2/1-2/21                                 THE DAY GOD DIED                                                     1                          

He saved others.  Matthew 27:42

 Recommended Reading: Matthew 27:36-50

³⁶ Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. ³⁷ And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him:

³⁸ Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.

³⁹ And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

⁴¹ Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, ⁴² “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. ⁴³ He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

⁴⁴ Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

⁴⁵ Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. ⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

⁴⁷ Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” ⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.

⁴⁹ The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”

⁵⁰ And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

COMMENTS: Living a more Christ-like life is the goal God has for every Christian but every Christian has failed to reach that goal to varying degrees.  Human limits and strength and abilities affect us, but so did they affect Christ.  Yet His Will and diligence in prayer and mind set to do His Father’s will made all the difference.  Granted, He still was divine / God while on earth fully human but His relationship with the Father opened Him to receive strength to maintain a “perfect sinless and perfect obedient” life.  

When we look at the lives and conduct of the disciples prior to Pentecost, we see lack of courage and fear that paralyzed them from doing miracles and standing out like Christ.  They hid and denied Christ because they feared for their lives.   They had good reason for fear because persecution and martyrdom were becoming more common and more severe and expectations were getting worse.  Nothing changed at Pentecost in circumstances.  What did change was the disciples themselves – change that came from the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit – the Comforter that Christ had promised after He was gone.  The Holy Spirit gave them courage and boldness and the words to say and passion to say them.  They discovered their citizenship was no long on earth but in heaven and death was no longer something to fear but something to see as the door to heaven.   Ultimately all the disciples did die and most by a painful and premature death at the hand of the Roman captors.  During the time of the worst persecution of the first century church, conversions was explosive.  The Gospel indeed was spread and embraced.  Persecution didn’t stop the spread and acceptance but encouraged it.  Why?  Because the Gospel gave hope during hopeless times.  The courage and passion for Christ the disciples discovered due to the indwelling Holy Spirit also came to Christ followers, both Jew and Gentile.   Persecution drove them to escape and Roman built roads and ships enabled Christians to go and spread the Gospel all over the known world more quickly and farther then what would have been possible in previous generations.

That passion and courage has indwelled and affect Christians in every generation since as they too experienced the indwelling Holy Spirit.  The greatest passion and courage demonstrated by Christians even today is evident in countries and societies experiencing the worst persecution.   Suffering and hardship compels people to seek and embrace world view and belief that gives real hope and a future to look forward to.  

So what is different in places lacking persecution and such hardship.  Well, it is easy to become content with life as it is when we are able to manage reasonably well, at least on the surface, with minimal relationship with God or with His Indwelling Holy Spirit.

Truth is, when comfortable, sacrifice and persecution isn’t very appealing, and the price God asked to follow Him becomes higher than we are willing to pay.

But then again, Christ didn’t need to leave Heaven and all His divine attributes to live as a human and suffer as He did.  But His love and passion for you and me compelled Him to make that sacrifice in order to satisfy the Father’s price for sin, a price each of us would be required to pay if Christ had not paid that price Himself for you and me.  That price He paid was sufficient for me and you but for everyone in every generation who will accept Him and the price He paid.   There is no one this priceless offer doesn’t apply to or available to, but there are many who simply refuse or delay accepting that offer until it is too late.

We are living in dangerous and changing times.   Change that is not for the better because violence and war and natural disasters are growing in frequency and intensity.  Such is Christ’s warning, recorded in scripture, foretold as a sign that His return is approaching.   Even as a distance mountain range reveals little detail from a great distance, that detail comes into view and increases in detail and clarity as we travel close and closer to it.  So is the signs of the times become clearer as His return approaches. 

How do we prepare for His return?  He tells us to become more diligent in doing His word and living and sharing the reason for the hope and Joy knowing Christ gives us.  The share the Joy and confidence we enjoy of Heaven, of an eternal home with Christ and loved ones, with eternal and youthful bodies free of sickness and weakness and pain and age.   A future without sin and satan’s influence. 

If we truly believe that, then our lives and conduct and way we treat others will change for the better.   That was true for first century Christians and every generations of Christians since.  It is also true today.  We are 2000 years closer to Christ’s return today than they were, so the urgency and benefit of living a Christ-like life is even more important today.  But, we also do not know when our time on earth will be over.   Last Saturday a young man of 36 years old was working with others repairing a water leak.  But little did we know his life would end the very next day, Sunday.  He was busy and we didn’t want to distract Him so we didn’t interrupt or go say hi to him.  I regret that but no one known when their time too will come unless long term disease causes body to fail more slowly.

None of us know.  Our face doesn’t change color the day before we die.  The closest we have is our hair turning white and skin wrinkles and our endurance grows shorter and strength weakens as we get older.  

How much better to live as Jesus did—for others. Even His enemies said, “He saved others.” Jesus lived for us, and He wants us to live for Him and for others—for one another. 

So, let’s look around today. Perhaps we’ll run across a child needing a smile, a disabled person needing a boost, a weary worker needing a kind word, a lonely person needing a call or note. Think of a way to encourage our pastor. Caring for others is the tie that binds. So look to Jesus and follow His pattern.  Who knows, it may be our last opportunity to do so for them.   Making an eternal difference is God’s gift to our simple acts of kindness when we do and offer them as a praise and worship sacrifice to Christ. 

“A person wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.”  Benjamin Franklin

2/3/21                              GOD’S STRENGTH FOR OUR WEAKNESS                                   3                     

He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.  Isaiah 40:29

Recommended Reading: Isaiah 40:27-31²⁷ Why do you say, O Jacob,And speak, O Israel:“My way is hidden from the Lord,And my just claim is passed over by my God”?²⁸ Have you not known?Have you not heard?The everlasting God, the Lord,The Creator of the ends of the earth,Neither faints nor is weary.His understanding is unsearchable.²⁹ He gives power to the weak,And to those who have no might He increases strength.³⁰ Even the youths shall faint and be weary,And the young men shall utterly fall,³¹ But those who wait on the LordShall renew their strength;They shall mount up with wings like eagles,They shall run and not be weary,They shall walk and not faint.

COMMENTS:  A common human error is to think we can hide our faults and sins and weaknesses from God, especially if we’ve successfully hid them from loved ones or friends or co-workers.  What we do in private may be hid from others, but since we can’t see God or may not feel His presence, doesn’t not mean He doesn’t hear and see and know what we do, especially in secret.  He hasn’t rained judgment on us not because He doesn’t know but because of His love and mercy and patience and LONGSUFFERING.

God offers mercy and forgiveness but so much more too.  He offers His abiding Holy Spirit to help and strengthen and encourage and motivate us to resist temptations and see clearly satan’s temptations and deceptions for what they really are.    Our free will to believe or reject satan.  Our free will to believe or reject God.  Our free will to accept Christ’s help and redemption or not.  All this is our choice but benefits or consequences of those choices are not ours.  God has sole power to allow those consequences or delay or soften or eliminate them.

God honors those who choose to follow Christ especially when doing so comes at great cost.   Christiana Tsai lived from 1890-1984.  She lived in China in a family opposed to Christianity, but Christiana converted as a young girl in a missionary school in her community in China.  Her family became furious at her conversion but her life and conduct persuaded, over time, 55 of her family to also convert.  She contracted malaria at age 40 and became so sensitive to light that she had to live in darkness the rest of her life.  Even though weak and confined to a dark room, others would visit her and she developed a powerful ministry from her dark room.

She was responsible for conversion of more from her sermons from bed than most evangelists from a church or stadium pulpit.  Her weakness and confinement provided a credible platform and strength in her weakness.

We don’t know what Paul’s “thorn in the side” was but it became an instrument God used to make and keep him humble and teachable.  To keep him focused on following God’s lead instead of relying on his own abilities and human / foolish wisdom.

“Clouds may gather over our home in times of sickness or bereavement; but the influence of a sweet Christian character shines through the clouds with a golden radiance, bringing a lasting blessing.”   Christiana Tsai

2/4/21                                       CRISIS TIME COMPASSION                                          4

The Lord is very compassionate and merciful.James 5:11

SCRIPTURE: JAMES 5:7-11    “ ⁷ Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. ⁸ You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

⁹ Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! ¹⁰ My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. ¹¹ Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.”

COMMENTS:  Do you know your God given purpose?  We all have both a unique purpose as well as a common God given purpose.  Our common purpose is to worship and praise our Lord and to witness of His love – His Gospel of Good News to all in our field of influence.  Our unique purpose relates to style and method of delivery.

We are on journey to Heaven.  The preparation for that journey includes sharing the anticipation and inviting as many as can to come along and join in.   The price has been paid, but preparation for the trip, like any major trip, is needed.

I Corinthians 2:9 tell us that we can’t imagine how wonderful the home is that Jesus is preparing for each of us.  Revelation 21 speaks of the huge beautiful city He is building for us too.   A journey to a place we have never been or seen, but a place with family we know and love, with family we will get acquainted with.   But most of all with our Lord and Savior we fell in love with here and will live with forever.  To be a part of a new family – His family where we are related to everyone there and will enjoy eternity with.

