The Bible is full of conditional promises. That means that God makes a promise to do something if we first do something. He is rewarding right behavior on our part. All good parents do it, and God is certainly a good Father.

One of these conditional promises is in Psalms one that starts right out in verse one with “blessed is the man.” It follows that in verse two and three with we will be like a tree planted by a river yielding lots of fruit, and in everything that we do we will prosper.

What is the condition, or what action on our part is it that God is going to reward? Memorizing and meditating on scripture.

Joshua 1:8 says that if we meditate on God’s Word day and night that we will have success at everything we do.

So God promises that those who meditate on His Word day and night will be prosperous and successful at what they do. In order to meditate on God’s Word we have to memorize it.

Very few people systematically memorize verses from the Bible, why? They don’t believe that the promise is true, a low level of faith in the promises that are in God’s Word.

I spend 30 minutes every day memorizing scripture and reviewing what I have already memorized, and I am going to kick it up to 45 minutes, why? Because I believe the promises of God, and I want what He promises, success at everything that I do.

Memorizing scripture isn’t hard, it just takes time. It is just a matter of going over it again and again until it sticks. Start by picking some verses, putting them on 3×5 cards and reviewing them regularly and often. As you master them add some more to the list. I have about 700 verses memorized well, but I know people who have memorized several thousand verses well.

God is in charge, and He is God. I believe Him and trust Him with all of my heart, so I memorize and meditate because I love being blessed by God with success at all that I put my hand to. Success isn’t a matter of talent, it is an issue of faith and obedience.

There are a lot of different and contradictory teachings on Spiritual gifts in the world wide church today. Here are some of the conclusions that I have come to in my study of Spiritual gifts over the years, and naturally I believe they are correct, though many of the differences between my view and others don’t really make that much difference.

– The church is repeatedly called the “Body of Christ” by the apostle Paul, and the people in the church who are believers each have a Spiritual gift or gifts, and they are a part of the body, either a foot, an ear, an eye, or whatever.

1 Corinthians 12:20-21 But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

1 Corinthians 12:27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.

– When all of the different body parts are functioning well the body is healthy.

– Often the individual body parts are not functioning, and the result is that the body will be sick or unhealthy, the church will not grow, reach the lost, or make disciples.

Ephesians 4:16 the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

– God decided what our gift would be and gave it to us, we don’t get to pick which one we want. It is our responsibility to discover what our giftedness is.

1 Corinthians 12:18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.

1 Corinthians 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

– Knowing the name of our gift isn’t important, but knowing what we do that seems to be blessed and used of God, empowered by God is what is important.

– I believe that we all are spiritual snowflakes, a unique person created by God to function and serve in a special way that will result in the growth of the body.

– When we are serving in the area of our giftedness we are empowered by the Spirit and we will feel energized and very joyful.

– There is no fast and easy way to discover your giftedness, but those who want to know and serve in the body will discover it.

– Serving, and functioning in the area of our giftedness is the only way to really live, and bear much fruit.

– God made me a teacher, and when I am teaching I sense His pleasure like nothing else I do.

– Everything makes me tired anymore at 75 years of age except for teaching, when I teach I am energized.

Over the years of being the Pastor of Jefferson Baptist Church I have read many books on leadership, I have gone to dozens of seminars on leadership, I have listened to literally 100’s of hours of podcasts on leadership by some of the best leaders in the world, I have been personally mentored by some very good leaders, and I have made more mistakes in leadership than most leaders, and I have tried to learn from those mistakes.

Over the years of making mistakes, getting counsel, reading books and listening to the best leaders in the world on podcasts, I have taken good notes. As I learn, I have written out my own personal book of Proverbs on Leadership, and I call it , “Dee Duke’s Leadership Axioms.”

A few of those axioms;

– The Achilles heal of all leaders is pride. Pride alienates me from those I am leading, and I will quickly lose the blessing of God because of pride.

– Pride is subtle and tricky, it sneaks into my thinking and attitude before I am aware of it, if I am not super diligent to keep guard over my heart and motives.

– Never boss people around and tell them what to do, instead appeal to their conscience.

– Every time I have a conflict with another person take the blame, be the one who is wrong. If I humble myself God will exalt me, but if I exalt myself God will humble me.

– Never say “no.” Don’t be a control freak, Jesus will protect and lead His church.

– in the midst of problems, pressures, and disunity always keep asking, “what will make Jesus happy?”

– God blesses unity not methods.

– When people in the church volunteer, anything they do, no matter how small, is gravy, so praise and appreciate it.

– At least a dozen times a day ask God for wisdom and strength, He gives it to those who ask a lot.

– With people who are leading a ministry or starting to lead a ministry, give them all the advice and training they want, but don’t tell them what to do. It is super easy to start right and only counsel and help, and then to move to being in charge.

