Merry Christmas to you!

Luke 1:30-33 (NKJV)

30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

This was the announcement to Mary that she would become the mother of Jesus and it was also a proclamation of the fulfillment of a promise made to King David.

Despite our efforts to keep him out, God intrudes. The life of Jesus is bracketed by two impossibilities: a virgin's womb and an empty tomb. Jesus entered our world through a door marked "No Entrance" and left through a door marked "No Exit."   —Peter Larson

Man’s desire to become like God brought sin and death into the world. We tried to push God out of the world He created, but God wasn’t going to let that happen. Instead God had a plan to bring salvation through a baby born to a virgin mother. The baby would grow up living a sin free life to become the perfect sacrifice. Through no fault of His own, Jesus was condemned to death. The life of a criminal, Barabbas, was spared and Jesus died a physical death in place of Barabbas.

Again, it was Man’s choice. The crowd was offered a choice of whether to have Barabbas or Jesus released from Roman custody. The crowd chose Barabbas to be released and Jesus of Nazareth to be crucified. Pilate who made the decision is portrayed as reluctantly yielding to the insistence of the crowd. A passage found only in the Gospel of Matthew has the crowd saying, "Let his blood be upon us and upon our children."

This Christmas and every Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ into our world. It is a reminder that God stepped down from heaven to become man and to live among us. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God continues to call out to us offering His salvation and freedom from sin. Christmas is that special time of year to celebrate God’s gift to us; the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Barabbas was set free because of Jesus Christ and we too can be set free from sin because of our faith in Him.

This time of year I take several weeks off from writing my devotions to remember God, Christ, family and friends. Before I close the year, as a friend, I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas. I pray God would bless you this Christmas season with peace and joy. Let us give glory to God in the highest, and on earth show peace and good will towards all people. God bless you, each and every one. – Art

Words helpful for you and others

Proverbs 10:32 (NLT)

32 The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words.

The righteous person speaks words helpful and beneficiary to others. A good person will bring forth wisdom in the lives of others. The proverb then speaks of the wicked who use perverse words which provoke and bring up controversies.

"He made drinks sparkle, desserts shimmer, and Richard M. Nixon look less shadowy—all with meticulous tricks of lights." So begins an obituary for Imero (or "Immie") Fiorentino, the man who was called "the maestro of lighting" and "The Picasso of lights and strobes."

Because he usually worked quietly behind the scenes, most Americans have never heard of him. But when Fiorentino died at the age of 85 on October 1, 2013, he had served as an adviser to every president from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Bill Clinton. His work had illuminated some of the biggest entertainers of his day, including Frank Sinatra, Bill Cosby, Neil Diamond, Barbara Streisand, and Muhammad Ali. He orchestrated the lighting behind everything from Walt Disney's Epcot Center to TV commercials for Jell-O and ginger ale.

But if it wasn't for the encouraging words from one of his high school teachers, Mr. Fiorentino's career may have ended before it started. The New York Times records what happened:

Several months before graduating from high school, he found what he thought was an empty shell casing in the street. Wanting to make it into a key chain, he took a soldering iron to it. It was a live round. Shrapnel from the explosion pierced his right eye, blinding it. He despaired of being able to work in lighting. Then one of his teachers, visiting him in the hospital, told him, "You're going to be the best one-eyed lighting designer ever." "I can do that," Immie replied.

Due to those words of encouragement, Mr. Fiorentino went on to earn a bachelor's degree in theater from Carnegie Tech in 1950. On graduating, he was hired to teach theatrical lighting at Indiana University, and from there his career took off. [Adapted from Margalit Fox, "Imero Fiorentino, Lighting Designer Who Mastered Television, Dies at 85,' The New York Times (10-13-13)]

The right word, said at the right time will often bring life to a person and give them hope they had lost. Today let me encourage each of you that God has a purpose for your life. There is something important for you to do that will benefit others and give joy to your own life. Don’t give up on life, but embrace life and let the love of God fill your hearts. Allow God’s wisdom to speak to you that you may speak wisdom to others. All of you are precious, all of you are loved, and all of you have gifts of life that can be shared with others. May God bless you, keep you safe and guide your life in a positive way.

Doubt and Faith

1 Corinthians 13:12 (NLT)

12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

We live in an imperfect world and. The imperfect world clouds our mind with things that confuse and puzzle us. Like trying to perform actions in a mirror we often move opposite to what is correct. We are limited to the range of view of the mirror and to the size of the reflection. But one day things will come into full and complete view that we may fully know God and the things that were in this world.

As long as you have faith, you will have doubts. I sometimes use the following illustration when I'm speaking. I tell the audience that I have a twenty-dollar bill in my hand and ask for a volunteer who believes me. Usually only a few hands go up. Then I tell the volunteer that I am about to destroy his (or her) faith. I open my hand and show the twenty-dollar bill. The reason I can say I am destroying his faith is that now he knows I hold the bill. He sees the bill and doesn't need faith anymore. Faith is required only when we have doubts, when we do not know for sure. When knowledge comes, faith is no more.

Sometimes a person is tempted to think, I can't become a Christian because I still have doubts. I'm still not sure. But as long as doubts exist, as long as the person is still uncertain, that is the only time faith is needed. When the doubts are gone, the person doesn't need faith anymore. Knowledge has come.

I tell the audience that this is exactly the point Paul was making in his first letter to the church at Corinth: "Now we see [that a 'knowing' word] but a poor reflection [now we have confusion, misunderstanding, doubts, and questions] … then we shall see face to face [we don't see face-to-face yet]. Now I know in part [with questions and doubts]; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (13:12). [John Ortberg, Faith & Doubt (Zondervan, 2008), pp. 139-140]

Faith comes with doubts. Just because we have doubts does not mean we don’t have faith. However, it does mean we are looking at an imperfect world we cannot trust. We do not know if what we are seeing is a complete and whole picture. When truth is revealed to us our doubt is removed and our faith is no longer required. We become complete, just as God knows us completely.

Ambassador, Mediator, King

John 14:6 (NLT)

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Here Christ tells gives us the statement of His purpose, He is the way to eternal life, He provides the truth about God the Father and He is the life we should follow. Fallen man must come to God as a Judge, but cannot come to him as a Father, otherwise than by Christ as Mediator.

Someone once asked the question, “Are you more aware of other’s sins than your own?” I’m afraid sadly there would be many of us who would say – Yes. It becomes easy for us to see the sins of others, but we fail to see our own faults, our own prejudices and our sin that God so despises.

Amazingly God’s heart is gracious towards us. For God gave His only Son, Jesus Christ to become a sacrifice for our sin. Although we deserved God’s wrath, because of God’s love, mercy and grace towards us he appointed Jesus Christ as King of Kings, Ambassador, a Divine Mediator between man and God.