The reward of heaven will include a wonderful place, but the most precious reward will not be things or places or awards but people.   People who influences us and who we influenced.  People we know and people we will meet.   Eternity with them but also eternity with our Lord.  But also an eternity without satan’s influence and evil mischief.  AMEN?   AMEN!  “The more spiritual we are, the more we shall think about heaven”.   D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

The 12 disciples (Matthew 10; Mark 6; and Luke 9) were called.  So were a group of 70) Luke 10.  Their instruction and calling – commissioning from Christ was to preach the Good News – Christ’s message and Gospel and heal the sick in His Name.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Like Paul, we are ambassadors, sent to represent King and kingdom in this world. And He is with us, until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

“God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.”

Max Lucado

2/5/21                          THIRTY MILES PER SECOND                                              5

Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more…. But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities.  Acts 8:39-40

Recommended Reading: Acts 8:26-40

²⁶ Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. ²⁷ So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸ was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. ²⁹ Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”

³⁰ So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

³¹ And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. ³² The place in the Scripture which he read was this:

“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,So He opened not His mouth.³³ In His humiliation His justice was taken away,And who will declare His generation?For His life is taken from the earth.”

³⁴ So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” ³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. ³⁶ Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”

³⁷ Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”

And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

³⁸ So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. ³⁹ Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.

COMMENTS:   Do you ever marvel at modern technology?  We can get into our car and go 30 miles in 30 minutes while enjoying music from our radio or relaxing conversation with passengers or air conditioned cool air or heated warm air.  We can board a jet airplane and travel over 500 miles per hour as well.

Well, how far is it to heaven?  We have a picture of voyager at the edge of our solar system pointing back and taking a picture of the earth as a tiny spec so must be past that.  But Christ followers who pass on are transported to heaven in a moment.   In today’s scripture, Philip was transported 30 miles in a second so could witness to the eunuch.   That is 108,000 miles per hour.  Think of the acceleration and braking to get to that speed and stop from that speed.

As amazing as modern technology and human accomplishments are, man can still not do this or build a city 1500 miles’ x 1500 miles’ x 1500 miles, as Jesus is doing now and one day lower it from heaven to earth.   Man has tried since time of the Tower of Babel to work or build his way to heaven but to no avail.  The bible gives us as clue that it is up, but up from China is opposite up from the US.  Up from the south pole is opposite up from the north pole.

Aren’t you glad we don’t have to worry about that, simply put our faith and allegiance in Jesus.  He has all that and much more all figured out and planned and in process.

How will we be able to travel and navigate in heaven or in the mammoth city Christ is building as we speak?   Even the imagination of fiction writers has not thought of such a thing, but God not only has imagined but has done just that.  Consider how massive and complex the universe is.  Even how our mortal bodies are?  Modern technology hasn’t come close and never will, such wonders are only within the abilities of our God.

So we shouldn’t get discouraged when our prayers aren’t answered as quickly or in the way we ask or desire.  God works in the way best for us and for others and in best timing.   He is answering our prayers and the prayers of millions of others all perfectly in harmony with His will and timing and all at the same time and on His perfect schedule.         “The servants of Christ are called to glorify him in different scenes and stations of life.”  Philip Doddridge 

• 2/6/21                                  Heavenward                   6  

They do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.  1 Corinthians 9:23

Recommended Reading: Philippians 3:12-14

¹² Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

COMMENTS:  If anyone had reason for regrets and feelings of guilt, Paul did after becoming a Christian.  He had been responsible for imprisonment and even death of possibly thousands of Christians.  But on the road to Damascus, he encountered a visit from the risen Christ and completely changed his life and his life’s work.   He not only repented and changed, but he became one of those believers who suffered greatly and ultimately martyrdom for his faith in Christ.  Did he regret his sins?  YES!   But he let that regret motivate him to work harder in spreading the Gospel because he knew Christ had forgiven him, an undeserving doomed sinner.   Paul knew he couldn’t earn enough to pay for his redemption and knew good works were not intended by God to do so.  He understood very well the reason for animal sacrifice in Jewish law.  He also had realized old testament prophets foretold of a human sacrifice acceptable to God would come who would redeem all people.  Paul’s motivation and passion became trying to tell as many people as he could the Good News of Jesus’ sacrifice and free offer of forgiveness and eternal life for any and all who simply accept this priceless gift from God Himself. 

Faith is not about perfection, but direction. When we make it all the way to heaven, we’ll be perfected and glorified. Until then, we press upward, trusting God at every level. You don’t need a jetpack to live above the world. Just pray: “My heart has no desire to stay / Where doubts arise and fears dismay; / Though some may well where these abound, / My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.”

Look up in simple faith to the Crucified Savior, who alone can lift [you] to a higher plane of life.

Ruth Paxson

2/7/21                                        LIVING ON PURPOSE                                                               

Recommended Reading: Jeremiah 1:4-5

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.”

COMMENTS: Daniel did not know his future, but probably believed he would not survived very long under Babylonian captivity.  The savage treatment of Nebuchadnezzar was famous in Daniel’s day.  But Daniel decided he would not compromise his faith and convictions in order to extend his life.   Daniel 1:8 said he “purposed in his heart not to defile himself…”  That means he decided he would not say or do or eat anything his convictions conflicted with.  His decision was for the purpose of honoring and being faithful to his God, but also to be an example and witness to his fellow Jews but even to his captures of sovereignty of God, faithfulness of God, and also God’s authority and power over all others.   God was faithful to Daniel while allowing Daniel to feel and face overwhelming danger.

God had a purpose for Daniel’s life and exposure to life threatening dangers.  Daniel pleased God so much in how faithful he was that He gave Daniel His “Highly Favored” status, which was given to very few in scripture, Mary the mother of Jesus being one other.  God responded by giving Daniel great wisdom and insights that won him great respect from his countrymen and captors.  That respect and his example positively impacted his generation and every generation since.

Daniel’s example can be intimidating but God makes even simple and common acts of obedience matter and have eternal impact.  We may not have opportunity to witness to a mighty king but we can encourage and be an example for the family or child next door or down the street.  For a friend or co-worker or acquaintance. 

 “Man forgets his purpose, and thus he forgets who he is and what life means. “

Francis Schaeffer

• 2/8/21                                          Daily Faith, Daily Bread                                                       8

Give us this day our daily bread.  Matthew 6:11

Recommended Reading: Psalm 111:5

⁵ He has given food to those who fear Him; He will ever be mindful of His covenant.

COMMENTS:  God has no equals. He not only has been the one and only creator out of nothing, He continues to do so.  There is nothing beyond Him or that He can’t do or comprehend.  Even time was created by Him and does not bind nor hinder Him accomplishing His Will.

Likewise, His Word is not only short and simple and comprehendable by children, it is also profound and is beyond understanding of the greatest minds and thinkers in the world.

The Lord’s Prayer is short and easily memorized but holds profound truth and is complete.   God does not promise tomorrow’s food today and often withholds evidence that tomorrows needs  will be met.  He knows faith is grown and strengthened much better and quicker through adversity than by prosperity.  But with prosperity comes responsibility of sharing excess to meet needs of others.  Prosperity is not intended by God to satisfy our own selfish desires but to use all our resources wisely and efficiently.   God also honors sacrificial giving, like the widow’s mite, to honor her but also to multiply the impact of her sacrificial gift.    God humbles the mighty and honors the humble.

God notices when we exercise our faith and  trust in Him and ignores  the proud. Matthew 6:25-34 is Jesus instruction to overcome worry and trust God to faithfully provide. Don’t  give worry any time or a listening hear.    Anger shuts off our ears to listen when we should while allowing our mouths a voice to say hurtful and poorly thought out words.  Worry filters our  hearing to only hear  what satan wants us to hear, resulting in our mouths saying what satan wants us to say too.                         Too long and much worry impacts our thinking and faith negatively, leaving us vulnerable to poor choices and their consequences.   Worry enables poor choices and consequences which reinforce belief in  realization of the fears from worry.  To break the cycle of worry to consequences which feed more worry, faith drives life giving choices that give God opportunity to bring good results which will further strengthen faith and weaken worry and also weaken satan’s influence.

If you have a need, don’t let anxiety replace your faith. Let your requests be made known to God with thanksgiving and receive His peace as you wait upon Him. He will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).

“God’s purposes always have God’s provision.”  John Blanchard

•  2/9/21                                 WILDERNESS TRAINING                                                   9      

For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness.  Deuteronomy 2:7

Recommended Reading: Deuteronomy 2:1-7

2 “Then we turned and journeyed into the wilderness of the Way of the Red Sea, as the Lord spoke to me, and we skirted Mount Seir for many days.

² “And the Lord spoke to me, saying: ³ ‘You have skirted this mountain long enough; turn northward. ⁴ And command the people, saying, “You are about to pass through the territory of your brethren, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefor watch yourselves carefully. ⁵ Do not meddle with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as one footstep, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. ⁶ You shall buy food from them with money, that you may eat; and you shall also buy water from them with money, that you may drink.

⁷ “For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.”’

.

COMMENTS:  Why are we far more open to listen and follow God’s commands during times of hardship and even tragedy than in times of prosperity and peace?  Why are we far less grateful for life’s blessings during hard times than during prosperous times?   Why is it far easier to stray from God during good times than during hard times? 

