April 6

Posted on April 6, 2017 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

a good day to remind ourselves not to be ashamed.

“So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord.”  2 Timothy 1:8a NLT

Whenever something spectacular occurs in our lives, the first thing we do is tell others all about it. We can’t wait to get on the phone, send an email, or see someone in person to share what we have learned that has made us so happy.

In these increasingly difficult times, forces seem to be at work to deny us the right to speak freely and proudly about our love of God. Those who would speak against Jesus Christ and would insist that the cross be removed from all public view seem to always be capable – and willing – to insist loudly that their “right” to not believe should supersede anyone else’s right to believe.

Many of us cringe in the face of the negativity espoused by others, but it is important to heed Paul’s admonishment and never be ashamed, or reluctant, to tell others about our faith.

Jesus tells us that there is a price to pay if we allow ourselves to be ashamed: “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38 NASB).

Of course, when we think about it, what in the world could we possibly be ashamed of?

Are we ashamed because the spirit of God has filled our hearts with love for other human beings? Are we ashamed because the promises of God give us a future and provide us with hope? Possibly we are ashamed because the message that we have received from God guides our actions and our thoughts and helps us avoid sinful temptation, immorality, hateful actions, and harmful behavior?

Applying rational thought to it, there is absolutely no reason to be ashamed of our relationship with the Lord. In fact, it is something that we should be proud of; something that we want to share with others; something that fills us to overflowing, requiring us to share with others.

“So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord.” (Emphasis mine.)

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

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April 5

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

an outstanding day to open up.

“He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way.”  Psalm 25:9 NIV

God wants to use us to teach others how beautiful life can be when we are safely wrapped up in His love. It is impossible to teach what one doesn’t know, so today, let’s all open up our hearts, our minds, our ears, and our eyes and receive all that the Lord is trying to teach us.

Like David, we must each ask God to “Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths…” (Psalm 25:4 NIV).

If we are open to receiving God’s message, we will find that He delivers it in many different ways. That is why we must open up our entire beings to be ready to receive His message.

The Bible, of course, is one way of receiving His message. No matter how we do it, it is important that we all take time each day to fortify ourselves, to fill ourselves with His love, and to get a glimpse of the beauty and power of the Lord and take advantage of His desire to teach those of us who are willing to learn.

Some of us may have Bibles that are organized into daily readings that enable us to read the Bible in a year. Others like to read a Bible that has been organized chronologically. Still others pray for God to guide their eyes then open up the Bible and read whatever is before them. The method each individual chooses is a personal decision and preference. The only thing that each of us should do in exactly the same manner is to be open to whatever message the Lord has placed before us.

In addition to the Bible, we must also be open to God’s teachings delivered in other ways: through people encountered throughout our day; through Christian radio programming that is available; and in newspapers and magazines that contain stories that reflect the positive side of mankind and the Glory of God.

With everything open, we will find it easy to pick up on all of God’s messages and develop an understanding of how He wants to use us to teach others what we have learned.

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

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April 4

Posted on April 4, 2017 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

a superb day to say, “I Love You”.

“He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.”  Colossians 1:8 NLT

“I Love You.”

Three little words with a true meaning that is so large it cannot be adequately described. They are three of the most overused words in the English language, and three of the most under used words in the English language.

The ability to love is most assuredly one of God’s greatest gifts to mankind. More valuable than all of the silver and all of the gold that can ever be found on earth. More precious than all of the diamonds, rubies, and emeralds put together.

Love is more durable than the mightiest of oaks that has endured decades of wind and sun and has endured the most brutal of storms. And yet it is fragile, like a delicately blown piece of glass.

Running out the door in the morning, or in hurried telephone conversations, we sincerely, but casually, murmur “Love You!”, turning three powerful words, that should be filled with our most honest and heartfelt emotions, into two words added to the end of a sentence with the banality of “Goodbye” or “See ya.”

Your spouse faces battles with you.

