NOVEMBER 2020    

11/1/20                                              HIS WAYS or OUR WAYS                                  1         

  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
Isaiah 55:8

Recommended Reading: Acts 16:6-10

⁶ Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. ⁷ After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. ⁸ So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. ⁹ And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

COMMENTS:  Have you ever wondered how the saints of the old testament and new testament were so certain of God’s instruction and leading to make life changing choices literally overnight, such as the above example from scripture.  Well, another was Joseph taking Mary and the Baby Jesus to Egypt fleeing Herod’s determined order to kill all babies under 2 years old.

Satan may not understand God’s Plan and does not agree with it, but he is aware of that plan and has tried as hard as he could to stop that plan.   But God Will has always prevailed and it always will because God is still on His Throne and still rules.  He allows each to make his own choices, but must face either God judgment (consequences of evil and poor choices) like Judas did or blessing from making good choices or God’s redemption when seek His forgiveness with a repentant heart.

The lesson that is vital for every Christ follower to discover and follow is to walk by faith. For years, we navigate this world on the basis of our five senses. We are taught by the world to only trust our senses even though at times they betray us, but God teaches us to trust only in Him and be strong in our faith in Him.  “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Instead of believing what we see, we are called to trust what we can’t see. We are called to trust God’s ways more than our own ways.

There are countless examples in scripture of such faith. When Israel was called from exile in Persia to return to Jerusalem, God told them they would one day summon nations to Him (Isaiah 55:5). How could a poor, captive nation summon other nations to God? Because God’s ways are higher than our ways. Paul discovered this when his evangelistic mission was blocked by God, only to have a new door open instead—because God’s ways were higher than his (Acts 16:6-10).

Walking by faith means trusting that God’s ways are always at work, even when we can’t see how. Walking by faith is based on God’s character and promises.

Walking by faith means being prepared to trust where we are not permitted to see. 

John Blanchard

11/2/20                                     HIS PERMANENT PURPOSE                                2         

 “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord.  Isaiah 54:17

Recommended Reading: Matthew 16:18

¹⁸ And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

COMMENTS:

Have you ever wondered why Jesus risked His Mission and Plan of redemption on sinful unreliable men like Paul and Peter and even Mary & Joseph who raised Jesus and kept Him from dangers?  The Rock (Church) Peter established was dependent on whether Peter would get over the fear that caused him to deny Jesus and hide?

Well, God knew that Peter would change when he received the Holy Spirit.  He knew Paul would too.  After all, He knew the countless millions since would too.    The opportunity He gave them transformed them positively.   The risk to them and to God’s plan if they had fled instead of taking a stand would have had eternal consequences for them and for those who they influenced later.  

So, was the risk that vulnerable or would God have found a way no matter what?  Good question without enough information to even speculate.

Yet, God’s Plan was so important both to those who shared that plan and those who received that precious Plan, the precious Gift.

Isaiah 53 is one of the most theologically important chapters in the Old Testament. It contains the portrait of the Servant of the Lord—the coming Messiah who would suffer on behalf of His people. The Servant—revealed eventually as Jesus Christ—saw that many would be opposed to Him (Isaiah 50:8-9). Yet He also saw that He would be vindicated by God: “Surely the Lord God will help Me” (verse 9).                                                                                     “The work which His goodness began, the arm of His strength will complete. “                            Augustus M. Toplady

11/3/20                             0NCE I WAS BLIND!                                                   3                            

 [The man healed from blindness] answered and said, “Whether [Jesus] is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”  John 9:25

Recommended Reading: Luke 4:18-19

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;¹⁹ To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

C0MMENTS:  I continue to be amazed how easily and quickly we humans get used to beautiful surroundings or conveniences that make our lives easier and better.  How easily we take necessities as well as luxuries for granted.  Having a nearby well or stream providing clean water or rain and good soil to raise good crops or a good income job to purchase and provide for family needs.   The blessing of family and friends and freedoms and security of a good government. How about health and ability to think and reason and work and communicate and laugh and even cry.  Then what about our local church family.  Taking them for granted doesn’t make us less dependent on them.  No, just less appreciative of them.

The same holds true for the spiritual blessings and promises and provisions God provides faithfully each and every day on top of the physical provisions we depend on.   He offers us mercy and forgiveness, His abiding presence and council and help.  His abiding protection and direction and most of all love and companionship.   He promises a new and better and eternal body and home with Him and saints of old and also our contemporaries who accept His gift of forgiveness and mercy. 

Take some time to reflect on all God provides and consider what life would be like without them or if they were delays as some endure.

I have my cataracts removed a few years ago.  I thought I was seeking ok but the clarity of vision and beauty of colors all God’s creation shocked and overwhelmed me.  I have talked to many others who also experienced this same excitement.  But that excitement soon faded mostly because we got used to seeing clearly.

Spiritual clarity is even more wonderful because it enables us to more clearly see Jesus and who He is and what He has done and continues to do.

Spiritual blindness is what Paul calls “dead in trespasses” (Ephesians 2:4-5). God blocked Israel’s spiritual sight as His covenant people due to their sins (Isaiah 6:9-10). But He also promised that the Messiah would come and open their spiritually blind eyes (Isaiah 35:5), something Jesus affirmed when He came (Luke 4:18-19). Spiritual eyes can only be opened by God Himself (Psalm 119:18).

If you have received the grace of God in Christ (Ephesians 2:4), your spiritual eyes have been opened. Praise God today that though you were blind, now you see!  But let’s not “get used to” or “take for granted” the miracle of spiritual sight we depend on even more than our physical sight.

The sun is no less bright because blind men do not perceive its light. 

John Calvin

11/4/20                                       RISK LOSS – REWARD                                            4

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.  Mark 8:35

Recommended Reading: John 12:24-25 ²⁴ Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. ²⁵ He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

COMMENTS:  Nature has many examples of God’s ways.   The passage above from Mark and from John both identify value and purpose of sacrifice.  For giving life and wealth in order to gain a greater goal and purpose.  Those who sacrificed life and personal goals to battle an enemy in war know all too well the meaning of giving their life for their friend and brother.

Yet, sacrifice to achieve goals are the norm of everyday life.   School is necessary to learn needed knowledge and skill – to equip students to win desired employment and do valuable work.   Focused engineering – designing plus hard focused labor is necessary to build needed machines and buildings and even businesses.   Doing so not only blesses investors and businesses but adds needed jobs and fulfilling work.   Teaching and sometimes forcing people to work together to reach common goals or accomplishments does much good and opens opportunities for God to add other blessings. 

People who are working together can’t fight.  I have noticed that division in the church from people who don’t like each other (personality differences) or are on opposing sides of issues.  By contrast, I’ve also noticed that personality differences and personal conflicts are commonly put aside in order to work together in employment environment.  Maybe in part due to common need for employment and in part due to agreement of value of work being assigned.   So, consider how church conflict would evaporate if church people use the same discipline at church they exercise at work.  Of course, church is not a hiring employer and church family are not a hired group motivated by a paycheck to “get along with each other”.   But then again, the greater motivation should be following God’s Will and direction in order to please Him.  That should be a much higher motivation than gaining a paycheck.  Agree?   When it isn’t, no wonder satan is able to cause division by persuading people to fight in the church.

Is conflict a much worse disease than the issue which is the focus of the conflict. I dare say yes in most cases.   But conflict is an indicator of an absence of God influencing Holy Spirit being present. 

The phrase, “No pain, no gain” has come to mean that success requires a willingness sacrifice in order to reach for a goal. We can either embrace safety—live a no-risk, no-faith life—or we can stretch ourselves beyond our natural abilities or comfort zone and achieve a more fulfilling life.

That was Jesus’ message for those following Him. The safe life is a life protected from loss and disappointment, a passionless life that is afraid to love and live. But if we embrace the Kingdom of God in the face of a world that wants to reject it, we will discover a life of passion. As Jesus Himself said, “I have come that you may have life, and that you may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Yes, following Jesus involves risk and therefore trust. But without risk, there is no reward.

 If you are tempted to hold back, to not take the risk with the crowd that is following Jesus…don’t! Step out in faith and love. Only then will you find (save) your life.

“I would sooner risk the dangers of a tornado of religious excitement than see the air grow stagnant with a deadly formality.”   Charles H. Spurgeon

11/5/20                                        COUNT THE COST!                                                      5  

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”  Mark 8:34

Recommended Reading: Luke 14:28-33

²⁸ For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— ²⁹ lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, ³⁰ saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? ³¹ Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? ³² Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. ³³ So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

COMMENTS:  Weighing cost when making choices / decisions is normal and responsible behavior.   There are consequences for not doing so.  Buying something expensive like a home or vehicle obviously requires weighing cost since something will have to be sold or not bought in order to have available funds to make purchase.  I’ve often said “Once money is spent, it can’t be unspent.  However, money in hand provides considerable freedom to choose – to consider more options. “

That doesn’t mean we should hoard money but it does mean we not only have options to provide for our own needs, but money in hand gives us freedom and power to meet needs of ministry and others in ministry.  Money can be transferred and moved very quickly and easily globally – far more so than physical things or goods.

Sacrifice is not only necessary and needed but also is a valuable tool God uses to increase our spiritual stamina and faith and obedience.

Crucifixion was the form of execution – punishment created in Egypt and made famous by Romans during the height of their power and influence as a tool to instill obedience and fear in the hearts and minds of subjects – especially recently defeated people.  So, evangelism and discipleship did come at great sacrifice and cost to the early Christians since Christianity was judged to be a threat against Roman government and an attack on established pagan religion of Rome as well as established Jewish religion in Israel when under Roman rule.

Jesus weighed the cost in the Garden and chose to pay the price to redeem each of us.  By doing so, the cross changed from being the symbol of oppression and death to become the symbol of eternal life and forgiveness and life.

Long after connecting death with discipleship, Jesus made another reference on the night before His death: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). While many followers of Jesus have suffered death for His sake since, the apostle Paul explained how dying for Jesus applies to all: spiritual death when one dies to self and sin to identify with Christ (Romans 6:1-7). Even if one dies physically for Jesus, dying daily to self and sin is also a high price.

Jesus warned against not counting the cost of being His disciple (Luke 14:28-33), a cost that must be reckoned with daily.

Salvation without discipleship is cheap grace.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer

11/6/20                           THE GREAT ARCHITECT                                               6

For he [Abraham] was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.   Hebrews 11:10

Recommended Reading: Psalm 139:13-18

¹³ For You formed my inward parts;You covered me in my mother’s womb.¹⁴ I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;Marvelous are Your works,And that my soul knows very well.¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from You,When I was made in secret,And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.¹⁶ Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.And in Your book they all were written,The days fashioned for me,When as yet there were none of them.

¹⁷ How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!How great is the sum of them!¹⁸ If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;When I awake, I am still with You.

