Trail Mix - 10.31.18

10.31.18 – “What was Samson thinking? In spite of good parents and great power he made one reckless decision after another. He could conquer the Philistines with nothing more than the jawbone of a donkey but he could not conquer his own passions. All his chickens came home to roost in a pagan palace between two pillars of stone. What a sad end and sobering example for us to think before we act. Satan promises much but delivers nothing. He promises treasure but delivers nothing but trash! He promise pleasure but delivers nothing but pain! He cannot be trusted but you can trust the Sovereign God to keep His Word!” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is for you to understand that choices have consequences!

2 Timothy 2:22  Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. KJV

“The businessman dragged himself home and barely made it to his chair before he dropped, exhausted. His sympathetic wife was right there with a tall cool drink and a comforting word. "My, you look tired," she said. "You must have had a hard day today. What happened to make you so exhausted?" "It was terrible," her husband said, "The computer broke down and all of us had to do our own thinking."

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Luke 19-20

Trail Mix - 10.30.18

10.30.18 – “What was Peter thinking? He boasted that he would gladly die a martyr for the Lord, ran like a rabbit when a little pressure was applied, and then denied the Lord three times while he cozied up to a warm fire with the high priests servants. "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed, lest he fall!" Presumption and self-confidence have brought down many a good man or woman. Lord, help us to stay true and avoid the pitfalls of pride and presumption. Pride is a slippery slope and if pride has its way you will surely fall!” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is for a humble heart which is the best defense against pride!

Proverbs 29:23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. KJV

“Jimmy found much to criticize in his small sister. He felt forced to remonstrate with his mother. "Don't you want Jenny to be a good wife like you when she grows up?" he demanded. His mother nodded assent. "Then you better get busy, ma. You make me give into her all the time 'cause I'm bigger 'en she is. You're smaller 'en pa, but when he comes in, you bring him his slippers, and hand him the paper." Jimmie yanked his go-cart from baby Jennie, and disregarded her wail of anger as he continued: “Got to dis’pline her, or she’ll make an awful wife!”

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Luke 17-18

Trail Mix - 10.29.18

10.29.18 – “What was David thinking? He stayed home from the battlefield, went out on the porch of his palace, saw a beautiful woman bathing (not his wife) sent for her and well...we know the rest of this awful story. The answer to our first question is, he was doing some stinkin thinkin! He wasn't thinking about how his behavior would reflect upon the Lord, or his family or the people he was leading. God help us to refrain from stinkin thinkin!” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is that you would yield all of thought life to the control of the Holy Spirit!

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. KJV

“A woman got on a bus holding a baby. The bus driver said: "That's the ugliest baby I've ever seen." In a huff, the woman slammed her fare into the fare box and took an aisle seat near the rear of the bus. The man seated next to her sensed that she was agitated and asked her what was wrong. "The bus driver insulted me," she fumed. The man sympathized and said: "Why, he's a public servant and shouldn't say things to insult passengers." "You're right," she said. "I think I'll go back up there and give him a piece of my mind." "That's a good idea," the man said. "Here, let me hold your monkey."

 Bible Reading Schedule for today - Luke 14-16

Trail Mix - 10.28.18

10.28.18 – “One preacher said, "The good news is that we have all the money we need for the new building program, the bad news is it's still in your pockets!" How does the church get the finances it needs for ministry out of peoples "pockets?" We can learn from the Macedonian believers who, "...first gave their own selves to the Lord and then..." When we give ourselves wholly to the Lord our wallets are part of the deal! God wants us first and the rest will follow. “S.E. Trail

My prayer for you today is for your heart to follow the admonition, “…freely received, freely give…”

2 Corinthians 8:5  And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. KJV

“A woman awoke during the night to find that her husband was not in bed. She put on her robe and went downstairs. He was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in front of him. He appeared to be in deep thought, just staring at the wall. She saw him wipe a tear from his eye and take a sip of his coffee. "What's the matter dear? Why are you down here at this time of night?" she asked. "Do you remember twenty years ago when we were dating and you were only 16?" he asked. "Yes, I do," she replied. "Do you remember when your father caught us in the back seat of my car kissing?" "Yes, I remember." "Do you remember when he shoved that shotgun in my face and said, 'Either you marry my daughter or spend twenty years in jail?" "Yes, I do," she said. He wiped another tear from his cheek and said, "You know...I would have gotten out today."

