Sunday, September 29, 2024

The Bus Driver and the Bus Stop

The following comes from my new book, MORE Amazing Stories & Daily Devotionals.

A little boy was standing on a sidewalk in the middle of a block, obviously waiting for something. An older man asked him what he was waiting for. “I’m waiting for the bus.” The man said, “The bus won’t stop here. The bus stop is on the next block.” “I know,” the boy replied, “but the bus will pick me up here.” 

The man said, “Listen sonny, if you want to catch the bus, you had better start walking right now to the bus stop. It’s not going to stop here.” “No sir, I’m going to wait right here.” “Okay, suit yourself, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

As the man walked away, he heard the screeching of brakes. He turned around and couldn’t believe his eyes. The bus actually stopped in the middle of the block for the boy. The bus door opened, and as the boy climbed on board, he turned and yelled, “Hey Mister. My dad is the bus driver!”

It helps to know your Daddy is the bus driver of the universe. God the Father will do things for His children that He won’t do for others. The favor of God means His blessing is on your life. It’s like God saying, “I’m doing you a favor.” King David had God’s favor on his life. He said, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life” (Ps. 23:6). Not “every now and then,” but every day of his life. God’s favor brought David through every trial.

God’s favor was also with Joseph. “Joseph found favor in His sight” and “the Lord caused all that he did to prosper” (Gen. 39:3-4, 23). Many people treated him horribly, but it couldn’t stop God’s favor. The Lord turned their evil around for his good (Gen. 50:20). You also can find favor with Him. “The Lord favors those who fear Him” (Ps. 147:11). It’s nice to know our Dad is driving the bus and will take us to the right destination.

READ SERMON: JONAH 1—Unwelcome Assignments

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Making Life Count Ministries
P.O. Box 680174
Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174
www.makinglifecount.net  

Sunday, September 22, 2024

Cheating on Chemistry Tests

The following comes from my book, Amazing Stories & Daily Devotionals.

When I was in college, many of the students in my chemistry class cheated on their tests by getting the answers ahead of time; others by copying answers off those seated next to them. The tests were always difficult. If a question was answered incorrectly, it counted as negative points, which kept people from guessing at the correct answer.

I refused to cheat, even though I was failing the class. I realized my honesty was also being tested by God, and I didn’t want my integrity to fail in His eyes. By God’s grace alone, I did well on my final exam and passed the class.

Years later, I preached at a church where I told about how I was failing chemistry, but I refused to cheat on my chemistry tests because I wanted to please God. Three years later, I received an email from a girl I didn’t know. She said, “When I was a freshman, I heard you say that you didn’t cheat because you wanted to please God more than get a good grade. I want you to know that after hearing your sermon, I quit cheating on tests the rest of high school.”

Integrity means that you live right, not because a private eye is following you around and reporting on what you’re doing. You live right because you want to please God. “Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col. 1:10).

Integrity stands up for truth and makes right choices. You’re honest in business dealings. You’re the same in private as you are in public. If you will live with integrity, you won’t fail the test when you stand before God. No one will get away with cheating at His Final Exam.

LISTEN TO THIS MUSIC VIDEO with lyrics: By Faith We See the Hand of God

RECEIVE THESE DEVOTIONALS FREE by EMAIL: You can subscribe in the box on the right at www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com  NOTE: The subscription box will NOT usually appear on your smart phone, but it can be seen on your computer (or by opening the “desktop site” feature on your phone.)

Making Life Count Ministries
P.O. Box 680174
Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174
www.makinglifecount.net 

Sunday, September 15, 2024

When the Voice of Wisdom YELLS!

The following comes from my book, Amazing Stories & Daily Devotionals.

A friend of mine, Keith, worked for a construction company one summer when he was in high school. One day, his foreman told him to drive a dump truck to another town and fill the water tank in back. He had never driven a truck that size and only had a learner’s license.

 

On the way, a crew was paving one of the lanes, so he bypassed it by driving down the other side of the road. There he met a car coming his way, which meant he had to back up the huge truck down one narrow lane for half a mile. That’s when the man driving the other car started SCREAMING and waving his arms.

 

Keith stopped backing up—just a few inches from rolling over the edge of a 10-foot drop into a creek. The truck was off the pavement with one of the tires hanging in mid-air! Listening to man shouting at him averted a disaster.

 

We don’t like people shouting at us, but sometimes we need to listen. It just might be wisdom calling out to us. Solomon wrote, “Wisdom shouts in the street, she lifts her voice in the square; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out” (Prov. 1:20).

 

Why would wisdom need to shout at us? Because that’s the only way some people will listen. A stranger hollered at my friend. Because he listened, it kept him from wrecking a truck and possibly kept him out of the hospital. The next time someone raises a voice at you, stop for a moment and listen. It just might be wisdom trying to keep you from disaster.

LISTEN TO THIS MUSIC VIDEO: Behold Our God by CBU choir

RECEIVE THESE DEVOTIONALS FREE by EMAIL: You can subscribe in the box on the right at www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com  NOTE: The subscription box will NOT usually appear on your smart phone, but it can be seen on your computer (or by opening the “desktop site” feature on your phone.)

Making Life Count Ministries
P.O. Box 680174
Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174
www.makinglifecount.net