COMMENTS:  Architects are those gifted artists who not only can make beautiful drawings but create practical as well as beautiful designs that become reality.   Artists draw what exists but architects dream of what could be. A famous architect in Spain, Antoni Gaudi, designed the magnificent “church of the Sagrada Familia” among many others in Spain.  Gaudi had a deep reverence for God’s creation and carefully studied nature for inspiration and ideas.  He truly believed that God is the greatest architect, evident to us everywhere on earth and one day in heaven.

According to Hebrews 11:10, our Almighty God not only created the universe, He is the architect and builder of the eternal city of New Jerusalem—our heavenly home.

But God is not only the greatest architect, but the greatest designer and builder and maintainer.  He does it all without equal.  He is also the greatest restorer and healer too.  Life is His greatest creation and humans are His greatest life creation. 

We have such a Great and Wonderful God.  So faithful and loving, providing and sustaining us in spite of our foolish and destructive nature.  He is quick to forgive and slow to administer justice – judgment.  But He is also a just God who must judge evil and sin.   

God not only has a blueprint of the world and entire universe and is preparing to restore them to the perfect state He originally intended before satan corruption.  God also has a blueprint for your life and mine He desires to show us and restore us to follow.    Jesus came first to show us His plan for living but then to give His life to pay the required price of sin so we can be redeemed and restored to follow the blueprint He intends for our life.   How wise we are to follow His blueprint.   How wise to accept His gift of salvation.  How wise to follow His council.      

God has a blueprint for your life, and when we humbly ask Him to show us what He wants us to do, He guides us. Through Jesus Christ, you have a pre-planned, well-ordered life, full of purpose with divine tasks for each new day. Trust Him with all your heart and acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He will direct your path (Proverbs 3:5-6).

As you obey and serve the Lord, He will make His purpose for you crystal clear.  Tony Evans

11/7/20        PRAYING WITH AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE                      7

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.  Hebrews 13:15

Recommended Reading: Hebrews 13:10-16

¹⁰ We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. ¹¹ For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. ¹² Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. ¹³ Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. ¹⁴ For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. ¹⁵ Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. ¹⁶ But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

COMMENTS:  Attitude makes a huge difference in our ability to manage stress and problems.  Attitude makes a huge difference in how successful we are and how efficiently we are in solving problems, making wise choices, and doing productive work.  A positive attitude enables solutions and brighter tomorrows while bad attitudes tend to make things worse and more difficult to improve.

Well, how much of our attitude is self-controlled and self-controllable and how much is beyond our control?  Our scripture above tells us that much of our attitude is within our control.  We can choose to be grateful and act accordingly even when circumstances and our emotions tell us the opposite. 

The old hymn “Count your many blessings, see what God has done” gives wise advice when discouraged or even when pride or good times brings temptation of false self-confidence.  Either extreme tends to tempt us to rely on our self or follow foolish advice of others instead of turning to Jesus and His word for advice.  Advice which means:

1.  Drawing near to those who live an example inspired by Jesus and matches His Word.
2. Get into God’s Word yourself and fellowship directly with God in prayer and meditating on His Word.
3. Be obedient to God’s council including in giving a portion of our time and money as He directs.
4. Take notice of all God faithfully provides like each day including life and all we need to live, family, shelter, ….   And express gratitude both to God and to those who pass some of those blessing on to you.
5. Take notice of sin unforgiven and still influences actions and thoughts and choices.  Then seek God’s forgiveness and help overcoming the power that sin and sinful habits still has.
6. Put and keep Christ near as begin and continue the journey from death to life.  From evil to good.  From satan to Christ.  From the path to judgment and hell to forgiveness and heaven…
7. Remember, no matter how difficult or bad your worst day seems, 75 years or less we will be in heaven enjoying perfect fellowship with Christ in heaven in perfect bodies without distractions and temptations and sickness and death – without satan’s influence to bring us misery and suffering and death any longer.  So perspective is to be grateful for more important and lasting things and take less seriously those things that don’t last past the grave.

Make this your prayer with me “Heavenly Father, at this moment I’m not coming with requests, only with the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Thank You for the sky—its blueness, its clouds, its sunrises and sunsets, its space for the birds to fly. Thank You for the ground—its green grass, brown sand, towering mountains, fruitful plains. Thank You for the seas—the vastness of the watery depths, the fish, the coral, the tides, the marvel of water itself. Thank You for beauty—the petals of flowers, the grins of children, the existence of colors, the blackness of the night sky, and the twinkling sparkle of the stars.

And Lord, thank You for providing everything for me to richly enjoy. The Bible says the cheerful heart has a continual feast, so thank You for all the flavors of life.

Whatever today brings—and tomorrow—Lord, thank You for You!”

“Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God, and it is one that the poorest of us can make and be not poorer but richer for having made it. “ A. W. Tozer

11/8/20                        THE ROAD TO PERPETUAL PRAISE                              8      

And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”  John 1:36

Recommended Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. ⁸ We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— ¹⁰ always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. ¹¹ For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹² So then death is working in us, but life in you.

¹³ And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. ¹⁵ For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

COMMENTS:   Have you wondered how some pastors and lay people are able to sustain a positive attitude and demonstrate such patience and kindness.  How they are able to demonstrate Christ-like conduct toward others, especially to those who are not very loveable?  

Well, truth is no one is that “loveable” all the time.  Truth is also that no one does sustain Christ-like conduct and loving compassion all the time.  Everyone has dark times of discouragement and impatience and unrighteous anger.  But there are some who do better than most and seem to be closer to God than others.  Well, how did they get there and stay there? 

Such an example is Ebenezer Erskine who was a Scottish minister in the 1700s.  He didn’t enjoy a life of peace but instead some serious challenges in his ministry. But he knew how to draw encouragement from the Lord each morning for needed strength and guidance and encouragement. In his journal for September 20, 1721, he wrote: “This morning, a little after I awakened, I began to turn my thoughts toward the Lord Jesus; and the Lord encouraged me…by a sweet gale of his Spirit; for my meditation of him was sweet. I could say that his love is better than wine; yea, that his loving kindness is better than life…. My heart did burn within me, while I thought of him who is Immanuel, and whose name is Wonderful; and what more can I say?”

I am also encouraged that Ebenezer’s journal writings are preserved and are able to encourage and guide us too.  God has a wonderful way of making experiences of those before us relevant to us and gives us opportunities to learn from their experiences, but also learn from scripture and from experiences of those recorded in scripture from long ago.

We live in a chaotic world as they did, and are in just as great a need of daily encouragement of Christ too. That’s why it’s vital to start the day with Him. Even before rising from bed, we can say, “Good morning, Lord!” And on a chair or table nearby, we can keep an open Bible.  Truth is no one can sustain a Christ-like life but we don’t need to.  We simply have to sustain the discipline and habit of starting each day in prayer and devotion and bible study with Christ.  He will take care of the rest for that day and will be going ahead preparing the next day before it comes into our view.

We’re encouraged by the Lord as we walk with Him, and our walk with Him is a pathway of perpetual praise.  One day we will be in continual fellowship with Christ in heaven and with other beloved believers.  So in the meantime we need to work to that goal as those before us had to.

“It will be worth it all when we see Jesus…”

“O that I may ascend in a glow of love to him, to be with him forever. “

Ebenezer Erskine

11/9/20                                 THE NEEDED LIFT                                                                9         

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.  James 4:10

 Recommended Reading: James 4:7-10

HUMILITY CURES WORLDLINESS

⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

COMMENTS:    Everyone needs to feel what they do or so matters and makes a difference for good.  Everyone needs a sense of purpose and following that purpose.  Everyone needs to feel they matter and what they do matters, but this need becomes distorted when satan tempts us to put ourselves ahead of others and desires and wants satan tempts us with replaces what God desires and wants for us.

Scripture tells us to humble ourselves and submit to God’s Will.  Common reasons to resist is fear that God will ask us to be a missionary in a remote-primitive part of the world and live in extreme poverty or preach or teach before large crowds or lead in other ways like chair of church administrative meetings.    Well, I had all these fears and more and now find myself chair of several meetings in church, speaking / preaching at times and even teaching bible studies broadcasting by Facebook.  I have experienced all these emotions and temptations too, but have always found Christ to be faithful to go with and help me overcome any and all fears – finding most to be unfounded and those with real concerns, He took care of.

I also found when overworked or over committed, was not because God gave me too much to do, but because I did not set priorities He wanted and didn’t say no to a few commitments He wanted me to. 

There are countless millions of stories of God’s divine intervention like    that of Missionary pilot Forrest Zander told of landing on a remote airstrip but then after hard rains was so muddy the plane sunk into the mire to its axles. There was no safe way to take off again, nor was it practical to disassemble the plane and transport it back to base. Forrest decided to try to take off, but how could he work up the speed needed to become airborne? It was a short runway of nothing but mud.

“Lord, help!” was his prayer.

As he lifted his head from prayer, he saw a black rain cloud barreling toward him. As the storm approached, the wind began to blow, and that provided lift to the wings, reducing the load on the landing gear. The wheels began to plow through the mud, and aided by the strong headwinds the plane suddenly popped free from the mire and was unstuck and airborne.

How incredible that sometimes God uses storms to help us! 

Your prayers for help are heard by the Lord, and if you feel stuck in life, trust Him for a much needed lift.  Like Zander, we don’t have a clue how God will answer our prayers for help but usually have some idea how we would like God to help.   Well, God often shows a different and better way, a way that fulfills His plan and will best and influences best those who need to develop greater faith and trust in Him.

“I am glad that we serve a God who can make a way for us, even when we’re stuck up to the axles in mud.”  Forrest Zander

1.                         WHAT WE PUT OUR FAITH IN                                                          10       

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Mark 9:23

Recommended Reading: Matthew 17:14-22

A BOY IS HEALED

¹⁴ And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, ¹⁵ “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. ¹⁶ So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

¹⁷ Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” ¹⁸ And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

¹⁹ Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”

²⁰ So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. ²¹ However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

JESUS AGAIN PREDICTS HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION

²² Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men,

COMMENTS:  Who or what do you put your faith in?  We depend on and have faith in many things and people every day.   Those who drive a car depend on car to manage hills and turns properly.  Brakes need to reliably stop and, for those who ride in buses and cars and trucks depend on the driver to operate the vehicle safely and responsibly.

We depend on gravity to hold us on the earth, on the sun to provide light and heat all the time.   We depend on farmers and employers to provide an income and food.  We depend on doctors when we are sick and firemen when our homes are on fire and policemen when criminals threaten us.

They help and protect and provide so consistently that it is easy to take them for granted.  But even more reliably and without fail does God provide for us.  Stop and take notice of the infinite ways God provides and helps and protects and enables you and me each and every day.

Thieves keep coming up with new ways to rob and cheat people and businesses out of their money and possessions.  The term “Ponzi schemes” is commonly used for such schemes.   This term came from a fraudulent investment plan created by Charles Ponzi in 1920s.   He promised unrealistic investment returns and used some money invested by newest investors to pay promised returns to older investors.   This was used to deceive new investors and keep older investors quiet at least for a time.

