Thursday, April 27, 2023

The Gift Of Today Ps. 118:24 #RTTBROS #Nightlight

The Gift Of Today Ps. 118:24 #Nightlight #RTTBROS
The Gift Of Today.
Scripture: Psalm 118:24

This is the day that the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. — Psalm 118:24 

Greetings, my dear friends! Today, I want to talk to you about a beautiful truth that we often overlook in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. It is the fact that every day is a gift from God, a fresh opportunity to celebrate and be grateful for all that He has done for us.

Do you remember the excitement you felt as a child on your birthday? The anticipation of what the day might hold, the joy of being surrounded by loved ones, and the thrill of receiving presents? Well, my friends, every day is like a birthday of sorts, because it is a day that the Lord has made.
As I’ve gotten older, birthdays have lost some of their magic. But I still love the idea of a day that’s set apart from all the others. A day to celebrate, to remember, to be grateful

Psalm 118:24 reminds us to rejoice and be glad in every day, no matter how ordinary or difficult it may seem. We can find reasons to be grateful in the people we love, the beauty of creation, and the simple pleasures of life.

But let us not forget that our joy is not dependent on our circumstances. Even in the midst of trials and challenges, we can find joy in the Lord, knowing that He is with us, He loves us, and He is working all things together for our good.

So, my dear friends, let us make the most of this day that the Lord has made. Let us keep our eyes open for the blessings that He has given us, and let us share our joy with others, spreading the love of Christ wherever we go. For this is the day that the Lord has made, and we will rejoice and be glad in it!

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Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Transformed for Fruitfulness: Trusting God's Plan John 12:24 #Nightlight #RTTBROS

Transformed for Fruitfulness: Trusting God's Plan John 12:24 #Nightlight #RTTBROS
Verse: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." - John 12:24 (KJV)

Devotional:

In John 12:24, Jesus uses the illustration of a corn of wheat to teach us about the power of growth and transformation. He tells us that unless a seed falls into the ground and dies, it will remain alone. But if it dies, it will bring forth much fruit.

This verse reminds us that growth often requires sacrifice. Just as a seed must be buried in the ground and die in order to grow into a plant, we too must be willing to let go of old habits, attitudes, and ways of thinking in order to grow and transform.

But the good news is that when we do let go and allow ourselves to be transformed, we can bring forth much fruit. Just as a single seed can grow into a bountiful harvest, our own growth and transformation can have a powerful impact on the world around us.

So let us be like the seed that falls into the ground and dies, trusting that God will bring forth new life and growth in us. And let us be willing to let go of anything that is holding us back, knowing that the fruit of our transformation will be worth the sacrifice. May we be a source of hope and inspiration to those around us, bringing forth much fruit in our lives and in the lives of others.


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Tuesday, April 25, 2023

90 Percent Solution Pro 28:21 #nightlight #RTTBROS

90 Percent Solution Pro 18:21 #Nightlight #RTTBROS One of Chuck Swindoll's most famous quotes is, "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." This statement reminds us that we have a choice in how we respond to the circumstances of life. We can choose to react with fear, anger, and bitterness, or we can choose to respond with faith, hope, and love.

The Bible has much to say about the power of our words and our attitudes. Proverbs 18:21 in the KJV says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." This verse reminds us that our words have the power to bring life or death. We can speak words of encouragement, hope, and love, or we can speak words of discouragement, despair, and hate.

James 1:19-20 in the KJV says, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." This verse reminds us to be slow to speak and slow to anger. We should listen carefully before we speak, and we should not allow our emotions to control our words and actions.

As Christians, we are called to be salt and light in the world. We are called to be a positive influence on those around us, to speak words of life and hope, and to respond to the circumstances of life with faith and love. 

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The Giving Tree Gal 6:7-8 #nightlight #RTTBROS

The Giving Tree Gal 6:7-8 #Nightlight #RTTBROS Devotion:
Every Action You Take Is a Vote for the Person You Want to Become

As believers, we are called to live a life that is pleasing to God. We are called to be holy, just as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16). This means that every action we take, every decision we make, is a vote for the person we want to become. We have the power to shape our own destiny, to become the person that God has called us to be.

In the book of Galatians, we read, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting" (Galatians 6:7-8, KJV). This means that every action we take has consequences. If we sow seeds of selfishness, greed, and pride, we will reap destruction. But if we sow seeds of love, kindness, and generosity, we will reap the abundant life.

In the book of Proverbs, we read, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23, KJV). This means that our actions are a reflection of our heart. If we have a heart that is focused on God, we will make decisions that honor Him. But if our heart is focused on ourselves, we will make decisions that dishonor Him.

So, every action we take is a vote for the person we want to become. We have the power to shape our own destiny, to become the person that God has called us to be. Let us choose to sow seeds of love, kindness, and generosity, and keep our hearts focused on God.