In stories about Sparta, we find there were more than one king at Sparta, who governed by joint authority. A king was occasionally sent to a neighboring state as a Spartan ambassador. Did this king cease to be a king of Sparta, because he was also an ambassador? No, he did not divest himself of his royal dignity, but only added to it that of public deputation. So Christ, in becoming man, did not cease to be God; but He still continued to be King of the whole creation and served as the voluntary Servant and Messenger of the Father.

Don't become a captive!

Proverbs 5:22 (NLT)

22 An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him.

We can see that a person becomes held prisoner by their own sins. For like ropes to hold and bind, sin holds a person by the consequences of their actions. They are slaves to sin; a prisoner to their own desires.

Mr. Holland's Opus is a movie about a young, frustrated composer in Portland, Oregon, who takes a job as a high school band teacher in the 1960s in order to provide for his family. Diverted from his lifelong goal of achieving critical fame as a classical musician, Glenn Holland (played by Richard Dreyfuss) believes his school job is only temporary. At first he maintains his determination to write an opus, composing at his piano after putting in a full day teaching. But, as family demands increase and job pressures multiply, Mr. Holland recognizes that his dream of leaving a lasting musical legacy is merely a dream.

Throughout the movie, Mr. Holland's relationship with his wife is in throes, due in part to raising a deaf son. While directing the school musical, the middle-aged teacher is intrigued by the musical skill and physical beauty of a senior named Rowena. As he affirms her abilities, Rowena becomes attracted to him. She tells her teacher that she has decided to move to New York City in pursuit of her own dreams, but she wants him to go with her. Rowena tempts him with the chance to escape the constraints of his current life and finally be able to write music. After the final performance of the musical, Mr. Holland meets her at the local drug store where the bus picks up passengers. Her eyes light up as she sees him approach, but then notices that he has no luggage.

"You pack light," she jests.

Mr. Holland doesn't acknowledge her attempt at humor, but hands her a slip of paper with the name of a couple he knows in New York where she can stay.

"This isn't the way I imagined it," Rowena reluctantly admits.

"But it's the best way," Mr. Holland says, finding the inner strength to resist temptation.

That evening, Mr. Holland walks into his bedroom where his wife appears to be sleeping. He looks tenderly at her and says, "I love you." His wife looks up at him and responds, "I know." Aware of the victory he has won by honoring his wedding vows, he takes his wife in his arms and holds her.

[Mr. Holland's Opus, (Hollywood Pictures, 1995), rated PG, written by Patrick Sheane Duncan, directed by Stephen Herek; submitted by Greg Asimakoupoulos, Naperville, Illinois]

James 4:7 tells us, “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” When we are humble are desire to sin diminishes.

Jesus is the light of the world!

John 8:12 (ESV)

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

There is a sun that illuminates the world and takes away the darkness. There is also the Son of God that illuminates the lives of people and takes away the darkness they walk in. The visible light of the world is the sun, and Christ is the Sun of righteousness.

I am the light of the world, the founder of the Christian religion said. What a stupendous phrase! And how particularly marvelous today, when one is conscious of so much darkness in the world! Let your light shine before men, he exhorted us. You know, sometimes ... someone asks me what I most want, what I should most like to do in the little that remains of my life, and I always nowadays truthfully answer--and it is truthful--"I should like my light to shine, even if only very fitfully, like a match struck in a dark, cavernous night and then flickering out." [Malcolm Muggeridge in Jesus Rediscovered. Christianity Today, Vol. 41, no. 11]

Many of us become so wrapped up in our own issues, problems and daily routine that we forget there are those wandering lost in a dark world. There are many who do not know the love, mercy, and grace of God. They don’t understand the concept of salvation that brings them eternal life with God in heaven.

Jesus Christ said He is the light of the world. Jesus Christ came to reconcile man with God by providing light on the word of God that man could clearly see. 

Know Jesus and never thirst again

John 6:35 (ESV)

35 Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

To believe in Christ is to come to Christ. For it is not just knowledge of Christ that saves, but a firm belief that eternal life through Christ can be found.

The town of East Porterville may be the hardest-hit place in California's punishing drought. Of its 7,300 people, almost 1,000 have no running water. Groundwater levels have plunged by 60 feet or more in some spots, and tens of thousands of wells are in danger. But few knew that until 72-year-old Donna Johnson started driving around town and asking neighbors, "Hi. Do you have water?" Again and again, the answer was no.

When Johnson's well ran dry in June, she and her husband had no idea they were part of something bigger. "I guess I was just oblivious to how bad it had gotten," she said. But that changed when she started stopping to listen. At the local gas station, for instance, she tuned into conversations and kept hearing, "So-and-so's well ran dry."

In July, Johnson decided to put together a list of people out of water in East Porterville. The local paper ran an article that gave her phone number and address and said she was collecting bottled water for drought victims. The next day there were pallets of plastic bottles under her tarp carport. Johnson recruited a neighbor to make the deliveries. The calls from people needing water came as quickly as the donated bottles.

Families would call at midnight and say "We're completely out of water" and she'd go and take some. When she drove up to one local driveway she asked her typical question: "Hi, do you have water?" "A little," a woman named Veronica said. "But if two people take a shower, it's done." Eight people live in the small, water-deprived home. After the Johnson dropped off the water they told her, "Thank you for the water. We didn't know where to go. We're grateful." [Adapted from Diana Marcum, "'Hi, do you have water?' In a Central Calif. town, answer is often no." LA Times (9-18-14)]

There are those who thirst for a happy eternal life spent with God in heaven. Many of us walk around each day not realizing there are those in our community who thirst for eternal salvation. We have come to think everyone should know the source, but as seen above some people didn’t know where to get their thirst satisfied for something as basic as water. Take time and share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others and help them learn about God’s gift of eternal salvation.

The Son has spoken

Hebrews 1:1-2 (ESV)

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

Here the apostle begins with a general declaration of the excellency of the gospel dispensation above that of the law, which he demonstrates from the different way and manner of God's communicating himself and his mind and will to men in the one and in the other: both these dispensations were of God, and both of them very good, but there is a great difference in the way of their coming from God. [Matthew Henry Commentary]

 Thomas Brooks was an English Puritan preacher and author in the 1600s. Though he's best known for his many books and theological treatises, we have several of his sermons in print, some of which are funeral sermons. In one funeral sermon, Brooks reminds his listeners that for the believer, death not only ceases to be our conqueror; death actually becomes God's meek helper. He wrote: "Death is another Moses: it delivers believers out of bondage, and from making bricks in Egypt." He continued:

Remember this—death does that in a moment, which no graces, no duties, nor any ordinances could do for a man all his lifetime! Death frees a [person] from those diseases, corruptions, temptations … that no duties, nor graces, nor ordinances could do …. Every prayer then [when we die] shall have its answer; all hungering and thirsting shall be filled and satisfied; every sigh, groan, and tear that has fallen from the saints' eyes shall then be recompensed. That is not death but life, which joins the dying man to Christ!

