Practical Christian Living How To Live for Christ Today.

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2 Daily Devotionals Practical Christian Living How To Live for Christ Today. Written by: Robert Brock Nathan Rogers CHILDREN S EDITOR: Libby Gill EDITOR IN CHIEF: Larry E. Clements larryclements@bogardpress.org GRAPHIC ARTISTS: Shawn Blase Jeff Allen Greg Hilterbrand BUSINESS MANAGER: Wayne Sewell wsewell@bogardpress.org PRODUCTION EDITOR: Sally McInvale ADULT EDITOR: Jim Jones ILLUSTRATOR: Connie Spears LAYOUT DESIGNERS: Kyle Elkins Cindy Butler Ashley Elkins CONTENT EDITORS: Terry McKellar Carolyn Burks Deby Turrentine Joni Curtis PRINT PRODUCTION: Charles Easley Copyright 2014 Vol. 24, No. 3 Bogard Press 4605 N. State Line Ave. Texarkana, TX

3 About the Writers grew up in a Missionary Baptist deacon s home, was saved at the age of nine and joined Hatley MBC, Hatley, MS. She married Nicky Barnett in Bro. Barnett has pastored in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Florida for the past twenty-eight years. In each of Brother Barnett s pastorates, Beverly has taught children in Sunday School or children s church. Beverly returned to school in 1985 and graduated with honors as an LPN. In 1991, she graduated from Northwest Alabama Community College with an associate degree and became a registered nurse. She has been a guest writer for Women of the Harvest magazine, her hometown newspaper and writes a monthly newsletter. She continues to study the art of writing. She may be contacted at nanb542000@yahoo.com. Dr. Robert A. Sunny Brock discovered America on Income Tax Day, 1941, eight months before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, born to an oil field hand dad and child polio victim mother. He was raised by five old country Irish uncles and was first prize winner of the National Interscholastic League Story Telling Contest. He served nine years as a US Air Force chaplain s assistant during the Vietnam War era. He attended Baylor University, University of Southern California and the University of Hawaii. He received his Master s in education from Sam Houston State University and ThD from Texas Baptist Institute and Seminary. Sunny taught eighth grade earth science, vocational agriculture and women prisoners at Huntsville, TX and has thirty-eight years of teaching and tenure at Texas Baptist Institute and Seminary. Dr. Brock has authored articles for newspapers, religious journals and textbooks Romans The Fifth Gospel, Teaching Methods for Bible Teachers, Developmental Psychology, Research and Writing Manual for Master and Doctoral Thesis, Bible Backgrounds, Discipleship and Interpretation of the English Bible, Criterion Press. Book credits include Salt Lick Vol. I and Vol. II, Exlibris Press, Turkey Mountain Boys: My Brother s Keeper, Tate Publishing, OK. He may be contacted at BobBrock@juno.com. Nathan Noel Rogers has served as the pastor of the Longview Missionary Baptist Church in Longview, Texas since Nathan grew up in East End, Arkansas and attended East Union Missionary Baptist Church as a child. He was saved in 1992 when he attended camp at Pine Springs Camp with a friend from Faith Missionary Baptist Church in North Little Rock, Arkansas. In 1994 Nathan moved to Sheridan, Arkansas where he met his high school sweetheart and eventual wife Ericka (Taylor) Rogers. They were married in They have two children, Bethany and Micah. Nathan surrendered into the gospel ministry in 1999 while a member at Lonoke Baptist Church in Morrilton, Arkansas. He has served churches in Morrilton, Harrison, Cave City, Arkansas and Longview, Texas. Nathan has attended seminary classes at the Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock, Arkansas, Central Arkansas Baptist Bible Institute in Benton, Arkansas and Texas Baptist Institute and Seminary in Henderson, Texas. Nathan has received Bachelors degrees in Theology, Bible Ministry and Youth Ministry. He has also served on the teaching staffs at Central Arkansas Baptist Bible Institute and Texas Baptist Institute and Seminary. He may be contacted at nathan@longviewmbc.com. 2

