MARCH  2017:             

 3/1/17                          Godly Ambition                                  1 
Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly.
1 Peter 5:1-5  “ The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:² Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;³ Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.⁴ And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.⁵ Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”

COMMENTS :   Evidence of our faith in Christ is how we live, but the final test is by how well we die.  When we breathe our last, will we have the same confidence we have each day we live.  From Stephen to Peter, scripture records the deaths of many of the faithful.  Painful deaths but with the confidence and joy of knowing they were about to see Jesus and be ushered into heaven.  Some got a glimpse and responded with excitement and joy just before they passed.  If we had no other proof, that evidence would be sufficient to provide to us Christ is who He said He is and has done what He said He would.  I witnessed the last day of my sister, my father, my mother, and one of my aunts.  There were others I visited a few days before their passing too.  All were devout Christians.  All had that confident hope of heaven as their destination.  No doubts or fears, only anticipation.

I invite you to take some time to reflect on the lives of the Christians you have been close, including some who have pasted.  I am confident your observations will be the same as mine.  That is the confident hope we also have when we accept Christ’s gift of forgiveness and redemption.  That confident hope that sustains and guides us from then until we leave these aging mortal bodies. 

Well, how well we will die is an important witness but even more important is how we live each day.  Even greater courage and strength is required to live for Christ.  Stephen demonstrated great courage when he was stoned to death for his preaching. But Paul and Peter and John demonstrated greater courage and faithfulness  by living a long life of preaching and teaching and loving people.

Today begins a new month but also Lent.  Today is Ash Wednesday, the 40 day period of preparation for Easter.  This is a holy time but also a unique time of focus on Christ but even more a period of time to stop and clear our minds and schedules to allow Him time to speak to us and do long overdue changes to our souls and lives.  Even though you will be reading this a month or longer after I am writing this, take some time for prayer and bible study and reflection and simply clearing your mind while seeking the Holy Spirit’s council and filling.  I shall be doing so today and coming days of lent going forward.  Pray for me as I continue to pray for you.  But we also need to pray and be open to opportunities to be available and ready to witness to whoever God puts in our path – to give the reason for the confident hope we have in Christ.                                                              

3/2/17                       The Joy of Slavery                                   2
Romans 1:1-7  “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,² (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)³ Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;⁴ And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:⁵ By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:⁶ Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:⁷ To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

COMMENTS :  Paul was a profoundly changed man.   He went from a man of passion to stop and destroy Christ’s followers and render their gospel extinct to a man of great passion spreading that gospel and helping Christ’s followers. He became the not only one of them but the greatest voice of evangelism of that Gospel.  He is responsible for many of the New Testament letters/books in our Bible and well as for most of the churches established and Christian conversions in the first century.                                                                                                                                 

Charles Colson was also a changed dramatically in much more recent years when he received Christ’s changing mercy while in prison.  He was one of the most powerful men in Washington but fell prey to the intoxicating power of government.  But when he encountered the ultimate power and authority, he realized what he had worked so hard for and success he had achieved was meaningless compared to Christ’s purpose for his live and goals for him.  In Philippians 3:7 Paul said “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ”                                               

  So what changed about these men and what remained the same?  They both remained men of passion and focus and faithful to what they believed to be most important.  But what changed was what they believed to be the most important.  Their passion and drive was diverted to a new goal and purpose, one that Christ Himself gave them.  Their love for self was redirected to God and His followers but also to those who were still lost in their sins.  They began to see people as God sees them and were broken and filled with compassion for them.                                     

Charles Colson went from only mingling with influential people of power and wealth to a full time ministry to those in broken and in prison.  He went from a man of great wealth and influence to a poor man mingling mostly with the least desirable and outcasts and even dangerous of society, the sinners of society.  What he gained was wealth in changed lives that would be eternal and a reward unequalled.  He is in heaven enjoying that reward and rejoicing that Christ chose to find him and redeem him.  If he would have stayed on the course he was on, he would have still been released from prison after Watergate and but returned to a successful law practice and probably wrote a number of successful books yet still remained lost.  Today instead of enjoying heaven with Christ and all those whose lives he positively impacted, he would be in hell suffering alone without Christ and those he loved and who loved him.  His success on earth would be meaningless and his eternity filled with regrets he would be enduring.  But because he repented and followed Christ’s lead, all that changed and eternity for him and all those who his ministry touched.                                    

God compounds what we do for him.  We touch someone in His name and that one touches another and so on.  Result is one act of obedience can multiply to thousands or millions in God’s economy and plan.  Remember that the next time you feel a nudge to stop and greet a friend or neighbor or acquaintance you haven’t spoken too for a while.  Take the time to do so and show them you care and God does too.  Be a listener more than a talker.  Focus on them and not on yourself and look at them, not at your cell phone or something at a distance while listening.  The impact will be greater on you both.

 3/3/17                                        Sola Gratia                                              3
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”   2 Corinthians 12:9a                                                                           

SCRIPTURE:  I CORINTHIANS 2:3-5  “³ And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.⁴ And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:⁵ That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

COMMENTS :  We are saved and sustained by God’s Grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).  We are not saved nor sustained by our good works or by conduct, but such is evidence of a changed life that needs to come from the transforming Grace God showers us with.  Grace includes forgiveness but also indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our souls to guide and influence our conduct and choices going forward.  But the Holy Spirit will not abide and guide us without our willingness to listen to and follow His lead.  How often is that voice heard and ignored resulting in poor choices and regrets and consequences that could have been avoided?  If repeated, we are at risk of the Holy Spirit being silent or we become deaf to His voice speaking to us.  But that doesn’t mean the Holy Spirit isn’t near.  It simply means we are looking away from Him and listening to a louder voice drowning out His voice.  Our selfish desires and passions and motives draw us away from His Voice to another not desiring to help us but desiring to destroy us and hurt God.  But the Good News for each of us is God already knows and understands our weakness and failings and provides needed opportunity to repent and return.  The prodigal story shows us God’s heart and goal.  Hosea’s story shows us how God sees us but also shows how God seeks us out not to judge but to restore a relationship with us and to heal our broken and dying souls.   Satan thinks God’s love for us as a weakness.  Satan thinks by hurting us and tempting us to turn from Him, we are causing God pain and causing God to see us as His enemy and away from satan.  Satan thinks God’s love for us has caused Him to delay judgment so many times that He will continue to delay and not fulfill the prophecies relating to satan.  But since satan doesn’t know when Christ will return and judgment will come to him, satan thinks if he gets enough people to follow him and not God, that God will not judge them.  But satan even deceives himself because Noah and the flood should be evidence sufficient to prove to him God does and will keep His promises.  The fact that satan is acting without God’s wisdom and influence means he does very foolish and short sighted things that bring great harm even to himself.   He, like us, does very selfish things without regard for the pain and consequences they cause.  The progressive nature of such behavior is we eventually want harm to come and enjoy seeing harm done and not just not caring if our conduct does harm.  A world without God’s influence would have been what Adolf Hitler would have created if he would have won WWII.  BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS GOD IS STILL ON HIS THRONE AND IN CONTROL.  HE WILL NOT ALLOW THAT AND WILL PREVAIL.  HE HAS MORE THAN SUFFICIENT POWER AND AUTHORITY TO WIN AND, IF WE ARE ON HIS SIDE, WE WILL WIN WITH HIM.  There are times we all feel like God is far away and we are all alone and vulnerable.  But it is then we need to trust Him the most, because it is then He is the closest and it is then He is working too hard to strengthen and draw us closer to Himself.  What we find the hardest to do then, but what we desperately need to do the most, IS TO STOP AND PRAY AND LISTEN.   The Hymn “TRUST AND OBEY” written by John Sammis and Daniel Towner nearly 150 years ago reminds and encourages us to do so.  Here are the words of that song.  I pray they minister to you as they do to me:                                                                         

1. When we walk with the Lord  in the light of his word,  what a glory he sheds on our way! While we do his good will, he abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey.   Refrain: Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
2. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, but our toil he doth richly repay; not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross, but is blest if we trust and obey. (Refrain)
3. But we never can prove the delights of his love until all on the altar we lay; for the favor he shows, for the joy he bestows, are for them who will trust and obey. (Refrain)
4. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at his feet, or we’ll walk by his side in the way; what he says we will do, where he sends we will go; never fear, only trust and obey. (Refrain)

3/4/17                        The Best Years of Our Lives                          4
Philippians 3:1-11  “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.² Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! ³ For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit,^[a] rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, ⁴ though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: ⁵ circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.⁷ But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ⁸ Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; ¹⁰ that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, ¹¹ if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”  COMMENTS :  Did Paul have any idea his words of encouragement and ministry to churches he planted would become scripture through the generations to us as well?  I seriously doubt it, but he was diligent to stay true to God’s leading and Old Testament scripture and doctrine he was well versed in.  His tool bag of old testament knowledge was full and helped him see the harmony between Christ’s revelation and mission and God’s guidance and faithfulness as recorded in the old testament scriptures.  He went from working hard to destroy the Christ he believes would have destroyed the Old Testament legacy to obeying the Christ who came to strengthen and fulfill that legacy.  Paul’s mission and passion remained intact, just redirected.  His many years of training and experience was transformed and completed when he met Christ.  Can you imagine our New Testament without all his letters?   God has a marvelous plan even for those who hate Him. His love prevails!!                                                                                                       3/5/17                                     Resurrection Power                          5
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.   Romans 8:11                                                                                       

