April 19

Posted on April 19, 2020 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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The Gift In Cancer

Posted on April 18, 2020 by Tony Casson

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” Romans 8:28

I did not title this “The Gift OF Cancer” because, well, because cancer itself is most certainly not a gift. It is a result of a broken world. It is something that doesn’t exist in God’s Kingdom and wouldn’t exist here were it not for fact that we live in a broken world.

I titled this, “The Gift IN Cancer” because my unshakeable, undeniable, unbreakable faith in God leads me to the belief that in everything lies an opportunity to learn, to grow, to spread the Gospel, and to glorify God. An opportunity exists in everything that happens to us, or around us, to turn towards the Father and ask Him to guide us, to keep us safe, and to help us see the sun through the clouds.

God did not give me cancer, but He gives me what I need to face the road ahead:

He gives me the strength to do what must be done to fight it.

He helps to quiet me when I am tempted to be anxious.

He fills me with courage when I think I want to be filled with fear.

He pulls me closer to Him when I feel like running away.

In all things, in all circumstances, and at all times – particularly in these times – it is important to rely on our faith. It is equally important to remember that God is always faithful to us, even when we are not quite faithful to Him. In times of crisis, chaos, and confusion, and when we are faced with trials and tribulations, it is critical that we remind ourselves of the one thing that is forever constant in our lives – God’s love for us.

He never stops loving us, even when we struggle with our love for Him.

He never stops being faithful to us, even when we are tempted to think He has deserted us.

He never stops fighting for us, even if we have moments – however fleeting they may be – when we want to stop fighting for ourselves.

He never stops listening to us, even when we think we are crying out to ourselves.

I could go on and on and on, but I think you get the idea. Our faith is not put to the test when the sun is shining and all is right with the world. Our faith is put to the test when it is stormy and everything seems wrong.

And don’t misunderstand this whole thing about ‘faith being tested’ either. It is not a test we pass for God’s benefit, so that He will know we really have faith. It is a test we pass for ourselves. It is also a test we pass for those around us, so we can look at them and say, “No matter what is going on, I trust God. I may be a bit uncomfortable, but I trust in Him and in Him alone.”

We pass any test of our faith when we can look any situation, any circumstance, any tragedy, in the ‘eye’ and say, “I will trust in the Lord.”

Faith is not believing the outcome of anything occurring in our lives will be the outcome we want. Faith is trusting God to guide us to the outcome that serves His purpose and fulfills His plan for us; an outcome that results in our praising Him, honoring Him, and glorifying Him.

Our faith can be the gift in cancer, even if it kills us. Or me, in this case.

But no matter the outcome, I will never allow myself to think that He has forsaken me because it is impossible for that to happen.

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

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April 18

Posted on April 18, 2020 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, 2020 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, 2020 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, 2020 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 14

Posted on April 14, 2020 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 13

Posted on April 13, 2020 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

Author’s Note, 4/13/2020: As I begin my transition to living with lung cancer and its treatment, I find that this day’s devotion holds special meaning.

I rely on, and am grateful for, the abundance of prayers on my behalf. But I also speak almost daily with friends who want to help in other ways as well, including offers for physical help – rides to appointments and procedures, and offers to cook or provide other assistance (much of which is not needed at the moment, thank the Lord, but the offers are appreciated nonetheless.)

We are commanded, and expected, to love our neighbors and I am humbled by the outpouring of love and concern at a time in the history of the world when people certainly have enough challenges of their own to face.

God bless all those who understand what it means to “Love Thy Neighbor.”

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April 12

Posted on April 12, 2020 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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“And On The Third Day…..”

Posted on April 12, 2020 by Tony Casson

….He Rose From The Dead”

“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic,“Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.” (John 20:11-18 ESV)

“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.” (Luke 24:1-12 ESV)

“When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” (Mark 16:1-8 ESV)

“Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.’” (Matthew 28:1-10 ESV)

What more can I add to that?

HE IS RISEN! PRAISE GOD!

(Originally posted in 2015)

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