April 19

Posted on April 19, 2022 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

a super day to think again.

“But you thought your fame and beauty were your own. So you gave yourself as a prostitute to every man who came along. Your beauty was theirs for the asking.”  Ezekiel 16:15 NLT

We are all aware that God bestows different gifts, talents, and abilities upon different individuals. For the myriad ways in which humans differ from one another, we all share the fact that whatever talents we have, they all came from God. And this is true no matter whether we choose to believe it or not.

Ezekiel’s message to the exiles in Babylon was relatively simple and is one we should all heed. If we have forgotten the source of all that is ours and have come to think that our achievements are the result of our own human abilities, we had better think about it again.

Our artistic abilities that have earned us prominence and have made our work popular; our astute business acumen which allows us to capitalize on opportunities that others cannot see; our ability to throw a football farther or run faster than anyone else: all of these gifts, talents, and abilities were given to us by God and are to be used, first and foremost, for God. The rewards realized from these talents should be used to help others and spread God’s message.

Of course God wants us to enjoy the fruits of our labor as well, and He has nothing against us having nice homes, cars, clothes, or other material possessions. But He expects us to use the gifts He has given us to assist those less fortunate than we are, and in return, He will reward us with even more good fortunes.

“After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10 NIV).

God wants our love, our trust, our faith, and our recognition that all we have comes from Him.

Are there selfish, self-centered, boastful people who deny credit that is due the Lord and keep it for themselves? Absolutely. Do many of them surround themselves with incredible wealth and luxury and claim it as their own and not God’s? Of course.

But for them, when they die, that is where it all ends. For those who praise God for all they are and all they have, God will multiply their blessings in this life, and it does not end with death.

If you think you are successful just because you are special, perhaps you need to think again.

*******

Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

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April 18

Posted on April 18, 2022 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

the right day to consider your choices.

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”  Joshua 24:15 NIV

Some of us may have faced times in our lives when we have thought about turning away from the Lord. Perhaps life hadn’t been going our way, or something happened to us or someone we love that we were angry about.

Maybe we blamed God.

Maybe we questioned His very existence.

Joshua was a very capable leader and he willingly accepted his role as successor to Moses and successfully led the Israelites into the Promised Land. He did not become leader of the Israelites in spite of his faith in God. He became leader because of his faith.

That faith gave him the courage and the wisdom needed to do what he knew God wanted done.

We all make choices, and the most important choice we can make is whether to follow God, or whether to follow our own human instincts, thoughts, and desires. If not God, in all His wisdom, power, grace, and glory, then who? How can we possibly think we can negotiate the highway of life on earth without God’s help? And without God, what awaits us when the bloom of our life withers and dies?

What is it that is so unattractive about everlasting life with God that makes any of us reject it? How could we possibly choose the ‘nothing’ that non-believers say awaits us when we die over the ‘something’ that awaits us when we follow the teachings of Christ and live for service to others as God so desires?

We can be pushed and pulled in a multitude of directions as we go through life. We can encounter tragedy that causes us to call God’s leadership, and even His sovereignty, into question. We can encounter smooth talking individuals who seem to have it made and have all the answers.

But if the answer doesn’t include God, then it is really not an answer at all. Certainly not an answer that will lead us to a joyful and everlasting life with God.

No matter what we are facing in our lives, it is easier to face it with God. No matter how attractive some misguided souls may make a life without God seem, we must all realize that choosing that particular option will not have the eternal peace and joy we will have if we choose to follow God.

Choose wisely.

Your life, and your everlasting life, depend upon it.

*******

Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

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April 17

Posted on April 17, 2022 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

the perfect day to turn your prison into paradise.

“So Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.’”  Genesis 41:41 NIV

Have any of us experienced the level of difficulty in our lives that was experienced by Joseph? What a remarkably perfect example of how to handle adversity!

While it is true that his initial arrogance born of his youthful pride caused Joseph’s brothers to conspire against him, the way Joseph conducted himself from that point forward should be an example each one of us should strive to replicate.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers, resold to the captain of the guard for Pharaoh, was thrown into prison, and was forgotten by those he helped. Despite all of that Joseph always responded to negative situations with a positive attitude.

