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.

Recorders

      Tape recorders are something that many of us have used in the past.  I remember one of the first tape recorders that I had as the School of music purchased one for every instructor.  It had two seven inch reels on it to hold the tape.  We were to use the recorders in our process of teaching the students..  Sometimes, what sounds good to you isn't good at all.  You notice mistake after mistake as the replay continues.  I also had a number of small personal recorders that I could carry around in my pocket.  I often forget something that I wanted to do or to remember and the recorder was a simple way of remembering.  Now, they use a new technology that makes them record without using a physical tape and so they are labeled as digital recorders.  John 17:1 says, "These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:"  
        The Apostle John didn't have the use of a recorder in his day.  Peter, James and John were inside Gethsemane with the Lord Jesus Christ and probably didn't remember too much that happened as they were asleep some of the time.  Luke records that they were all asleep.  John 17 is an unusual chapter in that it records the words of the Lord Jesus Christ on that night.  There was no recorder.  That is, there was no physical object there to record the words that Christ prayed.  We have, however, the opening verse of this prayer which says, "These words spake Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said....."  The rest of the words in John 17 were uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.  The content of the prayer itself is magnificent and has many lessons for us.  It also gives us a glimpse of inspiration.  We speak of Scripture as being inspired of God, that is, God breathed as it says in Second Timothy 3:16.   Here we are some 2,000 years later able to "play back" what was said that night so many years ago.  So many times, we read the words, "Thus saith the LORD..."  Again, we have the "recorded" words of God caught on a page for us to read time and time again.  Can you fathom just how great that is?  Today, we often hear the recorded words of Franklin D. Roosevelt as he made the Sunday announcement of the attack at Pearl Harbor and it sends chills up our spines.  We should be just as excited about the words of the Lord Jesus Christ that have been "recorded" for us in the pages of the New Testament.  We should be just as excited over the words of God Himself that are recorded in Exodus 20 when He gave the Ten Commandments.  Your Bible does not require batteries and you can read it any time and in any place.  Have you read a portion today?  Praise God for sending us His recording of His Words to us.

"Maybe It Will Go Away"

          Every now and then, I get involved in some of the household duties.  I like to cook, but the rest of the stuff is not really what I prefer to be doing.  The sweeper is one of those things that I tend to stay away from.  However, I was vacuuming the rug the one day and noticed something. When I would approach something that was dangling on the floor, such as a curtain cord or an electric cord, I would squint my eyes so that they were almost closed. I came to the realization that I was doing this each time that I came close to something that could get sucked up into the vacuum. In essence, I was hoping it wouldn't happen and if I closed my eyes, that would prevent it from happening. Obviously, that was all wishful thinking. More than once a shoe lace or curtain cord or the filly edges of a throw rug, have gotten wrapped around the vacuum brush. Ignoring something doesn't make it go away or to not exist. However, some people feel that if they completely ignore the area of sin, that it doesn't exist and that they are not under the penalty of it. Romans 3:10-12 says, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."
       These verses, quoted from the Old Testament, plainly point out that everyone is a sinner and that the penalty of sin has been pronounced upon them. There is no way of avoiding that fact. Squinting your eyes or even closing them when you get close to the Bible or to sound preaching doesn't negate the fact of sin. It is still there and it needs to be dealt with. As a quick review will point out, God has set a standard for entrance into heaven. Unfortunately for us, that standard is a perfect sacrifice in order to make payment for entrance into heaven. Without that payment or that perfection, we cannot enter heaven. For some they say, "Well, that won't be so bad." However, the second destination for a soul if not going to heaven, is the Lake of Fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels. So, to ignore God's requirements won't make them go away nor will they guarantee instead a safe passage to heaven. There is only one way and that was is the Lord Jesus Christ. This means that we must accept His payment for our sins, since He was and is, the only perfect sacrifice that could have been offered for sin. So, don't think that sin doesn't exist or just because a person doesn't believe in it that it is not real. It is very real and so are the results. Your final destination can only be determined by whether or not you accept God's plan of salvation through the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross. Don't close your eyes to God's gift.  Praise God today that He sent His Son to die for your sins.

