:6 can and will never be fulfilled.
What to do:
Be eternally vigilant in the training up of your
children.
*******************

We The People

July 13

Bible Reading: Psalms 106:1-25

Key Verse: Verse 25 - But murmured in their tents,

and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.
Key Words: But murmured in their tents

I have discovered that some Americans are just like some

Israelites. They love to complain. So for those Americans, I
have included the following article.
The following has been attributed to State Representative
Mitchell Aye from Georgia.
We the sensible people of the United States, in an
attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of
justice, avoid more riots, keep our nation safe, promote
positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt free liberty
to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby
try one more time to ordain and establish some common
sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden,
delusional, and other liberal bed-wetters.

We hold these truths to be self- evident: that a whole

lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim
they require a Bill of NON-Rights.
ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to a new car,
big screen TV, or any other form of wealth. More power to
you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing
anything.
ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be
offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means
freedom for everyonenot just you! You may leave the room,
turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc.; but the
world is full of idiots, and probably always will be.
ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free
from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be
more careful; do not expect the tool manufacturer to make
you and all your relatives independently wealthy.
ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food
and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be
found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly
growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of
professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than
the creation of another generation of professional couch
potatoes.
ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health
care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public
housing, were just not interested in public health care.
ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically
harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim,
or kill someone, dont be surprised if the rest of us want to see
you fry in the electric chair.
ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the
possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the
goods or services of other citizens, dont be surprised if the
rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you
still wont have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of
leisure.
ARTICLE VIII: You do not have the right to a job.
All of us sure want you to have a job, and will gladly help you
along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of

the opportunities of education and vocational training laid

before you to make yourself useful.
ARTICLE IX: You do not have the right to happiness.
Being an American means that you have the right to PURSUE
happiness, which by the way, is a lot easier if you are
unencumbered by an over-abundance of idiotic laws created
by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.
ARTICLE X: This is an English speaking country.
We dont care where you are from, English is our language.
Learn it or go back to wherever you came from!
ARTICLE XI: You do not have the right to change
our countrys history or heritage. This country was founded
on the belief in one true God. And yet, you are given the
freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith at all,
with no fear of persecution. The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST
is part of our heritage and history, and if you are
uncomfortable with it, TOUGH!!!!
What to do:
Remember what you do not have a right to do.
*******************

Sad But True

July 14

Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:17-32

Key Verse: Verse 30 - And grieve not the holy Spirit
of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of
redemption.
Key Words: And grieve not the Holy Spirit
The following is an excerpt from William Bennetts speech
entitled What Really Ails America.
Last year I compiled the Index of Leading Cultural
Indicators, a statistical portrait of American behavioral trends
of the past three decades. Among the findings: Since 1960,

while the gross domestic product has nearly tripled, violent

crime has increased at least 560%. Divorces have more than
doubled. The percentage of children in single-parent homes
has tripled. And by the end of the decade 40% of all American
births and 80% of minority births will occur out of wedlock.
These are not good things to get used to.
In 1940 teachers identified the top problems in Americas
schools as: Talking out of turn, chewing gum, making noise
and running in the hall. In 1990, teachers listed drugs,
alcohol, pregnancy, suicide, rape and assault. These are not
good things to get used to, either.
There is a coarseness, a callousness and a cynicism to our
era. The worst of it has to do with our children. Our culture
seems almost dedicated to the corruption of the young. We
have become inured to the cultural rot that is setting in.
People are losing their capacity for shock, disgust and
outrage...
The ancients called our problem acedia, an aversion to
spiritual things and an undue concern for the external and the
worldly. Acedia also is the seventh capital sin sloth but it
does not mean mere laziness. The slothful heart is steeped in
the worldly and carnal, hates the spiritual and wants to be free
of its demands.
When the novelist Walker Percy was asked what
concerned him most about Americas future, he answered,
Probably the fear of seeing America, with all its great strength
and beauty and freedom...gradually subside into decay
through default and be defeated, not by the communist
movement, but from within, from weariness, boredom,
cynicism, greed and in the end helplessness before its great
problems.
I realize this is a tough indictment. If my diagnosis is
wrong, then why, amid our economic prosperity and military
security, do almost 70% of the public say we are off track? I
submit that only when we turn to the right things enduring,
noble, spiritual things will life get better.
Most important, we must return religion to its proper
place. Religion provides us with moral bearings, and the
solution to our chief problem of spiritual impoverishment
depends on spiritual renewal. The surrendering of strong

beliefs, in our private and public lives, has demoralized

society.
Today, much of society ridicules and mocks those who
are serious about their faith. Americas only respectable form
of bigotry is bigotry against religious people. And the only
reason for hatred of religion is that it forces us to confront
matters many would prefer to ignore.
Today we must carry on a new struggle for the country we
love. We must push hard against an age that is pushing hard
against us. If we have full employment and greater economic
growth if we have cities of gold and alabaster but our
children have not learned how to walk in goodness, justice
and mercy, then the American experiment, no matter how
gilded, will have failed.
What to do:
Make sure make very sure that your children
know how to walk with God. Wednesday night prayer
meeting, Sunday School, both Sunday services, and a
Family Altar are certainly good ways to learn how to
walk with God.
*******************

