This Christmas remember the great and wondrous gift of love that you have been given.

May you have a most wondrous and blessed Christmas and New Year!!

Ed Wrather

Here in Sweetwater, Oklahoma we are still living in the midst of an oil and gas drilling boom. More and more drilling rigs are going up on both sides of the Oklahoma/Texas state line. Last night just looking in one direction toward the state line I could count ten rigs. As a result, traffic at times is horrendous and business is booming at both of the convenience stores.

This year we have escaped being hospitalized or having any major disaster overtake us. Our grandson, Mason, did have to have another surgery in the spring which was somewhat similar to the surgery he had two years ago. We attended the national Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis this past summer (Which was great!) and made a few genealogical side trips along the way to and from it.

Jeanie is still working at home some but that will accelerate after the first of the year with tax season (Jeanie is an accountant). We both wonder how she managed to drive to Elk City to work all of those years after I became a pastor. She drove to Elk City to work first from Sweetwater, then from Dill City, then from Weatherford, and finally from Sweetwater again. Of course, Jeanie stays busy serving the Lord teaching a youth Sunday School class, leading the children�s Team Kids on Sunday evenings, singing in the choir, playing the piano when needed, and whatever else the Lord brings her way.

I have been blessed to be the pastor here at Sweetwater for six years and soon to be eleven years total. I am continuing to write the Burning Bush Devotional (13,000 subscribers) and still have the Burning Bush website (Over 100,000 visitors since 1998 - www.theburningbush.org) which has had visitors from 88 countries in the past year. It is sometimes a challenge to continue with this ministry but there has been much good and joy come from it.

Clark and Libby are still in Broken Bow, Oklahoma where Clark is the pastor of the First Baptist Church. Madison is in first grade. Mason has recovered from both of his surgeries very well and Max has been able to survive having two older brothers for over a year.

We pray all is well in your lives and that you have a most blessed Christmas and New Year!!

Merry Christmas!!

Ed, Jeanie
& Nick

Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. - 2 Thessalonians 2:15-17.

Madeline Vaughn is almost a dinosaur when compared to the majority of contemporary workers. Madeline is older but her job stability is what seems so out of place in today�s world. She has been working at the same job for 60 years! Such job stability seems as strange to us as dinosaurs would be in our backyards.

When Madeline found a job with the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas, Texas, she was only seeking a temporary job and she was just 20 years old. However, what she found was a career and when she retires on December 31, 2004 she will be the employee that has served the Federal Reserve longer than any other employee.

We are frequently told that the employees of the 21st Century will have to continually upgrade their skills and even change careers because of the rapidly changing technology. However, just because technology and skills are changing at an exponential rate does not mean that everything in life should follow suit. It is unlikely that there will be very many people who can hold a job for 60 years. It does appear that this will be increasingly rare and even more of an exception to the norm than it is now.

In the midst of a tumultuous living and work environment, we can still find stability. Even though we may have to move from one state to another or even one country to another we can still have stability in our lives. Our spiritual stability hinges upon one thing and that one thing is in the holding onto our spiritual heritage. God does not change and He is the same today as He was yesterday and as He will be tomorrow.

To have stability in the midst of change we must remember to put Christ first in our lives (Matthew 6:33).

To have stability and the accompanying peace that it brings in the midst of the storm of change we must look to God to provide what only He can give us (Philippians 4:6-7).

In my lifetime, I have had to move from one place to another 20 times and I have had 24 employers including those in my teenage years. One employer I worked for on three different occasions. The church I now pastor has been my employer twice and I have been their pastor for a total of over 10 years. In the midst of change, and uncertainty God has given me the stability of peace beyond human understanding. This does not mean that I have not experienced stress, fear, doubt, and depression. It does mean that God has walked with me and carried me through it each step of the way. He will do the same for you!

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:1-2.

How would you feel about running a marathon on a treadmill? Think about it. The scenery would never change with only the digital readout revealing how many more miles were ahead. Michael Wardian has set a world record time running a 26.2 mile marathon on a treadmill. He beat the previous world record by seven minutes. Wardian said about the 2 hours and almost 24 minutes of running on a treadmill that, "It's difficult just because you always know where you are so you can't trick yourself. You just look down and you know where you are." Christopher Farley, owner of a new running store where the record was set said, "The monotony of a treadmill - the idea that you have to stay balanced for almost two-and-a-half hours - is a lot harder. It really becomes claustrophobic."

Some of us know exactly what Wardian and Farley are talking about. Why? Because we have been running on the treadmill of life with the scenery never changing and the years passing by. The weight of the world�s demands, and the continued participation in habitual sin have us running in place never moving forward in the Christian life.

