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Our Daily Devotion – Known Before, Prepared Along the Way - “But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace…” Galatians 1:15 Scripture (ESV)Paul writes these words as a man who fully understands his past—and does not deny it. He persecuted the Church. He opposed Christ. Yet when Paul looks back, he does not see wasted years or accidental detours. He sees a sovereign God who was at work long before Paul ever understood it.This verse reminds us of a hard but hopeful truth: God’s calling is older than our mistakes. Long before we found our way to Christ, He already knew where our story was headed. Long before we understood ministry, God was quietly shaping us for it.Our background—every season, every failure, every lesson learned the hard way—was not outside of God’s reach. Grace didn’t merely rescue Paul; it reframed his entire life. What once seemed like disqualifications became preparation in the hands of God.If you are tempted to believe your past limits your usefulness, remember this: God does not call the prepared—He prepares the called. And He often does that preparation long before the calling becomes clear

Known Before, Prepared Along the Way

<h3>Legends of the White Hat – Episode 3</h3><h2>The Fence Mender</h2> Some fights don’t give you a warning.They come out of nowhere—like a storm rolling over a clear horizon.One moment everything was calm. The next, I felt it.A massive presence behind me. An iron arm sliding under my chin. A chokehold cinched tight enough to steal the world out from under my feet.Air vanished. Panic rushed in. My throat burned as pressure crushed my voice flat.Instinct kicked in before fear could finish its work.With a final twist born of desperation, I broke free—gasping, lungs screaming for air. When I turned to face him, I saw a man bigger than me, eyes wild, anger spilling out of him like something feral and unchecked.He went for his belt.Steel flashed.A large knife came free, the blade catching the light as he lunged—fast, reckless, committed to harm.Training took the reins.I stepped aside, let his own momentum betray him, and drove him into the ground hard enough to rattle bone. I locked him down, scissored his arms, and held him there—every muscle tight—until the sound of approaching backup cut through the chaos and the cuffs finally clicked closed.It was over.Or so I thought.That night stayed with me. Not the pain. Not the fear.The weight of it.Years passed. Life moved on. I carried the memory like an old scar—quiet, mostly forgotten, but never gone.Then one day… the past knocked on the door.The man who had attacked me reached out.Not with threats. Not with excuses.But with a request for forgiveness.As a Christian, unforgiveness isn’t something I’m allowed to hang onto—not if I take Jesus seriously. Still, knowing something in your head and living it in your heart are two different fences altogether.That conversation changed everything.As I chose to forgive him, something unexpected happened—the chains I didn’t even realize I was still carrying fell clean away. And then the Lord did what only He can do.I learned his name was Karl.And Karl wasn’t just a man from my past anymore.He was a new brother in Christ.We talked. We shared. We prayed. And somewhere in that holy ground between confession and grace, a bond formed—stronger than memory, deeper than violence. The kind of bond only faith can weld together.Blood didn’t make us brothers.Grace did.That’s when I understood something I’d known all along but hadn’t fully lived yet:Forgiveness doesn’t erase the fence that was broken. It mends it.Jesus said it plain enough:“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” — Matthew 6:14–15Paul echoed it:“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” — Ephesians 4:32Forgiveness isn’t weakness. It isn’t forgetting. It isn’t pretending the hurt didn’t happen.Forgiveness is obedience.And sometimes, it’s the strongest thing a man in a white hat will ever do.So if there’s a fence in your life that’s been broken for a long time… If the boards are crooked and the wire’s rusted with old hurt…Maybe it’s time to mend it.Not because they deserve it. But because Christ already paid for it.The White Hat rides on. Some men guard the line. Others mend it.“Daylight’s burnin’—I’ll see you on the trail.”- Lane Street,&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Riding for the Cross Brand