If you reflect on scripture and personal experience, you will agree all this is true, but why?   Well, I’ve noticed the natural inclination to neglect God and my relationship with Him during good times because it seems natural to just rely on myself when circumstances are easy to manage and not turn to God for help until I am desperate or need His help.  Is that your nature too?  I dare say I’m not alone in that struggle, but am glad God has given me a sensitive spirit so I feel His warning before I wonder too far.

Well, such was the history of Israel over and over again from one generation to another.  Experience should sharpen our conscience and volume of God’s voice as we grow older so the error and sins of our youth will not continue as the sins of our aging years.  But as long as we wear this sin damaged flesh, we will all be vulnerable and prone to neglect the God who loves us so and whom we love and desperately need.

Well, God used 40 years of wondering in the wilderness where He had to provide food and water for Israel to keep them from starving and dying.  God didn’t provide more than a day of food at a time except one Sabbath day.  They grew tired of eating old thing day after day and year after year, but they were and this predicament due to their own sin.  God’s instruction and discipline seemed harm but was necessary for them.  It is also for us too and we need to see it as such too.

Times of wilderness became an amazing blessing in preparation for great challenges and opportunities.  Daniel, Joseph, David, Jonah, Esther, Noah, Job, Isaac, …    The list is long in scripture and even longer in history of those before us and even in the lives of our contemporaries and families and personal experiences.  Take some time to reflect and write down some of those experiences and examples.  They will encourage and strengthen your faith and resolve to be and stay faithful.

Jesus is not threatened or hindered by  wilderness.  He did not weaken when He faced wilderness during His time one earth enduring the limits and weaknesses of a human body.  He knows and understands our weaknesses and discouragements, but He has the resources and abilities and Will and plan more than sufficient to help and bring us through our wildernesses, both beyond our control and brought on by our own sin and mistakes. 

The most important aspect of wilderness training is having the right Guide. The wilderness doesn’t threaten the Lord Jesus. He created the wastelands of earth, and He formed the vast wastelands of the universe. He inhabits it all, and He knows every step of the way.

Don’t worry today. With God leading us, we can make it through the wilderness.

“My Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I have to do is follow.”  Sidney E. Cox

2/10/21                                  THE RIGHT PATH TO HAPPINESS                                              10                          

• He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he.  Proverbs 16:20

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 16:18-21

¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.¹⁹ Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

²⁰ He who heeds the word wisely will find good,And whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he.

²¹ The wise in heart will be called prudent,And sweetness of the lips increases learning.

COMMENTS:  Pride was the sin that opened the dark door of sin away from God for Lucifer.  He had the status of being the greatest among the angels and second in authority to God Himself.  How the seed of pride was planted in Lucifer’s mind is a mystery, but God obviously was aware of that and allowed Lucifer to be tempted and have free will to reject and turn from his relationship with God even though God knew the consequences for him and for all of God’s creation from that time forward.  Yet, in spite of how destructive Lucifer’s choice caused, God still said of him: “How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! ¹³ You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.^{[b] 14} I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” ¹⁵ But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.         Isaiah 14:12-15

God knew all that would transpire including the final judgment He would have to pronounce on Lucifer (satan) and all who would follow him and be included in that judgment.  He knew when He created Lucifer and He knew when He allowed Lucifer to choose and follow his own pride.  That choice resulted in 1/3 of the angels of heaven to choose to follow him and a majority of humans from each generation from Adam to present.  And yet, instead of bitterness and hatred for Lucifer, God expresses sadness and pity for him, as reflected in Isaiah 14:12-15.

No, God does not desire any to face His judgment and does not enjoy disciplining or even judging His creation.  He delays such as long as can because He knows the pain and suffering such causes them, but still must do so in order to protect and save the rest of His creation.

In contrast, we have many examples of how God helped and protected and brought a very good destination to those who walk life’s journey with Him obeying Him and being in and staying in relationship God faithfully and completely.  Daniel and Joseph and Esther and Mary (mother of Jesus), Job, Noah, Enoch, Elijah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, ….  The list goes on and on.   None of them were protected from suffering but that suffering did have limits in intensity and duration.  Job gives us clear evidence of the source and reason for suffering.  I wonder about conversations satan and Jesus may be having about suffering and temptations that come my way especially some days.

Adeli Julie Green Thompson is 105 years old but still is a powerful matriarch for her family setting the example of reading her daily devotions and praying faithfully each day and sharing stories from her past of God’s faithfulness.

Trusting God is a tonic for the body, mind, and soul. The Bible doesn’t often use the word happy. The biblical writers preferred to write about joy. But Proverbs 16:20 doesn’t hesitate to tell us that trusting God brings happiness to our heart. It enables us to cast our cares on Him, focus on His nearness, feed on His promises, anticipate His coming, and share His message.

No matter what is happening around us, when we trust God, the destination is always very good –  God’s best.  “A key to enjoying the Christian life is connecting the dots between our happiness and God’s provision.”     Randy Alcorn

2/11/20                        CHANNEL DESIRES – DELIGHTS TO GOD                               11

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.  Psalm 37:4

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 4:20-27

²⁰ My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.²¹ Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;²² For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.²³ Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.²⁴ Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you.²⁵ Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you.²⁶ Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established.²⁷ Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.

COMMENTS:  Access to a clean water supply has always been key to life so also key to determining a good location to build a home.  It is as much true today as in biblical times.  Difference is today technology give more options on way of bringing otherwise inaccessible water to location needed.   Pumping water from deep springs or high mountains to an appealing valley chosen to build a town and community wasn’t practical in biblical times until Roman technology came into play.

But building a distance from water supply may be practical but water pipeline becomes vulnerable to mischief by individual’s desires to bring harm.   Satan desires to bring you and me harm.  The more distance we put between God and us, distance in time frequency of fellowship – distance from fellow believers and worship time with them, distance in exposure to His Word and fellowship; then the more vulnerable we become to satan’s distractions and temptations and deceptions.

What is even more dangerous when we become insensitive or even comfortable with allowing ourselves to become exposed to temptations or at least to distractions from accessing God’s nourishment and living water frequently.  We allow ourselves to become “dehydrated” spiritually, which results in fatigue and weakness and more vulnerable to sickness and disease.   Hydration with pure water is essential to physical health and longevity.   Likewise, hydration with living water in His Word is essential to our spiritual health and longevity.   Living water that will flow from us to others if we are tapped into the source of that water.

David’s words in Psalm 37 relate to the change that happens in our heart as we drink that living water of His Word and Spirit.  By doing so, our minds and souls begin to change from an evil – selfish driven motivation to a God centered unselfish motivation for our conduct and choices and conduct.  The difference is like night to day but certainly is from evil to good.  Let’s face it, good behavior brings out good behavior in others.  In contrast, evil or hateful behavior brings out the same in others too. 

God wants to delight in meeting the needs of His children, in satisfying them with every good thing (Deuteronomy 26:11).

“Though the gracious soul still desires more of God, it never desires more than God.”  Matthew Henry

2/12/21                            FAITH IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCES                                            12

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.  Romans 8:28

Recommended Reading: Acts 16:25-34

²⁵ But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. ²⁷ And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. ²⁸ But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”

²⁹ Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

³¹ So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” ³² Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. ³³ And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. ³⁴ Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.

COMMENTS:  Job’s story is a powerful story of Job’s faithfulness no matter what , but it is also an important insight into God’s purpose in suffering and satan’s sinister purpose in exposing us to suffering.  God’s purpose is to prepare and strengthen us for greater purpose and work.   Satan’s purpose is to destroy us and bring grief to God.    Satan is the one who decided to  take Job’s family and even his health.  Job is the one who persuaded Job’s wife to yield to the suffering she experienced and suffering she could not bear seeing Job endure. 

You might ask, why did God even listen to satan?  Why didn’t He simply kick him out?   God’s   ways are always best and Good but seldom can be fully understood or explained because He is beyond our comprehension.  Leave it to say Job didn’t understand either but trusted God  enough to simply do what He knew God wanted.  To “Trust and Obey” and leave it at that until God chose when and how to reveals the purpose and reason for his suffering.   Job’s wife advised Job to curse God and die.  Job’s friends blamed him for committing some hidden sin as the reason for his suffering. 

God honored Job’s faithfulness, but strengthened Job too.  Not initially by giving him  relief but by first reminding Job  of God’s vast power and eternal perspective.  God  reminded Job that God is the creator of all from eternity past  to eternity future.  God reminded Job that God was worthy of his trust and worship and obedience.  Then and only then did God stop the suffering and restore and even multiply all that satan had taken from Job.  The only  thing that could not be replaced were his dead children.  God gave Job more children but the loss of his 10 children would not be  resotred to him until he would join them in heaven. 

God honored Job’s faithfulness but also made Job’s story part of our bible, which means Job’s story has been a source of inspiration and encouragement and strength to every generation since.    I believe there is a reason why Job is the oldest book in the bible.  Job was a real person and his story did happen. He was righteous and upright and feared God—the greatest man of his era. Yet he suffered miserably when all he had was taken away (Job 1–2). But he refused to curse God, believing both God and himself to be free of blame for his condition (Job 2:10). When his suffering ended, his faith was rewarded (Job 42:10-17). Job’s troubles gave him a clearer vision of God than when he lived in ease.