The writer of the book of Hebrews urges us to lay aside �every weight�. In training for athletic events, weights are sometimes worn to gain stamina and to warm up for an event. The writer of Hebrews is saying that this is the real thing, this is the race of your life, and it is time to put aside everything that would slow you down. Lay aside the demand of the world to buy the clothes worn by friends, or fellow employees. Lay aside the desire to own or lease a vehicle equivalent to that of your friends. Put down the idea that you have to live in the best neighborhood, send your kids to the best schools, and have the best vacations. Lay aside the idea that your husband or your wife must resemble the actors, actresses, and models, which appear in the media. You must grab hold of the fact that you must live in the real world where everything and everyone will not always be perfect.

The writer of Hebrews also encourages us to lay aside the �sin which so easily ensnares us�. These are besetting sins; habitual sins, which once they have gained a place in our lives, are difficult to overcome. These ensnaring, besetting sins include alcohol/drug addictions, and sexual sins. Here we see an important spiritual fact and that is that it is possible to lay aside even these sins or we would not be told to do so. How can we lay them aside? We must follow the instructions, which follow verse 1. We must look to Jesus who has the power to enable us to lay aside these things. The apostle Paul in Philippians 4:13 said, �I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.� You too, through Christ Jesus, can do all things the Christian life requires including the laying aside of the weight of worldly things and ensnaring sins.

Today�s devotional was written by Dr. Walker Moore who is president of AweStar Ministries in Tulsa, P. O. Box 470265, Tulsa 74147. You may contact Walker at walker@awestar.org or 800.293.7827. Visit their website at www.awestar.org.

So the watchman reported, saying, "He went up to them and is not coming back; and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously!" - 2 Kings 9:20.

Last week I was in Peru visiting some missionaries. The first thing you notice upon leaving the airport is the way the Peruvians drive. If you did not know any better you would of have thought that someone had just announced that the world was coming to an end.within the hour. In America we have stoplights, yield signs, right of way laws and so do the Peruvians. But in Peru, it does not mean a thing. If you are planning on driving overseas let me give you a tip: forget everything that you ever learned in driver's training. There seems to be two methods of driving. You can drive like an American or you can drive like the rest of the world. The rest of the world's driving consists of sitting in a vehicle that is about the size of a bathtub with five other people. (You become very familiar with your knees.) The objective in "overseas" driving is to see how fast you can go while at the same time seeing how close you can get to other vehicles. You can tell if you reached your objective if you can look over and see what radio station the other car is listening to. I must confess that I prayed more riding for 15 minutes in the backseat of a Peruvian taxicab than I did in the month of January.

I have made several observations about "overseas" driving, and if we could teach our teenagers these principles, we could prepare them to drive anywhere in the world- except America. First, is the horn principle. In a foreign country the horn is the most important item on the car. Now you might think that the brakes or good tires would be important. But you would be wrong. If your car does not have a horn you cannot drive in a foreign country. When a massive number of cars are coming to an intersection at blinding speeds, the one with the loudest horn has the right of way. With a thousand cars just inches from yours the one with the loudest horn does seem to be heard the best, and everyone lets them through. Everyone is so proud of their horns that they honk them all the time. Second, you need to know the centimeter principle. While many cars are converging upon an intersection at blinding speeds the car whose bumper has protruded into the intersection the farthest by at least a centimeter is the one who has the right of way. This is difficult for Americans because we do not know the metric system. Yet most foreigners can judge these distances while traveling at 100 kilometers per hour. And we refer to these countries as being underdeveloped. I beg to differ. The third and most important principle is the banged up principle. When negotiating space with another car, the one that has the most dents has the right of way. This car has much more experience on the road and since age is respected in these countries you need to allow it to have the right of way. The people who drive these cars seem to have no fear of you or your vehicle whatsoever. So just smile and let them have whatever they want. When your teenager gets ready to learn to drive just give them the keys and a plane ticket!

Insight: Teach your child that driving is a responsibility not a right.

Prayer: Dear Father, I must confess that I am afraid to release my child to the open road. Could You influence Congress to pass a law raising the legal driving age to 35? If not, could You help me teach my child to become a responsible driver. Help my child to understand that this freedom only comes with maturity. May Your angels never let them out of the driveway without Your wisdom and their brain. Amen.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails�. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a.

How would you handle the situation if you had a disagreement with your son over how to cook dinner? What would you do if you had an unresolved argument with someone over the correct name of Jesus Christ? Or, if you disagreed with someone about a Bible verse how would you approach that situation?