Humanizing America
July 15

Bible Reading: Romans 1:18-32

Key Verse: Verse 22 - Professing themselves to be
wise, they became fools,
Key Words: they became fools

During the last 200 years humanism (mans wisdom) has

controlled the thinking of the western world.
After
conquering European colleges and universities, humanism
spread to America where it has developed a stranglehold on

all public, private, and much of our Christian education.

Recognizing the strategic importance of education and
communication, the humanist developed a monopoly on
magazines, newspapers, television, and the movie and music
industry. The reason humanism is so successful is that it
seems so credible and logical to those who do not understand
the wisdom of God.
Todays wave of crime and violence in our streets,
promiscuity, divorce, shattered dreams, and broken hearts
can be laid directly at the doorsteps of humanistic philosophy.
As the scripture says in Romans 1:22, Professing themselves
to be wise, they became fools. We have learned from history
that the ultimate end of humanism is always chaos.
Simply defined, humanism is mans attempt to solve his
own problems independently of God. Since moral conditions
have worsened in direct proportion to humanistic influence,
you would think that even the humanists would begin to see
the error of their ways.
An obvious example of the futility of humanistic thinking
appears in the United Nations. Sixty-one years ago the
worlds humanist who founded the U.N. promised that it
would solve the problem of war and usher in peace. Since that
time we have had more wars, deaths, international
catastrophes, and terrorist activity than in any comparable
world history. If you doubt that statement, just ask what the
U.N. has done to help the Cambodians, Vietnamese,
Angolans, Ugandans, and other war-torn countries.
One did not have to be a prophet in 1945 when the U.N.
was founded to predict it would never meet its goals. The
reason being is that the Lord warned mankind that without
me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5) Today we put our $220
billion a year into our public education system because we
believe money produces a quality education, which is totally
false. God and God alone provides a quality education. I
realize I do not need to remind you but righteousness exalts a
nation. It is been proven that humanism is the ruin of a
nation.
Let me close by asking, who is teaching your child and
what are they learning?

What to do:
Make sure your thinking is Biblical, not humanistic.
********************

Explanations
July 16

Bible Reading: Luke 14:12-24

Key Verse: Verse 18 - And they all with one consent

began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have
bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and
see it: I pray thee have me excused.
Key Words: And they all with one consent began

to make excuse

Once upon a time altars were filled during the invitation

(altar call) because people drew an unmistakable line between
right and wrong, true and false, good and evil.
There was a time when we were guilty and found ourselves
openly confessing with shame our sinfulness and
shortcomings; but slowly the fog of confusion began to roll in.
All the evils of the world, once black as tar, turned to a shade
of gray. Instead of our seeing them clearly as wrong and
fleeing wrong, falsehood and evil became fuzzy and excusable.
Explanations for sin began to abound, such as
Alcoholism is not a sin, its a disease.
Anger isnt a sin, its an emotional disorder.
Laziness on the job isnt a sin, its called
burnout.
Refusal to obey authority isnt a sin, its called
self-expression.
A lack of promptness isnt a sin, its called poor
time management.
Stubbornness isnt a sin, its called a strong
will.

 Drug users are not sinners, they are called

addicts.
Homosexuality isnt a sin, its an inherited
trait.
Its enough to make one want to gag (a Rouseism for
vomit); and so here we sit with all of our humanistic excuses
on why we do what we do, and we feel justified and we explain
away our sin. The result is that the Holy Spirit is quenched
and the church altars remain empty and revival tarries.
So beginning today, lets put away our humanistic
explanations and allow the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts
and lives for Gods glory. Amen! If we will do that, revival
will come and the altars of Bible-preaching churches will be
filled again.
What to do:
Put away your humanistic reasoning and accept
Gods Word, and act upon it beginning today.
*******************