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Luke 12-13

Trail Mix - 10.27.18

10.27.18 – “A popular movie character named Forrest Gump said, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you will get." To some degree that may be true yet in other ways it is not. When you know the Lord the right direction for your life can be known and you can be confident about your destiny and know that you are never outside of the scope of His care. "These things have I written to you that believe that you may know.......!” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you is to have a peace “…that passeth understanding…” peace with God and the peace of God!

1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: KJV

“As a professor at Texas A and M, I taught during the day and did research at night. I would usually take a break around nine, however, calling up the strategy game Medal of Honor on the Internet and playing with an on-line team. One night I was paired with a veteran of the game who was a master strategist. With him at the helm, our troops crushed opponent after opponent, and after six games we were undefeated. Suddenly my fearless leader informed me his mom wanted him to go to bed. "How old are you?" I typed. "Twelve," he replied. "How old are you?" Feeling my face redden, I answered, "Eight."

 Bible Reading Schedule for today - Luke 10-11

Trail Mix - 10.26.18

10.26.18 – “He makes it rain on the just and the unjust! What a suggestive thought! He is great for God alone can make it rain. He is generous for He makes it rain on both the just and the unjust. He is gracious for He makes it rain on the unjust, on those who are ungrateful and unappreciative. He is good for the rain waters the earth and is a necessary part of His plan to supply our needs. Thank you God for the rain!’ Unknown  

My prayer for you today is for you to appreciate the “wideness” of God’s mercy to us all!

Hebrews 6:7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: KJV

“Three clergymen split on a lottery ticket and they won the grand prize of a million dollars. The first one, a Baptist minister says "this is a blessing, but how much do we keep for ourselves and how much should we give to God"? After a few minutes he said "I know we'll draw a circle and throw the money up in the air, whatever lands out of the circle we'll keep and whatever lands in the circle we'll give to God." The Priest pipes up and says, "You know it's a little windy, I think we should throw the money up in the air and whatever lands inside the circle we keep and whatever lands outside of the circle we give to God." They then turn to the rabbi and ask his opinion, and the rabbi says. "I think we should throw the money up in the air and whatever God wants he can keep and we'll keep the rest for ourselves."

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Luke 9

Trail Mix - 10.25.18

10.25.18 – “Can you live the Christian life without assembling with other believers? If you are able bodied and not providentially hindered (illness etc.) you cannot. First, we are commanded to assemble together. Hebrews 10:25 Second, "No man is an island unto himself," for we need fellowship. The N. T. model in Acts was centered on fellowship. Third, there are things that we can only receive from God when we worship together.” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is that you would love the church like Jesus loves the church; He “gave himself for it.”

Hebrews 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. KJV

“The little girl was sitting with her grandmother, who had presented her with her first little children's Bible, in an easy-to-read translation, when she was very young. Now, a decade or so later, the elderly lady was ready to spend a few sweet moments handing down the big old family Bible, in the time-honored King James Version, to her only grandchild. Understandably excited, the youngster was asking a number of questions, both about the family members whose births and deaths were recorded therein, and about various aspects of the Scriptures themselves. Her grandmother was endeavoring to answer all the child's questions in terms she could understand, but the one that stopped her cold was this sincere inquiry: "Which Virgin was the mother of Jesus? Was it the Virgin Mary, or the King James virgin?"

 Bible Reading Schedule for today - Luke 8

 

Trail Mix - 10.24.18

10.24.18 – “How many of us have laid awake at night worrying about a problem only to find out the next day that God was way ahead of us and had already taken care of the very thing we were fretting about. When the women returned to the tomb of Jesus they asked, "Who shall roll away the stone for us," only to find that God's angel was already there and the tombstone had become a tread stone! Fretfulness is a hindrance to faith! Choose to believe and friend He will lead you one step at a time to victory!” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is for a “fretless” life! Don’t worry my friend, He has got your back!