Jackie Shrader and his son actually did have a dispute over the proper way to cook skinless chicken. They tried to resolve it by having a shootout with their .22-caliber handguns. This occurred in West Virginia.

Niccolo Rossodivita who is 62 years old and Billy Cordova, 40 years old, did have an argument over the correct name of Jesus Christ. Cordova started following Rossodivita around the house and so Rossodivita shot Cordova twice in the chest. This occurred in Alaska.

Angela Morris who is 19 years old did have an argument with her boyfriend about a Bible verse, which they had been reading together. Morris was charged with assault after she poured boiling oil on her boyfriend. This occurred in Oregon.

Some people are a little touchy. I think it used to be called �having a chip on your shoulder�. The dictionary defines �touchy� this way: �Tending to take offense with slight cause; oversensitive.� Hopefully, we can agree that the people involved in the situations that I have described were �touchy�. If this upsets you, please stop reading now.

As Christians we should be able to immediately see that the way the situations described above were handled was not appropriate Christian behavior. The verses from the love chapter (1 Corinthians 13) describe the proper Christian behavior. However, knowing how you ought to behave and doing it are two different things. Christian, �agape� love is defined in 1 Corinthians 13 but how do we follow the way of love?

In the Old Testament book of Joshua the entry of the Children of Israel into the Promised Land is described (Read the first few chapters of Joshua if you have time.). There were two major barriers: the Jordan River at flood stage and the powerful fortress city of Jericho. When did the Jordan River pile up stopping the flow of water allowing the people to cross over into the Promised Land (Joshua 3:13)? When the instructions provided Joshua were provided. They began to march toward the river with the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant in the lead. The river was continuing to be at flood stage until�the feet of the priests touched the water as they through faith stepped into the river. As the priests stood in the water with the Ark of the Covenant (Representing the presence of God.), the waters began to pile up and the flow was stopped. Through faith, they also conquered the mighty fortress city of Jericho as well.

We by faith can conquer our behavior as well. We must make a stand by faith and begin to act in the way that we know we should. As we do God will begin to empower us to walk in the way of love. God is present with every Christian just as much as He was present at the crossing of the Jordan River. God Himself lives within you through the Holy Spirit, �Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you (1 Corinthians 3:16)?� Do you believe the children of Israel crossed the Jordan River? Do you believe the walls of Jericho fell down? If so, believe and begin to act in the way of love, as God will then carry you through the raging flood of fleshly emotions and conquer your Jericho of worldly behavior.

They soon forgot His works; they waited not for His counsel: but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan and covered the company of Abiram. And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked. They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God their Savior, which had done great things in Egypt; Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea. Therefore He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen stood before Him in the breach, to turn away His wrath, lest He should destroy them. Then, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not His word: But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD. - Psalm 106:13-25.

Friday was the first shopping day after Thanksgiving and is known as �Black Friday�. I�ll confess that I did go shopping Friday in one store, a bookstore. It was crowded but I was able to buy a bargain - If you bought two reduced price books, you got a third one free. Actually, the bookstore shoppers were a little calmer than you probably found in most stores. When I checked out the clerk asked if I had a penny - I didn�t have one but the man behind me immediately offered one of his. Things were a little wilder across the country with stores opening as early as 5 a.m. and many in line for the opening long before that. Because, stores/retailers were offering some incentives and bargains for the shoppers.

By the time a Wal-Mart store in the Buffalo, N.Y. suburb of Hamburg opened at 6 a.m., one thousand people had formed a lined that reached across the entire storefront, in spite of the temperature being only 31 degrees. One of the shoppers, Ruth Pompeo, was up at 3 a.m. and in line at 4:30 a.m. with her 11-year-old niece said, "It's our tradition. I don't know what I'm here to grab, actually," she paused and then said, "Whatever I can". When Martin and Teri Clouser arrived at a Plano, Texas Best Buy store at 4 a.m., they found that there were already several hundred people in a line that reached around the store and down the block. Maybe that�s why they call it �Black Friday�!

It appears that Thanksgiving is becoming a forgotten holiday. Oh, everyone enjoys the time off - but the Christmas decorations and the shopping starts long before Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a purely Christian holiday with no pagan claims at all - it ought to be that way at Christmas but it really isn�t. What is the first thing that people think about when they think of Christmas? It would appear that they think about shopping for Christmas gifts. I would submit to you that long before Thanksgiving was becoming a forgotten holiday that the true meaning of Christmas had been forgotten.