Patriotism Is Not Enough

July 17

Bible Reading: Romans 5:1-10

Key Verse: Verse 10 - For if, when we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son,
much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his
life.
Key Words: we were reconciled to God by the

death of his Son

When nations are engaged in deadly strife, it is common

for patriots to declare that he who gives his life for defense of
his country may be certain of a home in heaven because of
having made the supreme sacrifice. This teaching is in accord
with the principles of the Muslim religion and not with true
Christianity. Mohammed promised his fanatical followers a

place in Paradise if they died for the faith in conflict with the
infidels who rejected his teachings. Patriotism is a virtue of
which any man may well be proud.
But patriotism, praiseworthy as it is from the human
standpoint, will never fit the soul for the presence of God. It
can never wash away the guilt of sin. The testimony of Edith
Cavell, the brave British nurse who was killed by the Germans
during the former world war, is well worth considering in this
connection.
This noble woman was born in Swardeston, Norfold, on
December 4, 1865. She entered the London Hospital for
nurses training in 1895. In 1907 she was appointed first
matron of the Berkendael Medical Institute at Brussels,
Belgium. This became the Red Cross Hospital in Belgium at
the outbreak of the conflict in 1914. From August of that year,
until August, 1915, Nurse Cavell helped to care for wounded
French, Belgian, English and German soldiers alike. She
ministered faithfully even to those who had fallen while
fighting against her own nation. Naturally, her sympathies
were with the Allies, and in cooperation with the efforts of
Prince Reginald de Croy, she aided many derelict English and
French soldiers who had fled from the Germans. These
escaped by underground methods to the Dutch frontier,
where, with the aid of guides, they were conveyed across to
Britain. When some of these fugitives were traced to her
house in Brussels, she was immediately arrested and after a
court-martial was sentenced to face a firing squad. All her
kindness to the German wounded was forgotten. Her captors
considered her a spy and treated her accordingly.
Just before the bandage was placed over her eyes, as she
stood fearlessly facing the soldiers who were about to take her
life, she gave a last message to the world. I am glad, she
said, to die for my country. But as I stand here I realize as
never before that patriotism is not enough. Then she went
on to give a clear, definite testimony to her personal faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ and her assurance of salvation, not
through laying down her life for others, but because He laid
down His life for her. In perfect composure, she submitted to
the bandaging of her eyes and, in a few moments fell, pierced
by many German bullets.

Her words patriotism is not enough! have spoken loudly

to many in the years that have gone since she died a martyr to
her convictions.
What more is needed? you may ask. The answer is
Christ! It is through faith in Him alone that the soul is
saved and heaven assured.
What to do:
Remember patriotism is not enough. The world
needs Jesus. You need Jesus as your Savior.
*******************

The Functions of Government

July 18

Bible Reading: I Peter 2:1-16

Key Verse: Verse 14 - Or unto governors, as unto
them that are sent by him for the punishment of
evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
Key Words: for the punishment of evildoers
The general function of human government, as instituted
by God, may be said to be threefold: to protect, punish, and
promote.
1. The Function of Protection: The moment Adam
sinned it was obvious that civilizations would need
some form of restraint and rule to protect citizens
from themselves. An example of this function is seen
in Acts 21:27-37 where Roman soldiers step in and
save Paul from being murdered by his own enraged
countrymen in Jerusalem.
2. The Function of Punishment: Both Paul and Peter
bring this out. Paul writes that duly appointed human
officials are to be regarded as Gods servants to bear
the sword, that is, to impose punishment upon
criminals (verses 3, 4). Peter tells us that governors

are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers (I

Peter 2:13, 14).
3. The Function of Promotion: Human government is
to promote the general welfare of the community
where its laws are in effect. Paul commands us to pray
for human leaders that we may lead a quiet and
peaceable life in all godliness and honesty (I Timothy
2:1, 2).
4. Our Responsibility of Human Governmentnt I
Peter 2:13
It is impossible for a believer to be a good Christian and a
bad citizen at the same time. As children of God our
responsibility to human government is threefold:
1.
We are to recognize and accept that the powers
that be are ordained by God.
Let every soul be
subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power
but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God
(Romans 13:1). This truth applies even to atheistic
human governments unless, of course, the law is antiScriptural. In that situation the believer must obey
God rather than man (Acts 4:18-20). In fact, when
Paul wrote those words in Romans 13:1, the evil
emperor Nero was on the throne. See also Titus 3:1.
2.
We are to pay our taxes to human government
(Matthew 17:24-27, 22:21; Romans 13:7).
3.
We are to pray for the leaders in human
government. I exhort therefore, that first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of
thanks, be made for all men: For kings, and for all that
are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and
peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is
good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour (I
Timothy 2:1-3).
We must pray for our government leaders but we must
always look to God for answers, not men. If we spend more
time being political activists than we spend as prayer warriors,
we are bound for failure.

What to do:
Understand what the true function of government
is and pray that those in government will do right.
********************

Bible In Our Public Schools!

