Daily Devotional

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Verse & Translation
1 Samuel 14:24 -- 24 Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food. (NIV©)

Thoughts
A couple years back I had the good fortune of drawing an archery elk tag here in Arizona. On the second day of the hunt, I was lucky enough to kill a bull elk. I had two friends with me that were willing to help me process the elk, but one had a tag in his pocket and I insisted that they go on with the hunt as my son was “on his way” to help me that day (In fact my son was sitting in a restaurant in Phoenix having brunch with his girlfriend, perhaps more on that later in another writing….but I digress). When I left camp that morning, I had put lots of water (I got dry and thirsty on a hunt once. Never again.) and some granola bars in my pack, but I had not put in enough food to sustain me during the all-day ordeal of field dressing, skinning, and boning out the elk alone. By the time my son got there late in the afternoon, I was gassed. I mean, I was running on fumes and was just about done in for the day. Together, my son and I bagged the meat and got ready for the two mile walk out to my truck packing the first load of meat and the elk’s head (A requirement in Arizona as we hunt antlered or antlerless animals). We hung two bags of meat in a tree knowing that we would have to come back in the morning to get them. I was simply at a point where I knew that I wouldn’t be able to make two more trips in and out to retrieve the meat that night. Fortunately, no critters found the meat that night and it was cold enough to keep it good until we got it to the locker to be processed. (Cliff S)

Action Point
What Saul did in today’s passage was very foolish. By putting a curse of death on anyone that ate anything that day, he limited the troops’ ability to carry on the fight, and the troops were not able to utilize what God provided for their benefit. You see, God provided honey during the battle (See verses 25 and 26), which would have greatly benefitted the troops, but Saul’s foolish command prevented them from eating the honey, which was exactly what they needed to maintain their strength and energy. When Jonathan, who had not heard the mandate, partook of the honey, not only did it refresh and revive his energy, it also unknowingly placed him under his father’s curse. So, what’s my point? I grew up in a church that taught the Bible and Christian theology, through and through. No complaints there. But, there were also lots of man-made rules that we were expected to follow in order to display our spirituality and conform to how people believed a Christian should behave. In a word, this is called legalism. As I’ve grown in my faith and understanding of God’s word, His mercy, and His grace, I have no place for legalistic man-made spiritual rules in my life. Jesus actually pointed out that the rules of men were just that, men’s rules, not the Father’s. You can find this in Matthew 15:9 and Mark 7:7. I’ve said for a long time that when the rules of men become more important than the rules of God, you have a serious problem. We are free in Jesus to practice what the Bible teaches. Are we free to do things that would displease the Father? No. But we are free to live in God’s love, mercy, and grace, which leads to a peace that only a believer can understand. Read your Bible. Learn how God wants you to live (Love God and love others as yourself). Then, go out and live it!

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Leaving a Lasting Legacy

You Cannot Outgive God
By Rick Warren — 06/16/2021

“‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’”

Malachi 3:10 (NIV)

The Bible says there’s only one way you can test God: through giving, specifically through tithing.

Malachi 3:9-10 says, “‘You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it’” (NIV).

I’ll never forget the first time I let God test my faith about giving. I was 19 years old, in college, and in debt. I owed my school $500 that was due at the end of the month. I owed 10 bucks to a friend. And all I had was $50 in the bank. I knew I couldn’t pay my debts, so I thought, “God says to put him to the test. I may as well try it.”

So I took the $50 out of the bank and decided I was going to send it to a Christian organization. I chose the American Bible Society, which prints Bibles and gives them away. I included a little note that said, “Whoever opens this letter, would you pray for me? I’m a poor, starving college student, and I’ve got some personal debts I need to pay off. I’m just trusting that God, when I put him first in my life, will meet all my needs. Please pray!” I didn’t know what was going to happen.

About three weeks later I got invited to speak at a church for a weekend youth event. On Sunday the pastor said, “We took up an offering for you, Rick.” I was really just there to help and had a great time. I never thought about getting paid! I waited until I was back at the dorm to open it. Inside was $561. I gave the college $500. I gave my friend $10. And I took the $51 and gave it back to God as a tithe. I was still poor, but I wasn’t in debt!

Since then, I’ve seen God do this hundreds of times.