Victims have great faith in these con-men and often convince friends and relatives to invest in these schemes with good intensions.  But the issue is not in the amount of trust and faith investors had but in the integrity and validity of the investment and person they put their trust in.   A valid analogy is the question “Is it better to have great faith in a thin layer of ice on a lake or a little faith in a thick layer of ice on the same lake?”   I’ve watch on TV of semi-truck drivers driving their heavy rigs over large lakes in arctic areas confidently.   They knew the ice thickness before acting on their faith instead of just trusting those who said so.  Of course, experience and learning from experience of those proven trustworthy and older also help gain wisdom in placing trust and faith safely and appropriately.

The Bible warns of false prophets preaching and teaching false doctrine and gives us guidelines and direction to both discern and identify God and His Truth and teaching.   Jesus tells us a little “mustard seed” size faith placed in Him, learning and following scripture and in the Gospel and sacrifice Christ taught and died to fulfill and provide is far better than great faith in false doctrine and religious faiths that worship and trust in a god that does not exist – created by foolish and deceived teachers or inspired by satan himself.

Starting out with a little faith in Christ and responding in obedience and gratitude gives God opportunity to honor that faith and give opportunity to build and grow great faith and response.   Look back and notice God’s faithfulness and recognize God’s ways and methods and goals.  Take time to talk to and discover the journey of faith experience by those who have known Christ and been faithful to Him many years.   Notice the impact of those years on attitude and outlook as end of life on earth comes into view.

God gives us more than enough evidence to convince us that He is true and faithful and always has our best interest at heart and will faithfully guide us safely to the eternal destination He is building for us, one best for us too.

If you have a need today, put your confidence in Jesus, not in the amount of your faith. He can reward even the tiniest amount of trust (Matthew 17:20).

“A little faith is faith, as a spark of fire is fire.” Thomas Watson

11/11/20                                          SERVANT LEADERS                                 10

And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”   Mark 9:35

Recommended Reading: Luke 22:24-27

THE DISCIPLES ARGUE ABOUT GREATNESS

²⁴ Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. ²⁵ And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ ²⁶ But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. ²⁷ For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.

COMMENTS:  How do you imagine an ideal leader?  The leader of your family, the leader of you church, the leader of your local town council (mayor), of your country? 

My father and mother were the family patriarch and matriarch of our family and we would all meet for Thanksgiving and Christmas at their house.  That same house became the meeting place when our parents passed and Arlene and I took on that role.  We now are approaching the time when we will pass on that responsibility to our children.   But our home, which has been our home for last 37 years, for my parents for 47 years, and for my mother’s grandparents for 46 years prior to that.

Such a wonderful legacy.  That old house has changed and been remodeled to have modern conveniences, but is still that old creaky double boarded structure my great grandparents called home when they were young in 1890.

Well, the influence of these generations is mostly forgotten in detail but not in influence because their character and values and faith and conduct has been passed down from one generation to another.   One particular character trait the McDaniel family exampled especially was a humble spirit that had a cheerful sense of humor.  They all found it easy to laugh at themselves and enjoyed finding the humor in life’s experiences.

I never knew my great grandparents but remember stories and experiences my mother had with them and saw the influence of how she described them in my mother’s conduct and outlook.  Likewise, I can see my parents influence on my life and on my children’s lives too.

My parents and their parents and their grandparents lead their families by example – by serving and showing compassion to others.   They led by serving, not by being served.   None of them were wealthy and found happiness and contentment on their modest lives and provision.

Such is a wonderful legacy and example instructing us on the most positive and effective ways to lead today.   Government leaders are expected to make important decisions and command large groups of employees and servants, but the greatest respect from those servants and employees is   won by willingness of those leaders to be a servant of God and follow His council and instruction.

Jesus taught His disciples how to live by example and taught them to lead by serving.  Jesus taught them the way God judges us and set’s the path to successfully lead through the door of humbling serving others – to put others first and self-second.  Such is the opposite of current and historic world thinking.  Opposite what most think and do.

Instead of praying that God would allow you to lead others, pray for opportunities to serve others. Only in humble service are true leaders born.

“A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all. “Martin Luther

11/12/20                             FIRST ACT OF KINDNESS                                         12

Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches.  Romans 16:3-4

Recommended Reading: Romans 16:1-16

SISTER PHOEBE COMMENDED

16 “I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, ² that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.

³ Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, ⁴ who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. ⁵ Likewise greet the church that is in their house.

Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ. ⁶ Greet Mary, who labored much for us. ⁷ Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

⁸ Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. ⁹ Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. ¹⁰ Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.

¹¹ Greet Herodion, my countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

¹² Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. ¹³ Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. ¹⁴ Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. ¹⁵ Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

¹⁶ Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you.”

COMMENTS:   Today I would like us to reflect on modest acts of kindness and impact those acts have when done as God inspires and directs.   The above examples from scripture are just as sample will discover when look with a seeking mind and heart in scripture.   They are salted from Generation to Revelation.  Some examples required little sacrifice of time and life and resource while others required great sacrifice, including life and property a wealth.  But the goal and purpose was not the degree of sacrifice of give but impact of a surrendered heart when yield to God’s plan and guiding hand.

Why God prefers and chooses to use imperfect and reluctant people with little resource and faith to partner with to do great eternal lasting work is a mystery.  Yet, the bible is full of such examples and so is more recent history and likely examples in our own family and even life experience personally too.

God may use such a person one but more likely will use that person over and over again as they surrender and obey God’s nudging to do greater and greater work.   The Billy Grahams and John Wesleys were obedient followers who continued to obey and build off previous acts of kindness and obedience.  Yet what they and we have in common is God seeking   those willing to start with a little faith and willingness to trust Him and then act on what that faith and His spirit asks of us.  He promises never to ask more of us than what we can do, but typically asks more than we feel comfortable to do alone.   So why comply?  BECAUSE HE PROMISES TO NEVER LEAVE OR FORSAKE US AND PROMISES TO STAY WITH AND GO WITH US GUIDING AND STRENGHENING AND ENCOURAGING US AS WE PROCEED IN OBEDIENCE.

Well, here is an example from history.   Lily Ebert was a teenager imprisoned during WWII in Auschwitz.  She was able to survive and an American soldier gave her a German banknote when she was liberated.  The banknote had a note written on the back “As a start to a new life.  Good luck and happiness.”

That was the first act of kindness she could remember but greatly impacted her going forward even as a young teen.   At age 90, Lily rediscovered that note among some important papers she had kept while showing them to her great grandson.  Together they decided to track the identity of that soldier – Pvt. Hyman Schulman, a Jewish-American soldier then serving as a chaplain’s aide.  Schulman passed away in 2013, but Lily and her family connected with Schulman’s children.  Now those two families are deeply bonded together, continuing the legacy started by their parent.

Everyone needs a word of encouragement, an act of kindness, and the gift of friendship. Though we may not always be together, our bonds of fellowship are enduring. And our relationships are strengthened as we serve each other.

Why not write a note or say a kind word to a friend today?

“Good words are worth much and cost little.”  George Herbert

11/13/20                       A PRAYER OF SUPPLICATION – OF GRATITUDE                         12

I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day.
2 Timothy 1:3

Recommended Reading: 2 Timothy 1:1-7

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

² To Timothy, a beloved son:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³ I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, ⁴ greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, ⁵ when 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. ⁶ Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

COMMENTS:  What are your grateful for?  We can and should be grateful for life and shelter and employment and family and living in a free country and for …  Keep adding for the list.  But we should not just be grateful for what we have but for who it was that provided that blessing for you.

The most precious and important blessing is salvation which is offered and provided by Christ at great cost to Him.  We must not get bored or used to these blessings even though it is in our nature to do so.   Especially the blessing of salvation because Christ’s suffering on the cross was so great and the benefits of accepting that gift are so profound and eternal to you and me.   We hurt Him and ourselves when we take His gifts for granted.

So, get up early enough to enjoy a beautiful sunrise and stop soon enough to watch a beautiful sunset.   Pay attention to a clear starlit sky and give thanks to their creator. Take notice of acts of kindness and sacrifice of those giving and respond with expressions of gratitude and by doing so to others too. To build and create a long and strong legacy of gratitude that will become a wonderful enduring influence on current and future generations.   When we impact others, that influence lives on as that influence affects actions and conduct and conversation of those impacted on to those they then impact.    Good lives on that way but evil can and does too.

Make showing kindnesses a discipline regularly throughout our day.

When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out and the tide of love rushes in. Kristin Armstrong

11/14/20                                   OUR FIRST STEP                               14

• 
   Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?   Psalm 56:3-4
• Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.² I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.³ He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.⁴ My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.⁵ Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.⁶ They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.⁷ My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.⁸ Awake up, my glory;
•   I just love Joni’s heart.  I am also in awe of how she has shined thru a long life of paralysis and pain and even battles with cancer.   The weight of struggles she has born yet how she and her husband Ken Tata deals with them and reflects Christ’s presence in their lives is such an inspiration to me and cause me to be ashamed when complain or fail during the struggles I see.  Fear and pain are not pleasant for any of us, nor is for Joni and Ken.  Yet their example and testimony reminds us if we put our trust in Him and stay in close relationship with Him, the result is joy and love that will crowd out the fear and pain that would easily cause us to be miserable and bitter and strike out at God and others on our path.  Joni and Ken have blessed others and opened doors to not only transform their lives but countless lives of those who have been exposed to their ministry and their books and example.  Ken was a simple teacher but has been God’s witness to millions because he was willing to be a caregiver and faithful husband to Joni for the past 35 years.  I would encourage you to read their book “Joni & Ken”.  It was such a blessing to Arlene and I and will be for you too.  Why has God allowed Joni to endure her paralysis for so long – it is rare that anyone survives that level of paralysis for so long.  Yet I can’t think of anyone that has endured such a handicap with such joy or who has impacted as many people with such a handicap.  Well, the impact she has had would not have been possible without her handicap and the way she has yielded to God over the years.  I would encourage you to join me in reflecting on those things that bring us fear and hinder our willingness or freedom in service to Him.   Ok, I have a fear of heights that is worse since parkinson’s has started to affect my balance.  When we were climbing a path at Seneca Rock last month I sensed that very strongly but simply using a walking stick eased my fears and helped my balance greatly.  It reminded me that leaning on Him is my walking stick and can be for you in whatever fears that grip you from time to time.  Leaning on Him enables us to continue the journey when fear would stop or turn us back.  I will continue to reflect on other areas this example can minister to me and pray to you as well – maybe as reflect on someone you have neglected to visit and are being nudged to visit during this Christmas season???

11/15/20                  Tough Questions                                                            15

What happens to children who die before they can accept the gospel?                                                                                     

I believe that those children who die in infancy are numbered among the redeemed, since they died before the “age of accountability” or the age they are capable of making such a decision.  