4 , June Scripture Readings, o May 25 2 Samuel 21; 22; Luke 24:33-53 o May 26 2 Samuel 23; 24; Acts 1 o May 27 1 Kings 1; 2; Acts 2:1-24 o May 28 1 Kings 3; 4; Acts 2:25-47 o May 29 1 Kings 5; 6; Acts 3 o May 30 1 Kings 7; 8; Acts 4:1-17 o May 31 1 Kings 9; 10; Acts 4:18-37 o June 1 1 Kings 11; 12; Acts 5:1-20 o June 2 1 Kings 13; 14; Acts 5:21-42 o June 3 1 Kings 15; 16; Acts 6 o June 4 1 Kings 17; 18; Acts 7:1-20 o June 5 1 Kings 19; 20; Acts 7:21-40 o June 6 1 Kings 21; 22; Acts 7:41-60 o June 7 2 Kings 1; 2; Acts 8:1-19 o June 8 2 Kings 3; 4; Acts 8:20-40 o June 9 2 Kings 5; 6; Acts 9:1-19 o June 10 2 Kings 7; 8; Acts 9:20-43 o June 11 2 Kings 9; 10; Acts 10:1-22 o June 12 2 Kings 11; 12; Acts 10:23-48 o June 13 2 Kings 13; 14; Acts 11 o June 14 2 Kings 15; 16; Acts 12 o June 15 2 Kings 17; 18; Acts 13:1-23 o June 16 2 Kings 19; 20; Acts 13:24-52 o June 17 2 Kings 21; 22; Acts 14 o June 18 2 Kings 23; 24; Acts 15:1-18 o June 19 2 Kings 25; Acts 15:19-41 o June 20 1 Chronicles 1; Acts 16:1-15 o June 21 1 Chronicles 2; 3; Acts 16:16-40 o June 22 1 Chronicles 4; 5; Acts 17 o June 23 1 Chronicles 6; Acts 18 o June 24 1 Chronicles 7; 8; Acts 19:1-22 o June 25 1 Chronicles 9; 10; Acts 19:23-41 o June 26 1 Chronicles 11; 12; Acts 20:1-16 o June 27 1 Chronicles 13 15; Acts 20:17-38 o June 28 1 Chronicles 16; 17; Acts 21:1-26 o June 29 1 Chronicles 18; 19; Acts 21:27-40 o June 30 1 Chronicles 20 23; Acts 22 3

5 Monday, May 26 Trials for a Season 1 Peter 1:6-8 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations, 1 Peter 1:6. Peter and all of the first century Christians were unique pioneers in the faith. They were inexperienced believers who did not have the completed Scriptures and some had never seen Jesus. Nonetheless, their faith was extraordinarily strong. They stood strong on Jesus promises as preached by the apostles while they endured joyfully the trials and terrors that came upon them. They rejoiced as they endured persecutions, which included tortures of various degrees as though they were moments of time instead of days, weeks or years.the apostle Peter commended these great men and women as they suffered bravely through this season of trials. Brothers and sisters, we have so much to rejoice about such as freedom to worship, easy access and comfortable surroundings, including video and music to enhance our worship services. Freedom and ease and still, some members must be constantly reminded to be faithful to the Lord s churches. Then, there are those who complain about the temperature, the rain, the snow, the money, the cliques, the preacher, the kids, the teens, the music... all the while the lost are dying everyday without a Savior. Instead, we should rejoice in our blessings, in the testimony of these saints of the past, encouraging those facing trials and troubles, telling the lost of the Savior s extravagant love and living as though this life is but a moment in time. Living with the end in mind that this life and the trials and troubles it holds are but for a moment is one way we can live victoriously! 6