Matthew 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. KJV

“A gentleman strolling alongside a canal observed an old man and a boy fishing. A moment later, a splash was heard. The boy had fallen into the water. The old man, however, jumped in after the lad, and succeeded in getting him safely to the bank. There he stood the victim on his head to let the water drain out, and it was at this moment that the gentleman arrived on the scene with profuse expressions of admiration for the prompt rescue. "It was noble of you," the gentleman declared rather rhetorically, "to plunge into the water in that way at the risk of your life to save the boy. I congratulate you on your brave display of heroic magnanimity." The old man answered with an amiable grin: "All right, boss. Ah don't know nuffin' 'bout magn'imity. But I just had to git dat boy out a de water. He had de bait in his pocket."

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Luke 6-7

Trail Mix - 10.23.18

10.23.18 – “How close can we be to God? The answer is, "as close as we want to be." "Draw night to God and He will draw nigh to you." Do you long for a closer walk; a more intimate relationship with Him? How can this be done in the light of His sovereign will? Simply put, He will give water to thirsty souls and He will feed the hungry hearted among us. That is His promise and He never fails! It all starts with a desire to "draw nigh." If you are searching for Him, He will find you!” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is for a “hungry” heart, with an appetite for God!

Psalms 40:16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified. KJV

“The Baptist preacher just finished his sermon for the day and proceeded toward the back of the church for his usual greetings and handshaking as the congregation left the church. After shaking a few adult hands he came upon the seven year old son of one of the Deacons of the church. "Good morning, Jonathan," the preacher said as he reached out to shake Jonathan's hand. As he was doing do he felt something in the palm of Jonathan's hand. "What's this?" the preacher asked. "Money," said Jonathan with a big smile on his face, "It's for you!" "I don't want to take your money, Jonathan," the preacher answered. "I want you to have it," said Jonathan. After a short pause Jonathan continued, "My daddy says you're the poorest preacher we ever had and I want to help you."

 Bible Reading Schedule for today - Luke 4-5

Trail Mix - 10.22.18

10.22.18 – “Sometimes our path grows dim and we cannot think or feel as we would like to and darkness veils the face of our Lord but even if we cannot see Him we can look unto Him, face His direction. We may be in a fog or a mist but He will not fail, though we cannot feel. He is faithful. What matters most is not how clearly we see Him but our complete dependence upon Him as we look and rest in His grace!” Vance Havner

My prayer for you today is that you see with the eyes of faith. He is there whether you feel Him or not!

Job 33:4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. KJV

“Every year, Smitty and his wife Martha went to the State Fair. And every year, Smitty would say, "Martha, I'd like to ride in that there airplane." And every year, Martha would reply, "I know, Smitty, but that airplane ride costs ten dollars, and ten dollars is ten dollars." This one year Smitty and Martha went to the fair and Smitty said, "Martha, I'm 71 years old. If I don't ride that airplane this year I may never get another chance. “Martha replied, "Smitty, that there airplane ride costs ten dollars, and ten dollars is ten dollars." The pilot overheard them and said, "Folks, I'll make you a deal. I'll take you both up for a ride. If you can stay quiet for the entire ride and not say one word, I won't charge you, but if you say one word its ten dollars." Smitty and Martha agreed, and up they went. The pilot performed all kinds of twists and turns, rolls and dives, but not a word is heard. He even does a nose dive, pulling up 15 feet above the ground, but still not a word. They land and the pilot turns to Smitty, "By golly, I did everything I could think of to get you to yell out, but you didn't." Smitty replied, "Well, I was gonna say something when Martha fell out...but ten dollars is ten dollars!"

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Luke 2-3

Trail Mix - 10.21.18

10.21.18 – “The Lordship of Christ is the center of our faith. Our confession is the same as that of Thomas that Jesus is "...My Lord and my God!" One day the entire universe will bow and confess that "Jesus is Lord of Lords and King of Kings." On that day for many it will a time of rejoicing but sadly for others it will a time of righteous retribution. We must confess Him as our Lord here and now; it will be too late hereafter. Remember friend, “Only one life, twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last!” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is for you to be able to say that you have surrendered you “everything” to the Lordship of Jesus.

1 Corinthians 6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. KJV

“At a local Burger King an elderly couple came in and ordered one burger, one order of fries and one coke with two glasses. When they got to their booth, the man placed a napkin in front of himself and one in front of his wife, then proceeded to divide the fries, cut the burger in half and divided the coke equally. A gentleman nearby noticed and offered to buy them another burger, fries and Coke. The woman then said, "No you don't understand. We've been married over 50 years and all our life we agreed to split everything right down the middle." Her husband then began eating, as she sat with her hands in her lap. The gentleman nearby noticed and asked the lady why she wasn't eating. She replied, "As I said before, we split everything right down the middle, and it's his day to use the teeth first."

