Daily Devotional

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verses
Ephesians 5:15-16
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. (NASB)

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (KJV)

Thoughts
Anyone who has hunted for very long has come to understand the importance and value of the walk. To be a consistently successful hunter, one must walk well. Paying attention to changes in wind direction, looking for good cover to prevent long periods of exposure, and careful foot placement with each step are priorities.

When the walk becomes a stalk, paying attention to these priorities is usually the difference between success and failure. I have bagged several animals because others walked carelessly and I capitalized on their errors.
(Randy E)

Action Point
The Holy Spirit gives us the reason for walking as "wise" men and women of God, "So that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain," Philippians 2:15-16 (NASB).

So, how are you walking?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Romans 13:14
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. (NIV)

Thoughts
In today's world with 100's of channels of TV to watch or thousands of bits of information on the internet it is so difficult for us men of Christ to resist the ways of the world.

We men must be clothed with the Armor of God so we can be protected from the world and be the light for the our families and those we come in contact with.

Think of this as if we are preparing to go bow hunting men. We clothe ourselves in camo preparing for the hunt. So it should be that we put on our unseen Christian clothes daily, our armor.
(Mike E)

Action Point
Don't just rely on the camo to hide from game or the Life Preserver to protect you from drowning. Pray that the Armor of God would protect you from the ways of the world today. Don't only prepare yourself for the hunt of the day or for the fishing trip of the day, but for the hunt of making Godly men or be the fisher of men.

Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
As either a hunter or a fisherman or even a golfer we each put on specific pieces of clothing for our hobby. If we do this for the sport we love, then shouldn't we also put on the Armor of God each day as we face the world?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Do yourself a favor and learn all you can; then remember what you learn and you will prosper” (Proverbs 19:8 GNT).

Many people spend their younger years getting an education. Hopefully, that commitment to education continues. We should all become lifelong learners.

The Bible says a lot about the importance of getting an education and continuing to learn. In fact, we’re told to love God with our minds (see Luke 10:27).

How do you love God with your mind? By using it, developing it, and not wasting it. The Bible says it this way: “Do yourself a favor and learn all you can; then remember what you learn and you will prosper” (Proverbs 19:8 GNT).

Do you want to be successful in life? The Bible says to learn and then apply what you’ve learned.

In almost every country in the world, it’s not an accident that Christians were responsible for starting the first school and the first hospital. We believe God doesn’t just care about your soul. He cares about your mind and your body, too.

You may not have had the opportunity to get a formal education, but there are still many ways you can learn. Getting an education can be a good investment of your time and your money — an investment in yourself.

But let’s be clear about this. Your education doesn’t end with school, and school isn’t the only place where we learn and get educated. To be successful, you’ll need to learn the rest of your life.

And you also have to be careful. You need to guard your mind. You need to learn the right stuff.

Proverbs 4:13 says, “Always remember what you have learned. Your education is your life — guard it well” (GNT).

Over the next few days in these devotionals, I’ll share some specific biblical wisdom about what it takes to guard what you put into your mind — whether you’re in high school, college, or an adult who is continuing to learn.

Talk It Over

How have you benefited from the truths, ideas, and principles you’ve learned in life?
How has your commitment to lifelong learning produced rewarding experiences?
How have you drawn closer to Jesus by loving God with your mind and by guarding your mind?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12 NIV).

Education is vitally important to all of us. It’s one of the few parts of our lives that should never end. We should always be learning. The Bible describes it as a key to a successful life (Proverbs 19:8).

But like anything so important, we have to guard it. We have to ensure that our learning draws us closer to God and doesn’t pull us away from him.

That starts with a decision.

You have to decide in advance to stand for God.

The time to think through your loyalty to God isn’t when you’re learning something new. It’s before you even start.

The Bible tells us, “In the world you have tribulation” (John 16:33b NASB).

This verse doesn’t say “you might” have troubles. It doesn’t say “if” you have troubles. It says you will have troubles. And that includes your education. Your faith will be tested by your education. No doubt about it.

In 2 Timothy 3:12 we read, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (NIV).

If you’re not suffering any persecution in your life, it may indicate you’re not living an entirely godly life. It may mean you’re trying to be a chameleon where some people don’t know you’re a Christian.

Count on being tested in your education. You can fail a big math test. But you can’t fail the most important test you’ll ever take — the test of your faith. It has eternal consequences.

When your education tests your faith, you have three choices.

You can take a dive. You withdraw and just drop your faith.

You can withdraw. You simply compartmentalize your life, and you don’t let God’s Word impact what you’re learning.

