THE 23rd PSALM 2

I SHALL NOT WANT FOR REST

Psalms 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

There is an old saying that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. I always answer that I don't want it then because I really don't like mowing what I already have.

In this verse we see a picture of the sheep lying in in a green meadow. They are surrounded by the green grass that is their main source of food. I feel very peaceful when I picture this.

They are beside the peaceful still waters and the shepherd is watching over them with a watchful eye. It kind of reminds me of the children's prayer, "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my should to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take." That kind of gives you the feeling of lying in green pastures beside the still waters doesn't it?

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

THE 23rd PSALM 1

Psalms 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

David could speak from his own experience about how a shepherd cared for his sheep. It was the shepherds job to see that the sheep were protected, fed, watered and otherwise cared for. David used this comparison to give an illustration of God's care for us.

He provides all that we need. He feeds us. He nourishes us and He protects us from those who would prey upon us.

Over the past years I could not tell you how many times I have read this verse and studied it. I am not even sure how many times I have preached from it or used it at funerals. There is great comfort here but I have seen something that I did not once see there.

In the verse it says "I shall not want." So many people today never learn to be satisfied. They continuously want something thinking that if they were to get that something then they would finally find happiness. I can honestly say that God has always supplied my needs. I have never hungered or thirsted or been destitute in any way. The times that I have found myself miserable were the times that I failed to be thankful for the things I already have.

If I really want to let God lead me as my Shepherd then I need to grasp the concept of thankfulness and remember "I shall not want."

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

COMPLAINING

A man sat down to supper with his family, saying grace,
thanking God for the food, for the hands which prepared it, and
for the source of all life. But during the meal he complained
about the freshness of the bread, the bitterness of the coffee
and the sharpness of the cheese. His young daughter questioned
him, "Dad, do you think God heard the grace today?"
He answered confidently, "Of course."
Then she asked, "And do you think God heard what you said
about the coffee, the cheese, and the bread?" Not so
confidently, he answered, "Why, yes, I believe so."
The little girl concluded, "Then which do you think God
believed, Dad?"
The man was suddenly aware that his mealtime prayer had become
a rote, thoughtless habit rather than an attentive and honest
conversation with God. By not concentrating on that important
conversation, he had left the door open to let hypocrisy sneak
in.
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REFLECT

In a tenement district in New York City, a boy in ragged clothes was seen with a small piece of broken mirror in his hand. Holding it high in the air he moved it slowly back and forth, watching the narrow slit of a window above him as he did so.

"What are you doing?" a man suddenly demanded as he shook the youngster roughly by the shoulder. "Like most boys in this neighborhood, you're probably up to some mischief, aren't you?"
The boy looked up into the stern face of his accuser and said, "See that window up there? Well, I have a little brother who has a room on that floor. He's a cripple. The only sunlight he ever sees is what I shine up to him with my mirror!"

Do we reflect the light of the Son so that someone in darkness may see?

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LET THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD SAY SO

Psalms 107:2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

I once was enslaved to sin by my enemy Satan. Sin had a hold on me and was gradually destroying all my peace and joy. I didn't feel that I had any hope until I realized that Jesus wanted me for his own. Not for a slave but for a friend. To love like family. He was willing to pay whatever it costs to purchase me from the bondage of my enemy.

He died in my place and when I believed on Him, I was redeemed. I was bought back. Satan no longer has a title on me. I belong to Jesus. I am redeemed. I want to say so! I often say so quietly but maybe I should not be so timid. Maybe I should say so to everyone I come in contact with. Maybe I should say so on the streets and in the stores. Maybe I should shout it from the rooftops because after all it is the greatest thing that has ever been done for me.

Let the redeemed say So!

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

BLINDED BY THE DARK

2 Corinthians 4:3-5 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: (4) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (5) For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

DARKNESS IN THE WORLD

Many times I have heard people talk of meeting a car and the bright lights of the car blinding them. That happens because the eyes have adjusted to the darkness and can't adjust to the light quickly enough.
Darkness is only an absence of light. For some time we have been aware of the darkness in the world. By that I mean entire regions who know nothing about Jesus. You can look at their living conditions and at their morality and know that it is truly darkness.