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Luke 1

Trail Mix - 10.20.18

10.20.18 – “Are you looking for a better day? A man by the name of Joseph of Arimathea was, but things looked pretty grim as he took down the body of Jesus. What he did not know was that 3 days later things would look a lot different. Things may look bad now my friends but lift up your heads, for "your redemption draweth nigh!" That same Jesus who rose from the dead is coming back very soon and "We are going to see the King!” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is for you to “know” that your redeemer liveth!

2 Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. KJV

“A foursome of senior golfers hit the course with waning enthusiasm for the sport. "These fairways seem to be getting longer and longer," said one of the foursome. "And these hills are getting steeper as the years go by," another complained. "The sand traps seem to be bigger than I remember them, too," said the third senior. After hearing enough from his buddies, the oldest, and the wisest of the four of them at 87 years old, piped up and said, "Oh my friends, just be thankful we're still on this side of the grass!"

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Mark 14-16

Trail Mix - 10.19.18

10.19.18 – “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help,” Isaiah 31:1 When times are hard we are tempted to go to Egypt for help! Several O.T. saints found out the hard way that depending on Egypt is a mistake. God can meet all our needs in the Promised Land even in a time of drought. It is better to trust God in a dry land than to go to Egypt for its garlic, onions and fleshpots. No side trips are necessary. All we need we have in HIM! “He’s all I need, He’s all I need, Jesus is all I need…S. E. Trail

                                                                             

My prayer today for you is for you to trust in a time of famine and in a time of fruitfulness, for our God is the same in both!

Ruth 2:12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. KJV

“Billy was having trouble with his mathematics homework his mum thought how best to help him. She said to him " If you went into the left pocket of your trousers and took out 40 cents then took another 35 cents out of your right trouser pocket, what do you think you would have". Billy replied " Someone else’s trousers on because I'm broke!”

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Mark 12-13

Trail Mix - 10.18.18

10.18.18 – “Traveling down the road for hours on end gives one time to think. Life is a journey and there are many peaks and valleys along the way. Sometimes we can go fast and at other times we go slowly. Inevitably there are yield, detour and stop signs that we must observe or ignore at our peril. Our life with God is very similar. We should allow Him to control our movement and we should heed His mandates. Sometimes He says stop, and sometimes start and sometimes stay a little while, wait and see…remember, He knows the plans He has for us.” S. E. Trail

My prayer is for you to let God be your pilot, not your co-pilot!

Exodus 14:13  And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. KJV

“C.H. Spurgeon told the story of the preacher who was walking in the country side and stopped by a farm house for a drink of water. The old farmer who lived there went out to talk to the preacher. As they were talking the preacher noticed that the barn had a weather vane on it that was spinning around in the wind. On the weather vane the words "GOD IS LOVE" was engraved. The preacher said to the man, "I don’t think that is a very good way to talk about God’s love. Are you saying that God’s love is wishy, washy and changes depending on the way the wind blows?" "No, no" said the farmer. "That Weather Vane is saying, "No matter which way the wind blows, God is Love."

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Mark 10-11

Trail Mix - 10.17.18

10.17.18 – “Do you have time for God? Most of us live our lives like a snowball headed downhill. God says for us to "be still and know that I am God." Being still is difficult for me and I suspect that it is for you also. I want to "get the job done," and "get after it," but there are certain things we can only learn about God if we are "still!" Being still helps us to focus on Him. Lord, help me to not just slow down but to be still. Sometimes when I’m have the car radio on and a dozen things whirling around in my head I deliberately turn the noise off and whisper a prayer, “Lord, there are many voices, but let me hear Your voice alone.” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is for you to be attuned to the Voice of the “Good Shepherd.”

Deuteronomy 28:2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. KJV

“During a visit to my doctor, I asked him, “How do you determine whether or not an older person should be put in an old age home?” “Well, he said, “we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the person to empty the bathtub.” “Oh, I understand,” I said. “A normal person would use the bucket because it is bigger than the spoon or the teacup.” “No,” he said. “A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?”