                                                                                           

SCRIPTURE: JOHN 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.”

COMMENTS:

Christmas bring back warm and rich memories for each of us.  Unfortunately some have painful memories because someone or something has spoiled it.  Also, losing a loved one can cause lost to come back during holidays, especially Christmas.    David Jeremiah brings up an interesting question “What would Christmas be like without Christ”.  If our holiday was only about celebrating a pagan god, as was in Roman times and celebrating days starting to get longer, or only celebrating Santa Claus bringing gifts.  What would Christmas be like, as some would have, without Christ or honoring His birth and sacrifice for us?  God would still be a distant mystery, we would still be lost in our sins, and we could not depend on scripture as being true.   We can’t let those that would take Christ out of Christmas succeed and their misery to become ours.  They can’t unless we let them or embrace the lies they would tell us.  Ours is the hope and joy of forgiveness and eternal life that is the reason for Christmas and the reason our faith is worth sacrifice Christ paid and any we might have to pay along the way.  Christmas means Mass – worship service for Christ – God’s son Emmanual “God with us”.  Santa Claus (St. Nicholaus) was a church bishop around 300 AD who inherited wealth from his parents but used it to bless the poor and needy.  Our Christmas tree came into being when a Christian cut down an oak tree pagans used to honor a pagan god.  They then accepted Christ when their god did not kill that Christian and began using  the evergreen to represent God’s eternal life pointing to heaven.                                                                                

You see, even the secular traditions we enjoy do have ties to Christ and those who started those traditions did so in order to honor the Christ who’s birth we celebrate.  So, even those who would stamp Christ out of Christmas don’t realize those things they would allow us to still use will still point us to Christ.  Christ will not be silenced except from our own voices.  Let’s be bold in celebrating Christ’s birth and spread the good news with our voices and lives this Christmas.  RC Sproul’s comments on infant and child deaths can be a subject that some would use to question our faith.  Scripture may not give us full disclosure on these types of questions, but we do have full disclosure w.r.t. nature and character of God as well as his long suffering.  I do think, if this subject burdens your heart, you should do your own research in scripture to come to your own conclusions.  I do believe infants and those younger than age to make their own choices (age of accountability) are under Christ’s grace directly.  Those older I also believe He gives every opportunity to make the choice to follow Him because He doesn’t wish for any to perish or go into eternity without Him.  Yet how God orchestrates His grace has enough unanswered questions and is enough a mystery we may have to wait til heaven to learn and understand it completely but I truly believe that when we do, we will be amazed and fall to our knees in praise and awe of His love and wisdom.  Agree?   I too struggle with judgment on those who die without any evidence of accepting Christ but lived lives that would put many Christians to shame.  I also struggle with deaths of youth who didn’t appear to have been told the gospel or had chances to receive Christ.  I do not have an answer to that pressing question because scripture has not given clear enough instruction unless I’ve missed it, but believe not since I’ve not been satisfied with any scripture I’ve found in an attempt to give a clear answer.  I think we all long for the answer because we all know God knows the answer.  Well, I’m afraid there are a lot of things God in His sovereignty simply has chosen to say “Trust me” and leave it at that.  Wbere are some of those we loved who have passed on and don’t know if they knew Christ.  We have to put them in His hands and continue life’s journey with our hand in His trusting Him for their souls as well as ours.   If we have regrets because we didn’t share Christ with them, we can seek His forgiveness, move forward not making same mistakes or sins, but also to pray that He put someone else in their path before they passed that did show them the way to Him.  That prayer may help release you from the lingering guilt and pain He also wants to free us from. You and I can also ask Him for evidence or assurance needed to give us peace and enable us to continue life journey with Him trusting Him along the way.  Thoughts??   OK, well in meantime let’s enjoy this Christmas season and the Christ who “is the reason for the season” and maybe we’ll see we are not alone in that celebration.  OK, I think I’ll start working on my Christmas Card list, which is spread out around my table right now.                                                                                                                                            

11/16/20                                             REIGN OF TERROR                                            16
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.”
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 91  “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.² I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.³ Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.⁴ He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.⁵ Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;⁶ Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.⁷ A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.⁸ Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.⁹ Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;¹⁰ There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.¹¹ For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.¹² They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.¹³ Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.¹⁴ Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.¹⁵ He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.¹⁶ With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.”

COMMENTS: A early Christian scholar, I don’t remember his name, wrote that he had a dream in which he offered his money and time and his life to Christ as a gift for Him on His Birthday.  Christ responded “all I want for Christmas is your sins, that is what I came to free you from”.  Dangers and evils are all around us and it is easy to let fear and anxiety overtake us.  Yet especially during this time of year we often forget about Christ and fact that “He is the Reason for this Season” so we should think about gift we need to prepare for Him.  What would Christmas be like without Christ. We are living in a time when we are starting to find out, but let’s keep Christ in Christmas and the Joy we fondly remember from our youth that only He can give.  He longs for our devotion and praise but all that starts with the surrender of our sins and our sinful nature to Him.  In order to have the joy and peace that enables us to battle the fears and dangers all around us, we need to give Christ the gift He most desires from us.  It helps for me to take some time to reflect on all His has done and how much He has forgiven over the years.  Such reflection draws me into closer fellowship and praise and a higher level of confidence He will do the same and more in years ahead.  It is easy to be anxious about our children and their families or other’s struggles but, again, I need to reflect and have confidence He desires their success even more than I do.  I suspect CS Lewis had a sense of his own mortality while writing, especially since had lost his wife after a brief marriage and was still grieving when wrote above letter. Truth is he didn’t know he only had 14 months to live as wrote above letter but can sense he was desiring to share as much Good News as he could in time remaining.  He wouldn’t have imagined the impact his life and writings would have had especially 50 years after his death.  Neither can we, but our impact can be eternal if we simply follow Him and let Him make something from our life’s wreckage after surrendering our sins and our lives to Him.  Let’s resolve to give Christ the gift He most desires this Christmas.  I know if we do, we will receive a gift from Him far better than anything we could receive from anyone else.

11/17/20                               COUNTERPRODUCTIVE                                                            17September 12, 2013
SCRIPTURE:  Proverbs 18:10-14  “¹⁰ The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.¹¹ The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit¹² Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.¹³ He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.¹⁴ The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?”

COMMENTS:  The names given to Christ not only give Him equal status with God the Father but also Immanuel tells us “God is with us”.  Isaiah 7:14 gives Him that name.   The wonder and miracle of that has been impacting me this Christmas and don’t want to take His precious gift of His presence for granted.  I think blue is an interesting color to give to Christ.  As see the depth of Christ we begin to see the blue in water or air, but how little we appreciate how precious water and air are to our existence because they are so plentiful and everywhere.  This Christmas let’s take time to appreciate just how close Christ “God with us” is to us and accessible to us but also how much we depend on Him, like air and water.  By doing this, you and I can begin to sense that presence and see Him all around us in His creation.  Just because we don’t notice Him doesn’t mean He isn’t there, right?  As the above devotional leads us, let’s not wait til our death bed to appreciate His presence and be revived by that truth.  Life can and is so much more enjoyable and fulfilling and productive if let Him be in our lives and live thru us.  I’m striving the embrace that more, and pray you will join me in that endeavor.  There is a contemporary Christian song that asked the question will we stand or bow or fall to our knees when we see Christ?  I can’t imagine not falling to my knees in worship when I see Christ.  I will have new knees that will be much better than the artificial knees I now have, but I’m getting into practice on my knees now – doing my best work on my knees.  Join me?  

FORWARD                                      17

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you.
Jeremiah 1:5

Recommended Reading: Jeremiah 1:1-8

1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, ² to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. ³ It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.

⁴ Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

⁵ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you;I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

⁶ Then said I:

“Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.”

⁷ But the Lord said to me:

“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak.⁸ Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.

COMMENTS:  Looking back is valuable in building faith and understanding, but also building wisdom.  It is true that “those who don’t study history are doomed to repeat it.  History gives us evidence of God’s intervening – powerful influence but also His abiding presence and abiding protection and grace, but also His enforced justice.  He delays judgment of evil but doesn’t ignore or delay that judgment forever.  He gives ample opportunity and warning to repent. 

Conversely, those who live and act wisely following God’s plan / will and council may not see results immediately but will eventually and eternally.

Looking in past gives wisdom to equip us to look forward.  Forward is the only direction   we can change.  What we do and say in present will impact the future – both our future and future of countless people impacted directly and indirectly by our choices.

Have you ever wondered what God did before creating the universe?  Since He existed from eternity past, did all His time involve planning and designing all He was about to do. Did He reflect on His design plans and schedule?  Was He agonizing over His plan of redemption including the cross?  Was He spending millennia pondering over options before deciding the Plan He would follow? 

Well, Psalm 90:2 reminds us God has always existed from eternity past, but we have little clue from scripture to tell us what God did before creation.

John 17:5 and vs 24 tell us of the rich fellowship the Father and Son and Holy Spirit have enjoyed from eternity past, so all 3 were equally involved in creation but also in planning and design prior to creation. 

Ephesians 1:4 and Matthew 25:34 inform us that the cross was in God’s plan of redemption prior to creation.

Galatians 1:15 remind us that God knew each of us before we were conceived, including having our lives planned out long before we were conceived.

We can debate this forever, but the truth God wants us to realize is not             what God did when but how much He loves and cares for each of us and knew and had our life planned out long before we were conceived.  Whether we follow His plan or not, that is our choice.   In fact, He knew the decisions and choices we would make as well and yet still offered those choices to us and opportunities to repent.  Judas and Peter had same opportunities to repent except Peter had a few more since He chose not to take his life. 

Hell is awaiting us but so is Heaven.  God will do all He can to persuade us to make choices that lead us to Heaven but, none – the – less, Christ’s sacrifice provides both choices while preserving God’s justice and free will for all of us to choose.  He cannot allow the evil influence of sin into Heaven.

Well, most who reject Christ or ignore His plan may not be deliberately or consciously choosing Hell, but God is giving us ample warning in scripture that Christ is the only way to Heaven and any other way will lead to Hell, whether we believe it or not.    

“It should not surprise us that God was planning His kingdom before He createGODd the universe.”

Lita Cosner 

11/18/20                                     GOD’S SHEEP DOG                  18

But what does it matter?    Philippians 1:18

Recommended Reading: Philippians 1:12-18

^“12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, ¹³ so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; ¹⁴ and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

¹⁵ Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: ¹⁶ The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; ¹⁷ but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. ¹⁸ What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”

COMMENTS:  Approaching strangers to talk about salvation, or any subject for that matter, is a gift likely learned but generally reflects a specific gift or personality.   Not everyone has that gift and some are so self-conscious or intimidated that they avoid strangers or even people they know.

With Covid 19, such behavior is not only encouraged but in some places mandated.

But socialization and communicating with each other may be more limited and under the cloud of Covid 19 but not impossible.  Telephone and social distancing still allows communication and even acts of kindness. 

