Once you make up your mind to something stick by it and don’t drive yourself crazy wondering if it’s right.  You’ll find you’re right more often than you’re wrong, and a man who ain’t wrong once in a while ought not to be trusted noway.”
–Elmer Kelton  (The Day the Cowboys Quit)

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.”
–Romans 5:3-4  (NLT)
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If the media would just report instead of having an agenda things would go along much more smoothly.  What is it that keeps things stirred up.  In my devotions yesterday I came across an interesting proverb.

          “Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke a discerning man, and he will gain knowledge.”
               –Proverbs 19:25

In this verse we see three types of people:  the mocker/scorner, the simple, and the one who has understanding.
The mind of the mocker is closed and hardened.  There is not much that can be done for this person.  This is the person who calls good evil and evil good.  These are the ones who cannot and will not listen to logic.  They are to be flogged!  Imagine that–what would happen if we would take all of those scorners, and I’ll not name any, and have them tied to a post and flogged?  My mercy…
Now the reason to take swift and harsh action on the mocker is for the simpleton.  This punishment is to show the consequences to the simple, and hopefully he might gain knowledge from it.  However, one of the problems of the simple is that there are just that–simple.  Some will watch and learn and gain knowledge because of the consequences lashed out upon the mocker for his actions.  Some will continue in their simple ways, and some of these might eventually become hardened.
The person of understanding does not need much to be corrected.  It might be a mild rebuke, or sometimes even a “look” can straighten him out.  Repentance will come immediately and he will be quick to mend his ways.
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I have tried my best, since I was around 12 or so, never to say “good luck.”  For I believe, and I am quite sure that the Scripture bears this out, that Christians do not base their life on “luck.”  This is one of the things that is borne out in the study of the sovereignty of God.  God is in control, and guides our lives, there is no luck connected with it.  It is God who works out His purposes and He does so in detail.
When making decisions we cannot hope in luck.  That is truly contrary to faith.  The Christian should do the following when making decisions:
          1)  Seek to know the Word of God.
          2)  Trust in the One who wrote it.
          3)  Rest in His care.
          4)  Seek godly advice.
          5)  Make the decision.
Much of our indecision rests in the fact that we do not know the Word of God on a subject, or that we choose to ignore it and go our own way. 
(Oh, and just a thought–why do Christians play the lottery?  Trusting in luck, or trusting in the Lord?)

Sometimes we have the dream but we are not ourselves ready for the dream. We have to grow to meet it.”
–Louis L’Amour (Bendigo Shafter)

“The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise him— my father’s God, and I will exalt him!”
–Exodus 15:2 (NLT)
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Sometimes I wonder. Yes, I really wonder when I hear people on their worship pogo-sticks hopping around singing, “I’m blessed, but bless me more.” One of the things I wonder about is, have they really seen the hand of God or are they just following a fad or spouting out words that they really don’t have a clue about?
Yes, all of God’s creation is in one sense truly blest. Those of the household of God have other kinds of blessing. But until–until they face the battle they do not know true victory.

“When the hosts of Israel, let by God,
Round the walls of Jericho softly trod;
Trusting in the Lord, they felt the conqu’ror’s tread,
By faith they saw the victory ahead.”
–William Grum

Look at the verse and the ones to follow and there are some common themes: victory, faith, and obedience. Victory does not come without obedience. You cannot have obedience unless you know what to obey and how to obey, therefore, you must know the Word of God. Faith comes through the Word of God and you cannot please God without faith.
Battles may come, and storms may rage and the only way to have real victory is to obey the Commander and follow His orders. However, in the midst of the battle you do not see the victory, but through obedience to God’s Word you know that there is victory ahead.

“David, with a shepherd’s sling and five stones,
Met the giant on the field all alone;
Trusting in the Lord, he knew what God had said,
By faith he saw the victory ahead.”

Living your training is obedience. When was the last time you were in the Word? When was the last time you had a devotion, much less spending time in the study of God’s Word? When was the last time you went to the Lord and didn’t ask for a blessing, but said you would be obedient despite the cost?

“Daniel prayed unto the Lord thrice each day,
Then unto the lion’s den led the way;
Trusting in the Lord, he did not fear or dread,
By faith he saw the victory ahead.”

Remember those daring words of Winston Churchill, “Never, never, never quit.” No matter how hard the battle rages–don’t quit. No matter how many casualties you see fall around you–don’t quit. No matter, the wounds that are inflicted on your body–don’t quit. Battles are often won through sheer tenacity knowing that you have Someone on your side that will always be there fighting along with you. If the enemy knocks you down, get back up–don’t quit. When the devil sneers and comes at you with a vengeance, stand firm and don’t quit.

“Often with the carnal mind I was tried,
Asking for deliverance oft I cried;
Trusting in the Lord, I reckoned I was dead,
By faith I saw the victory ahead.”

Victory is still ahead. Perhaps you have fought in several battles in life. You may have seen the thousand faces of war and your body has the scars to show for it. Then you are one to stand for others to see as a model of trusting in the Lord, no matter what.
If you haven’t yet faced a battle, large or small, you can look at those who have gone before you. Men such as David and Daniel, men who may have know personally. Victory is there; they made so will you, just keep trusting in the Lord.