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Mark 8-9

Trail Mix - 10.16.18

10.16.18 – “Jesus said, "The Father seeketh such to worship Him...! Jesus was referring to those who would worship God in spirit and in truth. Much that passes for worship today doesn't pass either of these tests. Modern worship is more about the creature's experience instead of the Creator's exaltation. Blessing awaits those who will worship Him the way He decrees and desires to be worshipped!” Copied – S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is for you to experience authentic powerful corporate worship.

Deuteronomy 11:16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; KJV

“Well,” snarled the tough old sergeant to the bewildered private. “I suppose after you get discharged from the Army, you’ll just be waiting for me to die so you can come and spit on my grave.” “Not me, Sarge!” the private replied. “Once I get out of the Army, I’m never going to stand in line again!”

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Mark 6-7

Trail Mix - 10.15.18

10.15.18 – “Jesus said, "When you pray...." He was taking for granted that His followers would pray! Make no mistake, we may try other things but there is no substitute for prayer. A Christian in touch with the throne of God can shake the world for Christ. Through prayer we can tap into the unlimited, inexhaustible resources of the Creator of the universe. The lost world needs our prayers. The church needs our prayers. Pastors and church leaders need our prayers. Pray, Christian, pray!” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is that like the Apostle James you would have the “knees of a camel.”

Psalms 69:13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. KJV

“When a woman discovered that she was pregnant, her four-year-old son overheard his parents' conversation. He didn't say anything until a week later when a family friend asked him if he was excited about the prospect of a new brother or sister. "Yes," said the boy, "and I know what we're going to name it. If it's a girl, we're going to call her Emily, and if it's another boy we're going to call it Quits."

            Bible Reading Schedule for today - Mark 4-5

Trail Mix - 10.14.18

10.14.18 – “We hear a lot today about a Madison Avenue approach to church work. Pastors are now CEO's and churches are run by boards of directors. Lay people are told to take "ownership." The problem is that none of this can be found in the Bible! Pastors are shepherds and the church is a flock and no one "owns" any part of a ministry. If you have to have ownership to do your best for the Lord something is wrong. Words have meaning and when you change the words it is probably because you have changed the meaning.” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is for you to serve because you are saved; surrendered and seeking to do His will.

2 Corinthians 1:12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. KJV

“Did you hear the one about the guy from Alabama who went to Alaska to be a pioneer? He went to the game warden for advice, “to be a real pioneer, you’ve got to skin a polar bear, and then kiss an Eskimo woman right on the lips”, he came back the next day bleeding and bruised, one arm hanging by a thread, said, “where’s that Eskimo woman I’ve got to skin?”

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Mark 1-3

Trail Mix - 10.13.18

10.13.18 – “Samuel was a better man than Saul but he knew how to take a back seat graciously. Barnabas was the team leader while Paul was in training but when it came time he graciously allowed a peaceful transition in leadership. We could all use a little second place grace! Every man should learn to play "second fiddle" before he is offered first chair. Some are only satisfied with solo work and others want to be the whole orchestra. Diotrophes loved the spotlight but Jesus said to be great we had to serve and sacrifice!” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is for you to learn the nobility of serving in the shadows.

Job 22:29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. KJV

A foreign visitor was being given a tour of Washington, D.C. one day by an American friend of hers. She was amazed at the size of the Monuments, the Congressional Buildings, and so forth. Finally she gazed upon the White House itself. My, that's an incredibly large building!" she remarked. "Yes, it's pretty big, alright." said her friend. "Big? It's huge!! About how many people work in there?" she asked. "Oh...about half."

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Matthew 27-28

Trail Mix -10.12.18

10.12.18 – “Vance Havner said, "He who walks in God's way has a schedule and must wait God's time for this or that. But for the worldly "one time is as good as another." The world knows nothing of seeking the mind of God and finding His will before doing this or that. Those who acknowledge Him in all their ways find that He directs their paths." S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is for a sense of the “timeliness” of the Lord’s will. They that wait renew their strength.

Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: KJV

A woman accompanied her husband to the doctor's office. After the check-up, the doctor took the wife aside and said, "If you don't do the following, your husband will surely die."

1. "Each morning, fix him a healthy breakfast and send him off to work in a good mood."

2. "At lunch time, make him a warm, nutritious meal and put him in a good frame of mind before he goes back to work."

