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ALL THE DAYS by Jerry Vines

I received my copy of this daily-devotional book in yesterday's mail.  How exciting that this book arrived just in time for me to begin it on the first day of the new year.  How appropriate that the first devotion for January 1st be entitled: "In the beginning God".

There is nothing we need more than God to begin our new year.  Nothing and no one.

ALL THE DAYS is a simple title.  It's a reminder of my need to seek God in all the days of my life.  I am certain this book will lead me to focus on that truth and take me further along the path of knowing God as I walk with Him this year.  As I read the first, very short devotion that Dr. Vines penned, every sentence proved to provoke deeper thoughts, fresh questions.  I was hungry for more.  When I finished the first devotion, I wanted to read the second.  However, I plan to stay on track and read these individually for each day of the New Year.  I don't want to get ahead of the wisdom that God plans for me in each day.  You see...

I have a tendency to run ahead of God.  I get these grand ideas and think that I am inspired, or led, to do a particular thing, to take a particular road, to move in a particular direction.  I know this about myself, I get in too much of a hurry.  Ever do that?  God has revealed this weakness in me over and over since I became a Christian.  This year, I resolve to restrain my emotions.  I resolve to give God more than a passing thought for the day as I begin each day.  ALL THE DAYS appears to be a book I can depend upon to lead me in that resolve. It is more than a quick-fix for the day or a period in a sentence.  It's more like a comma or a semi-colon.  It's meant to remind me of God's presence in my life and the reason for His presence.  Yeah, I got that out of the first devotional reading.

I love devotional books; I love to write devotionals.  As I read about Dr. Vines' devotional, I found that he had a specific purpose with each and every devotion, and a theme for each and every month.  He seeks, to not only give thoughts for us, but provide a bit more (link to see his purpose), to emphasize more than one verse out of context.  As a pastor's wife, it whet my appetite and made me want to refresh my memory on the beginning of things through God's Word.

"In the beginning God", spotlights and emphasizes the first chapter of Genesis and how our Creator planned our world by creating it and filling it.  Dr. Vines summarizes with the statement that "scientists have come to understand the anthropic principle. It is now recognized that the whole creation was specially designed for people."  People.  You and me.  We were so important to God that He created an entire world of goodness and grace in which we could thrive and enjoy and worship Him.  As I consider that thought, I cannot help but be grateful for this new day in this new year.  Despite the challenges that this world presents me, the inevitable evil that this world will produce in coming days, I am comforted that the Sovereign Creator designed this world so I could live in it and find His protective hand in every detail.

Dr. Jerry Vines is a native of Carrollton, Georgia.  He pastored First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida for 24 years. He served two terms as President of the Southern Baptist Convention and is revered by many Baptists today. 

To get your copy of his devotional book designed for busy believers CLICK HERE.

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EARTH DAY...Should be Every Day, by David Brumbelow

I plant trees all the time. I do a lot of planting, growing, and grafting fruit trees. I grow and root a lot of antique roses and a little of everything else. Have two pecan trees and two pear trees that I grafted last year that are now growing again. The citrus trees have been blooming like crazy; so have the pomegranates and persimmons.  I practice earth day on a regular basis.  Here are a few principles I follow and thoughts about Earth Day April 22nd: 

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." -Genesis 1:1

"The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein." -Psalm 24:1

1. Christians should be concerned about the environment.

It is the creation of our Heavenly Father. Support reasonable measures to decrease pollution and enhance the environment. Don’t litter. Enjoy nature & the outdoors. Plant a garden, a tree. Plant to provide food and shelter for wildlife. Learn about and enjoy God’s creation.

2. We are to have dominion over it.

Genesis 1:28

That doesn’t mean to trash it - but to use its resources wisely. Farming, ranching, logging, hunting, fishing, trapping can be reasonable ways to use the resources God gave us.

Drilling and using the oil God gave us is a reasonable use of the earth’s resources. If you drive an automobile, apparently you agree as well. If you disagree, I expect to see you riding a bicycle J .

3. Be honest, truthful about the environment.

Many of the radical environmentalists are deceptive and untruthful about environmental issues. Knowledge, opinions, weather cycles change.  For example:

On the first Earth Day in 1970 - people were protesting against Global Cooling. When I was in grade school we were taught Global Cooling. For several years now they have used the same evidence to teach Global Warming. Now they are beginning to speak of Climate Change. That seems to be a winner - the climate will change, and weather cycles come and go.

Once they protested against nuclear power - now they’re for it.

Environmentalists were for plastic grocery bags, now they’re against them.

There is a growing concern about Ethanol increasing the cost of food for the poor and actually hurting the environment.

Let’s be honest about the facts. Let’s be reasonable about environmental laws.

4. Worship the Creator, not the creation.

"They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen." -Romans 1:25; HCSB 

Be careful.  Worshipping the creation is idolatry.  Never confuse worshipping the Creator with worshipping the creation.

5. Most important, tell people about the Creator. John 3:16

No matter how well we take care of this world, we are all going to leave it some day. We must be prepared for the life to come.  Earth Day opens the lines for us to share how the Creator can recreate the life in any individual who accepts His Son as Lord and Savior.

-David R. Brumbelow

, April 18, AD 2009.