SCRIPTURE:  ROMANS 6:1-4  “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?² God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?³ Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?⁴ Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”  COMMENTS :  Today is the first Sunday of Lenten time.  It is time to prepare for Easter, when we especially remember Christ’s sacrifice for our sins but His Glorious Resurrection and victory over sin and death.  He accepted our guilt and punishment for sin so we don’t need to.   Yet forgiveness also carries a responsibility of repentance, which means turning from sin and towards a more Christ like life.  That requires a daily walk with Him allowing the Holy Spirit to come into our lives and guide us.  We have to truly and consistently want to turn from sin and be more like Him.  When we take our eyes off Him and when we let ourselves justify sin or even neglect of being in relationship with Christ, it is then we become more vulnerable and most likely to sin.   Yet because we still live in a fallen world and inhabit mortal bodies, we still fall short of His perfect example and continue to be in need of His continual abiding presence and forgiveness – His Grace.  But that does not mean we can’t continue to improve  and become more like Him each day and further away from satan’s pull.  But satan doesn’t give up so easily.  Well our Lord and Savior doesn’t either.  But He doesn’t push His way into our lives.  He waits for us to invite Him in and when we neglect Him, He still patiently waits til we invite  Him in again.                                                

It is a mystery how such a perfect God can understand our flaws and failings so well, but be glad He does. By understanding, He provides a way of forgiveness but also escape from satan’s snare and a better way to live.  If He continues to repeat His forgiveness to us each day, why not keep on sinning?  Well today’s scripture tells us why. The question is then, why would we want to when He offers us so much as well as a much better life and purpose. Why would we want to?   Well, want to or not, we still become weak and neglectful towards  Him and to each other.  We easily grow tired and even bored.  I read somewhere it has been said the Christian walk is falling and getting up and falling and getting up and falling and getting up all our way to heaven.   Well the falling and getting up may be true, but we must not forget it is not us that get ourselves up, but we ask Him to help us up.  But the more time we spend with Him – the more time we spend in His Word and pray and meditate on Him and His Word and even absorbing the magnificence of His creation, then the more like Him we become and the less sinful we become.  The Christian walk is a process of becoming more like Christ.  If you see evidence of that in your life from 10 years ago or last year or even last week, than you need to put more time and work into that relationship.  Relationships of value do take work and time.  They have a cost to establish and maintain.  Christ has invested His time and even life for us.  About time we start investing time without distractions and money in His Work instead of on ourselves.  Maybe we should start thinking about our time with Him as a time of rest or as a vacation – something to plan towards and look forward to and enjoy, not a time of obligation like visiting a relative you seldom see or think about. No time better than Lent to work on our relationship with Him and to sacrifice some time and resource to build a stronger relationship with Him but also with those HE calls us to minister to and encourage.   That is my goal this Lent and pray it will be for you too.  I will pray for you in this quest and ask you to do the same for me.  AMEN?  AMEN!

3/6/17                                     Be Encouraged!                           6  
“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace.” II Thessalonians 2:16                                                                                                           

 SCRIPTURE:  II CORINTHIANS 1:5-7  “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.⁶ And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.⁷ And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.”                                                                                             

COMMENTS : As we embark in this Lent season, I ask you to join me in reflection seeking God’s goal to accomplish in you and me during this holy time.  I am in communication with pastors in Kenya and Uganda and Pakistan and Nepal and India.  What I am hearing is a sense of urgency in spreading the gospel in 2017.  The sense that Christ’s return is eminent and time is short in reaching as many for Christ before His return.  They, as we, recognize no one but God knows the day or even the year or century of Christ’s return.  We only have evidence of events and circumstances spoken of in scripture revealing to us that that time is approaching.  But for God to prompt many faithful pastors and evangelists with such a sense of urgency is confirmation to me in belief Christ’s return is eminent and ways we can support the work of evangelism will be vital as well.          

I know, personally I wait with great anticipation for His return.  But I am torn between a desire for Him to come soon and a desire for more in my family to come to Him first.  Because of them, I ask Him to tarry a bit longer.  I am reminded He waited for me and is waiting for you if you have not accepted Him as your Savior yet. When we put ourselves and what we want above God’s will and above the needs of others, we lose something very important.  We look a sense of openness to hear and follow God’s will.  We are vulnerable to miss opportunities God gives us to witness and encourage others.  If we truly want Him to wait for our loved ones, than we need to be open to ways God will give us to encourage them to accept Christ’s gift of salvation.  As we are faithful praying for them and just being available to good listeners and just being “ready to give a reason for the confident hope and joy we have” is our most powerful work.

Well, truth is God loves and cares for those we are praying for much more than we do.  But our prayers do make a difference and will open our hearts to God guiding hand too.  However, as the time of His return approaches, the evil satan reigns on Christ followers especially will get worse and worse, which will mean we will long even more for His return.  HOW MUCH LONGER MUST WE WAIT?   What we are called to endure we need not endure alone.  Christians of every century, including those identified in New Testament,  experienced not only unimaginable suffering at the hands of pagan hateful Romans and other Jews, but also experienced confident joy and hope knowing God was with them and their home in heaven with loved ones but also with Christ was assured.  They had that confidence because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in their lives.    WE HAVE THAT SAME CONFIDENCE AND INDWELLING AVAILABLE TO US IF WE ONLY ARE WILLING TO RECEIVE.  Our job is to be in prayer and obedience to what He reveals to us.  Our job is to be available and respond to His response.  Our job is to be faithful.  Our job is to put Him first and on the throne of our lives and take ourselves off that throne.  HE IS COMING SOON, SO BE READY!!

 

3/7/17                                     Wait Actively                            7  
Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Titus 2:13       SCRIPTURE: PHILIPPIANS 2:20-21  “²⁰ For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.²¹ For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.”  COMMENTS :  We usually think of waiting as being idle until circumstances are ready for action.  But if we are employed at a job, our employer expects us to make every minute on the job productive.  We can expect, if waiting for another department or employee to finish their task before we can begin ours, that we would sweep or do preparation work so we would both be ready when everything is ready for us to do assigned task but also do productive work possible while we wait.  So it should also be expected that God wants us to do productive work while we wait for His return.  But anticipation of His return should not make us idle but passionate to win as many to Christ as we can in the meantime. 

Waiting for His return mean preparing ourselves but also being open and alert to opportunities God gives us to share His Gospel with others.  Scripture tells us to be ready to give the reason for our hope and joy.  I Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,”  That is how we are to prepare and how we are to be active while waiting for His return.  Much courage is needed in countries and communities where it is unpopular to be a Christian and especially in countries where it is illegal to evangelize or witness.  Yet the command is in force no matter if society encouraged or punishes when we do so.  By being ready when others notice and ask, we are not forcing others to accept Christ.  We are leaving the persuasion to Christ whose job it is to soften and prepare hearts / souls to receive Him.   Our job is to show others the difference Christ has made in our lives and be ready to explain that difference if asked.  Yet in many countries even just doing that is illegal punishable by prison or even death. 

Why do non-Christians get so angry when others talk about Christ or witness of His love to others?  Well, we have to realize the influence satan has on us but also on those who do not know Christ.  Satan hated any mention of Christ so he will motivate others to react the same way.  Satan sees Christ as his mortal enemy and persuades his allies to react as he would.   Christ, in contrast, loves even those who hate Him and provides even them a path to receive His mercy.  Corrie TenBoom discovered that when a X-German guard during Hitler’s reign came to one of her evangelistic crusades and accepted Christ.  She struggled to forgive him and lead him to Christ, but God’s conviction persuaded her to forgive and lead him to Christ. We really don’t want to see those who hurt us get off.  We want them to suffered punishment.  We want them to suffer.  But what if God felt the same way toward us and treated us that way?  What hope would we have? If we think we are pretty good on our own and don’t need His mercy, we need only to look at Christ’s perfect example to realize how far short of His perfect live we still are living.  Therefore, we remain in constant need of His mercy.                                                                                  That difference is what others will notice as we become more like Christ, as we spend more time with Him and seek His help to become more like Him.  AMEN!