There is an importance to understanding The Gospel or Good News of Jesus Christ. For the Gospel gives us Good News of an eternal life; a life lived free from the problems of the world. This freedom came through Jesus Christ, God’s son, who was appointed heir of all things.God’s Son has spoken and has told us how to have victory over death and live eternal life in heaven.

Do you know Christ?

John 1:1-2, 14 NLT

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

These verses remind us that Christ was fully God and existed with God before living among us as a man. Christ’s love for us was unfailing. He gave His life that we could be free from sin.

Joshua Bell emerged from the Metro and positioned himself against a wall beside a trash basket. By most measures, he was nondescript—a youngish white man in jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and a Washington Nationals baseball cap. From a small case, he removed a violin. Placing the open case at his feet, he shrewdly threw in a few dollars and pocket change as seed money and began to play.

For the next 45 minutes, in the D.C. Metro on January 12, 2007, Bell played Mozart and Schubert as over 1,000 people streamed by, most hardly taking notice. If they had paid attention, they might have recognized the young man for the world-renowned violinist he is. They also might have noted the violin he played—a rare Stradivarius worth over $3 million. It was all part of a project arranged by The Washington Post—"an experiment in context, perception, and priorities—as well as an unblinking assessment of public taste. In a banal setting, at an inconvenient time, would beauty transcend?"

Just three days earlier, Joshua Bell sold out Boston Symphony Hall, with ordinary seats going for $100. In the subway, Bell garnered about $32 from the 27 people who stopped long enough to give a donation. [Gene Weingarten, "Pearls Before Breakfast," The Washington Post (4-10-07); submitted by Stephen Nordbye, Charlton, Massachusetts]

Christ appeared to the world for all to know The Good News of salvation. However, there are many people who still do not recognize Christ for who He is. Christ died to save us from the sins of the world. Share the news with those who do not know Christ. Pray for those who do not know Christ. Most of all praise Christ for the wonderful works He has done. May those who don’t know Christ come to know Him.

An honest answer

Proverbs 24:26 (NLT)

26 An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship.

An honest answer tempered with wisdom is always the best answer to give. For like a kiss of friendship an honest answer is trusting and shows the affection of friendship.

After interviewing business leaders at over 100 companies, the authors of a 2012 Harvard Business Review article concluded: "Smart leaders today … engage with employees in a way that resembles an ordinary person-to-person conversation." According to the authors, an essential part of "ordinary person-to-person conversation" involves listening well and getting honest feedback.

They use the following story as an example: James E. Rogers, the president and CEO at Duke Energy, instituted a series of what he called "listening sessions." In a series of three-hour meetings, he invited the people he led to raise any pressing issues. He also asked for their brutally honest feedback about his own leadership performance. The authors of the article wrote:

He asked employees at one session to grade him on a scale of A to F. The results, recorded anonymously, immediately appeared on a screen for all to see. The grades were generally good, but less than half of the employees were willing to give him an A. He took the feedback seriously and began to conduct the exercise regularly. He also began asking open-ended questions about his performance. Somewhat ironically, he found that "internal communication" was the area in which the highest number of participants believed he had room for improvement. Even as Rogers sought to get close to employees by way of [conversation], a fifth of his people were urging him to get closer still. True listening involves taking the bad with the good, absorbing criticism even when it is direct and personal—and even when those delivering it work for you. [Boris Groysberg and Michael Slind, "Leadership Is a Conversation," Harvard Business Review (June 2012)]

It is not always easy the listen to the honesty of others. Sometimes it hurts a little when someone gives us some constructive criticism to help us grow. It’s not always pleasant to hear our faults and know that we have imperfections. The truth is none of us are perfect. We all have faults and flaws and if we can just listen and for the areas where we need to change we can start growing into something better. All of us have room for improvement so open your arms wide to an honest answer.

Stop corrupt talk and build up others

Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Filthy and unclean words and discourse are poisonous and infectious, as putrid rotten meat: they proceed from and prove a great deal of corruption in the heart of the speaker, and tend to corrupt the minds and manners of others who hear them; and therefore Christians should beware of all such discourse. [Matthew Henry]

This morning I was listening to a video blog by Karamo Brown. Karamo Brown is a television personality, single father of two boys and prides himself on being a trusted friend. I enjoy listening to him.The question he posed was “Are White People Wrong For Using The N-Word?” This blog was prompted by a video of a 15 year old Justin Bieber who flippantly used the N-Word in an interview.

While Justin apologized for his comments there were still many people who were hurt. The corrupted words that came out corrupted the thoughts of others into disgust and hatred. The words did not encourage, but discouraged those who were offended.

Karamo made a statement I liked, “Stop teaching those that are ignorant that their ignorance is OK.” In other words, no matter who you are, don’t use language that makes it seem acceptable for others to use.

I’m white and personally the N-Word offends me. If someone asked me have you said it, I would have to admit I have. There is no denying it. I was raised in the South and it was a word I often heard as a kid. I may have repeated it. I may have used the word to indicate something was rigged up in an unacceptable manner, but at no time did I used the word towards another person. As I have grown older, I won’t even use or repeat the word.

I can tell you how messed up all this is. I went to see a black comedian who I enjoyed watching on TV. My wife and I were 1 of 3 white couples at the shows. Several black comedians came out to perform their routines and most used the N-word. It was used so many times that night I couldn’t even give you an estimate of the number of times it was used. Embarrassing to me, blacks sitting around us laughed when it was used. In this instance my wife and I were the ones feeling uncomfortable about a word we dislike.

So Karamo is right, we need to keep away from corrupt talking so as to build up others. If others hear us tear ourselves down and laugh others are most likely going to learn to do the same. Let us all learn to say things that build each other up and not hurt one another. I love encouraging others and the best way to encourage is to use affirming words.

Would you take a stand with me not to use words that tear down people? Would you instead help build up people and affirm them so they know they are valuable? For God the Father sees everyone as precious and valuable and so should we.

If you are weary, don't give up!

Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

The apostle gives encouragement to the Galatians. Though we all grow weary in our efforts to do well; there is a benefit to not giving up. We must press forward with good hope that we can accomplish what we set out to do.

R. L. Russell writes in “Triumphing over Trials”, John Claypool, when he was the preacher of the Crescent Hill Baptist Church here in town, had a little daughter who suffered with leukemia. When she went into remission, everybody thought maybe God had healed her. On an Easter Sunday morning she went into a terrible recurrence. In his book, Tracks of a Fellow Struggler, Claypool relates how for two weeks his daughter was wracked with pain, her eyes swollen shut. She asked him, "Daddy, did you talk to God about my leukemia?"

He said, "Yes, dear, we've been praying for you."

She asked, "Did you ask him how long the leukemia would last? What did God say?"

What do you say to your daughter when you can't help her, and the heavens are silent? Emotionally and spiritually he was exhausted. A few hours later, she died. The following Sunday morning, John Claypool got into the pulpit to preach. I've heard the tape. It's one of the most powerful sermons I've heard. He preached on (Isaiah 40:31), which says, "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Dr. Claypool said something to the effect, "There are three stages of life. Sometimes we mount up with wings as an eagle and fly. We're on top of the world. Sometimes we run, and we don't grow weary. We just go through the routine. Sometimes it's all we can do to walk and not faint, and I need your prayers and your encouragement."