I am concerned that people's eyes are getting used to the darkness right here in the United States. It seems that everyone is supposed to be tolerant of everything but Christianity and high moral standards. Things that used to be shocking have gone from being tolerated to being embraced and now they are being forced on those who do not agree with them.

We have the Light. We have the knowledge of Jesus Christ. The only way we are ever going to drive away the darkness is to let our lights shine. One day Jesus is going to come back and they will be so used to the darkness that they will be blinded by His light and won't even be able to see Him.



Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

OVERCOMING THE WORLD 3

1 John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God OVERCOMEth the world: and this is the victory that OVERCOMEth the world, even our faith. (5) Who is he that OVERCOMEth the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

When we get saved we are said to be born again. We are born again by having Jesus come into our heart and change our lives from carnal to spiritual beings.

It takes faith to trust your soul to Jesus Christ for eternity. It takes faith to realize that there is nothing you can do but accept the gift of salvation that He paid for and offers to you as a gift.

It takes faith to believe that there is nothing in you worthy of eternal life but Jesus loves you enough to offer it to you as a gift.

The wonderful thing about that faith is that it to is a gift of God. It takes faith in a Great God to know that He wants you as one of His own.

That is the faith that gives us victory over the world. Jesus is the Son of God.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

OVERCOMING THE WORLD 2

1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

How would you feel if your child came to you fretful and worried that you would not be able to take care of him. That would break your heart wouldn't it. We want our children to depend on us and we want them to know that we will do everything in the world to keep them from harm. We want them to trust us.

We are God's children. He wants us to trust Him for all things. Sometimes we think we will trust Him for the great things in our life and we will just take care of the small stuff ourselves.

If you really think about it sometimes it is the small stuff that just keeps piling up that really gets us down. Someone once said that it wasn't so bad to have to fight off a shark every once in awhile but it was impossible to fight off a thousand minnows with sharp teeth.

God wants to help us fight off the minnows too. He wants us to turn over even the little things to Him. If it is big enough to be a problem then it is big enough to pray about. When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior the Holy Spirit comes into our life. He wants to guide us into a life that is completely trusting in our Heavenly Father. He will help us overcome the world, big problems, or small.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

OVERCOMING THE WORLD 1

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

We are involved in two wars. Our economy is about as bad as I ever remember it being without much hope of a turnaround. Ungodly laws are being put into effect, not by the people but by the judges. The Bible tells us that in the latter days perilous times will come and I would say the times we live in qualify as perilous.

Our public educational system has been overtaken by socialistic unions who are more concerned about their members than in educating our children. Please don't misunderstand me, there are some excellent teachers and educators in today's schools but they are not the ones who end up making policy.

I guess I could go on but I am sure you get the picture and you can add your own things to the list. The world is going downhill faster than I could have imagined at one time. Thankfully I don't have to fret about it because I belong to Jesus and He has overcome the world.

If the world is dragging you down then you need to trust Jesus and let Him lift you up. He has overcome the world.


Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

FREE SAMPLES

The businesses of the world many times offer free samples to the consumer to get them to try a product they haven't tried before.
Their strategy is smart. They believe that if more people try their
product they will like it and will become regular customers. This
is even true of many things that are harmful, alcohol, tobacco,
drugs and pornography are just a few things that people try and then
go back time and time again for more.
This same principle is true for products that are not addictive
but are enjoyed by the consumer. It is hard to taste a delicious
brand of ice cream and never buy it again. Pizza is the kind of
food that you probably wouldn't miss if you never tried one, but
once you have if you like it you will surely go back for more. There
are times when I get hungry and only certain things will satisfy
that hunger. The purpose of free samples is to give you an appetite
for a product.
We as Christians should pass out samples in abundance. We have
so much to offer the world to build up their appetites for Christ.
Let us offer love, kindness, mercy, patience, concern and caring.
Let us offer them a smile and friendship and compassion. All these
things will surely give them an appetite. We can then tell them
that this appetite can only be satisfied by Jesus Christ.

COPIED

HOW MUCH DOES A PRAYER WEIGH?