Job’s story was a jewel in God’s mind and crown and a wonderful source of knowledge and insight to every generation and has been key in helping millions in every generation come to a relationship with God like Job’s.

When you go through troubles, believe God will use them for good (Romans 8:28). Wait patiently and expect to see the outcome of your faith.

“It’s a weak faith that only serves God in times of blessing.”  Ray Stedman

2/13/21                                                           BLESSINGS                                                   1 

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.  Lamentations 3:22-23

Recommended Reading: 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ⁵ For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. ⁶ Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. ⁷ And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.

COMMENTS:  Have you ever taken the time to notice and count your blessings.   As an old hymn says, count your many blessings and see what God has done.   Miracles are defined as those things that rarely happen but are not explained by natural laws of nature.  Natural law may explain why storms and severe weather happens but not why some lives and property is spared and others are not. Physical healing may be described as a miracle when all medicine and other means of treatment and healing are exhausted.

But, I believe, God’s greatest miracles happen every day and even though are common, they are no less miraculous.  The sunrise, life, the beauty of the season and how God’s creation comes to life each spring, birth and growth and ability of the body to heal.  But most of all, the miracle of the transformation God’s Grace and forgiveness brings.  The miracle of God’s indwelling Holy Spirit orchestrating that positive change and and ongoing daily guidance to anyone at any time willing and open to receiving His help and all at the same time and all the time without pause or rest. 

It is miracle how God uses evil to bring us good.

It is a miracle how we can reason and think and process information about our environment.  

So I invite you to take some time and reflect and ponder the blessings and ways God has been involved in your life and has both helped you manage crisis or helped you avoid crisis.

No matter your trial—illness, unemployment, family struggles—God is still blessing you. The blessing may come through a comforting verse in His Word or through an encouraging card from a friend. It might appear in the unexpected gift from a family member or the worship song sung at church. His blessings are all around us. These small blessings are not so small when they bring great joy to our hearts, but perhaps the greatest blessing we receive during times of trial is the blessing of drawing closer to God. As we trust Him and cling to His promises, our relationship with the Father deepens. What an indescribable blessing!

“We are ever surrounded by undeserved blessings. Even in His silence, [God] blesses us.”Erwin Lutzer

2/14/21   GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING BUT WE NEED TO TELL HIM EVERYTHING   14                           

I cry out to the Lord with my voice; with my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.  Psalm 142:1 Recommended Reading: Philippians 4:6-7

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

COMMENTS:  A common questions is “If God knows everything, then why do we need to share our thoughts and concerns and problems with Him?   Why do we need to pray?”

Well, why should children bring their problems and questions to their parents when the same questions and input from their parents already?

Prayer and worship for the believer is nurturing a vital life giving relationship with our Creator and Savior.  We desperately need that relationship.  Our physical and spiritual health desperately depends on and thrives when we nurture that relationship daily.   God passionately wants that relationship with each of us.  The information we share with Him is information He already knows and far more, but by telling Him, we open ourselves to receive what we desperately need to know or be reminded of from Him.   How often do we gain insights and encouragement from our close friends from just sharing to a listening ear without them even responding with words?   A smile and hug is what is needed and hearing ourselves often makes us see the right thing to do in response.

If that be true as we confide in a friend, why wouldn’t we even more expect the same to be true when we confide in God.  He has a wonderful way of listening and sharing with far more wisdom and compassion and with perfect timing.   He also has a wonderful way of nesting our needs and prayers with those of all others to bring about perfect harmony and fulfillment of His perfect Will, which has our best interest in mind.  So when His response is not immediate, we need to realize He is also working hard so His answer to us is not destructive to others and their needs and prayers.

Besides, from an eternal perspective, isn’t if far more important that we and those we love make it into heaven and bring more along with us than to enjoy short term comfort and pleasures.  

When David was anointed king, King Saul tried to kill David to block his ascension to the throne. On one occasion, David hid in “the cave of Adullam” (1 Samuel 22:1) to escape the murderous Saul. In Psalm 142, we have a record of David’s prayer to God while he was hiding from Saul. And what a prayer! Surely it is an example of what Paul wrote about in Philippians 4:6-7—don’t be anxious, but through prayers and supplications let your concerns be made known to God. And just as David was guarded in a “stronghold” while he prayed (1 Samuel 22:4), so the believer is guarded by the peace of God as we commit our concerns to Him (Philippians 4:7).

Don’t be afraid to tell God your deepest needs and concerns. By example and exhortation, the Bible encourages that very thing.

“Anxiety and prayer are more opposed to each other than fire and water.”   J. A. Bengel

2/15/21           PRAY WHILE WAITING ON THE LORD                               15

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8

Recommended Reading: James 1:22-25

²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; ²⁴ for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. ²⁵ But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

COMMENTS:  Timing is a key part of obedience.  How often we starting praying much later than should have and yield to temptation of impatience and act ahead of God instead of waiting on Him, with disappointing or even tragic results. 

I am so grateful the most important decisions I have made were made with prayer but also included waiting on the Lord.  I came to the Lord at a very young age because of the foundation my parents gave me from their own faith and example.   An influence before teen years took hold.

Finding a wife was not a priority for me until I completed my formal education at age 21, but by then I had a mind set to seek and follow God’s choice.  That choice came 4 years later thru a mutual friend and sister in Christ who my wife knew from church camp and I knew from work.   I later discovered that friend had felt God’s leading 2 years earlier.  The delay is an interesting story but is evident to the fact that God’s plan sometimes is delayed due to our lack of listening but is certain if we remain faithful and resolved to “Wait on Him” even if we miss opportunity.

This is not the only personal example I could share but am more certain than I was then, some 45+ years ago, to follow the advice of the famous hymn “Trust and Obey” – Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey.

Well, the urgency of our prayers does drive us to act more impatiently and ahead of God, but waiting on Him is vital to learning “Trust and Obey” and choosing God’s Best instead of settling for something less or even opposite.

Take some time to reflect and recall and gain wisdom from the examples from your own life.  I also encourage you to also re-discover the examples from scripture like Daniel’s or Joseph’s in contrast to King Saul’s, as some examples.

God has a wonderful way of turning even our most foolish and sinful choices into good choices or at least providing “do-overs” to enable a course correction from a path of disobedience into a life giving path of obedience.   What that means for me is likely different than for you, but if we both choose His path, the destination for both of us will be the same – Heaven bringing along others we will influence (He will influence thru us) along the way.  After all, the most important reward, which we will treasure in Heaven most, will not be wealth or a beautiful home.  It will be others whose life impacted us positively and others who were positively influenced by our lives directly and even indirectly.  It will be living with and being near Christ along with our loved ones and those who will become our loved ones in heaven.  To be a child in His family.  AMEN?  AMEN!

The Holy Spirit who inspired the Scriptures will expect obedience to the Scriptures. A. W. Tozer

   

2/16/21            PERSECUTION AND TRIALS BRING OUT THE BEST OR THE WORST        16

So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.  Acts 11:26

Recommended Reading: Acts 11:19-26

¹⁹ Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. ²⁰ But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. ²¹ And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

²² Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. ²³ When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. ²⁴ For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.

²⁵ Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. ²⁶ And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

COMMENTS:  Have you ever wondered why diligence of reading and meditating on scripture and why spending time in prayer every day is such a hard habit to maintain and such an easy habit to brake?  I still find that to be true, but the commitment to keep this journal has been the best and most successful tool to keep me accountable and motivated to maintain the habit of daily prayer and bible reading each day these past 8+ years.  Before that, I would have lapses lasting days or sometimes even weeks before would wake up and start again.  Life has a way of crowding God out especially when work and family and other commitments stack up and sleep time becomes the place to subtract time to get back into this vital recharging practice.  Even retired, I find other demands but also my own openness to spending time with Christ become stale and fatigued too.

Habits can be a bad thing but good habits can also be reinforced and aid in sustaining them.   A term I hear often as a Parkinson’s patient is the importance of repetition to develop “muscle memory” which means my brain needs to develop pathways so I don’t have to concentrate to get muscle to function properly.  In order to accomplish that, much of my therapy involves doing more than one task at a time or stretching and doing things over and over again that have become physically difficult to do. Repetition makes them easier to do over time, but also need to be reinforced by doing them regularly so the ability to do them does not fade or get lost.

The same is true of our devotion time of study and worship and praise with God.

Likewise, determination to be faithful in times of persecution and trial whether internal or from external sources forces us to determine the importance of our faith and decision to make sacrifice to sustain it.  The goal of heaven and importance of winning others along the way so they will not be lost comes into focus and becomes of greater purpose demanding greater sacrifice.

When times are peaceful and resistance is light, energy to continue is light and spiritual muscles are not worked hard enough to strengthen.  But during times of trial and persecution, greater force is needed to grow and accomplish goal, which demands greater effort and results in stronger muscles.  Such is true physically and is true spiritually.  Christianity grew and believers accepted Christ in greater numbers when persecution was stronger and suffering for their faith in Christ was worse.  The reason is the mind set and choice comparing the benefits of accepting Christ and eternity in heaven after short term suffering weighed against the consequences of accepting short term peace but eternal judgment later.  The same is true in countries inflicting the worst persecution of Christians compared to countries where little persecution is endured.

