The Bible...

     There are 31,102 verses in the Bible which averages out to about 26 verses per chapter, from the 66 combined books of both the Old Testament and the New Testament.  I say this because I have been noticing recently that as we approach the end of this year, there are some people who have been encouraged to pick the verse that is going to be their "verse of the year" for 2019.  I had one professor that took a sabbatical and spent the entire time studying Ephesians 2:8-9.  It may have been his verse or passage for the year but I don't really think so.  People are often encouraged to do something different at the beginning of a new year and they start out with great expectations as to what is going to be accomplished.  One could say, "Well, one verse is better than nothing."    Psalm 119:105 says, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
         We know the story of Psalm 119 with its 176 verses, all of which speak about the Word of God except five verses.  There is also the fact that many of us have calendars which have a daily verse on them.  When I graduated from Washington bible College, I had to submit a "life verse" to the college to put under my picture.  I never had a senior picture, so didn't have to complete that assignment.  We are reminded in Second Timothy 3:16 that all Scripture is inspired by God and that it is profitable.  That being understood, all of the Bible is important.  We know that the Bible has the answer for the way to heaven.  It shows us the plan of salvation, whereby we can be saved from the penalty of our sins.  The Bible also shows us the way in which we can conduct ourselves on a daily basis and how we are to have and maintain relationships with God and with other people.  It seems to be obvious that there are some people who have a greater love for the Word of God than do others.  I knew one man from Kenya who read through the Bible ten times in every year and each time in a different language.  Some might say that it was impossible, but if you purchase the Bible on tapes or discs you find that there are less than 96 hours from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation.  So, if you have picked out your verse for the year, that is good, but don't stop there.  Make the Bible, the Word of God, the center of your life for the coming year and all of the years to come.  Praise God today that He has given His Word to us. What a shame it would be if we just let it sit on the coffee table or in a drawer.

The Bible

     This bassoon player from Rolling Prairie, Indiana took some tests and later boarded a train for Chicago, Illinois and a trip a little North to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center.  I was given a new set of clothes and everything that I would need to begin life as an enlisted person in the United States Navy.  One thing that was included in my training was a book entitled, "The Bluejackets Manual."  It would be the source of any information to help me in my journey as a newly recruited man in the U. S. Navy.  One of the first things I learned was how to tie a square knot as every piece of my new wardrobe had to be washed and dried on a clothes line tied there with square knots.  Everything we needed to know was in the manual and you kept doing it over and over until it was perfect.  Obviously, it is good to read the manual.  Second Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
         Every believer has the same manual only we call it the Bible, or the Holy Bible.  It contains the Old and New Testaments and is our Guide for everything that we need for this life.  It contains many things that are considered to be the "milk" of the Word of God.  These are basic things that remind us of our salvation and the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Bible goes on to give us the guidance that we need for our life.  Today's passage has a list of four things that reflect our journey in this life.  It names "doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction."    You probably have a basic book for your occupation, which some may have dubbed as your bible.  If you are a chef, your have your guide book.  If you are a mechanic, you have your guide book.  If you are a boy scout or a girl scout, you have your guide book.  Just as all occupations have their guide book, the believer also has a guide book which is the Bible itself.  Knowing that we have a guidebook doesn't make it applicable in our lives.  If I wanted to know my knots, I would look in my Bluejackets Manual.  If I want to know about God, I look in the Book that He has written for us and to us.  If I want to know how to live this life the way God wants me to live it, then I look into His book.  There sometimes arises just a small difficulty in that people look everywhere else for answers instead of the place that they should be looking.  Doctors don't have the answers.  Martha Stewart doesn't have the answer.  Hollywood doesn't have the answer.  Wikipedia doesn't have the answer.  God's Word has the answer.  If you want to learn how to tie a square knot, you may find it in the Bluejackets Manual.  If you want to find how to get to heaven and live the Christian life, you will find the answer in the Holy Bible.  Praise God for His sending us His "Manual for Life."

The Testimonial

        World trade has made many things available to many people all at the same time.  You can just look at the labels and see where the products have been manufactured.  I once was given an electronic device that had the complete King James Bible on it and it was manufactured in China.   When a new product comes out that is really great, one of the best ways to promote it is to have testimonials.  I read a lot of testimonials, called reviews, of a product I am thinking about purchasing.  These are people who have actually tried the product and found it to work. You can have all of the advertising you want, but the personal testimonial is the greatest method of promoting it. If you want to find out if a car is good or bad, then just talk to a couple of owners and see what they think about it. In spiritual things, we call this the personal testimony. As John said in his first epistle, in 1 John 1:1-3 "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."

        A good witness is one who has seen, who has heard and has touched. It is no wonder then that God has chosen this method in which to send forth His Word. While there are many things about which we could testify, the one main thing is salvation itself. If a saved person tells a lost person about salvation, the message is much more credible. Romans 10:13-14 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" Paul listed the simple steps of salvation taking it back to the first step. If a person is going to believe, they are going to have to hear the gospel message. And if they are to hear the gospel message, then someone has to declare it to them. The word "preacher" here does not denote the office of the pastor, but rather the person who "proclaims" the message. We are all people who can proclaim  God's wonderful grace and we can testify as to what it has done for us. However, we are sometimes reluctant to share this message with others. We ought not be afraid to do so. We share the message. That is, we share what we have seen, what we have heard and what we have touched. The Holy Spirit does the convicting. As the parable of the sower explains, we are to just be faithful in casting out the seed, or the Word of God. Then, God takes care of the rest. How about being a "proclaimer" of God's Word as we get close to beginning a new year?  Praise God for the message that He has given to us all.  Share your testimony as to what God has done in your life.

All Wrapped Up

      A drive through the neighborhood finds the trash cans piled high with empty boxes and colored paper, all of it being the remnant of gifts that were given and opened.  I never was a good gift wrapper.  There are those who can square off the corners and trim the packages so they look like they were done by a professional gift wrapper.  Mine look like they were done by an 80 year old elf.  My Mother was a good gift wrapper from tie boxes to BB gun boxes.  I am thankful now for gift bags and colored tissue paper that makes the job a lot easier.  Instructions were given tot he shepherds, so many years ago,  that they would find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes.  Even that would be important in the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ.  John 3:16-17 says, " For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."   
      Much has been written about the wrapping of the the baby Jesus and I am sure that most of you have heard sermons on what it means.  There is not one coincidental fact about the birth that is not important.  Prophecies were being fulfilled with every minute detail.  As Galatians 4:4 mentions, it was the fullness of time.  Our verse for today, one of the most popular in this modern era speaks about the Perfect Gift.  We do know that God's Son was a Gift, because God "gave" Him in order that the world might be saved.  There will be countless gifts this year that won't last past the first set of batteries or that will soon fall apart.  The only lasting gift was the One that was given almost 2,000 years ago.  The Lord Jesus Christ has been satisfying the needs of His disciples in countless ways that we will never know about this side of heaven.  People in need will have their needs met by this Eternal Gift.   Grief will be satisfied by this Perfect Gift and His all sufficient grace.  Missionaries will have their needs met.  Those in danger will find help and resources in the Risen Savior Who had been wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger so many years ago.  The whole point is this.  You satisfaction for this year's Christmas will not be found in the ham from a grocery store or a winter coat  or that new electronic device.  Satisfaction is only found in the Lord Jesus Christ and while we all know that fact, we often either forget it or it becomes overshadowed with the contents in a brightly colored box.  So, take a moment real soon, where you thank God for His unspeakable gift.