This is exactly what had happened to the Hebrews after their miraculous escape from captivity in Egypt. We who are Christians have been miraculously delivered from captivity just as the Hebrews were. We were in slavery to the world, the flesh and the devil - the chains of sin had us bound and we were forced to work for the wages of sin which is �death (Romans 6:23a)�. What happened, what occurred to bring about the freedom of the Hebrews? What happened was that God sent a Savior, Moses, who led his people to freedom. What happened, what occurred to bring about our freedom? (Romans 6:23b) God sent us a Savior who at the cost of His own life bought and paid for our release from bondage.

The Psalmist tells us very plainly, what has happened and what is wrong at the same time. These are sad words that we find in verses 21 and 22 of Psalm 106 where the Psalmist says, �They forgot God their Savior, which had done great things in Egypt; wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.�

This Christmas season let us remember that the real reason for the season is still JESUS!

Today�s Devotional was written by Walker Moore of Awe Star Ministries. Visit their website at www.awestar.org.

But if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. - 1 Peter 4:16 NASB�.

I can only imagine how confusing life must be for people with common names. I do not know how people with the same name figure out who is talking to whom in a large group. �Hi, John, I would like you to meet John.� � Good to meet you, John.� �John and John have you ever meet John?� I have an unusual name, so when it is spoken I am usually the only one who answers.

Once I looked up the names of all the ministers in my denomination and discovered that there are two other men with the same first and last name as mine. In fact, I met one Walker Moore�s wife by accident. I was standing out in the foyer at one of those religious conventions. (No one really goes to those conferences to learn, they go to meet their friends in the foyer and to get away from the deacons.)

A lady came out of the auditorium saying she did not feel well. Just as she walked by me, she fainted. Trying to be the Good Samaritan, I attempted to offer some assistance as she came to. I said, �My name is Walker Moore. How can I help you? I will be glad to call an ambulance or someone else for you.� She said, �You cannot be Walker Moore�that is my husband.� And to think about it now, it was strange that I was holding a Mrs. Walker Moore who was not my wife.

While speaking at Oklahoma Baptist University I met someone else who shared my name. A couple of students came up to me saying, �I would like to introduce you to Walker Moore.� I smiled, preparing to extend my hand. But the college student said, �No, not you. This guy�s name is Walker Moore.� I thought it was joke. You know college students. They do not have much to do but sit around eating pizza thinking up new pranks. I said, �Sure. You want me to believe that your first name is Walker and your last name is Moore?� But sure enough, there is another Walker Moore. He thanked me because people kept coming to him and telling him they enjoyed reading his books.

Standing in a room with a person who has the exact same name as me was a new experience. But, in some ways I am used to having the same name as others. The name �Christian.� 1 Peter 4:16 says we should praise God that we carry the name Christian. After all, �a good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold (Proverbs 22:1).�

So for all the Christians out there (and any other Walker Moores) carry the name with honor!

Insight: Your children need to learn what their name means and that when they accept Christ they are given a higher name.

Prayer: Dear Father, I know that you think names are very important. You asked Adam to name all of the animals. You gave us a list of Your names and even tell us that You have a name that no one knows of except You. And You are always telling us what people�s names mean. May we carry our name with honor as we reflect the name of Christ. Amen.

Adversity pursues sinners, but the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity. A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, and the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. - Proverbs 13:21-22 NASB�.

�it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment. - Hebrews 9:27 NASB�.

Wisdom sometimes comes from unexpected places, however, when it does we ought to listen. Thirty-four year old rapper, Jay-z says, while considering becoming CEO Island/Def Jam Records said, "Rap is a young man's game, and I thought about that even when I was young -- it has to come to an end. Whatever job you have, be it hustling on the street or working at the mall, you gotta have a plan for when it's over."

In this lifetime we normally go through several different stages. Life can in very general terms be viewed as the stages of childhood, young adulthood, middle age, and older age followed by physical death and eternity.

In childhood preparations should be made for life as an adult. Those preparations are made in gaining the skills necessary to function as an adult such as physical skills, communication skills, and vocational skills. In addition there should especially be the development of spiritual skills as children including God�s plan for their lives.

In young adulthood preparations must be made for middle age which includes long range planning for raising of children and providing for their needs such as college. Also in young adulthood consideration of what will be necessary for retirement should be given thought. Much prayer and thought should be given to God�s purpose, will, and plan - His call upon your life.

In middle age provision for retirement and in addition for children and grandchildren should be made. My in-laws were especially good stewards of the resources God entrusted to them. Through their wise use of those resources they always had more than enough to tithe and were able to help their children�s families. Even though my mother-in-law is in her eighties she has continued her wise stewardship and has also been able to help the families of her grandchildren. What a great blessing my mother-in-law and father-in-law have been to us and many others! What a great example!

