Wednesday, February 28, 2007

February 28, 2007

Good morning! The love of the Lord Jesus shines upon us today. Already two months of the year have passed at the end of today; we stand that much closer to the great day of our Lord! Pray for each other; that each of us would gain wisdom and understanding from our Lord. No one is born with these qualities. We gain some wisdom from experience, but those lessons can be harsh. We gain some understanding by looking at disputes from another’s point of view, but often that understanding comes too late. God gives wisdom and understanding freely for the asking; his lessons may be tough, but are never damaging, as the lessons of this life too often are. Many of us have been through some tough times lately, growing in wisdom and strength in our Lord. I suspect that when I report that all of us had a wonderful and perfect day, it will be the morning after Jesus has returned. This life just doesn’t seem to give all of us a great day at the same time. Yes, probably by design, we don’t belong to this world. God bless you as we look forward to the place Christ has prepared for us!

Bucky

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

February 27, 2007

Good morning! Today is thought to have been (i.e. they really don’t know) the birthday of Emperor Constantine, the first Christian ruler. There is your bit of Christian history for today! If to believe is to relax and trust in the Lord, why do we feel all this pressure and stress? We shouldn’t, that is the point of believing. God knows that we perform poorly under great stress, despite what the world would have us believe. There will be times of trial, but God will not stress us beyond our ability, when resting in Him, to withstand. The master craftsman does not break the metal he is working on! However, in this life we accept far too much stress upon our minds from our employers, friends, and especially our own high standards. Just who are we trying to impress? If it is other people, then we should know better than to attempt that. If it our own self, our standard of perfection, then we should know that cannot be achieved either! Do we want to impress God? Then we should believe in his Son and trust in Him!
A new movie is on the way… be wary of this one. They claim to have found the tomb and bones of Jesus. What can one say to such things? We know there are no bones of Jesus to be found. Those making the movie should know that “Jesus”, a later form of Joshua, was a common name at that time, as was James, Jude, Judah, John, and several others. Finding a box or ossuary with the Hebrew characters for “Jesus” on it proves nothing. Even archeologists are not signing on for this one, saying that it is poor history, but powerful television. There it is; someone is out to make a few bucks and shame on the Discovery Channel for promoting something like this.
Let me remind you that we do not worship an empty tomb, or a cross, or a cup; we worship Jesus, the Son of the Living God!

Bucky

Monday, February 26, 2007

February 26, 2007

Good morning, a new day in the service of the Lord! I must admit that with a couple of small exceptions I have not kept up with the latest Hollywood offerings. So it should be no surprise that I missed the Academy Awards last night. As I recall the show is too long, the voting process somewhat suspect, and the already overpaid actors get to take home bags of goodies worth thousands of dollars. The “big” day for the stars is over and it still looks like Monday around here. One day our big day, this life we live here on earth, will be over. Those things we cling to will not follow us to our eternal destination. Jesus saw in the rich young ruler, a man with one big anchor holding him to the earth. Perhaps this man had worked hard for all that he owned and he thought of all those hours of work when Jesus told him to distribute his fortune to the poor. We don’t know, but that holding on to his possessions left him tied to a doomed planet. Please don’t let your possessions or money become a big ol’ boat anchor holding you down and I will trust in God for the same thing. We all want to see each other in Heaven with Jesus!

To God be the glory!

