LET US REMEMBER 3

Psalms 33:12

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

While we called it the Korean conflict, to our men in the military it was just as much a war as any other. The cold was unbearable, the fighting fierce as multitudes of the enemy attacked their positions. Brave men, wounded and dying amidst the rifle and mortar fire might disagree with the terminology of those who called it a conflict. It was a war and to the veterans of it should go the honor and respect due to men of war.

War has never really been popular, but until Vietnam we always supported and honored our men in uniform. We may not agree with the Wars, that are fought today, but we are the ones who go to the polls and elect the people that make these decisions. The veterans of Vietnam are no less worthy of our support and honor than those of earlier wars. They were no less brave, their sacrifices no smaller, and their deaths less tragic than the Continental soldiers of the Revolution, those who wore the blue and gray, the doughboy of WWI, or the GI of WWII. Many were wounded, many were killed and many came home with scars that could not be detected by our eyes but surely should be noticed with our hearts. Let us remember them with respect and honor.

They fought so that we would have the freedoms that we have. Let us not ever take these freedoms for granted.

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.

LET US REMEMBER 2

Psalms 33:12
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

A Nation of  Brave men who:

Left home and family and comfort behind:

Who faced hardships most of us can only imagine:

The mud and cold and constant gunfire in the trenches of France in WWI, the War to end all wars.

The heat and humidity of the Jungles of the Pacific, rain and wet and Mosquitoes that spread malaria.

The beach landings on D-Day, with bullets and artillery raining  down around them as they left the amphibious assault craft and stormed the beaches, their friends dead and dying all around them.  They were not brave men because they had  no fear, they were brave because they did what they had to do in spite of their fear.

On the ground-on foot, in trucks and tanks they advanced on the enemy while thinking of Home- this great Nation they loved.

In the air, they at first flew and fought against superior numbers while more planes were made by industry at home and more pilots were trained.  And eventually they were able to win the battles because America was behind them, supporting them, making sacrifices themselves so that they would have what they needed to be victorious and return home.

Most of the Pacific fleet was destroyed in that one sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, but America met the challenge by rebuilding the Navy until our fleet was not only equal, but superior to our enemies.

We achieved a great Victory in more ways than one.  Not only did we defeat our enemy but instead of being conquerors, we were more than conquerors, we were benevolent victors.  We helped them rebuild, we helped them start over with opportunity to be greater nations than they were before.

Let us serve with Gladness our Great God who has blessed us so as a nation.

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.

LET US REMEMBER 1

Psalms 33:12
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

Freedom, born of a brave and violent Revolution.

Rights and yes, even privileges purchased with the lives and sacrifices of brave men who would die, rather than live in bondage.

A Nation whose principles helped them to grow from an infant Nation, just struggling to survive, to what is known today as a World Super Power.

Once torn and divided by issues that caused a split and a great Civil War, a war in which men on both sides were willing to sacrifice for what they believed.

A Nation that men have willingly volunteered to fight for and defend. A Nation who has answered the call not once but many times to defend weaker countries from tyrants and dictators who would rob them of freedom, and liberty, and even life.

Let us remember what these brave men have fought and died for and use our freedom to serve a great and mighty 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.

WAKE UP 4

Romans 13:13-14 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. (14) But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

We need to be honest with ourselves first so that we can then be honest with others. We are to do that which is honorable and not do as the world does to get their way. There are many today who are demonstrating because life has not turned out the way they would like for it too.

We have generations of people who feel entitled to certain things,(even if they have not earned them) and who feel envious of others who have succeeded when they have not. This is not the way Christians should behave. We should strive to do our very best and even when things don't work out like we want them too we should be more Christlike in our behavior.

Our purpose is not to make provision for the flesh. Our purpose is to glorify God with our lives no matter what the circumstances are.

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.

WAKE UP 3

Romans 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

It seems to me that the world is getting darker and darker all the time. If sin represents darkness then it is almost pitch black.

Lately I have been amazed at some of the things that have been happening in politics. I am amazed that our leaders have forgotten what sin is and have not only ignored it but have embraced it.

The worst part is that there are so many people who support them in their positions. It seems that every lifestyle imaginable is being pushed and except the Christian lifestyle. When we oppose sin they call it hate but as I see it the only hate is those who hate righteousness.

I for one don't hate sinners. I hate the sin that is destroying our society and those people involved in it. To cast off the works of darkness we must take a stand but we must make sure that we take it with a Christian attitude.

(Go back a couple of devotionals where I mention loving our enemies.)

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.

WAKE UP 2

Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

GET YOUR BEARINGS

My wife and I spend time in two different places on a regular basis and lately we have been doing some traveling and staying in motels. We both have mentioned that sometimes we wake up in the middle of the night and it takes a few minutes for us to know where we are.

I believe many Christians need to wake up and after they wake up they need to figure out where they are. Where are you in relation to Jesus? Are you ready for the Lord's return? Are there things in your life that you really need to change while you have a chance?

When we awake we are to awake to righteousness and we have none of our own. His righteousness is all that we can depend on.

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.

WAKE UP 1

Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

THE TIME?

What time is it? A woman was restless one night and she lay there in bed counting the times that the clock struck. She felt a little relieved when the clock struck 12, believing that it would at last be silent. To her surprise it struck the 13th time and she turned to her husband and said, "Wake up. It's later than it has ever been."

The Bible tells us that we will not know the day or the hour that Jesus is to return but I do believe that we are supposed to be aware of the time and we too need to "Wake up...It's later than it has ever been."

Most of the prophecies have been fulfilled. The condition of the world today shows us that we are in the latter days. I believe it is time for us to Wake up and look up and be ready for the return of Jesus.

