On this day in 1871, Orville Wright was born.

The Wright brothers were right!

You’ve heard of Orville and Wilbur, right? They were the first people to successfully fly and control an aircraft with a motor. In other words, they invented the airplane.

Ever since the first human beings watched birds flap, rise, glide, and soar, they have yearned to fly. And through the years many tried in some very unusual ways, usually involving homemade wings strapped to the back. Those attempts ended in failure, often in disaster. So when Orville and Wilbur mentioned their desire to fly their friends probably thought, “Yeah right! Like that’ll ever happen!” And then, when the brothers built the airplane the critics must have said, “It’ll never fly!”

But it did, and now we have props and jets and supersonics and ultra-lights and rocket ships and space shuttles. Think of the impact that the Wright brothers made on the world.

Maybe you have a dream. It could be an invention, but it might be a vision of your future, career, or calling. Perhaps it’s a personal goal or even an idea for changing society. And maybe you’ve shared your dream with others who have put it down with comments like, “It’ll never fly!”

Don’t get discouraged and don’t give up. God wants us to think big for him. Way back in 1792, William Carey, a great missionary pioneer, said, “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.” What a great philosophy of life!

So keep your vision, trust God, and work hard to make it happen. And maybe some day you’ll be famous like the Wrights, and we’ll write about you—right?

Where there is no vision, the people perish (Proverbs 29:18, King James Version).

To Do

On a piece of paper, finish these sentences. “If I could be anything, I would ________________.” “If I could do anything, I would __________________.” “If I could change anything, I would ________________.” Ask God to show you steps to take to fulfill those dreams.

Also on this day . . .

1909—The first race was held at Indianapolis Speedway.

1946—Bill (William Jefferson) Clinton, the 42^nd President of the United States, was born.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005).

On this day in 1966, the first pictures of Earth taken from moon orbit were sent back to the United States.

For centuries people have gazed on the moon and thought about what it must be like on that cold, pockmarked sphere. Eventually we found out through NASA’s Apollo program, with moon orbits and photos sent back to earth. And on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped out of the capsule and onto its surface.

Now imagine that you are orbiting the moon, or even standing on it, and looking back to Earth. What do you see? What are you thinking? Most astronauts said that from the moon Earth looked beautiful—but very small.

Standing on Earth and looking up we can feel pretty big and important. In reality, planet Earth is tiny compared to other planets in our solar system, and it’s a mere speck in the universe.

Several years ago a man named J.B. Phillips wrote a short story titled, “The Visited Planet.” In it several angels in heaven discuss the fact that God chose Earth, our tiny and insignificant planet, for his home. They are amazed that Jesus came to Earth, born as a human baby, to be one of us. Like our astronauts, only much further out, they were looking at the world. “Why would the Father choose that place and those creatures?” they wonder.

Good question. But aren’t you glad he did? Because we live on the “visited planet,” because Jesus became one of us and lived and died for us, we can have eternal life. Then one day we will rise higher than any space explorers have ever gone and meet him face to face in Heaven.

Wow!

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you have set in place—
what are mortals that you should think of us,
mere humans that you should care for us? (Psalm 8:3, 4).

To Do

On a clear night, go outside and look up at the moon and stars. Take a good look at the moon and imagine what it would be like to stand up there and to look back at Earth. Next, count the stars. Then spend a couple of minutes thanking God for sending Jesus to earth and for loving you.

Also on this day . . .

1587—Virginia Dare became the first child to be born on American soil of English parents.

1774—Meriwether Lewis, U.S. explorer, was born. He was the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005).

On this day in 1939, the movie Wizard of Oz opened.

You’ve probably seen the classic film Wizard of Oz several times.

Remember the story? Dorothy lives on a farm in Kansas until a tornado picks up her house and deposits it in the land of Oz. Wishing to return home, Dorothy begins to travel to the city of Oz where a great wizard lives. Along the way she meets a Scarecrow who needs a brain, a Tin Man who wants a heart, and a Cowardly Lion who desperately needs courage. They all hope the Wizard of Oz will help them before the Wicked Witch of the West catches them.

And remember what happens when they finally get in to see the Wizard? What a shock! “The great and mighty Oz” turns out to be a frightened little man hiding behind a curtain and using a microphone to amplify his voice. He has no power or authority at all—he is a pretender.