3/8/17                                     Thanksgiving                             8  
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

SCRIPTURE:  DEUTERONOMY 16:13-15  “¹³ Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:¹⁴ And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.¹⁵ Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord shall choose: because the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.”  COMMENTS :  Teens don’t like to be told what to do even though they are not mature enough to be able to discern and make wise choices.  But making mistakes and poor choices is part of discovering how to make wiser choices.  Consequence help deter poor behavior.  One of the biggest mistakes parents make is to protect their children from experiencing the consequences of their choices.  As adults, we think we are fully capable of taking care of ourselves and do not need others telling us what to do.  Unfortunately, our pride, all too often keep us seeking His council and following His council and instruction.  Just like teens, we are disappointed and unprepared to follow a way that is less appealing or enjoyable or requires a longer time before seeing results.  Patience is a vital attribute to persevere especially when results are not forthcoming.  But patience does not come quickly nor without the experience of past hardships to bring growth and maturity.   Conversely, pride is a most dangerous flaw and sin because it conflicts with patience and conflicts with God’s plan for us to seek Him and follow His plan and do His Will.  Pride is the worst sin in God’s eyes because it is the one sin that keeps us from submitting to Him more than any other.  Likewise, pride was the sin that blinded and caused satan to turn from God.  Pride is at the root of most other sins and prevents repentance from sin more than any other.  Because God desires most and works so hard to achieve is relationship with us, He will not force Himself against our will and when pride darkens our will and distorts it to conform to satan’s will, then pride become the most dangerous.  We will over time become more like Christ or more like satan.  Who do you want to be like?  Well, then who are you more like.  Are you more like Christ this year than last year?  If not, then what is preventing that change?  Few really want to be more like satan but most are more like him than like Christ.  That may seem very unfair but keep in mind Christ is perfect, so we all have a very long way to go to be Christ like. We are either growing to become more like Christ or we are withering to become more like satan.  There is no middle ground.  We must work at our relationship with Christ and neglect will cause us so coast away from  Him and, of course, satan is right there to fill the empty hole left.  Coasting is as much a choice as is a deliberate choice to turn from God.  Pride is the most effective way of blinding us from seeing what is really going on.  But God will and does give us clues and warnings to wake us up.  Do you want wakened.  Let’s pray this Lent that God helps us to see as He does – to have “Our Father’s Eyes” as the insightful song speaks of. 

3/9/17                                               The Right Key                             9  
James 3:13-18  “¹³ Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.¹⁴ But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.¹⁵ This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.¹⁶ For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.¹⁸ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”

COMMENTS : I play the piano.   I can play most hymns, which are designed for a 3^rd year piano student.  When I try to play more complex music, especially as I get older with limits of Parkinson’s Disease,  I realize it is beyond my ability no matter how much I practice.  But when I hear a more skilled pianist play such music, I am amazed and just sit back and enjoy.  The choir director and pianist from the Kennerdell Church of God who is leading the community choice we were in for the Christmas cantata and now the Easter cantata, is such a skilled pianist.  But the pianist I most enjoy hearing is Jeff Painter.  I told him one time I would like it very much if God would allow me to teach me piano when we get to heaven.  I told him it would take 1000 years.  I jest but do believe such gifts are such a blessing.  But playing the piano is a gift I can and do share at our churches and am glad to do so.  But the order of playing the notes as written as compared to hitting keys at random is like day and night.  When we see the order our universe and solar system and earth all demonstrate and how well our earth not only sustains life but provides joy and beauty for us to enjoy, how can we not see the fingerprint of a loving and incredibly wise and powerful creator.  From the vastness of the universe far beyond our comprehension to the minute vastness of His creation far smaller than the atoms we have discovered, which are smaller than we can see let along imagine, than how can we help but recognize God is infinitely beyond us.  Such realization should help us realize we can and should trust Him for our daily lives and provision and we should trust His plan for us.   Such realization should draw us to be in close relationship with Him and depend on Him more.  If He can manage the universe from the smallest to the largest all at once, than He can manage the details of our lives too.  HE HAS TIME FOR YOU AND FOR ME.  WE ARE NOT A DISTRACTION AND WE ARE OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO HIM.  It was for you and me that He came to earth as a human and went to the cross.  He redeemed us at great cost to Him.  We miss out on so much when we neglect Him and go our own way.  We benefit so much when we are in fellowship with Him and follow His council.  He does have our best interests at heart to bring us fullness of joy and not misery.  Just look around.  Who is more miserable and in worst circumstance and the jest joyful – those deep in sin or those in close fellowship with Christ?  Again, is like night and day by comparison.

3/10/17                                     The Blame Game                              10
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Matthew 5:44

SCRIPTURE:  LUKE 23:26-48  “²⁶ And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.²⁷ And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.²⁸ But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.²⁹ For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.³⁰ Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.³¹ For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?³² And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.³³ And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.³⁴ Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.³⁵ And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.³⁶ And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,³⁷ And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.³⁸ And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, This Is The King Of The Jews.³⁹ And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.⁴⁰ But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?⁴¹ And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.⁴² And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.⁴³ And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.⁴⁴ And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.⁴⁵ And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.⁴⁶ And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.⁴⁷ Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.⁴⁸ And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.”

COMMENTS : What was it like to have been there when Christ was crucified?  What would it have been like to witness Christ’s last words and to the see His love while suffering greatly being expressed to the one thief next to Him or to his mother grieving over His suffering?  It was a terrible time but also the time Christ had planned for from eternity past.  He was planning for this sacrifice even before He created Adam and Eve.  Before He began creating.  When Christ, while on the cross, said “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do”, what impact would that have had on those who witnessed that.  What impact did it have on the disciples and others who loved and were impacted by Christ’s teaching?  How could Judas betray such a Christ?  How could Peter deny such a Christ?  Well, they did and we do under a lot less threatening situations too.  Do we know Christ well enough to follow Him?  Do we know Him well enough to love Him as we should?       

As we look at changes to the disciples, we see a dramatic change once they received the Holy Spirit.  The indwelling of the Holy Spirit gives us inspiration and courage and sustainable joy and direction that we cannot generate or sustain on our own.  Even spending 3 years with Christ did not sustain such but required the Holy Spirit dwelling in them.  You see, God must be in constant relationship with us if we ever hope to live the Christian life obeying His calling.  When we are out of relationship, we are vulnerable most to satan’s temptations and are most likely to sin.  If the disciples could not live such without the Holy Spirit, how can we hope to?   So much is at state for us but also for our families and neighbors and all others whose lives are impacted or will be impacted by us.  We may think our field of influence is very limited and make little difference in the lives of others, but God’s economy and plan says different. 

Well then, why are we so resistant to follow Him?  Well, God’s ways are so much different and foreign to our desires and tendencies, so naturally we struggle to embrace His will.  But when we choose to obey Him, reflect on how much better the results and the impact to others so much better too.  A life without regrets can on be a life of obedience to His calling but also to His daily guidance and opportunities.

 

3/11/17                                               Water Poured Out                              11
Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.   Psalm 62:8                                                                                                                       

 SCRIPTURE:  JOHN 12:1-7  “Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.² There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.³ Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.⁴ Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,⁵ Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?⁶ This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.⁷ Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.”  COMMENTS :   Mary, as she poured the expensive perfume on Jesus, she was also literally pouring her tears on His feet too.  What happens when we pour water out? It is absorbed or evaporates.  It disappears.  Mary was pouring out her emotions of desperation and fear and remorse for sin.  She was pouring out guilt and maybe even hatred for others.  She was pouring herself out as she poured out that oil, which was at great cost to her.  By doing so, her story is recorded in scripture teaching us how we should come to Jesus.  He wants us to come to Him as we are but with hearts ready to give us our sins and sinful emotions and sinful habits and thoughts.  Yielding them all to Him, realizing we are not able to do so ourselves, but willing to give them up and be obedience to path He will guide us to.  It also means going where He is without regard for what others may think of us.  Humbling ourselves before Him and others is key to healing and change.  Maybe doing so at cost to us helps us commit to change that is required if healing and change is to happen and be sustained. 

If we look at what Mary did and learn from her, we need to reflect and decide what is lacking in our hearts and lives and what is keeping us from or slowing our growth in quest to become more like Christ each day.   We know better, but we also need to admit and believe that we can’t hide anything from Him so need to “come clean” and both admit hidden sins of both omission and commission, but also honestly tell Him we need His help.  We also need to be ready to turn from them and focusing on the path He has planned for us.  A better plan.  A plan to life and not death.  A path less appealing to us now but a path we will embrace and be blessed by.  A path that will not only bless us but also bless those who cross our path. 