In the end, it became apparent to everyone, including Pharaoh that God was watching over Joseph. “So Pharaoh asked them, ‘Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?’” (Genesis 41:38 NIV).

Joseph went on to become second only to the king of Egypt in importance and, ultimately, was in a position to reconcile with his brothers and show them that he loved them and harbored no ill will.

The question we must ask is this: Did Joseph have a positive attitude because God was watching over him, or was God watching over him because he had a positive attitude and always did what was right in God’s eyes?

Joseph always made the best of a bad situation, turning the prison of his adversity into a paradise of positive thought, positive action, and a life guided by God. It could not have been easy for Joseph. How great his faith must have been that he always knew the Lord was with him and would always stay with him if he never gave up, never gave in, and never stopped believing in the goodness of the Lord.

None of us would like to be treated in the manner in which Joseph was treated. None of us would want to go to prison for doing the right thing after being sold into slavery by our own family. But each one of us can find inspiration in the story of Joseph and how he turned prison into paradise.

No matter what trials and tribulations are before us, each one of us can do the same thing.

*******

Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

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April 16

Posted on April 16, 2022 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

a fine day to keep your eyes open.

“Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.”  Proverbs 4:25 NASB

It is easy to become distracted sometimes in today’s world.

There is so much going on around us that sometimes we may be tempted to become sidetracked by something we have seen or heard, causing us to stumble off the path of sin-free living and wander onto the path of sinful living.

It is not that it is so difficult to tell the difference between right and wrong, but sometimes those who ‘package’ the wrong do such a good job that they make us forget our true purpose and make us look away from our righteous destination.

When Solomon wrote the Proverbs, he was well aware of the influence that our hearts had over us. If we have filled our hearts with the spirit, we should always be getting the correct messages, but sometimes we allow ourselves to be fooled into just following sinful impulses. The consequences from closing our eyes to what we know is right can seem to be very small, but they can also be extremely unpleasant. Life is full of forbidden fruit, so to speak. Unfortunately, we do not have God to tell us specifically which choices are forbidden, but with daily prayer and reading of the Bible, our eyes will be opened wider to the dangers that seem to be everywhere.

In an age of rampant permissiveness, it is more difficult than ever to stay focused on living life in a decent, moral manner, observant of God’s guidelines for our behavior.

We must set the boundaries for our behavior and our thoughts, then we must keep our eyes open so we can be on guard against temptations and also to see the beauty and joy that can come from living as a follower of Christ.

Obviously we must close our eyes to sleep, but we should never close them to excuse bad behavior. When we were children, hiding under the covers worked. If we couldn’t see the monster, the monster wasn’t there.

But we all know that was childish.

Come out from under the covers, open your eyes, and watch where you are going.

*******

Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

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April 15

Posted on April 15, 2022 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

the day to acknowledge that Father Knows Best.

“Who is this that questions My wisdom with such ignorant words?”  Job 38:2 NLT

Some of us are old enough to remember an old television show called “Father Knows Best.” While the head of that TV family may not have really always known what was best for all concerned, the Father of us all certainly does!

It is relatively easy to obey God when we agree with Him.

How many of us have found it harder to obey when the issue at hand involves denying ourselves something that we have enjoyed for many years? How many of us have indulged in habits or behaviors that we have told ourselves, “Don’t hurt anyone,” or “Don’t bother anyone,” or “Doesn’t hurt anyone but myself.”?

These situations are more likely to be encountered in those of us who have only recently come to the Lord or who have lived lives outside the teachings of our youth for many years, but they can apply to anyone. The saying “Old Habits Die Hard” is very true for many of us, and in our struggle to maintain a tenuous grip on some of our “old habits”, we might make the mistake of trying to justify what we are doing or fool ourselves that what we are doing is alright with God because we are such good people in all other respects.

We are kidding ourselves, because we certainly are not kidding God.

If we think we know better, or we feel that it is acceptable to question God, we might want to think back to when God confronted Job with, “Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.” (Job 38:3 NLT).

That is not a position we should want to put ourselves in, for as Job found out, there is absolutely no way that we can prove to the One who created us that we know what is best.

Some of us may think, “Well my only vice is pornography and they are just pictures and I am not hurting anyone.”

And yet, how many who think this way are married, have children, and have responsibilities that should not include taking time away from our families and responsibilities to look at pictures that should not have been taken in the first place?