At the moment John Claypool was at his lowest, he preached probably his most influential sermon. Perhaps his greatest contribution came at his darkest hour. He could have said like Paul, "For when I am weak, then I am strong."

There are some of you reading this thinking, “It is all I can do to walk and not faint today.” You have been through some tough struggles. Maybe life has been unfair in various ways and you just seem to be pushed to the bottom of life’s barrel.

But let us always remember, “When we are weak, then we are made strong.” The grace and mercy of Christ comes through in those difficult moments to life us up and keep us moving.

For those who are struggling, I pray God will minister to you, comfort you, calm you, nurture you, and care for you. Even when you don’t feel like loving yourself, just know God loves you more than you will ever know.

God's purpose will prevail

Proverbs 19:21 (NLT)

21 You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.

This proverb tells us that we can make all the plans our heart desires, but if The Lord has a purpose that needs to be fulfilled that purpose will prevail over our plans.

Many of us have grown up hearing the story of Jonah and the whale. The Bible says, “The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai:  “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”

As a prophet it was Jonah’s mission to spread God’s word to other areas. God has chosen Jonah to go to Nineveh to speak against the great wickedness taking place there and to give the people a chance to repent towards God. Yet Jonah wasn’t happy with the mission he was assigned. He knew the wickedness of Nineveh and in his mind believed the city deserved whatever consequences it might receive.

So what does Jonah do? Jonah pays for a fare on a ship heading the opposite direction. Jonah was determined to go as far away from Nineveh as he could. I’m sure he thought if I’m not there, surely I can’t preach to the people of the city. And if I can’t preach to the people then they can’t repent.

God had different plans for Jonah. A violent storm came up tossing the ship Jonah was on all about. While the crew attempted to keep the boat under control Jonah slept. The crew called to their gods, but no help came. They threw the cargo overboard in hopes of making the ship lighter, still the storm persisted. They woke Jonah to pray to his God for help. They were desperate, so desperate they cast lots to see who might be the cause of their problems.

The Bible then says, “When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit. “Why has this awful storm come down on us?” they demanded. “Who are you? What is your line of work? What country are you from? What is your nationality?” Jonah answered, “I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.” The sailors were terrified when they heard this, for he had already told them he was running away from the Lord. “Oh, why did you do it?” they groaned. And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, “What should we do to you to stop this storm?” “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.”

Jonah decided he would just surrender to the sea instead of going to Nineveh. So they threw him over and a great fish swallowed Jonah and took him to Nineveh.

After being in the fish for 3 days and nights, time Jonah was ready to preach to the city of Nineveh and when he did The Bible says, “The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow. When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes.”

Despite Jonah’s determination to avoid helping the city of Nineveh, The Bible says, “When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.” God’s purpose had prevailed despite the plans of Jonah.

Stop and pray

Philippians 1:4 (NLT)

4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy

In the opening letter to the Philippians the apostles greets them and then shares with them that when he thinks of them, he prays from them. It is a joyful thing for him to remember his friends and give prayers to God on their behalf.

When I was little we use to visit my grandmother’s sister on occasions. Her husband’s name was Charlie. As it was customary to do before a meal, Charlie would say the blessing. Charlie’s blessings were short and sweet. He always gave a blessing quick enough so everyone could start eating. It was the intent of Charlie’s heart that counted.

When we pray for others it does not have to be complicated and drawn out. Prayers can be simple remembrances for the needs of others. We can do as the apostle did and when we think of someone and their need, we can stop and pray.

Often I have friends tell me they kept me in their prayers over the week. I am always appreciative for those who pray for me because I know they were thinking of me. They took the time to ask God to fill specific needs in my life.

In turn I also pray for people. As people run across my mind I stop and say a prayer for them. Sometimes I am asking God to answer a need. Sometimes I am asking God to heal a person. Other times I might be asking God to provide comfort and safety. Whatever the request I know God hears and will respond appropriately.

Never hesitate to remember others in your prayers. Pray for their safety, their health, their emotional needs, marriage or whatever thought crosses your mind. For The Bible tells us that God hears the prayers of the righteous. And while you are at it, remember your own needs and pray for them as well.

God's word provides direction

Psalm 119:105 (NLT)

105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

Psalmist reminds us that God’s word guides people in good ways. His word helps them not trip and stumble as they go through life.

There have been people throughout history who have tried to destroy the words of God. Scrolls and Bibles have been burned in an attempt to keep people from the knowledge of God. The Bible even speaks of King Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, who burned the scroll of Jerimiah. Yet God had Jerimiah dictate another scroll that lasted thousands of years.

People are afraid of God’s word for it holds truth, wisdom and knowledge. It also talks about man and his failures and the troubles that comes when man does not follow the wisdom of God. It talks about the punishment man receives as consequences for his action. These words put fear into man and they believe that just by removing God’s word they can also remove God.

However, God is always present and can always redirect man. God has put His Holy Spirit among men that his word is present in their hearts. They know right from wrong and it becomes their decision to make the right or wrong choice.

Choose today to follow the words of God for they shall make a path in your life that will lead you to a prosperous and rewarding life. Let God direct the ways of your life.

Love for the other person

Proverbs 14:29 NLT

29 People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness.

There are those whose fiery passion is unbridled and invoked without notice to others.  It can come in an instant without explanation and shows great foolishness on the part of the person when their temper rages.

A simple but marvelous illustration of nonirritable love took place during a baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Washington Nationals during the 2009 pennant race. Phillies fan Steve Montforto was sitting with three-year-old daughter Emily when a foul ball curled back into the upper deck. Montforto leaned over the railing to catch his first and only foul ball—every fans dream. But when he handed the ball to little Emily, immediately she threw it back over the railing and down into the lower deck. Everyone gasped. Monforto himself was as surprised as anyone to see her throw the ball away. But rather than getting irritated with his little girl, he did what a loving father should do: he wrapped his daughter up in a tender embrace.

This is the way God loves us. He puts gifts into our hands that we could never catch for ourselves. Without realizing what we are doing, sometimes, we throw them away. Yet rather than getting irritated with us, he loves us again. Then he gives us the freedom to go love someone else with the same kind of love. He even gives us the grace to go back to people who throw our love away and love them all over again. [Phil Ryken, Loving the Way Jesus Loves (Crossway, 2012), page 58]

Anger is what many psychologists call a secondary emotion, because behind the anger are other emotions pushing a person towards anger. For the father above instead of being surprised, he could have been easily disappointed to have lost the ball he wanted so much to catch. Disappointment could have turned to anger and then anger could have exploded with criticism towards his daughter. Instead even though he was surprised about his daughter’s actions; he had the understanding to control any anger and show love towards his daughter. Let us all learn to stop our emotions before we reach anger by understanding our triggers and learning to turn our feelings towards love for the other person.