Bucky

Sunday, February 25, 2007

February 25, 2007

Good morning! We had a blizzard yesterday morning and beautiful sun today, how the weather changes from day to day. The glory of the Lord shines through both the inclement weather and the nice days.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.” The world has a different view; in the world we are told to let our talents and strengths be known to all. Why does the Lord, through Paul’s letter to the Philippians, tell us to let our gentleness be known? We already know that the wisdom of the Lord and the wisdom of the world are opposed to one another. We should not be surprised when the Lord calls us to let our gentleness be known. How can our Lord be glorified in our strength? Building strong buildings and huge cathedrals does not bring glory to the Lord like the love the goes into such projects. We tend to see a major accomplishment; we’ll use a new church building as an example, as the glorification of God. However, God may see the individual efforts, no matter how small by our standards, as the greater offering to his glory. Is it a greater glory to God when one wealthy person donates the church or when dozens, perhaps hundreds, of persons save diligently to each donate a small amount?
We have all heard that little whisper in our ear, “Look how much Mr. & Mrs. Jones gave, look at how often they are volunteering…” and we have a tendency to think that God will somehow give them more credit or love them more than us. Beware; this thinking leads us down that path where we start thinking that we can earn our salvation! God does not judge by our standards; we must remember always the parable of the widow’s two mites. Comparing yourself to others is not the way to happiness. There will always be someone who exceeds us in some endeavor or talent; that is just the way of the world. Athletic records are surpassed, strong men and women age and grow old, new prodigies appear in the world of music and art, and the latest “star” appears in Hollywood or on television. Nothing really lasts on this earth; the pyramids and ziggurats around the world decay on a daily basis and even the mountains will eventually be flattened. Why then would we even think of trusting any one or any thing other than our Lord Jesus?
The argument in these days of human wisdom that the founding fathers did not mention God in the Constitution because they wanted a secular government, is it possible that the founding fathers simply could not conceive of a time that anyone would even think of leaving God out of government? We often make the mistake of not mentioning something that is obvious to us, maybe that is what occurred during the Constitutional Convention. The argument over belief in Christ among the founding fathers is like the arguments over Jesus. Yes to both sides. How can I say this? Easy, if you choose to believe in Jesus, then all will fall into place and you will see God’s work among all of Creation. If you choose to reject Jesus, then you will find all of the evidence you need to support your unbelief. It is not about how simple or intellectual we are, not about our circumstances, and not about the facts; it is simply a choice: to believe in Jesus or to believe in something else. I believe in Jesus, and I am glad that you do too!

God bless you all!

Bucky

Saturday, February 24, 2007

February 24, 2007

Good windy morning! Some of you might be expecting a snowstorm today and we may get it too. Have you ever heard someone say “he or she has the weight of the world on their shoulders?” Hebrews 1:3 says that Jesus upholds the universe with the mighty power of his command. Therefore, no one needs to try to bear up the world. We all need to learn our limitations on caring for our work, other people, our self, and our country. We need to let Christ take our cares as well as our problems for he is mighty and we are not. He gave us peace and how can we have that peace with too many cares on our shoulders? A couple of weekends ago, I asked each of us to set aside one hour to a quiet time with the Lord. Guess what? I didn’t do it that weekend and may have paid a price for that. This weekend my goal is to write the devotionals on Saturday and Sunday, and do my one hour quiet time each day. Certainly I will do more, but those are my only goals. I will keep it simple with the demands on myself this time. Lean on Jesus, don’t try to pull away from him. That old spirit of rebellion tries to get us constantly! Tell it to get behind you in Jesus authority.

Bucky

Friday, February 23, 2007

February 23, 2007

Good morning! I realize that billions fly around fairly easily these days, but Cabela’s pulled in more than 2 billion in revenue last year and we will have a celebration today at work. That figure is more money than I can imagine, perhaps you have a better imagination for that sort of thing. It might be close to the number of cat hairs in my house. This weekend will be a good time to get the vacuum and wage war on the cat hair population.
Do you ever think that someone else had a better conversion than you did? The Apostle Paul made a very stunning conversion through meeting Christ on the road to Damascus. However, he put himself as the lowest of Christians because of his former life. The conversion you experienced may have been slower and more gradual, or it may have been very dynamic like Paul’s. I would submit to you that whichever way it happened, the change is just as exciting, just as fulfilling, and in the end will be perfect like all of the other tasks God has set for himself. That’s right; we are not in charge of the process of becoming a new creature in Christ Jesus. He alone makes all things new, not any of us. If we complain about the speed of our growth in the Christian life, then we are complaining about the one in charge. We may want to reconsider any complaining! In some of us, similar to losing a lot of weight successfully, the change may be difficult to see on a day by day basis. We may need to look from God’s point of view, or at least try. You and I will be perfected in Christ before we enter heaven; that process will take the rest of our lives and will only be completed when we meet Jesus.
It helps me to remind myself that not all of those new things will happen at once. This week the option to say “no” and set boundaries has been given to me. You might ask what would cause such a thing. Goals, my goals went out of control. I took up going to college full time and wanted also to practice writing for an hour each night, workout to get in shape, and I still like to read quite a bit. Oh, and let’s not forget that I am still working full time at Cabela’s… and I wanted to write a bestseller before leaving college, with a Master’s degree. It even went on from there. Now that I have written them down in one place and considered them from an objective point of view, I see that this is not sensible. The disasters of last week, that I alluded to in the devotional, were what might be called that proverbial straw on the camel’s back. Do you see how I had fallen into trying to be perfect in my own strength?
Goals are good things, written goals even better, but keeping them to one’s self and not seeking the advice of trusted counselors, whom God has put in our lives, to review those goals, and perhaps make the suggestion that one is “crazy”, might allow one to go too far in attempting too many things at once. None of us can earn our way into God’s favor; if we could, Jesus would have needlessly suffered on the cross for us. For some of us, it is all too easy to put incredible pressures upon our own self, it is known as stress and it’s deadly. Jesus didn’t leave us with stress and pressure; he said: "I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27