How much does a prayer weigh? There is a story of a grocery
store owner who tried to weigh one. A tired-looking woman came into the store and asked for enough food to make a dinner for her children. The
grocer asked her how much she could spend. The frail woman
answered, "I have nothing to offer but a little prayer." The
storekeeper was not very sentimental nor religious, so he said,
half mockingly, " Write it on paper, and I'll weigh it." So she
did, The grocer placed the prayer on the weight side of his old
fashioned scales, Then he began piling food on the other side;
but to his amazement, the scale would not go down, He finally
became flustered and gave the woman a large bag of food. The
grocer never saw the woman again, but he treasures the slip of
paper upon which the woman's prayer had been written- "Please,
Lord, give us this day our daily bread."
submitted by Tim Feener, AL
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MY LIGHT AND SALVATION 2

Psalms 27:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

THE LORD IS MY SALVATION
He planned my salvation from the foundation of the world. He knew man would fall into sin and yet He had a plan in place where He would come and pay the penalty of sin Himself. I am so glad that I was part of that plan.

He promised us salvation throughout His Word, the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation we find the message of salvation woven into each book of the Bible. It is a story of man's fall, his redemption and his ultimate triumph (or defeat for those who reject Christ).

He purchased our Salvation at the cross. God demanded perfection and He alone could provide that in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ.

He perfected it with the resurrection. Yes Jesus died for my sins but he defeated death, the grave and hell by rising again. It is all pretty exciting when you think about it.

Whom shall we fear. He is our light and He is our salvation.


Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

MY LIGHT AND SALVATION 1

Psalms 27:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

THE LORD IS MY LIGHT
He is the Light wihin. Have you ever noticed the difference in a person who just got saved. I agree with the man who said, "If a person really gets saved even his dog should see a difference in him." We really don't have any brightness of our own. If there is light coming from us to brighten a dark world it is surely the true Light of Jesus Christ shining within us.

He is the light around us. He helps us to find our way through the darkness and fear of this world because we know that His way is the Way. Not just the right way but The Way. The way to eternal life and eternal security.

He is the light that should be reflected from us. I like the song we sometimes sing, "Let others see Jesus in you." That is us reflecting His light to the world.

God does not just give us light... He is the Light.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

BEARING FRUIT 3

Matthew 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth FRUIT, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

TO BEAR FRUIT WE MUST WALK IN THE SPIRIT

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

When Paul was writing to the Church at Corinth he stressed the importance of love. He more or less said that without love we are just a bunch of religious noise makers. Love is the catalyst that helps the Spirit produce fruit in us:

Joy is love's strength.
Peace is love's security.
Long-suffering is love's patience.
Gentleness is love's conduct.
Goodness is love's character.
Faith is love's confidence.
Meekness is love's humility.
Temperance is love's victory.
"Against such there is no law."

When we are spirit controlled we will win others to Christ. Let's go bear fruit for our Lord.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

BEARING FRUIT 2

Matthew 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth FRUIT, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

TO BEAR FRUIT WE MUST WALK IN THE SPIRIT

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT WE MUST BE:

LOVE INSPIRED:
If we are to walk in the Spirit we must be inspired for a true love of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not enough to know about Him or to try to have a casual friendship with Him. He wants us to have a very close and intimate relationship with Him which is necessary if we are to walk with Him in the Spirit. To know Him is to Love Him and if we are to walk in the Spirit we must get to know Him very well.

LOVE MASTERED:
We need to let our love control our lives. First our love for Jesus should dominate all thought and activity. Second we need to have a love for our Christian brothers and sisters that motivates us to be Christian leaders. Thirdly we need to have a love for lost souls that makes it imperative for us to share the gospel with them.

LOVE DRIVEN:
Our love should so dominate our lives that it drives us to bear the fruits of the spirit. If you really want to bear fruit (win souls) then you should make it a point to love Jesus, love other Christians, and have a genuine love for lost souls.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

BEARING FRUIT 1

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

WHAT IS THE FRUIT THAT WE SHOULD BEAR?

We have been taught that as Christians we are to bear fruit. We have also heard much about the Fruit of the Spirit and too often if we are careful we will confuse the two.