3/12/17                               Liberty Versus License                                12
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
Philippians 4:8

SCRIPTURE:   I PETER 2:15-16  “¹⁵ Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;¹⁶ But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.”  COMMENTS :  Christ is offering us freedom from sin and its consequences.  Christ is offering a one with one relationship with our creator who is wiser and loves us more and more perfectly than any other.  Christ offers us freedom to joy and fulfillment.  We still have freedom to choose but not freedom to do what our selfish nature wants without consequence.  We still are free to turn away from Him and choose satan’s evil way to destruction.  But freedom to choose foolishly also means we are free to choose more wisely.  Why would we want to go back to sin once we experience a more perfect way.  The longer we go down the path of God’s Will, the accustomed and experienced we get in hearing His voice and knowing that Will.  That experience  can help us be more discerning in recognizing satan’s traps and avoiding them, but also more discerning in hearing God’s voice and the direction He is showing us too.  But even then we are still too weak and vulnerable to withstand satan on our own.  We still need God’s help to sustain victory over satan’s tricks.  He will still try to convince us we have earned the right to indulge sin one in a while.  He waits until we are the weakest.  He doesn’t want us to stay true to Christ because he knows God is planning so much more for us. We must not confuse liberty in Christ with a license for carnality.  Not everything permissible to us is edifying or wise (I Corinthians 10:23).  God wants the best for us, not just ok or not too bad or better than before.   Following Christ will result in being more like Christ tomorrow than today but still being short of His perfect make.  But following Him will open doors of opportunity to do far more good and be a blessing to others beyond us.  Likewise, our relationship will become closer and stronger than otherwise possible, which will equip us to have your eyes on Him when we will need Him most, when near great danger.  If we are still struggling with weaknesses of our youth or childhood with Christ, how can we be prepared to deal with more difficult challenges and calling Christ has for us.   FREEDOM IS NOT THE RIGHT TO DO AS YOU PLEASE, BUT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT. For children, part of growing up and maturing in our relationship with our parents is being trustworthy, giving our parents confidence in our judgment from consistent conduct.  God knows us like no other and knows the future, so He isn’t surprised, but how well we make wise choices will determine freedom He gives us and responsibility He entrusts us with.  Opportunities to witness and bless others are limited by foolish choices made out of weakness or selfish desires remaining in our heart.  God wants so much more from us than to be on the same old cycle of committing the same old sin and asking forgiveness and falling back into the same old sin.  That cycle freezing growth and limits our relationship with Him and limits our ability to bless others and limits our ability to be Christ like.  No, God has a much better way.  The way of following His path and keeping our eyes on Him instead of looking back at our past sins and the one who motivates us to sin.  This Lent , let’s make this not just a time to seek a higher level of Christian living by spending more time with Him and opening ourselves to Him.  We have no idea what He is planning but know it will be very good.  AMEN.

3/13/17                              Serenity Always                                 13
The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9                                                                          

COMMENTS : Take some time to think about one or two individuals that stand out as the best and most impactful examples of a Christ like life for you.  I would have to include my parents, especially my father.  Then there is his younger sister, Florence. But there are many more that are close behind, including my sister who passed in 1993.   What stands out about these people is a stable and even disposition in the midst of turmoil and difficulty, a strong faith and close relationship with Christ, a life and testimony unashamed of their faith and love for Christ, their kindness and giving nature and patience toward others,

Scripture is full of wonderful examples as well.  Daniel and Joseph and Ruth and Esther and David (at least most of the time) and Paul (after his conversion) and Peter and Philip and John and …. (after filling of the Holy Spirit).  There are many others noted in New Testament especially that suffered great persecution and even death but remained faithful and even showed more concern and generosity toward others than themselves even in the mist of life threatening circumstances. 

In the centuries since the first century church there are millions of faithful Christians who demonstrated their deep faith and faithfulness to Christ and lives worthy of being examples for us.  What they all had in common was the redemptive grace of Christ and indwelling of the Holy Spirit guiding and strengthening.  The all have common characteristics because they all are indwelled by the same guiding Spirit.  You and I will do well to join their ranks.  Those of us who have not enduring persecution, as they, should realize we may not be spared much longer but also that we need that indwelling as much as those persecuting because our temptations are more subtle and dangerous.  Those who endure great persecution likely already realize they cannot live the Christian life without Christ’s in their lives and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  Truth is no one can no matter how protected or persecuted they are.  Christ offers so much and asks so little but what He does ask is non-negotiable.   

We are not promised, either from scripture or from example of those before us, that we will be spared hardship and persecution.  What we are promised is He will not allow us to face those hardships alone but will walk with us through them.   He also promises the hardships will bring opportunity for strengthening and maturing not possible any other way.  He also promised such hardship will have eternal benefits that will be more than worth the pain and sacrifice. 

Heaven is only part of the benefit and reward, as wonder as it will be.  Eternal life with our Lord and those we love, including family and friends and others who have been impacted by our lives, will also enjoy eternity in heaven with us if they too receive His precious gift of redemption. No wonder they were able to endure what they did.  They really believed that and lived their faith.  God honored that faith both in heaven and on earth by the impact they made on the lives of those who knew them.  We need to choose to live that way too.  “IT WILL BE WORTH IT ALL WHEN WE SEE JESUS; IT WILL BE WORTH IT ALL WHEN WE SEE HIM. ONE GLIMPSEOF HIS DEAR FACE, ALL SORROW WILL ERASE.  SO, BRAVELY RUN THE RACE TIL WE SEE CHRIST.”  These words are the lyrics from a well-known worship song. 

3/14/17              Trust Him With Your Children                                  14
And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me.” Genesis 42:36    SCRIPTURE:  GENESIS 50:15-21  “¹⁵ And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.¹⁶ And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,¹⁷ So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.¹⁸ And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.¹⁹ And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?²⁰ But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.²¹ Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.”

COMMENTS :  It is the nature of parents to worry about their children, and they have good reason to worry.   They are surrounded by evil influences and temptations.  Jacob grieved over his son, Joseph.  But His grief would have been much worse if he had known the evil his other sons had done to him.  Granted, Jacob made a lot of mistakes and favoring one child over another is a big no-no.  Why didn’t he realize that long before his children became bitter and jealous? There likely was a lot of clue Jacob should have picked up on but he chose to ignore them.  His sons let jealousy build up until they considered evil they would otherwise never had considered or thought of.  Well, Joseph had a lot of growing up to do and his brothers had a lot of sin to repent of.  Joseph grew up enduring the consequences of his brothers’ sin against him and against God.  But his brother had to endure the guilt of what they done and grief their father endured and didn’t seem to diminish with time.  That guilt ate them alive and didn’t get better in time.  The secret they kept to avoid judgment resulted in living in misery alienated even more from their father and away from God.  Joseph grew closer to God in the midst of false accusations and slavery.  His conduct and character brought out the best in others and opened the door for God to do great miracles through him.   But God didn’t give up on his brothers and prepared a drought to bring repentance and forgiveness to those brothers.  Joseph had grown sufficiently to forgive and his brothers were cornered to a point they had to admit their sin and seek forgiveness.  Forgiveness they thought was not possible but forgiveness that actually fulfilled the very dreams Joseph had which the brothers had resented so much. 

Jacob lived to see Joseph and his children.  Joseph lived to see redemption blossom in his brothers into love for him and for God.  Joseph’s family story is one of redemption and forgiveness.  We must not forget God, who orchestrated over many years redemption for Jacob’s entire family.  The love God showed Jacob and his sons is a powerful lesson and to our families.  The message for parents, as well as their children, is to come to Christ early and follow His council and example.  When we fail and sink into sin, we will face consequences which will get worse if we continue on a wrong path.  But when we repent and come back to Him, then healing can begin.  Then restoration to the family dream God created us to fulfill will unfold.  So much to gain and so much at risk.  If Joseph had chosen the dark path of anger and hatred against his brothers and against God, not only would he have had a much darker life but his brothers may very well had died keeping their awful secret in misery and regret.  God allows us to make our own choices, but will moved mountains or cause droughts in order to convince us to repent and turn to Him.  He wants us that much and knows how desperately we need Him.  Yes even when we don’t.

 3/15/17              Teach Your Children Diligently                                   15
Deuteronomy 6:1-9  “Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:² That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.³ Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.⁴ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:⁵ And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.⁶ And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:⁷ And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.⁸ And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.⁹ And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.” COMMENTS :  We think that the relationship oldest testament Jews had with God were through their priest. They could not approach God nor enter the holy place in the temple.  The priest had to offer their sacrifice in order to receive God’s forgiveness of their sins and redemption.  There are a few like Joseph and Daniel who had an obvious close relationship with God and communed with Him regularly.  Did all faithful  Jews of that time have a closer relationship with God like Daniel and Joseph?   I don’t know the answer to that but are some clues that more had such a close relationship than we realize.  Mary, Jesus’ earthly mother, already had a close relationship with God at the tender age long before Gabriel announced to her that she would be the mother of their Messiah.  When Elijah was discouraged thinking he was alone, God revealed to Him there were 7000 faithful in Israel.  Truth is that God was passionate to have a personal relationship with the Old Testament people as He was in the first Century and as He is today. The commandment given in the above scripture to love the Lord with all our heart and teach our children about Him was repeated reinforced by Jesus when one of the Pharisees asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was.  Jesus replied ““ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^c 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^d 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:37  Sharing God’s love with others starting with our families but not stopping there, is the rest of that commandment given in Deuteronomy but also in Matthew and again in Mark 16:15 “¹⁵ And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”                      Loving God should make us want to share His love with others.  He gives us the capacity to love and have compassion for others.  The salvation He shows us should motivate us to tell others so they too will experience and enjoy His mercy too.  I know, we don’t always feel that passion to do so but the commandment to do so remains in force.  Our will to be obedience needs to control our choices instead of our emotions doing that.  When we follow our emotions, our behavior swings back and forth from obedience to sin.  Consistency requires staying close to Christ daily.  I’m still working on that as am sure you are too.   