Be at peace in Christ!

Bucky

Thursday, February 22, 2007

February 22, 2007

Good morning! The new day begins and we grow closer to the Lord with every passing moment. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) A straightforward message from Jesus to us; as of late, my heart has been troubled and afraid. The Lord has sent messages to me through my friends and counselors in this life and the peace of God has descended on me, renewing my hope and joy in the Lord. Proof once more that none of us should withdraw from our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Two or three will do, we do not need to meet in a church of thousands, but our alone time with Christ should be balanced with times of fellowship. Do not think that you bring nothing to the table in this fellowship. Jesus chose disciples and apostles from among several professions including fishermen, tax collectors, and a persecutor of the early Christians. The Holy Spirit works joy, insight, and love in each and every one of us, come together in confidence. Take Pastor Rogers’ advice also and confess your sins before fellowship with the Lord and your brothers and sisters in Christ. None of us needs to go out onto the street to confess; we wouldn’t want those in the world to take notes and get new ideas. Confess quietly to the Lord and rest in His forgiveness.

Again, REST in His forgiveness!

Bucky

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

February 21, 2007

Good morning! Today, I am thinking of changing the tune. In place of a time of trial and tribulation, I am going to say the Lord has chosen a time of bringing me closer to Him. I no longer wish to focus on the trials; rather I would choose instead to focus on the results. Are we not driven to results in our work and life in this world? Praise the Lord; let us focus on the results of those times when everything seems to be against us. The Lord is bringing me closer to Him at this time in my life. Hallelujah! The journey will continue, and we will come closer to Christ on the other side. Do you think that I am forcing cheer on the situation? You would be correct. I am not saying that those times will not hurt. It is at those times, when disappointments seem to assault us from every direction, that we must focus on the Lord and his great love for us.

Hold fast to Jesus,

Bucky

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

February 20, 2007

Good morning! A difficult class is behind me; perhaps a bit of evening relaxation is in order! That quiet time has been eluding me and that may in part be responsible for the stress that I have put upon myself in the past few weeks. Just as we do not work the same muscles every day without resting, so the mind must be relaxed as well. Faith may be of a similar nature; perhaps we cannot exercise it constantly without rest. Working your mind through study is important, but I believe that I have been shown once again that resting the mind is equally important. Springtime approaches too! The sun shines a bit longer each day, the lows are not as low and the highs a bit higher, we can look forward to winter’s end soon. What a friend we have in Jesus! Yes, it does make a good song title and someone even wrote one. I think my friend is telling me to get some rest for my mind and that probably goes for all of us in this hectic age of information overload.

Take time for God’s peace!

Bucky

Monday, February 19, 2007

February 19, 2007

Good morning, the time to have victory in Jesus has arrived! It is in the morning of each day that we should declare our victory in Jesus, but any other time of the day or night works just as well too! Last week was just a bad week for many of us and I won’t list all the events for us to relive. However, this morning we declare a new victory in the name of Jesus and move on from the past week. Jesus makes all things new, and we need to seize upon those new things as they come. Each new day can be a new victory, each new prayer one of faith and hope, and each new person a chance to show the love of Christ in us. Today is the last day of an especially difficult class for me; I will be victorious in Christ by doing well on the last assignment. What victory can you declare today? Even something as simple as doing a good job at work, helping out somewhere, or saying a prayer for someone is a victory. Let us go forth in the whole armor of God today and win the victory in Jesus’ name!

