Monday, February 4, 2013

Joke of the Day: A guy is driving around Wadsworth, Ohio and he sees a sign in front of a house: "Talking Dog For Sale." He rings the bell and the owner tells him the dog is in the backyard. 
The guy goes into the backyard and sees a Labrador retriever sitting there. "You talk?" he asks. 
"Yep," the Lab replies. 
"So, what's your story?" 
The Lab looks up and says, "Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young. I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA about my gift, and in no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. I was one of their most valuable spies for eight years running. But the jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn't getting any younger so I decided to settle down. I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security wandering near suspicious characters and listening in. I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals. I got married, had a mess of puppies, and now I'm just retired." 
The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog. 
"Ten dollars," the guy says. 
"Ten dollars? This dog is amazing. Why on earth are you selling him so cheaply?" 
"Because he's a habitual liar - he never did any of that stuff."

Useless Fact: Experts say kissing a child's boo boo really does make it better. The child believes the pain will stop and that triggers the release of pain killing endorphins.  

Drive Time Devotion: Read: Matthew 18:15-20

Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. —Proverbs 3:3

The police in San Diego received complaints from a woman who said she was getting annoying phone calls. In the middle of the night a person would phone her, bark like a dog, and then hang up. Police eventually discovered that the source of the calls was a neighbor. He said that whenever he was awakened by the barking of her dog, he wanted to make sure she was awake too.
The neighbor's approach certainly didn't express the wisdom of God. The Scriptures tell us that it is often necessary to face a problem head-on (Matthew 18:15-20). At the right time and for the sake of all parties involved, an honest discussion is part of the solution.
Yet such a loving, open approach is not usually followed among Christians. Rather than trusting God and walking into a tense situation with a clear conscience and a desire for peace, we tend to play games. Hints are dropped. Affection is withheld. Conversation is abbreviated. The air gets chilly, and ice forms around a situation that can only be melted by a wise combination of mercy and truth (Proverbs 3:3).
Our complaints against others cannot be smoothed over by burying our anger. If a problem is not small enough to overlook graciously, then let's talk about it. —Mart De Haan

If you can't forgive a brother
For the wrong he's done to you,
Go to him and talk it over—
That's the Christian thing to do. —D. De Haan

The best way to destroy your enemy is to make him your friend.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Joke of the Day: Jack has died. His lawyer is standing before the family and reads Jack's last will and testament: "To my dear wife Esther, I leave the house, 50 acres of land, and one million dollars. To my son Barry, I leave my big Lexus and the Jaguar. To my daughter Suzy, I leave my yacht and $250,000. And to my brother-in-law Jeff, who always insisted that health is better than wealth, I leave my sun lamp."

Useless Fact: A study by MSN.com found that having a wife for 50 years costs the average man $590,400 in restaurant dinners, vacations and gifts.

Drive Time Devotion: 
An old missionary couple had been working in Africa for years and were returning to New York to retire. They had no pension; their health was broken; they were defeated, discouraged, and afraid. They discovered they were booked on the same ship as President Teddy Roosevelt, who was returning from one of his big-game hunting expeditions. 
No one paid any attention to them. They watched the fanfare that accompanied the President's entourage, with passengers trying to catch a glimpse of the great man. As the ship moved across the ocean, the old missionary said to his wife, "Something is wrong." 
"Why should we have given our lives in faithful service for God in Africa all these many years and have no one care a thing about us? Here this man comes back from a hunting trip and everybody makes much over him, but nobody gives two hoots about us." 
"Dear, you shouldn't feel that way", his wife said. 
He replied "I can't help it; it doesn't seem right." 
When the ship docked in New York, a band was waiting to greet the President. The mayor and other dignitaries were there. The papers were full of the President's arrival. No one noticed this missionary couple. They slipped off the ship and found a cheap flat on the East Side, hoping the next day to see what they could do to make a living in the city. 
That night the man's spirit broke. He said to his wife, "I can't take this; God is not treating us fairly". 
His wife replied, "Why don't you go in the bedroom and tell that to the Lord?" 
A short time later he came out from the bedroom, but now his face was completely different. His wife asked, "Dear, what happened?" 
"The Lord settled it with me", he said. "I told Him how bitter I was that the President should receive this tremendous homecoming, when no one met us as we returned home. And when I finished, it seemed as though the Lord put His hand on my shoulder and simply said; 
"But you're not home yet."