You and I don’t know the future but we know that One who not only does but has control of the future.    Trusting Him not only means trusting Him during crisis but trusting and obeying Him each day –  when doing so comes at little cost as well as during times when cost is great.   We need to be mindful doing so consistently is brief because a lifetime is not long but eternity is forever, which is a very long time.

So let’s exercise our spiritual muscles and minds by obeying and sharing the Good News.  But first beginning each day in prayer and devotion.   When we look at the early Christians, we realize they were weak and fearful and lacked courage until they accepted Christ’s forgiveness and let the Holy Spirit guide and encourage and give them courage.  As Paul said, “to live is Christ and to die is gain” Those who would kill us only gives us a fast track to heaven.  Those that would inflict pain and hardship on us only causes us to draw closer to Christ as our strength and friend and guide and source of courage.  Christ is no only here physically but His Holy Spirit is and His Holy Spirit is not limited like Christ was in His physical body.   Christ took on the divine attributes, which He forfeited while on earth, when He returned to heaven.   The Holy Spirit He commissioned to earth when He returned to heaven, abides with every Christian at the same time with power and abilities Christ could not while in human skin. That is why Christ said to His disciples they would be able to do more than He did for they will have the Holy Spirit to encourage and strengthen and guide them.

WE ARE NOT ALONE AND ARE NOT ABANDONED. WE ARE LOVED AND ARE IN A FAMILY, A HOLY FAMILY ESTABLISHED BY GOD HIMSELF.

 “When you open your Bible, God opens His mouth.”  Mark Batterson

2/17/21                                          GOD KNOWS                                               17

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Matthew 10:30

Recommended Reading: Psalm 139:1-10

139 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.² You know my sitting down and my rising up;You understand my thought afar off.³ You comprehend my path and my lying down,And are acquainted with all my ways.⁴ For there is not a word on my tongue,But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.⁵ You have hedged me behind and before,And laid Your hand upon me.⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;It is high, I cannot attain it.

⁷ Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?⁸ If I ascend into heaven, You are there;If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.⁹ If I take the wings of the morning,And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,¹⁰ Even there Your hand shall lead me,And Your right hand shall hold me.

COMMENTS:  As humans, we tend to put greater value on those things that are rare and hard to get. However, things in abundance that we need and depend on more tend to demand little value to us or thought. Water and air are two such things. Both are abundant and available at little cost in most of the world but we would die if deprived of them in a short time.

So where would we be if God viewed and treated you and me like that simply because we are among billions of earth’s living humans and can be replaced by a command from His mouth or voice.

No, He hold us as precious to Him because He loves us and knows how much we desperately need Him.   Does a parent love each child less when there are 12 siblings in a family than if only one?   No, a good parent has the capacity to love each child equally.

Well, did the Cross cost Christ more since His sacrifice was for people in every generation than if that cost was for one or a few just in His generation and time?  I can’t understand it, but believe it did.  But I’m so glad He did, because that means you and I and our families and friends and beyond are included in His offer of forgiveness and redemption.  

Well, we are now in the Holy time of Lent, when we prepare for Holy Week and Easter Sunday.

The psalmist David knew enough about the immensity of the universe to know that God is everywhere and knows everything. David confesses in Psalm 139 that it is impossible to hide from God; He sees us wherever we are—beginning with our first heartbeat in our mother’s womb. Jesus amplified this truth when He encouraged His disciples not to be afraid. Not even a sparrow falls without God’s knowledge, and He knows the number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:29-31)!

So God knows us like none other but still loves us more passionately than anyone else could.

Yes, the world and the universe are big—but God is bigger! Never forget that He knows you and your needs.

“If one thing lies at the basis of the whole biblical teaching about God, it is that God knows all things”J. Gresham Machen

For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.   Luke 6:43

2/18/21                               GOOD FRUIT OR BAD FRUIT         18            

Recommended Reading: Matthew 7:15-20

¹⁵ “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

COMMENTS:  We live in a time when technology is enabling nearly everyone to communicate with nearly anyone anywhere in the world.  World event are reported almost as they happen globally.  50 years ago who could have imagined communication visually and audibly by a computer the size of a notebook.  But then again, 50 years ago we watched men walking on the moon by television, which could not have been imagined 50 years before that.

But even though communication is amazing, what is not is the deteriorating or lack of a solid standard to define and identify truth from lies.  The Bible has been the standard to judge right from wrong and evil from good and truth from lies / deceptions, but deceptions and lies have seemed to prevail for a time in each generation.  Today is especially dangerous because evil and deception has a powerful tool to spread deception globally via the internet and mass communications.

BUT MASS COMMUNICATION IS ALSO A TOOL GOD IS USING TO SPREAD HIS GOOD NEWS AND LIFE GIVING REDEMPTION.   GOD IS PATIENT AND LONGSUFFERING BECAUSE HE LOVES US ALL AND DESIRES EACH TO RECEIVE HIS GRACE AND MERCY.   The prodigal is evidence of God’s longsuffering and patience.  But the parable of Lazarus and the rich man also shows us God’s patience and longsuffering will not last forever because the evil satan is allowed to do has a limit in time and intensity.   God wants each of us to have free choice but to also know what is at stake.  To know the eternal life, He offers and the eternal death satan denies but exclusively delivers.

The Gospel message is the theme of the New Testament entirely but the Old Testament also is the story of God’s faithfulness, man’s unfaithfulness, and restoration when man repented and sought God’s mercy.  Many try to preach redemption by works and deny scripture or even the existence of God.  Many deny creation had a divine creator.  Many think man’s accomplishments overshadow creation.   They think belief in God is a primitive world view that man has outgrown, but what does historic evidence tell us.   What does today’s news tell us?  Without God in the lives of people, modern technology becomes tools for evil instead of tools for good.  Without God’s compass to guide us, good is judged to be evil and evil is judged good.  As more and more in society reject God and His Word, society and human behavior will continue to deteriorate and violence and family and decent life giving behavior will continue to deteriorate.  Such is foretold in the later days prior to Christ’s return, so we can expect the future to get darker but rejoice, because that future will not last forever and a much brighter future awaits those who accepted His redemption on the other side of the grave.  If in doubt of your salvation, pray and ask anew and seek that assurance from Him.  That assurance will come as we spend more time with Him studying His Word and praying and doing what His Word and instruction tells us.  The make the Beatitude a manual of conduct and Christ’s life an example to begin pattering our lives from.  That is a bid start and a lifelong goal and endeavor.

When we fail due to distraction or weakness or temptation, His mercy and forgiveness is still in force and Holy Spirit ready to forgive and pick us up and guide us back on the “straight and narrow” path, so don’t let discouragement cause you to give up.   Remember, He won’t give up on you and will get us to the best destination if we simply let Him guide us.

There is a long list of modern metaphors and sayings that have their origin in the Bible. One of the most widely known is the picture of a wolf disguising itself as a sheep: a wolf in sheep’s clothing. That image comes from Jesus (not from the fables of the Greek Aesop), meaning you can’t judge people by how they appear but rather by the evidence of their life.

In the same sermon, Jesus paralleled that image with another—the kind of fruit a tree bears: “You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16). He went on to expound that grapes don’t come from thorn bushes or figs from thistles. Only “good” trees bear “good” fruit, and “bad” trees bear “bad” fruit. These weren’t lessons on raising sheep or harvesting fruit, they were lessons about people. The works or fruit or actions of a person ultimately will reveal who he or she truly is. As Paul would later put it, these are the works of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26).

These ancient metaphors are directly relevant for us. If our walk does not match our talk, we will eventually be found out by the type of fruit we produce for the Lord.  So let the fruit and conduct of teachers and preachers and leaders and friends of influence prove their credibility and words by their actions and consistency of how they live.  If they don’t live as they preach, look instead to one who does.

The solid foundation worthy of basing our lives and future on is Christ and His Holy Word, the Bible.  His life is the only perfect example worthy of following.  His Word is also the one and only perfect instruction Book for life.  Other examples and instruction and council books can be helpful and of value but only if they support scripture and support Christ’s example.  To do otherwise is settling for inaccurate instruction or second best.  To settle for the fruit of a tree that is attractive but has bitter fruit.

“Fruit is evidence of the root.” John Blanchard

2/19/21                                                A MULTITUDE OF PRAISE                                       19

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.  Psalm 33:1

Recommended Reading: Psalm 33:1-9

33 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!  For praise from the upright is beautiful.² Praise the Lord with the harp;Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.³ Sing to Him a new song;Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

⁴ For the word of the Lord is right, And all His work is done in truth.⁵ He loves righteousness and justice;The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

⁶ By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.⁷ He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses.

⁸ Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.⁹ For He spoke, and it was done;He commanded, and it stood fast.