The verses of scripture in our text tell us just what the fruit of the Spirit is. It is not us who produces this fruit, it is the Holy Spirit that produces the fruit when we "walk in the Spirit" or to put it simply when we yield ourselves to Him.

What is the fruit of the Apple tree? Of course it is apples. What is the fruit of the peach tree? Of course it is peaches. Using that same logic what is the fruit of a Christian. I would think it would be other Christians. We bear fruit by winning other people to Christ. The fruits of the Spirit are not the end results but the means to the end result.

I hope you find a deeper understanding of bearing fruit in the next few devotionals. I hope I find a deeper understanding of bearing fruit as I write the next few devotionals.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

FREE SAMPLES

FREE SAMPLES
The businesses of the world many times offer free samples to
the consumer to get them to try a product they haven't tried before.
Their strategy is smart. They believe that if more people try their
product they will like it and will become regular customers. This
is even true of many things that are harmful, alcohol, tobacco,
drugs and pornography are just a few things that people try and then
go back time and time again for more.
This same principle is true for products that are not addictive
but are enjoyed by the consumer. It is hard to taste a delicious
brand of ice cream and never buy it again. Pizza is the kind of
food that you probably wouldn't miss if you never tried one, but
once you have if you like it you will surely go back for more. There
are times when I get hungry and only certain things will satisfy
that hunger. The purpose of free samples is to give you an appetite
for a product.
We as Christians should pass out samples in abundance. We have
so much to offer the world to build up their appetites for Christ.
Let us offer love, kindness, mercy, patience, concern and caring.
Let us offer them a smile and friendship and compassion. All these
things will surely give them an appetite. We can then tell them
that this appetite can only be satisfied by Jesus Christ.

COPIED

ASK

Would You Hesitate To Ask?
I heard the other day about a roomful of doctors eating
together. One doctor got up from the table, left the room, and
in minutes he was dead. A morsel of food had lodged in his
windpipe, and so he choked to death.
The tragedy of this incident is heightened by the fact that
probably any one of those doctors could have performed the
Heimlich Maneuver or, if need be, a tracheotomy to restore his
breathing. But they did not know anything was wrong, he did
not tell them. He just got up, left, and died.
There is a lesson in here somewhere for those of us in the
church. A member has a problem in his life--a problem with is
marriage or his children, with alcohol, or money, or grief, or
loneliness, or depression, or whatever. He feels embarrassed
about his situation, so he does not tell his brothers and
sisters in Christ that he is struggling. Instead, he absents
himself or puts on a brave front and struggles all alone. And
sometimes he is crushed beneath the load, and no one knew until
it was to late.
The scriptures say, "Bear one another's burdens, and thus
fulfill the law of Christ" Gal. 6:2 That is one big reason why
Christ in His wisdom placed us together in His church-- to bear
one another's burdens. Of course, many problems cannot be
solved as quickly as that of a choking victim, but most problems
become more bearable when shared with our brethren.
Have you been keeping a problem to yourself that is about
to get you down? Why not share it with at least one of your
fellow Christians? Do not let false pride keep you from saying,
"I need help." We all do.

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SPIRITUAL SEPERATION 5

Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

SINFUL PARTERNERSHIPS
2co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

We live in a society where almost one of two marriages end in divorce. I am sad to say that it is not just among the lost and unchurched that this happens. A Christian should never consider marrying a non-Christian. If you can not agree on how you are going to worship God how can you agree on the less important things in your life.

I have always said that the divorce rate is so high because people put less thought into who they are going to marry than into where they are going to work, where they are going to live, or even sometimes what kind of car they are going to drive.

I am a firm believer that God has someone special for everyone. Doesn't it seem strange that most people never even consult Him before they choose the person they say they want to spend the rest of their lives with?

These have been some hard devotionals to write because the deal with some difficult subjects but I felt that it is my responsibility to share what I believe God teaches and not just what everyone wants to read or hear. Pleas pray for me as I continue to write these devotionals.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

SPIRITUAL SEPERATION 4

Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

SINFUL PRACTICES
Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

Okay I know. Drinking is not the only sinful practice out there. This was just a good scripture to illustrate the fact that we should separate ourselves from any practice that is damaging both to us and to our witness.