Live a free and honorable life

1 Peter 2:15-16 (NLT)

15 It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you. 16 For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.

A Christian must endeavour, in all relations, to behave himself so as to put to silence the unreasonable reproaches of the most ignorant and foolish men. [Matthew Henry’s Commentary]

In the Navy there is a term Liberty, which means time off from the daily routine of work. However, there are certain rules that must be followed for Liberty, especially for new graduating recruits.

1. Graduating Sailors may not smoke, drive, or consume alcoholic beverages while on   liberty.

2. Graduating Sailors must stay within a 50-mile radius of RTC.

3. Graduating Sailors must remain in their complete uniform while on liberty. If they are engaging in physical activity or swimming, they must be in authorized Navy issued workout gear.

4. Recruits reporting to A School at Training Support Center Great Lakes will detach from RTC on Friday.  All other recruits will depart on Saturday.  To get the most accurate information please contact your recruit.

5. Families may not enter the base after graduation and will need to meet graduating Sailors for liberty at the main RTC gate.

6. Graduating Sailors departing RTC for follow-on training the same day as graduation or in a duty status will be granted limited on-base liberty.

7. Graduating Sailors receive an in-depth liberty briefing prior to their graduation day.

So while they have freedom to go out and enjoy life, there are rules they must follow or they will face the consequences for their misconduct.

In the same way Christians have a freedom or liberty in their lives. They have been made free from the slavery of sin. However, their lives should still reflect an honorable life that would silence accusations brought about by anyone.  Christians belong to God and should therefore act as one of God’s children.

Love does not give up

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)

4 Love does not give up. Love is kind. Love is not jealous. Love does not put itself up as being important. Love has no pride. 5 Love does not do the wrong thing. Love never thinks of itself. Love does not get angry. Love does not remember the suffering that comes from being hurt by someone. 6 Love is not happy with sin. Love is happy with the truth. 7 Love takes everything that comes without giving up. Love believes all things. Love hopes for all things. Love keeps on in all things.

The apostle expresses that he could do acts of charity, but without love there is no meaning behind his work. So in there verses he provides a description of what love should look like.

Apologist, author, and speaker Josh McDowell writes:

Tolerance says, "You must approve of what I do." Love responds, "I must do something harder: I will love you, even when your behavior offends me."

Tolerance says, "You must agree with me." Love responds, "I must do something harder: I will tell you the truth, because I am convinced 'the truth will set you free.'"

Tolerance says, "You must allow me to have my way." Love responds, "I must do something harder: I will plead with you to follow the right way, because I believe you are worth the risk."

Tolerance seeks to be inoffensive; love takes risks. Tolerance glorifies division; love seeks unity. Tolerance costs nothing; love costs everything.

Two items the apostle points out shows the tenacity of love. He says, Love does not give up; and Love keeps on in all things. Think of the life of Christ. Even with all the harsh comments made by religious leaders, Christ kept going and never stopped loving people. In the face of death Christ did not give up, but instead surrendered Himself to the will of God and gave His life out of love for us.

Over the years I have seen families divide over their own pride. Often it was because someone felt wronged and neither side wanted to release their pride to give in. Marriages have broken up because one or both of the spouses were only thinking of themselves. One would get angry over what the other was doing and could not let go of that anger.

It is easier to tolerate something than to love something; but over time tolerance grows old and starts to break down. There gets to be a point where people give up and stop trying. Instead of tolerating people around you, let us all try to learn to love the people around us. We still keep safe boundaries to protect ourselves, but we can still love in the right an appropriate ways even with boundaries.

Look away from the world

1 John 2:15-16 (NKJV)

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

The apostle gives a warning to not love the world of things of the world. The world is corrupted by sin and our natural self is often drawn to the sin in the world. Our focus should be on God and His desires; for our stay on earth is but a moment compared to the eternity of a life in heaven.

Richard S. Halverson, the former U.S. Senate Chaplain, used to challenge people with the following image:

You're going to meet an old man [or woman] someday down the road—ten, thirty, fifty years from now—waiting there for you. You'll be catching up with him [or her]. What kind of old man are you going to meet? He may be a seasoned, soft, gracious fellow—a gentleman who has grown old gracefully, surrounded by hosts of friends, friends who call him blessed because of what his life has meant to them. Or he may be a bitter, disillusioned, dried-up old buzzard without a good word for anyone—soured, friendless, and alone.

That old man will be you. He'll be the composite of everything you do, say, and think—today and tomorrow. His mind will he see in a mold you have made by your beliefs. His heart will be turning out what you've been putting into it. Every little thought, every deed goes into this old man.

Every day in every way you are becoming more and more like yourself. Amazing but true. You're beginning to look more like yourself, think more like yourself, and talk more like yourself. You're becoming yourself more and more. Live only in terms of what you're getting out of life and the old man gets smaller drier harder crabbier more self-centered. Open your life to others, think in terms of what you can give, your contribution to life, and the old man grows larger, softer, kindlier, and greater.

[Daniel Henderson, The Deeper Life (Bethany House Publishers, 2014), pp 165-166]

What is in the past is there and has been left behind. It is unchangeable and permanent. However, the future is not fixed. As each day comes we can make it into something beautiful that creates in us a loving, gentle, kind and gracious person. Let us strip away our pride and give our hearts to The Lord that He would mold up and shape us into what He wants us to become. Look away from the world and look towards The Lord.

God bless America?

Jonah 1:1-3 (NKJV)

1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

The people of Nineveh were wicked and God told Jonah to go pray and preach to the city that they might return to God. Jonah didn’t want to, instead he chose to “pay” the fare to go the opposite direction that God desired him to go.

The other day I wrote a devotional about praying for all people. A friend asked, “How does this square with the preponderance of people praying that "God bless America"?”

I believe we all need to be praying for America, but not just for blessings, but that we would know God and that this country would find a revival of God in our lives. We should desire God’s wisdom, justice and liberties. For when God is with us, who can be against us?

We should also remember to pray for countries stricken with famine and disease. We need to pray for those who are less fortunate and need care. We should pray they too would know God’s love, acceptance and salvation. For understanding God can turn the hearts of people from wickedness to something beautiful just as the preaching’s of Jonah did in Nineveh.

As Christians we are all ambassadors for Christ. Our lives are to represent Christ and we are to spread His message of salvation to all people. We are not to selfishly think of just America, but of other countries and other people. We are to take actions to help those we pray for.

Irving Berlin wrote the song “God bless America”. Irving was a Russian Jewish immigrant. Nicolass II, the Russian Tzar had revived anti-Jewish pogroms of brutality.  As a child, Irving had watched his home burn. His family fled to America, which became a safe haven. It was in that understanding that “God bless America” was written. Berlin's daughter, Mary Ellen Berlin-Barrett, states that the song was actually "very personal" for her father, and was intended as an expression of his deep gratitude to the nation for merely "allowing" him, an immigrant raised in poverty, to become a successful songwriter.