Blending In

    This is the time of the year when hunters put on their camouflage clothes and head out to the woods in order to go hunting.  i tried to hunt one year and bought a 12 gauge shotgun and about 5 boxes of shells, each box a little different size shot for the multitude of animals I was about to harvest.   I didn't get the usual amount of gear that blends into the woods.  I chose to wear a bright orange hat as to prevent someone else from shooting me.  The camouflage clothing helps them to blend into the bushes and trees.  If they stand still, you can't even tell that they are.  They even go so far as to put on a scent that will disguise them.  They don't want to have anything on that will tell the animals that they are around.  The armies of the world have long used camouflage to keep from being seen by the enemy.  They are deliberately blending in to their surroundings.  Blending is not always the best thing to do.  Take for instance, the church.  It should not blend into the world system.  Unfortunately, that is what has happened in many cases.  The result has been a church that is completely disguised from what it should be.  Second Corinthians 6:16-17 says, "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,"
         God has given us instructions to the point that say we should not be blending in with the world as if we were camouflaged, but that we should stand out from the world.  We should be a contrast to the world system.  Many Christians have become more like the world as they do the same things as those who are in the world.  They listen to music that is so like the world that you can't tell the difference.  They read the same books, see the same films and react the same way to worries, problems and frustrations.  The result is that you can't tell the difference between the church and the world.  The simple truth as that the church needs to return to the Bible.  The Scriptures need to be that which is central in its life.  To accomplish this, individuals, that make up the church, need to get their lives straightened out with God.  The bottom line is that the believer needs to be different and needs to be "separate" even as the Apostle Paul said to the church at Corinth.  So, take a look in the mirror and see if you are reflecting That which is Christ like or are you simply blending in to the world system?  Remember!  You have been purchased and you are not your own.  Praise God for His plan of salvation and His plan for daily living. 

True Joy

   Do you possess real joy?  We don't often let people know what is going on in our lives because it would take too much time and they probably aren't interested anyway.  At least, that's what we often think. I often say that I am doing OK for my age.  That seems to be my stock answer for "How ya doing?"  Webster, in his dictionary of 1825, defines "joy" as, "The passion or emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good; that excitement of pleasurable feelings which is caused by success, good fortune,the gratification of desire or some good possessed, or by a rational prospect of possessing what we love or desire; gladness; exultation; exhilaration of spirits."  Wow!  That pretty well sums it up.  In his definition, Webster pointed out that joy was caused by success, good fortune, the gratification of desire or some good possessed.  That type of joy doesn't last very long.  Oh, it might be there for a short time but it can pass as fast as the wind drives a wisp of smoke from our vision.  In other words, "Poof.  It's gone."  There is, however, another source of joy that doesn't diminish with time nor is it affected by any outside influences.  First John 1:3-4 says, "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. [4] And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full."   
      As one of the Christmas carols says, "Joy to the world, the Lord has come.  Now, that sums it up a little bit better than what Webster did.  This is a joy that supercedes any joy that can be brought about by success, good fortune, the gratification of a desire or of some good that we possess.  All of those things can quickly pass away and in most cases, they do.  The joy that God gives us through His Son stays with us and never gets tarnished by the things of the this world or of the spiritual world.  This type of joy is always present.  Do we always share this joy in our own lives?  Not always.  You see, there are times when sin comes into our lives and our fellowship with God is temporarily broken until our sin is confessed (1 John 1:9).  This joy can be restored in our own being once we confess that sin that separated us in the first place.  The joy that God gives will always be present and it will always be full.  So, when you sing "Joy to the World" this Christmas season, remember the that this joy is because of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Praise God today for sending His Son to come into this world and to die for our sins.  So, reflect on your own joy especially when you sing the song, "Joy to the World."  Praise God because He is the Real Source of Joy.

As

        I was speaking with a rehabilitation worker on day when a very tall co worker came by.  The one to who I was speaking said, "He's a tall glass of water."  We often use expressions that will tell us something about another person or situation.  I guess such expressions are called "similes."  God uses the term over 3,000 times in the Bible and almost 200 times just in the Book of Psalms.  Psalm 103:12 reminds us, "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us."  

      The word "as" is classed as an adverb and for a little word of just 2 letters is a word that is used a great deal and does much in our means of conversation and writing.  It is a word that makes us to be compared to something else.  To say that a person is fast as a Gazelle is to describe how fast they can run.  When God uses the word, "as" in His Word, it makes a vivid description that helps us to understand a certain action or trait.  We may wonder at times just how far God has removed our sins from us.  I might take an envelope, put something in it and then seal the envelope and say "Well, it is gone."  That would not be exactly true, because even the sealed envelope might be close at hand.  The above verse of Scripture is an example whereby God reveals to us just how far away our sins are.  We know that compass points are important to directions and that you can go North only for a short time before you begin going South.  It is half the circumference of the earth.  Quite opposite is the fact that East never meets West.  You can travel East for the entire circumference of the globe and never see a point where West would be your new direction.  In fact, East never meets West.  To answer then the question, just how far are our sins from God, He makes the above statement as far as the East is from the West.  That sealed envelop is gone completely.  This is even better than the little song that says our sins are buried in the deepest sea.  While God has removed our sins, our transgressions, our iniquities completely, we have the tendency to keep remembering them.  Not only do we remember our own transgressions, we also have an even greater tendency to recall the transgressions of others that are a part of our lives.  When God forgives our sins, they are gone as far as the East is from the West.  When we say that we forgive someone else, the transgression is only a thought away before we can bring it up again.  Praise God today that His forgiveness  is complete, and the offense never raised up again.

The Thirst that Needs to be Quenched

     I worked in a lot of hay fields when I was young during my high school years.  Naturally, hay comes in when it is hot.  It isn't during the Spring nor the Fall.  Hay comes available when it is Summer time.  Most of the farm I worked on had a windmill and a "horse tank."  None of the farms had horses, but a lot of cows and they would all love to drink at the horse tank.  When we brought a load of hay into the barn from the field, I would head for the windmill, release the lever and the blades would begin turning and the long shaft would begin to pump cold water into the tank.  I would put my arms into the falling stream of cold water and let it run down to my finger tips.  Then, I would cup my hands together and drink and drink and drink until I was full of cold water.  It seems that the load of water would only last about one load of hay and then I would do it again.  Psalm 42:1-2 says, "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.   My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?"
       I am like most of the other animals that desire a good drink of water.  Deer, cattle, horses and any other animal seem to long for the cool water of the water brooks.  The Psalmist uses this comparison or this illustration to show what our attitude should be in our longing for God.  He began with the words, "My soul thirsteth for God..."  The question comes up as to whether or not we thirst for God in the same way as our physical bodies thirst for water.  It is equally true that we do long for things in this life and they naturally seem to be connected with our life in the world instead of spiritual things.  We long for a high paying job.  We long for a car that smells like it came out of the show room.  We long for an abundance of food.  We long for the acquiring of toys such as cars, lawn mowers, four wheelers, boats with powerful motors, a wardrobe that is packed with the latest fashions and if we have enough time left at the end of the week, we will come to worship God.  Fortunately, God does have ways of getting our attention and to show us just how much we need to be in touch with Him.  My experiences at the windmill remind me of how I should long for God.  It also reminds me that God satisfies my every longing just as much as the cool water did for my physical thirst.  May we all have that type of longing for God in the days, weeks and month to come.  Praise God that He satisfies our every need.