July 19

Bible Reading: Revelation 22

Key Verse: Verse 19 - And if any man shall take

away from the words of the book of this prophecy,
God shall take away his part out of the book of life,
and out of the holy city, and from the things which
are written in this book.
Key Words: And if any man shall take away from

the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall

take away his part out of the book of life, and out
of the holy city, and from the things which are
written in this book

There is a movement afoot to have Bible taught in our

public schools. Now while this may sound like a step forward,
let me assure you that it isnt.
The Bible course being pushed for the public schools in
Alabama is called The Bible and Its Influences or The Bible
Literacy Project.
The Bible and Its Influences is being backed and
promoted by the National Education Association (NEA), the
ACLU, People for the American Way, Council on Islamic
Education, and the course in part was developed by the
Communitarian/Pluralist and anti-National Day of Prayer
teacher, Charles Haynes.
A sample of the quotes from this curriculum is very
revealing about how anti-God this Bible course would be. For
example...

Do you think Adam and Eve received a fair deal as

described in Genesis?
If God allows evil things to happen, can God honestly
be described as good?
A statement from page 163 of the textbook reads,
Many students, although aware of good and evil, have
not thought deeply about it. In the Judeo-Christian
tradition God is considered to be all-good, all-knowing
and all-powerful, yet the view presents many
problems.
Also on page 161 of the textbook it reads, Job is one of
the most difficult books in the Bible in that it provides
no clear-cut answer to Jobs situation.
Gideon won the battle with the Midianites by a bit of
trickery (page 181 in the textbook).
As you can see, this Bible course does not attempt to
glorify God as much as it questions the very action of God.
When you allow secular humanists to develop a Bible
curriculum, the end result will always be a Godless
curriculum.
What to do:
Pray for our country.
Make sure your children receive a Christian
education (you cant afford not to).
Make sure your world view is Biblical, not
humanistic.
********************

The Pledge of Allegiance

Bible Reading: Joshua 1:1-9

July 20

Key Verse: Verse 9 - Have not I commanded thee? Be

strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither
be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee

whithersoever thou goest.

Key Words: Be strong and of good courage
Joshua, no doubt, did have courage to do as God
commanded because of his love for God and his desire to see
his people blessed.
One of my favorite stories is about Mike Christian, a POW
in Viet Nam during the Viet Nam war. This story is told by
Senator John McCain.
As you may know, I spent 5 years as a prisoner-of-war
during the Viet Nam war. In the early years of my
imprisonment, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) kept us in
solitary confinement or two to three to a cell. In 1971, the
NVA moved us from these conditions of isolation into large
rooms with as many as thirty to forty men to a room.
This was, as you can imagine, a wonderful change and
was a direct result of the efforts of millions of Americans on
behalf of a few hundred POWs. Ten thousand miles from
home one of the men who moved into my room was a young
man named Mike Christian. Mike was from a small town near
Selma, Alabama. He didnt wear a pair of shoes until he was
thirteen years old. At seventeen he enlisted into the Navy. He
later earned a commission by going to officer training school.
He then became a Naval Flight Officer and was shot down and
captured in 1967. Mike had a keen and deep appreciation of
the opportunities this country, and our military, provide for
people who want to work and want to succeed.
As a part of the change in treatment, the Vietnamese
allowed some prisoners to receive packages from home. Some
of the packages were handkerchiefs, scarves, and other items
of clothing. Mike got himself a bamboo needle. Over a period
of a couple of months, he created an American flag and sewed
it on the inside of his shirt. Every afternoon, before we had a
bowl of soup, we would hang Mikes shirt on the wall of the
cell and say the Pledge of Allegiance. I know the Pledge of
Allegiance may not seem the most important part of our day
now, but I can assure you that in that stark cell it was indeed
the most important and meaningful event.
One day the Vietnamese searched our cell, as they did
periodically, and discovered Mikes shirt with the flag sewn

inside, and removed it. That evening they returned, opened

the door of the cell, and for the benefit of all of us, beat Mike
Christian severely for the next couple of hours. Then, they
opened the door of the cell, and threw him in. We cleaned
him up as well as we could. The cell in which we lived had a
concrete slab in the middle on which we slept. Four naked
light bulbs hung in each corner of the room. As I said, we
tried to clean Mike up as best we could. After the excitement
died down, I looked in the corner of the room, and sitting
there beneath the dim light bulb with a piece of cloth, another
shirt and his bamboo needle, was my friend, Mike Christian.
He was sitting there with his eyes almost shut from the
beating he had received, making another flag. He was not
making the flag because it made Mike Christian feel better.
He was making the flag because he knew how important it
was to us to be able to pledge our allegiance to our flag and
country.
So the next time you say the Pledge of Allegiance, you
must never forget the sacrifice and courage that thousands of
Americans have made to build our nation and promote
freedom around the world. You must remember our duty, our
honor, and our country.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of
America, and to the republic for which it stands, one
nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice
for all.
What to do:
Be thankful for the brave soldiers who gave their
lives for your freedom to go about your daily activities
today. May God bless America!
********************