President Nixon was the first president to use the words, “God bless America”, in a speech. In the heat of Water Gate, Nixon finished a damage control speech by saying, "Tonight, I ask for your prayers to help me in everything I do throughout the days of my presidency," he said. "God bless America and God bless each and every one of you." As we know there were later consequences for the unlawful actions that had been taken. I don’t believe God blessed America through those actions.  

So while it is not a bad thing to say “God bless America”, we need to keep our focus on God and less on America. For God is our provider, our deliverer and our salvation. Let us all praise God and that all people would turn to Him.

Let's start praying for all people

1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NKJV)

2 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

Here the Apostle Paul reminds Timothy to pray for all people. They are to plead on the behalf of their needs and also give thanks for all people. Those in authority should especially be prayed for. These prayers are for a peaceful life lived in godliness and reverence.

In When Being Good Isn’t Enough, Steve Brown writes: Early in my ministry I counseled a woman who, some twenty years before, had been unfaithful to her husband. For years that sin had haunted her. I was the first person she had ever told about it. After we talked and prayed for a long time, I recommended she tell her husband. (That, by the way, isn't always the advice I give. In this case, I knew the woman's husband and knew that her revelation, after the initial shock, would probably strengthen their marriage.) It wasn't easy for her, but she promised she would tell him. "Pastor," she said, "I trust you enough to do what you ask, but if my marriage falls apart as a result, I want you to know I'm going to blame you." She didn't smile when she said that, either.

That's when I commenced to pray with a high degree of seriousness. (I pray best when I'm scared.) "Father," I prayed, "if I gave her dumb advice, forgive me and clean up my mess." I saw her the next day, and she looked fifteen years younger. "What happened?" I asked. "When I told him," she exclaimed, "he replied that he had known about the incident for twenty years and was just waiting for me to tell him so he could tell me how much he loved me!" And then she started to laugh. "He forgave me twenty years ago, and I've been needlessly carrying all this guilt for all these years!" Perhaps you are like this woman: you've already been forgiven years ago, but you don't know God's forgiveness. Instead, you've been haunted by a load of guilt for years.  [Steve Brown, When Being Good Isn't Enough (Lucid Books, 2014), pp. 10-11]

Prayer is a powerful tool we all have at our disposal. The Apostle reminds us to pray for all people. Those prayers should include us, our families, our friends, our leaders and even those who have wronged us. Jesus told us, “whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.”

Prayers can be spontaneous, they can be deliberate, that can be silent, and they can be spoken with others that they may agree in spirit with the prayer. Prayers can tell God about the joys of life and praises you have for God. Prayers can also relay disappointments and painful experiences that you desire God to heal.

God may not always answer our prayers the way we desire, but God has a plan for those prayers to answer them for our good. 

Love one another through good deeds

Roman 13:8-10 (NKJV)

8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

The apostle sums up many of the Ten Commandments by saying “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” For we all want what is good for our lives and if we supply the same to others hopefully they will be appreciative for the things we do and extend the save favor to others.

An act of kindness at a Starbucks drive-thru in Florida inspired an 11-hour chain of paying-it-forward.

A woman drove up and paid for her own iced coffee at 7 a.m. Wednesday at a St. Petersburg store, and also asked to pay for a caramel macchiato for the driver behind her, who then did the same for the next customer.

After a few people continued the chain, the employees started keeping a tally on a piece of paper by the window.

By 1:30 p.m., 260 people had paid it forward, according to the Tampa Bay Times, ordering their own drinks and paying for one for the stranger behind them. After people ordered their drinks and drove up to the window, barista Vu Nguyen explained that the drink had already been paid for and asked if they'd like to return the favor. In total, 378 people agreed to keep it going.

The baristas thought that if the chain lasted until closing, at 10 p.m., they would put the remaining money on a gift card and continue the next day, according to the Tampa Bay Times. But the chain finally ended in that evening.

At 6 p.m., the 379th customer ended the chain by ordering a coffee and declining to pay for the next one.  [Paulina Firozi, USA Today Network 10:12 a.m. EDT August 21, 2014]

It was a small act of kindness. The first person made the greatest sacrifice by paying for their order and then for the car behind then. The rest of the cars just paid the other cars bill, whatever it might have been. Maybe their order was four dollars, which had been paid by the car in front of them, but the car behind them might have had a ten dollar bill. Yet people did this for most of the day treating others as they would like to be treated until one person stopped the chain.

The act was just a nice gesture by people that probably put a few smiles on others faces. Look for opportunities to do good things. Don’t just avoid the things that hurt people, but do things that help other people and find the blessing in it.

Volunteering for Another

2 Corinthians 3:6 (NLT)

6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.

As able ministers of the New Testament, they were ministers not merely of the letter, to read the written word, or to preach the letter of the gospel only, but they were ministers of the Spirit also; the Spirit of God did accompany their ministrations. The letter killeth; this the letter of the law does, for that is the ministration of death; and if we rest only in the letter of the gospel we shall be never the better for so doing, for even that will be a savour of death unto death; but the Spirit of the gospel, going along with the ministry of the gospel, giveth life spiritual and life eternal. [Matthew Henry Commentary]

If you've read the book The Hunger Games or seen the movie you'll know the plot revolves around a horrible contest fought between young representatives of twelve futuristic districts. The winner of the Hunger Games is the last one standing as the contestants are forced to kill each other to stay alive. When the authorities come to choose the contestants—one boy and one girl—from District 12 for the 74th annual Hunger Games, the name of Primrose (or Prim) Everdeen is plucked from a large bowl containing all the children's name. As the authorities lead Primrose away, her older sister Katniss suddenly intervenes and shouts Prim's name. The guards stop Katniss from approaching Prim, but Katniss shouts, "No! I volunteer! I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" So Katniss becomes the representative for District 12.

Katniss provides a moving example of courage and sacrificial love. After all, she voluntarily substitutes herself for another human being. But it's also an understandable substitution. She does it for her little sister. It's admirable, but it's the kind of thing we hope we'd all do for our younger siblings or our children or our spouses.

But Jesus' substitution doesn't work like that. Whose place does Jesus the Messiah take? He takes the place of people like the cowardly disciples, the scheming religious leaders, and spineless politicians. He takes the place of people like the blood-stained Barabbas and the cursing criminal. The people are the reason that Jesus has to drink the cup of God's wrath. We're the reason that Jesus is dying. How could we ever take this for granted?  [Gary Millar, "Jesus, Betrayed and Crucified," PreachingToday.com]

Those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ are ministers of the message of love that Christ demonstrated to all people. When Jesus was dying on a cross there were two criminals dying alongside of him. One criminals was spewing vile curses, while the other asked for respect for a man who had done no wrong. This man said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Would you volunteer to die for another? They at least let others know about Jesus Christ who died for all of us that we all may partake in eternal life in heaven.