Bucky

Sunday, February 18, 2007

February 18, 2007

Good morning! Did you see that in Virginia throwing a drink cup into a car is a felony with a minimum 2 year sentence? Another of those cases has occurred where one must wonder if our judicial system has completely lost its collective mind. Even the victim expected no more than community service for the offender. Wow!
Another great movie is on the way, Amazing Grace: the William Wilberforce Story opens next Friday. That is one I want to see. His mentor in the film is none other than John Newton, the writer of that famous hymn. Mr. Newton has a very interesting history and I won’t spoil it all for you, go and see the film!
Some Sundays I don’t get a clear message for you, perhaps the Lord would rather we concentrate on the sermons from our ministers on this day. Did you notice that many of them sound the same? Yes, me too, and I once pointed to that as a flaw. However, the Holy Spirit has pointed out to me that there is only one savior, one message, one God. Praise the Lord for the many ministers giving the message of salvation by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus on this day!

Bucky

Saturday, February 17, 2007

February 17, 2007

Good morning! Let the glory of the Lord rise above us! When we seek the Lord in humility, his glory will rise above our selves. We cannot seek him in pride; that is what Lucifer did and God will not accept that from any of us. Watch the sun rise on any morning, is it not beautiful? Can any of us stop it? The Lord created it from nothing; who are we to come to him in pride? Let the world know the glory of the Lord! Better to know and praise the Lord now than to be forced to bend the knee upon his return. God loves you and so do I, praise the Lord I’m going home!

Bucky

Friday, February 16, 2007

February 16, 2007

Good morning, a new day dawns for us. I recently suffered defeat. My old nemesis, PTSD, made an appearance again yesterday, and I went home in humiliation. I felt, more than that, I cried from the shame of it. I asked; here is what I received this morning:
“Oh, foolish Galatians! What magician has cast an evil spell on you? For you used to see the meaning of Jesus Christ's death as clearly as though I had shown you a signboard with a picture of Christ dying on the cross. 2 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by keeping the law? Of course not, for the Holy Spirit came upon you only after you believed the message you heard about Christ. 3 Have you lost your senses? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? 4 You have suffered so much for the Good News. Surely it was not in vain, was it? Are you now going to just throw it all away?” (Galations 3:1-4)
Then I received Dr. Kennedy’s message this morning also. The question stands out. Have I once again fallen into the trap of trying to become perfect by my own human effort? From the shame I experienced yesterday, I would have to say that would be a ‘yes’. I have to wonder if the sudden attacks of stress reactions that I experience are not a safety in my mind, a shedding of load if you will. I cannot handle in my own strength all that is demanded of me at work, in school, and of my own self. So in my super self critical thinking, I am ashamed of my imperfection. Why? I am reminded of John 3:17, the verse lost behind the very famous 3:16 that even the world can quote. It says this: “God did not send his son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” Why do I then condemn myself? The wisdom of the world, pure and simple, trains us to make perfect through practice, stand up for ourselves, and many other proverbs that you have heard many times. We are commanded in the world to do our best. What happens when our best falls short? In his word God reminds us that our best has never been good enough. We cannot save ourselves and we cannot keep the law; therefore we should not smother our selves with condemnation. One of the most difficult things to do is to forgive our very own self, to let go of that pride which would remind us of every little flaw and failure. I asked yesterday where the joy was that I was promised in Christ. Right where it has always been; it is in a closer relationship with Him. Think of that prideful self-condemnation as a big bumper which prevents you from coming closer to Jesus. In your despair you reach out to him and that bumper bounces you away. Ask, as I did and must continue to do, for his strength and wisdom to remove that pride and self-condemnation.

Rejoice in the state of grace we live in through Jesus Christ, our Lord,

Bucky

Dr. Kennedy's devotional is from:
http://www.coralridge.org/nem/NEMdevotional.asp

Thursday, February 15, 2007

February 15, 2007

Good, cold morning to you! Where did this cold come from? I don’t remember any predictions of -13ºF for this morning! I think we all realize that human weather forecasters are never going to be 100% accurate, there are too many factors to consider in making a prediction. Have you ever tried to type with a cat laying his head on your typing hands? It is not easy I can tell you! I am reminded of the parable of the seeds; we try to do good works and produce fruit, but the world, or a small furry part thereof, demands our attention. There is no need to feel rushed in God’s work. Jesus does tell us the time is late and we do need to be about our Father’s work, but do not give yourself a stress malady over the end times. God is in control and there will be time for us to complete the tasks our Lord has given us.
Today is one of mourning for us. The funeral for Sara Russell will be held today; she has been released from this earthly prison and called home by God. We long to be with God also, but our work is not yet finished here. Our time will come, be patient and support our sisters and brothers in Christ as they must bury a young lady who was about to start her life. Mourn with them, comfort and console them as best you can, and at the first opportunity, remember the love of Jesus.