3/16/17              The Blessing of Children                                    16   
Psalm 127:1-5  “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.² It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.³ Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.⁴ As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.⁵ Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.”  COMMENTS : Current statistics report that American birthrate is at 1,88 per woman.  To maintain the population 2.1/woman is needed.  Half of the families in America with children have one / single parent.   The marriage rate is nearly ½ the rate in 1870 and 1/3 the peak rate at the end of WWII.  Divorce rate is dropping but still 5 times rate in 1870.  Only reason is dropping is marriage rate is dropping.  75% of Americas live together before getting married and increasing % stay unmarried.  Truth is since 1973, 53 million abortions have occurred in US and rate continues at rate of 900,000 to 1.4 Million each year.  Granted the dream of most is to have a loving and happy family.  That is God’s dream for each of us but He has a higher standard than we.  His standard includes establishing a home with Him at center.  A home where partners are selected with His council and intimacy withheld til bonded together in marriage.  Because most leave God out of such choices, sin and poor choices resulting in need and temptation to abort unwanted pregnancies and having relationships that cause problems that at best distract and take energy away from good and productive goals. Such is not what God desires because He desires only what is best for us.  Unfortunately, it often or usually doesn’t appear that way nor is evident to us when we make important choices.  BUT IF WE LET HIM IN OUR HEARTS AND SEEK AND FOLLOW HIS COUNCIL FIRST, THEN WE WILL AVOID ALL THOSE POOR CHOICES THAT WE WILL REGRET FOR A LONG TIME OR EVEN THE REST OF OUR LIVES.  Choices that have consequences that impact our children and grandchildren and possibly countless others.  Much is at stake. 

Stop and consider families where parents and children follow Christ and His council as well as those who don’t and determine long term results.   I have and the differences are striking.  The exceptions are those who repented and turned back to God, like the prodigal returning to his father.  Even then scars often remain but redemption results in healing and restoration instead of continuing on the path to further destruction and misery and death.  God does give each of us free will.  We can choose evil instead of obedience.  We can deny evil or say following God’s way is wrong or judgmental or unfair.  But God is our creator and He has full rights to make rules and administer consequences.  He is the ultimate authority, like it or not.  To deny His authority is not wise and will ultimately be disastrous.  History proves this to be true in every generation before us, so why would we think ours or future generations could escape the same fate.                                                                      

No, God will not be mocked.  Everyone will reap what he sows.  Galatians 6:7-9 “⁷ Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.⁸ For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.⁹ And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”                                             

You and I must decide for ourselves but I, like Joshua decide “¹⁵ And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  JOSHUA  24:16.

 3/17/17              Love Like God Loves                                    17              
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
Romans 8:16                                                                                                             

SCRIPTURE:  I JOHN 3:1-2  “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.² Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”  COMMENTS :  As imperfect as we are as parents, we would not withhold love nor hate our children because they soil their diaper or break a valuable lamp or even when they disobey us.  We may get angry at times and have to punish them so they feel the consequences of their actions and are deterred from doing them again.  We do so because we love them and care about their futures.  As we get to know God and the love He has for us, we begin to realize how perfectly He loves us as our perfect loving Father.  As much as we hurt and disappoint Him.  As much as we disobey and hurt each other, He still loves and faithfully provides for and sustains us.  We grow accustomed to His provision and so take Him for granted. We are so unfaithful to Him and He is so faithful to us.  HE forgives us time after time after time and we hold grudged over the littlest things and offenses of others.  If we would look at our sinful lives through His eyes of perfect character and conduct, what would we see?  But instead of holding us to His standard and judging us accordingly, He accepted our punishment Himself so He could forgive us again and again as the prodigal’s father forgave him. 

He is calling us to come to Him seeking the relationship He so wants to have with us.  He is calling us to come to Him seeking admitting and regretting our sins but seeking His forgiveness and seeking His help to live differently and to love as He loves.  Learning to love Him but also learning to love others as He does.  Lent is a good time to reflect and draw closer to Him seeking the same transformation the Holy Spirit did to Paul and Peter and Philip and countless thousands if not millions in the early church that endured unbelievable suffering and persecution at the hand of Roman tyrants and misguided Jewish leaders.                                                                          

 We can’t say we’ll meet Him half way because He already has come lightyears to meet us where we are.  We only need to turn around to realize He is behind us ready to embrace us if only we turn around.  We think He has abandoned us or isn’t near simply because we can’t see or hear Him or feel His presence at times or often, but we don’t because we are not looking towards Him nor listening to ways He is speaking to us.  Like the prodigal, we need to go back towards where we turned from Him.  We will find He followed us waiting for us to turn around.  The well-known hymn “What a Friend we have in Jesus” says “What a Friend we have in Jesus,All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!”  AMEN…

3/18/17              Some Things Never Change                                     18   

And David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God—my God—will be with you.” 1 Chronicles 28:20

SCRIPTURE:  PSALM 19:7-11  “⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.⁸ The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.⁹ The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.¹¹ Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.”  COMMENTS : I’m sure you, like me, have heard these one line sayings many times.  “The more things change, the more they remain the same.”  Or, “People never change; they are the same today as they were in ancient times and will be the same tomorrow.”  Truth is we face the same temptations and are vulnerable to the same weaknesses as everyone has since Adam and Eve.  Satan uses the same traps and temptations he did with them and are working as effectively today as they have throughout history since Adam.  But it is also true God is faithful today has He has been in every generation from Adam too.  By giving us His Word, He is sharing how He has worked in history before but also including history we have recorded.  He provides more proof of His faithfulness and trustworthiness than the best proof science has given for physical laws it documented.  Truth is, we can trust what God says and promises He makes more than we can trust the physical laws we live by and depend on every day.  We can trust His words “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.“ Deuteronomy 31:6  and  “⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  I John 1:9 and “³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:3 to mention only a few of the many promises God has given us.  Promises that our parents and grandparents and great grandparents and their ancestors depended on and trusted and relied on all their lives.  Promises that strengthened and sustained them and empowered them to live a Christ centered life.  The promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit was a promise that as also proof.  For that indwelling spirit transformed the lives of many noted in the Old and New Testament scriptures as well as in early history to present times.  Proof evident in lives of someone and am sure many dear and close to you and me even now.  I pray that proof is evident in your life too, but if no, I invite and encourage you to ask Christ into your heart and ask His forgiveness and to transform your life as He has countless millions before.  We can trust Him for He does have our best interest in mind and loves us like no other.  He doesn’t come into our heart uninvited and will not guide and council us without our permission.  But if we allow Him to, He will transform our lives and guide us like no other with far greater wisdom and love and insight no other can.   If you still doubt that, just look around and ask do your own research in scripture as well as in your own community.  You can judge who genuine Christians are and who is pretending or acting.  Look and see what Christ has done and continues to do.  Then decide.

3/19/17               Just as My Mother Did… David’s Secret           19
Psalm 86 “Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.² Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.³ Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.⁴ Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.⁵ For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.⁶ Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.⁷ In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.⁸ Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.⁹ All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.¹⁰ For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.¹¹ Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.¹² I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.¹³ For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.¹⁴ O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.¹⁵ But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.¹⁶ O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.¹⁷ Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me.”

COMMENTS :   An interesting question is raised as we study today’s devotion.  Why is David discussed in great deal along with many of His wonderful prayers, but his father, Jesse, is only mentioned briefly and his mother not mentioned?  David only briefly once stated in a prayer “save me, because I serve you just as my mother did.”.  Those of us with God loving and fearing parents know the powerful impact fathers and especially mothers have on their children.  The fact that David was faithful to God at an early age even to the point of fighting Goliath boldly reflects on the impact both parents had on him.  The level of faith he must have had to fight Goliath with a sling and 5 stones was great.  Keep in mind the reason for 5 stones was Goliath had 4 other brothers.  David demonstrated great faith and love for  God all his life and at least enough wisdom to run to God seeking forgiveness when sin overtook him, especially after the sin with  Bathsheba and resulting murder of her husband.  David knew what is was to know God’s mercy and forgiveness and also what it was like to both be in fellowship with God and when away from that fellowship.                                                                                                    

 As I continue to go through all the old books and letters and pictures my parents and grandparents and great grandparents left in our home which was previously theirs, I realize not only the great impact their lives had, and their love for and faith in God had, on many others and on their families but also on me.  I am discovering the godly character and compassion that my mother is remembered for was shown and taught to her from her grandmother and mother.  As I learn more about them, I then can see their character reflected on how my mother and  lived.  The same is true of my fathers as I look back over his family.  By discovering this, I can look at their pictures and enjoy our home and it’s background even more.  I can also see that God’s care for them and fellowship with them making His care and love for Arlene and I even more real and precious.  That same love and care now becoming more evident in our children and potential for our grandchildren too.   God’s mercies carry over from one generation to another, and the overlap of generations is best served when He is involved in the transfer of the experiences of one generation to another.  Scripture only serves to reinforce and add to those experiences and shows us God transcends and eternally lasts through all generations as well as eternally before and eternally beyond.  AMEN!                                             

