Monday, March 18, 2024

The Daily Scroll - Get Up

 I know a man who has been racked with pain and infirmity which landed him in the hospital incapable of doing much. Disappointment filled his life because he could not even go to church. Laying in his hospital bed one Sunday morning, he observed two separate TV ministers preaching on the same theme. A theme that encouraged him out of his disappointment and depression. Nothing changed physically,he was still temporarily bed ridden.  However, spiritually, deep inside, hope sprang up and lifted him up from despair. 

The Bible teaches us,  “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” (Isaiah 59:19)

He was reminded that no matter how bad things look, how weak and inadequate you might feel, The Holy Spirit of God is there and will not, I say will not, allow you to be utterly cast down.

Our friend in this testimony got up, not physically because he couldn’t. But his faith rose from deep inside with the experience and knowledge of God who cannot lie, and got up to meet another day. Challenge conquered.



Thursday, March 14, 2024

The Daily Scroll - Gods’ Mark

 For Christians who study Bible prophesy about the end times, there is nothing more dreaded than the mark of the Beast. 

The Bible says, “Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.” (Revelation 13:16-18)

For whoever takes this mark makes the anti-Christ his God, which is blasphemy, and eternal damnation. We know that the devil has a counterfeit for the things of God. He so desires to be God, and to be worshipped, that he fakes his own version of the things of God. So where did the devil get this idea?

“And when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of man and beast. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb, but I redeem all the firstborn of my sons.’ So it shall serve as a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead, for with a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.” (Exodus 13:16)

The mark on the hand and forehead, as seen in Exodus, was put there by God to free His people, and show that they are His. However the mark as seen in Revelation will be put there by satan to enslave people and show that they are his, the beasts’. Watch therefore and pray for time is short and Jesus is coming to catch His people away.



Thursday, February 22, 2024

The Daily Scroll - Back to the Present

 Most parents dream great things for their children. We actually wish that they surpass our achievements and success. Father God is no different. As a matter of fact, He is the ultimate Father of all mankind. His dreams for us far surpasses our dreams for ourselves. He wants us to dream big! The Bible says, 

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) Dream big!

There was a middle aged man in prayer to whom God gave a vision. In this vision he was riding a horse through rolling hills of a vast farm. He pulled up the reins and stopped his horse on a hill overlooking plants and vegetables as far as the eye could see in every direction. These could feed multitudes of people. As he surveyed all of this, God gave him a challenge. He said, “Pull the future into the present by seeing it in me.”

Unable to wrap his mind around a challenge such as this, he thought, “How can I possible accomplish this? He the remembered the words of the Lord, “Pull the future into the present by seeing it in me.” 

I can’t pull this whole dream that He has for me into the present at once, but I can do it piece by piece. I’ll plant a garden in my yard. A big garden, so I’ll have extra produce to give to poor needy families. I’ll start with what I can do and watch God grow His dream of the future back here in the present.



The Daily Scroll - The Quietness of Alone

Ken was a song writer just arriving in Nashville Tennessee to make his mark in Christian music. He walked the sidewalks of music row during the day and slept in his old van near Centennial park at night. He tried to make his pitches at Benson, Word Music, Capitol music and every company in between. Most wouldn’t even give him a chance. “Please leave your demo with me and I’ll see it gets into the right hands.” Said the receptionist. He heard those words so many times over the next several weeks until he was filled with dread as he entered that last door. 

Out of money, out of time, and out of hope, Ken faced the facts and gave up. He had failed. And worse, he was all alone. Sitting on the back bumper of his van, he looked to the star filled sky and began to pray. But there were no words. The night was silent except for the distant traffic on the Interstate. His thoughts turned to the quietness of being alone. The silence of his soul was deafening. He opened his mouth but this time his prayer had words. 

“Lord Jesus, I’ve asked you for help before, and you’ve always come through for me time and time again. Lord, after I gave up today I sank lower than ever, but now I see. My defeat, my loneliness has not beaten me. No more than yours beat you. No, now I understand a little better what you went through. As I sit here quiet and alone, I feel closer to you than I have ever felt before. In this stillness I’ve found you, in the fellowship of your loneliness.” 