Illustration:

In the children's story "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein, we see the concept of every action being a vote for the person we want to become illustrated in a powerful way. The story is about a tree that gives everything it has to a boy who keeps coming back to it throughout his life. At first, the boy takes the tree's apples and plays in its branches. As he grows older, he takes the tree's branches to build a house and then its trunk to build a boat. Finally, when the boy is an old man, he comes back to the tree and asks for a place to rest. The tree offers its stump, and the boy sits down and rests.

Throughout the story, we see the tree giving selflessly to the boy, even though it means sacrificing its own well-being. The tree's actions are a reflection of its heart, which is full of love and generosity. The boy's actions, on the other hand, are a reflection of his heart, which is focused on himself. He takes and takes from the tree, without ever giving anything back.

In the end, the boy realizes the error of his ways and sees the tree for what it truly is: a symbol of love and selflessness. He realizes that every action he took was a vote for the person he wanted to become, and he decides to change his ways. He sits down on the tree's stump and rests, finally at peace.

This story reminds us that every action we take is a vote for the person we want to become. We can choose to be like the tree, giving selflessly and reflecting the love of God. Or we can choose to be like the boy, taking and taking without ever giving anything back. Let us choose to be like the tree, and sow seeds of love, kindness, and generosity in everything we do.

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Squatters #Nightlight #RTTBROS

Hello, friends. This is RTTBROS Podcast I want to talk to you today about the most valuable piece of real estate in the world - your mind.

You see, your mind is a precious gift from God. It's where you process information, make decisions, and form relationships. It's where you store memories, dreams, and hopes for the future. And yet, so often, we allow negative thoughts, sinful desires, and awful self-talk to take up residence in our minds, like squatters who refuse to leave.

But here's the thing: you don't have to let them stay. You have the power to evict them and replace them with something better.

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

So, instead of dwelling on negative thoughts, focus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. Fill your mind with God's Word, worship music, and positive affirmations. Surround yourself with people who encourage and uplift you.

And when those negative thoughts and sinful desires come knocking, don't let them in. Instead, take them captive and replace them with the truth of God's Word.

Remember, your mind is the most valuable piece of real estate in the world. Don't let the squatters of sin, negative thinking, and self-talk take up residence. Evict them and replace them with something better.

And when you do, you'll find that your life will be transformed. You'll experience greater peace, joy, and contentment. You'll be more confident, more hopeful, and more resilient. And you'll be better equipped to face whatever challenges come your way.

So, my friends, I encourage you today to take a moment and evaluate what's taking up residence in your mind. Are there any squatters that need to be evicted? If so, ask God for the strength and wisdom to do so. And then, fill your mind with what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.

As the apostle Paul wrote in "Romans 12:2 KJV
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.."

May God bless you as you seek to renew your mind and live according to his will. Thank you for joining me today.

Rumble Strip Rom 13:11 #Nightlight #RTTBROS

Rumble Strip Rom 13:11 #Nightlight #RTTBROS
My dear friends, have you ever driven on a long stretch of highway, feeling the monotony of the road lull you into a drowsy state? It's a dangerous situation, isn't it? One moment of inattention, and you could find yourself drifting off the road, into danger.
But thank God for the rumble strip on the side of the freeway! That simple, unassuming strip of grooves in the pavement can be a lifesaver. It's designed to jolt you awake if you start to drift off course. It's a warning that says, "Wake up! You're in danger!"

 His Word to keep us from drifting off course in our spiritual lives. In Romans 13:11, the Apostle Paul says, "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."

My friend, it's high time we awake! We live in a world that is constantly trying to lull us into spiritual slumber. We can become so focused on the things of this world that we forget about the things that matter most. We can become so comfortable in our routines that we forget about the urgency of the Gospel.

But just like the rumble strip on the side of the freeway, God's Word is there to wake us up. It's a warning that says, "Wake up! You're in danger!" It's a reminder that our time on Earth is so transitory. 

Let us be vigilant and watchful, knowing that our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. Let us not be caught off guard by the cares and distractions of this world, but let us be focused on the things that matter most.

And just like the rumble strip on the side of the freeway, let us be grateful for the warnings that God has given us in His Word. Let us be quick to repent and turn back to Him when we find ourselves drifting off course.

And may we always remember the words of 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." Amen.