Legends of the White Hat – The Fence Mender

A Biblical Examination of the Claim That Tongues Are the Required Evidence of Being Filled with the Holy SpiritIn some Christian circles today, it is taught—explicitly or implicitly—that speaking in tongues is the necessary and universal evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit. While tongues are a genuine biblical gift, the claim that all Spirit-filled believers must speak in tongues demands careful examination.This report seeks to answer a simple but critical question:Does Scripture teach that speaking in tongues is the required evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit?The answer, when Scripture is allowed to speak for itself, is clear: No.&nbsp; I. Jesus Himself: The Clearest and Decisive Case Luke 3:22 – “The Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form, like a dove.”Luke 4:1 – “And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan…” Jesus is explicitly described as full of the Holy Spirit.There is no record—none—of Jesus ever speaking in tongues.If speaking in tongues were the required evidence of being filled with the Spirit, Jesus Himself would fail the test. That conclusion is unthinkable—and it alone exposes the flaw in the doctrine.&nbsp; II. Old Testament Examples: Spirit-Filled Without TonguesBefore Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon individuals for wisdom, leadership, craftsmanship, obedience, and power—never as ecstatic speech.Bezalel - Exodus 31:3 – “I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability, intelligence, knowledge, and all craftsmanship.”Result: skill, excellence, creativity—not tongues.Joshua - Deuteronomy 34:9 – “Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom.”Result: leadership, faithfulness, obedience.The Judges Othniel – Judges 3:10 Gideon – Judges 6:34 Samson – Judges 14:6In each case, the Spirit empowered action, courage, and deliverance, not speech.The Old Testament never equates being filled with the Spirit with speaking in tongues. Ever.&nbsp; III. New Testament Examples: Still No Universal TonguesJohn the Baptist - Luke 1:15 – “He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.”Result: prophetic boldness, repentance preaching.No tongues recorded.Elizabeth - Luke 1:41 – “Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”Result: praise and prophecy in her own language.No tongues.Zechariah - Luke 1:67 – “His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied.”Result: prophecy—not tongues.Simeon - Luke 2:25–27 – The Holy Spirit was upon him, guiding and revealing truth.No tongues recorded.&nbsp; IV. The Apostles and the Early ChurchPeter - Acts 4:8 – “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said…” Result: bold proclamation.No tongues mentioned.The Jerusalem Believers - Acts 4:31 – “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.”Luke clearly identifies the result: boldness.Luke consistently records tongues when they occur (Acts 2, 10, 19). His silence here is deliberate.Stephen - Acts 6:5 – “A man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 7 – One of the longest sermons in Scripture.No tongues recorded—ever. &nbsp; V. Paul the Apostle (A Critical Witness) - Paul did speak in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:18). Yet: Acts 9:17 – Paul is filled with the Holy Spirit. Tongues are not mentioned at that moment.More importantly, Paul directly teaches:“Do all speak in tongues?” (1 Corinthians 12:30)The Greek construction demands the answer: No.Paul could not be clearer without shouting.VI. What Scripture Actually TeachesBeing Filled with the Holy Spirit Produces: Obedience – Acts 5:32 Holiness – Romans 8 Love – Romans 5:5 Power for Witness – Acts 1:8 Wisdom – Acts 6:3 Boldness – Acts 4:31 Christlikeness – Galatians 5Tongues Are: A gift, not a guarantee A sign, not a seal One manifestation among many—not the measure of spirituality &nbsp; Here is My conclusion, based on the Word;Here it is, plainly and biblically stated: Scripture never teaches that everyone filled with the Holy Spirit will speak in tongues.Scripture repeatedly shows Spirit-filled people who never did.To claim otherwise is not a difference of interpretation—it is adding a requirement God never gave.The Holy Spirit is not proven by sound, volume, or display. He is known by fruit, faithfulness, obedience, and love.Where the Spirit truly fills a believer, there is no need to pretend, perform, or prove.Tongues are a gift. They are not a guarantee. They are not a requirement. And they are not the measure of spirituality.Jesus Christ is. In His love,ray mileurSpecial thank you to my wife Anne for her indepth historical research on this topic, that inspired this post.

Is Speaking in Tongues the Evidence of Being Spirit-Filled?

Our Daily Devotional - For a long time, I treated joy like something I’d reach once life finally calmed down. Pay the bills. Fix the mess. Mend the relationships. Then—maybe—I could breathe and enjoy life. But Nehemiah 8 offers a deeper, richer perspective. It reminds us that joy is not a distant reward for perfect circumstances, but a gift God offers right in the middle of ordinary, messy lives. Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord."Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” — Nehemiah 8:10Joy doesn’t wait for us to get everything together. It enters our struggles, our anxieties, and even our disappointments, calling us to notice God’s presence right here, right now.In Nehemiah’s day, God’s people hear His Word after years of drifting—lost, scattered, and longing. As Ezra reads the law aloud, conviction sets in. The weight of failure and regret brings tears. The walls of Jerusalem have been rebuilt, but their hearts feel exposed and raw before God. If there was ever a moment where guilt and sorrow could have taken over, this was it.Yet Nehemiah and the leaders give a surprising command. Instead of mourning, the people are told to go home, gather with family, eat the best food, drink something sweet, and share generously with anyone in need. They are told to stop grieving—not because their past doesn’t matter, but because God is doing something new.“This day is holy… the joy of the Lord is your strength.”The day is holy not because the people finally got everything right, but because God, in His mercy, has gathered them back to Himself and remains faithfully present among them. God’s holiness transforms an ordinary day into a sacred celebration.The joy of the Lord is not denial. It does not ignore pain or pretend brokenness isn’t real. It is a deep, steady strength that comes from knowing God has not walked away—even when life is hard.You don’t have to wait for a perfect day to experience that joy. Today, in the middle of whatever you’re facing, God invites you to trust His presence and draw strength from the joy He gives. Let this be your devotion: to believe that God is here—and that His presence, right now, is enough. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Daily Devotional - "the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