The most important preparation of all for a person to make is for eternity. Just as jobs, careers come to an end so do our physical lives here on earth. It is only a fool that ignores this most important milestone that is fast approaching. It does seem strange that it is not thought of more frequently. Before I received Christ as my Savior I only remember one time when I gave serious thought to what would happen after I died. It was five years later before I again gave it serious thought.

If you have not made preparations for eternity I would urge to do so now. Don�t put it off! Now is the time to receive Christ Jesus as your Savior. Bow your head and ask Him to come into your heart and life. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins and be your Lord and Master. Ask Him to help you to live in a way that will be pleasing to Him. If you need help or more information please send me an email.

Today�s devotional was written by my son, Clark Wrather, who is the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Broken Bow, Oklahoma.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9 NASB�.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. - 1 Peter 5:6-8 NASB�.

A few weeks ago, I decided to finally get rid of some of the junk that was cluttering up my house. There were several things that just needed to go and I�m not sure why I still had them.

There was an old Apple laptop from 1997, which did not work. I still had the printer that went with it, which worked occasionally, if I had a computer that could use it. There was a motorcycle helmet, that I really liked. It was a sleek, black, cruiser style, half-helmet and relatively new and unused. Yet, this helmet was just as much clutter as well. It had been unused for a few months, because I am no longer allowed to ride my motorcycle (I guess my wife is concerned about having to raise three boys on her own�?).

I had this junk, but what was I going to do with it? Should I throw it away? Should I call Swap Shop? Should I place classified ads? These were going through my mind, when I decided to be adventurous. I put all of my junk on eBay. For those who may not know, eBay is an online auction. You put digital pictures of your junk online and other people bid on it. At the end of seven days, the highest bidder wins. They pay you and after receiving payment, you send the junk to them.

All of the junk I mentioned earlier, was sold on eBay. I thought the almost new helmet would do well, but it brought in less than ten bucks. I didn�t think the ancient apple laptop, that could not be turned on, would do very well. Someone actually paid over seventy dollars for it. I was going to be surprised if anyone bought the old printer, but someone did. After everything was boxed up and dropped off at the post office, I was bemused by the whole experience.

You probably have some things cluttering up your life. You may have some things junking up your house, but what clutter do you carry around on the inside? Most of us have some. Ask God to get rid of that junk for you. Box it up and drop it off with him.

There are some things that we never realize as junk, like that motorcycle helmet of mine. These are usually goals and desires we have that are completely outside of God�s will for our lives. We fantasize about how valuable they are when in reality they are worth very little. Some things may be worth more than we could possibly imagine. These may be talents that we have and do not use. It may be something else. The point is that what we value and what God values are often two different things.

Sift through the clutter of your heart, box up all the unused talents, broken dreams, unrealistic goals, selfish desires, petty grudges, bad habits, strongholds of sin and whatever else you find and give it to God. You see, much like eBay, he is always buying. He wants the junk in your life and he will replace it with his blessing, his guidance, and his spirit. Give it a try and offer up that clutter to God. After the transaction is completed, you may find yourself quite bemused.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. - Hebrews 13:8 NASB�.

What if you were to play a game, any game and won according to the rules that had been pronounced at the beginning of the game - nothing wrong with that and in fact that�s the way things ought to be. But what if you were then told that you had actually lost because the rules had been changed? You would of course be upset, as would anyone believing that such a thing was not right.

Keith Schott is a golfer who actually had the rules changed on him after winning the game. At least that is what Schott has claimed in a lawsuit filed against the Muscular Dystrophy Association, a Tempe, Arizona real estate firm, and two charity promoters. Schott made a hole-in-one that was apparently a winning shot according to the rules and the hole-in-one was witnessed by several people. However, the sponsors/promoters of the event refused to give Schott the one million dollar prize that had been advertised. The rules were changed requiring that the hole-in-one had to be video taped to qualify for the prize money. Schott�s attorney said, �Remarkably, the defendants changed the rules on the spot.�

What if the rules of the spiritual were changed on us at the end of our lives? What a horrible thing to contemplate. If we could not count on the rules as we know them as revealed in the Bible we would have no assurance of salvation. In fact, we would have nothing of any value at all. The Bible, if it could not be counted on to remain true would quickly become the world�s worst selling book instead of the best selling.