– Remember the goal of ministry is to train and motivate people to do the work of the ministry, not to do the work of the ministry.

– People follow a happy and positive leader.

– Success is a good and Biblical word, the problem is when I don’t come up with a definition of success that is Biblical.

– I have to learn how to lead myself well before I can lead others.

– The most powerful tool that I have for self leadership are my personal goals.

I have many other axioms on how to be a “God blessed leader”, join my leadership class if you want the rest.

I did not write this material, I copied part and portions of it from a Fox News article.

“A recent study has shown that men who enjoy fishing as a hobby may have better mental health. The study conducted by researchers at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, Ulster University, and Queen’s University in Belfast, found that fishing on a regular basis lowered the risk of depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and other mental health problems.

Researchers polled 1,752 males about their fishing activities.

The participants who fished regularly were 17% less likely to experience mental health issues.

While it’s been well-established that fishing has positive benefits for mental health, the new research also highlights that people who engage in the hobby more often yield greater cognitive benefits, noted Dr. Mike Trott, one of the study researchers from the Centre for Mental Health Research at the University of Queensland.”

Wow, I knew fishing was good for me!!

I didn’t write this article. It was on a Fox News report.

Casting a line could reel in a lot more than the catch of the day. A recent study has shown that men who enjoy fishing as a hobby may have better mental health. The study, conducted by researchers at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, Ulster University, and Queen’s University, Belfast, found that fishing on a regular basis contributed to a lower risk of depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and other mental health conditions. Researchers polled 1,752 males about their fishing activities, as well as other factors including previous mental illness, exercise and overall well-being. The participants who said they fished on a regular basis were nearly 17% less likely to have experienced mental health conditions compared to men who did not fish frequently. The more often the men fished, the better their mental health, according to the study, which was published in the journal epidemiologia this summer. In general, the findings suggest that encouraging frequent participation in recreational angling could be a dual method strategy for promoting relaxation and positive mental health, as well as encouraging increased levels of physical activity in those with mental health issues,” the study’s authors wrote in the journal summary. While it’s been well-established that fishing has positive benefits for mental health, the new research also highlights that people who engage in the hobby more often yield greater cognitive benefits, noted Dr. Mike Trott, one of the study researchers from the Centre for Mental Health Research at the University of Queensland. We were expecting to find that angling in general has positive effects on mental health — however, we did not expect that the more often you fish, the better the benefits are.”

Today, four of the JBC staff went chinook salmon fishing on the Colombia River. We had a great time and did really good fishing as well. It is 9:00 pm and I am sitting in my recliner feeling really good right now. You ever have those times when you are just feeling up, happy, even a bit giddy for no apparent reason, that is me this evening. Actually I know the reason, I got to go fishing with friends. I am incredibly blessed in that no matter how bad things are going, no matter how down, depressed, sad, cranky, or burnt out I may be feeling, a fishing trip will take it all away. A lot of people enjoy fishing, but for me it is much more than simply enjoying, it fills my emotional gas tank right to the top. The only thing more effective is time with my family doing most anything.

Today when I got home from fishing I went out and picked apples. We have a bunch of apple trees with lots of apples, so it was a chore. My granddaughter Shayla came out and helped me and we got a lot picked. All the while we were picking I was thinking what a nice girl my granddaughter is, and I prayed for her and her future all the while we picked. Wow, that on top of fishing, no wonder I am feeling so good!

I get down, depressed, burnt out, weary, and discouraged like everybody else but unlike many, I don’t stay there long because I know how to fix it. I can go fishing, work on my mustang, pick apples with my granddaughter, go out to dinner with Patty, read my Bible, spend time in prayer, take a nap, watch Monday Night Football with friends, have a bunch of our kids and grandkids over for a salmon barbecue, or a dozen other activities that renew me and fill me with joy.

I have a blessed life and it is only going to get better right up to the moment I step into glory and get my new glorified body.

Patty hasn’t read my yesterdays blog so she doesn’t realize that I have made her famous, everybody was on her side and nobody was on mine. We do have a problem with this mice killing thing though. She doesn’t like the traps that you have to set because she is afraid she is going to snap it on her finger, and the little sticky pad traps only work if she can find them after the mouse has died, because if he is still squirming around and squealing trying to get free she gets sick.

I guess the manly thing to do is get some shot shells for my 10-22 and shoot them when I see them run across the room. It would be easier and quicker with a pistol but I don’t own a pistol, but I think this is a good excuse to buy one. The shot shells for a 357 instead of a 22 would make it much easier to hit those running mice. Or better yet, I could buy a “Judge” and shoot them with a .410 shotgun shell. I would use number 8 shot so I wouldn’t put a hole in the floor. Yikes, I bet that .357 or the Judge is going to be really loud in our bedroom. I wonder if it is going to wake Patty up?!

