Investing In People

“Confrontation is one of the highest expressions of love.  When done in love and compassion, confrontation is one the kindest things you can do for another person.  A refusal to confront when needed, is one of the most selfish things you can do.  …Confrontation is not criticizing another; it is helping that person so that he will not be further hurt by his behavior.”     Walter A. Henrichsen (“Walt H”)

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A history of these Daily Devotions along with other valuable Resources can be found at: https://lylebrennan.com.  “If you want to STOP these Daily Devotional emails, reply to this email and type “STOP” in Subject box.” 

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Thoughts from the Diary of a Desperate Man 

by Walter Henrichsen

Investing In People

Day Three

”Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” John 15:16

Everyone invests his life in something by virtue of his living.  No moment can be saved for another day.  Time once spent can never be recaptured.  If this life is the seedtime of eternity, how do you best spend your life preparing for your time with God?  Scripture answers this question by telling you to invest in the “fruit that remains.”

What is the fruit that remains?  The Bible teaches that this imperishable fruit is human beings.  Jesus invested His life in people.  When He died, He died for people.  He urged His followers, “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for

the food which endures to eternallife.”5  People are important; people last forever.

Things, on the other hand, have no intrinsic value.  A beautiful cup may have utilitarian value in that it helps in getting drink to your mouth, but it is temporal and will not endure the consummation of the age.6   This does not mean that you should misuse temporal resources.  Quite the contrary.  God will hold you accountable, in part, for how you steward these resources.

As Christ’s obedient servant, use things to invest in people.  An axiom of Scripture is: Steward the temporal; give your life in exchange for the eternal. Keep the value of your possessions in proper perspective; they are resources given by God to assist you in investing in “the fruit that remains.”  This best prepares you for an eternity with Him. What does your investment portfolio reveal about your belief?

5 John 6:27

6 cf.ll Peter3:10

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Genesis 7-9 Matthew 3 (New King James Version)

Genesis 7-9

The Great Flood

7 Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. 2 You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; 3 also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep [a]the species alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will [b]destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made.” 5 And Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him. 6 Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters were on the earth.

7 So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean animals, of animals that areunclean, of birds, and of everything that creeps on the earth, 9 two by two they went into the ark to Noah, male and female, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the flood were on the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. 12 And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.

13 On the very same day Noah and Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark— 14 they and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. 15 And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life. 16 So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in.

17 Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered. 20 The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered. 21 And all flesh died that moved on [c]the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. 22 All in whose nostrils was the breath [d]of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died. 23 So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive. 24 And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.

Noah’s Deliverance

8 Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. 2 The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. 3 And the waters receded continually from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters decreased. 4 Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. 5 And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.

6 So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. 7 Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. 8 He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. 9 But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. 10 And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. 11 Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. 12 So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore.

13 And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month,the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry. 14 And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried.

15 Then God spoke to Noah, saying, 16 “Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. 19 Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark.

God’s Covenant with Creation

20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination[e] of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.

22 

“While the earth remains,

Seedtime and harvest,

Cold and heat,

Winter and summer,

And day and night

Shall not cease.”

God’s Promise to Noah

9 So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. 2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move onthe earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. 3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning;from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man.

6 

“Whoever sheds man’s blood,

By man his blood shall be shed;

For in the image of God

He made man.

7 

And as for you, be fruitful and multiply;

Bring forth abundantly in the earth

And multiply in it.”

8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying: 9 “And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your [f]descendants after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. 11 Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

12 And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; 15 and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

Noah and His Sons

18 Now the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan. 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.

20 And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. 21 Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were [g]turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness.

24 So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. 25 Then he said:

“Cursed be Canaan;

A servant of servants

He shall be to his brethren.”

26 And he said:

“Blessed be the Lord,

The God of Shem,

And may Canaan be his servant.

27 

May God enlarge Japheth,

And may he dwell in the tents of Shem;

And may Canaan be his servant.”

28 And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. 29 So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died.

Footnotes:

• Genesis 7:3 Lit. seed
• Genesis 7:4 Lit. blot out
• Genesis 7:21 the land
• Genesis 7:22 LXX, Vg. omit of the spirit
• Genesis 8:21 intent or thought
• Genesis 9:9 Lit. seed
• Genesis 9:23 Lit. backwards

Matthew 3

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

3 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord;

Make His paths straight.’ ”

4 Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit [a]and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

John Baptizes Jesus

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”

15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.