God's power over nations

Romans 13:1 (NKJV)

13 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

“There is no power but of God. God as the ruler and governor of the world hath appointed the ordinance of magistracy, so that all civil power is derived from him as from its original, and he hath by his providence put the administration into those hands, whatever they are that have it. By him kings reign, Prov. 8:15. The usurpation of power and the abuse of power are not of God, for he is not the author of sin; but the power itself is. As our natural powers, though often abused and made instruments of sin, are from God's creating power, so civil powers are from God's governing power.” ~Matthew Henry

Joel Belz wrote in World Magazine, 07/22/2006, an article “Tender Toughness”:  The sentence still jumps out at me from the middle of an editorial in The Wall Street Journal. It's been half a decade since I read it, but it was one of those electric expressions that you can't forget: "People want to be lightly governed," the writer said, "by strong governments."

That's what you've wanted since you were a small child. You wanted your dad to be big and strong and able to do anything you could think of—except that, when he dealt with you, it had to be with gentleness and tenderness. You wanted a policeman on the corner tough enough to handle any neighborhood bully, but who would also hoist you to his shoulders and help you find your parents when you got lost in the crowd.

Lots of muscle; lots of restraint. There's an innate yearning in almost all of us for that rare combination. When evil people rise up, we want a government with the clout to back them down. Yet we never want that clout turned on us.

In the final analysis, people want to be lightly governed by strong governments because that's how God governs. The omnipotent ruler of the universe is also the one who invites us tenderly: "Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

There is a lot to be said about the contrast of God’s use of power compared to man’s use of power. In our corrupted world man may use power for either good or evil. We see this in the contrast of nations. Leaders take power and abuse that power to beat the people into submission. In other countries leaders use power to establish trust, to make the best use of resources, and to govern fairly the people for which they are responsible for.

However when we think of God, we think of someone who loves us dearly. God’s power reins above any and all power, yet God restrains His power to show love, compassion, mercy and grace. God uses His great power to protect and still keeps His people safe and secure. We should all desire to live under God’s rule for He is just, righteous, fair, impartial, loving, caring, merciful, gracious and most of all mighty. Pray that God would guide the nations to impart His righteousness and justice to all.

Deception

1 Peter 5:8-9 (NKJV)

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

These verses are a solemn warning. With a roar, a lion proclaims dominion over a territory and calls out to other lions to come and partake of the meal that has been captured. So we are warned to watch out, to resist the temptations of Satan through a steadfast faith in The Lord; with the understanding that those who are faithful to God will always be tempted. We should never forgot that the one who deceives us, wait for an opportunity to take us.

In a classic "Twilight Zone" episode from 1960, an American on a walking trip through central Europe gets caught in a raging storm. Staggering through the blinding rain, he chances upon an imposing medieval castle. It is a hermitage for a brotherhood of monks. The reclusive monks reluctantly take him in.

Later that night, the American discovers a cell with a man locked inside. An ancient wooden staff bolts the door. The prisoner claims he's being held captive by the "insane" head monk, Brother Jerome. He pleads for the American to release him.

The prisoner's kindly face and gentle voice win him over. The American confronts Brother Jerome, who declares that the prisoner is actually none other than Satan, "the father of lies," held captive by the Staff of Truth, the one barrier he cannot pass.

This incredible claim convinces the American that Jerome is indeed mad. As soon as he gets the chance, he releases the prisoner—who immediately transforms into a hideous, horned demon and vanishes in a puff of smoke!

The stunned American is horrified at the realization of what he has done. Jerome responds sympathetically. "I'm sorry for you, my son. All your life you will remember this night and whom you have turned loose upon the world."

"I didn't believe you," the American replies. "I saw him and didn't recognize him"—to which Jerome solemnly observes, "That is man's weakness and Satan's strength." [Kevin Stump, "Is the Devil Dead?" The Plain Truth, (Mar/Apr 2001)]

In Luke 21:8 Jesus spoke, “And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them.”

Be careful in this world for there are many already deceived by Satan because he has called them to come and abide with him. Having been deceived they set out to deceive others and draw them into the snares that wait. Do not be deceived, stand firm in the power and the might of The Lord.

The dead who walked

Matthew 27:51-53 (NLT)

51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

It is unknown who the saints were that arose from their graves and went into Jerusalem where they appeared to many people. “That Jesus Christ, by dying, conquered, disarmed, and disabled, death. These saints that arose, were the present trophies of the victory of Christ's cross over the powers of death, which he thus made a show of openly. Having by death destroyed him that had the power of death, he thus led captivity captive, and gloried in these re-taken prizes, in them fulfilling that scripture, I will ransom them from the power of the grave.”

All Hallows Eve is a yearly celebration that takes place on October 31th. It has also been called Halloween as a contraction of Hallows Evening. It is a time to remember the dead, including the saints, the martyrs and all the faithful departed Godly believers. The traditional focus of All Hallows' Eve revolves around the theme of using "humor and ridicule to confront the power of death.”

Over time Halloween changed as other customs were incorporated. Some believe pagan traditions were allowed to be mixed with Christian celebration so as to incorporate the non-believers into participating in the Christian holidays.

Today we have a mix of many traditions during the Halloween season. There are those who try to keep Christian traditions. There are those who participate in the fun of going house to house asking for candy, which grew out of an ancient English tradition of begging for soul cakes on Hallows Eve in order to pray for the dead of the house. And while many traditions are for fun, we have to be careful to separate the fun from the maliciousness of Satan and his demons.

Halloween has caused many to believe in ghosts and evil spirits, but The Bible infers demons pose as the dead in order to trick and deceive us. However, as in the verses above there have been times when those who had passed away came back to life. The Apostles were witnesses to those faithful to God, had died and then appeared to them. Lazarus arose from the grave and appeared to his friends and family. Christ has the power over death, but Satan and his demons only have the power to deceive us about the truth of death.

So let me wrap up by saying enjoy Halloween and the festivities around it, but avoid anything that does not line up with the word of God. It may be there are times when the image of someone may appear to speak for God, but if that were to happen it is to give glory to God and to comfort whoever may be the witness to such event. 

God can change anyone

Proverbs 29:11 (NKJV)

11 A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back.

A wise man will not utter all his mind at once, but will take time for a second thought, or reserve the present thought for a fitter time, when it will be more pertinent and likely to answer his intention; he will not deliver himself in a continued speech, or starched discourse, but with pauses, that he may hear what is to be objected and answer it. [Matthew Henry]

As a young woman, Frances Havergal, author of the hymns, "Take My Life and Let It Be" and "Like a River Glorious," had a very quick temper the kind that would explode. Afterward she would be mortified and confess it to the Lord. But then she would lose her temper, again and again.

One day after a particularly bad explosion, she threw herself down by her bed and wept. She prayed, "Lord, must it always be so? Will I always have this temper to keep me humble before you?"

