Author: Scott

In the Bible, we read about Haman. It’s a story we can all learn from. We read that he left Esther’s banquet happy. That he was in good spirits. That all changed as soon as he saw Mordecai. Because Mordecai refused to show him honor. This is where things turn south for Haman. When he got home, he let his pride get into the way. He began bragging about how much money he had. About how the king had honored him. He even talked about Queen Esther inviting him to her banquets. But as much as he was prideful about these things, he wasn’t gonna be satisfied until Mordecai would pay for dishonoring him. He plotted a way for revenge. He let his pride begin to dictate his actions. His thoughts. His desires. And that is where the danger lies.

There’s nothing wrong with having pride in what you do. It helps us keep focused on the task at hand. It helps us keep focused on priorities. But that requires us to keep our pride in check. Requires us to be in control of it. I take pride in being a good husband and father. I take pride in being a good Opa to my grandkids. When I was teaching and coaching, I took pride in what I was doing. And now I have pride in watching Charlie 22 Outdoors, working in peoples lives. But I consider all of these things blessings from God. Trying to make sure I keep him as the focus. Trust me, there are days that I fail at this. But I do what I can to make sure I keep God first and foremost.

Today, let’s all take a look at ourselves and see just how much we let pride dictate our actions and our thoughts. Let’s all look to see if our pride causes us to be arrogant. Let’s all look to see if we are becoming self-centered. We can probably even look and find what it is that causes us to be to prideful. Let’s work on making sure that we don’t allow ourselves to be so prideful that we don’t submit to God. That we don’t follow his purpose for us. Let’s try to be humble. Let’s try to have servant hearts. Let’s focus on lifting others up. Helping them succeed. Let’s thank God, and give him all the glory in all that we do. Let’s praise him. Let’s even pray for him to help us from being too prideful. If we do these things, God will bless our efforts. And that will be awesome.

Today marks a significant anniversary that my family will never forget. August 13, 2021, I got a phone call that I needed to get to the hospital to say my goodbyes. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it in time. While I was in route, I got the phone call that Bobby was gone. I just sat there. Didn’t know how to react. What to do. Couldn’t believe it happened. 

Ten days earlier is also a day I will never forget. Mom and Bobby were both battling COVID. Juli was there giving us updates daily. The morning update was pretty good. Mom was doing better. And Bobby seemed to be stable. Then around 2 o’clock I got a phone call that I better go see him if I wanted to talk to him before he gets intubated. I was floored. I went to his hospital room window. He saw me and spent around and gave me the victory sign with his fingers. He couldn’t talk because the oxygen mask. But I could see his smile. What happen next was like a scene in a horror movie. Two people walked in wearing hazmat suits. I could tell that they were talking with Bobby. I watched him sign some paperwork. Then they wheeled him off. And that was it. It happened that quickly. That’s the last time I saw Bobby. It’s still hard to even think about today.

We never know what life is going to deal us. We never know what kind of curveballs life is going to throw at us. We never know. One thing that we are promised when we are born is that life is going to end at some time. It’s going to happen. What we do with our lives is up to us. And that includes our decision to accept Christ into our lives. It’s up to us. Unfortunately, some of us never do so. And that is terrible. But the invitation stands open for everyone of us. It’s there. All we have to do is make the choice. I was blessed to be able to lead Bobby’s memorial service. It wasn’t easy. But I’m thankful I was given the opportunity to do so. During my message, I made a point that there’s only one way for us to see him again. And that’s by accepting Christ into our lives. That’s it. That’s the path. That’s the only way. So today, if you haven’t done so, turn towards Jesus. Accept him. Let him take control and lead you. It’s the most important decision you will ever make. 

Jennifer Simpson is an American middle- and long-distance runner. She’s a four time NCAA National Champion. She won the gold medal in the 1500 meters at the 2011 World Championships, silvers at the 2013 and 2017 World Championships, and a bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She was the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in the event. She represented the United States at the 2008 Beijing, 2012 London, and 2016 Rio Olympics. She entered the 2021 Track and Field trials with hopes of returning to a fourth Olympics. She missed the top 3 spots and did not qualify for the Tokyo Games.

Can you imagine the disappointment? Athletes train for years to compete in the Olympics. And to be so close, yet so far from making it at the same time. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, Jenny immediately went to congratulate the three who did qualify. She took defeat graciously. We can all learn from that example. No matter what life brings us, we can step forward with confidence. We can let God take control. We can love him. Put our trust in him. And show our faith in him. Surrendering our lives to him. Stepping forward for him.