3/20/17                             Another One for Jesus!                        20           

Malachi 2:10-17  “¹⁰ Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?¹¹ Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.¹² The Lord will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the Lord of hosts.¹³ And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.¹⁴ Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.¹⁵ And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.¹⁶ For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.¹⁷ Ye have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?” COMMENTS :  ¹⁴ Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?  II Corinthians 6:14.   As we get older we gain a greater awareness that the council and wisdom of our parents was greater than we realized.  Our regrets are that we didn’t follow their advice at the time, avoiding the consequences they warned of but consequences we didn’t believe would  happen or thinking we were too smart to let them happen.  But happen they did and regrets from thinking we knew better than our parents.  Well, our parents still loved and continued to do what they could to help but blunt of our actions still fell on us.  If that is true of our parents, how much more is that true with our Heavenly Father.  Well then, we should pay attention to the laws and commands but also the council God gives us in His word.  We spare ourselves so much grief and hardship when we decide to only date and marry a partner who is equally committed to Christ and submit to His plan and will.  Likewise, when we allow the Holy Spirit through His Word and abiding presence to council us with small to great decisions we need to make, we soon discover access to greater wisdom and insight than we are capable of.  By seeking council of senior Christians, we also expose ourselves to wisdom greater than we are capable of.  Both serve to bring us good and not evil, joy and not sadness.  Such also serves to empower us to do greater good for others instead of having to focus on fixed mistakes and healing wounds of our own making.  God has a wonderful purpose and mission for us to fulfill that includes great joy and fulfillment.  But we miss out on that purpose and joy and fulfillment when we focus on what we want and think best instead of opening ourselves to listen and consider what God wants for us.  Granted, sometimes those who love us trying to persuade us to follow a path we don’t like or want but one they want, but they too need to stop and pray and listen for God’s council and let the Holy Spirit guide their actions and choices too.  What a wonderful world we would have if everyone would do that.

3/21/17                                        From Infancy…                         21 
I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.  2 Timothy 1:5

SCRIPTURE:  2 TIMOTHY 3:10-17  “¹⁰ But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,¹¹ Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.¹² Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.¹³ But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.¹⁴ But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;¹⁵ And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

COMMENTS : For the past 34 years Arlene & I have owned and lived in our present home, which was my parents home for 44 years before and my great grandparents for 49 years before them.  Time passes so quickly. During those 34 years our two children grew up, graduated from school and landed good jobs nad now have homes of their own.  Our daughter also has a daughter and two step sons.  We prayed and seriously wondered if wise to purchase a home and raise a family in such an uncertain and sinful world.  We believed Christ would return before we died or even before our children were grown. But time has passed so quickly and our time with our children is so brief.  Word and other responsibilities took from precious time with my wife and children during those years, but time I did spend with them was so important.  The impact my parents and Arlene’s parents had on our children was critical and so positive as well.  Yet as I read old letters and remember old stories and look at very old pictures, I discover the impact my mother’s grandparents had on her and on my father, especially after they married and occupied together our home taking care of  an elderly widowed grandmother.  Those years I’m sure were trying at times but were formative for them and prepared them for the family they would raise too.  I never met my great grandparents but am learning a lot about their Christian faith and character.   Such reflection spurs us to do likewise taking opportunity to influence our children’s spouses and children with God’s help and guidance.

We need to have complete confidence that God will always be the same.  He has always ruled and managed His creation and always will.  His ways and timing is perfect but a mystery.  He is worthy of our complete trust and confidence and worship and always will.  Our parents and grandparents and ancestors trusted Him and now are rejoicing and worshipping Him in heaven.  One day we will too, but only if we put our trust in Him while here on earth.                                          

3/22/17                             His Father’s Blessing                         22   
Genesis 49:26-33  “²⁶ The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.²⁷ Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.²⁸ All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.²⁹ And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,³⁰ In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.³¹ There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.³² The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.³³ And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.”

COMMENTS :The compassion and generosity we show by example to our children and grandchildren is a powerful witness to them.  Tithing our income is such a demonstration but doesn’t end there.  Volunteering our time and how we treat those less fortunate than us but also how we treat those who are less loveable and those who mistreat us is also equally a powerful witness to our families as well as to our communities.  God can and does use such faithfulness to extend our witness and legacy beyond what we think possible.  That extends not only to distant lands beyond our normal contact but also to future generations long after we go home to heaven.   We need only look in scripture to discover that to be true.  Every generation who reads Daniel or Joseph’s story in Genesis or Ruth’s story or David’s story or Paul’s story and letters have impacted countless millions over the many generations since because those stories are recorded in scripture.  Our stories may seem insignificant and our influence insignificant or not noteworthy, but God sees our obedience and expressions of love towards Him much differently.  God used the consistent Christ centered life of my parents and grandparents and great grandparents to impact their children and grandchildren but countless others as well.  God even uses a message on an old gravestone to impact generations later too.  God honors those who honor Him.  He richly rewards those who love and obey and trust Him, but does so in ways and timing different but far better than we would choose.  But time and time He has proven His way and timing reflects infinitely greater wisdom and insight and vision and impact beyond what we could comprehend or achieve on our own. 

This lent season is a good time to reflect on these examples from scripture and then examples from our family and others who have impacted our lives.  As we reflect on those examples, they should draw us closer to Christ seeking ways His Holy Spirit would guide us.   If we would take seriously how important our conduct is during our normal work day and even days of leisure, we would begin to see God’s vision and influence.  We need to open ourselves to life’s distractions God puts in our day to listen and show compassion and interest in life issues of others.

3/23/17                             Swimming Upstream                         23   
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank. Daniel 1:8a

SCRIPTURE:  JOSHUA 1:5-9  “⁵ There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.⁶ Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.⁷ Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.⁸ This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.⁹ Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

COMMENTS : Wild salmon demonstrate great courage and determination from strong instincts.  They travel hundreds of miles from fresh water to the ocean where they live 4-5 years and then go back into fresh water streams returning to the place of their birth to spawn.  God has given them drive and focus to do this overcoming difficult or even impossible obstacles.  God provides vital direction and energy to do important work necessary to survival and for overall good. He does so often without full disclosure of reasons or ultimate results.  The salmon may not understand why it is necessary to go on the long journey but still goes because of drive to do so  God gave each.  There gives all living creature instincts of various levels.  Each has an instinct and drive to survive.  Humans are able to choose and reason, so our instincts are different.  God has given us the ability of choosing good or evil.  To make wise or foolish choices.   But the choice to follow God’s guiding Hand without understanding God’s complete purpose or goal is not unlike what drives the salmon to travel or other faithful God followers since Adam.   Daniel is one of the most faithful examples from the Old Testament.   Even though God revealed it would be 70 l ong years before Israel would be allowed to return back to their homes,  Daniel was key to guide them by instruction and by example to remain faithful until God chose the time to return.  Babylonian captivity was the consequence of idolatry of the king and people.  Daniel wasn’t guilty of that sin but still faced the same consequence but didn’t affect his determination to be and remain faithful to God his entire life.  Because of his faithfulness, God used him to do the impossible.  To guide a tyrant king to salvation, to guide his people and many pagan Babylonians to a saving knowledge of God.  But even more, since his story is preserved in scripture, Daniel has been instrumental in saving knowledge of God reaching every generation since, including mine and yours.  Daniel has ministered to me many times over my life and continues to do so. His example encourages and councils me especially during trying times.  There is nothing I face that he hasn’t faced much worse but remains faithful.

We need to remind ourselves God’s ways don’t change, so how He guides you and me are the same as how He guided Daniel.  That means that if we follow His council and will, impact on us and those we love and far beyond in distance and years will outreach what we think possible in impact and number.  God loves to use insignificant people without noteworthy gifts or skills to do extraordinary things.  So if you feel insignificant or unqualified, remember “God doesn’t used the qualified but qualifies those obedient”.  If you think you have great gifts God needs to us, He will cure you handicap of pride if you let Him so you can then be usable by Him.               

If you and I are going to be used by God effectively, we must first fully repent and yield to God seeking His will above all and recognize it is all about Him and not about us.  We must keep reminding ourselves we can do nothing without Him but with Him all is possible.  Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” NKJV. 

3/24/17                                          Dr. Ida, India                         24   
Psalm 22:27-31  ²⁷ All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.²⁸ For the kingdom is the Lord’s: and he is the governor among the nations.²⁹ All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.³⁰ A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.³¹ They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.”