The Death of Osama Bin Laden

July 21

Bible Reading: Galatians 6:1-7

Key Verse: Verse 7 - Be not deceived; God is not

mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he
also reap.
Key Words: for whatsoever a man soweth, that

shall he also reap

On the first of May in the early evening hours, here in the
States, a group of special forces from the Army, Air Force,
Marines, but primarily the Navy Seals slipped into Osamas
special-built house in Abbottabad, Pakistan; and by all reports
effectively and professionally did their jobs taking the life of
the number one terrorist according to the FBI and the CIA.
Now, since that time I have been asked: was it right to take
the life of Osama? The answer is yes. Now, I would have
preferred to see him saved; but the Bible is clear, if you take a
life, your life is required. Osama didnt just take a life; he took
thousands of innocent lives. We read the following from
Gods Word from Genesis 9:6a, Whoso sheddeth mans
blood, by man shall his blood be shed. Exodus 20:13, Thou
shalt not kill [take an innocent life]. Exodus 21:12, He that
smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
Numbers 35:30, Whoso killeth any person, the murderer
shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one
witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to
die. Galatians 6:7, Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
While I hate to see any man die, with Osama it was
inevitable. He was the master-mind behind the deaths of
mothers and daddies and even little infants. Because of his
actions many families will suffer for many years. While I hate
to see any man die, with Osama and his family it was
inevitable because Gods Word always holds truewe do reap
what we sow.

What to do:
Remember, the wheels of Gods justice grind
slowly but surely. 3,517 days after the tragedy of
September 11, 2001, Osama reaped what he sowed.

When the Wicked Rule

July 22

Bible Reading: Proverbs 16

Key Verse: Verse 25 - There is a way that seemeth
right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of
death.
Key Words: a way which seemeth right unto a

man

John Adams wrote, Our constitution was made only

for moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the
government of any other. Our rejection of his thoughts can
be summarized by these truths:
In public schools you may distribute condoms to
twelve-year-olds without parental consent, but you may
not give them a Bible under any circumstances.
At school you may attack individuals with raciallymotivated hate language, but you may not pray Gods
blessings over them.
You may not display a cross on public property, unless
its on fire, in which case the First Amendment protects
your action.
In most states a minor may abort an unborn child
without her parents consent, yet she cant go on a field
trip to the zoo without parental permission.
In America, arguments are waged against the use of
dogs for medical research but in favor of the right to
abort babies for the same purpose.
The end of mans ways always leads to death.
What to do:
Make sure make very sure its Gods way, not
your way.

The Right Answer

July 23

Bible Reading: Psalm 51

Key Verse: Verse 6 - Behold, thou desirest truth in the

inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make
me to know wisdom.
Key Words: thou shalt make me to know wisdom

I love David, dont you? David was the apple of Gods eye
for a number of reasons. One of those reasons had to be his
honesty. He frankly admits to the Lord, I sinned with
Bathsheba because, quite honestly, Im just not very smart.
Reminds me of a story I read that goes as follows.
Given that Al Gore has no job, he decided to take a
sightseeing vacation to Europe. While visiting Europe, he is
invited to tea with the Queen. He asks her what her
leadership philosophy is. She says that it is to surround
herself with intelligent people. He asks how she knows if
theyre intelligent.
I do so by asking them the right questions, says the
Queen. Allow me to demonstrate.
She phones Tony Blair and says, Mr. Prime Minister,
please answer this question: Your mother has a child, and
your father has a child, and this child is not your brother or
sister. Who is it?
Tony Blair responds, Its me, maam.
Correct. Thank you and goodbye, sir, says the Queen.
She hangs up and says, Did you get that, Mr. Gore? Yes
maam. Thanks a lot. Ill definitely be using that!
Upon returning home, he decides hed better put some of
his old friends to the test.
He calls Bill Clinton and says, Hi, Bill, I wonder if you can
answer a question for me. Why, of course, Al. Whats on
your mind?
Uhh, your mother has a child, and your father has a child,
and this child is not your brother or sister. Who is it?
Clinton hems and haws and finally asks, Can I think
about it and get back to you? Gore agrees and Clinton hangs
up.