You probably won’t ever meet a Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Lion, and hopefully you’ll never experience a tornado. But you certainly will encounter “pretenders”—people who make grand claims about having inside knowledge and truth that they really don’t.

Don’t be fooled.

The Bible warns us to watch out for false teachers and to reject their lies. The apostle Paul told the leaders of the church at Ephesus: “I know full well that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock” (Acts 20:29).

Our source of truth is the Bible, God’s Word. So be sure to check the messages you hear with Scripture. Just because someone looks good, sounds good, and has a magnetic personality doesn’t mean that he or she is telling God’s truth. Look behind the curtain.

When we tell you this, we do not use words of human wisdom. We speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. (1 Corinthians 2:13).

To Do

Check out 1 John 2:21, 22 and 4:1, 2.

Also on this day . . .

1790—The capital city of the United States became Philadelphia instead of New York City.

1859—A hot air balloon was used to carry mail for the first time. John Wise left Lafayette Indiana for New York City with 100 letters, but he had to land after only 27 miles.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005).

John Paul Jones was born on this day in 1747.

Born in Scotland, John Paul Jones devoted his life to the sea and became known as the “father of the American Navy.” At age 13 Jones was apprenticed as a sailor. At 21 he received his first command of a ship. When the Revolutionary War broke out, Jones was in Virginia and joined the colonists. He was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the Continental Navy and made his mark in American naval history attacking British ships.

During one particularly bloody battle, Jones’s ship the Bon Homme Richard had attacked the British ship the HMS Serapis in the North Sea off the coast of England. The Richard had been blasted in the side and began to lose much of her firepower and her crew. When the captain of the Serapis called out to Jones to ask if he was ready to surrender, Jones’ stirring reply echoed over the battle: “I have not yet begun to fight.” Despite the overwhelming odds, Jones and his crew fought on, even as their ship was sinking beneath them. Eventually it was the Serapis that surrendered.

It was in this same spirit that young David approached Goliath, the famous Philistine warrior who stood over nine feet tall! Despite the incredible odds against him David did not wave the white flag and give up. No, even as Goliath taunted him, David approached his opponent knowing full well whose battle it was—the Lord’s! “Everyone will know that the Lord does not need weapons to rescue his people,” David declared. “It is his battle, not ours.”

That’s good for us to remember as well. Next time you face overpowering odds or difficult circumstances, don’t wave the white flag. Instead, turn your battle over to the Lord to win.

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us (Romans 8:37, NLT).

To Do

Come up with a slogan that you can use to remember to give your battles to the Lord.

Also on this day . . .

This is National Be Nice to New Jersey Week.

1946—George W. Bush, the 43^rd President of the United States, was born.

1964—The Beatles’ first film, A Hard Day’s Night, premiered in London.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005).

In 1946, the bikini made its debut at a Paris fashion show.

Two years after the French had enjoyed liberation from the Nazi Occupation, they experienced another kind of liberation that took place along the sunny beaches of the Mediterranean. A few daring women decided to wear a new type of bathing suit that showed more than ever had been seen before in public! The tiny two-piece suit was named the bikini, in honor of the tiny Pacific island where the United States was testing the atom bomb. The skimpy new suit caused its own “explosions,” which are still being felt today.

Initially, Americans rejected the bikini outright, preferring the one-piece bathing suit popularized in movies of the early 1950s. But gradually the suit became more accepted by the American culture, and it became popular in the 1960s as a series of “beach movies” made it standard attire. Songs like “Itsy-Bitsy Teeny-Weeny Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini” no doubt helped the skimpy suits become more acceptable. Today the bikini is as popular as ever, but that doesn’t mean that the debate about its appropriateness has ended. (Perhaps it goes on in your house as well!)

While such matters are often a matter of personal taste, Paul had a few things to say about what we should think about when it comes to what we wear and how we look. Rather than letting the latest fads dictate what we wear, Paul said we should be more concerned about our inner character. We are more attractive showing kindness, gentleness, and self-control than when we’re showing off our bodies with revealing clothing.

Clothes styles come and go. A beautiful character lasts forever.

And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes (1 Timothy 2:9, NLT).

To Do

Take a look at your closet. What clothes do you have that you might not wear when considering Paul’s words?

