Night Etching: Overcoming Evil

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. -Romans 12:21


My pastor once told me he always leaves a 20% tip for waitresses. The reason why is because his mom raised 2 boys by herself being a waitress. He said that she sometimes had bad days. Even so, the bills didn't stop coming.
Sometimes the service I receive from waitresses are not very good. Sometimes the service is down right lousy. I always think of my pastor and his mom. I always leave a 20% tip because I never know if one of those ladies is actually a good waitress that is having a bad day. I always hope that my tip will help them to feel better. Amen!

Mid-day Thought: Deep Calls

Deep calls to deep at the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and Your waves have gone over me. -Psalm 42:7


Sometimes hardships build on hardships. Seems as though everything can come at once. Recognize each and every trouble. Then pray to God that He keeps His focus on you. Amen!

Morning Inception: He is With You

It is the Lord that goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. -Deuteronomy 31:8


There are some places that no one can go with you. When my oldest son was four years old, we took him to the Children's Hospital because He had an abnormally large lymph node under his chin. He was hurting and whimpered instead of cried because of the pain. As any dad, I felt helpless. What was even worse is that I couldn't accompany him into a room where they began tests to hold his hand.
Although he was my son and loved him very much, I had to leave him. Our Father in heaven says He will not leave us and never forsake us, especially during times we need Him the most. How comforting is that to us that have meetings that may determine our jobs, or job interviews that are sorely dependent on success for lack of funds, or a doctor's visit that may include some very bad news. How comforting to know that He is with us, holding us up and strengthening us. How comforting to know that the Lord of Lords and the Kings of Kings is with us when we most need Him. Amen!

Night Etching: Love Your Enemy

To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." -Romans 12:20




In our devotion yesterday, we were told to allow God to be in charge of our vengeance when it comes to our enemies. If God's part is vengeance, then what are we to do. This verse answers that question. The writer talks about treating your enemy with respect. Focus on the well being of the person, instead of focusing on the hatred and the desire to inflict pain on others.
If the same person who cut in front of us in traffic, almost causing an accident, somehow becomes stranded on the road, we are to provide the help they need. The key that God wants us to learn is how to love. God doesn't judge us on the love in our heart by how we love those that are easy to love, but loving those that are hardest to love. That kind of love can be the strongest kind of love we can have. May God help each and every one of us contain a heart filled with "tough" love. Amen.

Mid-day Thought: Soul Cast Down

and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. -Psalm 42:6


When our soul is cast down, the psalmist encourages himself by saying to God that he will remember, and then mentions three places. The key to the three places of remembrance is the Jordan. The land of Jordan could be talking about the fords of the Jordan. These fords and their possession meant victory to whomever possessed them. Obtaining these fords meant for the possessor a strong means of defense. Also, the dry ground of the Jordan is what Joshua led the people of Israel through in the Jordan river to get to the Land of Promise.
Mount Hermon marked the northern limits of Joshua's victories while Mount Mizar is a site at the headwaters of the Jordan.
When our soul is cast down, remember the Jordan and the victories that God led His people through there. Whatever land you are in now, may it be the land of trouble, or the land of unemployment, or the land of hurting, don't forget His victories in the Jordan. May He extend His boundaries to relieve your soul. Amen.

Morning Inception: His Love

but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
-Romans 5:8


How much better is your day when all the relationships you have with your parents, spouse, kids, friends and co-workers are on perfect terms with no problems? How do you feel when everyone you care and love, love you back with just as much intensity as you love them? Knowing that fact can make walking out your front door in the mornings an already blessed day even before your day has even started.
This verse should create in your heart the same feeling no matter if all your relations are perfectly good or they are all seemingly challenged. Knowing God loves you so much, even though you haven't been the best of children to Him, that He sent His only Son to die for you, should make you feel blessed before the day has even started. God is love...and He loves you. Amen!

Night Etching: Be No Avenger

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." -Romans 12:19





Our anger is never good if we apply vengeance to the person who has clearly done us wrong. Nothing can replace the loss we have experienced and the only purpose in getting vengeance on another is to inflict pain. We want them to hurt like us. God wants us to allow Him to handle our vengeance. He is a loving and great King who can use these opportunities for His glory! No one escapes His watchful eye.
So, when someone does something wrong to you, stop, back away and allow God to handle the situation. Pray for the person involved and watch how God handles all involved. Amen!

Mid-day Thought: Why Be Down?