You say you trust God with your salvation, forgiveness, freedom, and future in heaven—but do you trust him with your finances? If not, what’s the logic of that?

When it comes to your finances, you have to decide: Do you trust God to keep his promises? After a lifetime of following him, I promise he will!

Talk It Over

What does it mean to “rob” God, as Malachi 3:9 says? What are some ways you’ve done that?
What do you think God wants you to learn about him through tithing? What does he want you to learn about yourself?
How do you know you can trust God’s promises?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Amos 3:5
Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no bait in it?
Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all?

Thoughts
My nephew, Chase, crews a fishing boat off the Ventura Coast of California. Fresh fish and assorted catch are brought to market each day. Besides netting shrimp, baited traps are chained to catch seasonal lobster and crab. Although a crab the size of the one shown has never crossed my own dinner table, this 36x48 Spider Crab graced his supper table hours later! As a scavenger, crabs are drawn to nets by remnant pieces of sliced bait, raw chicken or other inexpensive meat. Traps are only as effective as the bait inside. The allure of the lure, induces and seduces the crab into the jaws of the trap where escape is impossible. According to Chase, this beauty was wooed by the scent and texture of frozen chicken breasts. Bruce M.

Action Point
In 760BC, God recruited Amos from his blue-collar laborer role to become a prophet. Amos was not a descendent of prophets or priests. Instead, he tended sheep and fig trees in Israel’s northern kingdom 28-years before the Assyrian exile. Amos message was simple. Prosperity is filled with traps. Don’t become complacent. Shallow pleasures of compromise had lured Israel away from its poor and caring for those dismissed. The Enemy had set snares loaded with temptation. Bait works because it is appealing, alluring, seductive, beguiling and tantalizing. Why should our lives and the decisions we make be different? Snares are opportunistic lies. God’s grace, like God’s law, prompts us to live out Christlike freedom, in-season and out, whether times are good or bad. We are called to sense each other’s burdens and care for those less fortunate (Gal 6). Success, incented by greed, is a trap. Self- centered comfort has an insatiable appetite. Ego feeds on the siren snare to care for ourselves at the expense of others. Beware the snares!

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Leaving a Lasting Legacy

Believe It So You Can See It
By Rick Warren — 06/18/2021

“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”

Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)

Faith is visualizing the future. It’s believing in something before you see it. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see” (NLT).

A lot of people say, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” God says the exact opposite is true: “You’ll see it when you first believe it.” Many things in life must be believed before they can be seen.

In the 1960s, the Soviet Union sent the first cosmonaut into outer space. He circled the earth, and when he came back down, he did a press conference and said, “I searched the heavens, and I looked for God, and I did not see him anywhere. Therefore, there is no God.” The Communists, an atheistic regime, concluded, “We now have scientific proof that there is no God.”

About six months later, John Glenn, an astronaut from the U.S., went into space, circled the earth three times, came back down, and held a press conference. He said, “I saw God everywhere! I saw his glory in the galaxy. I saw his splendor in the universe. I saw his majesty in the stars.”

Jesus said, “Unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3 NLT). Before there is spiritual transformation in your life, you’re too narrow-minded to see the possibility of what God is doing in the world around you. This is true of every person. Faith comes before seeing.

It is faith that causes an architect to design a building, first believing it can be done. It is faith that causes an Olympic athlete to practice and go to the Olympic trials because she believes she can win. It is faith that causes the scientist to believe that we can put a man on the moon.

It is a universal principle of life: You have to believe it before you see it. When you have faith, you will see the amazing things God is doing in you, through you, and around you.

Talk It Over

Why do you think God wants you to believe in faith instead of just showing you before you believe?
When has faith opened your eyes to what God was doing in your life or the world around you?
What do you believe God wants you to accomplish in your life? How should faith affect your goal setting?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
James 1:23-24 (New International Version)
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

Thoughts
Many conservationists across the country are getting involved in habitat improvement projects like the one pictured in the accompanying photo. A local educator in this field says the number one factor preventing any one of us from experiencing better deer hunting is our own inactivity! He says get off the couch and get out and do something…anything! (Thanks for sharing your expertise, Jake!)
Which reminds me of the encouragement James provides in the verses surrounding our scripture reference today. He says that faith manifests as action. But whose image would your actions and my actions reflect if we were to place them in front of the mirror? C’mon, now, I’m not talking about our manners at church – that’s easy. What about our conduct at work, at school, in town, and even on social media, throughout the week? Jason L.