Also on this day . . .

1865—William Booth founded the Salvation Army in London.

1916—Adelina and August Van Buren started on the first successful transcontinental motorcycle tour to be attempted by two women.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005).

Today is Independence Day!

The story of America’s birthday is a familiar one. After a two-year struggle to work out their differences with England without going to war, representatives from the 13 colonies had gathered in Philadelphia to compose a formal declaration of independence. The first draft, written by Thomas Jefferson, was presented to the Continental Congress on June 28. After numerous changes, a vote was taken late on the afternoon of July 4^th. Of the 13 colonies, nine voted to adopt it, two voted no (Pennsylvania and South Carolina), and New York abstained. With a decided majority, the document was adopted as an official communication to King George that freedom from British rule had been declared throughout the land.

The principles of freedom that we have come to enjoy as Americans were set forth in this document with these stirring words: “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Because of the vision of our founding fathers we enjoy many freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press.

As Christians, we also have been called to live in freedom. But just as our freedom to live in this country comes with responsibilities, so too does our freedom in Jesus. Being free doesn’t mean that we can do whatever we wish whenever we want. That would make us slaves to sin and making wrong choices. Rather, we are free to do right and to honor God by serving others. We can express our freedom in Jesus by loving and serving others daily.

For you have been called to live in freedom—not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13, NLT).

To Do

As you enjoy the day’s fireworks and festivities, think of all the many freedoms you enjoy.

Also on this day . . .

1802—The U.S. Military Academy officially opened at West Point, New York.

1817—Construction began on the Erie Canal to connect Lake Erie and the Hudson River.

1872—Calvin Coolidge, the 30^th President of the United States, was born in Plymouth, Vermont.

1886—The first rodeo in America was held at Prescott, Arizona.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005).

On this day in 1878, George M. Cohan was born.

George M. Cohan, a successful actor, singer, dancer, playwright, composer, director, and producer, was probably America’s first superstar. He was, as one of his plays put it, “The Man Who Owned Broadway.” Yet aside from his success on the stage, George Cohan is perhaps best known for his greatest hit, “Over There,” a patriotic tribute to the men who had enlisted to fight in World War I.

The story goes that Cohan composed the song while traveling on a train from New Rochelle, N.Y., into New York City. It was 1917 and the headlines of the newspapers were filled with stories about the war and America’s involvement. Cohan said, “I read those war headlines, and I got to thinking and humming to myself, and for a minute, I thought I was going to dance. I was all finished with both the chorus and the verse by the time I got to town, and I also had a title.”

The song became an instant hit with its inspiring, encouraging message:

So prepare, say a pray’r,
Send the word, send the word to beware.
We’ll be over, we’re coming over,
And we won’t come back till it’s over
Over there.

These simple verses of encouragement became a powerful tool for the U.S. Army in recruiting men to enlist. For these words and his contribution to the war effort, Cohan was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1940.

George Cohan’s stirring song is a great reminder that we should never underestimate the power of an encouraging word. The Bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 that we are to encourage each other. A word of encouragement at the right time can make a huge difference. Try it some time. See how you can change your home, your classroom, or your Sunday school with just a few positive words of encouragement!

Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up (Proverbs 12:25, NLT).

To Do

Decide to encourage one person—a friend, family member, or teacher—during the entire day. Write notes, IM, or send emails throughout the day.

Also on this day . . .

1878—John Wise flew the first inflatable airship in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

1890—Idaho became America’s 43^rd state.

1962—Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005).

In 1947, an object crashed near Roswell, New Mexico. Eyewitness accounts led to speculation that it might have been an alien spacecraft.

Mr. and Mrs. Dan Wilmot were sitting on their front porch enjoying the summer evening when they spotted a large glowing object that zoomed through the sky. The object moved so fast that they ran into the yard for a better look. Mr. Wilmot described what he saw as “oval in shape like two inverted saucers.” He said that “the entire body glowed as though light were showing through from inside.” He estimated that it was about 1,500 feet up in the sky and going at a rate of 400 to 500 miles per hour.

At first Wilmot, a respected and reliable citizen in town, kept the story to himself hoping that others would come forward with the same story. When he finally disclosed what he and his wife had seen, the Roswell Army Air Field announced that it, in fact, had possession of a flying disk. However, a day later the RAAF announced that the object was actually a harmless high-altitude weather balloon. Mystery solved. Or was it?

