Reprint Compliments of Men At The Cross By Joe White

VIDEO OF THE DAY

Matthew 6:19-21: Treasures in Heaven

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Sunday was the greatest day for me! I got to do what I absolutely treasure the most. First I got to have a whole day off to play. I've always loved weekends. (Never got over that one!) Then I got to cook homemade blueberry cinnamon muffins for my 17-year-old boy, Brady and chocolate, chocolate chip muffins for my 14-year-old son, Cooper. (Yes, I ate one of each.) After a fantastic breakfast devotional together, we went to our little country church as a family and sang those super old hymns I used to sing with my daddy when I was a pip squeak. After church, I was the lucky one who played catch with the football and hit golf balls with my boys. Then I was lucky enough to get to ice the cake with a phone call from my two girls who were in college. If that wasn't enough, I was fortunate enough to hold my precious wife's hand as we prayed together to consummate the day before bed.

I have always treasured those times with my God, my wife and my kids. You can take everything else I own. Burn down my house, steal my car, (oh yeah, please leave my Labrador Retriever), leave my treasures and life will still be a "10" for me.

When I was a kid, my mom used to lead me on these incredible treasure hunts for my birthday present. They were as creative as the genius inside my dear mom's head. I have loved treasure hunts since I can remember. The prize at the end is great, but the hunt is always the best part.

Last night, a dear, family friend told me a sad story; his 18-year-old daughter began to treasure a misled boy more than she treasured her family or God. Now she's confused, becoming bulimic and her whole world is falling apart.

Men can treasure expensive toys, power, and position. Women can treasure houses, careers, cars, and jewelry. Kids can treasure music, cars, and sex.

God says, "Treasure me."

QUESTIONS:
1. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." What is Jesus talking to you about when He says that today?
2. Why is it so hard to treasure what really matters more than the stuff that clutters our lives?
3. What do you really want to treasure more today? How can you put reality into that dream?

LIFELINE:
Pray together for real treasures today.

Reprint Compliments of Men At The Cross By Joe White

VIDEO OF THE DAY

Matthew 5: 33-37: Oaths

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

My oldest brother Bob, at 6'3" tall and 210 pounds of solid muscle, is a man's man to the core of his heart. He's a successful dentist, avid bird dog trainer, and skilled outdoorsman. He's always been one of my heroes.

Thirty years ago, Bob married the first girl he ever loved. He said "yes" to the preacher on that wedding date and gave his word that he'd give Mary Evelyn his life no matter what. Two summers ago, Mary Evelyn's kidneys quit. Her blood poisoned her (according to the charts) to the point of death. She needed a donor kidney immediately to stay alive. No kidney that matched her biological chemistry was available. Immediately, brother Bob volunteered his. He was tested for compatibility and, amazingly enough, his matched perfectly.

In a love-story-of-love-stories surgical procedure, the doctors opened Bob up from his belly button to his back bone, took three ribs and the kidney, placed the kidney into his bride's abdomen, and hooked-up the tubes and vessels. The next day, she was alive and well. She feels like a million bucks. He feels pain every day, but just smiles and shrugs it off as a small expression of his love for his "wife of a lifetime".

Jesus said, "let your yes be a yes". Presidential politics, television drama, talk shows, MTV and a lot of our daily conversation makes you wonder if there's any truth left in the world.

Brother Bob showed me that a man keeps his word



QUESTIONS:
1. When is it hardest for you to be honest?
2. Why is a person's yes the most important word in his/her life?
3. How can you build better trust today?

LIFELINE:
The home is where honesty is forged like steel.

Reprint Compliments of Men At The Cross By Joe White

VIDEO OF THE DAY

Matthew 4: 18-19: Jesus Calls His First Disciples

18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

My gran'ma was 100 years old when the curtain between this life on earth and eternal life with Jesus was raised and her new heavenly theater became her home. I always called her "Pardner" because she let me know in clear terms that she wasn't old enough to be my gran'ma.

Pardner taught me to fish when I was a young lad. We caught more fish together in my growing-up days than I could ever begin to count. The memories of our days together on the little Texas lake she lived on are among some of the best pages in the scrapbook of my mind.

During the last few years of Pardner's life, she was confined to a wheelchair, but her big caring smile and the twinkle of love in her big brown eyes never dimmed. Just before her 100th birthday, I took her fishing and she caught a beautiful rainbow trout in the Ozark Mountain lake that runs in front of my house. Her 100th birthday party was the greatest, as I'm sure you can imagine. Everybody that loved her was there. The guests were numerous! As I walked in the door to wish her Happy Birthday, she was nibbling on some chocolate birthday cake. Her eyes caught me as I entered the room and she never looked away until I knelt down by her side.