I can remember years ago when our Association of Churches used to go about every other year to Biloxi for our annual meeting. That was before the Casinos moved in. We did not feel that it would be the proper place for preachers and church leaders to meet to discuss the ministry of our Lord.

Someone told me I should go to one of them just to eat their delicious buffet because it is cheap. I would be so afraid that someone would see me there and they would have no idea that I was not there doing something besides eating. Besides, I am against them enough that I do not want to support them in any way.

I am not picking on specific sins. I just want to make a point that our pleasure is not nearly as important as our witness. There are many other things we should distance ourselves from, pride, greed, bitterness, selfishness, gossip, etc. These are just a few but I am sure you get the point.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

SPIRITUAL SEPERATION 3

Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

FROM SINFUL PLEASURES
Hebrews 11:24-25 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; (25) Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

Sin is sin because it is destructive. Sin leads to decay of the moral fiber just like disease leads to the decay of the body. Sometimes we think that we can hold on to certain sins and they will not harm us but it is not so.

Sin does a number of things to us. It causes us to have feelings of guilt and hurts our fellowship with the Lord. It is hard to pray without ceasing when we are involved in sin. Sin also hurts our testimony. Whether we like it or not the world is watching us and if we continue in sin they use the phrase, "They are no better than I am."

They are right of course we are not better than they are. We are not perfect but we are forgiven. Forgiveness should bring about thanksgiving and a gratefulness that cause us to avoid sin because of our love for our Savior.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

SPIRITUAL SEPERATION 2

Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

FROM SINFUL PEOPLE

Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

As hard as it might seem we sometimes have to separate ourselves from sinful people. I once heard of a man who said that he was afraid that if he really began to live the Christian life that he would have to give up some of his friends. Someone replied, "If you really start setting the Christian example you should you won't have to give them up. They will give you up."

I think there is a lot of truth to that. If we separate ourselves from sinful things then our sinful friends don't have much in common with us. The good point of that is that when they really need someone to turn to for their spiritual growth they will remember the example that you set and will turn back to you.

We sometimes think that if we associate with sinful people that we can be a good influence on them. You can take a barrel full of clear water and put a handful of dirt in it and it will ruin the whole barrel. If you take a barrel full of muddy water you can pour in clear water until it has almost replaced the entire contents and it will still be muddy.

If you separate yourself you show that there are certain things that are offensive both to you and the God you serve.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

SPIRITUAL SEPERATION 1

Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

INTRODUCTION: Paul was emphasising the fact that to really be a servant of God he was separated for that ministry.

Today we hear a lot about building bridges. People are always talking about everyone getting together and trying to get along. I have noticed that the Bible speaks a whole lot more about building walls and being seperate than blending in.

I am afraid that we can get so concerned about not offending anyone that we forget that we are to be different. We are supposed to be a peculiar people. We have a different standard to live up to and we are not to compromise that standard.

There are many things that we are to seperate ourselves from if we are to set the proper example for others and keep ourselves unspotted from the world. I will discuss some of those things in the next few devotionals.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

BE A PROMOTER

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may EDIFY another.


STRONG'S CONCORDANCE defines the word edify as the act of one who promotes an other's growth in Christian wisdom, piety, happiness, holiness.

Someone once said that in society there are two types of people, the builders and the wreckers. That is also true in the Church and the Christian community. The wreckers are the ones who criticize, complain, and become barriers to those who are trying to accomplish something.
Wouldn't it be much better to be a builder. One critical or insulting remark can wreck a persons day, disrupt a meeting, break up a friendship, and alienate people. It is certainly true that everyone doesn't always do things the way we would like them too. Without a doubt most of us can stand a lot of improvement. It is hard to improve something by tearing it down.
If you are looking for ways to build up yourself and to grow in your Christian life why not start by building up someone else. Share a blessing with a friend. Compliment someone who is not expecting one from you. Let someone know how much you admire something about them. Encourage someone who is trying something new or difficult.
You will be surprised how much difference it will make in your own life. You will be more positive. You will gain strength from those you strengthen. You will feel better when you build someone else up. Let us edify one another.