Properties of Life

          If you have been around a computer for a while, you soon realize that there is a tab in one of the menu's which is called "properties."  When you click on this tab, you become aware of all of the information about the particular operation that you are doing.  For instance, if you find the properties of a picture, you will know the size of the picture, what the shutter speed was, when it was taken, the aperture and the number of pixels that make up the picture.  In a computer operation, you will also become aware of whether or not you can view graphics or even accept mail from certain people.  You can choose to either accept certain things or reject them by some tab under the properties menu.  Whether or not I write this with blue type and on a blue background will mean nothing to some because they are not ready to receive it that way.  Of course, to do it that way, would almost be invisible to the reader.  What is under the "property" button of your life?   Daniel 1:8 says, "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself."  
       Daniel was a man of the Old Testament who had made a choice.  There were certain characteristics that were going to be evident in his life no matter what.  If it were possible to click on the "properties" of Daniel, you would soon find out that he had purposed in his own heart that he was not going to betray God in any way but that he was going to stand firm in his convictions towards God.  Joshua was also a man who had already confirmed in his heart that he was going to follow God.  He chose to serve God rather than the idols of the land of the Canaanites.  The Apostle Paul was another man who had decided to follow the Lord Jesus Christ rather than to keep trying to oppose him.  Hebrews 11 is a chapter that tells of the faith of countless people who were firm in their convictions in the Lord.  They had all made a choice.  How about you?  Have you made a choice to follow God in all things?  Does God have first place in your life?  If God inspected the "properties" of your character, would He find that you are one of His and that you are willing to follow Him?  Praise God today for His working in your daily life.

The Mystery of the Missing Pages

     Have you ever packed something only to find that you left something out?  I am forever leaving something behind that I meant to take with me.  It even spreads to my writing of these devotions.  In this case, certain letters or spaces may be missing making different words than that which was intended.  There is only one Book that has everything in it that was meant to be in it and that is God's Holy Word, the Bible.  Do you have all of God's Word?  There was a pastor I knew, as he has since passed away, who when he got saved, decided to read his Bible completely through.  He chose the Bible that he owned and began reading.  In a short time, he discovered that the printer had left out about 120 pages of the text.  Even a Bible publisher can make mistakes.  Exodus 8:1 says, "And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me." 
     We can be assured that we can have a copy of all that God has said and He has said a lot.  The above verse of Scripture has the phrase, "...Thus saith the LORD."  That phrase occurs some 413 times in the Old Testament.  Now, I didn't count them but my computer did and while the computer is not infallible, it is perhaps more accurate than I am especially in the area of counting how many times a word or phrase is used in the Bible.  Of all the books and all the material that has been written in the world, the Bible still stands as the most accurate.  The Word of God is the most accurate of all writings and is 100% true.  As my pastor friend found out, however, when it comes to a physical publishing house of the Scriptures, something might be left out.  Have you checked to see if your Bible has all of the pages numbered in consecutive order?  When you open your Bible, do some of the pages still stick together, especially in the minor prophets or the book of Second Chronicles?  Every now and then, people will inform me of a mistake in my devotion page where I hit the "9" key instead of the "0" key or where words don't make sense.  Some of you have become good in discerning what I meant to say rather than what I said.  You don't have to worry abut what God said or try to interpret what he meant to say.  He said what He meant to say.  That doesn't meant that we understand it all today, but someday we will be able to understand it.  God is infallible but your publisher is not infallible.  Holman, Cambridge, Nelson and Oxford can all make mistakes but God never makes mistakes.  So, praise God today that He has given us a copy of His Word and that it is a guide for us to use in our daily life and even gives us the road map to heaven.  Praise God today!

The Square Corner

    If you have ever tried to build something and made just a little mistake at the beginning in your measurements, you soon find that the mistake will be compounded the more you build.  After I retired, I tried a few hobbies.  One of them was wood working.  I tried to make a few simple things like a wooden try to transport a crock pot to church.  Being a Baptist, we spend a lot of time eating at church and it seems like we need to have something to transport the food to church.  All it had to be was something square with enough of a side to keep the crock pot from sliding all over the car and something with simple handles on it.  I took by trusty saws and began cutting the pieces.  I have "squares" to make the corners right, but something must have slipped at some point.  The bottom of the tray wasn't perfectly square.  In fact, it was way off.  I kept going, determined to make it fit.  Well, eventually it was completed, weighs as much as the crock pot and seems to be square, but it isn't.  If you put enough wood filler in it, it will look square.  Just a little mistake at the beginning affected the whole project.  Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."   
     Now, the question comes up about your belief in God's Word?  Do you accept what He says?  Some have stated that you belief in Genesis 1-11 will determine how you approach the whole Bible.  Indeed, the first verse, mentioned above, makes the first statement that answers the questions of the critics as to how all things began.  If you do not believe this first statement, then you will have problems with every other passage in the Scriptures.  There was a term I heard many years ago called, "Theistic Evolution."  It basically said that God started things out and then it took millions of years to finish.  It was the "gap" theory which said that there was a huge gap between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2.  One can have this belief and then go on to question or to explain away other portions of Scripture that seem to present a problem for people to comprehend, such as the virgin birth of Christ, the universal flood, Jesus being raised from the dead or God supplying manna for 40 years to over a million people in the wilderness.  Galatians 4:4 reminds us the the Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth so many years ago at exactly the right time or as the Bible states, the fullness of time.  My non square tray had a little flaw in it that caused it to be "not perfect."  By not accepting God's account of creation, your theology might be just a little off down the road.  It is going to boil down to whether or not you accept God's inspiration of His Word.  Praise God today that we have a copy of His Word and that it has the answers to all of life's questions.

Freeland 2018 Christmas Letter

Greetings to all of our Friends and Family,
      Matthew 2:1-2 says, "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,  Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him."  Many people are well acquainted with the narrative that tells of the Wise Men, from whence they came, their questions to the leaders in Jerusalem and their following journey  to Bethlehem and their journey out of the country.  I just wanted to mention one thing.  When they got there, and most feel that it was some time later, they worshipped Him.  John Piper once said, "Missions exists because worship doesn't."  Many people in the world today do not worship the Lord Jesus Christ.  So, as we enter the Christmas season this year, may we resolve to be found worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ.  After all, it is His Season!
     We made it through 2018 without visiting the ER or being admitted for any procedures at any hospital.  That's an accomplishment for us.  At the writing of this letter, we still have about 18 days to go.  I recently had a person respond to one of my videos and said she was concerned about my being out of breath.  I thought about it and then remembered, I am overweight, my heart is stuck in AFib, (not caused by a heart valve problem) hehe, and diagnosed CHF.  So, I get out of breath when I do about everything.  Diane is doing OK in the health department except her teeth, which are her own, hurt a lot.  One wisdom tooth was extracted in 2018 and more may be coming out in the future. 
    Diane still likes to take a trip now and then, mostly short ones, with the senior group from Salem.  That is the same group that sponsors our "Salem Senior Singers."  We are still involved in that.  We practice on the first Thursday of the month, mostly popular songs from the hit parade of 50 or more years ago and round out the program with about 10 gospel songs and hymns.  We then sing on each Tuesday at one of the retirement facilities here in Roanoke and Salem.  They give me a solo each month and still get through it but sometimes wonder how long it's going to last.
    Diane gets her hair done at my old place of employment, Our Lady of the Valley, and so while she is doing that, I still fumble around and try to lead the bell choir.  We have two ministries coming up this week as we take our annual road tour over to another facility to present our Christmas music plus our ministry at OLOV.
    Most of you all remember our children, Elaine and Andrew.  Well, their children, our grandchildren, are what gives us the most enjoyment these days.  They each have their "forte" and are a real blessing to us in what they are doing, their commitment to God and their character.  We are proud of all of them.  Not only are we proud of them, but what the people with whom they are in contact, say about them.  Sarah did marry Nick and they are still in Tuscon, AZ., but are always in touch with Huntsville, Alabama.  Elizabeth is an employee of Sweet Root Village in Northern Virginia where she is heavily involved in flowers for weddings.  People say she is a creative genius with flowers.  Matthew, married to Jude, is in Johnson City, Tennessee.  Matthew and Jude are both excellent in computers and I get to ask all my computer questions to them.  Rebekah is in graphic arts and made me a wonderful drawing in a glass frame for my 80th birthday as well as designing the cover for my latest book which so far has sold 0 copies, except for the one I bought as a proof.  Jordan still plays the piano but not as much as last year.  He also plays good guitar and is involved in the music at their church plus working, plus going to school and studying computers.  I asked my Alexa on my Kindle what she looked like, and she said "a bunch of ones and zeroes."  I guess it's an "it" with a nice voice.
    I think Kara is going to end up be a fantastic cook.  She makes good desserts, especially the sugar free ones.  Grace is doing very well on the piano and plays with the music group at church.  Serena is singing in the same group and is still involved in being a life guard at one of our local county water sports and recreational facilities.  John is not far from being an Eagle Scout and turns out, he is an excellent artist.  He did a leopard's head and the eyes are fantastic.  It is my desktop background.
    Yep, we are proud of our grandkids and the big kids, too.  May God bless them all. When you think about it, John and Elaine, Andy and Michelle have not only their own kids and everything they have along with them, but now they are helping us with doctors, cleaning, bushes, painting, repairing and a lot of advice.  Isn't God just wonderful?
    As usual, if you want to stop for lunch give us a call as you go down Interstate 81 or are in our area.  We can be reached via email at DFreeland7@gmail.com  My daily (five days a week) devotions are found on DFreeland7.blogger.com or on my facebook page.  May the Lord bless you all this Christmas Season and may you have a joyous Christmas as you celebrate the first advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Appearing