Action Point
The reality is that each one of us can only control our own thoughts and actions. This is especially true when dealing with those of differing life experiences, genders, nationalities, and upbringings. The metaphorical mirror James describes should prompt a little introspection. Consider this: in Luke 10:29, Jesus responds to the expert in the law’s question, “And who is my neighbor?” with an answer that defines being a neighbor as something that you do, as opposed to something that you are. Whose reflection do you see when you place your deeds in front of the mirror? The attitudes of Jesus?
Or those of the world? May we “let our lights shine before men, so when others see what we do, they’ll want to join in praising our Father in heaven.” Grant this Lord, unto us all.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Leaving a Lasting Legacy

Obey Because God Says So
By Rick Warren — 06/19/2021

“It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before.”

Hebrews 11:7 (NLT)

Faith is obedience when you don’t understand. In the New Testament alone, there are 1,050 commands—and they’re all for your benefit.

God often says things that seem confusing, such as, “Love your enemies” and “Forgive the people who hurt you.” That’s not easy! Many commands in the Bible seem difficult, unreasonable, unrealistic, unachievable, and even impossible. But when God says things like, “You should save sex for marriage,” he’s not being mean. He says it because he knows more than you do what’s best and what will make you happy.

Every time God tells you to do something, it’s a test of your faith. The question is this: Do you trust God, or do you trust your gut? Do you trust the Word, or do you trust the world?

Will you obey?

As a kid, did your parents ever ask you to do something that seemed unreasonable? When you asked, “Why should I do this?” they would say, “Because I said so!” Looking back, were the things your parents told you to do “because they said so” the right thing? Yes. Can you see in hindsight how they were wise?

Just like he did with Noah, God will ask you to do things you don’t understand for the rest of your life, not just when you’re a kid. When you’re 80 years old, God will say, “I want you to do this.” And you’ll ask, “Why? That doesn’t make sense.” And God will say, “Because I said so.”

Situations like these are a test. Faith is believing when you don’t see it, but it’s also obeying when you don’t understand it. If you don’t learn to obey, you’ll miss out on so many blessings has in store for you.

But if you learn to do what God tells you to do without question, even when it seems absurd and the exact opposite of your natural tendency, then you will grow in faith—and be blessed.

Talk It Over

What has God told you to do that you did not believe was possible?
Why do you think God asks you to do things that are not possible in your own strength?
What step of faith do you need to take today so that you are obedient to God?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Leaving a Lasting Legacy
It’s All About God
By Rick Warren — 06/25/2021

“For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory.”

Romans 11:36 (TLB)

It’s not about you.
It’s all about God.

Those two go together. The reason it’s not about you is because it’s all about God.

Until you understand this, life is never going to make sense. Until you understand this, I’m not going to make sense to you. The goal of my life is not pleasure, possessions, prestige, politics, power, or popularity. It’s not anything that the world values. The goal of my life is the glory of God.

Romans 11:36 says, “For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory” (TLB). Everything on the planet and in the universe was created for God’s glory.

What’s the implication of that?

If it’s all about God and it’s not all about you—or about making money or being popular or any of those other things the world thinks are important—then the implication is that loving God is your first priority. Jesus said it like this: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38 TLB).

Nothing tops this truth, folks! If you miss this, you’ve wasted your life. The most important thing in life is to love and get to know the God who created you.

How do you do that? Start by reading his Word, the Bible. It’s not always the easy choice to make time for Bible study, but when you do, you’ll learn more about God and find your love for him deepened. And, as you start to understand that your life is about God, not you, you’ll find more joy in the pursuit of him.

Talk It Over

What is the goal of your life?
How does our culture try to convince you that life is all about you?
In what ways can you practice loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Psalms 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (NKJV)

Thoughts
My brother came down to visit me, my wife and I took him flounder gigging. Floundering, as it is called along the Texas Coast, has been described as, "too much fun to be legal." To gig a flounder, one gets a propane lantern, a gig (a pole with a spike in one end), and a stringer. After dark, you walk along the bank in the saltwater bays. The flounder comes into the shallow water to feed at night. As you walk along in a few inches of water, the lantern light will reveal the fish laying on the bottom. If it is of legal size, you stab it with the gig and put it on the stringer....after getting splashed with salt water and some mud, of course.