The truth is that anything we could possibly do under the banner of, “It doesn’t hurt anyone” actually does.

It hurts our lives because time spent in sinful pursuits could be better spent praying, reading the Word of God, or helping someone less fortunate than ourselves; it hurts our families because it takes away time from them and sets a bad example; and it hurts God, because He knows what is best for us.

We may be the mothers and fathers of our children, but God is our Father, and Father always knows best.

*******

Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

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April 14

Posted on April 14, 2022 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

a good day to ask yourself, “When did I last spend some quiet time with God?”

“Be still and know that I am God…”  Psalm 46:10a NIV

Finding quiet time to spend with God can be a challenge in these busy times.

We are all in a hurry to get here or go there; to run this errand or fulfill that obligation; rushing to work and even rushing off to play. We find it difficult to find time for our spouses, our children and ourselves.

We all should be aware of the consequences of not finding time for ourselves and our families. When we don’t find time to spend with those we love, those relationships suffer tremendously. Husbands and wives become unhappy, disgruntled, and may harbor feelings of resentment or abandonment. Divorce may follow, which is not good for anyone.

When we neglect our children they are going to have only the influence of their friends to guide them, and not ours, and the gap between us and them grows wider.

When we don’t find time to interact with those we love, the relationship suffers, affecting everyone. Time to play, time to work, and time to just sit quietly and enjoy the presence of those we love are all extremely important.

A family needs to share all that life has to offer in order to be healthy.

We need quiet time with God as well.

Can’t find the time? Everything we have or have available to us we have because of God. Our very lives and the lives of our spouses and children are possible because of God. How can we possibly deny something that costs us nothing to the one who gives us everything?

Don’t have the time?

How much time will we spend today playing computer games? How much time will we spend today reading an entertainment magazine? How much time will we spend today letting people we don’t even know become aware of every little thing we do? How much time will we spend today engaging in idle gossip?

Hopefully, we are all becoming aware that we really do have time in our days for everyone we love, and God should certainly be at the top of that list.

God gives us everything and asks so little in return.

Use God’s gift of this day and spend some time with Him.

*******

Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

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April 13

Posted on April 13, 2022 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

an outstanding day to seek the help of others.

“I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for Him, as I should.”  Ephesians 6:20 NLT

Even while imprisoned, Paul’s focus was on serving others and teaching them that the path to God led through Jesus Christ.

In prison, Paul reached out to others for help, but did he want help getting out of prison? No. He simply wanted others to pray to God on his behalf for the continued strength he needed to focus boldly on delivering God’s message.

For God, creating the world was effortless. For God, wielding the paintbrush of life that gave His world personality, beauty, and character was not tiresome or challenging.

But for those of us created by the brush strokes of the master, daily life as children of God can, indeed, be taxing, frustrating, and difficult.

God places people all around us for a number of reasons. A very significant one is so they are available for us to reach out to for help.

Perhaps we need their physical help in performing some task around the house. Maybe we need help getting to work because our car is in the shop. Perhaps what we need is more important, but less demanding physically: perhaps we need their prayers as we go through a difficult time or to help us cope with a significant loss.

Most of us wouldn’t think twice about asking a neighbor for help moving a piece of furniture or with some other physical chore. But it might not ever occur to us to ask for their help in more important ways. When we remind ourselves that helping each other is a requirement of God, it becomes easier to turn to them in times of our greatest need and ask for their prayers.

Seeking the help of others to petition God for support and strength on our behalf should be as easy to us as asking for a lift to the store.

Use the resources God has placed around you and seek the help of others. Whether you need a lift, an ear, a hand, or a prayer, use what God placed all around us to help us.

Use the gift of each other.

*******

Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

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April 12

Posted on April 12, 2022 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

a great day to realize that grace is amazing!

“The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.’”  Luke 1:30 NASB

Grace is God bestowing favor upon a sinful humanity.

We cannot earn it, He gives it freely. We can thank Him for it, in fact, we should do so. We can ask for it, and we will receive it, but sometimes He picks people to bestow His grace upon, as was the case with the choice of Mary as the mother of the Messiah.