     I have come across many puzzles recently where you look at a picture of nothing but one number.  It is like someone held the "8" key down for a long time and then went back and put one number 9 somewhere in the puzzle.  You are supposed to find the one numb3er "9".  Or there will be 6 drawings, and only one of them is different and you are supposed to find the one different drawing.  I have to admit that I get involved in these things and am not satisfied until I find the irregularity.  People always entice you to do these puzzles by stating only a genius can find the difference. Once you find the different spot, it is easy to see a second time.  The Bible contains many unique bits of information. Titus 2:11-13 says, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;"   
       This passage has been in the Bible a long time, well, at least close to 2000 years.  There may be, however, many people who are not aware of this passage and the message that it brings.  Who doesn't know the story?  Sad to say, many don't know because they don't have a copy of the Word of God nor has anyone tried to tell them the account of the first advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Apostle Paul expands the narrative of the first advent and goes on to say just why it was so important in the first place.  Our focus on missions in the church is one area that seeks to present the story to those who have never heard.  While our mission programs are improving and while people are being sent to all nations to preach and teach the Gospel account of the Lord Jesus Christ, there are still many even in our own civilized world who don't have a clue about these events that are mentioned in this passage alone.  The passage reminds us that the wonderful grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  The events that took place so long ago changed the course of the world.  As much as people would like to ignore it, the calendar was even changed.  In years past, the date would be specified as A.D., or anno domini, the year of our Lord.  People didn't want that so they now call it CE, or common era.  While the event that took place so long ago changed the world, the world still tries to ignore it and that it took place at all.   It's there and we shouldn't ignore it. The instructions that follow are still valid for today, to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world and that we should be looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.  Praise God today that God has a plan for our lives for all eternity.

When Things are not Normal

     Days come and go without too much fanfare.  It does seem that the older you get, the faster they go, but things just seem to happen day by day and that becomes the normal part of life.  The sun rises and the sun sets, or so we say as the earth spins on its axis at just the right tilt and speed.  So, we say that things are "normal."  I once heard of a woman who defined the word "normal" as a setting on her dryer.  What is "normal?"  First Timothy 3:16 says, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."   
      Normalcy is often interrupted by something that God has planned and that the world knows nothing about.  That is not to day that they could have known about it if they had been reading His letter to them but that is not the world's way.  The above verse of Scripture is a synopsis of the Life of the Lord Jesus Christ.  December is the month in which we celebrate the holiday of Christmas.  The commercialization of Christmas has put us in the dark as to what happened and how it should affect us.  Back in that day, shepherds were in their places doing what shepherds do at that time of the year.  They were tending to the needs of their flocks and it was probably just another normal day for them but then things changed.  We read about what happened that night. and realize that it was not the "normal" night for them.  It was not just another day.  It was a day that would go down in history as the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ took place.  The event would be recorded in the gospels and would remind us that no day is a normal day when God is involved in your life.  What took place that night would prove to be an event that would change the course of the world.  It would be the event that would give the prospect of hope and peace to oppressed people everywhere.  It would be the event that would give hope to the eternal destiny of every inhabitant in the world.  It would be the event that would be out of character and hence, not the "normal" thing for the day.  This event would be that which would be unique and never repeated again.  God would send His Son only once to put on flesh and then to live and to die and then, of course, the resurrection.    The verse describes the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and then ends with His ascension into heaven.  Normalcy gave way to magnificence as God performed this miracle.  While we were not physically present at that time, we still have the record of what happened as recorded in the Bible and we can review it time and time again and then realize that when God is involved, there is no such thing as "normal."  Oh it would be normal to say that God always does that which is awesome for us to behold and that would be normal for Him.  If you are caught up in the just plain normal things of your daily routine, take time out and read the Scriptures, especially those of the coming of Christ upon the earth to live and to die and to be buried and then to raise from the dead.

Back to Basics

     I like to dabble in cooking.  I am not what one would call a "chef" or a gourmet cook, but my wife and I are not starving to death due to my cooking.  I experiment with different spices and food combinations to come up with something a little different.  Not all of these combinations are successful.  Every now and then, I hear the words, "Don't make that again."  There are those times when you just need to get back to the basics.  Religion has a lot of different facets and there are certainly a lot of religions in the world.  People are longing for answers to three basic questions.  "Where did we come from?  Why are we here?  and, Where are we going?"    John 3:7 says, "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. "   
       There is that term, "We should get back to basics."  In cooking, we start out with the basics and there are those times when we should just stay there instead of trying to make the basics better.  The above verse of Scripture is probably one of the most basic teachings in all the Bible.  The encounter of Nicodemus and the Lord Jesus Christ is one of the most profound interviews in the Bible.  It speaks of an educated, religious person coming to the Son of God and then asking him the most basic question.  In verse 4, Nicodemus asked the Lord Jesus Christ how a person could possibly be born a second time and related it all to the physical birth process.  Christ then goes on to explain it in detail which is extremely valuable for people today.  This is truly a time when you need to get back to the basics and John chapter 3 is one of the most basic chapters in all the Bible.  It's not the robes.  It's not the music.  It's not the color scheme.  It's not the liturgy.  It's not the church calendar.  It's not the fancy tradition.  It's not the size of the pipe organ.  It all depends on the answer to the question that was asked by the Philippian Jailer.  "What must I do to be saved?"  The answer to that question is found in John 3:7 which states that we all must be born again.  This is the most basic lesson for each and every person to understand.  We can speak of the character of God and all of His attributes.  We can learn all of the promises of God.  We can study and memorize and attend religious meetings, but it is going to come down to the most basic thing of all.  Have you been born again?  All of the other things are like benefits, or extras, or "gravy" in that they are good,  but the most basic thing is the actual experience of being born again.  Praise God that He has given to us the way of salvation in His precious Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The End of the Story

        While I haven't read too many mystery novels, there is still that temptation to take a peek at the end of the book.  Have you ever gotten hold of a new mystery book and been tempted to read the last chapter first in order to see who did it?  Probably not.  But, in some cases we do desire to know the outcome of things.  We watch a football game and can't wait until the last 2 minutes to see who will win.  We watch an auto race to wonder how it is all going to end in the last 50 laps. So, sports games and auto races are all decided in the last 2 minutes.   Christianity is the same in a few respects.  But, in this case, we know the last chapter.  We know how it is all going to end. In fact, reading the last chapters of the book of Revelation will give us a good idea of how things are going to end.   Rev. 21:3 says, "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God."  
        That's the whole thing about our faith.  When you study theology or go to Bible classes or attend Sunday School and preaching services, the whole idea is to find out how it is all going to end.  To what is our faith leading us?  When we look at other religions, we soon find that they are ending up in places of no hope.  The goal of Christianity is to know God and to enjoy His presence forever.  In fact, that is the answer to the question, "What is the chief end of man?"  How are we going to know God and to enjoy His presence forever?  This is the reason that we spend time in studying the Bible and for becoming "born again."  I recall having a conversation with a person with whom I was having dinner, say to me, "Where do you go when you die?"  That's like trying to find out the ending before you read the story.  You can answer the question quickly and give out all of the information, but you wonder if it is getting through or is it just something they want to hear.  It is natural to want to know where those who have died have gone.  What did they experience?  Where are they now?  The Apostle Paul said that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.  We can praise God that we know the end of the story for the believer and the non believer   as well and we can praise God that this is all found in His Word.  In this case, it is OK to take a peek at the end of the Book. What a Joy it will be!