COMMENTS:  The power of “Thank You” is significant. Only one of the 10 lepers Jesus healed took the time to turn from the excitement of being healed to say “thank you” to Jesus.   The response of thanks was a word of encouragement and confirmation to Jesus but was an expression of gratitude that uplifted the leper too.   The time it took to properly express gratitude was insignificant but the impact of doing do is still rippling today.  We are far too stingy on expressing gratitude to those who serve and help us.   We expect waitresses at restaurants and cashiers in stores and nurses and doctors in hospitals to serve our needs faithfully with little or no positive response from their patients.  Their need for gratitude and fulfillment is mostly seeing their patients recover or restored enough to return home.

But what about expressing gratitude to God for all He has done and continues to do faithfully day after day, year after year, generation after generation. It is easy to take those who are faithful for granted because we can depend on them.  Our time and attention goes to the less reliable and less predictable people and situations because we know they will fail if we don’t.   It almost seems reliability is punished and unreliability is rewarded.

Yet, consider how unappreciated God has been from ancient times and continues to be in spite of how faithfully He continues to provide life and all needed to sustain life and far more each and every day.

During this time of Lent, let’s make worship and praising and thanking Christ for all He has done and continues to do.   He is so worthy and we are so dependent on Him.   We so need to express our gratitude to Him for our benefit but also to bring Joy and love back to Him.

Charles Spurgeon once told of an old clergyman who said that a line of praise was even better than a page of prayer—that “praise was the highest, noblest, best, most satisfying, and most healthful occupation in which a Christian man could be found.”

If that’s true, how can we praise the Lord as we go through the day?

When we look out our morning windows, we should pause enjoy God’s creation with all its beauty and thriving life.  Every ray of sunshine, every cloud, every drop of rain, every snow flake—all crafted from the artistry of the Almighty. When we have our breakfast and eat our meals, we should pause to thank God for His generous nature, for He provides us with everything to enjoy. Everywhere we go, we should sing a song of praise, even if it’s simply in our mind. As dusk and darkness ushers the close to another day, we should remember God’s faithfulness.

Praising our Savior strengthens our faith, steadies our nerves, and minimizes our troubles.

“He surrounds you twenty-four hours a day. He is in you, with you, about you, before you.” John R. Bisagno

2/20/21                                      FEAR NOT                                                   20

 I will help you.”Isaiah 41:13

Recommended Reading: Psalm 27:1-5

27 The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?² When the wicked came against meTo eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell.³ Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me,In this I will be confident.

⁴ One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life,To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.⁵ For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.

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COMMENTS:  There are over 300 instances in the Bible of commands to “Fear Not”.   Some of them are in the Old Testament like Isaiah 41:10,13; Psalm 37:1; Psalm 23:4; and some in the New Testament like Matthew 24:27; Philippians 4:6; Matthew 6:25; which include words like fret or worry to describe fear of evil.  Psalm 23:4 specifically commands us not to fear evil.

Instead God instructs us to only fear Him, for only He has control of our eternal future.  Proverbs 9:10 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  Wisdom in seeing God’s council and instruction and commands are always true and best because they reflect God’s love and faithfulness as well as God’s infinite wisdom – knowledge – experience – discernment.  The source of the evil we fear is from satan, for the fear that we have either fear of harm or danger.  But then again, when we do evil, fear come in the form of fear of getting caught or exposed or punished.  But over time satan not only makes temptations harder to resist but numbs the conscience that deters us from sin.   Satan even tries to convince us that evil is good and good is evil.

So how can we have a love and viable relationship with God while fearing Him? It would seem fear would come from guilt for sin.  Fear comes from being vulnerable or powerless to a greater force.   So why shouldn’t we fear satan more than God since God loves and desires good for us while satan only desires evil and death?

I do believe the fear the Bible tells us to not do relates to the paralyzing fear of evil and dangers satan puts in our path while fearing God involves respecting His power over us.  Fear of our parents is not intended to live in terror of harm and hurt they physically are able to do, but fear of just punishment they may do in order to deter sinful and harmful behavior.

Yet, a far more powerful deterrent to sin and rebellions against God’s commands is true towards God as well as those we love.  Sin brings harm to the innocent too, include includes bringing sadness to God. To break God’s heart by sinning will deter us from sinning because love motives to bring joy and encouragement to those we love and not pain and grief. 

So, the closer to Christ we grow, the more like Him we desire to be and the more we desire to please and obey Him.  Likewise, the more like Him we are, the more we see His perfection and realize how far from perfect we still are.  Yet, He provides His Holy Spirit to guide and encourage and strengthen and lighten our path so we can and will turn from remaining imperfect and sinful thoughts and habits and conduct and conversation going forward. 

When He provides forgiveness for our sins, paid for on the Cross and activated when we accepted His forgiveness, that forgiveness continues as we grow in our faith.                                                                                                            

“We cannot go where God is not. Look over your shoulder; that’s God following you. Look into the storm; that’s Christ coming toward you.”  Max Lucado

2/21/21            THROUGH IT ALL GOD’S LOVE GIVES US LIFE!                                     21

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us … made us alive together with Christ.  Ephesians 2:4-5 Recommended Reading: Colossians 3:1-4 3 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. COMMENTS:  God has perfectly planned our future and our future home.   He is furnishing it with who   is precious to Him and us.  He is furnishing it will all we need to enjoy heaven and its occupants fully.   He is furnishing it with anticipation as He also plans on residing there with us. When we consider that, then what we endure and problems we encounter here seem so much less significant or important.  But today’s problems do demand attention and require God’s wisdom to guide us to the best resolution.  Yet, instead of seeking His help and council all the time, we tend to only seek His help when all else fails, when we’ve tried everything we can think of and all have failed. So instead of throwing our own resources that God has already offered us, we need to put our focus on what will make eternal difference.   Focus on encouraging and witness with example, with words, and with action and conduct, especially during times of trial and crisis. Crisis is something we try to avoid at all cost, but all too often doing so just puts us deeper into crisis.  The familiar expressions, “You can’t see the forest for the trees” is true of so many situations life throws at us.  We can’t see the path to the desired destination because of all the obstacles and distractions satan and others keep throwing at us.   Distractions that demand immediate attention and keep us from attacking problems logically and one at a time based on proper priorities and urgency. God not only provides help and council and wisdom that is based on His will and experience and knowledge, He provides a way that seems foolish to world thinking but has perfect logic and purpose.   After all, the God who created a universe of perfect order and function, who created our bodies, all our surroundings and so much more, is more than able to help and guide us through our problems and needs no matter how great and overwhelming they are to us. There are many people physically alive today who are without God and without hope in this world. We are in the 40-day period of Lent leading up to Easter Sunday morning.  Consider ways to give them hope during this “month of love”—a gift, an encouraging word, an act of service, or the Gospel. Because of your love, you might see them come alive in Christ. “The gospel is not a doctrine of the tongue, but of life.”  John Calvin   .

2/22/21                                              ALWAYS JUST                                             22                                                     

As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him; He is excellent in power, in judgment and abundant justice; He does not oppress.  Job 37:23

Recommended Reading: Genesis 18:25

²⁵ Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”                                    COMMENTS:  Job is considered one of the oldest, if not the oldest, Old Testaments books in our bible.   Not oldest w.r.t. to time when Job lived but oldest when written down and preserved.  Job helps us understand the mind of God a bit better and His perspective.    Job didn’t understand until later why he had to suffer one tragedy after another, nor why God permitted that suffering.  He couldn’t recall a sin that motivated such suffering, in spite of what Job’s friends accused him of.   Job had a close enough and time proven relationship with God sufficient to trust God completely.  Enough not to become angry when he lost all his livestock and home and all 10 of his children and all of his worker – servants save one.  Then to lose his health with painful sores. All without a word of encouragement or explanation from God.  All he had was accusations of his friends.

Job felt he was unjustly accused and likely felt so from God because at the end of his time of suffering his grief and pain began to overwhelm him.  But instead of God encouraging him, God reminded him of God’s perspective and might.    He reminded Job how vast His domain and power and wisdom and knowledge was.  How vast His power and influence was, so Job could trust the outcome of his suffering would come.

God did stretch Job’s faith and endurance to its limits, but not beyond.

God then restored Job’s health and riches and even replaced his children.  God didn’t restore his dead children, but gave Job assurance his dead children were safe and he would one day be   with them again.

No, life is not fair from our perspective, but God isn’t fair either and we need to be glad He isn’t.  God isn’t fair but He is merciful and longsuffering.  If He was fair and just without mercy, we would all be dead and facing judgment. 

God’s longsuffering resulted in Him waiting for us to accept His offer of redemption and eternal life.  He is still waiting for others to come, but scripture warns us the time of waiting is not eternal.  One day soon, His judgment will begin and then His justice will come upon all those who refused His mercy or put it off too long.

If God was only just, He would only need to offer redemption one but since His justice is delayed as long as possible, His mercy is offered countless times to one and all.

Job, and we through his story in scripture, ultimately discover that justice and righteousness is the issue, not fairness is not the issue. Was it fair for Job’s family and livelihood to be destroyed for seemingly no reason? Not on the surface. But beneath the surface (which Job didn’t see until the end of his deep dive into God’s character), God was being just in His judgments and His use of power. It was more important for Job to know God than to have his life of smooth sailing be undisturbed. At the beginning of Job’s saga, he was angry with God for being unfair. By the end, He was worshiping God as the all-powerful Creator and Judge of all things (Job 42:1-6).

