unholy

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”  2 Timothy 3-5

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A history of these Daily Devotions along with other valuable Resources can be found at: https://lylebrennan.com. 

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Thoughts from the Diary of a Desperate Man 

by Walter Henrichsen

A Heart For Obedience

Day Eight

“But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.”  II Chronicles 15:17.

Asa is an illustration of a man who had a perfect heart towards God, but did not take the Bible seriously.  He obeyed God, at least for the most part:  “And …Asa heard these words, and …took courage, and put away the abominable idols out

of all the land of Judah and Benjamin…”13 But God wanted the abolition of the high places, which were an occasion for Israel to fall into idolatry.  Evidently Asa didn’t consider them all that important, for his obedience was incomplete.

Evangelical Christianity is replete with Asas.  Their hearts are perfect toward God, but they don’t take seriously God’s commandments.  For example, they don’t see the need to execute discipline against those who break the

commandments of God and refuse to repent.14  It is also possible to have a perfect heart toward God while considering biblical commands as cultural or non­ essential.  By definition commands are essential.  Asa had a good heart, but was only partially obedient.

You may feel that because your heart does not condemn you that God is well pleased with your life; your heart may not condemn you, but that does not mean you are acquitted.  For example, the magistrate does not care how you feel about following the law, but rather whether or not you broke it.  The standard of evaluation is not your feelings, but Scripture.  Asa demonstrates that a perfect heart is not necessarily an obedient heart.  In the day of judgment, God will call you to account, not on the basis of how you feel, but on the basis of your walking in obedience to His commandments. 

13 II Chronicles 15:8

14 cf. Matthew 18:15-19 & I Corinthians 5

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Genesis 20-22 Matthew 6:19-34 (New King James Version)

Genesis 20-22

Abraham and Abimelech

20 And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar. 2 Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is [a]a man’s wife.”

4 But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also? 5 Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the [b]integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.”

6 And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who areyours.”

8 So Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were very much afraid. 9 And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I [c]offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done.” 10 Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?”

11 And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife. 12 But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This isyour kindness that you should do for me: in every place, wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ”

14 Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife to him. 15 And Abimelech said, “See, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” 16 Then to Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; indeed this [d]vindicates you before all who are with you and before everybody.” Thus she was [e]rebuked.

17 So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children; 18 for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

Isaac Is Born

21 And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken. 2 For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3 And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him—whom Sarah bore to him—Isaac.[f] 4 Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 And Sarah said, “God has [g]made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.” 7 She also said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.”

Hagar and Ishmael Depart

8 So the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned.

9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing.[h] 10 Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” 11 And the matter was very [i]displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son.

12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. 13 Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your [j]seed.”

14 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and [k]a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba. 15 And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs. 16 Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, “Let me not see the death of the boy.” So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept.

17 And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. 18 Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.”

19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink. 20 So God was with the lad; and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. 21 He dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran; and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

A Covenant with Abimelech

22 And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do. 23 Now therefore, swear[l] to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me and to the land in which you have dwelt.”

24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.”

25 Then Abraham rebuked Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelech’s servants had seized. 26 And Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor had I heard of it until today.” 27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a [m]covenant. 28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.

29 Then Abimelech asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?”

30 And he said, “You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well.” 31 Therefore he called that place [n]Beersheba, because the two of them swore an oath there.

32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba. So Abimelech rose with Phichol, the commander of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines many days.

Abraham’s Faith Confirmed

22 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!”

And he said, “Here I am.”

2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the [o]lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”

6 So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. 7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!”

And he said, “Here I am, my son.”

Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the [p]lamb for a burnt offering?”

8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.

9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”

So he said, “Here I am.”

12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, [q]The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

15 Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— 17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.

The Family of Nahor

20 Now it came to pass after these things that it was told Abraham, saying, “Indeed Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Huz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23 And Bethuel begot [r]Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Thahash, and Maachah.

Footnotes:

• Genesis 20:3 Lit. married to a husband
• Genesis 20:5 innocence
• Genesis 20:9 sinned against
• Genesis 20:16 Lit. is a covering of the eyes for you to all
• Genesis 20:16 Or justified
• Genesis 21:3 Lit. Laughter
• Genesis 21:6 Lit. made laughter for me
• Genesis 21:9 Lit. laughing
• Genesis 21:11 distressing
• Genesis 21:13 descendant
• Genesis 21:14 A water bottle made of skins
• Genesis 21:23 take an oath
• Genesis 21:27 treaty
• Genesis 21:31 Lit. Well of the Oath or Well of the Seven
• Genesis 22:5 Or young man
• Genesis 22:7 Or goat
• Genesis 22:14 Heb. YHWH Yireh
• Genesis 22:23 Rebecca, Rom. 9:10

Matthew 6:19-34

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Lamp of the Body

22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is [a]good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is [b]bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

You Cannot Serve God and Riches

24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and [c]mammon.

Do Not Worry

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one [d]cubit to his [e]stature?

28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not [f]arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Footnotes:

• Matthew 6:22 Clear, or healthy
• Matthew 6:23 Evil, or unhealthy
• Matthew 6:24 Lit., in Aram., riches
• Matthew 6:27 About 18 inches
• Matthew 6:27 height
• Matthew 6:29 dressed

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PRAYER REQUESTS 

Please Pray for:

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. 

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.  

Abortion clinics, Pray God sends Godly women to the clinics daily to be available to minister to the women going in and out of those clinics 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 days 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. 

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… 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, lying, cheating, stealing, 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 inconceivable  tragedies (persecutions) … I think more than most of us have experienced in our entire life…  the murder of her husband, x-husband and one of her children. And, her modest home (a shack by any American standard) was burnt to the ground. … Although her modest home (shelter) has been rebuilt, please Pray for God’s Holy touch on Fabiola and her family. And, although the above sounds so tragic, we have hope in God’s Word that says, in His wisdom, Fabiola as a Believer has some Special Blessings accrued to her account, whether they are here  or in eternity. Praise Him!

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. 

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. 

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Please Pray for Andy Matthews, former President of the Nevada Policy Research Institute, current a Republican candidate running for Nevada State Assembly District 37.