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation. -Psalm 42:5



What if the choir one Sunday morning service was playing all your favorite songs, and all your friends were there singing loudly and clapping, praising the Lord?  Then afterward a preacher preached the Word of God so clearly that you felt in His presence, would you become upset if you saw a candy wrapper on the floor? No. You would be so filled with the Spirit that most of us would just pick that old candy wrapper up and tuck it in our pockets and not give that little piece a waste a second thought.
That is how we should view life and the struggles that we go through everyday. We as Christians must realize that we are saved by the grace of God. No matter what happens, we have Him as our Lord and Savior. The key for us is to visualize ourselves in that church service hearing that music and hearing God's Word being preached. When that happens we are in His Spirit and the things in this life that try and bother us will become candy wrappers that we just tuck in our pockets. Amen!

Morning Inception: Cast Your Burden

Cast Your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved. -Psalm 55:22

One of the worst things that can happen to us as Christians when witnessing to those we work with or have as friendly associates, is for us to do something un-Christ like in front of them. When we do this wrong thing, we feel that all the goodness of Jesus has just gone right out the door, and we think they are saying, "See, even Christians act like that." In a way, they are right.
Christians are still sinners. The difference is how we handle ourselves afterwards. We ask for forgiveness, from God first, and any one we have hurt or were witness to what we did. Then we make amends, if necessary. We must be open and transparent about what we did to others in letting them know we did wrong. Sometimes these incidents can be even a better witness of our Lord and Savior. For He will never let us be moved. Amen!

Night Etching: Living Peaceably

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. -Romans 12:18


Many of the argument and confrontations that happened today could have been opportunities to show the glory of the Lord. Someone cut in front of you recklessly while driving, the fast food place messed up your order...again, the worker before you didn't stock any supplies or clean the place before they left, and your neighbor wants to borrow another tool when they haven't brought the other one back yet. The list of these kind of small and petty things happen all day long sometimes. They become even worse when you are hungry and tired. Remember, that your calmness and peace are not only for your good, but can bring a peace to others. Focus on the beauty of God's creations. Allow the peace of God cover your soul as the leaves cover the ground on a Fall day. Peace be with you. Amen!

Mid-day Thought: How It Was

These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival. -Psalm 42:4


The times may seem few and far between when we pour our hearts out to God. Usually some tragic event has happened or we are in the kind of trouble where there is no way out. Our hearts pang with hurt and fear. There is no problem in pouring out our hearts as the stream from our hearts to the ears of God is not blocked with timidity or shyness, but overflowing with vulnerability. Oh, these are the good times. Lord, allow us to have these moments at any time. Let our spirits be open to Your touch. Amen!

Morning Inception: The Potter and the Clay

O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand so you are in my hand, O hose of Israel. -Jeremiah 18:6

A warning from Jeremiah to the people of Israel to turn from their evil ways. The Lord is our Potter. We are suppose to allow His Word and His Ways to mold us into the men and women that He created. If we do not heed our lives to His Word and His Ways, then we become clay for another potter. That other whom will mold us can either be the world and its expectations of what is beauty and right or can be another person of whose attention, affection, and approval we desire. In either case, the unfortunate end is disastrous even to the point of death.

Allow God to be your Potter and let Him mold you in the care as He created you, fearfully and wonderfully.

Night Etching: Keep Your Own Standard

Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
-Romans 12:17


It's hard not to become angry when someone does something hurtful to you on purpose. It's also hard not to get revenge on someone especially if the opportunity presents itself. This verse says that we are not suppose to repay evil for evil. Instead of revenge, this verse says to do what is honorable towards that person. Have you had someone anger you for no reason? Pray to the Father to give you the answer that will be honorable. Amen!

Mid-day Thought: Can You Hear Him?

And Samuel said, "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king."
-I Samuel 15: 22-23


Can you imagine having a child, or an employee, who never did what you asked, but always complimented you? What would you think of that child or employee? The employee would probably loose their job. And the child...a good spanking.
That seems strange for us to see this verse placed this way, but this is what God thinks of us when we don't follow His ways. We may tithe or teach Sunday school at church, but then live like we want every time else. God wants our devotion and love, first and foremost. The other things should come naturally from a cup that over flows. Amen!

Morning Inception: Created Like Him

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. -Genesis 1:26

An image or a likeness is a similarity. The similarity to something can be as small as one aspect of the other. When someone is talking about God, and being similar to Him, even in one aspect, that is something good. As we read further in this verse, our similarity to God may be that of having dominion. God allowed us to have dominion over the animals, birds, fish, and even the creepy things that He created. Why? Was He too busy...maybe, delegating so He could focus on the ever-growing prayer and supplication department?

God allowed us to share in His creations so we could understand life, its wonderment and fragility. The more we can understand about His creations, the more we can understand Him.

Handle His lives with care and our responsibility with seriousness. Amen!