COMMENTS :   God has a wonderful way of honoring and creating widespread legacy for those who honor and serve Christ.  Dr. John Sudder became the first American medical missionary to India.  His children and grandchildren and great grandchildren followed his legacy and example. Four generations and 42 members of his family devoted their lives to that ministry.  Dr. Scudder’s granddaughter, Ida, decided not to follow that example and returned to the USA.  However, when returning to India to visit her parents, God gave her a burden for India so she embraced her calling and became a famous missionary doctor in India.  So well known was she that when a letter was mailed to her only addressed “Dr. Ida, India”, the mail service in India, a nation of over 300 million at that time, had no difficulty finding and delivering that letter to her.  That is how significant her impact was in India and how significant the impact of Dr. Sudder was and continues to be. The impact of that family legacy continues to live on and the souls saved for Christ continues to grow.

What is the impact of your family?   Are you following the example of Christ loving Christians from your family past or even present? God doesn’t necessarily call us to same type of service as our parents or grandparents but none the less does call us to service.  When we do, we build on the foundation of our ancestors and create a foundation for our children and grandchildren to build on top of. By doing so, we honor Christ but also honor our parents and grandparents and ancestors in our family.  Exodus 20:12 ““Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”  God valued this principle enough to make it a commandment for Israel as well as every human to follow.  Matthew 22:37 “Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  Christ confirmed the importance of loving God with all our being.  How better to demonstrate our love for Him than by sharing His message of salvation and love with others.  We do well to notice and copy the example of others who have done just that.  Their example gives us ideas and practical council.  God doesn’t change and people need same things today as they always have.  Doing so is not optional for us, it is God’s command in the great commission.  Mark 16:14-16 “¹⁴ Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. ¹⁵ And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. ¹⁶ He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”  God’s ways are always the best for us and those we are called to bless. Rewards and benefits are eternal, not a bad return on investment.   So how are you investing.  God does give the best returns.  After all, He invented compound interest.  AMEN?   AMEN!!

3/25/17                                          Worth Investigating                         25  Ezekiel 34:11-16  “¹¹ “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. ¹² As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. ¹³ I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. ¹⁴ I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. ¹⁵ I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. ¹⁶ I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.”

COMMENTS : It is so easy to put our time with our Lord off.  There are so many things that demand our time and distract us from our time with God.  Family, job, unexpected problems, sickness, the list goes on.  Every morning something comes up demanding our time.  God is so patient and since He doesn’t demand our time, but simply invites us to spend time with Him, then it is easy to forget our time with Him.  But tragedy is we desperately need our time with Him in order to live well and equip ourselves to address all life’s problems each day.  Have you discovered how much better our day goes when we start our day with Him?  How much better our rest is when we finish our day with Him too.  We accomplish so much more and are better prepared and rested for next day.  Benefits of putting Christ first are endless but consequences of not are also many.  We loose more than what we invest with Him.  You and I need reminded of that truth often so we don’t forget or yield to temptation to put Him off again.  Fact is, not only do we need our time with Him but He desires and so deserves His time with us. His love for you and me is so great, He longs to spend time with us each day.  Our relationship with our families suffer when we neglect them and don’t carve out quality time to spend with them.  When we neglect our families, other problems develop that are needless but will keep us from important tasks that would have been taken care of if we first would give our family priority.  Same is true of our relationship with Christ too.  Why are relationships so valuable to us and important to us but are so easy for us to forget or neglect?   Well, since we know that, it is important to not allow ourselves to be outsmarted or overpowered by our temptations.  Put up reminders and make ourselves accountable are important ways of changing bad habits and bringing us back to obedience before we stray or at least before we stray too far.  Knowing our weaknesses and establishing boundaries and safety nets to catch us are logical and responsible ways of maturing in our relationship with Christ.  God does the hard work but you and I have work we need to do.  We still have freedom to make bad choices but also freedom to make good ones too.  When temptation is full strength, our judgment is likely clouded and we are the most vulnerable to ignore warning signs.  We need the help of others to help us make good choices and weaken the grip and deception of temptation.

3/26/17                                          Ring of Truth                                      26
Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.  1 Corinthians 11:1

SCRIPTURE:  EPHESIANS 5:1-5  “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;² And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.³ But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;⁴ Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.⁵ For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”

COMMENTS : Lent is an important time to reflect on Christ’s life and enduring sacrifice for our redemption. Lent is a time to review our lives and clean house.  Clean out old sinful habits and even things that aren’t necessarily bad but consume time and distract us from more important things.  It is also a good time to create new habits or devotion and outreach to others that have been neglected.                Lent also is a good time to reflect on the lives and reputation of past generations who were faithful to Christ.  Arlene and I each have a rich legacy of many faithful ancestors who serve to remind us of benefits of a faithful life.  This Lent we have been doing the long neglected task of cleaning out long forgotten things and selling or giving away or throwing out unneeded items.  Yesterday a man came in response to an ad we placed to sell an old record player and old records.   He also said his sister and husband had a house fire and lost everything and were living in his basement now.  We decided to give our everyday china.   One of the forgotten treasures we discovered in house cleaning was a box with my grandparent’s good china they gave to my parents who stored it in the cubby hole in our house a long time ago.  We decided to clean and use that china and give our everyday china to this man’s sister. 

How many treasures does God have for us but we neglect them or think they should be saved for special occasions. But with God special occasions come every day.  We have opportunities each day that often go unnotices, but opportunities that are unique.  Some are unique because we seldom see someone we cross paths with.  Some are unique because of a crisis or circumstance that has recently happened.  Some are unique because a long forgotten memory has just come back to mind and needs shared, just like our china.    Some are unique because God has taught us a neaw truth or a forgotten truth He wants us to share too.

Possessions need to be held loosely because we only have them for a brief time and then get passed on to others.  How foolish to save them for a future time that never comes.  Like my grandparent’s china they went 3 generations without being enjoyed or used.  Sure it had an intended use for special occasions and was used for that.  But my parents had good china for that use so stored their parent’s china because it wasn’t needed but still valued.  They forgot about it and we never realized it existed until now.  But it was hiddened in a storage corner for decades even during our 38years living in the same house as they.   But now we can and will enjoy it knowing it’s history and the people who used it.  We hope and pray it will remind us of the lessons God is showing us and He will give us more opportunities to share those stories with others just like He is now as I write this devotion for you to read and enjoy too.  AMEN!

3/27/17     What Guiding Light are You Following?       27  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.     Matthew 2:10

SCRIPTURE:  LUKE 1:46-55  “⁴⁶ And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,⁴⁷ And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.⁴⁸ For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.⁴⁹ For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.⁵⁰ And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.⁵¹ He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.⁵² He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.⁵³ He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.⁵⁴ He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;⁵⁵ As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.”

COMMENTS :  Today’s devotion scripture is usually studied and preached during Advent time, but I would like to comment and share during Lent.  I pose the question, what guiding light are you following? The Magi followed the star God had put in the sky to guide them to the Christ Child.  Their journey was ordained by God without revealing to them how He would use their journey of faith.  They returned home without fully understanding either but returned knowing they had obeyed God reached the destination they sought.  Mary too was on a journey even as a young girl, a journey of fellowship and obedience to the God who was dear and close to her.  She had no idea where that journey would lead her or what sorrow she would face.  She only knew she trusted God, who she knew and loved.  Because of that love, God chose her to be His earthly mother with honor but also responsibility that would be overwhelming for the most seasoned and experienced Christian let alone for a young girl of 15.  But God, in His mercy, didn’t reveal all to her when Gabriel visited her.  Full revelation would come over time.                                                   

How does this relate to us?  We have a light we should follow too.  That light for us is discovered and confirmed in our Bible.  We have so many good examples of those before us who discovered and followed that light and travelled a journey of faith that lead through a live that made a eternal positive difference for them and for countless millions touched directly by them or by their stories preserved in scripture for each generation since.  That light is God’s bright guiding light.  That light is His Holy Spirit dwelling in us as and guiding us as we have fellowship with Him in prayer and in study of scripture and in fellowship with other believers, but also as we journey each day following that guiding light.  Like our predecessors, we won’t know the full purpose of journey or all the challenges and risks and uncertainties.  But what we do know is GOD HAS NOT CHANGED AND WILL GUIDE US AND ABIDE WITH US LIKE HE DID THEM.  You may say, I don’t live an eventful life and am not famous or widely traveled nor am in a position of authority over others.  Well, neither was Mary or most others noted in scripture.  God can and will use you to make an eternal difference in the lives of others if we simply TRUST AND OBEY HIM.  That means being in daily relationship with Him and sincerely seeking His Will and then following that Will.  If you and I begin doing that this Lent and do not vary from following that light, than years from now we can look back and see what God has done and marvel and praise Him.  Mary marveled and praised God in above scripture when she realized what had just happened and what the angel told  her.  I can imagine her passion and praise only grew in length and passion as that revelation to her unfolded and especially now as she looks back from heaven at what God has done.   YOU AND I CAN TOO SOMEDAY, BUT WE NEED TO START, LIKE MARY, WITH SHARING OUR SONG OF PRAISE TO HIM IN PRAYER.  No time like now to start.  HE DESERVES OUR PRAISE AND WE DESPERATELY NEED TO GIVE HIM THAT PRAISE.  MAKE SURE THE LIGHT WE FOLLOW IS HIS LIGHT, NOT OUR SELF MOTIVATED LIGHT OR WORSE.   Satan commonly comes pretending to be an “angel of light” but bringing darkness and death.