"Joe Boy," she said sincerely, "take me fishing." (Only Pardner called me Joe Boy!).

"Aw Pardner, I can't take you fishing today," I responded lovingly. "This is your 100th birthday and everybody is here to see you."

Her eyes narrowed in Gran'ma style sternness, "Joe Boy, if you love me, you'll take me fishing."

"If you love me, you'll take me fishing."

In 25 years when I think of Pardner, I'll remember those, her last, words to me with fondness and remorse. I wish I'd taken more time to do just that



QUESTIONS:
1. When Jesus wants to take you "fishing for men", what does He want you to do?
2. How do you think the disciples perceived Jesus' invitation there on the shore of the Sea of Galilee?
3. Their trade was fishing. Yours is basketball, school, cheerleading, band, business, home, family. How would He phrase His wish for you to witness for Him in the "field of play" that you identify with?

LIFELINE:
How can home be the first and last place we witness for Christ each day?

Reprint Compliments of Men At The Cross By Joe White

VIDEO OF THE DAY

Satan tempts the young husband, married for 5 years, to wait for the family to fall asleep then head down the stairs to turn on the computer. The rush from the scenes on the screen would only be there for a few minutes. After all, it wouldn't hurt anyone.

Satan tempts the businessman in Houston to falsify his income tax report on April 15th. That extra $15,000 would buy his family the second car they so desperately need.

Satan tempts the father of 3 who has been working late. He begins to notice the lady in the office down the hall. What harm would there be in a casual conversation or an innocent lunch. She is caring and shows real interest in his feelings. The glances and casual conversations could soon turn into intentional encounters.


Temptations. They come at us like snowballs in a huge snowball fight. They're Satan's greatest tool to bring us down until our face is in the dirt.

He always tries to give us something that we think we want now without giving us a clue of the consequences we'll face later. He's the master of deception.

Jesus knew that, so He dealt with Satan in the only sure fire way He can be immediately defeated. He didn't argue; He didn't play around with him; He didn't rationalize. He simply put the arrow of scripture right in Satan's heart ... where knockout the blow would be instantly delivered.

QUESTIONS:

How are you being tempted this week?
What scripture verse can this family think of that you can use the next time you are tempted there?
Why does Satan flee in the face of scripture delivered with faith?

LIFELINE:

Family devotions build an arsenal of scriptural weapons that we all can use when temptation comes over us.

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE - Matthew 4:1-11

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’©”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Reprint Compliments of Men At The Cross By Joe White

VIDEO OF THE DAY

The Baptism of Jesus: Matthew 3: 13-17

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

From the tap root of scripture in Genesis One through the closing of scripture in the final page of Revelation, a golden thread is woven meticulously, divinely through every page. Yes, the unifying theme of all of God's inspired word is that someday one would come who would be the anointed Holy Man of God, the Messiah, the Christ, the Lamb of Sacrifice, the Lion of Judah, the Son of God, the Son of Man, Jesus. He would live; He would love; He would be crucified, He would reinstate mankind to our Creator; He would come back to life; He would return to God, and after a time, He would return as Ruler and King over all creation.

In Genesis 3:15 God tells Eve that from her seed (offspring) will come one (Jesus) who will bruise Satan on the head.

In Micah 5:2 scripture states that the coming Messiah will be born in Bethlehem.

In Isaiah 7:14 we are told that He'll be born of a virgin.

In Zech. 11:12 God's word states that the Christ will be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver.

In Isaiah 53 & Ps. 22:16 scripture points out that He'll be crucified.

Isaiah 53 prophesies that He'll be "pierced through for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; ...and by His scourging we'll be healed."

The odds of any other single man fulfilling all of these and the other 300 Messianic prophecies are about at likely as a blind man being able to pick a red golf ball in an entire universe packed with white golf balls on his first try. Those odds would be like covering the state of Texas with a 3 foot pile of quarters, then hiding one nickel and inviting someone to find it.

So, Jesus knew that His life must fulfill all that scripture said about Himself, He must be baptized because in Psalms 40 it says about Him, "Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me."

QUESTIONS:
1. Imagine what it must have felt like for John the Baptist to baptize Jesus Christ.
2. Describe how you would have felt if you'd been there when God's voice was heard as the dove descended.
3. Why is it significant that Jesus was the One of whom all the Prophecies were spoken?

LIFELINE:
How great is it to have a family where all these fantastic truths are taught and understood!