The Lamb's Book of Life

    I don't remember where I got this eraser but it is about 8 inches long and an inch and a half wide.  It has written on it, "For Big Mistakes."  It is supposed to be humorous and there are probably some things  I would like to erase, but can't.  While my record keeping is average, it is not perfect and I don't remember all that I should remember.  I do know some people who are into "journaling."  They are able to keep track of every event that takes place in a certain day and then keeps them in books, sometimes similar to a daily diary.  There is One Who is keeping the best set of records and that is God Himself.   Revelation 21:27 says, " And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life."   
        There are a number of places in the Scriptures where the Book of Life is mentioned.  It is a single book which has in it the name of each individual that is born into the family of God.  We would say that they have been saved or born again or that they have received the precious gift of salvation.  So, this single book contains the names of the saved that will eventually be in the Holy City for all eternity.  Since God is the greatest Book Keeper, He also has another "set" of books in which are written every deed that we have ever done or ever even thought of doing.  There is no getting around it that it is the best set of record books ever written.  Not only are your deeds there but your very thoughts are also present.  At the Great White Throne Judgment, all of the books will be open.  Revelation 20:12 reminds us, "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."  God is fair and the Book of life is opened even at the Great White Throne Judgment as if to show that the name of the person being judged is not present.  He then turns to the "books" that have written in them everything that you ever did.  the good and the bad are there, but of course, our good deeds have absolutely no merit for salvation and the name of the individuals present at this judgment were never written in the Lamb's Book of Life.  Once your name is written there, it will never be erased, no matter how big an eraser there might be.  The question that we must settle in this life is whether our name is in the Lamb's Book of Life or not.  If it is not, then the individual standing before God will be judged out of the "Books."  If it is in the Book of Life, then the door swings open wide and you enter into the eternal  presence with God in heaven in the Holy city as described in the closing chapters of the Book of Revelation.  Praise God that He is Faithful and True.

Mneunomic Devices in the Bible

     I was taught to memorize something important by using acronyms or a mnemonic  device.  When I was being introduced to music as a youngster, I had such devices taught to me such as spelling the word FACE name the notes on the spaces and Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge for learning the lines on the staff.  I guess they worked because I never forgot them.  We often use such devices in many different fields in our lives in order to memorize a long list of events or things worth remembering.  God has His way of making something stick in our minds.  Lamentations 3:22-23 says, " It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."   
      The Hebrew alphabet of the Old Testament had 22 characters, all consonants.  We see it laid out in Psalm 119, which has 176 verses with each section of 8 verses beginning with the same letter of the alphabet.  All 8 verses would begin with the same letter.  It was a way for the children to memorize the alphabet and it would focus on God's Word.  Then, a peculiar thing takes place in the Book of Lamentations.  A natural mnemonic device occurs.  The five chapters contain the following number of verses:  22, 22 66, 22 and 22.  In the first 4 chapters, they are alphabetical, with each verse beginning with a letter from the Hebrew alphabet and then proceeding to the next one.  Chapter 3 is arranged in groups of 3 verses for each successive Hebrew letter.  If you think that is easy to do, just try it sometime and endeavor to come up with words that make sense for the entire alphabet.  In Psalm 119, God had a two fold purpose in teaching the alphabet, but more important, teaching the love for the Word of God.  In Lamentations, God also had a purpose.  He didn't want the people to forget the picture of a destroyed and captured Jerusalem.  Lamentations is titled the way it is because of what it portrays.  Jeremiah was left in Jerusalem to record what was going on inside the city.  The two verses from chapter 3, almost in the middle of the book, give us a promise about God that is used much today.  "Great is thy Faithfulness."  We have that famous hymn that tells us of the faithfulness of God everyday.  When you check out this device, remember that you have to look at it in the Hebrew language and not in English.  You won't see it in English.  While the first four chapters are alphabetical, the fifth chapter has no rhyme or reason.  There is no alphabetical arrangement in the 5th chapter of Lamentations, but it is certainly there in the first four chapters.  May we all praise God today for His faithfulness to all of us each and every day.

The MSRP

      It seems that there are a lot of people who are experts on pricing merchandise.  There are those four initials, MSRP, that occur on most products.  Naturally, they stand for Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price.  This is usually the price that is given for the product that they would like to get for it.  What happens in many cases is that the MSRP is given and then there is the really low price that they are willing to take for the merchandise.  What we don't know is the real worth of the item in the first place.  I recently saw an advertisement that was giving away 2 watches, a man's and a woman's, that were worth $120.00 combined just for purchasing any item from that catalog.  These are probably the same watches that you can get for a very minimal price.  Let's face it.  No one is giving anything away for free these days.  At the same time, people like to feel as if they are really getting a bargain as they try to accumulate as much wealth as possible.  What we need to consider is the fact that there is one thing that is the most valuable but for which man fails to strive.  It is the destination of his own soul.  Matthew 16:26 says, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"  
       The Bible has much to say about the soul and it's future destination.  What is sad is that people refuse to acknowledge that it is the truth or even consider it as a possibility.  There will come a point, however, when every person will be evaluating their decision.  Unfortunately, it will be too late to make any difference.  As Matthew has said, there is no profit in gaining the whole world and then in the end losing your own soul.  In this case, the MSRP is the most valuable in the world but the actual cost for the owner is free.  Salvation is a free gift and cannot be earned as we learn in Ephesians 2:8-9.  So, while the world's prices for things may be completely out of whack, the value of the soul is extremely high and in fact is inestimable.  Praise God that He has made a way to purchase each and every one of us through the blood of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Those Were the Days

     "Those were the days."  Perhaps you have found yourself saying those words at one time or another.  I was talking to someone recently as we were looking at some pictures and that phrase came up.  You look at the scenes from a few years back and realize that things are different now from what they used to be.  We then thought, "yep, those were the days."  When I got to thinking about it, the phrase seems to keep cropping up and thing are not usually the way they were, but different.  You may find that you have differen5t people in your life than you did before.  Friendships are still there, but you are making new friends but you still long to have the things you had a number of years ago and so you reflect on them and say, "Those were the days."  There seemed to be somewhat the same sentiment in the minds of the Israelites as they headed out into the wilderness.  It didn't take long for the idea to come up.  Numbers 11:5-6 says, "We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:  But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes."   
      You can almost hear the Israelites saying, "Those were the days."  They could remember the cucumbers, leeks and onions and even the fish and now all we have is this stuff we call "manna" which  means, "What is this stuff?"  "Those were the days."  The Israelites failed to keep their eyes ahead on the Lord.  Here they had a visible cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night and they still couldn't seem to get the picture that God was right there with them.  Moses had been in the presence on Mt. Sinai and still they desired the golden calf instead of waiting on God.  While it is true that the memory of things past seems to be so strong, the promises of God are nonetheless filled with His goodness.  God doesn't leave you life in a stagnant mess, but it is forever changing.  New relationships and experiences are present every day of your existence.  Five years from now, you will probably look back and say, "Those were the days."    Five years after that, you will again look back to the previous five years and say the same thing.  It is all because God is working in your life.  We should be able to learn the lesson from the wilderness experience of the Israelites.  Mirace after miracle took place and still they had a tendency to drift away from God and so do we unless we keep our attention upon the Word of God.  Yes, The Israelites had God's presence in the cloud and the pillar but we have His Very Word in our hand.  Praise God that He is still leading us in the affairs of our lives.