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Joke of the Day: During Maria’s brother's wedding, her mother managed to keep from crying until she glanced at her grandparents. Maria’s grandmother had reached over to her grandfather's wheelchair and gently touched his hand. That was all it took to start her mother's tears flowing. After the wedding, her mother went over to her grandmother and told her how that tender gesture triggered her outburst. "Well, I'm sorry to ruin your moment," Grandmother replied, "but I was just checking to see if he was still alive."

Useless Fact: In 1952, Queen Elizabeth was named Time magazine's "Man Of The Year."

Drive Time Devotion: When Jacob wrestled with the angel at Peniel, the angel tried to overpower him. He knew that unless he could break Jacob’s stubborn and deceptive will, Jacob would never attain greatness in God. 
Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you,” an obvious statement of learning the “rest” of submission. You will not go very far with God until you allow Him to subdue your drive, energies, ambitions, and passions. When He wins that battle over you, the “rest” of God will follow. 
Later in Jacob’s struggle, he held on to the angel of the Lord, forcefully pressing in for a blessing from the One who had subdued him. Jesus told His disciples that “the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people attack it” (Matthew 11:12). 
God wants you to rest in your flesh and be forceful in your spirit! That balance changed Jacob from a trickster to a prince with God. 
--By Larry Stockstill

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Joke of the Day: A couple had been married for 45 years and had raised a brood of 11 children and were blessed with 22 grandchildren. When asked the secret for staying together all that time, the wife replies, "Many years ago we made a promise to each other: the first one to pack up and leave has to take all the kids."

Useless Fact: Whether you tend to sit or stand may make a difference of up to 350 calories a day, researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, report. Overweight people in the study spend about two and a half extra hours daily chair bound than did their lean counterparts. Give up your seat on the bus or rise when you answer the phone; it may mean a more fit you.

Drive Time Devotion: Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. – Luke 4:1-2
Part of our human experience involves temptation. Many have said that in order for Jesus to truly be our savior, he had to experience all of our human emotions and feelings. Temptation is one of those human experiences Jesus had to experience. 
The problem is that there are simply too many temptations in life. Here are a few of them: Mae West says that whenever she had to choose between two evils, she picked the one she hadn't tried yet. 
"If you're going to do something tonight that you'll be sorry for tomorrow morning," said one, "sleep late." 
A lawyer and his client are sitting in the law office and the client says to the lawyer, "The question of right and wrong is very clear. I want you to cloud it up for me." 
Yes, there is temptation all around us, but we don't have to give in to it.
Forgiving God, help me to not be led into temptation, but help me to live a holy life for you. Amen.
--Author Unknown

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

DRIVE-TIME DEVOTION

ON CREAKY KNEES
Read: Psalm 116
Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live. --Psalm 116:2
Meet Margaret the battler. More than 90 years of memories and faith are her legacy, but she's not ready to surrender. Her life is full of the physical pain that often accompanies old age, and even though she's too weak to walk anymore, Margaret is not done with her ministry.
Despite her increasing feebleness, and despite her near deafness and inability to move around, Margaret has a ministry that reaches far beyond the walls of the nursing home where she lives. Every day--often for hours at a time--she sits in her chair with a stack of prayer cards and prays diligently for missionaries. And sometimes, when she can push her frail body to do so, she kneels beside her bed on creaky knees to talk with God.
Margaret doesn't have much more than prayer to offer her Lord. She is the essence of the answer to the question in Psalm 116:12, "What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?" Verse 13 answers, "I will . . . call upon the name of the Lord."
A lifetime of being sustained by God's love, grace, and mercy is just about over for Margaret. In the face of mounting physical weakness, she is staying spiritually strong to the end. O to have her courage and dedication--at any age!
(From Campus Journal)