6 Tuesday, May 27 The Working of Affliction 2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Corinthians 4:17. Do you know what a diamond must endure to be a beautiful, shining, sparkling gem? First, after a diamond is mined and before it is processed, it must be separated from the ore by comminuting and liberating the ore. This includes crushing and sometimes recrushing the ore. Then, the crushed ore is placed in a ferrosilicon mixture to be scrubbed, cleaned and processed. The heavier minerals will sink, and a more concentrated amount of diamonds will emerge. This concentrated mix will go through an x-ray sorter. The reflected light from the diamond will set off a sensor, and the diamond will be separated from the other matter. A profitable diamond will now be acid washed. After the acid wash, a diamond is now ready to be cut, ground and sanded. Since diamonds are the hardest substance known to man, a special tool with a blade coated in diamond dust is used to cut the diamond. Then, polishing and more polishing is done before the diamond emerges its fiery, faceted object of beauty. Like the diamond, a believer s scrubbing, grinding and polishing (our light affliction) yields a useable gem in the service of God. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6). 7

7 Sunday, June 1 Walk in the Light Ephesians 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light, Ephesians 5:8. Light displaces darkness, but darkness cannot displace light as long as there is light. To test this truth, try this experiment tonight in your home. (It will also be fun to do with your children or grandchildren to teach this important biblical truth.) Plug in a nightlight in a room but do not turn it on. Then, turn off all the lights and allow the room to become completely dark. Allow time for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. Now, turn on the nightlight. Notice how lit up that tiny light can make the room. Light can over power the darkness of the room, but the darkness does not over power the light emitting from the tiny fifteen watt bulb. The truth is this. God is the Creator of light (Gen. 1:3). In the Bible, light is symbolic of happiness, truth, knowledge and holiness. Believers are the children of the Light. Therefore, the Bible should be our guiding light for the way we should live presently in this dark world. On the contrary, darkness represents sin. All humanity is in darkness until they come to the Light of the glorious gospel (2 Cor. 4:4). The Light of the gospel, Jesus Christ, illuminates the darkness of sin in one s life. Without Him you are in a dark place. He is the Light of life! Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life, (John 8:12). 12

8 Monday, June 2 Fulfilling the Law Romans 13: 8, 9 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law, Romans 13:8. Most of us enter into a contract with a finance company or bank when buying a new car or house, agreeing to make monthly payments. It is such a happy relief when we make the last payment on the purchase. The obligation (lawful contract) is satisfied. Even more satisfying is when we complete the contract ahead of schedule. The Law had many laws that must be completed or fulfilled. The Jews were obligated to do their best to follow the Law. The Pharisees and other religious elite persons added extra details (their own interpretation) to the Mosaic Law. To their surprise, Jesus exposed all their extra details and simplified the Law down to two. They are love God and love your neighbor (Matt. 22:37-40). Think of all the marriages that could have been and could be saved if the two adults practiced these two simple commands to love God and their spouse. How about all the church splits that could have been avoided if her members practiced love God and their fellow members? We could fulfill the whole Law with one word Love. Love God, our neighbors, spouses, fellow church members and unbelievers so much that we are willing to put them first and our own preferences second. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love Is the fulfilling of the law ( Rom. 13:10). 13

9 Tuesday, June 3 Practice No Partiality 1 Timothy 5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality, 1 Timothy 5:21. church body is made up of many different types of people from all walks of life with all types of personalities. As a body, they should work together in synchronization, as our body parts work together to sustain life, to promote the kingdom of God by winning unbelievers to Christ s saving power. There is no place in the body of Christ for partiality, but it happens. Partiality (prejudice) is detrimental to the Lord s work on earth. It causes division, disruption and dismembering of the body. It hinders the advancement of the kingdom by causing the membership of the local body of Christ to fight with each other. This infighting causes the membership to forget the main objective of a New Testament church is to make, baptize and teach disciples. Partiality is killing many local churches, and we must guard against this sin! No person in a local church should be the boss. Every member has an equal vote and voice. To sequester this equality is disobedience to God s command. Sneaking around gathering votes for one person s agenda is a sin. Sin in any form is a hindrance and is disobedient to God. If you are involved in partiality, then, repent before it is too late. Hindering God s work and hurting His churches are not without consequences. And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought (Acts 5:38). 14