Here is the “takeaway from Job: God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). But even when we don’t understand His ways, we can trust in His character.

“There is nothing that I have done that can stand the touchstone of God’s justice.”  John Bunyan

2/23/21                                 HUNG ON NOTHING                                                          23

He hangs the earth on nothing.  Job 26:7

Recommended Reading: Job 26:7-14

⁷ He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing. ⁸ He binds up the water in His thick clouds, Yet the clouds are not broken under it.⁹ He covers the face of His throne, And spreads His cloud over it.¹⁰ He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters, At the boundary of light and darkness.¹¹ The pillars of heaven tremble, And are astonished at His rebuke.¹² He stirs up the sea with His power,And by His understanding He breaks up the storm.¹³ By His Spirit He adorned the heavens; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.¹⁴ Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?”

COMMENTS:  The world and beyond from the smallest particle to the entire universe reflect the nature and character of God.  It also reflected the damage done by satan and continues to do so.  Satan has attempted to destroy God’s creation for thousands of years.   He has inflicted some damage but has not been able to go beyond limits God has put on that damage.  As satan was not permitted to inflict harm on Job beyond a pre-established limit,  satan has been limited in such a way over the milleniums.  But truth is, we have the option to limit satan’s influence by how obedient we are to God. Much of the mischief satan does today is because we let him and even invite him.

In spite of that, the beauty and complexity and majesty of God’s creation is overwhelming.  The beauty of nature and how  well live thrives is overwhelming evidence that God still exists and is deeply involved in His creation.

He is also involved and busy creating a heavenly home for you and me.   He is preparing a  home more wonderful than the best available on earth, even portions less impacted by satan’s influence.

Well, since God has made such a magnficient earth for us to live on, why shouldn’t we trust Him for  the home He is preparing for us today?  His faithfulness  is sure, and He so deserves our worship and praise but also our obedience.

We are progressing through Lent, a perfect time for reflection and revival and discovery.  Spend some time each morning and evening with God.  Time in prayer – time in His Word – time listening – time reflecting on all He has already done for us – time discovering how He loves and sustains us….

 Creation reveals God’s majesty to us. We can see His handiwork in the tiniest creatures He has made, but it’s the vastness of the universe that truly boggles our mind. The Bible says, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made” (Romans 1:20). 

The Lord has surrounded us with His majesty—the blades of grass beneath our feet, the twinkling stars above our head. We’re surrounded by His beauty and grace, which should always remind us of His power and glory.

How majestic is His Name!

“As in all things, the Bible is absolutely correct when it teaches about the universe.” Jason Lisle

2/24/21                                THE LORD GAVE ME PEACE                                                24                                         

Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.  Romans 15:33

Recommended Reading: Romans 16:25-27

²⁵ Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began ²⁶ but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith— ²⁷ to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.

COMMENTS:  Christian persecution is common and almost a “way of life” endured in much of the world.  But in the “free world” where democracy reigns, Christian persecution is much milder and more subtle.  Respect for Christian values and those who sincerely followed them was most common just a few years ago but recent years has faded with the influence of humanism being taught in schools and influencing government policies and laws.

The results of such has been an increase in violence and crime in general along with loss of respect for Christians values and those who faithfully follow Christ.

Well, we are told in scripture that in the days approaching Christ’s return, good will be judged as evil and evil judged as good in society and those who follow Christ will be persecuted, as they were in early church.  So God is aware of the condition of His followers, but is even now using their pain and suffering and persecution as a way of drawing others to accept His redemption and forgiveness.

Well, God is reminding us that suffering is only for a brief time, but benefits will be enjoyed for eternity.  Benefits that are measured in the changed lives and future of countless individuals impacted and transformed by those suffering for their faith and the way they conduct themselves in the midst of such suffering.   That is how Christianity grow so quickly and explosively in the first Century and in every century since where persecution was worst, as is still the case today.   Conversions to Christianity are greatest in Muslim ruled and dominant countries, in Communist countries, and in African countries where suffering of every type is dominant and common.  The genuine proof of the Bible’s truth is primarily in the way God’s faithful followers thrived in the midst of suffering and persecution.  During times of peace and prosperity, that difference is less evident but during times of danger and suffering, the difference Christ makes becomes much clearer.

Well, I am no more willing to seek and ask for suffering than you are. It is much too painful to seek out, but how we respond when it does come makes all the difference in how well we endure it and how effective our witness will be to others when we do face it.  We need to prepare for it, because suffering will come sooner or later to all.   We prepare by getting closer to Christ and seek and obey His instruction each day.   He will help us avoid suffering from poor choices and courageously face suffering from choices beyond our control.  Choices that impact us made by other.      

Only a true follower of Christ can understand how we can have peace in every situation because of Him.

“The world can create trouble in peace, but God can create peace in trouble.”  Thomas Watson

2/25/21                   RAVENOUS FOR REVELATION?                                      25   

Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.          Jeremiah 15:16

Recommended Reading: Hebrews 5:12-14

¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. ¹⁴ But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

COMMENTS:  Most Christians have become content with a shallow relationship with God as well as just an occasion study of scripture.  Likewise, most Christians depend on their pastor or a TV or radio bible teacher for their instruction and study instead of developing their own time for study and prayer.   Prayer become a call for help in time of need instead a 2 way communication and fulfillment with relationship more than just seeking our needs be met.

But as we look at those who stood out like Joseph and Daniel and Elijah and Samuel of the Old Testament, or Mary and Paul and John and Peter of the New Testament; we notice the difference or transformation in their lives that caused their faith to stand our as being above the norm.  They spent time in prayer and study daily seeking and worshipping God and trusted God enough to step out in obedience when led to do so.   They faced a time of real testing and hardship or suffering,  which seem unjust or unfair but was used by God to stretch and exercise them into a higher level of fellowship with Him.  Do you know some today that also stand out for their faith and obedience?  Take note of what in their thinking and communication and action / conduct that stands out.   What also stands out about the impact of their lives on others?

For me, my parents and sister are at the top of my list. There were also a few pastors, a couple of teachers, 2-3 radio/TV pastors, and 2-3 relatives that also had a powerful positive influence on me. 

My wife, Arlene, and even our two children also were vital too.  Both the list doesn’t end there.  I’m sure your list is long too.   Likewise, the impact you and I have on others may be forgotten by us, but continues we said or did something that greatly impacted them and is not forgotten by them.

Awhile ago, a father and grandfather (who was in our church youth group) shared his fond memories of that group.  We had forgotten and didn’t realize impact of those years continues now rippling from that grandfather to his children and grandchildren.

The entire Bible—Genesis to Revelation—is a pantry for the soul. It’s God’s menu for our mind and heart, manna for every morning and bread for every night. When we hunger and thirst for Scripture, God richly feeds and sustains us with His nourishing Word.

“Dear Father, teach me to hold fast to the Word of life. Give me a hunger for Scripture and fill me with discernment and understanding so that Your truths will shine light into my daily walk.”  Kay Arthur

2/26/21                           JESUS’ WORK CONTINUES                                                                 26

The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.  Acts 1:1

Recommended Reading: Galatians 2:20-21

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. ²¹ I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

COMMENTS:  The recorded life and work of Jesus is primarily focused on His 3 years of ministry, which are the last 3 years of His mortal life.  His death and resurrection are well documented, as is Hi ascension.  However, Christ’s work continues in every generation since.  Initially through His disciples and then through all His faithful followers. Their power and inspiration is provided by the Holy Spirit but ongoing through His “hands on” attention and continual prayers as our advocate to the Father.   He also continues to prepare our eternal home for us.

God is not only perfect and incomprehendable in power and creative abilities and accomplishments, He is inexhaustible creative.  He makes each life, especially human life, unique.  No person is identical to another even spanning from Adam & Eve to present.  You and I are truly unique and different from everyone else.  God has not exhausted His imagination or ability to create each of us special and unique from everyone else.  Not only are we unique, Jesus wants to use our strengths and weaknesses, our idiosyncrasies and quirks, our gifts and talents, our abilities and disabilities in unique ways too. 

We are uniquely created by God to serve Him, and we should never bemoan the way we are. Let Him have control over every part of your life and ask Him to work through you to His glory today!

“Good works” are those that have their origin in Jesus Christ—whose activity is released through your body, presented to Him as a living sacrifice by a faith that expresses total dependence.  Major Ian Thomas

2/27/21   GOD’S DEMONSTRATED BY MAKING US INSEPARABLE        27

 [Nothing] shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:39

Recommended Reading: John 10:27-29

²⁷ My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. ²⁸ And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

COMMENTS: Today I was listening to a radio program discussing Robbie Zachariah.  Robbie was a well-respected Christian apologist who passed away a couple of years ago. But recently evidence of sexual sin and abuse to many women was revealed, leaving Robbie’s ministry in question and millions of followers of his ministry and work feeling betrayed and giving credibility to those who deny God and faithful followers.   Tragedy is not only with Robbie’s family and followers and any eternal consequences for Robbie, but doubts that will discourage future believers from putting their trust in Christ.

