_*Thursday 27 February 2025*_ _*TODAY'S DEVOTION*_ _*CONTENTS*_ _• *Just A Little Laugh*_ _• *Quote Of The Day*_ _• *Today's Sermon*_ _• *New Believer's Prayer*_ _• *The Marriage After God*_ _• *‘Train A Child than Repair A Man'*_ _• *Christian News From Around The World*_ __________________________ _*JUST A LITTLE LAUGH*_ _*All Booked Up*_ _A newlywed farmer and his wife were visited by her mother, who immediately demanded an inspection of the place. The farmer had genuinely tried to be friendly to his new mother-in-law, hoping that it could be a friendly, non- antagonistic relationship. All to no avail though, as she kept nagging them at every opportunity, demanding changes, offering unwanted advice, and generally making life unbearable for the farmer and his new bride._ _While they were walking through the barn, during the forced inspection, the farmer's mule suddenly reared up and kicked the mother-in-law in the head, killing her instantly. It was a shock to all no matter their feelings toward her demanding ways..._ _At the funeral service a few days later, the farmer stood near the casket and greeted folks as they walked by. The pastor noticed that whenever a woman would whisper something to the farmer, he would nod his head yes and say something. Whenever a man walked by and whispered to the farmer, however, he would shake his head no, and mumble a reply._ _Very curious as to this bizarre behavior, the pastor later asked the farmer what that was all about. The farmer replied, "The women would say, 'What a terrible tragedy and I would nod my head and say 'Yes, it was.' The men would ask, 'Can I borrow that mule?' and I would shake my head and say, 'Can't, it's all booked up for a year.'"_ __________________________ _*QUOTE OF THE DAY*_ _"If you can trust God to save you for eternity, you can trust him to lead you for a lifetime." ~ *David Platt*_ __________________________ _*TODAY'S SERMON*_ _*Whatever Is Good and Perfect*_ _*Greg Laurie*_ _*“So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”* — James 1:16–17_ _In this passage, James is talking to people who were struggling with temptation. They were looking for scapegoats. Some even had the nerve to suggest that God tempted them to sin. James nips that talk in the bud with three words: “Don’t be misled.”_ _God doesn’t tempt anyone to sin. He is light; sin is darkness. The two can’t coexist. There is no dark side to Him. There’s not even a hint of a shadow._ _God created us with free will. He lets us choose whether we will obey Him or not. And He allows us to experience the consequences of our disobedience. But He doesn’t tempt us. He doesn’t try to get us to do wrong._ _In fact, He gives us every reason not to sin. He warns us in His Word about temptation. In 2 Timothy 2:22, the apostle Paul writes, “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.”_ _God’s light exposes darkness. It shows us the ugly truth behind the attractive things that tempt us. Not only that, God gives us an escape route from every temptation we face. In 1 Corinthians 10:13, Paul writes, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”_ _God isn’t the tempter; He’s the Giver. He’s generous beyond belief, and His goodness is perfect. We never have to question His motives because He wants only what’s best for us—not just in the moment, but forever. And because His wisdom is as reliable as His goodness, we can trust that everything He sends our way is not just beneficial, but perfectly beneficial._ _Everything good—in this world and in your life—is a gift from God. If you wrap your mind around that truth, you have something to be thankful for every day. The promise of eternal life. The view from your favorite vacation spot. The skills, abilities, and qualities that set you apart from others. The taste of your favorite food. The people closest to you._ _What would happen in your relationship with your spouse or other loved ones if you treated them like the gift from God that they are? If you spent time appreciating the many ways they bring you joy and brighten your day? If you found creative and meaningful ways to let them know how thankful you are for them?_ _Imagine the possibilities._ _*Question for reflection:* How can you show your appreciation for the good and perfect gifts God has given you?_ harvestdirect.org ____________________________ _*NEW BELIEVER'S PRAYER*_ _I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." ~ *Luke 15:7*_ _Giving your life to Christ is the best decision of your life. Scripture says, only one sinner who repents at any one time, is enough to cause a joyous celebration in heaven. You are that person today. There is massive joy in heaven on account of your decision to come to Christ. The actual process of receiving a new life is very simple. Romans 10:9-10 says, "...if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved." In that respect, kindly repeat this simple prayer audibly and you are saved._ _*Prayer:* Lord Jesus, thank you for dying in my place on the cross. I truly believe in my heart that you were raised from the dead and you sit at the right hand of the Father. I confess that you are Lord and Saviour. I confess and repent of all of my sins, that I committed knowingly and unknowingly. I receive the free gift of forgiveness, even as I forgive them that wronged me. I want to live righteously from today on. I commit my life to you, to lead me in paths of righteousness. Amen._ _If you prayed that prayer, congratulations you have been saved by Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Welcome to the new you, in Christ! What a wonder! The old has passed, and the new has come (2 Cor 5:17). Now kindly look for a Bible believing church near you, and hear more about your new found freedom in Christ._ ____________________________ _*THE MARRIAGE AFTER GOD*_ _*God’s Recipe For Sex*_ _*Dr James & Shirley Dobson*_ _*“Let my lover come into his garden and taste its choice fruits.”