Clinton immediately calls members of his old staff, and

they puzzle over the question for several hours, but nobody
can come up with an answer.
Finally, in desperation, Clinton calls Colin Powell at the
State Department and explains his problem, Now look here,
your mother has a child, and your father has a child, and this
child is not your brother or sister. Who is it?
Powell answers immediately, Its me, of course, you
idiot.
Much relieved, Clinton rushes back to call Gore and
exclaims. I know the answer, Al! I know who it is! Its Colin
Powell!
And Gore replies in disgust, Wrong, its Tony Blair.
Do not some politicians remind you of David who cried,
Make me to know wisdom? In other words, theyre just not
very smart.
Have a good day.
What to do:
Put your trust in God, not politicians.
********************

Politicians and Principles

July 24

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 14:1-14

Key Verse: Verse 14 - Though these three men, Noah,

Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but
their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord
GOD.
Key Words: Though these three men, Noah,

Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver

but their own souls by their righteousness, saith
the Lord GOD
It is a rare thing to find a politician that has Godly
standards and upholds Godly principles, not just in this
present day but in every period of history. Politicians are

known for a lack of Godly principles to which they adhere, but

oh how true this is for our day!
Today politicians are known more for sex scandals and
compromise. But in our text we find three men: Noah, Daniel,
and Job. All three were politicians. Noah had to be a
community leader. So it was with Job, and we know of
Daniels political leadership under Nebuchadnezzar and
Darius. How refreshing it would be to have men of their faith
and character as leaders today!
With politicians in mind, have you ever heard of President
David Rice Atchison? Yes, I do mean president, like President
of the United States.
Forget what the history books say. The 12 th President of
the United States was David Rice Atchison, a man so obscure
that Chester A. Arthur seems a household word by
comparison. At exactly 12 noon on March 4, 1849, Zachary
Taylor was scheduled to succeed James Polk as chief
executive. But March 4 was a Sunday and Taylor, a devout old
general, refused to take the oath of office on the Sabbath.
Thus, under the Succession Act of 1792, Missouri Senator
Atchison, as President Pro Tempore of the Senate,
automatically became president.
Now, President Zachary Taylor was not a perfect man, but
he at least understood something that our current president
seems to have forgotten, and thats the importance of being in
church on Sunday. As a matter of fact, Im sure some of you
reading this devotion need to learn that same lesson. I trust
you will.
What to do:
Pray for the president and be faithful to Gods
house.
********************

A Different Type of Politician

July 25

Bible Reading: Ecclesiastes 10

Key Verse: Verse 18 - By much slothfulness the

building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands
the house droppeth through.
Key Words: and through idleness of the hands the

house droppeth through

The following article was taken from Readers Digest
Strange Stories and Amazing Facts: Americas Past.
At a White House dinner for Nobel Prize winners, John
F. Kennedy called his guests the most extraordinary
collection of talents that has ever been gathered at the White
House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson
dined alone.
Among Americas great statesmen, Jefferson stands out
as a Renaissance man with an incredible range of interests,
knowledge, and abilities. In the thick of politics for forty
years, he still found time for other pursuits, including
farming, architecture, law, geography, botany, natural history,
playing the violin, and enjoying fine food and wine. With an
inquiring mind and an incisive intellect, he wrote prodigiously
and insightfully about anything that interested him. His
writings on agriculture alone fill a 704-page book. An avid
reader, he amassed a personal library of 6,487 volumes that
became the nucleus of the Library of Congress in 1815.
More than an armchair genius, Jefferson found practical
application for his talents. A dedicated farmer, he was the
first person in North America to raise tomatoes for food (they
were considered poisonous), and his experiments with rice
made the nation a leading producer of that crop. He also
invented a new moldboard for the plow. Among his other
inventions were a swivel chair, a pedometer to measure his
walks, a chair that folded into a walking stick, a dumbwaiter, a
revolving music stand, and a calendar clock. (So that others
could have free use of his inventions, he patented nothing.) A
talented architect, he adapted Roman classicism to native
materials, developing a distinctive American style for the
University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Not only did he
design its buildings, he was also its general contractor,
bookkeeper, overseer during construction, and landscape
architect.

Perhaps Jefferson is best summed up in his own words:

Determine never to be idle. It is wonderful how much may
be done if we are always doing.
Today we need more politicians like Thomas Jefferson
who have determined not to live off the merits of others but to
blaze a trail for others to follow. Thats leadership. Thats
whats needed!
What to do:
Teach your sons and daughters to determine to
never be idle, and with all they do to put God first.
Remember, an idle mind is the devils workshop.
********************

63 and Tired
July 26

Bible Reading: Luke 19:11-28

Key Verse: Verse 13 - And he called his ten servants,

and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them,
Occupy till I come.
Key Words: Occupy till I come

Im 63. Except for one semester in college when jobs were

scarce, and a six-month period when I was between jobs (but
job-hunting every day), I've worked, hard, since I was 18.
Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks,
and haven't called in sick in seven or eight years. I make a
good salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my income, and I
worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there's no
retirement in sight, and I'm tired. Very tired.
I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to
people who don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told
the government will take the money I earned, by force if
necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.
I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of
Peace," when every day I can read dozens of stories of

Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for

their family "honor;" of Muslims rioting over some slight
offense; of Muslims murdering Christians and Jews
because they aren't "believers;" of Muslims burning schools
for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death
for "adultery;" of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little
girls, all in the name of Allah, because the Quran and
Sharia law tells them to.
I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other
cultures," we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money to fund
mosques and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in
America while no American group is allowed to fund a church,
synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach love
and tolerance.
I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard
to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate.
I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease,
and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the
damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley,
grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses while
they tried to fight it off?
Im tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and
politicians of both parties talking about innocent mistakes,
stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know
they think their only mistake was getting caught. I'm tired
of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.
I'm real tired of people who don't take responsibility for
their lives and actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the
government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their
problems.
Yes, I'm tired. But I'm also glad to be 63. Because,
mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people
are making. I'm just really sorry for my grandchildren.
(Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam veteran who served
five terms in the Massachusetts State Senate.)

What to do:
Things may not be good spiritually, but we are
to occupy until Jesus comes, or He calls us home by
death.
********************

Double-Minded

July 27

Bible Reading: James 1:1-8

Key Verse: Verse 8 - A double minded man is
unstable in all his ways.
Key Words: A double minded man is unstable in

all his ways

Have you ever heard of Richard Stockton? Stockton
signed the Declaration of Independence.
Just a few months after he had signed the Declaration of
Independence, Richard Stockton of New Jersey recanted and
swore allegiance to King George III. Born in 1730 into a
wealthy family, Stockton became a prominent lawyer and
served on the provincial council of New Jersey under its Royal
governor, William Franklin (the illegitimate son of Benjamin
Franklin). At first in favor of conciliation with Britain,
Stockton was won over to the cause of independence, and he
became a delegate to the Continental Congress in June 1776.
That fall, after signing the Declaration, Stockton was
seized by New Jersey Tories, who were British loyalists. He
was taken to New York, where he was imprisoned as a
common criminal and subjected to cruel treatment. When his
colleagues in the Continental Congress heard about it, they
asked General Washington to intercede. Whether he did so is
unknown, but in March 1777 Stockton was back home in
Princeton.
The British command had offered to pardon all Patriots
who would recant the call for independence and take a pledge
of neutrality. By the time spring rolled around, 4,800 people,
most of them from New Jersey, had accepted British amnesty.

Washington countered by ordering the defectors to take

the oath of allegiance to the United States of America. Those
who refused were to be treated as common enemies.
Stockton, ill in health and broken in spirit, finally complied.
The unhappy man, shunned by his former friends, died four
years later of cancer.
Ive never known of a double-minded person to be a happy
person. May God bless you as you are single-minded for the
cause of Christ.

What to do:
Set a goal to be single-minded for Christ.
********************

Gods Protection
July 28

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 32:30-43

Key Verse: Verse 38- Which did eat the fat of their
sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink
offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your
protection.

Key Words: and be your protection

In our text God offers a challenge to the enemies of Israel.

Let them (your gods) rise up and help you, and be your
protection. No doubt that our protection comes from God.
Are you aware of the following story in regard to George
Washington?
If George Washington had not led the Continental Army in
the Revolution, there might never have been a United States.
It could have happened that way if it hadnt been for Phoebe
Fraunces, a daughter of a New York City tavern keeper,
Samuel Fraunces.
Phoebe Fraunces was a housekeeper for Washington when
Thomas Hickey, a member of his guard, enlisted her help in
killing the general. Frauncess role was to serve Washington a

plate of poisoned peas, and she agreed to play it. But as she
was serving Washington, she warned him, and he flipped the
peas out the window.
The failed plot came to light on June 17, 1776. By then
Hickey, in jail for passing counterfeit money, was hatching
another plot. He was trying to enroll prisoners in a secret
Tory corps within the rebel army; some 700 soldiers, Hickey
boasted, were on the payroll of New Yorks Tory governor,
William Tryon, and New York Citys mayor, David Matthews.
The men planned to support a British invasion by turning
their guns on their comrades. New York City would be set
ablaze while a drummer in Washingtons guard would stab the
general.
An investigation was launched. Mayor Matthews
surrendered and was jailed; he later escaped to England.
Hickey was hanged in New York City on June 28, 1776, before
a crowd of 20,000.
In reporting to Congress, Washington wrote: I am
hopeful this example will produce many salutary
consequences and deter others from entering into like
traitorous practices.
If nations rise and fall by the authority of God, and they
do, then no doubt Gods protection was upon George
Washington. And just as God protected George Washington,
He protects each of us as well.
What to do:
Praise God for His marvelous providence and