On this particular night, I was following along in the boat as they were walking. Just at the edge of the lantern light were two red eyes watching. These eyes were directly in their path and never moved as they walked closer. Finally, my wife and brother got scared enough to ask me to pick them up.

We motored up to discover that the red eyes were attached to the cutest little three-foot alligator that you ever did see. Those two--scared of a baby alligator!
(Chris Q)

Action Point
Just as the lantern light revealed the possible danger of the alligator to us, the Light of Jesus will also reveal danger to us.

Danger may come in the form of temptation. I Corinthians 10:13 promises, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, Who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it," (NKJV).

During times of temptation and danger, we need to focus on the Truth of His Word and be obedient by staying in the Light of Jesus reflected in John 8:12, "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 'I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the Light of Life,' " (NKJV).

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Leaving a Lasting Legacy

What Does God Say to Lonely People?
By Rick Warren — 06/30/2021

“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.”

Isaiah 53:3 (NIV)

If you woke up feeling lonely this morning, God has something to say to you: “I understand exactly how you feel.” God is with you during this difficult season.

If you think Jesus doesn’t understand loneliness, you’re wrong.

Jesus was despised and rejected by the people he created. He experienced loneliness throughout his entire life.

During his final hours, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. This was an emotional time for him. He knew the very next day he would be crucified on the cross, separated from his Father.

Since Jesus had a need for human companionship, he took his three best friends—Peter, James, and John—with him into the garden. He said to them, “I’m very sad . . . Stay here and keep alert with me” (Matthew 26:38 CEB).

What did they do? They fell asleep! Jesus came back and said, “Couldn’t you stay alert one hour with me?” (Matthew 26:40 CEB).

Jesus must have felt so lonely in that moment.

The next day, he was nailed to a cross, where he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46 GW). Since Jesus was carrying the sins of the world, the Father couldn’t look at sin—at him. He was truly alone.

Jesus knows what it’s like to feel lonely. And he wants to relieve your loneliness. He cares about you and wants to help you.

Maybe loneliness isn’t an issue for you today. However, you might be surprised by who the lonely people around you are. Loneliness doesn’t care whether you’re beautiful, wealthy, successful, or popular. Even married people can be lonely; some couples never share any true intimacy, closeness, and fellowship. The pandemic has made it clear that no one is immune to loneliness. Eventually, each one of us experiences it.

If you’re lonely today, Jesus understands and he wants to give you relief. The ultimate way that Jesus can relieve your loneliness is by making you part of his family. Through his own lonely death and then his Resurrection, Jesus made it possible for you to belong to God’s family.

When you’re part of God’s family, you still may face seasons when you feel lonely. But you will never truly be alone again.

Talk It Over

What seasons of your life have been lonely? What has helped to relieve your loneliness?
What does it mean to you to know that Jesus experienced loneliness?
If you’re a Christian, how does being part of God’s family help relieve your loneliness?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Ephesians 1:18-19
Your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is He is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life He has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of His work in us who trust him-endless energy, boundless strength!
(The Message)

Thoughts
Life is kind of like a rifle scope.
This past week I lost my clarity or focus on Jesus and His will for me. I focused on all the
demands of the busy week, head down pushing hard to finish projects. Work was accomplished and days were long and productive. Until the Spirit convicted me in a conversation later in the week with a good friend. She shared some valid concerns of the
future and present times. I boasted of my confidence, righteousness, my security, ability, and wisdom in myself for the success of the past week and my success in life. Then a couple of days later I read this passage. Jeremiah 9:23-24 says, “Don’t let the wise brag of their wisdom. Don’t let the rich brag of their riches. If you brag, brag of this and this only: That you understand and know me. I am God, and I act in loyal love, I do what’s right and set things right and fair, and delight in those who do the same things. These are My trademarks.” (The Message) When I consider the conversation with my friend, I realized that I only added to her concerns and worries. You see my focus was not on Jesus, it was on myself. Todd H

Action Point
As the Holy Spirit convicts so gently, return your focus back to Jesus and His ways, then you may “grasp the immensity of his glorious way of life He has for His followers,”. As you keep your focus on Jesus, He will give you words to help and give strength to others. In that there is endless energy and boundless strength.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Leaving a Lasting Legacy

We Know How the Story Ends
By Rick Warren — 06/29/2021

“The Good News about God’s kingdom will be preached in all the world, to every nation. Then the end will come.”