* Song of Songs 4:16_ _Someone once said that in matters of sex, men are like microwaves and women are like crockpots. There is certainly some truth to that cooking analogy—husbands can reach their “boiling point” before many wives have even decided what’s on the menu! Why would God make men and women this way? Don’t our different makeups set us up for conflict when our attention turns to physical intimacy?_ _I believe the Lord knew just what He was doing when He established these fundamental differences between us. After all, if women were more like men, we’d all probably spend so much time in the bedroom that we’d never get anything else done. And if men were more like women, we’d enjoy many more meaningful conversations—but the species might just disappear!_ _Our differences are what make life so interesting and invigorating. They force us to reach out, to grow, to appreciate our partner. When a husband is extroverted and the wife is introverted, the husband draws out the wife, while the wife helps the husband take time to reflect. When a wife is spontaneous and her husband is a planner, she brings energy and excitement to his life, while he adds stability to hers._ _So it is with sex. Emotional and physical differences create interest and excitement. We encourage you to celebrate them! After all, when marital partners are joined as “one flesh,” it is more than a physical union. We are merging our whole beings—body, mind, and spirit—in a wonderful and sacred encounter. This is just what your loving God intended. You can enjoy the variety that each of you brings to your marriage—no matter what you’re cooking._ ___________________________ _*’TRAIN THE CHILD THAN REPAIR A MAN’*_ _*Action Over Anger*_ _*Dr James & Shirley Dobson*_ _*”Man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”* James 1:20_ _As a former schoolteacher, I know how important it is to practice effective discipline in the classroom and at home. One of Jim’s former teaching colleagues had no clue about effective classroom management. When her fifth-grade students got out of hand, she jumped on top of her desk and blew a whistle. The only problem was, her students loved it! They spent their days plotting how to get her back on that desk._ _Angry threats, screams, and whistles are highly inefficient forms of discipline. They actually create disrespect in the minds of kids. Would you respect a superior court judge who presided over his courtroom by waving his arms wildly, shouting out empty threats and warnings? I doubt it. And so it is in our homes. When we try to rule our families by our emotions, we find our kids manipulating us just like the class with the whistling teacher._ _Anger is ineffective in another way; it leads us to say and do things we’ll regret. Scripture repeatedly instructs us to avoid inappropriate anger: “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath” (Psalm 37:8); “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger (Ephesians 4:31); “Everyone should be…slow to become angry” (James 1:19). I’m not suggesting that you hide your feelings from your children. Sometimes your kids should know that you are upset by their actions. But when we try to control the behavior of our children through our anger, it usually ends up controlling us instead._ _How, then, should a parent respond to a son or daughter’s deliberate disobedience? With consistent disciplinary action, administered with a cool head and restrained hand. As we are reminded in Proverbs 29:11, it is the wise man—and the wise parent—who keeps himself or herself under control._ _____________________________ _*CHRISTIAN NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD*_ _*Hardline Muslims stab evangelist after widow gives her life to Christ*_ _*Morning Star News*_ _*Wednesday, February 26, 2025*_ _Robert Kasozi, a 39-year-old evangelist also known as Mulokole, was stabbed in the stomach, and three co-workers also were beaten in the attack in Kiwanga village, Goma Sub-County, Mukono District, a local source said._ _The evangelists led a 75-year-old widow identified only as Hasifa to faith in Christ in a public prayer, infuriating a relative and a shopkeeper, said an area contact whose name is withheld for security reasons._ _“A relative of Hasifa named Jawadi and a shopkeeper saw all that took place — he came out of the shop and started shouting the Islamic slogan, ‘Inna lillahi wa Inna ilayhi raji’un [Indeed to Allah we belong and to him we shall return]’ and [jihadist slogan] ‘Allah akbar [Allah is greater],’” the source told Morning Star News._ _Many Muslims gathered and started insulting the evangelists, she said._ _“A Muslim came and attacked Kasozi, piercing him in the stomach with a knife,” the source said. “While other attackers were shouting, ‘You infidels, why do you come to spread a wrong message into our city — don’t you know that this city belongs to Muslims? Stop what you’re doing now, because for us we know that Jesus is not the Son of God but a messenger from God just like our prophet Muhammad.’