And Still Another Promise

        There have been times in my life where I have thought that I was more educated than someone or at least knew something more about a matter than another person.  It is not a good feeling to have and rather prideful when you think about it.  At the same time, I never thought that I knew more than my father even though he only went to school through the tenth grade.  He was then forced to work in order to help the family through the depression.  In 1929, my father was 20 years old and had to leave school several years before in order to help support the family.  He built our house which included everything except pouring the floor which was done by several large cement trucks.  All blocks were laid by him, the footers, the electrical and the plumbing.  He installed and maintained everything around the place for years to come.  When I wanted to find out something, I asked him and he would tell me in words that I understood.  God has done somewhat the same thing, only greater and especially in areas that are way beyond my understanding.   Jeremiah 33:3 says, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." 
        During the captivity of Jerusalem, Jeremiah found himself in the city of Jerusalem itself.  It was not a pretty picture as well the book of Lamentations describes.  There was nothing glorious about the city or the beautiful temple that Solomon had built.  Anything of value had been looted and carried off to Babylon.  In the midst of all of this, God speaks to Jeremiah and gives him a promise that is good for us even today.  There are so many things that we do not know nor do we understand but we have something that the rest of the world does not have.  We can call out to God in prayer and have the benefit of the promise given in this verse.  We can call out and God will answer.  That would be benefit enough but the promise goes on.  He goes on to say that He will show us great and mighty things. When I think of this statement, I also think about the closing of the book of Job when god tells Job to be quiet and listen and then goes on to relate to Job things that God had done and that Job knew nothing about. in chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine. What an awesome God we serve!  Certainly, we can do this very thing today.  Have you called out to God in any thing, great or small?  Not only that, we also have a copy of His Word that gives us information that goes beyond our imagination.  The first eleven chapters of Genesis remind us of God's creative power.  Colossians 1 also reminds us of how things were created and why they were created in the first place and how everything is being maintained even today.  Call out to God in prayer today and be expecting to receive something new and glorious.  Praise God for His power and His love toward us at the same time.

How About This Promise?

     There was a time, when I was a kid, that my parents would ask me, "What do you want for Christmas?"  now, that was quite a question just after the Sears toy catalog had arrived after Thanksgiving.  I would usually respond with my list of things that I had wanted that particular year.  Parents may ask the same question to their children as the holidays approach.  I haven't heard too many people ask that question and change the word "want" to "need."  To ask someone, "What do you need?" is a different question.  That, however, brings us to another one of God's great promises.  Philippians 4:19 says, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
       The situation with the church at Philippi at that time, was that they had given a lot to provide for the needs of the Apostle Paul as he ministered the gospel.  They had given so much that they came to the point of having physical needs in their own lives that they wondered just how they were going to meet.  This was the point that Paul assured them that God was going to meet all of their needs.  The careful thing to notice is what it does not say.  God used the word "need" instead of "want."   Our list of "wants" can be enormous and it can contain many things that we certainly do not need.  We would consider our "needs" to be the things in this life that we use in order to survive from day to day.  Our needs normally consist of a place to for shelter, clothes to put on and food to eat.  Being the people that we are, the sin of covetousness soon enters in and we come to the conclusion that there are a lot more things on our "need" list that are really just "wants" and that are not necessary for survival.  I have been blessed to live this long which even at this point is longer than I had guessed I would live.  The plain fact however, is that God has never failed to supply all that I have ever needed.  That hasn't stopped my complaining at times, but all of my needs have always been met.  Now there were times when I could not see how God was going to make things come together, but He always did.  That is the point of all of this.  Paul reminded us that "...God shall supply all of my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  I also wanted to mention that God always uses the right words to reveal His message.  He supplies all that we need, "according to" and not "out of."   The Scriptures remind us that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills and that He owns all of the gold and silver in the earth.  It is all His.  Every jewel in the universe belongs to Him and He has His ways of getting it to the places where it is needed.  If you wonder how things are going to come together just realize that God has His ways.  It was reported that the missionary to China, Hudson Taylor, once sent a check amounting to $10,000 to George Mueller and his ministry to orphan children in England, because, "He didn't need it at the time and perhaps George did."  So, praise God today that He supplies all of your needs in ways you could never dream up.

Another Promise

         Projects are good to have in your life.  I have had quite a number of them.  There is one problem however, in that some of the projects don't get completed.  Some of them are still in the planning stage while others are in the stage of, "I bought the supplies and they are waiting to be used" stage.  Some might be half done.  We were going to paint the two posts of the clothes line this past summer.  We got the paint out of the basement, found the brush needed then discovered the old wire brush for removing the old loose paint had rusted away.  I ordered the new wire brush and it came and has been sitting next to the quart of brown paint and the paint brush for over a month.  Now, it is too cold and wet to paint the post.  for now, this project is unfinished. Some projects take longer to do than others.  Philippians 1:6 says, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"  
         I have been thinking about the promises of God that we find everyday in the Scriptures.  The passage for today is another one of those promises.  You see, God has a project and it involves the completion of a project.  The project is you and me.  The Apostle Paul was reminding the church at Philippi that they were part of God's projects and what He had started He would finish.  We realize that this enormous project starts the day we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.   That is the beginning, but we are like newborn babes, being just born into the family of God.  We could take the analogy to the level of physical birth of our children.  We just don't give birth to them, give them a couple bottles of milk and then tell them that they are on their own and to do the best that they can.  It takes a lot more than that.  The same is true for the believer.  Salvation comes into our lives and then there is a process that has begun called "sanctification."    Peter reminded us of the "growth" that we are to have in our Christian lives.  The growth takes place from day to day and it is often a seemingly slow process.  Sometimes, the growth is hard to see from day to day.  We may think that it will never get done.  We may also think that God is not doing His part, but He is.  Paul promised us that God would perform the necessary task.  What God begins, He finishes and that is another great promise on which we can place our hope.  So, praise God today that God is working a project in you.

Promises

     Many people seem to get caught up in their promises even to family members.  When I think about it, I don't recall my father ever making a promise to either do something or be at a certain place on a certain time.  He knew that there could always be circumstances that would arise where he couldn't keep the promise.  At least, that's what I think about him as to why he never made any promises.  He drove truck for over thirty years and his schedule would always depend on many different things.  He seemed to always start out on time, but when he got home would always be when you could see his headlights in the window.    The inability of some people to keep promises doesn't stop them especially politicians.  They like to make promises to satisfy people in order to get votes.  I only know of One Person Who is able to keep His promises and that is the Lord Jesus Christ.  John 14:3 says, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." 