Matthew 24:14 (NCV)

History’s conclusion is inevitable.

I believe this with all my heart. It’s a fait accompli. It’s done. It’s finished. There’s no doubt. I’ve read the final chapter.

God’s Word tells us how it’s going to end. One day God’s going to wrap it all up here on Earth, and he’s going to take his children home to heaven to be with him forever. The Bible says, “The Good News about God’s kingdom will be preached in all the world, to every nation. Then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14 NCV).

I’m going to tell you something really important. We are not trying to set up a kingdom here on earth. We are trying to populate the Kingdom of heaven. We want all our friends and everybody else to be with us in heaven. Our goal is to bring people into God’s Kingdom so they can be with him for eternity.

How do we bring glory to God? He gets glory when we love him with all our hearts. God gets glory when we love other people in the family of God. God gets glory when we love the people who are unlovable. God gets glory when we share the Good News with everybody. God gets glory when we trust him with problems in our lives that cannot be solved except through a miracle. And God gets glory when we know and trust that the end is inevitable and that he wins.

Does that sound like the way you want to live your life? If so, pray this simple prayer today:

“Dear Jesus Christ, I want to be a part of what you’re doing in the world. I believe you want to use me. I want to return to my first love: you. I want to be your hands and feet in the 21st century. Help me to believe and live by your convictions. In your name I pray. Amen.”

Talk It Over

What should change in your life when you believe that God has already written the end of the story and that he wins?
In what seemingly impossible problem or situation do you need to trust God?
Who can you share the Gospel to today so that they can join God’s Kingdom?
No matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been, God wants you to join him in his eternal Kingdom one day. That’s right—you’ve got a place in God’s forever family ready and waiting for you. The invitation is wide open. Just believe and receive. Are you ready?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 2 Thessalonians 3:11 (NIV©)

Thoughts
There is nothing more satisfying to a farmer than a weed free field with a high yielding crop. The butterfly in the accompanying photo seems to be enjoying it, too! I am not a farmer. I am a deer hunter that plants wildlife food plots. Still, it is a constant battle to keep unwanted plants from taking root and choking out the desired species. I find that if I get good germination and a lush crop, it helps prevent weeds – herbaceous busybodies – from getting a foothold. There is no room for the interlopers to germinate and grow. The good crowds out the bad. Jason L.

Action Point
Bottom line, in the Great Lakes region of the United States, bare soil will soon be covered by something. It is just God’s way. And so it is with slothful hands and minds. Because of our sinful nature, the “bare soil” of underutilized time will soon be filled with something. So, plan for it to be fruitful! Don’t give the “weeds” room to take hold!

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Life's Healing Choices

Change Is a Choice
By Rick Warren — 07/02/2021

“Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.”

Ephesians 4:22 (NLT)

Change requires making choices. It’s not enough to dream of changing. It’s not enough to desire change. To change, you need to make a decision. You must choose to change.

Change is intentional. Are you going to be any different in six months? Are you going to be better a year from now? Are you going to be healthier, stronger, and more mature? Are you going to be happier? Are you going to be less in debt? Are you going to be more like God wants you to be?

I can tell you the answer right now: These changes will only happen if you choose to change—because change doesn’t happen accidentally.

Change requires a choice.

A lot of times we think we’re waiting on God to change us. No! God is waiting on you. He’s waiting on you to say, “Yes, Lord, I’m willing to make these changes.”

You will need to make intentional choices in order to grow. There is no growth without change, there is no change without loss, and there is no loss without pain. If you are going to grow, you will have to change. And change means you let go of some old things in order to grab hold of some new things.

It’s like swinging on a trapeze. The trapeze artist swings out on one bar and then has to reach out and grab the other one. At some point, he’s got to let go of one to grab on to the other, or he’s not going to make it to the other side. If he thinks he can hold on to both, what happens? He gets stuck in the middle, and he’s going to fall.