What assurance do we have that the Bible is true and that the rules will not be changed? We have the word of God Himself. God does not change and therefore His Word does not change. God is the same today as He was yesterday and He will be the same tomorrow as He is today. Even Balaam knew this and spoke the truth when he said, �God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good (Numbers 23:19 NASB�)?� Jesus says, �But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail (Luke 16:17 NASB�).�

There are so many things that are constantly changing in the fast-paced world in which we live. Our relationships with other people are bound to change over time. The rate of change of technology is exponential. We know the political situation in each individual country will change from time to time. Relationships between countries change. There is really very little that we can count on not to change and say that those things will never change. The only truly unchangeable thing in our lives is God and His Word. The closer we come to God, the more of His Word we have in our lives, then the more stable and meaningful our lives will become.

Always remember that God will never change the rules on you in the middle or even at the end of the game. God will never change and His Word will never change.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9 NASB�

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. - Hebrews 4:16 NASB�

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. - 1 John 5:14-15 NASB�

Darrell Lewis is 40 years old and a bank robber. When Darrell viewed himself on TV fleeing police after a bank robbery, he thought that it was only a matter of time before he was caught. So, Darrell did what some sane people would do at that point - he turned himself in to police. However, there was a glitch in his plan. The glitch was that Darrell was told to come back the next day and turn himself in then. Apparently, they were not making arrests that day. Darrell went to another police station the next day and was able to have himself arrested and charged with bank robbery.

It is pretty sad when you want to confess to the crime and no one wants to listen. Some people think that God is that way. Some think that God is only listening at certain times and certain places. But that is not what the Bible says. God is not only listening but He is also responding whenever someone comes to Him in repentance and humility.

We can always come to God through our Lord Jesus to confess our sins. The Bible indicates that we not only have permission to do this but that we can come with confidence, with boldness into the presence of God. In the Old Testament this was not possible except for a very few. Many died by attempting to enter the holiest part of the Temple without permission or without their hearts being in the proper condition. Also only certain people were allowed to carry the Ark of the Covenant (Representing God�s presence.). Many when they tried to carry the Ark or even touch it died because they were not authorized by God to do so. However, while Jesus was on the cross the veil separating us from the Holiest of Holies was rent/torn (Luke 23:45) symbolizing our new privilege of access directly with the Father through the sacrifice of Jesus.

We have such great privilege and position through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are God�s children (John 1:12) and as His children we may always approach Him knowing that it is pleasing to Him when we do so. It is God�s desire that we bring our requests to Him and He is always ready to hear our confession of sin. Thankfully, we do not have to come back the next day because God is never too busy for His children!

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. - Ephesians 3:14-19.

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. - Colossians 2:6-7.

For this devotional to work you must have a basic knowledge of tumbleweeds. In the dictionary, tumbleweed is defined as �Any of various densely branched annual plants, such as amaranth and Russian thistle, that break off from the roots at the end of the growing season and are rolled about by the wind.� DesertUsa.com says about tumbleweeds, �Virtually everyone recognizes mature the Russian thistle, which looks like the skeleton of a normal shrub. Plants may be as small as a soccer ball or as large as a Volkswagen beetle.�

If you have ever run into one of those tumbleweeds the size of a Volkswagen, you will know that this can be serious. This morning I drove to Amarillo, Texas on I-40 about 120 miles from my home to visit a woman having surgery. Every mile or so another tumbleweed would roll, spin, or bounce across my path. Sometimes cars or trucks would strike the weeds and once I was unable to miss a spinning weed that came into the path of my car.

What makes a tumbleweed a tumbleweed is that it has been detached from its roots. As a result, the weed has nothing to hold it in place, nothing to keep it from aimlessly rolling, and bouncing at the mercy of the wind. It is a picture of a person without Christ or of a Christian that has failed to grow in Christ and put down roots.

We can look at the lives of many people and see that their lives resemble the path of a tumbleweed. Sadly, these people are pushed this way and that by life. They spin and tumble never having anything to keep them in place or give them stability. They have no roots or their roots are very shallow. Psalm 1 describes such a person, �The ungodly are�like the chaff which the wind drives away.�

The child of God is to be �rooted and grounded in love�, and we are to be �rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith�. Psalm 1 tells us of such a person, �Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.�

Which kind of person are you? Which kind do you want to be? Are you �like the chaff which the wind drives away?� Or, are you �like a tree planted� by the river of living waters with your roots growing deeper and deeper?

"If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and who, when they have chastened him, will not heed them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate of his city. And they shall say to the elders of his city, "This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.' Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones; so you shall put away the evil from among you, and all Israel shall hear and fear. - Deuteronomy 21:18-21.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." - Ephesians 1:1-2.

Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. - Colossians 3:20.