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Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Lawyer Heal Thyself By Norman Kissinger

I was scrolling through my Facebook page as I do about once a day and noticed another DPS, “Dugger Bashing Session.” They come on my feed from time to time. In case this doesn't run across your feed, it is the ongoing conversation about the Duggar family who had a score of children and a prime-time television show that showcased their conservative Christian mindset in raising them. The show was canceled a couple of years ago I believe because their son was accused of molesting his sisters. And as is usual in these cases the Duggar family went from being the quaint darlings of the media to being the Devil family incarnate. This banishing session, if I understood the points, was that the Duggar mom and dad need to be shot, drawn and quartered, hung and other wise censured for their evils due to attending the Institute in Basic Youth Conflict seminars that was started by Bill Gathered in the late 60s and early 70s. Their evils are due to the seminar teaching “servant leadership” of the husband and father. The ministry was a cult. And the founder himself was beset by allegations of at least sexual harassment or worse. As my writing ministry surrounds examining Christianity in the modern culture, I feel compelled to put my two cents into the mix. It has been many years, but I attended several of these seminars and was part of the conservative Christian family movement in the past. This I feel qualifies me to have an opinion in in the matter along with everyone else who has no more personal experience in the situation than the hermit crab in the South Pacific who is flipping through his Facebook account. Although it is sometimes painful it is a good idea to listen to our enemies and critics to keep a humble honest opinion of ourselves as Christians. And as the Dugger’s represent Christianity whether they wanted to or not I feel it is necessary to respond to the points on the behalf of fair play. I was part of both of movements even though I have moved away from much of the thinking and have not been involved in it for many years. I don't want to address the son's guilt or innocence because I do not know enough to have an opinion and except for the family, the potential victims, the son, and the investigators, no one does. We can have all the opinions we want, but he could be completely guilty or completely innocent and anything we would say are just opinions. If he is guilty, I pray that he repents and finds forgiveness, mercy, and grace from God and takes responsibility for his actions. If he is being falsely accused may the truth come out so that true justice is served. I do not know the Duggars personally, but I know people who know them. They may be the evil incarnate people the media is making them out to be or as Mr. Bennett said in Pride and Prejudice about Mr. Darcy, “I think we will find that Mr. Darcy is no more of a black guard than any other rich man.” I think we will in the end find that the Duggar mom and dad are no more sinners than any other Christians. My goal is to neither defend them nor castigate them. It is to look at the world's hypocritical response to their life and the church's sometimes Dunder Mifflin Paper Company response to their situation. As far as the world is concerned and the humanism that runs it, their response is completely predictable. The fact of the Duggars are conservatives and Christians means that they are fair game for every possible abuse that can be heaped upon them. I expect nothing better from the world. If they want me to answer for any hypocrisy in my life as a Christian, I expect them to answer for things like completely ignoring Epstein's Island and that all the people involved in it made anything the Duggar’s or their son did look like preschool. It's time that the humanistic world is called out like they relish calling out Christians. Lawyer heal thyself. Since the article was placed online, they are making the accusations and therefore invite the public to render judgment as to their merits, let's examine each count against the Duggers here. No matter how he arrived at this evil philosophy, Mr. Dugger is accused of practicing “servant leadership” as a husband and a father. It is obvious that the humanistic community has judged this as completely unacceptable because a father showing any leadership is a tyrant who needs to be censured and exposed. In our culture men should stay the oldest immature kid in the home and be the least listened to. In a culture that accepts the idea that a person can legitimately believe themselves to be a mermaid, they have lost all credibility in the claim that they are intellectually and morally superior to the scripture. But we as Christians need to look back to the scripture to judge this. It should be the final arbiter of whether our defendant is guilty. So, I am going to do deep a study in this matter from God word. Studying…. Studying…Studying… just kidding, I don't have to. If Christians don't get this one right, they need to sit down and actually read the New Testament. You know, those 27 books at the end of the Bible. I would say that 30 years ago a third grade Sunday school class could get this one right and I'm scared that most Christian adults can’t today. That is what a friend of mine would say is “patheta-sad.” Of course, the Christian father is supposed to be the servant leader of his home. The Christian world today may bristle at the idea that the New Testament teaches that the man is supposed to be the spiritual leader but that's exactly what the scripture teaches. The fact that fathers and husbands may not be able to live it and families may be so rebellious they refuse to follow does not negate the fact that that's exactly what the Bible teaches. So, to count number one I hope Mr. Dugger is found guilty. If he was making the attempt on any level, he was doing something right even if he failed. Sadly, there are plenty times in my life where I would not be found guilty of this charge, and neither would my family. So, I throw no stones. Charge number two was the Duggers were associated with the Institute in Basic Life Conflicts which was a cult, and the founder was corrupt. As I stated above, I attended these seminars from my early teens into my middle adult years. I cannot speak for the leadership of the movement as I was not involved but I can to the teaching. So, I decided to go into my library and pull out my books from The Institute to review the teachings. I have not been involved for a couple of decades, so I wanted to make sure I was being accurate. The basic seminar