They share not only your bed, but your pain, worries, sorrow, joy, laughter, and tears. If you have children, you participated in the creation of life with the abilities given as a gift from God. You have seen your spouse at his or her best, and at his or her worst. They may be as comfortable and familiar as a favorite sweatshirt or pair of jeans, but if you look close, you will see that bright spot of newness that was there when first you fell in love.

Take that person’s face in your hands, look them in the eyes and tell them how much you love them. Let them see how deep your love is and let them know that you are thankful to God for being able to love them as much as you do.

Take the time, too, to make sure your children understand that while you may not always agree with them, and while you may not always like the choices they make, you do always love them with a fierceness and a protectiveness that comes from God. Make them understand how important they are.

And for everyone else around you, show them the love that God has placed inside you by the way you walk, talk, and act. Everything you do and say should be telling others that you love them.

There are different ways to love everyone around us, but that love – that ability – comes from the same source.

“I Love You.”

Three words God wants us all to use wisely, and to use often.

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

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April 3

Posted on April 3, 2017 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

a perfect day to take no chances.

“She defiled herself with immorality and gave no thought to her future. Now she lies in the gutter with no one to lift her out. ‘Lord, see my misery,’ she cries. ‘The enemy has triumphed.’”  Lamentations 1:9 NLT

Jeremiah was writing about Jerusalem’s refusal to listen and ‘her’ insistence on giving in to immorality and sin. The warnings were all given, repeatedly, but they were ignored. The temptation of sin proved too great and all of those who chose to ignore God’s warnings paid the price.

It is important that each one of us heed God’s warnings and turn our backs on immorality and sinful pleasures. Perhaps we have crossed the line once; twice; three times or more, and gotten away with it. No one said the price that we would pay for our behavior would be paid immediately.

But it will be paid.

Sometimes the freedom to do whatever we want becomes the desire to do everything, regardless of the consequences. When we allow ourselves to become slaves to sin, we can no longer be servants to the Lord.

When our focus is taken off of God, and placed on things we know are in direct conflict with what we have been taught, then we stop living in Christ. “No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.” (1 John 3:6 NIV).

None of us wants to pay the price for the pleasures of sin that Jerusalem paid. God has proven His patience time and time again. But it is not wise for any of us to continue to test it. The Lord has His limits and we do not want to push beyond them until we are “in the gutter” with no one to lift us out.

Take no chances. Minimize your risks. Follow the Word of God diligently and faithfully. If you stumble, God will surely help you to regain your footing.

But let there be no mistake.

If you decide to ignore the Word of God and pursue immorality and sin, there will be a price to pay. It is best to not chance finding out what it is.

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

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April 2

Posted on April 2, 2017 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

an excellent day to comfort and encourage others.

“Therefore comfort one another with these words.”  1 Thessalonians 4:18 NASB

One of the Apostle Paul’s first letters was written to the church he had established at Thessalonica around A.D. 5. Christianity was young and for many there was a high price to pay for being a follower of Christ. Paul’s letter was meant to reassure them, for there was confusion among them as to when Christ would return. Many thought that His return would be sooner rather than later and Paul sought to reassure them that while there was no way to know when, it would indeed happen as the Lord had said. In his letter he sought to comfort and encourage them and he stressed the importance of each one of them being there to comfort and encourage each other.

In today’s world, more than ever before, it is important that we all heed Paul’s words and offer comfort and encouragement to those around us. Today, and every day, we should offer ourselves as living examples of the strength, the joy and the peace that comes with the knowledge that Christ will return as promised. In the meantime, we must follow the example of Jesus and the words of Paul and reach out through our actions and our own words and offer comfort and encouragement to others.

Many new believers have a very tentative grip on their faith. Absorbing the beauty of God’s teachings can be overwhelming and those individuals may need the support of one who has had time to fully appreciate all that God expects of us and all that He has promised us.

In a letter to the church at Corinth a few years later, Paul stressed the importance of teaching, and of reaching out to others. “But everyone who prophecies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement, and comfort.” (1 Corinthians 14:3 NIV).

Some of us may think that we are not up to the task of teaching, but one doesn’t have to stand up in front of a group in a classroom to teach the lessons of Christ. All one needs to do is reach out to others in love and friendship and offer support, comfort and encouragement.