In the Daily Oklahoman, a small article caught my attention. The title of the article was, �Prisoners reflect on their teenage decisions�. Two men who were convicted of murder when they were 16 years old expressed their thoughts. One man Davin Douma, who is now 37 years old, said this: �Murder is a crime of passion. You act without thinking. And I definitely acted without thinking of the consequences.� Douma�s victim made homosexual advances toward him. Douma says of himself, �Mostly, I just see myself as a dumb kid who made a lot of bad decisions.� He is eligible for parole next year.

Johnathan Williams never expected to spend decades of time in prison but does know why it happened. Williams says that it happened, ��Cause I didn�t listen to my mother. I was hard-headed. When you�re young like that, you don�t realize your actions weigh on you for the rest of your life.� Williams will be eligible for parole in 2010.

One of the worst decisions that children and young people can make is to decide that they know better than their parents do. The title of the television show, �Father Knows Best�, is filled with truth. A young person who decides to rebel against their parents is only asking for trouble. They may not commit murder but it is in the realm of possibility for many. Johnathan Williams said that he never expected to end up in prison. That could be the statement of most who are incarcerated in their teenage years or even those going to prison later.

Prison, I think we can agree is something that nearly all of us want to avoid including young people. Isn�t it worth the time to consider for a moment how to avoid spending decades of your life in such a place? High on the list of the things that a young person can do to avoid incarceration is obeying their parents. By not being rebellious and instead being obedient to your parents (Unless they require you to do something that is obviously immoral.) you gain the support of God Himself. You gain the blessing of God on your life by being an obedient child. The command to obey your parents comes with a promise, "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth."

Take a good long look at the statements and lives of Williams and Douma and those like them. If only they had obeyed their parents. If only they had listened to reason. If they had, their victims would be alive and they could have been leading productive, successful, and happy lives all the years they have spent behind bars.

If you are a young person, I would encourage you to give it a try - a real try. Share your plan with God and see if things are not going better for you in only a few weeks of time. Try it. It could very well change your life and the lives of many others for all eternity.

Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented - of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. - Hebrews 11:36-40.

A school custodian in South New Jersey was going about his work one evening as he usually did when the unexpected happened. The Little Egg Harbor Intermediate School became the unintended target of a National Guard F-16 fighter jet, which unleashed 25 rounds of 20mm cannon fire. Thankfully, damage was minimal with only some damage to the school�s roof and the asphalt outside the school building. Of course, the school custodian is still shaking! It is now thought that the cannon fire was completely accidental and unintended but still it has to make you pause in thought if you work or have children in that school building.

Hebrews chapter 11 is the roll call of the heroes of the faith. Everyone is miraculously delivered until you reach the end of the chapter where you learn that some were not delivered from unnatural death on this earth. In fact, some suffered a horrible fate being �sawn in two�. That sounds bad to me and I would not want to experience such a thing.

Even if we do not experience the difficult things mentioned in the last of Hebrews 11 we may still not live easy lives. At times, it may seem like a fighter jet has unloaded cannon fire at random upon us. We may even feel like we have a bulls eye painted on us, which someone is using for target practice.

What am I talking about? I�m talking about life. We may wake up one morning and everything seems fine and have a terrible traffic accident on the way to work. Or, we may make it to work and find out that the company is not doing well and it has been decided there must be some cutbacks in employees. We may have our yearly physical and learn that everything is not okay. We come home from work and our wife or husband has decided to leave us. I think you get the picture. Sometimes it feels like we are being used for target practice.

How should we respond when the cannon of life is roaring and the shells are exploding around us? James gives us a hard word in James 1:2-3 where he says, �My brethren, COUNT IT ALL JOY when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.� God is going to use those shells exploding around you to develop you, to change you, to make you better, to make you more like Him. Out of the bad comes the good just as we are told in Romans 8:28, �And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.� Part of that good is for us to become more and more like our Lord Jesus, �For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29a).�

Let us rejoice! For our God loves us, is working in every tiny aspect of our lives, and will bring good out of the bad. Just, �count it all joy�.

To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion - a wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, to understand a proverb and an enigma, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. - Proverbs 1:2-7.

Ian Fleming (33 years old) thought he had the perfect scheme for making money. He had successfully deposited computer-generated bogus checks into his account at a Bank in Forest Hills, New York. In the trial run, Fleming had been successful in depositing two checks, one for $350 and another for $1,300. Fleming encountered problems when he moved up to higher amounts trying to deposit checks for five billion and six billion dollars. The large deposits drew the attention of bank officials resulting in the arrest of Ian Fleming.