There’s another example of this that we can learn from and follow. One that we NEED to follow. That is Jesus. Jesus knew that he had to surrender all of his own desires. He knew that was what it was going to take for our salvation. And just like you and me, I believe he had a choice. He could’ve chosen to not go through what he did. He could’ve turned away from why he was here. I might be wrong thinking that. But he was human while he was on earth. Therefore he could choose. And he chose to step forward. So the question for us all today is, “Will we step forward even when times are hard?” That’s a great question. But it’s one that we should all ask ourselves. So today let’s challenge ourselves to answer that question honestly. And let’s find ways to step forward. 

When I was playing basketball, our goal each time we stepped on the floor against another team was to win. When we played in tournaments, we wanted to be the champions. And we wanted to win the conference. We wanted to win the district. And so on. Our goal was to be a champion. When I was coaching, it was the same thing each time we stepped on the floor against another team. There’s nothing wrong with those goals. They are what drove us to work together. To put in the work. They helped us keep focused. And there are a lot of lessons that people can learn being part of a team like that. But we must learn to keep things in perspective. Keep our priorities in check. What do I mean by that?

We live in a world of titles. Manager. Director. Boss. Owner. First place. Second place. Third place. Champions! Etc. Is easy to find self-worth with titles. With labels. It’s easy for us to let what we accomplish define us. People recognize titles. How often have you heard somebody say they want to talk to the manager? Or I want to talk to the owner. That’s because they recognize who is in charge. Once again, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the titles. People work hard to achieve those. They work hard to earn those. Effort should be rewarded. But the danger lies in where we place our self worth.

I’m not sure that God loves us for our titles. I’m not sure he loves us for our accomplishments. I believe that God just loves us. And since that is the case, this is where we should place our worth. In God‘s love. In Christ. Another reason why we should do this is because if we do not achieve a goal, then Satan can use that against us. He can use self-doubt against us. He can use “failing” against us. He can make us feel unworthy. There is a ton of learning in failing at a task. But that doesn’t make us a failure. It’s a lesson that way can use to work towards our goals. To build on. So let’s try to remember this. God loves us. Not for our accomplishments. Just because he does. So let’s put our worth in God. And let’s be thankful for him in our accomplishments. Our championships. Let’s keep our priorities and our focus on God. Let’s know and believe the one true “title” that matters is servant of God.

Barbara will tell you that there are some movies that I like to watch whenever I see them pop up on TV. Even though I have seen them multiple times. Warrior is one of those. Last night it popped up and I watched it. This movie was released in 2011. The title alone should kind of tell you what it is about. Basically, it is a story of a broken family. Involving two brothers and a father who do not see eye-to-eye. The warrior part of it refers to the family being tied to mixed martial arts and wrestling. It really is one of my favorite movies. Not because of the fighting. But because of the life lessons that it presents. Just a family full of turmoil trying to find peace. Something that was very difficult for them to do. And it is culminating with the older brother telling the younger brother that he loves him. Which you can tell it is going to lead to a healing and peace in the family.

The common theme for several of the devotions recently has been on finding peace. That has not been intentional on my part. It has just been something that God has put on my heart. And I think it is important for me to listen to what he is telling me. I have said several times in order for us to have lasting peace, we must have God in our lives. We must have peace with him. If we do that, then we will find peace in our daily lives. Because having God in our lives helps us see things differently. Helps us find God in all that we do. Helps us find ways to love others that we could not love before. We could not love them sometimes because of their doing. And sometimes because of our doing. But with God, we can get past that.

In the movie, the characters did not want to work on their relationships. You could see it. They were fine with coexisting. That is no way for a relationship to work. We point a finger at the other person expecting them to make the first step. And even when they do so, sometimes we do not accept it. Our pride can get in the way of that. We can even find ourselves hoping that they suffer in some way. To the point that we might even celebrate when they do. We do not want to see them succeed. We even let pride get in the way of our relationship with Jesus. We think we do not need him. We could not be more wrong. And also, just as in the movie, all it takes is one step for peace to start to happen. The brother telling the younger sibling that he loved him changed everything. And that is the same way as a relationship with Christ works. We just need to take one step towards him. That is it. Accepting him changes everything. If you have not done so yet, make today the day you do. And if you have done so already, make today the day you continue building that relationship. Let us all make today the day that we strive for eternal peace. 