        Not long ago, I mentioned the fact that God will never leave us nor forsake us.  That was a promise.  There are a few promises that are in the Scripture that I would like to refer to now and then and the verse for today is certainly one of them.  We know that John spent a lot of time showing us what happened during the last week of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ here on earth in His earthly body.  During that last week, He gave instructions to His disciples about the future.  The verse for today is one of the greatest promises and has those wonderful words, "..I will come again..."  November  is very close to  "Advent."  We call it Advent because it is about the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ,  We don't even call it the First Advent, but simply "Advent."  When the Lord Jesus Christ speaks about Is Second Coming, we often refer to it as His "Second Advent."  As sure as the first advent took place, so shall the Second Advent.  The Bible has much to say about this special time and the words above are just another one of the great promises that the Lord Jesus Christ gave us.  He is coming again.  The Apostle Paul mentioned it a lot especially to the church at Thessalonica.  He also mentioned it to the church in Corinth and the Apostle John wrote about it in great deal in the Book of Revelation.  Paul also mentioned in Second Timothy 3:1-5 what were going to be the characteristics of the "last" days.  Have you read your morning paper yet?  Those days are upon us.  At the very least we can say, "Today is one more day closer to the Second Coming of Christ."    Is today going to be the day?  Praise God today for the promise of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Contentment and Covetousness

       Are you content the way things are in your life?  I could be content with things but advertising is always placing a temptation in my mind by showing me the newest and best things that are now available.  One of the things I seem to accumulate is the ball point pen.  I have a number of them.  In fact, I have two containers that are filled to the maximum and I can't get another pen in them.  Now, I can't possible use all of them.  Of course, these are not your usual bag of "bic sticks."  They pens with rubber finger spots, some with lights, some with glowing parts and one that when you bounce it, the large bulb on the end starts blinking.  Now, I also have pens that have a rubber bulb on the end that I can use on my phone and Kindle with their touch screens.  There are always things that are new and the world system knows how to make you notice what they are.  When you see them, you soon think that you can't get along with out them.  You are no longer content with what you have.  Hebrews 13:5 says, "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." 
       One man said, "covetousness is the opposite of contentment."  The words of the Ten commandments says in Exodus 20:17, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."  It doesn't take long to see that to covet something is definitely a problem and it is going to begin with what we see.  We can see a new ball point pen, a new car, a new dress, a new house, a new back yard.  Well, you think about it and it becomes a desire that is there and it removes your contentment.  You are no longer satisfied with the way things are and you want them to change.  There was a now well known man in the Old Testament, called Achan.  He had a desire with some certain items that were present during the battle with Jericho.  We see him seeing them, desiring them, and finally taking them and hiding them in his tent.  Undoubtedly, the lesson is there for us because that is the process that exists in the lives of every believer.  Our contentment is shattered when we see, desire and finally take.  The process is now complete until the next time.  The writer of Hebrews reminds us that we are to be content with the things that we have and certainly we have been blessed beyond measure.  If you lives could exist without coveting, it would be great, but that isn't the way things are.  The above verse goes on to give us one of the greatest and most profound promises in the Scripture.  It says, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."  No matter what goes on in your life, no matter what disaster occurs, no matter what bad news you get, God has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us.  Praise God today for the fact that He is always with us.

The "Heyday"

       I have been blessed to have lived as long as I have but it has given me a view of life that is not always as pleasant as it should be.  We sometimes hear the expression, "in its hey day."  Actually, the word is "heyday" and has nothing to do with hay, the dried grass that is used as animal feed. Dictionary definition: Heyday = the period of one's greatest popularity, vigor, or prosperity. Heyday comes from the old Germanic word "heida" meaning "hurrah!"  We use the term quite often when we have observed the greatness of something and then to see it whither away.  Whatever the object is, you can see it lasting and peaking for about forty years and then see it crumble unless something happens to prevent it.  I used to drive down a street in Parkersburg, West Virginia past the book store where there were a lot of older homes that probably were really magnificent in their heyday.  At that time, however, the buildings were slowly falling to the ground.  Sometimes you could drive by and see boards lopsided, paint peeling, grass growing everywhere and then soon, the building was torn down and something else would be built to replace it.  They were great in their "heyday" but now were gone.  Sad to say, it can also happen to the greatest of churches.    Revelation 2:4 says, "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love."   
      Ephesus was one of the churches in the New Testament that had a lot of instruction and a great foundation.  We can learn about Ephesus from Acts as we see Paul's involvement in the establishment, care and teaching in that church.  Then, of course, we have the Book of Ephesians that Paul writes in connection to the church itself.  Then, there is a third mention of the church at Ephesus in the book of Revelation.  Ephesus was the first church mentioned in the "Letters to the Seven Churches."  The accusation against the church was the one mentioned in the above verse.  It would have been bad enough to hear the words, "Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee..."  That should have been sufficient fuel to spark the Ephesians into doing something about their problem.  The problem kept on and finally the warning was completed and their candlestick, or their witness, was removed.  Paul had mentioned in Acts that he had taught the whole counsel of God to the church at Ephesus.  He didn't leave anything out.  They had their "heyday" and now they were about to close the doors.  We are saddened about the church at Ephesus probably because the Book of Ephesians has so much in it for believers of all ages and especially for today.  In the first three chapters, Paul wrote about the extreme blessings that we have.  He then gives a glorious doxology at the e4nd of chapter three and then goes on with three more chapters that give us at least 38 imperatives.  An imperative is something you are commanded to do.  When we see the structure crumbling around us, we need to do something.  We need to get a broom and sweep up the rubble and fix the situation before the whole building collapses around our feet.  We still have much to learn and certainly to apply from the Book of Ephesians.  Praise God today for His Word.  May we take heed to what it says.

Thanksgiving and Praise

        I would guess that we, believers in this age and location are a thankful people.  That is, we are thankful to God for the blessings that He has bestowed upon us.  As a nation, we have a special day which is called "Thanksgiving."  The moment we say it, certain pictures pop up in our heads and aromas remind us of grandma's kitchen.  Even the condensation on the window panes reminds us of the sometimes cold weather outside, but the warmth inside the homes as ovens are on full tilt to provide the annual Thanksgiving dinner.  I have many memories from this time of the year as many of us do.  I think of Mom and Dad and Uncle Bunny and Aunt Hattie as we would gather around the table.  It was family time.  Believers have an attitude of thanksgiving that goes beyond the family picture.  It includes much.  Psalm 100:1-5 says, " A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.  Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.   Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations."  The fourth verse begins with "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and unto His courts with praise..."    
       This is where we change our direction for just a moment.  Obviously, we have been blessed as a nation and as families and as individuals.  It hasn't all gone smoothly as one might have hoped for.  Some have died and there will be a person missing from the table this year.  Or there may have been sickness that was planned for that interrupted our plans.  Sometimes divorce enters into the picture and again, people are absent from the table. So, even amidst all of the pains of life, there still is a spirit of Thankfulness that fills the air.  We don't dwell on the empty chairs at the table, but look forward to the chairs at the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven.  What a banquet that is going to be!  There are still enormous opportunities for praise and thanksgiving in the Savior who died, was buried and rose again from the dead.  There is still thanksgiving for the daily provision of the needs that we have that could only have come from God Himself.  There is Thanksgiving for a peace that goes well beyond understanding even in this land of plenty.  "Thank you LORD for saving my soul, Thanks you LORD for making me whole."  Praise and give thanks to the God of the Universe for all that He has done for us. 

The Feeding of the Sheep

     I was in the Navy and then I worked with American Telephone and Telegraph Company.  Then, in 1978, I was ordained into the ministry.  I don't have a lot of education as far as ministers are concerned.  There came a time when people began to ask, "What should we call you?"    I chose to be called, simply, Pastor Dan.  That was sufficient for me and described what I wanted to be doing in the ministry in the first place.  So, in 1999, I began signing the devotion as pastor dan.  I chose to use the small letters because I am insignificant and it is Christ who should be exalted.  It was just my personal preference.  Since I came to this stage of my life, especially the last two years, I have no one to pastor.  First Peter 5:2 says, "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;"  
        The duties of the pastor, or bishop, or elder or "spiritual leader" is to do what Peter has instructed in the above verse.  They are to feed the flock of God and then he goes on to tack on some qualities or characteristics the should be present in the life of the pastor.  I have been through a lot of technical issues in my ministry as I began with an aluminum chalk holder and an eraser.  That soon gave way to the utilization of the OHP, which is the overhead projector with overlays, maps, pens, both permanent and non permanent.  Then, that gave way to the use the white board which only used the "white board pens."  Now, we use power point to make the message more enjoyable to the people.  Now, we can have wrap around sound, video, large screens, Jumbo Trons and a host of other technologies to present the gospel message.  We can become so wrapped up in the method that we lose the message.  Peter, almost 2,000 years ago wrote that we were to be feeding the flock of God, not with our thought, our ideas or what we should think important, but that we should be presenting the Word of God.  Peter advocated that we have a ready mind to present the material.  He didn't have an aluminum chalk holder, but did an excellent job anyway.  The lesson from Peter still needs to be heard.  Church leaders need to be "feeding the flock."  It is also the vital part of being the shepherd to the sheep.   May we all be in a place where we are being fed from the Word of God on a regular basis and not just now and then.  If anyone needs an aluminum chalk holder, I might be able to find an extra one in my top drawer.  Praise God today to His instructions to us through His Word.