Let the peace of Jesus flow through your heart today.

Bucky

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

February 14, 2007

Happy St. Valentine’s Day! God loves you and so do I! God already sent a valentine to us, an expression of his infinite love in the person of Jesus Christ. This man, who referred to himself as the Son of Man, told us to love one another and to love ourselves. We usually associate this day with the love of a spouse or fiancé, but there is a greater love we should celebrate on every day; that of God’s love for all of creation. After man decided to leave God’s grace and wander the dark path of sin. God gave humankind the Law. This laid an enormous and impossible burden on all of us, and none could keep it. All of creation looked forward to the coming of Messiah, the one who would save us all. Jesus came in fulfillment of prophecies and the promise of God. He fulfilled the Law and satisfied God’s demand for justice. A gift of love for those who will believe! From the many roses given today, please set one aside for Jesus as one small token of our love for him.

God bless you this St. Valentine’s Day!

Bucky

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

February 13, 2007

Good morning! At some time or other, I would suspect that all of us have fallen into the ire of someone who at least believes they have a measure of authority over us. I am thinking of a minor public official, a self-righteous person, or a know-it-all, not someone with real authority, but someone who has caught you in a possible error. A mistake in parking perhaps, where your vehicle is too close to something in their judgment, but far enough away in yours and there is no line to end the argument. Of course the person will confront you with a legalistic attitude, pass judgment, and perhaps tell you your penalty, though they do not have the real authority to do so. What do you do? Right, you immediately rise to your own defense and, depending upon your temperament, a loud or quiet argument ensues. Jesus gave us a direct command about what to do in situations like that and it wasn’t to arm ourselves for verbal battle. It can be very difficult under any situation not to defend your actions or self. The world will even jump to tell us that we must “stand up for your rights!” or “Don’t let anyone push you around!” Jesus tells us to take a stand for Him, and that means turning the other cheek, apologizing for your actions, and giving glory to His name. Any of us might be trampled on in this world, it hates Jesus and it hates those who would take up their cross and follow him! Trampled one, you will be raised up to glory with our Lord Jesus, wait patiently for that day!

Praise God for his patience with us!

Bucky

Monday, February 12, 2007

February 12, 2007

Good morning and a Happy Lincoln’s Birthday to you! It would seem that fog is the weather for February around these parts. Did you ever consider a task that you have done to be less than your best effort? My class assignments come to mind, probably because I am reminded of them almost constantly. I always feel, especially with the essays, that I could do much better given a bit more time. In this life though, we will never have enough time to perfect anything. I am not sure that I could achieve perfection even with hundreds of years to work on a project. The perfection we seek is found only in Jesus and our Father in Heaven. The point I am getting at is that trusting in your own self for perfection will always fall short. We have some idea of what perfection should be, but have a better knowledge of how short of that goal we are. The Law tells us daily how far from God’s standard of perfection we have fallen, but not how to attain his standard. God provided us a way through his Son, Jesus Christ. We cannot get there on our own, so he sent a Savior to bring us home. Only one simple condition to make a friend of the perfect Lamb of God, we must believe in Him.

Jesus is Lord!
Bucky

Sunday, February 11, 2007

February 11, 2007

Good morning! We have something wonderful to share. The love of Jesus Christ, it doesn’t come in boxes or bags, he paid for it himself and we cannot purchase it, and he gives it freely to all. The love of Jesus brings joy, light, hope, and strengthens faith to an unbreakable bond. The beautiful sunrise reminds of his love through the entire day, just as the beautiful sunset reminds us that he loves through the darkest nights. None can gainsay his love, none can steal it from another, and none can force it out of a heart sealed by Christ. Any of us can choose to ignore the love of Christ, but it will reach out to us anyway and every way possible. The love of Jesus brings friends closer, but not as close as Jesus is to us at all times. His love causes our best behavior and allows us to empathize with even a total stranger. The hurting of a loved one brings sympathy to our hearts, but as Christ hurts with each of us, his love brings healing to the broken hearted. The love we have for each other grows from the love of Christ. The world would not know love at all were it not for his example. The world may shrug it off, try to ignore it, try to live without it, try to argue it out of existence with intellect and logic, and it may try to destroy it with weapons and hatred, but the love of Jesus stands majestic over all. Love him or hate him, no one can ignore Jesus Christ and one day we will sing, “He Reigns!”