which lasts for a week surrounded the subjects of self-image, responsibility, clearing your conscience, yielding rights, freedom from sin, success in the Christian Life, God's purpose for your life, and picking friends. The material which helped people of all ages was originally written for teenagers and so tended to have that bent to it. As far as the authors of the article saying that the institute in Basic Youth conflicts was cultic, I would just say that the material for the basic was excellent material. The material helped thousands of Christians be better Christians. It taught Christian principles that every Church today should be teaching. If there was anything heretical about it, it must be deeply hidden because I have studied the scripture for over 40 years and find it still to be pretty good stuff. The advanced Institute was more on the level of practical application. As a result, it probably was where most of the controversy came from. Its teachings on spiritual gifts were excellent and it had lots of other good material, but it did advocate having large families, homeschooling your kids, and the mom staying at home. It also advocated becoming financially free and other concepts that were the movement’s application of scripture but were not heretical violations of scriptural principles. Many of the points I do not agree with, but I still contend that there is nothing overtly heretical about the teaching. It is a way of looking at the Christian faith that some people find successful, and others do not. Mom's do not necessarily have to stay at home to be a successful family. Kids do not necessarily have to be homeschooled to be a successful Christian. Some of those concepts are debatable but not heretical. There were other programs, and I do not have time to go into all of them. I cannot say that there was not a cultic atmosphere to his other programs. I know people that attended some of them and benefited from them, but I can speak to the fact that the Institute in Basic Life Conflicts was an instrument that God used to saved thousands of souls and helped thousands and thousands of Christians become better Christians. I attended several seminars in the 70s and early 80s in Portland, Oregon and a friend of mine who got sick and had to lay down and was ushered into a back room to see medical staff. She walked through several rooms with scores of Christians that we're praying that the people would be saved, and the people's lives would be changed. Whatever the Institute did wrong or whatever failures they may have had at least they were out there attempting to try to get people right with God. And they were following a pattern it certainly is scriptural. Bill Gothard may have been a tyrant bully and inappropriate or sinful with how he dealt with ladies. But the movement is self-did much for the kingdom of God. And my next point would be so what if this is true or not true what is this have to do with the Duggars? What does this institute's successes or failures have to do with their life? That is not any different than if somebody works in a business and at the head of the business is laundering money for the mafia or doing something illegal does not make the employees or the people that are associated with the business guilty. So far, all the article has taught me is that the Duggars are guilty of being involved in a parachurch ministry that I know to have helped many people over the years despite its failures and sins. So, the charges should be dropped for lack of merit. They attempted to live the life in the principles of the Institute, and I suspect if I investigated their life, I would find that they were successful in some points and not in others, sounds like real life Christianity to me. As to the charges against Bill Gothard I was so helped by this ministry and so were so many people that I am sad that this happened and anything that he is guilty of I am profoundly sad over but again that has nothing to do with the Duggars. The last charge that the Duggars were part of what I called the Conservative Christian Movement of a generation ago. The 60s and 70s of the American Church were the highest time of influence. We held great sway over the culture and certainly was making a cultural difference towards of the kingdom of God on some levels. But as time went on the church moved into a form of legalism and institutionalization that denied the power of the Spirit and therefore the church's influence began to wane. As a result of that movements across the Americas were formed to bring the church back to its former glory. The Conservative Christian Movement was a call to move back to the basic principles of scripture and have a living Christianity, not a dead Institution. It carried with it the idea that the church should be actively doing things and changing its behavior not just giving lip service to being a Christian. As to this one I would say that our intent was great, but the application did not work. The one thing that I observe, and that many Christians have found out, is that one cannot force people or children into doing the right thing and change their hearts. Until the heart is changed by the power of the Holy Spirit rules will avail nothing. So, we may have acted better on the outside but many of us and our children were not necessarily better on the inside. That was the Conservative Christian Movement’s failure. As a result, neither the dying institutional church or the Conservative Christian Movement of the time was making any difference to the culture that was increasingly ignoring the church and its influence. The Millennial and Digital generations born after 1980 and 2000 absolutely hate a Christianity that requires a change of behavior. They cite that this is because it turns into legalism, which it often does, but the opposite of this is a Christianity that is only one in name only and has no more Spirit than the Conservative Christian Movement of a generation before. I intend to address this in my next article. Again, Lawyer heal thyself. Before I could finish this article there was already another DBS over Mr. Duggar being supposedly involved in some sort of a shady real estate deal. But I am getting disgusted by it. Again, if it's true then may he be held accountable and if it's not may he be protected from the constant lies that are spread about him. The humanist anti Christians running America have lost all credibility with me whether it's true or not. As far as I'm concerned this illustrates that the church in America, regardless of the generation, has a lot of work to do and we're all getting a lot of things wrong. This family is suffering for our sins as well as theirs.