Speculation continues even today about what actually landed that night on July 2. Many believe that it was an UFO and that there are aliens living somewhere in space.

Whether you believe that or not, the truth is that there are aliens living on this planet. In fact, there probably are aliens living in your neighborhood or attending your school.  God’s Word tells us that an alien is anyone who doesn’t know Jesus. At one time, we were all aliens until we learned about Jesus. That’s important to remember. We shouldn’t treat those who don’t know Jesus like they came from another planet, but we should care enough about them to help them know him too!

Remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world (Ephesians 2:12, NRSV).

To Do

Think about the “aliens” that you know. How can you help them meet Jesus?

Also on this day . . .

1937—Aviator Amelia Earhart disappeared while flying over the Pacific Ocean.

1986—Lindsay Lohan was born.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005).

In 1945, the New York State Commission Against Discrimination was established.

In 1945, New York became the first state in the country to establish an agency that would assist people who had been treated unfairly because of race, creed, or ethnic background. The State Commission Against Discrimination was given a mission to prevent and eliminate discrimination on the job; to investigate and solve fairly complaints of illegal discrimination; and to develop a human rights legislation and policy for the state. Since it began the Commission has handled thousands of complaints charging discrimination in employment, public accommodations, and housing.

It’s unfortunate that people treat others unfairly. Sometimes people slight others just because they are different, and give people like themselves preferential treatment. But in God’s family playing favorites is not allowed. God tells us that all people are created in his image—that means we all are worthy in his sight. There are no differences between groups of people or individuals in God’s eyes. (See Genesis 1:26, 27.)

When Paul wrote to the believers in Colosse, he reminded them that it didn’t matter if a person was Jewish or Greek, a slave or free, male or female. Everyone was the same in Jesus. That same truth applies to us today. If we belong to Jesus, there should not be barriers between people based on nationality, education, race, wealth, or power. As members of Jesus’ family, we should be about the business of building bridges between people, not walls. Whether we’re at church, at school, or in our neighborhood, we should see people the way Jesus sees them.

In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11, NLT).

To Do

Take time this week to intentionally reach out to someone of a different nationality, race, or ethnic background.

Also on this day . . .

Today is Canada Day.

1863—The Battle of Gettysburg began.

1963—Zip codes were used for the first time.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005).

On this day in 1859 the French acrobat Charles Blondin walked across Niagara Falls on a tightrope.

Blondin’s walk across Niagara Falls was dramatic. On that day, 100,000 people watched him walk on a single three-inch hemp cord, 1,100 feet long and 160 feet above the Falls on one side and 270 feet on the other.

Every day, thousands would gather to see him perform this amazing feat, suspended above the roaring waterfall below. One day Blondin asked the crowd if they thought he could carry a person with him on his tightrope walk. The crowd roared, “Yes,” hoping to see an even more amazing event.

He said it again: “Do you really believe I can do it?”

“Yes,” they shouted back.

“Then who will come with me? Which of you will volunteer?” he asked. And the crowd became silent—no one stepped forward.

Finally his manager, Harry Colcord agreed. So Colcord climbed on Blondin’s back, and the two of them walked slowly across.

This true story has been used as example of “faith” ever since.

You see, just saying we believe in someone or some thing is easy. Talk is cheap. But our actions show whether or not we really believe. Hundreds of people said the believed Blondin could carry someone with him across the Falls. But only one person truly believed.

In the same way, many people say they believe in God and even in Jesus as Savior. (You’ll hear that a lot in an election year.) But they don’t want to live the way the Bible says to live; they don’t want to obey God. Our verse for today says that kind of “faith” isn’t faith at all.

So if you profess to be a believer in God and a follower of Christ, are you really? If so, can people tell by how you live?

So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all—it is dead and useless. (James 2:17)

To Do

Make a short list of actions you should take or changes you should make in how you live to better demonstrate your faith in Christ. Ask God to help you do these actions and make these changes.

Also on this day . . .

This is Ice Cream Soda Day

1953—The first Chevrolet Corvette rolled off the assembly line in Flint, Michigan. It sold for $3,250 (a lot of money back then).

1971—The 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which lowered the voting age to 18, was ratified.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005).