Some of you are stuck in the middle, and you’re falling because you haven’t let go of the old patterns, the old habits, and the old ways of thinking. You have to let go of your old ways.

The Bible says, “Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life” (Ephesians 4:22 NLT). In other words, let it go. Those old habits, those old hurts, those old patterns, those old sins in your life—let them go. The Bible says to throw them off and trust that God is working in you “to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13 NIV).

Talk It Over

What change have you been waiting on God to make in you? What do you think your responsibility is to make that change happen?
How is accountability with other believers helpful in making the choice to change and then following through on it?
What do you need to do once you make the choice to change? What steps will help you move forward?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Galatians 5:1
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

Thoughts:
Sunday we will celebrate the 4th of July, Independence Day! The day we celebrate the freedom that we have in this great country, the United States of America. As Sportsmen, we enjoy activities such as: fishing, hiking, hunting, climbing, horseback riding, and other outdoor activities. There is nothing like doing these activities in God’s magnificent creation. Can you imagine not having the freedom to do these activities? We can have the freedom to do these things because of the brave men and women who served this country, during our revolution, and since. They fought for us to have the freedom to live and do the things we love to do. They selflessly laid down their lives to better ours. Today is the day that shows why these brave individuals serve, because they love their country and the freedom that we have in it. Not only Sunday, but everyday, remember why you have the freedom to do the outdoor activities you love to do. Cody L.

Action Point:
Just as we are free in this country, we are free from the bondage of sin through Jesus Christ! We are no longer slaves to sin, because God sent His Son to die on the cross and wipe our slate clean. The most selfless act of sending His Son to die for us and give us the gift of eternal life. Just as Veterans and Military personnel have laid down their lives for our country, God sent His son to lay down His life for ours. Without Jesus, we would be doomed on our way to Hell, burning for eternity. Instead, we have the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and be free from sin, and eternal suffering. Today, lets be reminded of the freedom we have in this country and the freedom we have through Jesus Christ.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Life's Healing Choices

If You Want to Change, Then Face the Truth
By Rick Warren — 07/01/2021

“You have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him.”

Ephesians 4:21 (NLT)

The secret to personal change is not willpower. The secret is to know and face the truth. So, if you want to change, you must know and face the truth about yourself and your nature.

You need to face the truth about your weaknesses, your relationships, your successes, your failures, your past, and your future.

Nothing changes until you know and face the truth. And that truth is found in Jesus Christ.

Why is it necessary to learn the truth before anything can change in your life? Here’s why: Behind every self-defeating habit in your life is a lie that you believe.

If you’re in debt, it might be because you believed some lies like “I can spend and get away with it” or “I can always pay it back.” You might have overestimated how much you were going to make, or you believed the lie that you needed a much bigger house.

But do you? Are you sure it’s the truth? Can you prove it’s the truth? Are you absolutely certain that what you’ve believed about your finances is true?

What about your relationships? What about the things you say to yourself about yourself? Is the way you think about your past true? Or is the truth what God says about it?

The Bible teaches that personal change starts with truth. The truth sets you free. The apostle Paul says, “You have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him” (Ephesians 4:21 NLT).

Who is the truth? It’s Jesus. And because Jesus is the truth, he will always tell you the truth. His Word is the truth. The Bible is his Word, and that means the Bible is truth. (You can read more about that in 2 Timothy 3:16-17.)

What you hear on television or read in books won’t always help you—because it’s not always the truth. In fact, if you consistently listen to what voices around you are saying, you’ll find your life built on a foundation of lies, misconceptions, deceptions, and half-truths. And you will never change.

But what God tells you is always the truth. God’s Word shows you how to get back to the life you were created to live, and then it shows you how to stay on God’s path. This is why it is so important for you to have a daily quiet time in the Word of God. Nothing will change until you get the truth into your heart.

Choose today to face and respond to the truth. Then you’ll begin to see positive change in your life.

Talk It Over

Where, other than God’s Word, have you looked for the truth about your life? How has that failed you?
When did God’s Word help you understand a truth about yourself?
What do you need to change about your schedule and priorities so that you can spend time every day reading God’s Word?