Truth is, God gives us opportunities in proportion to our willingness to share the Gospel whether we have natural ability or inclination or not.   Stop and reflect on the many instances when you have crossed paths with someone and felt a nudge to say something and discovered that is what that person needed to hear or be encouraged by.   That is far more common than we realize and is God’s Spirit guiding us.  Yielding to those nudging usually does not involves a large investment of time or even courage but does mean overcoming much internal resistance especially the first time.  It eventually will get easier but never without internal resistance.  After all, satan doesn’t give up without a fight and seldom gives up permanently.  Instead, he tends to sneak back later when he thinks we are weak and distracted.

Some people are bolder than others, and some are plainspoken. Some don’t always have exactly the right methods, and some may not even have the right motives. “But what does it matter?” asked the apostle Paul. The Gospel is being preached, and because of that we rejoice.

“Young man, I’m using to the glory of God all the grammar that I know, are you doing the same?”  D. L. Moody to a young man who criticized his grammar

11/19/20         GOD GAVE US ABILITY TO COMMUNE WITH HIM!                    19

Recommended Reading: 2 Timothy 4:1-5 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: ² Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. ³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; ⁴ and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. ⁵ But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

COMMENTS:  God has given us so much!  Stop and reflect – it will take a while because the list is so long.  Consider how amazing our body is, our world is, our family and community and abilities are.  We can communicate with each other, learn from and teach each other, help and work and play and enjoy life with each other.   But even more amazing is we have the ability and opportunity to fellowship directly with our creator whenever and as often as want without restraint nor necessity to wait in line or for a more convenient time for our Creator.   Our Creator has also given us His Word of eternal wisdom and knowledge that has the wisdom and living Words that only God could know.  Our Creator also as shared with us His sacrifice and purpose in coming and living and dying in human form – to live and die as our sacrifice for our sins, so we can enjoy His forgiveness and an eternal relationship with Him.  

We have a choice.  To seek and follow truth that reflects the truth God gives us in scripture or we can seek out those who tell lies and partial truths that make us feel good and feel good about ourselves and justifies sin and evil conduct in our lives instead of confronting evil and compelling us to repent and change direction.

I had a wise supervisor during my working career who often told us “it is better to stop and turn around when going a wrong direction, no matter how long having gone down a wrong path; than to continue going the wrong way to its dead end destination.”   He knew the destination is the goal and a wrong destination only waists resource and time without anything to show for that investment.   How sad most go through life without regard for the eternal destination they are going when God offers us a way to a better destination available no matter how long or far we’ve continued in the wrong direction.  AMEN?  AMEN!

Wherever we live and whatever happens to us, our goal is the same—to bring others to the saving knowledge of Christ.

“There is no joy in the world like the joy of bringing one soul to Christ.”  William Barclay

11/20/20             MARRIAGE GOD’S WAY VS DIVORCE MAN’S WAY                 20                                                     

And Jesus answered and said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart [Moses] wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’”
Mark 10:5-6

Deuteronomy 24:1-4

24 “When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, ² when she has departed from his house, and goes and becomes another man’s wife, ³ if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife, ⁴ then her former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the Lord, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

COMMENTS:   Marriage was envisioned – designed – instituted – sustained by God.  He intended marriage to be between one man and one woman for a lifetime and at the core of the family unit.  God intended marriage to include a relationship of each separately and together with God Himself.  But when God is omitted and when people follow their own selfish and evil desires and satan’s temptations, divorce became the legal way of separation from the consequences and harm created from those consequences. Notice Jesus’ response when asked His position on divorce:  

Matthew 19:1-11 “When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. ² Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.³ Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”⁴ “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’^[a] 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’^[b]? ⁶ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”⁷ “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”⁸ Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. ⁹ I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”¹⁰ The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”¹¹ Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.”

This is pretty clear.  Jesus does not condone divorce any more than He does not condone sin.  However, He provided a way to healing and forgiveness and redemption when sin ravages families and relationships and marriages.   Truth is, God has and will do all He can to heal and restored all broken relationships, especially marriages.   However, God also works within what both victim’s and offender’s will permit.   God does not force our will to comply to His but does warn of consequences and missed joy and life when refuse to yield to His Will.  

In the case of marriage, the consequences of divorce and broken family units leave scare that include less than ideal grafted families when spouses remarry other partners.  Yes, God desires and will bring healing in those situations but His first choice is to restore original marriage, not to create a replacement.    A wise pastor was asked if God’s will is to restore existing marriages or permit divorce so a new marriage can be established.   That pastor said, God’s Will is always to restore existing marriages.  If divorce is instituted, God’s will is still to restore the old marriage but only if redemption and healing is completed in all affected parties.  However, if divorce happens and a new marriage is created, God’s will is then not to dissolve the new marriage and re-establish the old marriage. 

Divorce is never pleasing to God but is permitted when circumstances and self-will prevents God’s Will and first choice to be implemented.  We all know examples of this. But truth is, second marriages are more likely to end in divorce than first marriages.  The reason is because both marriage partners have usually contributed poor choices and self-will flaws that contributed to broken marriage relationship and carry those flaws into a new marriage.

Moses permitted Israelites to file for divorce because they were rejecting God’s prescription that marriage was to be permanent and with God centered and obeyed together by both marriage partners. Sadly, in Moses’ day, divorce became easy to do and divorced women were often cast aside with no protections. So Moses outlined how divorce was to be handled by men (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). God prescribed life-long marriage; Moses permitted men to divorce their wives because of the hardness of men’s hearts. But with the coming of mercy and grace in Jesus Christ came the covering for it all: forgiveness. God’s grace covers all the mistakes and wrong decisions we could ever make.

If you have been through a divorce, thank God for His grace. His open arms of love and forgiveness are there for all who come to Him.

How much better it is if God is centered and His Will followed in choosing a marriage partner and in the marriage covenant entered and lived.   When followed, lifetime marriages that are the envy of friends and neighbors become the norm instead of the exception.   It is far better to avoid temptation and sin and remain faithful to God than to sin and seek His forgiveness, but far better to repent than to continue on the path sin guides us that results in regrets and ultimate death.

We can’t change the past, but we can certainly change the future by changing direction in the present and starting and staying on a different, a better path.   AMEN?  AMEN!

The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness.   William Blake

11/21/20                           A GOOD GIFT                                           21

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.  Genesis 2:24

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 18:22

²² He who finds a wife finds a good thing,And obtains favor from the Lord.

COMMENTS:   Take a few minutes and think about a couple you know who have a marriage you admire and maybe even envy.  What is it that makes  their marriage standout as being much closer to ideal and way God intends?  How do  they treat and interact with each other and how they deal with life’s problems and difficulties.   Think about how long they have been married and what they had dealt with over the years.  I would even suggest meeting with them and ask some relevant questions to help identify and understand what is different.

James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above, and comes down from the Father.”   Marriage is such a good and perfect gift but only if used and honored properly and only if Christ is included and a relationship with Him maintained by each and both together marriage partners. Yet, there are many good marriages without Christ at center and many marriages that are unhealthy or dead among born again Christians.  So what is difference?  I invite you to research and seek your own answers.

The surest way of having and sustaining a good marriage is to put and keep Christ centered in marriage and decisions.  Choosing a marriage partner is vital but God will honor marriage among those who accept Christ after entered marriage covenant.

Yet, God always limits His involvement by our willingness to be in  relationship with Him and do His  Will.  Yet His Will includes us and He will literally “move mountains” to persuade us to yield our will to His.

God hates divorce because of the hurt and pain and destruction it does to people and families and especially children – to all relationships.  But God still loves and cares for divorcees.  God can and does bring good out of even evil but not his first choice and not God’s best.  Far better to make wise choices early instead of  recovering from bad choices, but all too often that is  all that is left to do.

But there was one part of creation God declared to be “not good”—the fact that the man, Adam, was alone (Genesis 2:18). So God turned “not good” into “good” by creating Eve, to be a counterpart to Adam in life. Together they would be stewards of creation, a pattern God declared as a prescription for humanity going forward. Man and woman would unite and “become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).

The gift of marriage became the crown jewel in God’s creation. A gift—a relationship, an institution—that would provide a foundation for the human race.

Marriage was conceived and born in the mind of God.  Max Lucado

11/22/20                                       TO BUSY?                                 22                                         

For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  2 Peter 1:8

 Recommended Reading: 2 Peter 1:1-8

1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

² Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, ³ as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, ⁴ by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

⁵ But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, ⁶ to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, ⁷ to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. ⁸ For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Comments:  Think about the times you felt overwhelmed at the magnitude and urgency of tasks before you demanding attention.  Asking for or seeking help seemed to not be an option either because of lack of skilled available helpers or simply a desire to accomplish task ASAP alone because of ???  What were the reasons?

A few years ago I felt that way.  I am treasurer of the local town cemetery and serve with a group of trustees of that cemetery.   Cemetery is much too large for one volunteer to manage mowing and trimming and upkeep.  The current contractor was doing a good job but cemetery could no longer afford to pay for mowing and upkeep.    So through prayer and discussion with other trustees, we decided to try to try a volunteer only labor force but divide cemetery into small sections and solicit volunteers for each section.  My granddaughter and I took on the mowing and was able to gain a good number of volunteers sufficient to manage weed eating and grave leveling and seeding.   This has worked now for past 2 mowing seasons and have added two more mowing volunteers and am still seeking more weed eating volunteers.

Fact is, this approached has made work manageable and even enjoyable, giving each opportunity to fellowship and work with “old friends” and “new friends” along with bringing back memories of old friends and saints who have passed one as they trim around their gravestones.

This cemetery was also location of original Methodist Church building, so connection to church and body of believers is strong. As we plan for celebration of 200 years as a church congregation this coming year, the hope and prayer is that this will bring opportunity for more in community to connect with church, their family legacy and ancestors, and ultimately and primarily with Christ directly.

This is one example to remind us that being busy and focused on daily work and responsibilities, that is no excuse for trying to complete those tasks alone, ignoring or postponing those opportunities God gives us to solicit and accept help from those who will be blessed, along with us, by accepting their help.  But if they are never asked or given an option they are willing to accept, they and we will never know how God would answer our prayers for help.

If we are too busy to pray or give God time He desires and we desperately need, we miss out on both that fellowship, fellowship with others along with outreach and ministry such spawns, but also the ripple affect doing God’s Will always positively brings.

So, this reminds and tells us to slow down a little bit, and be still for a few moments, enjoying the knowledge—the true personal knowing—of the Lord Jesus Christ and let Him shows us how to do His Word, how to seek and find and solicit available help, and seek and discover a bigger vision and goal that we didn’t take time to discover and follow. How incredible that He longs to meet with us, but we’re too busy to take the time!