Have you ever had your “hands” in something long enough that you messed it up? Have you ever been involved with something long enough that you messed it up? How about being in control of something, or the decision maker over something, or the leader of something, long enough that you messed it up? It’s interesting to me how this can happen. Even with the best intentions in mind we can do this. We can mess things up. I know I have. I joke a lot about myself doing so. Especially when I’m talking about the ministry. I learned long ago that the best way for me to be the leader of something, is to find the ways for people to use their talents and then to get out of their way.

Our walk with Christ is very similar to what I’m mentioning here. Let me try to explain what I mean by that. Jesus paved the way for us with his death and resurrection. This is something that we cannot deny. Salvation is a free gift for us if we accept it. This is also something that we cannot deny. But in our lives, we can find ourselves in situations where things have fallen apart. We can find ourselves making choices that are very destructive. We can find ourselves with outside factors trying to crush us. And it’s during those times that we might question God. Wondering where he is. Wondering if he exists. Do you see the point I making now? We can get in the way of having peace in our lives. Especially if we are given long enough to do so. 

Receiving eternal salvation does not mean we’re going to have an easy life. In fact, just the opposite can be said. The Bible tells us that the path is narrow. And what that means is the path is not easy. The world’s way is easy. Making destructive choices is easy. And even with Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are still going to find ourselves worried about things. We’re going to find ourselves in difficult situations. Because we’re human. Our lives are going to continue on, and that means our lives are going to encounter hard times. But if we seek God the entire time, then we will find ourselves feeling peace and calm. We can rest assured that we have eternal salvation waiting for us. Even as flawed as we are, Jesus loves us. His heart breaks for us when we make bad choices. When we mess things up. But just like Peter, he will still be there for us even when we take our eyes off of him. And he will lift us up.

I’m often called the “history nerd” of the family. Most of the time it’s because of the history tidbits that I share about topics that we talk about. Other times it’s because I share stories from things that I read or I see. It’s a title that I relish. It’s actually endearing. Because my family does appreciate what I share with them. Recently, another story stuck out to me that I want to share with you. Dayton Webber Is a quadruple amputee that’s playing as a pro in the American Cornhole League. That’s correct. He has no hands. And he has no legs. And he is playing professionally. His story is another one that I think you should try to search out online. It’s pretty amazing.

His backstory is what sticks out to me the most. He was diagnosed with streptococcus pneumonia at just 10 months old and given a 3% chance to live. His parents had to make a decision that I could not imagine having to make. In order to stop the bacterial infection from spreading, they had to amputate both of his arms and legs. No doubt, the course of his life would be different than most. But he does not let his condition dictate how he lives. In the story that I saw, there was a quote that stuck out to me because it’s something that I recall feeling years ago: “The world doesn’t wait.” When I returned home from physical therapy years ago, that’s what stuck out to me the most. The world had not waited on me. All of my friends lives had moved on. Mine has been put on pause. That was a tough reality for me.

The point of this devotion is that the “world” will pass us by without a second thought. It will not wait on us. It doesn’t have to. It doesn’t need to. It doesn’t want to. Therefore, the world will not provide us peace that we need. It will not provide the hope that we need. And it will not provide the strength that we need. Especially in times of personal struggles or difficulties. What God gives us is beyond any of our comprehension. What God gives us surpasses anything that the world can give us. And there’s only one way for us to receive what God can give us. And that is Jesus. Plain and simple. It all comes from Jesus. With Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you are assured that no matter what earthly scenarios or circumstances that you face, they don’t have any eternal power over you. What is eternal is what we have with God that guarantees our hope of what’s to come. And that my friends…is awesome!

Our Farmhouse property is an ideal location to host veterans whenever we have local events. I say this because we regularly hear how peaceful and quiet it is. How secluded it is. There is no turmoil. There is no city noise. Every now and then you’re able to hear the distant sounds of the highway. But that’s about it. One thing we learned years ago is that our guests are all searching for something very similar. Searching for the same thing. Actually, it’s the same thing that we are all searching for. And that is the peace that comes from Jesus. It surpasses everything. Because it’s lasting. There’s no end to it. It’s eternal. Yes…there is definitely peace at the farmhouse. But it’s temporary.

If we were to ask 100 different people what peace is, I’m certain we would get a medley of responses. And I’m certain geographically, there also would be different answers. And no doubt across the world there is certainly going to be different responses. Imagine what somebody from Ukraine would say right now. For me it’s simple. I am pretty sure it’s not a secret that I really enjoy hunting. My favorite type of hunting is for deer and turkey. Because of the wait. Although I truly enjoy providing for my family, the main thing that I take from hunting is the peace that I find in the blind. Yes I’m talking about the quiet. The tranquility. But more importantly, I’m talking about what Jesus gives me. Because when I’m out there, I’m talking to Jesus.