Live in the love of Jesus!

Bucky

Saturday, February 10, 2007

February 10, 2007

Good frosty morning to you! Winter is not about to let us off easy this year, but how about those folks in New York! That is a lot of snow to deal with. Has not God blessed us with a wonderful variety of ministers? On any Saturday or Sunday, you can see a top notch intellectual minister with advanced degrees, a minister who never attended college, a stern, no-nonsense minister, a happy, joyous minister, or any combination of all of these. There are ministers of both sexes and all races; part-time or full-time ministers, those with great wealth and those with only enough to get by on, and any other type of minister which can identify with you and bring you closer to Jesus. We certainly have no grounds to complain about a lack of variety in the ministry, and modern technology can bring many of them into your home via television or Internet. Yes, we do need to beware of the false prophets, and the great variety of ministers does give them opportunity, but trust in the Lord and use the brain that God has given you to be on your guard for the false prophets of the world. Remember also that when a minister stumbles in his walk with the Lord, Christians should be the first to forgive and not the last! All of us are human, fallen from grace, and only in Christ are we saved to eternal life with him. The ministers are no different, any of them can sin and it may even be published in the media. When they repent, leave off with the gossip and welcome them back, just as you would like whenever you fall into sin.

Have peace in the Lord this weekend.

Bucky

Friday, February 09, 2007

February 9, 2007

Good morning! Some Fridays there are so many thoughts accumulated during the week that it seems I will not be able to relax on the weekend. School, work, financial, and household issues, on and on it goes without an end. I know you face the same things in your life. Praise God we are not alone; he gives us the strength, wisdom, and courage to face our challenges and to be victorious over them. This weekend as we pray for ourselves and each other; take some time to meditate on Jesus. Perhaps using a short scripture, or one of his lessons or parables, perhaps just think on him and listen to some instrumental music. Quiet time is essential for our recovery and we must use it on a regular basis to be effective. I have been guilty of getting caught up in the rush; this happens with some of my classes. Often an illness; especially the lengthy, non specific, “I just feel bad” kind of illnesses come as the result of exhaustion, both mental and physical. It is only when recovery begins that I realize what has happened one more time. Find some time for yourself, for your own mental recovery and quiet peace. Jesus dumps his peace on us by the bucketful, but so often we throw up an umbrella of business.

Go with God,

Bucky

Thursday, February 08, 2007

February 8, 2007

Good morning! Often we consider giving and the how much or how frequently we should give. Paul gave some advice to the Corinthians on that matter which still holds true for us today. One, we should not give what we do not have. Today that means don’t borrow on a credit card to give. Two, give what you can, but not so much that you or your family suffers from want. Three, give joyfully no matter the amount. If you go to the church and grudgingly hand the pastor your tithe and a cranky remark, don’t expect God to be pleased. He wants a joyful giver, the amount is not important. Did you ever stop to consider, that if God needed money for his ministry on the earth, that he could quite easily fill every church building, on every continent, up to its roof with gold? It is the heart and act of love in giving that he wants from us. It is easy to compare our 10% with what we know or imagine that someone else (the Joneses) is giving. However, let’s consider an illustration. Recently, you have probably seen the new LED flashlights that have come upon the market. The bulbs or LED’s are quite small when compared to the more traditional flashlight bulbs, yet the light they produce is much greater with far less battery power required. Jesus can make your light shine in the same way. The Gates and Buffetts of the world might be able to dump millions or billions on a cause out of their tremendous surplus; we can rest assured that even those large amounts will not leave them to suffer. Our light can shine all the brighter in Christ with much less, remember that he fed a multitude with only a few loaves and fishes, one family’s lunch.

Praise God! Our cup runneth over.