“I’m convinced that the man who has learned to meditate upon the Lord will be able to run on his feet and walk in His spirit.”  Charles Stanley

11/23/20                                CONFIDENT PRAYER                             23   

I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You have made known to us the king’s demand.  Daniel 2:23

Recommended Reading: Daniel 2:20-23

²⁰ Daniel answered and said:                                                                                                                                     “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His.²¹ And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.²² He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.                                                                                                                                                                        ²³ “I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king’s demand.”

COMMENTS:  Living a life of integrity.  Having a strong work ethic and being truthful and dependable are qualities that never lose their value even in a godless pagan world.  Daniel was forced to move to a pagan country that was hostile to his country and values and beliefs.  Babylon did not believe in God nor follow the moral world view taught in scripture.  God allowed Babylon to invade Israel because Israel failed to obey and follow God’s law and instruction.  They failed to worship God and instead worshipped and followed the gods of their neighbors.   Daniel and his family were among those who remained faithful to God but still had to endure the consequences of disobedience of most in his country.

Even though Daniel was taken captive to Babylon, his future was to be much different.  He gained much influence and honor and even authority in Babylon because he stood out as being far more trustworthy and wise and faithful than the king’s most valued counselors and servants.

The king of Babylon didn’t know or worship God but learned to through the influence of Daniel.  God remained with and helped and protected Daniel all through his life even though Daniel remained in Babylon the rest of his life – all 70 of the long years of captivity and judgment on Israel.

Daniel remained in Babylon but God was closer to Him and talked to Daniel more intimately and frequently than if Daniel were back in his beloved homeland.

We have a home God is preparing for us if we are and remained faithful to Him while on earth, but that covenant with God starts with accepting His mercy and offer of forgiveness and redemption that He paid for on the cross.

God gave King Nebechnezzar a dream and then Daniel the interpretation of that dream to begin that journey of obedience and relationship with God that became the showpiece of Daniel’s life and the classroom for 3 pagan kings of Babylon who reigned during Daniel’s lifetime and influence one Babylon’s empire and ruling kings.   Daniel became a close trusted friend and counselor to those kings but the basis of that friendship and trust lied in Daniel’s unshaking faith in God and obedience to Him above even the king’s demands.

We, like Daniel, are living in dangerous and trying times.  Plagues and evil are running rampant unrestrained and God’s protection is not shielding us like it has in the past.   Why?   Well, like Israel, our country and most of the world have abandoned worship and obedience to God.  We are not faithful like our ancestors were.

God has warned us of coming tribulation and judgment if we continue of the path of disobedience we are on.  The evidence all around us shout that we are on a destructive path and scripture warns us where that path is leading.

God is warning us that perilous times are coming in the Last Days, but also that the Last Days are prepare us for the return of Christ. We’re are troubled by politics, upset by elections, and wary of rulers.

But You, O Lord, direct the affairs of history; and if the prophet Daniel could praise You in Babylon, we can praise You in our modern world. Thank You for being on Your throne. The rulers of this world with their power and pride are no match for Your sovereign rule.

More secret than diplomacy, deeper than the investigations of the wise, and mightier than all the kingly power, is the providence of God.   John Broadus

11/24/20                                  Thanking God for What Didn’t Happen                                   24

Recommended Reading:  PSALM 91:1-2  “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

COMMENTS:  Have you ever had a “close call” and had to paused to reflect on what could have happened?  Recently I installed hand rails on all our home stairs, including the stairs going into our basement and to our second-floor bedrooms but also the stairs going from my garage workshop to the garage under the shop.   Parkinson’s Disease has been causing me more dizziness and balance issues, not enough to hinder mobility to point of needing a cane but enough to cause me to be more cautious. I recall a close call last year.  I was going down the stairs into our basement and loss enough balance I caught myself by grabbing a handrail, I had just installed a few days before, with both hands.  I know I would have fallen several steps onto the cement basement floor if hadn’t installed the rails.     I reflected on the blessing of having those rails.   I reflected on discovering the opportunity to purchase enough rails for all my stairs at ¼ the price they normally cost, which gave me the motivation to purchase and install them.  I also reflected on timing of installing them just a few days before this recent “close call”.  I now hold on to them every time I use the stairs.

I can recall numerous other examples when I felt a nudge to slow down while driving just before a deer ran in front of the car, or when something delaying leaving to go to an appointment or errand and discovered later there was a car accident about where I would have been if hadn’t been delayed.

There have been lots of times it seems circumstances were hindering or slowing plans of doing a task or going somewhere, and still wonder what dangers or circumstances I might have encountered without that delay but were avoided by the delay.   God has promised to covers us with His protective arms and the protection and comfort and guidance and strength of His Holy Spirit to abide in and with us 24x7x365.  I can recall countless times feeling or realizing that influence of His presence.   I can recall a few times I then let urgency of each day obligations to cause me to ignore that nudge and later regretted that choice.  I can also recall those times I heeded that nudge and later discovered the circumstances and was glad I heeded that nudge.

How about you?  What has been your experience?   Can you recall similar “close calls” and Holy Spirit nudging?  I invite and encourage you to take a few minutes going down memory lane and recall some of those experiences from your memory.  I encourage you to share some of them with family and friends and see if they can add to those experiences from their perspective and many also recall some you may have forgotten.

Doing so now and again does help strengthen our faith and trust in Him.  Doing so also reinforces our faith and resolve to be more faithful and obedient to Him going forward.  AMEN?  AMEN!

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11/25/20                           A TALE OF TWO RULERS                    25      

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”  Mark 10:21

Recommended Reading: Philippians 3:7-11

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:  Jesus is identifying (Mark 10:21) the problem of internal conflict in the soul of the rich young ruler.  He had let his possessions gain power God never intended wealth and material possessions to have.  Possessions, God intends, to be tools to facilitate doing God’s will.  We are stewards of possessions, not owners of possessions.  No one can retain ownership of material possessions when death claims him.  Only God has legal wright of ownership and retains permanent – eternal ownership, so only He has the right to decide how those possessions should be used.  That includes everything we own or strive to own.  That includes everything we have worked or were given even if have a document of ownership like a house deed or a vehicle title.  Such documents give right of use and control over other people but not over God.  Holding possessions and money loosely is key to real joy and freedom and wealth.   Recognizing and trusting God as our daily provider, sustainer, and faithful supplier of all we need. 

The rich young ruler Jesus was confronting in Mark 10 took Jesus warning and instruction but could not bring himself to obey Jesus’ instruction.  He could not give away or let go of the possessions he found joy and security in.  He was not willing to let go of things and take hold of Jesus hand.  But He could not accept and take risk of believing what Jesus would provide was far more lasting and better than what he would give up.

The two rulers at odds in mind and soul of that rich young man are Jesus the Christ and his own selfish will.  The selfish will was influenced and under satan’s control.  Such is also the struggle and battle of everyone no matter if       holding great wealth or very little.  It isn’t the amount of possessions that causes the battle and problem, but how those possessions are viewed and how tightly held.

By contrast to the rich young ruler is the story of Saul of Tarsus.  Saul also was confronted by Jesus.   He too had acquired wealth and power and influence and was on a clear path to much more wealth and success.   He was highly educated, very intelligent and a decisive leader.

 By contrast, Saul submitted himself to the lordship of Christ and gave up his position and income and even his possessions as he followed and obeyed Jesus’ and preached the Gospel he experienced and Jesus entrusted.  Jesus even changed Saul’s name to Paul to confirm the transformation and permanence of change in direction for him. Paul then considered everything else to be worthless compared to following the Lord (Philippians 3:7).

Who rules your life? Choose today to submit yourself to the lordship of Jesus Christ. Let your life be a tale of only one Ruler.

If Christ’s lordship does not disrupt our own lordship, then the reality of our conversion must be questioned.   Charles Colson

11/26/20                      REWARDS WE CAN’T IMAGINATION                                       26  

So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time … and in the age to come, eternal life.”
Mark 10:29-30

Recommended Reading: Matthew 6:16-18

¹⁶ “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ¹⁷ But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

COMMENTS:  It is human nature to want others to notice our good deeds but Jesus tells us good deeds should not be displayed or bragged about because God notices and desires exclusive privilege to bless and multiply and reward good deeds.  Fasting has been a valuable tool to help us focus on prayer and convince ourselves how important it is to seek and do God’s Will and not to indulge in our selfish will and nature.  Today’s scripture tells us to fast in secret without showing off.   Pride has a way of infiltrating and corrupting even good deeds and spoiling their benefit both on receiver and giver if left unchecked and unrepented.

I have often wondered about the reward scripture speaks of waiting faithful followers of Christ in heaven.   A mansion and streets of gold, for me, would be desirable for someone selfish and still carnal in nature, not someone freed of satan’s temptations and lures and distractions.

Granted, I am not disputing the beauty of what God is preparing for us, but think the reward He has for us most precious to Him and to us is much different.  I believe the answer is revealed in a contemporary Christian song written by Ray Boltz “Thank you!”  Read the lyrics below and see if your conclusion matches mine:

 “I dreamed I went to heaven
You were there with me
We walked along the streets of gold
Beside the crystal sea
We heard the angels singing
Then someone called your name
You turned and saw a young man
He was smiling as he came

He said friend, you may not know me now
But then he said but wait
You used to teach my Sunday school
When I was only eight
Every week you would say a prayer
Before the class would start
One morning when you said that prayer
I asked Jesus in my heart

Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am a life that was changed

Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am so glad you gave

Then another man stood before you
And said remember the time
A missionary came to your church
His pictures made you cry
You didn’t have much money
But you gave it anyway
Jesus took the gift you gave
And that’s why I’m here today

Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am a life that was changed
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am so glad you gave

One by one they came,
As far as the eye could see
Each one somehow touched
By your generosity
Little things that you had done, sacrifices made
Unnoticed on the earth, heaven now proclaims
And I know up in heaven
That you’re not supposed to cry
But I was almost sure
There were tears in your eyes
As Jesus took your hand
And you stood before the Lord
And He said my child look around you
For great is your reward

Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am a life that was changed
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am so glad you gave
I am so glad you gave
I am so glad you gave

Did you notice the reward noted in the song?  The great reward described in this song, and the reward I believe we will enjoy most in heaven will not be riches or mansions or beautiful surrounding or even youthful never aging bodies, but in discovering how God used our humble and even half-hearted, at times, acts of obedience to transform the lives of others – the ripple and compounding effect of those acts that resulted in large numbers of people learning about and following Christ   I also believe we will be among that multitude reaching out to our ancestors revealing to them how their faithfulness impacted our lives.   I know within my own family my mother and father were instrumental in teaching and leading me to Christ.  Yet, my mother’s great grandmother and grandfather were equally instrumental on her and my father coming to Christ.

So take a few minutes and read again the words to this wonderful song and worship the Savior who bought your salvation and redemption and is now preparing your eternal home for you.   Imagine that home also includes using your obedience to witness and persuade others to come to Him too and will continue to do so even after we enter heaven’s gates.