16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and [b]He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Footnotes:

• Matthew 3:11 M omits and fire
• Matthew 3:16 Or he

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PRAYER REQUESTS 

Please Pray for:

Sister Sandra’s family.  Our deal Sister Sandra went Home, Monday night, 12/30/2019. Those of us who knew her were Blessed by the Christ-like way she put others above herself. I look forward to seeing her again…until then, I thank God for letting us know and love her while we had her here. 

 Conor, a college student, who is experiencing deep depression. Pray Conor would trust God and know He is in control.  When we worry, the Bible calls it sin; and this sin, snowballs into depression. We have to give all of our concerns over to Him and trust that He wants what’s best for us. (Do you really believe what you say you believe is real?)

God to reveal any lukewarmness that may exist within us that we might repent and “be all-in with Him”.  

Revelation‬ ‭3:14-16 “…These things says the‬ ‭ Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.””

Tyler Martin, Rod Martin’s son, who had a terrible freak accident … he went through a plate glass window and suffered multiple severe injuries. 

Brother Walt’s granddaughter, Kale’a, and his prodigal son, Elijah.  

Sister Kristen and her 2 young daughters. 

God to wakeup Rodel who says he is a Christian, but has left his wife and 2 children to move in with another woman.  

Miguel’s salvation, a confessed murderer and drug dealer, who lives in Mexico.  

A Las Vegas woman that currently is working in an abortion clinic who is very discouraged with what she is doing and seeking counseling as to what to do.  Pray God opens her eyes and saves her.  Also, regarding the same abortion clinic, Pray God sends Godly women to that clinic daily to be available to minister to the women going in and out of that clinic daily.  

The salvation of Brother David Frear’s parents.  

Brad and  Regena Mitton and their family. Regina has been diagnosed with cancer and Brad has put his landscape business on hold to be with his wife.  Pray God will move in the Mittons lives and that He will be glorified.  

Jeff from Oregon that has cirrhosis of the liver and has been given only five months to live.  He is unsure of his faith and trying to fill in his remaining days traveling.  Please Pray God awakens Jeff’s spirit to His Salvation.  (Like Jeff, we are all terminal…“So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalms‬ ‭90:12‬)

Larry who has leukemia.  Pray God would bring Larry and his love ones closer to Him and His Blessed Hope of Glory.  

Lisa Long and her family.  Lisa has had for eye surgeries that have failed and she remains blind. Pray for God to direct her path for His glory. 

Darrell Blalock who has Parkinson’s disease.  Pray for Darrell to have a meaningful and closer walk with the Lord. 

John LaPorte and other Brothers and Sisters who are doing ministry at UNLV.  (Although they are off for the holidays, pray that they would stay in touch with the UNLV students that they have kindled relationships with. )

A UNLV student named Tyler who is propaganda machine for the enemy.  Pray God will radically save Tyler and that our God will use Tyler to bring many to Christ.  

Remington, another UNLV student, says he is a new catholic… not a Believer, yet, but says he is a seeker. Pray God reveals His Truth, His Salvation to Remington. 

That our families and Brothers and Sisters in Christ will gather together to Pray… Jesus says in Matthew 18:20 (NKJV) “… For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Our unSaved family members and those around us that we have relationships with.  Or, is that you? … Have questions &/or need Prayer?… If yes, please reply or call (702) 592-4098. 

Family members and those relationships around you who say they are Saved, but their lives don’t show it. And, if that’s happens to be you, the Holy Spirit can change you into a New Creation, Christ in you… but, you must totally surrender everything to Him. (As long as you think you can do it on your own, He’ll let you; and, you will fail.) … Have questions &/or need Prayer?… If yes, please reply or call (702) 592-4098. 

Our nation that God would open all our eyes to the sins that are drowning us. Lukewarmness, abortion, sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, hatred & divisiveness, greed, pride, rebellion, covetousness, etc.  Please Pray and Fast for our nation to turn from this evil that is enveloping us.   

II Chronicles‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

… AND YET, God is Sovereign and has called us to live in such a time as this and to be His Light in the darkness… to give Hope to some. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Sister Fabiola and her children in Mexico in our Prayers. This Sister and her family, in a short time period, have been hit with a more tragedies (persecutions) than most of us have in our entire life time…  the murder of her husband, x-husband and one of her children. And, recently, her modest home (a shack by any American standard) was burnt to the ground. …Her neighbor’s house caught fire and due to the closeness of her home, it caught fire, too.  Brothers & Sisters, please Pray for God’s Holy touch on Fabiola and her family. 

Geo, a banker, who was deployed by the military to the Mideast. Pray God would keep him safe and that God would bring Geo closer to Him; and, that Geo would share God with all his company and those who come in contact with him. 