Real Treasures

        Most people would like to have a goose that could lay golden eggs  Every now and then, I check my collection of Fenton Glass to see if anything has gained in value.  It is true that we would like to be able to change that which is common into gold. Some even rummage through their old junk hoping to find a relic that is worth thousands of dollars.   Other hopefuls take their "old things" to the Antiques Road Show" hoping that they are secretly worth thousands of dollars.  Man never seems to be able to live on what he makes. Oh, we come close, but it is just  a little above what we make and not below it. For this reason, most people hope to discover some form of riches around them. The Apostle Paul knew the value of riches. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he wrote in First Corinthians 3:11-13, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." 
        He included those things that were valuable land those things that were common. You can see the list going from gold to stubble. The stubble is the worthless stalk from the grain of wheat which remains in the ground after the sickle has cut off the stalk and the head of grain. God is here comparing what we do on earth as either gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay or stubble. The first three, gold, silver and precious stones, have a definite value while the next three, wood, hay and stubble are next to worthless. It should be our desire to do works that are of some value as compared to those works that are worthless. It is interesting that two people can do the identical work and one be classed as gold and the other as stubble. What makes the difference is the attitude or the mindset of the workman in the first place. You need to answer the questions, "Who is being glorified by this work? Myself or God?" If it is God, then the work will be classified as gold. But, if the person is yourself, then the work will be classified as stubble. Paul goes on to say that the fire will be the thing that tells what type of work it was. If it burns up, then it was as wood, hay or stubble. But, if the work remains after the fire, then it was gold, silver or precious stones. The point of all of this is that we can be doing a good work and it still end up as being consumed by the fire because our attitude was not right in the beginning. It is but a small thing that can change a good work into a bad work. Or, let us say, change a valuable work into a worthless work. So, check your attitude and make sure that what you are doing things for the Lord  and that you have the right purpose in mind. Seek to glorify Him in all that you do and you won't go wrong.  Praise God today for His riches and the fact that He supplies all of our needs.

Handwriting on the Wall

       You may have had some instances in your life where a series of events led you to day that you could see the handwriting on the wall.  You might see the department that you are working in getting smaller and smaller and then a part of your company is sold to another company.  You may then say, "Well, I can see the handwriting on the wall."  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what is going on.  We often use that expression when the circumstances around us indicate that a change is coming whether we like it or not.  The original "handwriting on  the wall" experience was here in the Book of Daniel when Belshazzar the king decided to drink of dedicated vessels from the temple in Jerusalem.  He mocked God and God answered him quickly.   Daniel 5:5-6 says,  "In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.   Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another."   
     The description of the event is almost humorous as we see a frightened king of Babylon who was shaking so much his knees knocked one against the other.  To see what he saw, was indeed frightening as just a hand wrote on the wall.  We know the rest of the story as the kingdom fell that night and Belshazzar was killed and Darius took over at the age of sixty-two.  There are probably many different times in our lives when we can say that we see the handwriting on the wall.  It can be in relationships, your church, your job, your education and even in the daily news.  While we know the characteristics that will be prevalent in the last days, we too, can see the handwriting on the wall.  In this case, we can see that conditions in the world and even in the church tell us that the end is getting closer and closer.  Things are not getting better in the world, they are steadily getting worse.  The items mentioned in Second Timothy 3:1-5 are here today and you can say "I can see the handwriting on the wall."  Now, the question comes up, "Since you can see the handwriting on the wall, what does that mean to your own personal life?"  Does the handwriting on the wall urge you to get moving and to share the gospel more fervently?  Does the handwriting on the wall cause you to pray more?  Does the handwriting on the wall cause you to worship God more fervently?  With some, even the handwriting on the wall does nothing to move them.  Don't be one of those people.  Praise God today that He has the Master Plan.  Do you hear the Son of God getting up from His Throne and preparing to return to gather His Saints?

The Team

  It is always nice to be part of a team.  I remember back as a teenager, I was never very good at sports.  I was about as uncoordinated as could be.  I couldn't play basketball and when you are from the state of Indiana, you have to be able to play basketball.  Well, I couldn't.  So, I became the "team manager."  That meant that I carried the towels and the uniforms and the aspirin and the stuff you painted on blisters on feet.  We won the regional tournament that year and so the team got its picture taken.  And, there I was right in the front next to the coach.  I was a part of the team even though I couldn't get the basketball through the hoop.  Teams are always important.  The Apostle Paul realized it also.  Romans 16:1-3 says, "I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:  That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.  Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:" 
        Now, I have only given you the first three verses of this chapter, but you should read the list of workers that were part of the Apostle's team.  If Paul had a Polaroid camera, this would be his mission picture for the local newsletter.  He doesn't want to forget one member and so goes on through this final chapter of Romans to list each and every one.  Today, we are still part of a team.  The team might only be 2, but it's still a team.  One person helping another is a team.  It's opening doors, or praying for needs, or giving out the gospel, or singing in the choir.  It's all about being a part of the team.  The church is not the building that stands in a certain place but it is the group of people that make it up.  It's men and women; boys and girls who are working to spread the gospel message so people can be saved.  Praise God today that you are part of the team and if there is a final picture  made for the Heavenly Gazette, you will be in it.

Where to Find Rest

     Has your life changed in the last month?  Even more, has your life changed in the last hour?  We often find that things enter our lives that promote changes.  We didn't count on them and we didn't plan on them but nonetheless, they are there.  One of the sad things is that the older you get, the more things there are that seem to change.  It can be circumstances or it can especially be physical changes.  Coping with change is often quite difficult for most people.  Change often promotes distress in a person.  A number of years ago, the Reader's Digest came out with a list that graded the various changes that could take place in a person's life.   Readers Digest just reported it, but the idea of changes in a person's life have been around for some time. You could check off the ones that applied to you and then add up the score.  If you reached a certain level in your score, you were considered to be under a lot of stress.  That list is still around and you can still see how changes such as the death of a spouse or a move or a job change all promote some sort of change and stress in your life.  How are your going to cope with it all?  Matthew 11:28-30 says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."   
       These verses are always a comfort.  They are a comfort because they give us the solution to change.  We may not want to have change, but it is comforting to know that God has a better solution.   People are looking for a place to rest where they can get a fresh breath of fresh air and take a look at their problems from a distance.  Then, maybe they can get through them.  But, that place is hard to find in the world.  It is not hard to find, however, if you look at the Lord Jesus Christ.  There are some times when we are indeed laboring and are heavy laden with the cares that have been heaped upon us.  It is in those times that we like especially to turn to Christ and enjoy the fact that He is carrying our burdens.  We can trust in His plan for our lives and realize that tomorrow we will look back and see how we got through today.  So, don't fret, just trust the Lord and lean upon Him.  Praise God today that He is carrying your burdens and He knows all about them.  When we need to find rest we can come to God who gives the perfect rest.