_ _“Other Muslims started beating the three evangelists as Kasozi was lying in a pool of blood. They also grabbed their Bibles and tore them into pieces.”_ _The three other evangelists injured in the attack were Alice Nanduja, 27, James Bazanya (also known as Kyuma Kya Yesu) and Frank Biribawa, all from Bwikwe District, the source said._ _Six milk sellers on motorcycles stopped and helped rescue the four Christians, and an area store security guard fired his pistol in the air, causing the assailants to flee._ _Kasozi said he was taken to a hospital for treatment, where he was still recovering._ _“I am going to file a case after leaving the hospital,” Kasozi said._ _None of the assailants has been arrested, though some were known to area residents._ _The attack was the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented._ _Uganda’s constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to propagate one’s faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12% of Uganda’s population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country._ ________________________________ _*'House of David' Now Streaming on Prime, Bringing Epic Biblical Account to Life*_ _*Efrem Graham & James Wilkins*_ 02-26-2025 _The epic story of King David is now available on a TV screen near you, starting February 27. "House of David" takes a cinematic look at one of the Bible's most beloved characters. It's a full-scale re-telling of David's rise from an overlooked, shepherd boy to Israel's most famous king._ _Actor Michael Iskander leads the cast playing the role of David. He told CBN News how he felt about taking on such a role._ _"Scary. I mean, obviously an offer like this type of story, it's so special when everyone wants it, but it's scary because there's so much pressure being the one person to do this. I like to think that there's plenty of people who could have done it. I'm just a lucky one," he said._ _Iskander shared with CBN News his strong desire to play the role of David and what it has taught him._ _"I think it goes back to the show, The Chosen. I watch the shows. Every single time I watch an episode, I cry. I see the Bible come to life. And not only that, but I see human beings in front of me. I seen some big grand person far away. I've always been inspired by that and I've wanted to be a part of it. So, I thought to myself, man, I'd love to be in a flashback seat, maybe young King David. And that was a long time ago. That was 2021. And so to get the opportunity now to do that on full scale, deeply, the story, such a full circle movement, initial spark."_ _"David has taught me courage and bravery because the one thing that David always does is he doesn't run from his fears. He goes right to them. And I think that's a lesson we all need is to not run away from fears but face our failures. To stand up against the giant and to say, I'm here. Even though we might be scared, terrified, we still choose to stand against giants," he continued._ _The spark behind the epic series is Jon Erwin whose film credits include "Jesus Revolution" and "I Can Only Imagine," and Jon Gunn whose work includes "The Case for Christ" and "I Still Believe." Both Gunn and Erwin described how they found the balance to tell a compelling story with Biblical accuracy._ _"We feel like a great responsibility for the source material, and you want to get it right and you want to honor it. And the way to honor it is to understand the heart of it and then to fill in those gaps in ways that support the truth or the heart of it. Then you get a lot of help from people to go like, 'no, this is great, but this is actually inaccurate,'" Gunn told CBN News._ _"The Bible is kind of like you're flying through a theme park in a jet. It's a historical overview and a high altitude. So, it's wonderful to... I like Ken Burns uses this phrase 'emotional archeology,' which I really like. And to first love the material, learn the material, and then really think about okay, these are real people and if they're in chapter 3, they don't know about chapter 4. Then you read all that David was going through in the Psalms and then you cross reference them to life that he was living... and it really comes to life," Erwin said._ _Body builder, actor, and Mortal Combat star Martyn Ford brings the role of Goliath to life. He shared why Goliath's story was important._ _"I think the power of and allowing us to tell the story with the backstory allows you to see more that you don't as a human. And if we can have that relatability to the fact that he is half human, he does have a family, he has brothers, and a mother, and there's a driving force, there's a motivation for his actions."_ ___________________________ _*"Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is ruth."* John 17:17_