protection.
********************

God or Government?
July 29

Bible Reading: Mark 8:1-9

Key Verse: Verse 1 - In those days the multitude
being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus

called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,

Key Words: Jesus
Why? Why did Jesus not seek the power of institutions to
provide for others? Because He knew the infinite power and
the infinite bounty of His Father, our Lord God Almighty!
To put it in the vernacular, why fool around with a box
kite when there is a Boeing 747 at your disposal?
Remember the time Jesus fed the multitude? With seven
loaves He fed them four thousand persons, plus!
There in the desert, away from the city, the crowds had
gathered and Jesus ministered unto them. He healed the
sick. He made the lame to walk, the blind to see, the dumb to
speak, through the miracle of Gods love.
At eventide the people were hungry and Jesus had
compassion on them. The disciples questioned where they
would get food to feed so many. But Jesus said, How many
loaves have ye?
There is no need for them to leave. Feed them here.
Feed them! With what? Seven loaves of bread? They
asked this of Him to whom all power is given in heaven and
on earth.
Jesus took the loaves and blessed them and gave them to
His disciples to feed the multitude. And they ate every one
of them, the whole four thousand plus women and children.
They ate until they were filled and even then there were seven
baskets of food left over.
How great, how truly great, are the works of the Lord! Oh,
ye of little faith! How is it that we turn to Caesar for the
answers to our problems? Why do we feel the government
and not God is the answer for our lives, our families, our
community, our state, our nation, our world?
Where we look for aid says more about us than we realize.

What to do:
Rely on God, not government.

They Belittled God

July 30

Bible Reading: Matthew 7:1-12

Key Verse: Verse 7 Ask, and it shall be given you;
seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened
unto you:
Key Words: Ask, and it shall be given you
Late in 1974, the ministerial association of Washington,
DC, conducted a survey to check on the needs of the poor
within that city. That survey indicated that there were some
pressing needs: need for food, need for housing, need for
clothing, and medical assistance. This is in a district that has
a higher per capita income than any state in the union.
Spokesmen for the ministerial association called a press
conference to announce their plan of action to relieve the
needs revealed by the survey: they would call upon
government to provide the assistance required.
One cannot fault the pastors for their concern. But, one
can fault them for their course of action. Caesar was their
answer. They belittled God. In their impatience they
adulterated their compassion with a call for coercion.
Every one of those pastors represented a congregation.
What were the members of those congregations doing to
help? What of their personal Christian responsibilities? Were
they praying? Seeking Gods blessing? Doing His work?
Everyone in those congregations pastors and members
alike is the child of a rich and powerful Father. He holds the
wealth of the world in His hands.
Ask and you shall receive.
Had they forgotten that? Or, did they not believe?

What to do:
Have we forgotten that God is the answer, or

are we failing to believe?

The Standard

July 31

Bible Reading: I Corinthians 2

Key Verse: Verse 14 - But the natural man receiveth
not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned.
Key Words: receiveth not
A standard is a flag. It reveals with whom you identify.
Our standard here in America is Old Glory, the American
flag.
In January, 1776, General George Washington helped to
organize the Continental Army and raised a flag with red and
white stripes, but it featured the Union Jack in the upper left
corner.
The Continental Congress adopted the thirteen stars and
thirteen stripes flag on July 4, 1777. The flag resolution gave
credit to no particular person or persons for its design.
Scholars say Betsy Ross sewed the first flag but her only
influence on its design was to get Congress to abandon the
six-pointed star. With a snip of her scissors she reportedly
demonstrated how much easier it would be to make a fivepointed star.
The Star-Spangled Banner with fifteen stars and fifteen
stripes flew over Fort McHenry in Baltimore the nights of
September 13-14, 1813. It inspired Frances Scott Key to write
the song which became our National Anthem. In the 1800s,
some flags carried a white eagle among the stars.
Finally, in 1912, with the stars numbering forty-eight,
exact standards of design were set forth by President William
Howard Taft. Even more precise specifications were drawn
up to define the forty-nine-star flag in 1959 and the fifty-star
flag in 1960.
All who contributed to the development of Old Glory can
be proud of what she has represented for almost 240 years.
May God bless each of you and may God bless America!!
What to do:
Pray that God will bless America.

I deeply appreciate the

help of
Mary Parsons
Glenda Myrick
And my lovely wife, Linda

Without God using these

people to help, this
devotional would not
have been possible.
Dr. Mike Rouse

is a ministry of

5568 Chalkville Mountain Road

Birmingham, AL. 35235
(205) 854-2741
www.mountainviewbaptist.org