Jesus wants us all to have peace in our hearts. And we can have it. Even during the “storms” of life. Even when times are hard. Even when the future looks bleak. We can have peace. Jesus wants that for us. And what he provides is permanent. But it’s up to us to ask him into our hearts. It’s up to us to seek him in all that we do. If we do so, he will provide it. Here’s something that I read: “It doesn’t matter how intelligent we are, how decorated our resumes are, how many inventions are credited to our names, or how smart, creative, and wise we are—we don’t know how to create peace.” That is 100% true. We can search for it. We can try to replicate it. And we can find it. But we will never be able to create it. It only comes from our Lord and Savior.

In 1994, I was a senior in college. I was in my final semester of getting my Undergraduate Degree in Psychology. I was on track to go on to graduate school. But, I kept feeling like it was the wrong path for me. I knew I was going to struggle with many of the beliefs and thoughts of those programs. Anyways, I had been asked to film a Public Service Announcement about drinking and driving. For those of you who don’t know, I was paralyzed in an accident that was due to drunk driving. The filming took place in the old gym that I had played basketball in during high school. While we were there, I felt the pull to go into coaching. My concern at the time was how I was going to do so in my wheelchair. 

When we were through filming, I stopped by the principal’s office to get his thoughts on me coaching. His advice was brilliant. He said this, “Many of the coaches you see on tv aren’t able to play anymore.” I’ll never forget that. So I prayed for a sign from God to coach or not. His answer couldn’t have been clear or came more quickly. I was called “THAT” night from a woman I didn’t even know. She was asking me to coach their junior high and high school teams. Wow! Talk about instantaneous. It was so clear. I went the next day and began the process to get a degree to teach and coach. I retired in 2011 from doing so. And I finished coaching privately in 2021. I was blessed to work with 100s of kids during that 27 years. 

Now…most of the time God has not responded so quickly to my prayers. He usually makes me wait. And that can be frustrating. Because, we live in a world where we want things done right now. Right then. No hesitation. It’s very fast paced. But we can’t let his hesitation stop us. No response from him might be his answer. But we still must pray. We must still believe. We must still seek wisdom from God. The other day we talked about pressing on. Moving forward for God. We can’t give up. If we do, that’s a victory for Satan. We must remember that God hears our prayers. He hears our cries. He’s bigger than all of our needs and desires. And his timing will always be perfect. That’s where our faith comes into play. So today, let’s have faith and let’s pray continuously. Let’s talk to God. Letting him know our needs and desires. But let’s realize this. He will answer his own time. Or he may not answer. And let’s realize that he knows what’s best for us. Because he loves us. Always has. Always will.

Zion Clark was on the latest episode of America’s Got Talent. When you get time, try to find him online someplace and watch him. It will be worth doing. Anyways, what he did was pretty incredible. But more incredible is his story. He was born with Caudal Regression Syndrome. This is a very rare condition. Basically, he was born without legs. As tragic as that was, he ended up in an orphanage. Living in that system until the age of 17. He was bullied. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. Lived a difficult childhood. It’s hard for me to imagine what that must’ve been like for him. As he got into high school, he began wrestling. And that helped change the course of his life. Because he pressed on. Even after he lost over 200 of his first matches. He kept going. Eventually he became one of the top three wrestlers in the state. Because…he pressed on.

God has a purpose for us all. He has a purpose for our lives. No matter what we are going through. No matter the difficulties. We must press forward. There’s a purpose. Moving forward is a choice that we have. Just as Zion made the choice to move forward. And that is an act of obedience. It’s a way for us to praise God. To rely on God. To trust God. Moving forward is also an act of defiance. Because it’s an act of defiance against Satan. Because he doesn’t want us to move forward. Because it shows that we are not going let him control us. Influence us. He wants to destroy us. Pressing on defeats him.

Trials and conflicts are going to come. Tough seasons are going to come. Remember there’s always going to be a source. Either from inside you. Or from the outside. For Zion it included  those that bullied him. Might have actually started from when he was abandoned by his parents. And most likely there were some internal conflicts for a while. Some of us probably can relate. Let’s recognize the sources. And then let’s make the choice to keep moving forward. To keep pressing on. Headed towards the goal that our Lord and Savior has for us. Let’s remember this: When we are at our weakest, that can be when God can be the strongest for us. Nothing is intimidating for our God. Nothing is impossible for him to overcome. He is here for us. Because he loves us. He always has. He always will.