Bucky

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

February 7, 2007

Good morning and the Captain says a nice kitty hello too! We seem to be on the foggy side today and it’s supposed to be on the colder side again. Do you ever envision calamities inside your mind? That is one of my recurring problems; a descent into the maelstrom so to speak. Anything can start them, a feeling inside, a pain here or there, even a nice day or a sound of some type. The fight or struggle to take stock of my blessings and rest peacefully in the Lord goes on moment by moment. Pride would try to tell me that this problem is uniquely mine and that no one could possibly know how I feel. However, as with every other problem that I have faced, communication reveals this to be a false assumption. Many face a life of anxiety and in Christ we can find rest, even on this earth. We do not like to speak about our problems, but communication invariably reveals that we are not alone. Support groups exist on the Internet for any conceivable illness or condition. Doctors, therapists, nurses, and alternative healers specialize in a great variety of treatments, some scientific and others right along the lunatic fringe. There are those who would make a quick bit of money and have nothing real to offer, but the great majority of those in the healing arts have one thing in common; they very much want to help solve the medical and psychological problems that cause suffering in so many people. For those things that human healers cannot solve and for even that which they can, God offers the power of prayer to us.
There is great power in the prayer of many for one in need. We have gathered together even in cyberspace and brought the healing power of prayer to several of those in need. Take a moment and pray for each other today; someone may have a problem they are guarding, trying to keep it for themselves. Is it strange to think of a problem being jealously guarded like a bit of treasure? In the world that happens quite often, we are trained to hide our weakness lest someone take advantage. It can be very difficult to set aside pride and ask for prayer for ourselves. I know that some of you have felt that reluctance to share a problem. The “I can handle this” mentality where the prince of this world would have us to pridefully soldier on; counting on our own self to handle the problem and not seeking relief in a close relationship with Christ. What is the best way to handle that pride? Throw it away and confess your pride to Jesus. Admitting your need for help and prayer is throwing away pride! Today, I will take that step, please pray for me, and pull my mind back from that maelstrom. Pray for each other again, I know that I am not the only one to have this problem. Pray that each of us would have the courage to admit our problems to Christ and to each other. In Christ no one need go it alone.

God bless you,

Bucky

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

February 6, 2007

Good morning and it’s supposed to be the warmest day that we’ve seen in some time! How many times have you read the verse in the Bible where Jesus says that no man will know the time of his return? Yet, how many times do people still jump at the latest “prophet” who claims this or that about Jesus’ return? Yes, we all see it and must shake our heads when we hear another one speaking about just what Jesus warned us about. People seek Jesus in all sorts of wrong places and directions. I suspect many of us spent some time doing that also; we find out where he is not, but not where he is. The best way to find Jesus is to stop our headlong rush toward the darkness and turn to Him. It seems simple, but the world wants something difficult, something to achieve. Jesus is not anyone’s achievement; he is a gift from God. If we could somehow earn his love or salvation, then that would something to work for and when obtained, to boast about. However, that is the world’s wisdom and Jesus will not have any of that! The gift of salvation is free, no charge, no list of minimum accomplishments, no amount of offering to meet, simply ask and you shall receive, just as he said. Now we move forward, giving thanks unto God for the gift of eternal life with Jesus, our Lord.

Sing a song of praise to Jesus today!

Bucky

Monday, February 05, 2007

February 5, 2007

Good morning once again! Where do we run to in times of trouble? Jesus, yes indeed, and how do we come to him? We can come to him through prayer and the word of God. It is not necessary that we pray alone at all times, nor to we have to read the Bible alone at all times. Sometimes you may need a friend or a group to help with some particular time of trouble. It is part of our walk with Jesus and growing closer to him that we do get off by ourselves to pray and read the Bible. However, it is also good to enjoy a small group Bible study or join a prayer group. We are never completely alone once Jesus comes into our heart, but it is good to share with others also. Daily as I write this devotional, I sometimes do not seem to have a clear direction for what to write. It is at these times that I am most reminded that I am not writing for myself, but to send the words given me out to others. It isn’t that I don’t benefit from much of the writing, some days it even surprises me! However, it is a privilege and an honor to be allowed to write for the Lord on a daily basis.

May God give us the strength for each of us to do what he would have us to do.

