JCSM's Weekly Devotions (click here to listen!)

"Are You On the Right Team?"

Matthew 4:18-20  "And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then He said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.'  They immediately left their nets and followed Him."

Matthew 12:30  "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad."

Matthew 25:31-34  "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Insight: There are only two teams: God's team and the Devil's team.  You are either for Him or against Him.  There is no middle ground.  Walk toward God and choose to be on His team, today.  Otherwise, you'll be walking toward the enemy who only wants to destroy you.

Prayer: "Dear Lord, thanks for letting us be part of your team.  Thank you for being the best coach.  Help us to see things as You do and help us to be like You.  Let us follow You with all our heart, mind, and strength.  There is no other like You.  Forgive our sins and purify us.  Lift us up and give us joy, peace, love, and wisdom.  Help others to join your team, too.  Let us shine your light into the world, for all to see.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

William Samuel Johnson (1727-1819), one of the signers of the
Constitution of the United States, was a distinguished lawyer, having
received an honorary doctorate in civil law from Oxford in 1766. He
was a delegate to the Stamp Act Convention, a Commissioner to England,
a member of the Continental Congress, as well as a state
representative, U.S. Senator and a Connecticut Supreme Court Justice.
William Samuel Johnson, the son the the well known Anglican minister,
Samuel Johnson, also was the President of Columbia College from 1878
to 1800.

Johnson's great grandfather, Robert Johnson, came to America in 1638:
"To assist in founding a 'Godly Commonwealth' at New Haven."  ¹

William Samuel Johnson as President of Columbia University (formerly
King's College) gave these profound remarks to the first graduating
class after the Revolutionary War:

"You this day, gentlemen, assume new characters, enter into new
relations, and consequently incur new duties.  You have, by the favor
of Providence and the attention of friends, received a public
education, the purpose whereof hath been to qualify you the better to
serve your Creator and your country....

"Your first great duties, you are sensible, are those you owe to
Heaven, to you Creator and Redeemer.  Let these be ever present to
your minds, and exemplified in your lives and conduct.

"Imprint deep upon your minds the principles of piety towards God, and
a reverence and fear of His Holy name.  The fear of God is the
beginning of wisdom and its consummation is everlasting felicity.
Possess yourselves of just and elevated notions of the Divine
character, attributes, and administration, and of the end and dignity
of your own immoral nature as it stands related to Him.

"Reflect deeply and often upon those relations.  Remember that it is
in God you live and move and have your being, - that in the language
of David He is about your bed and about your path and spieth out all
your ways, - that there is not a thought in your hearts, nor a word
upon your tongues, but lo!  He knoweth them altogether, and that he
will one day call you to a strict account for all your conduct in this
mortal life.

"Remember, too, that you are the redeemed of the Lord, that you are
bought with a price, even the inestimable price of the precious blood
of the Son of God.  Adore Jehovah, therefore, as your God and your
Judge.  Love, fear, and serve Him as your Creator, Redeemer, and
Sanctifier.  Acquaint yourselves with Him in His word and holy
ordinances.

"Make Him your friend and protector and your felicity is secured both
here and hereafter.  And with respect to particular duties to Him, it
is your happiness that you are well assured that be best serves his
Maker, who does most good to his country and to mankind."  ²

¹ M. E. Bradford, A Worthy Company (Marlborough, NH: Plymouth Rock
Foundation, 1982), p. 30.  Tim LaHaye, Faith of Our Founding Fathers
(Brentwood, TN: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Publishers, Inc., 1987), p. 158.

² John Irving, A Discourse of the Advantages of Classical Learning
(New York: G. & C. & H. Carvill, 1830), pp. 141-143.  Tim LaHaye,
Faith of Our Founding Fathers (Brentwood, TN: Wolgemuth & Hyatt,
Publishers, Inc., 1987), p. 159-160.

If you'd like to see more quotes from those that framed and founded America, please click here: http://jcsm.org/AmericasFounders/.

(This explanation came from "The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained", by Jason Gastrich.  This book is on CD and explains over 3,000 difficulties regarding the entire Bible at http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.org.  There is also a 300 question workbook that accompanies the CD-ROM.)

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