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.

HOW TO BEHAVE 12

Roman 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

This seems to be a hard one. Jesus taught us that we should love all, even our enemies. Sometimes it is even hard to love our friends and yet we are supposed to love our enemies also. The greatest example we can find of this is when Jesus asked the Father to forgive those who were crucifying Him.

Someone once said that the best way to destroy your enemies is to make friends out of them. They are then no longer your enemies.

This concept is a little hard for me to grasp because I honestly can not think of any personal enemies that I have. We do have enemies of our country, enemies of our way of life, and certainly in this age we have enemies to our faith. We can never prosper against our enemies if we render evil for evil. We must do what the next verse says and:

Romans 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Please feel free to contact me by email at

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

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.

HOW TO BEHAVE 11

Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

This is a scripture that we usually remember but it sure is hard on us sometimes. We know that God knows what is going on in the world but when someone wrongs us we would sometimes like to help God out. We might think God missed it and we need to take care of it. God knows all. He doesn't miss anything. Maybe God just wants you to learn to experience forgiveness.

There is a popular movie (I think it is just coming out) it is titled "The Avengers". I haven't seen it, or any of the previous ones but we would all be wise to remember that God is the true Avenger.

We would be better served to be busy about the work God has commanded us to do instead of trying to do the things He has reserved for Himself to do.

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.

HOW TO BEHAVE 10

Romans 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

This is something that seems to be getting harder all the time. Just a couple of hours ago I woke up, in a motel, with a bad attitude. There is a little league baseball tournament in town and obviously some of the games ended late last night. As the players arrived back at the motel they all seemed to be running back and forth above my room and hollering at each other. I had already gone to sleep and they woke me up more than once. When I woke up this morning I wanted to go out into the peaceful parking lot and blow my car horn a few times just to make sure that none of them overslept. My wife's cooler head prevailed and I did not do it. Now that I am working on these devotionals I will have to remember to thank her.

When it comes to living peaceably with others, we can't control other people's actions. We can however control our own reactions.

As I think about this my frown from earlier has turned into a smile. If I had followed my first instinct I might at this time be in a different frame of mind. Sometimes all it takes to live peaceably with others is just a little self-restraint...or a little restraint by a loving spouse.

HOW TO BEHAVE 9

Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Have you ever heard someone say "I am going to get even with him if it is the last thing I do"?

It seems like when people are wronged that they always want to get even with the person that wronged them. I will have to admit that I have had that attitude sometimes myself.

Lately I am developing a new attitude. If someone does me wrong I want to forgive him and try to make things right between us. As far as getting even, I would like to try to get even with the people that have been such a blessing in my life. I don't think that I will ever be able to get even with them but if I try my best to be a blessing to them at least I will be making some progress.

 

Set a goal of getting even with those who have done you good and try to forgive those who have done you wrong. It will change your life.

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.

HOW TO BEHAVE 8

Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Philippians 2::5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Confusion within the church is very unsettling because that is not God's will.  Much confusion comes when people have different ideas about how to do things and how things should be.  If we will all conform our thoughts to the mind of Christ the confusion will go away.

Some people strive for position and try to rise above others and in doing so they seem to cater to others in loftier positions.  We can never rise higher by trying to pull ourselves up.  If we lift up those who are not as strong, eventually they will push us up.

As for the last part of the verse,  I guess as I grow older I begin to realize just how dumb and how little I really know.

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.

HOW TO BEHAVE 7

Romans 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

How do you react when something good happens to someone that you know.  Are you jealous or envious?  That is a great way to make yourself miserable.  If on the other hand you rejoice with others in your life over their blessing it will surely increase the time you spend rejoicing. 

Rejoicing with others is a great way to multiply your own blessings.  When we are happy because someone else has been blessed it becomes a blessing to us also.

In the same spirit people are helped greatly when we share in their sorrow.  I don't mean when we feel sorry for them but when we are sad and sorrowful with them.  When others weep with you, it seems to make your burdens easier to bear.

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.

HOW TO BEHAVE 6

Romans 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

This is a difficult task for most of us.  Today we hear a lot about bullying in schools and among young people.  Here is a newsflash.  There are bullies in the adult world too.  They might not trip you in the hallway or take your lunch money but the things they do are just as devastating to you.

Sometimes they will try to make you feel inferior or make you feel foolish.  They will point out your flaws and try to embarrass you to make them feel better about themselves.  I am sure you probably have a mental picture in your mind of someone you know who is just like that.

Now while you have your mental picture of that person is a good time to pray for them.  Ask God to bless them, to embrace them with His love and help them feel and know His presence.   That is the easy part, now, ask God to help you to be a blessing in some way to the person who has persecuted you. 

You will find that God will open up a whole new avenue of blessings to you and you just might be a positive influence in that person's life.

This is an earmark of Christian behavior.

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.

HOW TO BEHAVE 5

Romans 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

In this day of government entitlements and a program to seemingly meet every need we sometimes forget the ministry of the church in helping others meet their needs in time of trouble.

Most of the government programs are geared to help those who are permanently needy.  If we are not careful we might fail to see and realize that there are some in our Church families who are trying their best, working their hardest, and doing everything they can but find themselves in temporary need. 

That is when we should do what we are supposed to do.  We pray for them,  we help them, and yes we help them meet their needs by sharing the abundance that God has blessed us with.  If you know of someone with a need don't wait for them to ask.  They might not.  If you God has revealed a need to you it might be that He wants you to help do something about it.  This might just involve you or it might be God leading you to get others involved in helping them.

This is an earmark of Christian behavior.

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.