You can determine to thrive. You choose to run what you’re learning through the filter of God’s Word.

That’s what Daniel and his friends did in the first chapter of Daniel. Before going through the king’s indoctrination program, Daniel “made up his mind not to defile himself” (Daniel 1:8a NLT).

Daniel and his friends didn’t let phony ideas blow up their faith. Neither should you.

Decide from the start you’ll protect your mind. Decide you’ll run everything through a biblical filter. That’s how you thrive in your education — and your faith. And use this filter no matter how old you are or where you are in life — God wants you to be a lifelong learner, which means you’ll face lifelong challenges to your faith.

Remember that God is for you, not against you, when you’re being tested. He’s guiding you into a deeper faith and a closer relationship with him.

Talk It Over

Think of a time you saw someone “take a dive” or “withdraw” when education tested their faith. What did you learn from their experience?
How have you used the filter of God’s Word to process something you’ve learned? How did you grow from that experience?
How can you help another person learn the principles in this devotional and guard their mind properly throughout their education?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Jesus wept. — John 11:35


We now come to the shortest verse in all the Bible. Without question, it is the easiest to memorize. It contains only two words, three syllables. However, these two words offer incredible insight into the heart of our Lord.

In the small village of Bethany, we find Jesus weeping at the grave of Lazarus (John 11:35). One can’t help but wonder if Jesus is weeping today. Tears have a language all their own. The tears of our Lord speak volumes to us in this dispensation of grace.

With poignant brevity, John simply states, “Jesus wept.” He did not weep because Lazarus was dead. He knew that in a moment He could restore life to him—and those who know the Bible know this is exactly what He did! Jesus wept when He saw Lazarus’s sisters crying.

Tears touch the heart of our God. Mary’s heart was broken. Her brother was dead, and it seemed Jesus had arrived too late. She held no hope. She was hurting. She was weeping with deep sobs and wails. She was pouring out her soul to the Lord. When Jesus saw her, He wept with her. This great God is touched by our own hurts and broken hearts.

Tears speak much louder than words. They need no interpreter. The psalmist says that God keeps our tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8). If you need God’s attention, try tears.

It is okay to cry.

The last time tears are mentioned in the Bible is in Revelation 21:4. It reveals a beautiful scene in heaven: “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” This is our hope. He is preserving all our tears in a bottle, and one day He will wipe them all away. King David said it best: “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

Meditate on the fact that we have a Lord who is not far off and removed. He is very near. He is the One who is touched by our broken hearts and weeps with us.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verses
Psalm 121:1-2
I lift up my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (NIV)

Thoughts
Mountains, they are majestic in their glory of God and His creation. This verse is not talking about the hills being our source of help. It is acknowledging that our helper is the Maker of the hills - none other than God, Himself. But, this verse did prompt my thoughts to go to hills of significance in the Bible:
The hill where the Sermon on the Mount was preached.
The hills where Jesus went to be alone and to pray.
The Mount of Transfiguration.
Especially, the mount called Calvary.
You see, our help does come from that hill, in the form of Jesus' death and His subsequent gift of salvation.
(Cliff S)

Action Point
The next time you're climbing a hill, burdened down by your pack, rifle, and maybe even the trophy you sought, imagine the burden Jesus carried up the hill to His crucifixion. Take time to give Him thanks for not turning back. Jesus was seeking us, you and me, to draw us to Himself and the Father.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Do yourself a favor and learn all you can; then remember what you learn and you will prosper” (Proverbs 19:8 GNT).

Many people spend their younger years getting an education. Hopefully, that commitment to education continues. We should all become lifelong learners.

The Bible says a lot about the importance of getting an education and continuing to learn. In fact, we’re told to love God with our minds (see Luke 10:27).

How do you love God with your mind? By using it, developing it, and not wasting it. The Bible says it this way: “Do yourself a favor and learn all you can; then remember what you learn and you will prosper” (Proverbs 19:8 GNT).

Do you want to be successful in life? The Bible says to learn and then apply what you’ve learned.

In almost every country in the world, it’s not an accident that Christians were responsible for starting the first school and the first hospital. We believe God doesn’t just care about your soul. He cares about your mind and your body, too.

You may not have had the opportunity to get a formal education, but there are still many ways you can learn. Getting an education can be a good investment of your time and your money — an investment in yourself.

But let’s be clear about this. Your education doesn’t end with school, and school isn’t the only place where we learn and get educated. To be successful, you’ll need to learn the rest of your life.

And you also have to be careful. You need to guard your mind. You need to learn the right stuff.