Monday, September 15, 2012

DRIVE-TIME DEVOTION

NO MORE EXCUSES
Read: Ezekiel 18:1-18
The soul who sins shall die. —Ezekiel 18:4
When salmon travel hundreds of miles up rivers and streams to spawn, they are acting on instinct. They are in a sense being driven by an uncontrollable force.
I read about a young convict who thinks that human conduct is similar to that of the salmon. Referring to the murders he committed and to his own fate, he said, "Things just happen." He thinks some kind of force was responsible for his pulling the trigger and killing two people. But he is wrong. Man is free and cannot blame his sinful actions on an uncontrollable force such as instinct.
More than 2,500 years ago, some Israelites were using a similar excuse for their sin. They quoted a well-known proverb that placed the blame for their sins on their ancestors (Ezekiel 18:2). But God told them they were wrong. He said that a good man will not be punished for the sins of a wicked son. Nor will a godly son be punished for the sins of his evil father.
Make no mistake. No matter what your situation, you are responsible for what you do. Stop offering excuses for your sins. Instead, acknowledge your guilt to God and accept the forgiveness He offers (Psalm 32:5). That's the first step in exercising your individual responsibility. —Herb Vander Lugt

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Birthday Verse of the Day: 

Romans 8:15 NIV = For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

Today in History:

1911: Procter & Gamble of Cincinnati introduced Crisco hydrogenated shortening.

1939: The film Wizard of Oz premiered at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

1999: Tiger Woods won the PGA Championship, the youngest player to win two majors since Seve Ballesteros.

1456: The Gutenberg Bible, the first book printed from a movable type, was dated by hand. Printed by the German Johann Gutenberg, its exact date of publication is unknown. Gutenberg probably printed about 180 copies, of which 20 complete copies are extant. The Gutenberg Bible is the oldest surviving printed book in Europe. 

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Birthday Verse of the Day:

Romans 8:14 NIV = because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Today in History:

1935: U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act, creating a system of federal income insurance for the elderly.

2003: The chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Roy Moore, said he would not remove a Ten Commandments monument from the state judicial building, defying a federal court order to remove the granite monument.

1942: Bill Wallace returns to China as a missionary doctor. He had vowed to give his life for this work years earlier. 

Monday, August 13, 2012

Birthday Verse of the Day:  

Isaiah 8:13 NIV = The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear.

Today in History:

1910: Nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale died at age 90. She had taken to her bed 34 years earlier, convinced she was dying. 

1998: Iowa honored longtime Governor Terry Branstad by having his likeness carved in a 150-pound block of Colby cheese. The bust was displayed in a cooler outside the cattle barn at the Iowa State Fair.

1587: Members of Sir Walter Raleigh's expedition to Roanoke baptizes Manko, the first American Indian convert to Protestantism.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Today in History

1498: England’s King Henry the 7th paid John Cabot a 10-pound reward for discovering Canada. In American currency, that was about $15 worth of beads.

1993: Ruth Bader Ginsburg was sworn in as the U.S. Supreme Court`s 107th justice, and second female member.

1948: English apologist C.S. Lewis wrote in a letter: "We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good, because it is good; if bad, because it works in us patience, humility, contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country."

Birthday Verse of the Day

Nehemiah 8:10 NIV = Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Today in History:

1944: The U.S. Forest Service and the Wartime Advertising Council created the character Smokey the Bear to plead for Americans to prevent forest fires. 

1765: English founder of Methodism John Wesley wrote in a letter: "You have but one Pattern; follow Him inwardly and outwardly. If other believers will go step for step with you, well; but if not, follow Him!"

Birthday Verse of the Day:

2 Corinthians 8:9 NIV = For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Today in History:

1923: Clarinetist Benny Goodman got his first professional job as a band leader on a Chicago excursion boat. He was 14 years old.

1974: President Richard Nixon announced he would resign following new damaging revelations in the Watergate scandal.

1994: Israel and Jordan opened the first road link between the two once-warring countries.

Birthday Verse of the Day:

Zechariah 8:8 NIV = ...they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.”

Tuesday, July 7, 2012

Today in History:

1782: George Washington created the Order of the Purple Heart, a decoration to recognize merit in military enlisted men and noncommissioned officers.

1999: Boston's Wade Boggs became the first player to homer for his 3,000th hit.

1771: Francis Asbury answers John Wesley's call for volunteers to go to America as missionaries; he would become the father of American Methodism.

Birthday Verse of the Day:

Deuteronomy 8:7 NIV = For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Today in History:

1806: The Holy Roman Empire went out of existence as Emperor Francis I abdicated.

2003: Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger used an appearance on NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" to announce his successful bid to replace California Governor Gray Davis.

Birthday Verse of the Day:

1 Corinthians 8:6 NIV = Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Today in History: 

1776 Delegates sign Declaration of Independence.

1923, the 29th president of the United States, Warren G. Harding, died in San Francisco. Calvin Coolidge took the oath of office as President of the United States.