It would be years before the enormity of that honor would become evident. At first, Mary had much to endure: those around her would reject and ridicule her; her fiancée would come to the brink of leaving her in disgrace; and the child she gave birth to would grow up to be rejected by many and, ultimately, be murdered by those who did not believe His message.

But in the end, through her Son would come salvation for the world. Through her pain would come the one who could help the world ease its pain. Through the grace God bestowed upon Mary, the entire world was given hope.

One of the world’s most enduring and recognizable spiritual songs is “Amazing Grace.”

It is a beautiful song and was written by John Newton who used to be a captain on brutal slave ships. Newton not only found favor with God, he thanked Him by writing one of the most recorded pieces of music in history. He also encouraged William Wilberforce, as a member of the English House of Commons, to fight to end the slave trade in England.

Maybe our individual purpose in this life is not as remarkable as that of the mother of Christ or the man who gave us beautiful music. But God’s grace is available to us all, and today is a great day to realize just how amazing His grace can be.

*******

Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

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April 11

Posted on April 11, 2022 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

the ideal day to let it all go.

“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead…”  Philippians 3:13 NASB

There is probably no better example of God’s ability to transform a person’s life than the example of Saul’s transformation to Paul. As Saul, he stood by and watched the coats of the men who stoned Stephen to death.

“When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.” (Acts 7:58 NASB).

Following Stephen’s death, Saul was a dedicated persecutor of anyone proclaiming to be a follower of Christ. After his encounter with Jesus, Saul… now Paul… would go on to be second only to Christ Himself in importance to Christianity.

“Who are You, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied.” (Acts 9:5 NIV).

Talk about a wake up call.

Hopefully, none of us has been as bad as Saul, but many of us have done things that we are ashamed of and some of us may find it difficult to let go of the past so that we can move forward. This is, in fact, a common struggle, especially for those who have good hearts and are essentially kind, gentle souls. Those who have hardened hearts are not nearly as troubled as those who do not.

Regardless of where any of us fits in, each one of us has a part to play in the transformation of humanity.

If you have sinned and have trouble moving forward, you must study closely the transformation of Paul. If God can overlook his past and use him as His most ardent supporter, then surely He can overlook anything you or I have done. God’s forgiveness knows no boundaries or limitations. If we confess our sins and repent, He forgives us.

Period.

Those who think they have lived decent Christian lives and have had a good relationship with God through Jesus Christ, must encourage, support, and forgive those who are trying to find their way to the Lord, for we are all sinners. Far too many of us look at another individual’s transformation with skepticism, cynicism, and doubt. We must remind ourselves that if God can forgive and fill someone with His spirit, who are we to doubt, ridicule, or stand in the way?

And all of us must pray for God to work to soften the hearts of those whose hearts are hardened and resisting transformation. We must all work to let it all go so we can move forward on the path God wants us to walk.

*******

Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

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April 10

Posted on April 10, 2022 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

a good day to agree with God.

“Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’ – and You forgave the guilt of my sin.”  Psalm 32:5 NIV

Why do we need to confess if God is already aware of everything that we do? Is it even necessary that we confess our sins to the Lord?

The answer is an emphatic, “Yes!”

Confessing our sins to God is not revealing to Him something He doesn’t know. It is acknowledging our sin and it is acknowledging we agree with Him that what we did was wrong. When we do this, we are also acknowledging God’s desire to forgive us and our need for that forgiveness.

When we confess, we are also asking God to help us strengthen our resolve to forsake sin and follow Him. We are admitting to being human and seeking the Lord’s wisdom, strength and courage in resisting sin in its many forms.

Confession has the same cleansing effect on our soul as using soap and hot water does in removing dirt and filth from our bodies.

While it is true that the number of rules God wants us to live by is relatively small, those simple rules manifest themselves over and over throughout our daily lives, weaving their way in and out of everything that we think, say, or do. It is only through intense focus on God’s simple truths that we are able to get through any 24-hour period without having something that we need to bring to God and confess.

In other words, life presents us with hundreds of opportunities each day in which it is possible to sin. When we are aware that we are doing something that is sinful, we need to acknowledge it to the Lord and agree that we need to work harder and rely more upon Him to help us be better followers.

We wash our hands many times a day. Our souls could use a healthy scrubbing often as well, and that should be something we can all agree on.

*******

Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

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