When we do this, we will not only be helping other human beings, we will be helping ourselves to fulfill God’s wishes.

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

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April 1

Posted on April 1, 2017 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

a good day to not be fooled.

“For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”  1 Timothy 6:10 NASB

Do not allow yourself to use material success as a sign of God’s approval.

Many people equate one with the other when they have actually have very little to do with one another. Some individuals of extremely modest means live lives that are devoted to following God’s instructions, living in a manner that pleases God, and work tirelessly to help others live and grow with the Spirit of the Lord inside them. These individuals definitely have God’s approval. Conversely, there are many individuals who have experienced tremendous material success who do not have God’s approval.

In order to not be fooled or influenced by anything other than the truth, we must always look to the individual and not the material for signs of that approval.

Happiness is not the only thing that money cannot buy. It cannot buy God’s grace, peace, love forgiveness, joy, or a place with God in Heaven. The only currency accepted by God is the currency of faith. The only payment that will cancel our debt to the Lord is belief. The only check that can be written to satisfy our obligation to Jesus Christ cannot be written against funds we have in the bank. It must be written against the love we have in our hearts for the Lord, and for our fellow man.

Many of us experience frustration from time to time by the success of others and mistakenly attribute that success to God showing more love to them than to us. Do not be fooled; do not be tempted; do not be swayed.

It is becoming increasingly more difficult to escape the emphasis that is placed on having more, buying more, living grander, and chasing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

But don’t be fooled.

The real treasure is in the rainbow itself, which is a gift from God.

Live a life that is true to the teachings of the Lord; give of yourself to others; be thankful to God each day for the very air you breathe; smile for the benefit of others, and you will find out one day, that those who have lusted after money and compromised their very souls have been the ones who have been fooled.

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

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Happy Anniversary!

Posted on April 1, 2017 by Tony Casson

Seven years ago today, at 11:55 AM CST, I ground my last Kool filter king (always in the soft pack) under my foot in the parking lot of the Federal Correctional Institution at Oakdale, LA.

With understandable trepidation, I walked through the front door saying goodbye to my brother Jim and a life I was anxious to leave behind.

While the trepidation I felt was real, so was the hope I felt in my heart. A hope that I believe was put there by God as I embarked on a journey not of imprisonment, but of freedom.

“Huh?”

“Say what?”

Yes. I walked into prison to become truly free for the first time in my life, and the past 7 years have been the most wonderful years of my life, I have never felt more free, and yes, I spent 4 years and 2 months of that 7 years in federal prison.

It was the most negative of circumstances that predicated my imprisonment, but building a relationship with God gave me the strength, courage, and determination to allow Him to produce the most positive of outcomes. I do not want to go back, but I am eternally grateful to God that I went.

God is indescribably amazing in the things He can do in us and for us if we only see our way clear to trust Him no matter what we may be facing. Hopefully these pages have contained evidence of God’s work in my life.

I miss the men I left behind, and I pray each one of them connects with God in a truly profound way and leans heavily upon Him as they complete their sentences and when it is their turn to walk through the gates of the prison. Perhaps they will get a chance to read these words of “Thanks, guys!” for those things they provided me with while I was there.

Prison is not the best place to make friends, but I made the best of friends there.

For many, April 1st is simply “April Fool’s” day – a day in which pranks are played. For me, it was the day  always referred to in the old cliche, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.”

Thank you, God, for giving me new life to serve you, praise you, and to glorify your Holy name.

(Author’s note: This is a slightly modified and updated version of a post published 2 years ago in my prison blog, “The Oakdale Chronicles”.)

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March 31

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

the day to believe what you are hearing.

“Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.”  Jeremiah 32:8c NASB

Trust does not come easily for many of us.

Given our suspicious human nature, how can we be sure that what we are hearing really is coming from the Lord? Will any of us encounter a voice in a burning bush? It would be foolish to say that would never happen, but there just aren’t that many recorded instances of it occurring. It is also not likely that we will get a letter, an email, or a phone call from God either.