Proverbs 4:13 says, “Always remember what you have learned. Your education is your life — guard it well” (GNT).

Over the next few days in these devotionals, I’ll share some specific biblical wisdom about what it takes to guard what you put into your mind — whether you’re in high school, college, or an adult who is continuing to learn.

Talk It Over

How have you benefited from the truths, ideas, and principles you’ve learned in life?
How has your commitment to lifelong learning produced rewarding experiences?
How have you drawn closer to Jesus by loving God with your mind and by guarding your mind?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

“Since only your rules can give me wisdom and understanding, no wonder I hate every false teaching” (Psalm 119:104 TLB).

The only way to really know what’s fake is to know what’s real. The U.S. Treasury Department trains its agents to spot counterfeit bills by giving them authentic ones to examine, touch, and recognize. There are many ways to counterfeit, but there’s only one version of the real bills.

So, a good educational principle is to study what’s real in order to detect what isn’t true. That’s why it is so important to study God’s Word. By knowing biblical truth, we’re able to spot false teaching.

Many people today fall for foolish ideas because they don’t know the truth. And because they don’t know what is authentic, they can’t spot a lie.

The psalmist wrote, “Since only your rules can give me wisdom and understanding, no wonder I hate every false teaching” (Psalm 119:104 TLB).

So how can we find more time to spend in God’s Word?

Spend less time in front of screens. Spend less time on our devices. Spend less time cheering on our favorite sports team.

By the time a typical American student graduates from high school today, he or she will have spent more than 30,000 hours in front of a screen (including video games, tablets, laptops, and televisions).

Any guess how long it takes to read the entire Bible — all 66 books? It’ll take just 80 hours.

So, we do have the time. The question is, “How will we use our time?” God gave us his Word to give us the wisdom we need to live a fulfilling and productive life.

Talk It Over

How have you seen other people become wiser through consistent Bible reading?
How has studying the Bible helped people you know?
What tends to keep you from spending more time reading the Bible?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Never stop reciting these teachings. You must think about them night and day so that you will faithfully do everything written in them. Only then will you prosper and succeed” (Joshua 1:8 GW).

To really excel in whatever you’re learning (whether it’s a new skill, a new theory, or about a new person), you must first steep yourself in God’s Word.

I chose the word steep intentionally. Do you know what it means to steep a tea bag? You take a tea bag out, dunk it in hot water, and bounce it up and down. You can’t do that quickly. You won’t have any tea. You need to do it slowly. When you do that, you extract all of the flavor out of that tea bag.

You need to do the same thing with God’s Word if you want to really excel in whatever you’re learning. You don’t do it rapidly. I believe in speed-reading. I do it frequently. But I never speed-read the Bible. I read it slowly, word by word. Why? The Bible says every word of God is pure.

Before you learn anything, start by steeping yourself in God’s Word. It’s the key to being successful.

Everyone wants to succeed. You want to succeed in your career. You want to succeed in your relationships. You want to succeed in your learning. The Bible gives clear counsel to anyone who wants to succeed.

Joshua 1:8 says of God’s Word, “Never stop reciting these teachings. You must think about them night and day so that you will faithfully do everything written in them. Only then will you prosper and succeed” (GW).

God’s not a liar. This is his promise to you. If you want to be successful and prosperous in life, study his Word continuously.

It’ll make you wise. And the Bible says, with wisdom will come riches and honor.

But that starts with knowing God’s Word.

Talk It Over

What truth have you most recently learned from studying and knowing God’s Word? How has that truth helped you grow closer to Jesus?
What’s your current plan for studying God’s Word consistently? How well is that plan working?
What makes it difficult for you to study God’s Word continuously? What changes might help you become more faithful in that?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights” (Proverbs 18:15 The Message).

All leaders are learners. There are no exceptions. If you’re teaching in a classroom, caring for kids as a stay-at-home parent, or serving in a customer service role, you’re leading someone. And to do that more effectively, you need to keep learning.

When you stop learning, you start dying. It’s that simple.

No matter how old you are and no matter what kind of career you’re in, you need to be learning. Pick up a new skill. Study a fresh topic. Read a new book. Start a new Bible study.

The Bible says in Proverbs 18:15, “Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights” (Proverbs 18:15 The Message).

One of the most important roles you have in life is as a student. Jesus wants us to be disciples. That’s just another word for learner. You’re learning what it means to follow Christ.

Disciples of Jesus keep learning. They never stop.