Well, keep in mind Christ has promised to return but has not told us when.  But the signs and circumstances describes sure sound like what today’s circumstances and godless behavior are approaching.

Personally, I believe Christ’s return will take place soon and believe the only way His return might be delayed would be if a revival and repentance of both unrepented and sinful people as described in 2 Chronicles 7:14 took place.  I believe such a revival took place many times through history and also believe Christ’s return and all the end time judgment described in scripture.  It will be a terrible time but limited duration.  Satan will orchestrate a full attack on Christians and upon God’s chosen people the Jews.  Many will suffer persecution and even martyrdom but Christ will return to first take his people home and away from this terrible time.  Then He will come back again 7 years later to stop and judge satan and all who followed him.

So the big question is, will the dangerous path the world, and most people, are on continue.  A path that would cause the extinction of man if Christ did not return to stop it. 

So what are we to do.   Follow Daniel’s example and be and remain faithful to our Lord and nourish our relationship with Him through prayer and bible study and fellowship with other believers and by obedience in action and thought and in witness.   Christ is a rewarder of all who seek and follow Him, both now and in eternity (Hebrews 11:6).

We don’t follow Christ to be rewarded, but His grace assures us that His blessings will be ours.  Our primary motivation to follow Christ is because of His love and sacrifice for us.  To focus more on pleasing Him and less on thinking about the reward or worse to deceive ourselves into thinking we work to earn our reward.

WE CAN NOT WORK HARD ENOUGH OR LONG ENOUGH TO EARN THE REWARD WE ALREADY ARE GIVEN AT SALVATION – THE GIFT OF FORGIVENESS.   ON TOP OF THAT, HE GIVES US ETERNAL LIFE, A NEW ETERNAL BODY, An ETERNAL HOME MORE WONDERFUL THAN WE CAN IMAGINE, AND FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM PERSONALLY AND WITH THE HOST OF ANGELS AND OUR ANCESTORS.   AND THAT IS WHAT WE KNOW, NOT THE REST HE IS   WORKING TO SURPRISE US WITH.

SO IF WE CAN’T EARN OUR REWARD NOR IMAGINE HOW WONDERFUL IT IS.  DO WE THEN TRUST HIM ENOUGH AND LOVE HIM ENOUGH TO FOCUS ON SERVICING AND LOVING AND WORSHIPPING HIM?   AMEN? AMEN!

“Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe.” Augustine 

11/27/20                    ARE YOU NEARSIGHTED OR FORESIGHTED?                            27  

 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16

Recommended Reading: Hebrews 11:13-16

• ^“13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ¹⁴ For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. ¹⁵ And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”

COMMENTS:  Those of you who are 50 and older likely are wearing bifocal or trifocal glasses or wish you were.  The common problem as we age is inability or limited ability of our eyes to adjust focus point to distance.  Bifocals and trifocals incorporates the main lens to distance and other lens is designed to give user specific focal length clear vision as other distances.  They do not give vision user had at age 15 or 20 but provide ability to see and read signs at different distances away.

It is important to be able to see clearly close-up as well as at other distances.  Being able to do so enables discovering important information and able to adjust course and direction sooner   than otherwise possible.

Knowing Christ opens for us opportunities to clearly see people and situations more clearly both close-up and further away so we can make wiser choices both now and later.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Christ offers far more than physical sight but spiritual sight also called                                    spiritual insight or discernment.  Both Old and New Testaments of our Bible give us countless examples of faithful and foolish individuals who were given foreknowledge or discernment to guide or warn against danger of temptation and to making wise choices.

Hebrews 11:1-21 gives us some old testament examples like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob. 

Abraham, for example, was promised to be father of a multitude too large to count but at age 98 he still was childless and his wife, Sarah, was 89 and childless.  They doubted and tried to force God’s hand by choosing a substitute to Sarah, causing problems for his generation and for every generation since.    They couldn’t imagine how God could fulfill His promise but faith is the ability to envision and follow God’s direction and instruction without seeing clearly how or when until they can see more clearly. 

Such examples give us a clearer idea of how God works and why, so we can be encouraged to think and act wisely and importance to do so.   Look back and recall examples both when you did act wisely and sometimes you didn’t but wish you had.

God is willing to heal and forgive when we ask but it is far better to make wise choices with wise foresight God provides instead of having to seek forgiveness and God’s help to fix or at least help in healing the minimizing consequences of foolish choices and refusal to   follow God’s wisdom.

“Christianity is not engrossed by this transitory world, but measures all things by the thought of eternity.”  J. Gresham Machen

11/28/20   THANKSGIVING: BE THANKFUL FOR GOD’S ABIDING – FAITHFUL HAND        28

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.  Psalm 95:1-2

Recommended Reading: Psalm 100:1-5

100 “Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!² Serve the Lord with gladness;Come before His presence with singing.³ Know that the Lord, He is God;It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

⁴ Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,And into His courts with praise.Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. ⁵ For the Lord is good;His mercy is everlasting,And His truth endures to all generations.”

COMMENTS:   When we read about Joseph’s , Daniel’s, Esther’s, Noah’s, Jeremiah’s, Elijah’s, Elisha’s, Ruth’s, David’s,  Moses’,  … lives in scripture, we soon discover a pattern.  God is always faithful to and present in the lives of those who love and seek and obey him.  He provides for and protects and saved them, but often let’s his beloved children go  through a time or even a number of times of suffering without feeling God’s comforting presence.  God often withholds evidence that He is near so His children must  rely on their trust and faith in Him to sustain them until time of testing is over.  But that time does always close when God chooses and then blessing and abiding sense He is near comes.  

God assures us (Romans 8:28) that even evil deeds of others can not permanently harm us and God will always use even those deeds to bring His blessing to us.

The story of  Squanto is such a story.  One that has been forgotten in our schools but a story of God’s hand at work through the deeds of His faithful followers and even through the evil deeds of sinful men.   I include a summary story of Squanto at end of this devotion.

Squanto endured great suffering at hands of evil explorers who captured and sold Squanto as a slave.   But those deeds saved Squanto from death and put him in a place to  learn  English and learn about God’s love so he could later help the Christian pilgrims survive and prosper and  evangelize in the hostile American colonies.

Great evil has been done on the American Indians but  Christ has been shared with them and many have been saved.  Christ’s example hasn’t been showed to them by all but God’s Will and influence has prevailed and  will always either in spite of or because of conduct of His followers.

So, what is the legacy you are building and leaving?  Will it be the evil legacy of Captain Hunt and others like him or of those Friars and Pilgrims?  Will it be of Saul’s life before he encountered the risen Christ on the Damascus Road or of Paul after that encounter?

We have so much to be thankful for as we enter the Thanksgiving and Advent season.  2020 has been a year of disasters and life changing affects of Covid 19.   Many have become sick and died due to Covid 19.

I believe Covid 19 is evidence that God’s protective hand has been removed from America and world because we have been unfaithful to Him, like Israel when Babylon invaded and took them captive.  I believe we are approaching and possibly about to enter the time foretold in scripture of great tribulation. 

If that is true, we should expect and prepare for times getting much worse.   Some would suggest buying guns and ammunition and stocking up in food and  water.  Some would suggest moving to safe areas.

So what does God suggest?  How did He prepare those before us as they entered a time of tribulation and God’s judgment?  

Noah lived in such a time preparing for and coming out on the other side of the great flood.  Daniel and Jeremiah prepared for Babylon even though they had no idea when and what that would entail.

But they all followed God’s instruction and remained faithful to Him step by step watching God’s Will and God’s Plan unfolding day by day.   Daniel could not know how that would unfold even though he knew it would be 70 long years before Israel could return from Babylon as captives in a pagan land.

What will 2021 bring us?  God’s warning and instruction hasn’t changed.  He  requires 2 Chronicles 7:14  “14 if my people who are called by my name ^ghumble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Daniel was faithful and thankful in the midst of the Lion’s Den and all during those 70 years of captivity.   His 3 friends were faithful and thankful as they were being thrown into a hot furnace.   We must be thankful in the midst of whatever God allows to come our way, but in order to again avoid God’s judgment, we must humble ourselves and pray and repent of our wicked ways and give Him the love and praise and worship and obedience that He deserves from us and also requires of us.  

Will we willingly bow before Him or be forced to in judgment.  Satan and his followers will do so in judgment.   We have the option of doing so now in praise and worship honoring the Christ who suffered and died for us.  

God has given us the privilege to choose.  If we choose Him, He promised eternal life and a wonderful eternal home with Him.  There is only one way, Christ’s way, to  eternal life.  No other way is sufficient or will work.   One way is enough, we just need to believe God’s Word and follow that way provide by God Himself at great cost  to Him

I invite you to look up and read again the stories of those mentioned above in scripture.  Then read the story of Squanto below and note  God’s hand at work in all these examples.  Then  reflect on similar examples from your family and community and maybe in your own experience.

Let this Thanksgiving and Advent season be your  time to follow 2Chronicles 7:14 and repent and seek God anew for Revival first in us and then in our community and country and world.   He will as we and those we influence repent and follow Him anew too. I believe there were times in history when we were at the cliff of God’s judgment and great  tribulation.  I believe WWII was such a time.  But since then we are neglecting God and His commands and showing contempt for His law, for life, for God – even denying God’s existence.  Scripture tells us in the last days good, as God defines in scripture, will be judged evil and  evil, as scripture defines it, will be judged  as good  (Isaiah 5:20 & Romans 1:18-23).  Scripture also tells us in the  last days Christ will come to  stop man from completely destroying himself.  Matthew 24:22 ““If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.”

In America, Thanksgiving has it’s  roots in 1621 when the Pilgrims celebrated the first harvest in their new world.  Abraham Lincoln in 1863 in  the midst of Civil War declared Thanksgiving Day to be a national holiday.  But God’s command to be thankful goes back to ancients recorded times in scripture.  When Israel failed to be  thankful, they  lost God’s protective hand and endured God’s judgment at the hands of godless neighbors.

The way to give thanks was expanded from the Old Testament to the New. In the Old Testament, God was normally thanked “for” things—His works, attributes, and blessings (Psalm 106:1). While that focus is maintained in the New Testament, it is expanded to giving thanks “in” all things (1 Thessalonians 5:18). That is, in all circumstances. We can do that because we know God causes “all things” to work together for our good (Romans 8:28).

Why not do both today? Give thanks to God for His blessings and give thanks for whatever circumstances you are experiencing. Fill this day with thanksgiving to God.

“Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we, thy unworthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving kindness to us, and to all men. “                             Book of Common Prayer

THE STORY OF SQUANTO:

Squanto: The True Story Of The Native American Behind The First Thanksgiving

By Gina Dimuro

As the last survivor of the Patuxet tribe, Squanto used his fluency in English and his unique relationship with the Pilgrim settlers at Plymouth to increase his own power and influence.