Asking God to fill us with the Holy Spirit enables us to “hear” what He has to say to us. When we are full of God’s spirit, it is the same as having all of those direct lines of communication open and operating. Some may think that this is silly, but those who “hear” God talking to them regularly know that it is anything but silly.

Since direction that comes from God is given through the Holy Spirit, it is important that we allow ourselves periods of peace, calm, and tranquility so we will be able to receive our direction clearly. Let there be no mistake; God has promised us that He will guide us. He has promised us that He will help us. We should follow the example of Abraham who “…was fully convinced that God is able to do anything that He promises.” (Romans 4:21 NLT).

Not only do we have to be willing to believe what we are hearing, we must be ready to believe. For God will answer when the time is right. “But when the right time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.” (Galatians 4:4 NLT).

We must trust, we must listen, and we must be ready. When we have properly prepared our hearts and our minds; when the right question has been asked and God feels we are ready for His response, we will truly “hear” His answer.

It is up to us to believe what we are hearing.

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

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March 30

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

a fine day to look at the world around you.

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and the sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”  Romans 1:20 NLT

Many individuals without the benefit of vision will tell us that even someone who is blind can “see” the evidence of God’s existence in the world that surrounds us.

They will tell us all about the beauty of flowers; about the nurturing refreshment of the rain; about the perfect melodies sung by the birds. By connecting all of the other gifts of smell, taste, hearing, and touch with two of God’s most incredible creations – the heart and the mind – even those whose visible world is in darkness can “see” the beauty, and the love, that is God.

For those who have the added gift of sight, there is no excuse for not being able to recognize that only a God of beauty and love could have created the heavens and this earth and filled it with the incredible assortment of plants, creatures, and human beings that we see when we look at the world around us.

Unfortunately, there will always be those who find it difficult to believe God exists. There will even be those who will deny that He exists. It is beyond human comprehension how anyone with eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to feel can possibly deny that what we experience when we look around us could only be the work of someone larger than the work itself. It could only be the work of a being of amazing vision and extraordinary power. But it could also only be the work of someone of incredible kindness, love, and caring.

Many people choose to see only that which is ugly in the world and use it to either blame God or deny that He exists at all. We must remind them that it is the choices that man makes, not God, which creates that which is ugly. We must point out that what God created was perfect. All imperfections came about as a result of all the things the Bible teaches us to avoid. “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.” (Galatians 5:19-21a NIV).

Whenever you look around at the world, see what God made. Appreciate, and give thanks for, a world so beautiful, it can be seen even by the sightless.

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

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March 29

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Tony Casson

TODAY IS…

the right day for a little anger management.

“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry…”  James 1:19 NIV

The instructions given by James in this verse have been valuable ones for all who have read them since they were first written. Particularly when he admonishes everyone to be “slow to become angry.”

We are all familiar with the term “Anger Management,” and even though James did not use those exact words, managing our anger is exactly what he was talking about.

It would be the extremely rare individual, indeed, who never gets angry. Each of us gets pushed to the brink at some point in time. The reasons for our anger are an important consideration in managing how we react. When we become angry because of an injustice that we are witness to, the cause of the anger is justified, but how the anger is managed is important. Anger can move us to take positive action to correct a situation. Controlling our anger rather than letting it control us can be very helpful in certain situations and for certain reasons.

There are other types of anger that we should exercise even tighter control over. Anger borne of jealousy, a bruised ego, or a selfish perception of “hurt” is destructive and nothing good can come out of it. This type of anger damages relationships, hurts friendships, and accomplishes nothing positive.

Many of us know someone whose ‘flash-point’ is extremely low and is triggered by some perception of a wrong being perpetrated on them. The response to the most inconsequential thing sends them into a destructive, uncontrolled and potentially violent rage that is uncomfortable to witness and even causes friends and family to avoid that person in certain situations.

If this describes you or someone you know, it is important to listen to James when he says, “…for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” (James 1:20 NIV).

There are movies and television shows that treat Anger Management as a humorous subject. In real life, there is nothing at all humorous about uncontrolled anger. It may require a lot of work for some, but controlling our anger is important to each one of us, as well as those around us.

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

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