“When like those who’ve gone to that land,
By death’s river cold and dark I shall stand;
Trusting in the Lord, I will not fear or dread,
By faith I see the victory ahead.

Victory ahead! Victory ahead!
Thro’ the blood of Jesus, victory ahead;
Trusting in the Lord, I hear the conqu’ror’s tread,
By faith I see the victory ahead.”

I have always held and maintained that a man should keep faith where it is expressly pledged. This is the bedrock upon which is based all relationships of man with man.”
–Eugene Manlove Rhodes (Good Men and True)

“Show me this loyalty as my sworn friend–for we made a solemn pact before the LORD–or kill me yourself if I have sinned against your father. But please don’t betray me to him!”
–1 Samuel 20:8 (NLT)
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I came across this story in a little study I was doing on the king’s of Israel and Judah. Ponder it for a few minutes.

A guitarist was asked, “How do you make it seem like your guitar sings?”
His Reply: “It’s like anything else in life. You need to have sensitivity to
deal effectively with a situation, a person, and in my case, with my guitar.
“These calluses on the fingertips of my left hand prove my sensitivity
toward my instrument. I cost me some pain to be a sensitive musician.
“The calluses have not really made me insensitive to pain. Oh, my
fingertips don’t hurt anymore when I play–but the calluses are reminders. Re-
minders of the pain I went through to become sensitive toward my instrument. The
practicing hurt. But past the pain was great satisfaction.” (taken from Old
Testament Royalty)

So here is my question: have you developed calluses to make you sensitive to life?
I remember as a kid I would practice hours upon hours. After practice at school I would come home and practice some more. My hands were “soft” and few grounds balls got through my position. Hours were spent working on doubleplays until it almost became second nature.
To be sensitive toward life there must be pain of some sort. How can you truly be sensitive toward someone who has lost a loved one if you have not? Calluses develop, and not in the bad sense of the word. They make you so you can deal with life and others in a proper manner.
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Have you ever gotten close enough to the campfire to feel the heat? How about close enough to get burned? Isaiah has a burning coal taken from the altar and placed upon his lips. Instead of burning and blistering them, the fire cleansed them.
In the fire of the furnace of Babylon the three Hebrew children found the Son of God and He walked with them in the midst and they were not singed, but the heat from the furnace killed several of the guards. Moses saw the fire, and God spoke to him from it. The fire also rested and guided Israel at night through the wilderness.
The fire of God came down and consumed the sacrifice and even “licked up” the water when Elijah prayed. Fire is a devourer as is the Holy Spirit. Fire is one of the most significant symbols of the Spirit. He will burn out all of the dross that is in our hearts, purging and cleansing us. And we cannot forget those terrible words of warning, both to the believer and the unbeliever, “Our God is a consuming fire.”

Grab yourself some Arbuckles boy. Ridin’ hard on an empty belly ain’t good for a growin’ boy.”
–Cotton Smith (Dark Trail to Dodge)

“I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.”
–Philippians 1:9 (NLT)
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Most of you are probably familiar with the “Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis. These books are full of symbolism and analogies. In the fourth book, “The Silver Chair,” Lewis writes of a little girl named Jill. Aslan is lying beside a stream and the Jill is extremely thirsty. Aslan, the lion, asks if she is thirsty and the conversation is as follows:

“I’m dying of thirst,” said Jill.
“Then drink,” said the Lion.
“May I–could I would you mind going away while I do?” said Jill.
The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience.
The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.
“Will you promise not to–do anything to me, if I do come?” asked Jill.
“I make no promise,” said the Lion.
Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.
“Do you eat little girls?” she said.
“I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings, and emperors, cities and realms,” said the Lion. It didn’t say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.
“I daren’t come and drink,” said Jill.
“Then you will die of thirst,” said the Lion.
“Oh dear!” said Jill, coming another step nearer, “I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.”
“There is no other stream,” said the Lion.

Remember the words of Jesus (“the Lion”), “But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again—ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life.” (John 4:14, HCSB) People are hesitant to give up their life and yet are dying of thirst.
If you’ve ever traveled much in the wilderness, especially long before bottled-water, and you get to the point of extreme thirst. Looking at the map, not the gps, you see there is a stream over the next rise. Hope arises in you and you cross the rim and wander down the dry path to the fresh-flowing water of the stream. When you get to it, you stumble and stop. It is dry! That’s what happens to so many people in life. They wander from dry stream to dry stream wasting time, energy, and their life. Jesus proclaims that He is the living water, “If anyone is thirsty, he should come to Me and drink!” (John 7:37)
Don’t hesitate like the little girl. True, the Lion has devoured many for many have come to Him. But they are no longer thirsting for the things of the world.
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Here is another example of the crazies! You know how much I love the media. They definitely have their agenda–intensely liberal. The media was meant to inform, but they actually thing they are a separate and untouchable branch of the government.
Maybe you have already seen this but USA Today reviewed the new movie, “Dunkirk,” and reported that it was offensive. They were upset that there were few women in the movie and no “people of color.” There were no black actors in the movie. DUH! How many people of color were there on the beaches of Dunkirk? For that matter, how many people of color were on the beaches of Normandy a few years later. For the sake of an agenda and political correctness they want to change history.