Are you a dead duck?

Psalms 118:17 I will not die, but live, and I will proclaim what the Lord has done.

A farmer and his friend went duck hunting. Eventually, they got to talking about the things of God, as they always would. "You're always talking about these battles you have with the devil," the farmer's friend said to him. "It's so silly – I mean, I'm not even a Christian and I've never experienced anything like that."

"Yes my friend," the wise farmer answered, "but if you shot two ducks -- one was wounded and one was dead -- which would you go after first?"

"Well," he said, "I guess I'd go after the wounded duck – I can always get the dead one later."

"Mmm-hmm," said the farmer, "The devil knows you're a dead duck."

For those of us who are walking with the Lord today, be encouraged! Our enemy knows that we have potential to do great things for God, and out of fear, he'll try anything to take us out. This is so very evident by the constant battle we all face.

Let's stand strong against the devil today! And rise up to the Lord's calling upon our lives! We will fight and we will WIN! Because if God is for us, who can be against us?! And you know it -- there's still SO much work to be done!!

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A good pastor friend of ours told us that his congregation was experiencing some hardships and division. How often does this happen among us? It breaks my heart -- and I believe the Lord weeps over this too.

I came across an old article about "fake physicians". According to this article, many American citizens could be receiving medical treatment from doctors who lied on their medical school loan applications and used the money to pay a broker for fake documents. One guy was arrested and later admitted that he was paid beaucoup bucks to hand out approximately a hundred phony medical documents claiming that his clients completed their training! Can you imagine?!

I came across a powerful parable written by a Haitian pastor illustrating to his congregation the need for total commitment to the Lord.

Yesterday, actor Robert Clary of Hogan's Heroes fame passed away at the age of 96.  Upon reading his autobiography, Mr. Clary was the youngest of 14 children. However, 10 of his siblings were tragically killed during the Holocaust.  He survived his captivity in the Buchenwald Concentration Camp in 1942.  Upon reading his story, and with thanksgiving coming this week in the United States reminded me of another story by Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian survivor of the Holocaust because of her willingness to protect Jews during World War 2.

Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so gloomy that one church member thought to himself, "Certainly the preacher won't think of anything for which to thank the Lord on a wretched day like this." Much to his surprise, however, Whyte began by praying, "We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this."

The first thirty years of my life were spent in Baltimore, Maryland, and I have many fond memories there. One of these is a trail in the woods by the Patapsco River. I used to go fishing there with my dad and spent many a weekend hanging out with my friends, wading in the water.

The parable of the Prodigal son might also serve as an illustration of the relationship between Israel and the Church.