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I’ve been told by one Geo’s co-workers, Lorraine Flores, who says she considers Geo a son, that the day Geo was deployed to the Mideast, his girlfriend delivered his new baby. Please Pray Geo would Walk in God’s Light and be a Godly husband and father. And, please Pray for Geo’s family. (Also, please Pray for both Lorraine Flores and her biological son that was deployed the same day as Geo, but to Africa.)

Brother Mark Pedder, a missionary in the Philippines. Please Pray for Mark, Mark’s wife for strength in their trials, tribulations and persecution. 

Gemma that she be delivered from evil and receive Jesus as her Savior. 

Pray for Brother John LaPorte’s roommate, Brother Freddy, whose commitment to Christ caused his wife to separate from him for 6 years. The couple have 2 daughters. Both parents has stayed single all this time of separation… Within the recent past, it appears his wife, Arlene, has been Saved and the couple are beginning their reconciliation process. They are planning to reunite the family again under one roof in the next few months.  Please Pray for their total reconciliation with God at their helm. 

Scott’s salvation and healing. Scott is a commercial real estate broker. 

Our President and ALL our government leaders of both parties. Pray they would submit their authority to God’s Authority and ask for His Wisdom in directing the affairs of our nation.  Please Pray that God would open their eyes and they would be obedient to His Will. 

Brother Frank Sun, a Taiwanese, that owns several businesses in China and Taiwan.  Please Pray Frank will be bold in his sharing Christ in his companies and that he will be faithful to disciple the new Believers.  

AND, let each of us use Frank’s example and share the Love and Salvation of Jesus to our coworkers, employees, family, friends and acquaintances  … Invest in the Eternal!

Women’s Pro-Life ministries in Las Vegas and throughout the world …that they would lead women to the Lord and continue to assist in saving babies’ lives. 

Dave Ubank and his family. They are ministering and rescuing children and families in Syria directly affected by ISIS – Pray for their protection and their ministry.  For a short 2 minute video about Ubanks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_htIgIvgDM[/embedyt

Brothers’ and Sisters’ struggling with various addictions. Pray that God would reveal Himself to them that all things are possible through Him… He can Cure any addiction … He is our Great Creator, He is our Savior, He is our Healer …He is our All and All!  

Alejandro Corral, his son Alejandro Jr.

Brother Steve Venable dealing with ALS. 

Persecuted Brothers and Sisters and their families that are suffering and giving their lives for our Faith. 

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Please stand with your Brothers and Sisters in Prayer and Support. (See: The Voice of the Martyrs: https://www.persecution.com)

Biblical “headship” in families.

All the children. 

That there would be a resurgence of Biblical “Fear of the Lord” in the church and in each of us… “to fear the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.”

Brother Ron Brink’s son who had 3+ military tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and who is now suffering brain damage and PTSD.  Pray for God’s Healing Power to fall upon Johnathon. (Ron is a 20 plus year missionary in Mexico and heads up Touch Baja.)

Touch Baja ministry. Touch Baja is a Christian ministry based in Mexico touching the saved and unsaved lives of the Mexican people focused on real discipleship; truly changing lives through Christ.   From church planting discipleship ministries to half-way houses for the Mexican youth, Touch Baja needs our Prayers,  support and physical involvement.  One person can make a difference… whether an individual or a group, if you are interested in seeking an international missionary opportunity that’s not that far from home, here it is… you are needed and welcome.  Please check out Touch Baja and consider becoming a real partner and getting involved: http://www.touchbaja.com.  (I am personally available to share with you about the ministry… I have 20+ years of stories and history.)

Makers Way ministry feeds poor families in NLV. Check it out and if you are lead to help or give, contact Mike at (702) 596-9103 or give online at:

As it’s that time again when candidates for Congress and other government offices are making their rounds drumming up support to make a run to get elected. Please Pray for God to position Real Deal Christian men and women in those races that would honor Him above anyone or anything else.  If those elected honor Him, they will honor us. (If you or someone you know is running for an office, please let us know so we can Pray for you or them.  As the upcoming elections come closer, please Pray for the CANDIDATES:

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Please Pray for Dan Rodimer who is running for the US Congress in Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District.  Dan is a conservative.  He is married with 5 children. Dan says he is a catholic.  Please Pray for his salvation and that God would would be made known in Dan’s life in such a way that those that encounter Dan would see Jesus in his life.  (https://danrodimer.com)

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Please Pray for FL Congressman Ross Spano. Brother Ed Taney’s daughter Cameron is going to be interning for him starting in January. Pray for wisdom and clear direction from God for him and his staff, and for him to pursue and honor God.