Nobody talked less than he did, but you can learn about a man by riding with him.  He never wasted a motion, never took an unnecessary chance.  He scouted every possible ambush, every creek-crossing.  He never made a point of it, but he knew what he was doing.”
              –Louis L’Amour  (Tucker)

    “So I stationed people behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows.”
              –Nehemiah 4:13 (HCSB)
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Much has been said about the purpose of life.  Entire philosphies spend time trying to figure it out.  Some say “eat, drink, and be merry,” in other words, “party-hardy,” but that too much of the time leads to hedonism and self-centeredness.  Others will say, don’t worry about it, there’s no use; “doom, despair, agony,” woe is me.  Some seek to do good, while others seek to run away and escape from life.  The Shorter Westminster Catechsim says, “we are to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”
    No matter our philosophy, and no matter how hard we try to avoid it, we do leave tracks in life.  We do leave a legacy and people will see it and some may follow, but all we see.  Let’s take a moment and ponder the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  He says that life is short and we must be using our energy for heroic deeds.

              Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
                  Life is but an empty dream!–
              For the soul is dead that slumbers
                  And things are not what they seem.

              Life is real!  Life is earnest!
                  And the grave is not its goal;
              Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
                  Was not spoken of the soul.

    One of the main thoughts that Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes is the seriousness of life.  The humanist, for good or bad, has no hope.  They believe that upon death man simply becomes a clod.  Much of their time is in argument against a soul.  But the truth of the matter is, life should not be a dream, even though it is fleeting.  I saw two old men talking the other day about someone they knew.  Their acquaintance was bragging that he was 65 and could do the same work he did at 25.  Whereupon on of the men said, “he must not have done much work at 25.”  Face life with eternity in mind.  

              Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
                  Is our destined end or way;
              But to act, that each tomorrow
                  Find us father than today…

              In the world’s broad field of battle,
                  In the bivouac of Life,
              Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
                  Be a hero in the strife!…

              Lives of great men all remind us
                  We can make our lives sublime,
              And, departing, leave behind us
                  Footprints on the sands of time;

              Footprints, that perhaps another,
                  Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,
              A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
                  Seeing, shall take heart again.

              Let us, then, be up and doing,
                  With a heart for any fate;
              Still achieving, still pursuing,
                  Learn to labor and to wait.

    Longfellow is telling us to quit our moaning and groaning about life.  Get up, do something with it, for the tracks you leave someone who is faltering might see, take heart, and continue on life’s way.  The journey may get wearisome, but in the light of eternity it is but a vapor.  Leave tracks that others can follow forward and onward to that heavenly abode.
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Today during the Texas Revolution:  Santa Anna and his army reach the city of Guerrero while General Urrea reinforces Matamoros and marches toward San Patricio and into South Texas.

He was at home in all parts of the territory.  Some just took a bit more effort to survive in.”
              –Charles G. West  (A Man Called Sunday)

    “Unless the Lord limited those days, no one would survive. But He limited those days because of the elect, whom He chose.”
              –Mark 13:20 (HCSB)
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Good morning!  A brand new week is upon us and time for another Monday morning devotion from the Psalms.  Psalm 16 is a great psalm for meditation.  One to sit back in your chair read over and over and contemplate on the blessings of God.  How have you made it this far in life? God has blessed you; blessed you with protection, blessed you with security, blessed you with His inheritance, blessed you with satisfaction in Him, and on I could go.

         1  Protect me, God, for I take refuge in You.
         2  I said to Yahweh, “You are my Lord; I have nothing good besides You.”
         3  As for the holy people who are in the land, they are the noble ones. All my delight is in them.
         4  The sorrows of those who take another god for themselves will multiply; I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood, and I will not speak their names with my lips.
         5  Lord, You are my portion and my cup of blessing; You hold my future.
         6  The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

    Who else can we come to for protection?  In God, and in Him only are we protected, in this life and for eternity.  We do have to go to Him.  We hear the saying today, “God is good all the time and all the time God is good.”  We can depend upon Him to give us what we need, and often above what we need.  Of course Paul learned the secret.  In Philippians he said that the Lord supplied all his need (4:19).   It is important to understand that this is singular.  Some versions make it plural and that is not the case.  Our only real need is the Lord.
    Right in the middle of these six verses David throws in a somber note.  Sorrows will multiply for those who take “another god”.  Therefore, I might ask, what are you drinking from?  Ahhh, in the mornings you might drink a cup of coffee.  Another time during the day you might drink of something else.  Maybe if you have rough times, you might want to check your cup.  In verse 5, “my cup” signifies that God is the satisfying drink that refreshes and invigorates the soul.  Take the time to read John 4:10-14 and 1 Corinthians 10:20-22.
    I like verse 5, “You hold my future.”  We can prepare for the future, in fact, we should plan, but all the planning in the world does not do any good unless we are in the will of God–unless He says you have a future.  Our steps are to be guided by Him.  Whatever happens to you tomorrow, next week, identify first, the cup.  Then remember, whatever you are assigned to come your way is in order to develop your character and glorify God.