Ken reached for his guitar and began to strum. And penned the words which eventually got recorded. “Oh what loneliness, Jesus had……”

The Bible records the following, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke5:16)

Also, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.“ (Isaiah 41:10)




Tuesday, February 20, 2024

The Daily Scroll - Suffer Ring

 Sam is a thirty three year old man who has come to a crossroad in his life. He was injured in a construction accident two and a half years ago and lost the use of both his legs. Today he sits in his wheelchair beside the busiest intersection in town with a decision. Should he end his pain and suffering by rolling out into traffic or continue home, back into misery. 

In the past, he was a positive Christian man of faith, but these last years have taken a severe toll on him. Not only his body, but also on his mind. He almost called the veterans suicide hotline for help, but he would muster his faith and thoughts of suicide left him. Nevertheless he was tortured inside his suffer ring. He called it his suffer ring because it was a circle, a cycle of pain. The physical pain was oppressive, but added to that was the mental pain. Why? Why me? Why Lord?

Just then he placed his hands on the wheels to roll himself into traffic to end it all when a stranger, a young  lady, took hold of the wheelchair handles. Holding firm she said, “Excuse me sir. May I assist you by pushing you safely across the street?” Sam bowed his head and wept. He said, “Yes lady. I surely would.”

As they waited for the light to change, his thoughts went to the Bible and the account of Jesus and His suffering before and during His crucifixion. He remembered how Jesus wept because His own people, those He had come to die for, had rejected Him. The mental pain and anguish that Jesus suffered in the Garden as He asked God to take this cup from Him… if possible. (Matthew 26:38-39) Sam finally understood how Jesus was in a suffer ring encompassing Him physically and mentally. 

The light changed and they made it safely across the street. As the wheelchair bumped over the curb to safety, Sam thanked the lady as she walked around to the front to face him. She said,”Hello, my name is Samantha.” She then reached out her prosthetic hand to shake his hand. She was a twenty nine year old war veteran with a prosthetic hand and left leg. He chuckled and told her that his name was Sam. She said, “Well Sam, would you like to go inside this coffee shop and get a cup?” 

“Yes. Yes Samantha I would.” And with that, God began to ease his suffer ring.




Tuesday, February 13, 2024

The Daily Scroll - Light in the Darkest Night

 Chuck was an adventurous young boy. He took his new bike, which he just received for his eleventh birthday, for a ride on a long country road near his house. It was such a beautiful afternoon, and he was enjoying himself so much that he lost all track of time. As he noticed the sun beginning to set behind the trees, he thought that he had better start back. 

Off to the right was a dirt road that he figured was a shortcut that led in the direction of his home, so he went to the right and followed that road. However, it curved to the right and curved to the left until he wasn’t sure if it was headed toward home or not. Then the sun dropped and darkness set in. With the darkness came uncertainty and fear. Looking around he couldn’t see ten feet in front of him. His whole world became dark shadows inhabited by even darker shadows. Then came the sounds of darkness.

Creatures of the forest, creatures of darkness, began to make their noise and howl. “What do I do now?” Chuck said out loud. 

Have you ever been there? Has the sun ever dropped and darkness set in? Have you found yourself suddenly wrapped in darkness permeated with fear. Low finances, bad medical report, spousal abuse, troubled children. With no end in sight, hopelessness can set in. Like Chuck we utter, “What do I do now?”

There’s only one thing to do…look up. Look up! Our help comes from the Lord. Seek Him for he will be found. And then He’ll light our path and give us hope. 

Chucked looked up and prayed. “Jesus, please show me the way. I’m frightened. Suddenly Chuck noticed the moon began to rise and illuminate the countryside dimly. As he looked around he saw a solitary light in the distance, so he rode in that direction. The light would come and go through the trees but he stayed on that direction. When he least expected it he came to the edge of the woods and out to the road which ran right by his house. He turned left and made it home safely. 

Have faith in God. He’ll lead you out of the darkness and into His perfect light.