It would appear that Mr. Fleming overdid things a little in his illegal scheme. Not only is he a thief, he is also a fool as seen in his great lack of wisdom. Fleming does have some knowledge and ability as seen in his ability to generate the bogus checks and send them through his account. However, he used his knowledge and ability without wisdom, without discretion, and without prudence.

Have you ever encountered someone who was completely unwilling to take advice or instruction from anyone? I have and it may be that Ian Fleming is that kind of person. �Fools�, Solomon tells us, �despise wisdom and instruction�.

Wisdom begins where? It begins with a respect and reverence for God. Out of that respect and reverence for God, �fear�, as the Old Testament puts it, flows wisdom and so much more. With reverence and respect for God comes wisdom, understanding, prudence, discretion, and ultimately increased learning.

If only Ian Fleming would commit his heart and life to the Lord Jesus, he would be a changed person. With Jesus, Ian would not only have knowledge and ability he would have all the other qualities would enable him to have a successful life.

What about you? Do you have a �fear� of God, a respect and reverence for Him? If not you should have and can have - it all begins with a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Once you have that relationship it must be maintained as you allow the Lord to instruct you in all wisdom and gain those great qualities with which all great people are endowed. Those qualities only come from the hand of God. Allow Him to give you wisdom.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. - Hebrews 11:6-7.

When I was 18 years old, I was out with some friends and made a decision to do something that, I�ve regretted much of my life. The Lord has forgiven me and I have forgiven myself but it was still a bad decision and a bad thing to do. God knew that too and He tried to stop me.

After leaving my friends, I decided to drive to another town. While traveling on the interstate between the towns there was a heavy rain and I was at the tail end of a line of cars maybe a mile long going 75 to 80 mph. Halfway to my destination a highway patrol car zoomed past and when he reached the head of the line of speeding cars he turned on his lights and succeeded in pulling two cars over to the side of the road. This was a determined man because he must have jumped out of his patrol car with his slicker suit on a flashlight and began trying to flag all the cars down so he could give them a ticket too. All of us in the remaining cars including mine just moved to the outside lane and continued on. But God had tried very hard to change my course.

Looking back now, I can see that it was a warning and an attempt by God to save me from myself. I�m not sure what the change in course would have brought about but I know it would have been better.

Noah was �divinely warned� and he heeded the warning resulting in salvation from the flood for himself and his family. Noah for decades was the one God used to try to change the course of mankind. Mankind laughed at Noah and at his attempt to warn them. If only they had listened this world might be a much better place. At least it would have been a different place than it is now.

So often, when we are on the wrong course, the wrong path, headed in the wrong direction, God sends warnings into our lives. God is like a highway patrol officer speeding by us and then trying to flag us down before we destroy ourselves - warning us of the canyon we are speeding toward.

Has it ever happened to you? You knew what you were going to do or where you were headed was wrong? Not only that but God sent warnings into your life and you refused to listen? Maybe you are in that very situation right now? If you are I would encourage you to listen, and take the time to consider the consequences. God�s great love is speeding after you, pursuing you, trying to catch you, trying to get your attention. Stop, before it is too late.

As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. The he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. So Saul said, �Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.� And he offered the burnt offering. Now it happened as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. And Samuel said, �What have you done?� - 1 Samuel 13:7b-11a.

George W. Bush and John Kerry are waiting as are the rest of the people of the United States to find out who won the presidential election. We don�t like it but still we are waiting. Most likely it would not have been so upsetting to the founding fathers of the country because 200 years ago it was not so unusual for the counting of the vote to take some time. But it is upsetting to us because we expect everything to be immediate. We vote and we want to know within a few minutes of the polls closing who won the election. We expect it. We push a button and zap the television comes on, or the radio, or the stereo, or the DVD player, or....

Waiting is not easy now and it was not easy for King Saul. In I Samuel we are told of how Saul got in a hurry and it cost him the Kingdom. The Philistines were gathering to attack Israel. They had �thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude (1 Samuel 13:5a).� The people of Israel were �distressed� by what they saw and were hiding �in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits (1 Samuel 13:6b).� Saul was still in Gilgal and the people following him were trembling in fear. The pressure was on Saul but instead of waiting for Samuel he went ahead and presented the burnt offering. Saul had been told to wait but the pressure was on him. As a result Samuel tells Saul �But now your kingdom shall not continue (1 Samuel 13:14a).�

One of the greatest promises concerning waiting on the Lord is found in Isaiah 40:31: �But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.� Before we get in a hurry and lose our �kingdom� let us first wait to receive direction from our Lord. God�s timing is always precise. He is never too late or too early. Trust in His wisdom and wait for Him.

Copyright � 2004-2005. Ed Wrather. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for use of this material on a non-profit basis with source noted.