While she was on her knees, the Lord injected a verse of Scripture in her mind: "The Egyptians whom you have seen today you will see no more forever." God spoke these words to Moses when the Egyptians pursued the Israelites to take them back into bondage. Havergal related the verse to her temper and the way in which Satan wanted to use it to pull her into bondage. She saw that God could take her temper away.

She asked, "Lord, could it be forever?"

It seemed to her that the words came back from the Lord, "Yes. No more, forever."

Her sister said that from that day Frances Havergal never again lost her temper. She believed God, and God did a miracle.  [J. Oswald Sanders, "How Do You Love?" Discipleship Journal (March/April 1981)]

My wife and I will often watch Dr. Drew on HLN in the evenings. Last night on the show a Facebook poll was shown on Jodi Arias as to whether she could be rehabilitated. 95% of the respondents said no, while only 4% said yes.

Most of the people saying she cannot be rehabilitated see the hard callousness of Jodi Arias and what appears to be a very unrepentant person. The remorse one would expect from such an act of murder just isn’t there as many would expect.

God can bring about changes in anyone. For Frances Havergal,she had an explosive temper that she begged God to take away. As she cried out to God for change, God listened. As she heard God she questioned the response, “Lord, could it be forever?” What she heard was, “Yes. No more, forever.” And from that point she never lost her temper again.

Let us all pray for Jodi Arias that she will humble herself before God and ask for the changes that need to take place in her life. Let God respond that she may hear the answers she needs. Let God bring about change in the life of Jodi Arias and in the lives of others that we may see God’s power and might. God can change anyone!

God's love letter

1 Peter 1:24-25 (NLT)

24 As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. 25 But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.

These words are reminders that we are live temporary lives here on earth. We blossom in our youth and wither away as we grow old. However God’s word promises us Good News of an everlasting eternal life. It is become of God’s love that we have the hope of eternal life found in Jesus Christ.

Many years ago, a doting groom penned a love letter to his bride. Stationed at a California military base thousands of miles away from his wife, James Bracy's link to the lovely woman waiting for him to come home were their love letters.

But this letter didn't get delivered. Somehow it was lost, lodged between two walls in Fort Ord's mailroom in San Francisco. The letter was lost in the shadows, with its romantic affections of a youthful marriage, sealed with a kiss.

A half century later, James and Sallie Bracy had just finished celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and were relaxing in the living room when "Once in a While," their song, began to play on the radio. Sallie remembered affectionately the 1950s song and how she used to get calls and letters from the man who owned her heart. They joked together knowing there would be no letter or phone call this time because James was at her side.

Meanwhile, a construction crew was dismantling the old post office at Fort Ord, and they discovered a long-forgotten letter from a young army corporal. The crew turned the letter over to Bob Spadoni, the postmaster in nearby Monterey. Spadoni began the process of delivering that letter, tracking down the Bracys through post office records and phone books.

Just a few days after hearing their song, the letter, dated January 28, 1955, was delivered to Sallie Bracy. The letter sent her heart aflutter, tears welled, and she again became a love-struck 22-year-old. "It meant a lot to me then," said Sallie. "It means even more now."

Many years ago God wrote his love letter to us. It's waiting to be delivered, to be opened at just the right time. It meant a lot then, and it means even more now. [Drew Zahn, assistant editor, Leadership Journal; source: "After 46 years lost in post office, love letter finally arrives," Jefferson City News Tribune (4-25-01)]

The Bible contains God’s words to us. They are words of direction, words of encouragement, words of hope and words of an eternal life with Him. God has written us a love letter of things yet to be seen. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

God's Word

Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)

12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The written word of God is active and lively in all of its efforts. It grabs the conscience of a sinner and cuts into the heart to divide right from wrong. The word gives discernment to our thoughts and shows the intentions of our heart.

In Isaiah 55:11 God says, “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” God’s word will always prosper when it is heard. It will move the hearts of people to understand things they did not know. It will cause them to realize their faults and to make corrections in their life.

For years I have written devotions using God’s word from The Bible. I started writing my devotions as a way to encourage a friend who was dealing with depression. It became obvious after a while that the words I read from The Bible were just as much for me as they were for my friend. The words of The Bible became encouraging, uplifting, inspiration, pointed out my faults and showed that I was not alone in the world with my problems.

Over the years I expanded the list of people I sent devotions to. People would tell their friends and they would ask me to place their names on my email list. Then I started placing the devotions on websites for others to read.

There have been many times over the years people would write back to me and ask, “How did you know what I needed today?” Or they might have said, “I was struggling with an issue and the Bible verse you used gave me the answer I needed.

Let me stop right here and say, when I write, I am not spying into people’s lives. I also do not direct my devotions towards a particular person. I usually start with a Bible verse and expand my devotion from there. And most of the time I am writing to myself. So don’t get paranoid if it sounds like I am talking to you.

Let’s go back to the verses I referenced above. God’s word cuts into our heart and shows us the intentions of our heart. God’s word produces fruit in our lives that we can use to live out our life. We prosper when we hear God’s word and it moves our heart to follow the will of God.

So when you are touched by words in a devotional, God is the one using His word to touch your life. His word is filling your heart and telling you what you need to hear. His word does not come back void but produces fruit in you that you can use to live.

So my friends meditate on God’s word that you may enrich your life. Let it give you wisdom and discernment. Let it teach you the things God wants you to know.

The Fear of The Lord

Proverbs 9:10  (NIV)

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

The heart must be principled with the fear of God; that is the beginning of wisdom. A reverence of God's majesty, and a dread of his wrath, are that fear of him which is the beginning, the first step towards true religion, whence all other instances of it take rise. [Matthew Henry]

Suppose you were exploring an unknown Greenland glacier in the dead of winter. Just as you reach the sheer cliff with a spectacular view of miles of jagged ice and mountains of snow, a terrible storm breaks in. The wind is so strong that the fear rises in your heart that it might blow you over the cliff. But in the midst of the storm you discover a cleft in the ice where you can hide. Here you feel secure.

But, even though secure, the awesome might of the storm rages on, and you watch it with a kind of trembling pleasure as it surges out across the distant glaciers. Not everything we call fear vanishes from your heart, only the life-threatening part. There remains the trembling, the awe, the wonder, the feeling that you would never want to tangle with such a storm or be the adversary of such a power.

And so it is with God. The fear of God is what is left of the storm when you have a safe place to watch right in the middle of it. Hope turns fear into a trembling and peaceful wonder; and fear takes everything trivial out of hope and makes it earnest and profound. The terrors of God make the pleasures of his people intense. The fireside fellowship is all the sweeter when the storm is howling outside the cottage. [John Piper, The Pleasures of God (Multnomah, 1991), pp. 205-206]

We have an awesome God! When we talk about the fear of The Lord we are talking about the mighty awesomeness of God that is so wonderful and so powerful it shakes the depths of our soul. For those of you who have had an experience like this with God you know what I am talking about. You have all the feelings of fear, but there is a great pleasure in knowing you have just seen God at work and you know God is on your side. Let us give The Lord praise for those moments in our lives!