LAYING ASIDE MALICE

1st Peter 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

Sometimes we read words in the Bible and we just casually pass them by without ever looking at them closely and examining them. The word malice basicly means holding a grudge or wishing someone bad fortune.

When Peter wrote this verse it preceded:

1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

Before we can grow spiritually we need to get rid of some things that hinder us. Malice might just be one of the most destructive.

The word malice comes from the same root word as malignant. When we wish ill toward others it is like a cancer to us spiritually just like a malignancy is to the body. It will eat away at our spirituality.

Lay aside any ill feelings you have toward others. You will be pleasantly surprised at how you will begin to grow in grace.

A FULLY FURNISHED ROOM 4

2 Kings 4:9-10 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. (10) Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.

ELISHA HAD A STOOL-A PLACE OF LEARNING

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

If our Christian lives are to be fully furnished we need a place of study and we need to spend time in that place. We need to set aside a special time to spend in God's Word and we need to do more than take a casual glance at it.

I was older when I surrendered to preach. I was married with two children and didn't have the opportunity to go to college full time. I did take some night classes at a good seminary and one of the things that was most valuable from those classes was that they taught me how to study.

When you start out behind you have to spend much more time trying to catch up. I listened to tapes of some of the best preachers in America. I read all the books I could afford and could borrow. I wanted to know more about the Bible. Later in my ministry I used less books, and less tapes and spent more time in the Book. I found that the best study on the Bible was the Bible itself. Those other books and tapes were certainly helpful in my early ministry but nothing can replace the teaching of the Holy Spirit directly from the Word of God.

Get in the Word. Study to prepare yourself. A place of study is essential for a fully furnished Christian room.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

A FULLY FURNISHED ROOM 3

2 Kings 4:9-10 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. (10) Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.

ELISHA HAD A TABLE- A PLACE OF COMMUNION

What is communion but a close fellowship. I believe many of the problems in our society could be helped if families spent more time around the table talking and sharing their experiences with each other. I can remember some of my favorite times have been spent just sitting around a table sharing coffee and conversation with friends or family.

It would be wonderful if we would spend time in fellowship with our Lord. We should discuss our plans and our activities with Him on a personal basis. Jesus desires to fellowship with us and wants to be an integral part of our lives.

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

This verse lets us know that Jesus does not want to be left out of our lives. It is His desire to share in the communion and fellowship with us.

Jesus is knocking. Let him come in and sit at the table of your fully furnished room.


Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

A FULLY FURNISHED ROOM 2

2 Kings 4:9-10 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. (10) Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.

ELISHA HAD A BED... A PLACE TO REST
Psalms 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

We truly have a place of rest in Jesus Christ. Sometimes we fret and we worry about the future when all we really need to do is find rest in the assurance that Jesus is in control. He has us safely in His hands and nothing can pry us out.

What do we fear? Death? He has overcome death. Do we fear poverty? We have become joint heirs with Christ. Our Heavenly Father not only owns the cattle of a thousand hills, he owns the hills themselves.

Sometimes we get so caught up in our plans and in building for the future that we forget that the only secure future is in Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, {39} Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.

A FULLY FURNISHED ROOM 1

2 Kings 4:9-10 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. (10) Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.

Introduction:
As Elisha passed by frequently the Shunamite woman in this story realized that he was a prophet and she was determined to furnish him a room to use when he came by.

The furnishings were certainly meager by today's standards but if you look closely he had the things necessary for a man of God to rest himself and prepare himself to do God's work.

I have been furniture shopping recently. Sometimes I am amazed at how lavishly even us simple folks furnish their homes. We spend a lot of time accumulating stuff. Sometimes it winds up that instead of us having the stuff it has us. We have to dust it, shine it, clean it, vacuum it and it begins to take our time to keep it up.

Elisha's room was fully furnished and I am going to discuss the furnishings in the next few devotionals. I hope you enjoy them.


Please feel free to contact me by email at

shilohkosciusko@gmail.com with questions, comments or even suggestions for further devotional studies.


If you know of someone new to the Kosciusko area and would like for our church to visit them please let us know. Our prayers are that this devotional ministry will be an outreach to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus. I do appreciate you taking the time to read these devotionals and please keep us in your prayers.