Midday Devotional: A very important guideline for setting priorities is to keep looking forward. Learn from past experiences and mistakes, but don't continue looking backward at them. Look forward to experiences that will help you continue to grow to a deeper level of faith in Christ Jesus. The things you give your time and energy to should help you become a better person and a stronger Christian. Don't beat yourself up over past failures. Forget them and turn to look at what is ahead for you. Face the finish line and do everything you can to be worthy of the prize you will receive when you cross that line.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Today in History:

1790: The first U.S. census was completed, showing a population of just under 4 million people.

1960: Parkway Records released single #811: Chubby Checker’s "The Twist."

1779: Francis Scott Key, author of "The Star-Spangled Banner" and a devout Episcopalian who helped establish the American Sunday School Union, is born.

Midday Devotional:

Yes, interruptions can be annoying, but they can also mean you are greatly loved.
By Bob Perks
I had been complaining to a friend about my Sunday. My wife and I went upstairs to put the television on and watch some old movies. I was determined not to be interrupted. "I just won't answer the phone," I declared.
About 10 minutes into my "peace and quiet" the phone rang.

I knew it had to be my son, Keith.

He could sense a bit of frustration in my voice, and I toned it down. I didn't want him to feel like I really didn't want to speak with him.
Afterwards, I crawled back into bed. Our dogs, Ricky and Lucy, often join us for a quick nap. They normally sleep through anything, but today every little sound made them bark.

I had just settled down when the phone rang again.

It was my brother. He was trying out his new cell phone and wanted to give me the number. We talked and I felt bad for not wanting to answer the call. He makes me laugh. Today I needed to laugh.
Not more than 15 minutes later the phone rang again

I grabbed the phone and almost yelled "Hello!" I heard the sweet voice of my neighbor from across the street. This was highly unusual for her to call at this time. I thought there might be a problem. "Bob, this is Grace. I just had to call you," she said.
"Yeah, like everyone else today!" I thought to myself.
"I just finished my lunch and I was sitting here looking out my window. Every time I do I say, ‘You know you should call Bob and tell him.’”
"Tell me what?"
"I have been enjoying the beauty of your labor. Your flowers are wonderful, Bob. I sit here and enjoy my lunch just looking at those beautiful flowers you planted. Every time I do I say I should call and tell you.

I thought back on that Sunday. My son called twice just to tell me about his day and to end the call with "I love you." This November 11th he will celebrate 10 years cancer free. You would think I'd appreciate his call any time of day.
My dogs barked and moaned while I was trying to sleep. Every day of my life they give me unconditional love any time I want it and never get angry when I interrupt their sleep.
My brother called. It was just last week I was so very worried about him. Hearing his voice should be music to my ears.
My neighbor, who depends on me to watch over her, called to tell me she loved me and to thank me for the beautiful flowers she sees each day.

Seven interruptions in my day.
Seven blessings. I thank God that I don't have an uninterrupted life.
I'll think I'll give my friend a call. I know he doesn't want to be left alone.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Today in History: 

1930: Orson Welles starred as "The Shadow" in the show's radio debut. At first, the Shadow was the narrator for changing stories, but later became a character in his own adventures. He had the ability to cloud men's minds so they could not see him and he knew what evil lurked in the hearts of men.

1970: The complete New American Standard Version of the Bible is published.

Midday Devotional:

My word . . . shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please. —Isaiah 55:11
They know Tom Dotson pretty well in the prisons of Michigan. They ought to. He spent more than a decade behind bars.
Tom gave his testimony at the annual banquet for prison chaplains in Muskegon, Michigan. He said he had grown up in a Christian home but had rebelled and rejected the gospel. His wife, who sang at the banquet, stayed with him in spite of his repeated failures. A prison chaplain faithfully worked with him, Tom genuinely surrendered to Jesus Christ, and his life was changed.
Dotson urged Christian workers,“Continue on in your ministry with people like me, no matter how frustrating. We may have lots of setbacks. But don’t give up. There’s power for change in even the most frustrating person through the sacrifice of Christ, the One who really sets us free.”Then, looking right at the chaplain who had patiently witnessed to him, Tom said tenderly,“ Thank you for not giving up on me."