I guess the intelligent thing is to buy a dozen traps and pretend that I am Jim Bridger the early trapper/ explorer. I might even try to skin a couple and see if I can tan their hides. A mice skin coat might look really nice on Patty.

Tomorrow I will get back to writing more spiritual stuff, though I am going salmon fishing tomorrow on the Colombia river so I might have to write about the big one.

When I am sitting in my chair in the evenings reading I will see mice run across our bedroom. They go from the cupboard to under the bed and then into our closet or under Patty’s recliner or under mine, and then back again. I drop so much popcorn that my recliner is the hot spot. They are just little things. It doesn’t bother me much, we had lots of mice on the dairy. I don’t think they would ever climb in bed with us, or bite us, and I have never heard of mice carrying disease. We have a pet dog, and people have pet cats so we have a bunch of pet mice, cool!

Patty isn’t as cool about it as I am. She buying dozens of traps and putting them out everyplace she sees mouse poop. I think she thinks that we are going to get Ebola from those cute, little fuzzy critters.

I used to know a guy that had a pet rat who rode on his shoulder all day. The rat would go down and hang out and sleep in his breast pocket part of the time, but for most of the day he was perched on his shoulder freaking people out who saw him. The rat never bit him, and I never heard of him getting any weird rat disease.

I wonder why Patty is ok with our dog Roscoe sleeping on our bed, but the thought of a little bitty mouse scurrying across our bed sends shivers down her spine. On Cinderella mice were fine. I wouldn’t eat a mouse, but then I wouldn’t a dog either.

I wonder how values like that get established in cultures, I say cultures because I am sure many more people are in Patty’s camp on mice than mine. I tried to think up some Biblical lesson or parallel to mice, or to this situation, but for the life of me, I couldn’t.

Jefferson Baptist Church started on October 7th, 1973, 50 years ago. Patty and I were at that first service with about a dozen people. We met in the Conser house on Main St in Jefferson. We met there for a couple of months and then we moved to the grade school gym. Actually we met on the stage in the grade school gym, and in 1977 we had enough people and moved down to the gym floor. We continued to meet in the gym until 1979 when we moved into our very own facility that we built with all donated labor. All of our buildings were built with cash from special offerings that we took once each year the first Sunday in June, and all of them have also been built with donated labor from people in our church, so all of our buildings have taken ten years to build. As soon as we moved into our first chapel we started building on our multipurpose building with a gymnasium. We moved into it in 1989 and held our worship services in the gym using stacking chairs. We then started building on our present sanctuary and moved into it in 1999. In 2009 we poured our present concrete parking lot for 150 cars, and in 2015 we finished our two story Discipleship Center. Now we are in the process of pouring concrete for parking for another 100 cars.

It has been an enjoyable 50 years watching God work in and through so many different people in JBC over the years. We are going to have a big anniversary party during all three of the services October 7th and 8th. We will see slides and videos of the old days and have testimonies by the old people who haven’t yet died who were around back then. Back when we met in the gym Patty and I led worship for our services. Our singing wasn’t very good but that was all we had. Patty played the guitar and I held big pieces of poster paper with the words written on it. So we are going to lead singing for a couple of songs with the words written on big poster paper and Patty playing the guitar. I have been thinking about getting recorded music of the songs and lip synching, maybe use some songs by Johnny Cash!

You all are invited to our 50th anniversary party.

I decided on last years 2000 mile bicycle trip from Canada to Mexico on the Pacific coast that I wasn’t going to do anymore long bicycle trips. I came to that conclusion because it had gotten so hard for me to do, that it was to much work, it wasn’t fun anymore, and I was just to old. But I have decided that I am going to do another trip. My health is better, I have more energy, and my head is thinking better.

This is going to be a trip to Utah one way and back home another way. I will plan the route so that we go through many of the parks in Utah such as Bryce Canyon and Zion Canyon. The trip will be without a support vehicle, we will carry everything we need on our bikes in front and rear panniers, waterproof saddlebags. I can carry about 70 lbs on my bike with two 15 pound bags in the front and two 20 pounders in the back. The reason is that having a vehicle more than doubles the cost of the trip with gas and extra fees at campgrounds. The first long distance trip that I did with John Smith across the northern tier of the United States that ended in Portland, Maine in 2014, was unsupported, and it was one of my favorite trips that I have done.

An unsupported trip certainly adds an additional level of risk if there are breakdowns and other problems that would be much easier solved with a vehicle. But that extra level of risk also adds to the adventure and excitement.

I will be 75 years old, and my brother Cliff who is going with me is 74 years old, but Kathy, Cliff’s wife, who is also going with us is less than 70 years old, so she can ride ahead and get help if we run into a problem.

If anyone is getting bored with life and wants an adventure, you are welcome to come along, especially if you are a young dude or dudette who could help take care of us old guys!