                       “I am heir of the king, Hallelujah;
                        He safeguards my treasures each day.
                        He gives me the joy of his presence
                        And leads me along the right way.”
                             –Old Scottish Psalter
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This Day in the Texas Revolution:  J.C. Neill, leaves his Alamo command and appoints William Travis to replace him.

I assure you, if you pay attention you will make out fine, if you’re slow to notice or learn it might not go so well for you.  We have no room for shirkers, any not doing their fair share will be left behind.”
              –Dave P. Fisher (Where No Man Rules)

    “Just ask the previous generation. Pay attention to the experience of our ancestors.”
              –Job 8:8 (NLT)
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There’ve been a few who say I’m hard on Millennials and those of Generation Z.  Guess it’s in perspective, but I don’t hardly think so.  Honestly, I don’t care from which generation they come from, or from what country–if they don’t have a proper work ethic, moral integrity, and honor this nation, well, then, I have little use for them.  I’ve know some unbelievers that I’ve seen these qualities in, and have worked alongside them, but I didn’t really have fellowship with them.
    Ahh, you say, Jesus had fellowship with everyone, except those Pharisees.  No!  He did not!  Jesus associated with all people, even the Pharisees.  He went to their dinners, met them in the marketplace, rubbed shoulders with them along the way and preached to them, but He did not have fellowship with them.  When He wanted fellowship, He spoke with the one hundred twenty and sent them on their way.  He would be more intimate with the twelve and even more so with the three: Peter, James, and John.  With these three He let them see His heart.  However, when He wanted solace and deep fellowship He went out alone to be with the Father.
    Studies have shown that the people of the generations I mentioned above think that the most important aspect of the church is fellowship.  That shows you how must they do not understand about real fellowship.  A person is fortunate if he has a few that he can lean upon.  A few that he can trust; the type the old-timers would say, “he’ll do to ride the river with.”
    A friend of mind told me that she had a roommate that was a socialist.  I had to stop and ponder; she is at a Christian college, the person is supposed to be a Christian and yet declares herself a socialist.  I’ve tried to work that through my little brain and it just doesn’t compute.  Yes, there is that Scripture in Acts that says they sold all things and had them in common, but it sure didn’t work very well, for quickly we see people trying to cheat the system (God) and are struck down by Him.  Paul states, “In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: ‘If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.'” (2 Thessalonians 3:19, HCSB)  Even in the “welfare system” in the Old Testament, the people had to glean the fields.
    Being hard, I don’t think so.  People want an easy way out and this is becoming more and more prevalent.  What happened to the work ethic?  What happened to the satisfaction of a good day’s work, a job well done?  Instead, it has to appease and appeal to the work.  Lord, have mercy on us.

Sin and death draws everybody; they’re closer to us than anything else.”
              –Ernest Haycox  (Head of the Mountain)

    “On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.”
              –1 John 2:8 (NASB)
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Sorry friends, no alarms.  I just slept late, stayed in bed and sogged — a real lazy bum.  Seldom do that for I like to be up and going in the morning.  I debated whether to even write today, but then got convicted for there are a few of you who read this.
    Look at the newspaper, oh, forgot, they are archaic–old school, look at the internet or watch television, and you will quickly see that darkness and evil loom over us.  You don’t even have to watch the news, just watch a program and see how much evil lurks there.  A person is in the world; they are in darkness and many of them do not realize it.  They will stay in darkness until they come face-to-face with Light–Jesus Christ, and from that point on that person lives in the light.  
    Don’t scoff, 1 John 5:19, “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (NASB).  Yet I wonder if some so-called Christians are not now already deceived.  Barna reports that 53% of millennials say that the church should not evangelize, especially if others are of a different religion.  Leave them to their faith.  Now this speaks of one of two things:  either they believe in universalism, or they want these people to die in darkness and go to perdition.  
    This article by Barna went on to say that most millennials are content and firm in their Christian belief.  It does not go on to discuss what they believe about the Biblical doctrines.  What do they believe about the “end times”–the rapture, Tribulation, judgment, etc., nor does it discuss their belief concerning the role of the Church.  By not believing in evangelism what happens to the Great Commission, an command by Jesus, to go out into all the world with the Gospel?  No wonder giving to missions is diminishing.  What do the individuals think about missions; what do they give to further the gospel through missions?
    Life is not a game of spiritual hopscotch!  Truly, there is sin that we continually fight; there is evil that assails us daily, but we now fight with the Lord on our side. We have overcome the darkness because we live in Him and He overcame.  That, however, does not mean we are to play around with life.  In fact it is the opposite, we are to put on the armor of God and fight the good fight.
    Look around again; there is darkness and evil.  It is something that we must walk through, fight through on a daily basis.  We must fight the evil one who seeks to control everyone.  One day darkness shall completely fade away and there will only be Light.  But until then, we travel, we fight, we pray, we seek, and we overcome.  Recall the words of that hymn by Herbert Buffum,

         “In that city where the Lamb is the light,
          The city where there cometh no night;
          I’ve a mansion over there,
          And when free from toil and care,
          I am going where the Lamb is the light.”