3. "For dinner, fix an especially nice meal and don't burden him with household chores."         

4. "Satisfy his every whim."

On the way home, the husband asked his wife what the doctor had said. She replied "We need to get a second opinion!"

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Matthew 25-26

Trail Mix - 10.11.18

10.11.18 – “Many in this world are of the opinion that Christians never have any problems or worries. Just the opposite is true for we have many burdens and cares. The difference is the world’s troubles are the result of a life of sin and rebellion against God while the Christian experiences difficulties brought on by the hardships related to service and sacrifice in the cause of Christ. We are saved to serve in the “Army of the Lord” and soldiers are called to endure hardness so that as good soldiers we might “please Him who has called us into His Army.” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is that you would rejoice in afflictions knowing that they work a “…far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”

1 Peter 4:16 “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” KJV

“An elderly pastor was searching his closet for his collar before church one Sunday morning. In the back of the closet, he found a small box containing 3 eggs and 100 $1 bills. He called his wife into the closet to ask her about the box and its contents. Embarrassed, she admitted having hidden the box there for their entire 30 years of marriage. Disappointed and hurt, the pastor asked her, "WHY?" The wife replied that she hadn't wanted to hurt his feelings. He asked her how the box could have hurt his feelings. She said that every time during their marriage that he had delivered a poor sermon, she had placed an egg in the box. The pastor felt that 3 poor sermons in 30 years was certainly nothing to feel bad about, so he asked her what the $100 was for. She replied, "Each time I got a dozen eggs, I sold them to the neighbors for $1."

 Bible Reading Schedule for today - Matthew 23-24

 

Trail Mix - 10.10.18

10.10.18 – “God's Word teaches us that we gain by giving. I don't mean what the health, wealth, and prosperity crowd is teaching. God gives "liberally." He is generous and His generosity towards us never depends on our merit. When we sow bountifully, God gives super abundantly. When Christians turn into tightwads and try to do God's work cheaply they get cheap results. We reap as we sow!” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is that you might “shovel” God’s blessings out just like He “shovels” them in! Remember, He has a bigger shovel!

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. KJV

“You just can’t make this up!”

On Sears hairdryer: Do not use while sleeping.

On a bag of Fritos: You could be a winner! No purchase necessary. Details inside.

On a bar of Dial soap: Directions: Use like regular soap.

On some Swann frozen dinners: Serving suggestion: Defrost.

On Tesco's Tiramisu dessert:(printed on bottom of the box) Do not turn upside down.

On packaging for a Rowenta iron: Do not iron clothes on body.

On Boot's Children's cough medicine: Do not drive car or operate machinery.

On Nytol sleep aid: Warning: may cause drowsiness.

On a Korean kitchen knife: Warning keep out of children.

On a string of Chinese-made Christmas lights: For indoor or outdoor use only.

On Sainsbury's peanuts: Warning: contains nuts.

On an American Airlines packet of nuts: Instructions: open packet, eat nuts.

On a Swedish chainsaw: Do not attempt to stop chain with your hands.

On a child's superman costume: Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly.

 

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Matthew 21-22

Trail Mix - 10.9.18

10.9.18 – “If we have to have a pat on the back to serve God something is wrong. If we have to receive some kind of acknowledgement to do our duty something is wrong. If we complain because someone else had their named called and we didn't, something is wrong. God help us to grow to the place in our Christian life where we are just thankful to serve, period!” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is that you can be “blessed in the background” of Christian service.

Matthew 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. KJV

“As a young preacher, I spent my early years preaching at nursing homes once a month. One Sunday, I preached passionately about the goodness of God during our trials. I noticed an elderly woman crying. She wept bitterly until the end of the service. I was proud that my sermon had moved her so greatly. As I was leaving, a nurse told me the woman wanted to speak to me. Compassionately I asked, "How can I help you?" With tears streaming down her cheeks, she said, "During your message, I lost my candy bar and I still can't find it!"

 Bible Reading Schedule for today - Matthew 18-20

 

Trail Mix - 10.8.18

10.8.18 – “From listening to modern day preaching, you would think that "doctrine" and "dogma" were dirty words. Opinions and relevant talks have supplanted "Thus saith the Lord!" When I am sick I want a doctor who is dogmatic don't you. When my car is broken I want a mechanic who is dogmatic! I want my pharmacist to be dogmatic about my prescription. God help us to speak the "Truth dogmatically!" Dogma is not a dirty word!” S. E. Trail  

My prayer is for preachers who will be “dogmatic” about the abundance of our sin and the super-abundance of God’s grace!