Well, Robbie’s story only confirms how vulnerable everyone is to satan’s deceptions and how important it is to be accountable to Him but also to each other.  Christ is still faithful – the Holy Spirit still is close offering help and strength to overcome temptation. The legacy of Robbie is ruined along with truth and life giving power of his ministry and sincere work over the years.  How he was able to lead such a hidden sinful life while do such effective work is a mystery.  Well, truth is truth and life giving even if given by sinful people, but oh how much better being like Paul or Billy Graham who finished their life’s work faithful and true to the faith.

Satan not only deceived Robbie into thinking he was fooling everyone but now is deceiving millions to doubt Robbie’s writing and preaching and teaching.  Robbie forgot and turned from his own teaching and council.  He failed to seek God’s council every day that he used to.  He failed to make his life open and accountable to others so he could repent before sin took such a hold on him and blinded him completely.

Robbie’s example should remind us all just how vulnerable and weak we all are and how much we need daily fellowship from Christ and His abiding Holy Spirit.  How much we need to be accountable to others too.

John 10:27-28 “My sheep hear My voice… and they follow Me… And they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” Like sheep, we need a shepherd to avoid falling into a pit and danger in our path but blind to us.

“None walk so evenly with God, as they who are assured of the love of God. “  Thomas Manton

2/28/21                     JESUS – THE SOURCE OF LAVISH LOVE                                                   28  

But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.  Proverbs 4:18

Recommended Reading: Romans 8:28-29

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

COMMENTS:  The origin of Lucifer’s fall from God and from being second in power and authority to God to becoming the totally evil – demonic satan is puzzling to us.   Without a satan to tempt him, how did he fall so far?  Well, he chose to.  He decided he was smarter and wiser than God.   He decided freedom to choose his own path and do what he wanted was more important and better than submitting to God’s Will and obeying Him.

In other words, Lucifer turned his back to God and stopped listening to and obeying God.  The vacuum left is like darkness compared to light.   As darkness is the absence of light, so is evil the absence of good – the absence of God.  When satan tempts us, he is distracting us from putting our eyes on Christ.  He tries to persuade us towards the evil he puts in our minds and emotions, but often he only needs to distract us, and the resulting darkness opens our minds to imagine and come up with our own selfish evil ideas to follow.

Satan has powerful abilities to tempt and distract and persuade us, but he can’t and is not permitted by God to force us to sin.  Satan’s powers are formidable and we are no match to for him.   No match for his experience and powers of deception and influence over powerful groups of people and individuals.  He also has an army of demons, who used to be angles.  In fact, 1/3 of heaven’s angels were deceived by satan and left heaven with him long ago before Adam. 

But the good news is satan and his army of demons is no match for God or even one of His faithful angels.  His Holy Spirit is available and committed to each and every one of us.  We only need to ask to access the help and power and strength needed to resist evil and journey down the path of life you and I were pre-ordained to follow.

Darkness is powerful too but is easily overcome and overpowered by light.   When the light comes, danger and the wrong path become clear but the right path becomes clear too.  Have you ever taken the time to get up and enjoy a sunrise?   The darkness seems to last forever and be too strong to overcome.  Then the sky at the horizon starts to show small subtle changes and light seems to start to show life but has little effect on the darkness.  But over the next few minutes the light becomes stronger and brighter and steadily overcomes the darkness next to it.   Then the speed at which the light replaces the darkness increases and if look away or think about something else, the way the light completely replaces the darkness is suddenly missed if not careful.

Isn’t this a powerful way each morning God shows us that He is still in control and providing for us another day.  Even on a cloudy day, light still overcomes darkness and illumines our surroundings sufficiently so we can see and find our way.

Is a miracle any less a miracle if it happens consistently every day?  Well, we define miracles as those things unexplained except by God’s rare or infrequent intervention. So does that mean the miracle of birth or the miracle of a saved life changed for the good, or the miracle of healing or the miracle, or a beautiful sunrise or sunset, or a moon and star lit sky at night, or …. Isn’t a miracle because they happen each and every day?   Is it any less a miracle that we have life and can see and feel and walk and communicate and worship and praise and commune with God Almighty or Lord and Creator and Savior?

Science would say all miracles can be explained without God, especially those that happen commonly, but you and I know better.  Scientists should too and some do, but all too many don’t want to admit what their bias blinds them from seeing.

How obvious is it that a world and life could not evolve without a Designer and Creator and Builder greater than what He has designed and created?  Science tries to explain creation without a creator, but everything and every day SHOUTS HE IS ALIVE AND ON HIS THRONE!  HE STILL RULES!!

Satan’s lies and deceptions, like darkness, cannot survive God’s light.    We do indeed serve an amazing God.

God has a wonderful way of reminding He is near and involved in our lives all the time without exception.   He provides both physical light and spiritual guidance / light all the time when we take the time and give the attention to notice.  The right path He always illuminates so we know the right path He has chosen for us.                                                     “For I am verily persuaded the Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth from His holy word.”   John Robinson

                                                BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING                                       

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.  Ephesians 1:3

Recommended Reading: Ephesians 1:4-14

⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, ⁵ having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

⁷ In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace ⁸ which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, ⁹ having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, ¹⁰ that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. ¹¹ In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, ¹² that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

¹³ In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

COMMENTS:   The world view of pagan religions and atheistic world views is that the Bible is a book of fairytales and imaginations of men.  Genuine Christians who live their faith and maintain a life of integrity and charity were admired and respected 100 or even 50 years ago even though in general their lives were not as often imitated.   But there are countless examples of those in history who accomplished great lasting deeds and good and left an undeniable positive legacy that continues even today.  More hospitals and schools have been established by Christian organizations started by one or a few devout Christians than any other faith or religion or organization.   Unfortunately, many or most of the older schools and hospitals started this way are not recognized with that connection today because their leadership and mission statement has abandoned their Christian roots and foundation completely.  By doing so, they have lost a significant part of their purpose and motivation to excel in educating and healing.

But what was their original purpose and mission?  Well, the same as God intends for each Christian.   To bring praise and worship to God, to live and growing to more resemble Christ’s example.  To be a help and blessing to others and guide and point them to be a Christ follower too. The hope and promise of heaven with all its beauty and joys and joys.   The anticipation of fellowship with our loved ones and followers of    past generations. The joy of a never ending fellowship with our Creator and Savior and Lord.  The reality of a perfect never aging body for eternity.  All this and so much more to look forward to motivates His followers to do His work and Will with passion in the meantime and to encourage others to embrace the opportunity to accept Christ’s wonderful gift of salvation.  Ephesians 1 speak to this.  His followers are blessed in order to be a blessing.  Every generation since Easter morning is filled with many wonderful examples of those who were faithful followers and made a lasting positive difference in their time which impacted younger lives who then did the same.  Those stories will be a part of a wonderful discovery we will learn in heaven and marvel at God’s handiwork through the generations. 

Yes, heaven is wonderful but even more wonderful is God residing there and all His followers will reside there without satan’s influence.

Paul, in Ephesians 1, gave 8 spiritual blessings that come from being a Christ follower:

We are chosen (vs 4)! We are adopted (vs 5)! We are accepted (vs 6)!  We are redeemed (vs 7)!  We are enlightened (vs 8-9)! We are given an inheritance (vs 11)!  We are sealed (vs 13)!   We are secured (vs 14)!   We are blessed in order to be a blessing.  By blessing others, we too are blessed.   The impact we have on other’s lives is the reward that will mean more to us than anything else we receive in heaven.  Having loved ones with us will be more precious than any mansion or reward we are given.  In fact, scripture tells us we will receive a crown which we will place at Jesus’ feet in praise and worship and expression of gratitude back to Him as the source and worthy center of our worship and praise.   We should be a blessing because of the 8 reasons Paul gives us.   The Good News we are called to share is the Good News that God wants to give these blessings to everyone, but they need to simply accept them.  They are free but must be accepted to be of benefit.

Are you blessed today? Yes, in at least eight different ways—blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

“Every blessing God has for man is in and through Jesus Christ. “    A. Lindsay Glegg

Today’s devotion completes another month of studying God’s Word and sharing.  Covid 19 has been causing sickness and death in every country.  In USA, over 100,000 have died in the brief 3-4 months since entered USA.  Some countries have been spared while others have enduring great loss.  Families have been ordered to stay home and loss of income and employment have resulted.  Gathering in groups, including churches for worship, have been outlawed even in democratic countries. 

Now as freedom to work and gather and worship begins to be restored, what have we learned?  Has it drawn us closer to family and to God or further away?  I pray the first. God uses disaster and trials to draw us closer to Him if we let them.  I pray that will be the case in every community and country and in every family and in every church.

As previously, below is the Gideon Bible Reference I have been included in monthly devotions for some time.  I decided to continue including this for benefit of new readers and to continue to make it accessible to any and all who read and share this journal.  I encourage you to use and share as God directs.  If you wish to contact me or access more devotions, below is link to access.   

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/ )

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