Samoset, one of the first Native Americans to meet the Pilgrims, famously introduced them to Squanto.

Ever heard the tale about the first Thanksgiving in 1621? As the story goes, the English Pilgrims meet a “friendly” Native American named Squanto in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Squanto teaches the Pilgrims how to plant corn, and the settlers enjoy a hearty feast with their new native friend.

But the true story about Squanto — also known as Tisquantum — is far more complex than that.

Who Was Squanto?

Schoolchildren are taught that Squanto was a friendly native who saved the Pilgrims, but the truth is complicated.

Historians generally agree that Squanto belonged to the Patuxet tribe, which was a branch of the Wampanoag Confederacy. It was located near what would become Plymouth. He was born around 1580.

Although little is known of his early life, Squanto came from a village of hardworking and resourceful people. The men of his tribe would travel up and down the coast on fishing expeditions, while the women cultivated corn, beans, and squash.

Before the early 1600s, the Patuxet people generally had friendly contact with the European settlers — but that certainly didn’t last long.

At some point during his youth, Squanto was captured by English explorers and taken to Europe, where he was sold into slavery. The most widely-accepted theory is that Squanto and 23 other Native Americans boarded the ship of Captain Thomas Hunt, who put them at ease with promises of trade before setting sail.

Instead, the Natives were held captive aboard.

“This is not revisionist history,” said Wampanoag expert Paula Peters in an interview with Huffington Post. “This is history that’s just been overlooked because people have become very, very comfortable with the story of happy Pilgrims and friendly Indians. They’re very content with that — even to the point where no one really questioned how is it that Squanto knew how to speak perfect English when they came.”

The Patuxet people were outraged by the kidnappings, but there was nothing they could do. The Englishmen and their prisoners were long gone, and the remaining people of the village would soon be wiped out by disease.

Squanto and the other prisoners were likely sold by Hunt as slaves in Spain. However, Squanto somehow managed to escape to England. By some accounts, Catholic friars may have been the ones to help Squanto out of captivity. And once he was free in England, he began to master the language.

Mayflower Pilgrim William Bradford, who got to know Squanto very well years later, wrote: “he got away for England, and was entertained by a merchant in London, employed to Newfoundland and other parts.”

William Bradford befriended Squanto and later saved him from his own people.

It was in Newfoundland that Squanto met Captain Thomas Dermer, a man in the employ of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, an Englishman who helped found “the Province of Maine” back on Squanto’s home continent.

In 1619, Gorges sent Dermer on a trade mission to the New England colonies and employed Squanto as an interpreter.

As Squanto’s ship approached the coast, Dermer noted how they observed “some ancient [Indian] plantations, not long since populous now utterly void.” Squanto’s tribe had been annihilated by the diseases that the white settlers had brought with them.

Then, in 1620, Dermer and his crew were attacked by the Wampanoag tribe near modern Martha’s Vineyard. Dermer and 14 men managed to escape.

Meanwhile, Squanto was taken captive by the tribe — and he was longing for his freedom yet again.

Squanto Meets The Pilgrims

In early 1621, Squanto found himself still a prisoner of the Wampanoag, who cautiously observed a group of recent English arrivals.

These Europeans had suffered grievously in the winter, but the Wampanoag were still hesitant to approach them, especially since Natives who attempted to befriend the English in the past had been taken captive instead.

Eventually, however, as Pilgrim William Bradford records, a Wampanoag named Samoset “came boldly amongst [a group of pilgrims] and spoke to them in broken English, which they could well understand but marveled at it.”

Samoset made conversation with the Pilgrims for a while before explaining there was another man “whose name was Squanto, a native of this place, who had been in England and could speak better English than himself.”

The Pilgrims were astounded when Samoset approached them and addressed them in English.

If the Pilgrims had been surprised by Samoset’s command of English, they must have been shocked beyond belief by Squanto’s mastery of the language, which would prove to be useful for both parties.

With the assistance of Squanto as interpreter, the Wampanoag chief Massasoit negotiated an alliance with the Pilgrims, with a promise not to harm each other. They also promised that they would aid each other in the event of an attack from another tribe.

Bradford described Squanto as “a special instrument sent of God.”

11/29/20                       WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO IMPRESS?                                    29                        

But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
Matthew 6:3

Recommended Reading: Matthew 6:1-4

6 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. ² Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ³ But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

COMMENTS:  Why did Christ instruct against doing good deeds in public, but instead in private?  Ask yourself, what did you think when heard someone bragging and what did you think when others gave unsolicited appreciation for good deeds of others.   Both may say same words, but self-praise never has positive results.   Such generally reveals a hunger for respect and praise of others and is unhealthy at best and tends to hinder or even destroy any good or positive impact of those good deeds “bragged about”.

But when our good deeds are motivated by love and desire to help, then there is little or no desire for others to discover and acknowledge those deeds.   In this situation, the benefit of those deeds are allowed to blossom and God is free to implement His own Will and blessings of compounding and magnifying the benefits of those deeds.  Then it is in His hands to determine when and how to acknowledge those deeds.

When our deeds are motivated by a desire to please and serve God, then it is only His approval that we desire.   True humility serves quietly and finds satisfaction in serving as Jesus did, and even in looking for benefits in lives of those serving instead of from onlookers or from our piers.

Remember what Jesus said about giving publically for all to see as compared with those who give privately.  The verses below from Matthew 6 reveal Christ’s instruction to implement this principle in all we do, including our conduct, our giving our tithe, our fasting, our prayers, our worship, and even in our forgiving.  Below continues today’s scripture.

Matthew 6:5-24  “ 5“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.7“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8“So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.9“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.10‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.11‘Give us this day our daily bread.12‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.13‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]
14“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15“But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.16“Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 17“But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face 18so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.22“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23“But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

So what is the difference between corporate worship and praise and private worship and praise? Are we instructed to do both?  Well, the difference between good and bad corporate worship lies in who we are praying to?  Are we praying to and focusing on God or is our focus on what others think of us and what we say?   Corporate prayer will uplift and encourage all to draw closer to God but self is interested in making us look better than others and puts ourselves first at sacrifice of helping others.  That is one of the big reasons why proper preparation is needed before prayer and worship, especially corporate prayer and worship.

So who will God give us opportunity to brighten their day today?  When look for those opportunities privately, we are most likely to find them and are so much freer to respond than if trying to make those responses public and visible to others.

“When we desire godly secrecy, love and humility before God will develop to the point we will not only see our friends, family, and associates in a better light, but we’ll also develop the virtue of desiring their good above our own.”  Dallas Willard

11/30/20             GOD RESPONDS TO THE PRAYER OF A THANKFUL HEART                       30       

Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
Psalm 106:1

 Recommended Reading: Psalm 106:1-5                                                                                                          Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!For His mercy endures forever.² Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord?Who can declare all His praise?³ Blessed are those who keep justice,And he who does righteousness at all times!⁴ Remember me, O Lord, with the favor You have toward Your people.Oh, visit me with Your salvation,⁵ That I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones,That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation,That I may glory with Your inheritance.

COMMENTS:  Have you experienced the difference a grateful attitude makes in your day?  The energy such an attitude generates and how much brighter and well the day is and goes.  Is much like the difference between a sunny – warm day and a cold damp cloudy day.   Circumstances and labors and surroundings are identical but the difference made by adding sunlight and its warmth is dramatic.  Gratitude is much like that because it opens our soul and mind for God to enter and bring along His love and wisdom and influence.

Light enables us to see more clearly to work efficiently with needed energy and strength and mind.   God provides this and much more.   He also comes through His Holy Spirit providing His wisdom – insight – council – presence – strength – ….  The list of attributes and ways of help go on and on.

He also has a wonderful way of managing opportunities and attitudes so others are blessed by His presence as much as we are.

We think circumstances limit or enable our attitude of thankfulness and ability to work effectively, but the Holy Spirit’s influence and presence can and does enable what we do not have the strength or will to do on our own.

An example of that influence was experienced by Martin Rinkart, a Lutheran minister in Saxony, Germany in 1600 in the midst of the 30-year war and plague of that dark time.  Death and despair was all around him with little evidence or hope that circumstances would improve.

So, to improve everyone’s spirits, Rinkart was inspired to write a familiar hymn “Now thank we all our God”.  With this background, read the words of this hymn (below) and sing it if you are familiar with the music, letting its words sink deep into your soul.                                                                       Here is the first stanza:                                                                                                                     Now thank we all our God.  With heart and hands and voices, who wondrous things has done, In whom his world rejoices; Who from our mother’s arms Has blessed us on our way With countless gifts of love, And still is ours today.     

If Martin Rinkart could write and sing this hymn of praise and worship – of thanksgiving to God in the midst of death rampant all around him both from war and from spreading disease, surely we can too.  Doing so was not denying what was going on around him, nor would immediately stop the war or disease, but did result in turning a corner to peace and healing.   More continued to die for a time, but souls were saved and hope was restored.  Singing songs of praise is not wasting time or energy any more than sharpening an axe before using or turning on a light switch in a room at night before working in that room or reading directions before assembling a new tool or piece of furniture.                                                                                          “Thankfulness is a soil in which pride does not easily grow.”  Michael Ramse

Well, so concluded November 2020’s devotional journal.  I pray it has been as much a blessing for you as it has been for me to write.  God willing, will continue next month.

God’s blessings,

Don McDaniel

Email: dmcdaniel12@zoominternet

 Imagine that you have saved for years for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure vacation. You’ve researched your destination and talked with a travel agent about the best places to stay. You know where you are going, what to expect, and can’t wait to get the most out of your dream adventure trip.

Now compare that pre-trip strategy to this one: do no research or reading and talk with no one about your destination. Just pack a bag and go. Which trip is likely to be the most fulfilling—before, during, and after? The trip for which you prepare diligently, of course! And the same is true for our ultimate and final trip as Christians: our trip to our eternal home with Christ in New Jerusalem (Revelation 21). But even after reading everything the Bible says about heaven, 1 Corinthians 2:9 says we can’t imagine all that God has prepared for us!

Learn all you can now about heaven, but don’t be surprised if it turns out to be beyond your wildest expectations!

“The more spiritual we are, the more we shall think about heaven”.   D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

In His Service,

Don McDaniel

Email: dmcdaniel12@zoominternet.net

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

If you wish, you can access my blog at “https://donsdevotions.wordpress.com“. There you will find 590 blog posts I have made plus a link to my devotional journal material archives from 2013 to present (https://donsdevotions.wordpress.com/2016/03/02/link-to-dons-devotional-journal-entries-2013/ )

You may also access my Facebook page and request to be my friend and automatically receive my daily journal publications daily.  My Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/Dondevotionals/ Many thanks to a pastor and dear brother in Christ in Nepal who set up the above Facebook page to help and encourage and give opportunity for more to   explore and use my devotional blog materials.

My hope and prayer are, my blog and devotional materials will become a source of encouragemen