<h3>Advent: A Season of Hope in the Midst of Empty Chairs</h3>Advent is a season of waiting, and grief understands waiting well. The holiday season makes absence louder. The table feels bigger and emptier all at once. There are chairs that no longer scrape against the floor, voices that no longer rise over laughter, traditions that remain but ache differently now.I miss my dad. I miss my grandmas and my grandpa. And I miss three of my children who will never open gifts or run into the room with excitement on Christmas morning. Grief does not follow a calendar. You don’t get over the people you love. You learn how to carry them, even as the years move forward.We still cry when we talk about them for too long. Sometimes the tears come suddenly, even years later. Scripture does not tell us to hide this. “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Even knowing resurrection was moments away, Christ entered fully into sorrow. God is not afraid of our tears.Advent reminds me that waiting is not empty—it is holy. We wait in the dark because we trust that light is coming. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2). Christ came into a broken world, not to deny suffering, but to redeem it.I can hope because those I miss lived with assurance of salvation. They knew the Lord, trusted Him, and belong to Him still. “If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep” (1 Thessalonians 4:14). Death did not claim them. Christ did.When it comes to my children, Scripture is quieter. The Bible does not spell out their eternity in detail. But Advent teaches me to trust the character of God when answers are not complete. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Genesis 18:25). I know who God is. I know His goodness, His mercy, His love. The God who knit my children together, who knew them before I ever carried them, loves them more perfectly than I ever could.Jesus welcomed children without condition. “Let the little children come to me… for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14). Because of who God is, I carry a confident hope—not presumption, not denial of grief—but trust that one day I will be reunited with my children in the presence of Christ.Advent holds grief and hope together. “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted” (Psalm 34:18). Near in the waiting. Near in the emptiness. Near at tables with missing chairs. We do not grieve without hope, but we do grieve deeply. “For we do not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). That does not mean we grieve less. It means our grief is carried by promise. “He has put eternity into man’s heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). We ache because we were made for forever, and because love was never meant to end in separation and death was not part of God’s original design.Advent does not rush us to joy—it prepares us for it. We wait for the day God promises: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more” (Revelation 21:4). Until then, I wait. I miss them. I cry. And I trust that the Light has already come—and is coming again.

Advent: A Season of Hope in the Midst of Empty Chairs

<h3>"A Moment of Unexpected Grace"&nbsp;</h3> Recently, my wife and I encountered another opportunity to put generosity into action.While visiting a hospital gift shop, I noticed a woman at the counter, visibly distressed as she realized she didn’t have enough money for the items she wanted to purchase. Her hands were almost shaking, and she seemed both shocked and embarrassed by the unexpectedly high prices.Sensing her discomfort, I gently placed my left hand on hers and quietly reassured her, “God’s got this. You can go and take your items with you.” At first, she was stunned, unsure how to respond to such an offer. I smiled and told her it was all right. Her tension melted into gratitude; she smiled, said thank you, and left with her items.After she walked away, I paid the clerk for her purchases and for the gifts I had come to buy for a patient on the third floor. That simple act cost me little, but the impact was profound—for both her and me. It was a reminder that opportunities to give appear in everyday moments, and with God’s help, we can meet them with open hands and hearts.Each time my wife and I experience moments like these, we’re reminded that the joy of giving is not just in the act itself, but in seeing someone’s burden lifted, if only for a moment. God’s love often flows through the simplest gestures—a touch, a word, a gift freely given—and in those moments, we all receive something far greater than what we give away.We don’t give to be seen, but perhaps, when others witness genuine kindness, it plants a seed—encouraging them to give, too, in that next "moment of unexpected grace." &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;