When I was 14 years old, I started reading two books a week. At one point in my life, I was reading a book a day. I now have more than 35,000 books in my library. Why? The people you hang out with and the books you read will determine your future.

You’ll do yourself a favor when you keep learning. The Bible teaches us, “Those who get wisdom do themselves a favor, and those who love learning will succeed” (Proverbs 19:8 NCV).

Talk It Over

How have you seen continual education impact people close to you?
What are some ways you continue learning today?
What are some areas you’d like to learn more about? What plan will help you learn in those areas?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Hardened Hearts
Their minds are full of darkness; they wandered far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. (NLT) ( Ephesians 4:18 )

Our heart becomes hardened when we choose to ignore that inner feeling inside which nudges us to do or say something. When this feeling is ignored too many times the heart becomes insensitive to conviction and it becomes hardened. It's important to realize the impact of our actions or inactions. Have you declined your compassion to others with a hard heart?
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

Take Care Of Me
Answer my prayers, O Lord, for your unfailing love is wonderful. Take care of me, for your mercy is so plentiful. (NLT) ( Psalm 69:16 )

Does the Lord answer your prayers? Yes. Although, it may not always be "yes". The answer could be "no". Or it could be a simple "not now". Be encouraged to know God's love for you is so deep He will always be there to take care of you. If times get tough and too hard to bear, get down on your knees and share with Him. He will meet you there as you are.
Download this app to get your daily devotions: http://jctrois.com
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

Judge Others
Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. (NLT) ( Matthew 7:1 )

Whew, that's quite a challenge! When someone else makes judgments about ourselves, we fight it. Yet, we judge each other daily in all matters of life and make comparisons to see how we measure up. We, however, are not the perfect judge and in making our own judgments we overstep God's authority. What are some things you can do to stop yourself from judging others?
Download this app to get your daily devotions: http://jctrois.com
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

Get the facts at any price” (Proverbs 23:23a TLB).

Has someone ever asked you to do something you thought was impossible? Maybe a friend, a boss, or a parent came to you and wanted you to do something that seemed too big for you.

You may be facing such a request right now. You’re wondering how in the world you’ll get started.

Over the next few devotionals, I’ll share with you what the Bible says about tackling the impossible.

But let’s begin by talking about where to start.

First, don’t panic.

Follow the pattern of Daniel. In Daniel 2, King Nebuchadnezzar went to his astrologers with a desperate need for them to interpret a dream. When they couldn’t do it, he planned to execute them. Then he sent someone to get Daniel.

The Bible says, “When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact” (Daniel 2:14 NIV).

The most powerful man on the planet had ordered the assassination of Daniel — and his friends. When the king’s hit man showed up to kill him, the 17-year-old handled the situation with wisdom and discretion. Not bad for a young, teenage kid.

Daniel didn’t panic. Neither should we.

Instead of panicking, Daniel learned all the facts and sought to understand the motivation behind the king’s request.

The Bible says, “He asked the king’s officer, ‘Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel’” (Daniel 2:15 NIV).

When someone asks you to do the impossible, you need to understand why. You need all the facts.

The king was scared to death. When people are panicking, they get emotional. They start making illogical requests. You need to understand why before moving ahead.

Proverbs 23:23a says it this way: “Get the facts at any price” (TLB).

So if you’re asked to do the impossible, don’t panic. Get all the facts.

We’ll look at other steps to take when you’re in this situation in the next few devotionals.

Talk It Over

How has emotion clouded your judgment during a particularly difficult time?
Why is it so important to understand the motivations of those asking you to do something that seems impossible?
How have you seen God work through a seemingly impossible situation?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verses
John 15:1-2
"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." (NKJV)

Thoughts
When God changes a person's heart, we sometimes call it "regeneration". In nature, that's a biological term. In Christian theology, it's a term that refers to the new birth and life in Christ.

Antlered game animals shed their antlers and regenerate a new set each year. As long as they stay healthy and well fed, they usually grow a larger set until the animal is fully mature. In a similar way, God wants us to shed the things we don't need, bad habits, wrong attitudes and other sins in order to give us better things that build Christian character.

Although we sometimes tend to cling to the old things, that makes no more sense than a deer holding onto its antlers. Something bigger and better is in store for him after he sheds last year's. Something better is in store for us, too. Abiding in Christ enables us to continually replace those habits and attitudes that are not pleasing to God with something new and better.

As we abide in Christ, the vine, God works to rid us of our old character and develop the fruits of Christlike character in us
(Steve S)

Action Point
Ask God to point out to you the things that He wants you to shed. Be willing to change; and expect something better to replace those things.