Bucky

Sunday, February 04, 2007

February 4, 2007

Good Morning! A bit of good news this morning, in more ways than one; the predictions show a bit of warming in our weather over the next 10 days. We could receive some more snow in that time though! How we do look forward to the times of peace with nice weather. Do you often wonder that we cannot seem to find that peace in our lives? Perhaps the key is as Dr. Kennedy says, practice and pursuit. I have heard of people who must practice calming techniques throughout the workday; it would seem that I am one of those. In America, we have been trained since early youth to avoid getting caught in doing nothing. As children, teenagers, in the service, or at work, we cannot sit still lest someone “find something for us to do”. Thinking of your workplace, could you really expect 15 minutes in the morning and afternoon to meditate on the Word? Would a co-worker or boss, seeing you obviously meditating, wait until you finished before interrupting? Is there even a quiet place to go at your workplace? No and no, I think we all know the answers to those questions. However, we must ask the Lord for strength and ingenuity in finding that place and time. Like most things, some of us will be better at finding peace and others, like me, will need to practice more diligently, perhaps even experiment with different methods. God will show each of us the way to peace and we know already that Jesus is The Way, to peace, to love, to eternal life. Jesus is the answer for all of us; go and seek out which method he wants you to use each day and I will also.

God’s peace be with you!
Bucky

Saturday, February 03, 2007

February 3, 2007

Good morning! The world awaits your presence today; it likes to devour poor lost sheep. “All we like sheep have gone astray.” When Jesus finds us we become filled with light and joy; the good shepherd leads us gently into his fold. However, like the poor, dumb sheeps, we sometimes will look away from our Lord and then wonder why he has left us. If at those moments you could stand outside of yourself, you would see Jesus standing with you as he always does, but you would see yourself looking in the wrong direction! In the times of tribulation, it may seem that Jesus has left us for a time, but that never happens; Jesus is the faithful and true witness, the Good Shepherd, and the Light of the world. It may seem simplistic, but when it seems that Jesus has left you, turn around. Jesus will not gaze into the darkness with you for he has already conquered the darkness. He wants us to look on the light, which is to look upon himself, our Lord and Savior. Look on the Light; be filled with Joy, and shine that light out into the world of darkness.

God bless you!
Bucky

Friday, February 02, 2007

February 2, 2007

Good morning, and sorry as I am to say it again, good very cold morning! The temperature has one of those little dashes in front of it again, but the moon sure is beautiful on this morning. I have ice flows on windows that normally don’t have them this morning. The groundhog would freeze solid out in these parts this morning, I suppose that is our answer about winter! It is easy to be grateful for our shelter, our home, on days like this; we would not survive long outside without a lot of clothing today. In this world, the Lord is our shelter and protection; we would not survive long without his providence. Gratitude for what we have not only brings us closer to God, but also cures that covetous longing for things that we don’t have. The apostle Paul learned to be content whether he had much or little, and thanked God for that contentment. At this time of the year, some of us will be getting that big income tax return from the government and it can be easy to fall into plotting what to buy with it. There are needs to be met and we thank God for the resources to purchase them, but be careful of that coveting of things. Give some thought to where you might be able to help out with supporting a ministry or charity. During this cold winter, some folks might need some help with the heating bills. I always like to remind everyone of the good works done at Maranatha Bible Camp just down the Interstate by North Platte. Send your kids this summer or help out with a cash donation. Your local church may be in need of help also; most do not have the resources to meet the needs. You cannot out-give the Lord, it will not happen; feel free to try!

God bless,
Bucky

Thursday, February 01, 2007

February 1, 2007

Good Morning! The glory of the Lord shines upon us this day! Our group enjoyed another wonderful Bible study last night; I strongly urge you to join a small group study of the Word, if you are not a participant in one already that is. Have you ever noticed that busy times at work, difficult classes, and some non-specific “bug” of a sickness, will all conspire together during those winter months? Perhaps you can substitute family problems for difficult classes, but you realize what I am referring to: that tough time that as Thomas Paine says, “These are the times which try men’s souls.” During these periods of trial and testing, we depend ever more upon the Lord. Were I to write a secular story or movie script about this, there would be some defining moment wherein the hero/heroine would look into the camera and decide to triumph over the forces of evil, be it illness, persecution, athletic defeat or some other problem. The dramatic music would play and the character would start working out, or planning, or learning or some such to reinforce the myth of human will and independence. I should be ashamed to write such a story. Who gives us strength to carry on? Who gives us healing or the power to rise up? When the perfect time arrives, who calls us home to that place where all tears will be wiped away and all sorrows stilled? That’s right, you don’t need me to tell you, but I will anyway. Jesus! He is the answer to the troubles of this world, now and forevermore. What can we offer him? Our faith, love, and gratitude, not diamonds or rubies, we would have to compete for those and they are in limited supply; no, our Lord values us and the love we give him more than any rock or mineral.
Sing praises to the Lord!
Bucky