1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. KJV

“Little Johnny and his family were having Sunday dinner at his Grandmother's house. Everyone was seated around the table as the food was being served. When Little Johnny received his plate, he started eating right away. "Johnny! Please wait until we say our prayer." said his mother. "I don't need to," the boy replied. "Of course, you do "his mother insisted. "We always say a prayer before eating at our house." "That's at our house." Johnny explained. "But this is Grandma's house and she knows how to cook.”

  Bible Reading Schedule for today - Matthew 15-17

Trail Mix - 10.7.18

10.7.18 – “We do not have to pray a certain number of hours or weep a certain quantity of tears in order to be saved. He that cometh to Jesus as best he knows how will in no wise be cast out. There are no exceptions. Your faith may not be perfect, but God's promises are. You can never trust yourself but you can always trust Christ. "Trust and obey for there's no other way..." Dr. Adrian Rogers asked the question, “When do we receive eternal life, somewhere in the distant future?” The answer is no, “He that hath the Son, hath life!” If you have the Son you have eternal life!” S. E. Trail

My prayer today is for you to lean upon the Lord for your salvation, Christ and Christ alone!

Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. KJV

“A man went into his dentist to see why his dentures kept decaying rapidly on him. The dentist looked at his dentures and remarked, "This is very odd. They look like something's been eating them. Is there anything different that you've been eating lately?" The man thought for a bit and said, "Well, my wife has been making a lot of eggs Benedict recently with hollandaise sauce." "Ah!" exclaimed the dentist, "That's it. I know just what you need. I'm going to order you some new dentures with plates made out of chrome." "Chrome?" exclaimed the man incredulously, "Why Chrome?" "Because, there's no plates like chrome for the hollandaise."

            Bible Reading Schedule for today - Matthew 13-14

Trail Mix - 10.6.18

10.6.18 – “All our aches and pains ought to serve to remind us that these bodies of ours will not last forever but the Christian anticipates a new body "like unto His glorious body!" Whether our body is committed to the grave or if Jesus comes first and we never experience death, we will have a new glorified, incorruptible, immortal body. We may be sown in corruption but we will be part of an incorruptible harvest. We win either way!” S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is for you to remember that “…this world is not my home, I’m just a passing through, my treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue!”

2 Corinthians 5:1  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. KJV

“A Sunday School teacher decided to have her young class memorize one of the most quoted passages in the Bible - Psalm 23 . She gave the youngsters a month to learn the chapter. Little Rick was excited about the task - but he just couldn't remember the Psalm. After much practice, he could barely get past the first line. On the day that the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in front of the congregation, Ricky was so nervous. When it was his turn, he stepped up to the microphone and said proudly, "The Lord is my Shepherd, and that's all I need to know."

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Matthew 10-12

Trail Mix - 10.5.18

10.5.18 – Quote from Vance Havner "There is a fountain that will never run dry, a treasure that can never be used up, a wealth that can never be exhausted. All other pursuits and quests and interests pale, but the riches of God in Christ Jesus will thrill us forever. Hallelujah!" Shame on us if we ever take that for granted. To know the God of the Universe and His Son Jesus Christ in the free pardon of sin is the greatest privilege a human being can experience. S. E. Trail

My prayer for you today is that you would know this God who speaks and worlds are formed by His Word.

Psalms 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. KJV

“A man is walking down the beach and comes across an old bottle. He picks it up, pulls out the cork and out pops a genie! The genie says, "Thank you for freeing me from the bottle. In return I will grant you three wishes." The man says "Great! I always dreamed of this and I know exactly what I want. First, I want one billion dollars in a Swiss bank account." Poof! There is a flash of light and a piece of paper with account numbers appears in his hand. He continues, "Next, I want a brand new red Ferrari right here." Poof! There is a flash of light and a bright red, brand-new Ferrari appears right next to him! He continues, "Finally, I want to be irresistible to women." Poof! There is a flash of light and he turns into a box of chocolates.”

Bible Reading Schedule for today - Matthew 7-9