God will “abundantly pardon”all who come to Him (Isaiah 55:7). His powerful Word can bring change (v.11), freeing men and women from the prison of sin (John 8:32).
Are you about to give up on someone you think will never change? Don’t! Keep at it! —Dave Egner

 

Monday, July 30, 2012

Today in History:

1954: Elvis Presley made his first paid performance opening for singer Slim Whitman at Overton Park in Memphis. The 19-year-old nervously began gyrating his leg and a legend began.

1965: U.S. President Lyndon Johnson signed legislation creating a health-care program for the elderly called "Medicare." It became effective the following year.

1956: In God We Trust becomes the official motto of the United States by an act of Congress signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Midday Devotional:

She has done what she could. —Mark 14:8
As Mary of Bethany gave her best to Jesus (Mk. 14:1-9), so each of us must give in our own way the best we have to the Lord. Our efforts may not seem significant, but God can use them for His glory.
D. L. Moody told the story of a man who was crossing the Atlantic by ship. He was terribly seasick and confined to his cabin. One night he heard the cry "Man overboard!" But he felt that there was nothing he could do to help. Then he said to himself, "I can at least put my lantern in the porthole." He struggled to his feet and hung the light so it would shine out into the darkness.

The next day he learned that the person who was rescued said, "I was going down in the dark night for the last time when someone put a light in a porthole. As it shone on my hand, a sailor in a lifeboat grabbed it and pulled me in."
Everyone holding forth his own light, or using his one talent, no matter how small, will help accomplish God's purpose on this earth, and will thus glorify the Savior. What a joy it will be when the Master looks into your eyes in that future day and with a loving smile of approval says, "Well done, good and faithful servant . . . . Enter into the joy of your Lord" (Mt. 25:21).

 

Friday, July 27, 2012

Today in History: 

1940: Bugs Bunny debuted in the movie cartoon A Wild Hare. Artist Bob Clampett created Bugs after seeing actor Clark Gable munching a carrot in the movie It Happened One Night.

1965: President Lyndon Johnson signed legislation requiring cigarette packages and ads to display a health warning from the U.S. Surgeon General.

2003: Comedian Bob Hope died in Toluca Lake, California, at age 100.

Midday Devotional:

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. —Hebrews 11:8
One of life’s most distressing experiences is being separated from the things and the people we love. It is often difficult to leave a house that holds many pleasant memories, and it is always hard to say goodbye to loved ones when we must leave them.
So it wasn’t easy for Abraham to obey God’s demand that he separate himself from his country and his friends and relatives. Yet, without obedience to God’s command, there would have been no blessing for him or his descendants.
God called Abraham to this life of special consecration because He had chosen him to be the channel through which He would work His plan of redemption. The human race had rebelled and become idolatrous, and Abraham needed to worship the one true God.
It is still the duty of all believers to sever connections with anything that hinders our spiritual progress and effectiveness. We must forsake all sin, all self-will, and every worldly pleasure that draws our heart away from God.
If we do this, when we are tested and tried the spiritual fiber of our lives will stand the test. We’ll be strengthened in the process, so that we in turn might be a blessing to those around us. —Herbert Vander Lugt

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Today in History: 

1952: Argentina's first lady, Eva Peron, aka Evita, died of cancer at age 33.

1979: A team of nine men set a world record in Edinburgh, Scotland, by pushing a hospital bed 3,233 miles in 36 days.

1603: James VI of Scotland becomes James I of England. Among his many acts affecting English religious life (it is he for whom the King James Version is named) was the issuing of the Book of Sports, approving sports on Sunday.

Midday Devotional:

“I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.” Psalm 16:7
At night, when our hearts are still, God speaks to us. To Solomon, God appeared with a fantastic question, one that we could only dream about someone asking us: “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” (2 Chronicles 1:7). Solomon’s request should forever instruct us in what is truly important. Instead of asking for riches, long life, or the destruction of his enemies, his simple request was for more wisdom to care for the people of God. Anyone who puts the purposes of God and His people ahead of his own personal fortunes and fame will instantly win the favor of the Lord. “And he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern” (Matthew 6:33). Let us ask God for wisdom—not to make money or to control others, but to be able to administrate His kingdom with precision. When our hearts are separated from the world, God will give us the finances, physical health, and other things we need to help us accomplish our heart’s desire for Him.
--By Larry Stockstill