 

3/28/17                         Joy Banishes Fear                                      28
Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” Luke 2:10

SCRIPTURE:  LUKE 1:28-45  “²⁶ And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,²⁷ To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.²⁸ And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.²⁹ And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.³⁰ And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.³¹ And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.³² He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:³³ And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.³⁴ Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?³⁵ And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.³⁶ And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.³⁷ For with God nothing shall be impossible.³⁸ And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.³⁹ And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;⁴⁰ And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.⁴¹ And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:⁴² And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.⁴³ And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?⁴⁴ For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.⁴⁵ And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

COMMENTS : It is easy for us to think it was easy for the shepherds or Mary or Joseph or others in scripture to follow God’s lead because they were visited by an angel.  We say to ourselves it isn’t my fault when I fail because I didn’t have the certainty of knowing God’s will because I wasn’t visited by an angel like Daniel or Mary.     Well, angels are effective in giving God’s message but God more commonly gives His message and instruction just as effectively through His Word or even through other Christians or even directly to our minds as we pray.   If we are honest with ourselves, we are usually uncertain of God’s Will because our minds and emotions are clouded by our own selfish preferences causing resistance to being open to receive and obey God’s Will. But He desires that we trust Him enough to follow His lead and obey His instruction without condition or delay.  When we do, we open ourselves to receive a special and added blessing from Him.  We open ourselves to closer fellowship with Him.  When we resist, we keep the door of our heart shut to Him and fellowship with Him remains a distant conversation with difficulty hearing His voice and that instruction.   GOD ALWAYS WORKS TO OUR GOOD AND CHOOSES THE BEST FOR US, BUT NOT USUALLY WHAT WE THINK BEST OR WANT THE MOST.  But we will come around sooner or later to realizing He wants far better for us.                                                                                                            

3/29/17                                      A Bible Like Mom’s                                     29
Proverbs 1:1-9  “The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;² To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;³ To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;⁴ To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.⁵ A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:⁶ To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.⁷ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.⁸ My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:⁹ For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.”

COMMENTS : The most precious treasures Arlene and I have from our parents and grandparents is their study bibles.  Seeing the underlined scriptures and side notes added and notes added on a separate paper in their bible is impactful.  Added to that is letters of compassion and support to others confirmed they lived their faith.  When I then see pictures of them and visit their gravesights, they become more real and alive and their lessons and impact of their example lives on.  Scripture and changed lives in others make Christ more real to us, but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit compounds that effect because God then is much more personal and alive and real and our relationship with Him far more personal that otherwise possible.

Wisdom comes when we are open to learn from others wiser and more experienced than us, but greater wisdom comes to us when we realize we are weak and no match for satan’s deceptions.  Believing that encourages us to greater diligence in our daily time with Him, but also in diligence in avoiding temptations.   Such is best learned and practiced at a young age, but better late than never.  Christ’s sacrifice provides God’s offer of salvation and redemption freely available to all, young or old.  To have a family legacy of faithful Christians is a good foundation, but God has no grandchildren.  We can not reach heaven by the wise choices of our parents.  We must make those choices of accepting His redeeming sacrifice for ourselves and follow His instructions ourselves too.  We can avoid so much grief and hardship if we seek and follow Christ’s will in choosing a wife or husband, choosing a careear or job, choosing a church family.

God is not desiring to deprive us or to keep us from enjoying life.  Quite the opposite.  He desires for us to experience lasting joy and to enjoy our lives.  He also has designed us to only be fulfilled and enjoy life awhen wae follow Him.   To do less will at best result in second best for us and at worse result in much suffering and disaster with much regret.  Consider personal examples that confirm that ato be true.  The bible is also full of such examples to encourage and teach us how to avoid similar poor choices.

God often packages best choices for us in less glamorous packages.  Satan, however, will package disasterous choices in the nicest of packages to draw us to them.  But he knows and wants to destroy us.  After all, he knows the only way he has to hurt God is to hurt those He loves, every one of us humans.

3/30/17                          The Four Seasons                                                   30    
Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.  Psalm 56:3

SCRIPTURE: PSALM 77  “ I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.² In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.³ I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.⁴ Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.⁵ I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.⁶ I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.⁷ Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?⁸ Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?⁹ Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.¹⁰ And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.¹¹ I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of ol¹² I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.¹³ Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?¹⁴ Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.¹⁵ Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.¹⁶ The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.¹⁷ The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.¹⁸ The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.¹⁹ Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.²⁰ Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”

COMMENTS : Children are more open to accept Christ than adults because of several reasons.  They tend to be more trusting and believe what are told when innocent of the many years exposure to sin adults have experienced.  They also are less self sufficient. Children are more willing to come seeking help than adults.  They seek help early instead of trying to fix problems themselves.  We adults teld to see seeking help as a weakness and fixing problems ourselves as a virtue.  But Christ tells us to seek His help early and involve Him in all our choices and in all our work.  Christ tells us we must come to Him as little children (Matthew 18:3).  Today’s psalm expresses one who is desperate for help to avoid disaster.  When circumstances or evil consequence are falling on us and we see no way out, it is then we are most motivated and eager to seek His help and redemption.  It is then we look for help to escape.  That is good because He is eager to give us that help.  Just as the prodigal’s father ran to him when he returned for his father’s help, so does God run to us.  GOD RUNS TO US!  Well, truth is God never was far away but we didn’t know that since we were looking the other way.  But He is always there ready and willing to give us His hand of help if we simply turn to Him and put our hand in His and ask.  He will try to persuade us and often allows hardship to get our attention, but He doesn’t force us to come to Him.  He, in spite of consequences, allows us to freely chose to reject Him.  Judgment is God’s last resort and will allow us to face His judgment if we determine to stay on our rebellious path, but not before He trying over and over again to persuade us to come to Him.  The consequences of our actions are satan’s doing, not His.  Satan is bent on destroying us in order to hurt God in only way he can.  God is bent to giving us redemption and eternal life with Him limited only by our free will to chose that redemption and eternal life.  Otherwise, we will face eternity in judgment with satan who deceived us to follow his evil path.              

3/31/17                          From Tightly to Lightly                                                    31    
Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.  Genesis 2:24  

SCRIPTURE:  PSALM 128:1-5  “Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.² For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.³ Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.⁴ Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.⁵ The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.”

COMMENTS :  Teens in every generation have dreamed of the day they would leave their parents and childhood home and establish a home of their own.  My generation was no different.  I’ve always had a close loving relationship with my parents and did live at home until I completed college and even 5 years longer while I was working.  But when I then married, I moved out and started a home and family of my own.  Was challenging and a bit scary because of unceretainty of such.  But having Christ at the center of each of our lives and center of our new family made all the difference and has consistently over the 38+ years since and continues to.              As a parent of two grown children who also have left their home and have families of their own, we have discovered the same struggles my parents had letting go of children they cherished and cared for many years that passed so quickly.  A grandparents now, we are experiencing the joy our parents experienced as our children grew up.   Recently we discovered a box of small “nick nacks” my mother had on display on shelves in her living room.  As a child, our daughter would help her dust those nick nacks.  The box had a note saying, “to Debbie from your loving grandmother, Hazel.”  Even though 30+ years have passed since Debbie helped her grandma dust those little glass items and 10 years since she passed, Debbie’s excitement at receiving that box was fresh and emotional.                                           

 Times are changing today.  With the cost of keeping a home rising and good paying jobs in short supply, children are staying or coming back home are growning.  For the first time in 130 years, 32% of young adults (18-34 yr old) are returning home.    For us, living close to our parents gave our children opportunity to get to know and love them and allowed our parents to have a positive influence on our children, which is as God intended.  But more and more, grandparents have to raise their grandchildren because their children are absent or have made poor choices and not available or able to raise them.  The best and only solution to these and the rest of the world’s problems lies with the One who created all and has eternity past of experience to properly guide and help those willing to listen and obey Him and take His hand.   We were not intended to live alone or completely break our relationship with our parents when we leave.  But we were intended to be on our own and provide for our families.  The balance is what God helps us achieve as well as make wise choices that will help us raise our families and provide for them.                                         

I hope and pray this devotional journal continues, in some small way, to be a blessing and source of encouragement and council to you as well as help strengthen your relationship and walk with Christ.   I also invite and encourage you to view and use the devotions and posts on my blog site located at: https://www.donsdevotions.wordpress.com       

It is hard to believe it.  Time passes so quickly.  I’ve been keeping a devotional journal for a little over 5 years and a blog site for a year and have been retired for 4-1/2 years.  Time passes so quickly, but am reminded time is precious and short so we must use it wisely and as God intended if we are going to be truly blessed and happy.

God’s blessings,

Don McDaniel

March 31, 2017

Email:  dmcdaniel12@verizon.net

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Don1951

Blog site: https://www.donsdevotions.wordpress.com