Behold the Lamb

       I remember that during the second world war, we had a little banner in our front window with a single blue star on it.  It was in honor of my Dad's brother who was serving in the U. S. Army.  Normally, it was the parents who would put the flags in their window, but both of them were already passed away and so there was no one to remember my Uncle Harry, so we had the flag.  It was an exciting time when we got word that he would be coming home.  We had not seen him for a long time and his job in the army was in bomb disposal.  Many of the people did not return from this job.  You can just imagine the excitement of seeing him coming up the street and the sidewalk of our home.  There was, perhaps another day in history that also had even more excitement attached to it.  John 1:29 says, "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."  
      John the Baptist knew he wasn't the main figure in was about to take place.  He was the one that was preparing the way for the Lord Jesus Christ to come. There is probably not too much excitement from the verse that makes the announcement, but just look at the words and the meaning that was taking place at that moment.  There is that simple declaration, "...Behold the Lamb of God, which taketn away the sin of the world."   This was going to be the answer to the problems of mankind.  This was going to be the Person, indeed the Son of God, that would be on the scene to make the announcements, and then to eventually die on the cross at Calvary and in those hours on the cross, He would be paying for the penalties, indeed, the sins of the whole world.  This was going to be the time when all sins would be paid for and the way opened into heaven itself.  We have the knowledge today of what happened in the whole story, because we have our own copy of the Word of God.  Yes, Jesus did die on the cross, but it was a victorious death in that He rose from the dead and the resurrection that took place guaranteed us heaven in all its glory.  John the Baptist knew that Jesus would be the One Who would pay for all of our sins.  As you go through the Bible and read the life of Christ in the pages of the New Testament, may you and I and all who read it, say "Behold the Lamb of God."  He has made heaven possible.  Praise God today for the sending of His Son in the fulness of time that He might pay the sin debt that we could never pay ourselves.

Identifying the Believers

       Many people like to pretend in life.  I remember that as a youngster, I would pretend to be many different people from the Lone Ranger, to Sky King and even one of the little rascals which is where I jumped off of the garage with an umbrella.  I could take my arms out of my jacket and make it like a cape and fly through corn fields.  After a few years of pretending, life would settle in and you find that you are not pretending anymore.  Pretending however, doesn't always stop.  For many, it continues only it is not funny anymore.    John 17:21 says, " That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."   
      There are a large number of people who pretend today and what they are pretending to be is a Christian.  It is easy to do.  All you have to do to start pretending you are a Christian is to learn the vocabulary and start using words like, "saved, justified, washed in the blood, Lamb of God and rapture" and people will think you are a Christian.  You can even take communion in church but the truth is not there in your own life.  We can take it a step further and purchase a gold cross to wear around our neck and a bumper sticker that says "Honk if you love Jesus."  You can get a gold edged Bible and carry it around with you, but the truth is still not there.  A small book was written a number of years ago titled, "The Mark of the Christian."  In the book, the author set out to prove that it isn't the outside of the person that declares whether they are a Christian or not, but what is going on in the inside.  What would be the identifying mark of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ?  The above verse tells us when Jesus was praying this prayer.  There was to be a relationship between believers that would be so strong that it set the believer apart from the rest of the world.  That relationship would have the characteristics of the relationship between the Father and the Son.  Christ went on to say, "They all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee."  The reason for this relationship was that the world may know the the Father had sent the Son.  So, you see, there is no mention of an outward artifact to declare to others that you are a Christian but solely depends upon your relationship with other believers.   You can possess all of the outside trappings of a Christian and still be a pretender, because you basically can't get along with people, especially other believers.  Praise God today for Who He is!

What is Valuable and What is Not?

    My Father had a trunk in the attic of one of our houses.  The trunk contained many items from my Dad's days in the Civilian Conservation Corps while working in California.  There was a stick that had the names of every state he traveled through on his way to California and a number from a theater seat in Bakers Field, California and a jar of insects including a tarantula spider.  All of the items in that trunk perished in a fire and no one cares nor mourns their loss.  I have seen some paintings that were considered to be extremely valuable yet I couldn't tell if they were hung right side up or not.  It sometimes amazes me what the world thinks is both important and valuable.  A recent news report stated that a certain building had burned in the Los Angeles area.  The building was a total loss but one item had been saved by the owner.  The owner had saved a pair of fatigue uniforms that had once been worn by Elvis Pressley.  The world is filled with a number of items that have been given an important or valuable place in the world.   They could be baseballs that were hit over the fence to clothes or cars that once belonged to a famous person.  What is ironic is that the same person may have placed no value on his own soul.  Mark 8:36-37 says, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" 
         When it comes right down to it, the value placed on an army fatigue uniform once worn by Elvis Pressley fails to compare in the importance of one soul.  When your final breath comes, what value would you place on your own soul?  What would you give in order to guarantee a blessed inheritance in regard to your own soul?  Naturally speaking, we would give everything that we have in order to have a spot in eternal life.  There are some people who think they will have enough time to decide for Christ during their last moments on this earth.  That thought is a terrible gamble as one can take on breath and go into eternity before there is time for the next breath.  The Scripture sums it up when it states, "what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"  It is a rhetorical question and the answer is that there is there is nothing that he will give in exchange for his soul.  So, take a look around you and decide what is more important to you, your things or your own soul?  Obviously, the answer is that your soul is more important.  Solomon summed it up in Ecclesiastes 12:7 when he said, "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.   Praise God today that He is able to save the soul.

Growing Grass

     There is a saying that goes, "Well, they don't let any grass grow under their feet."  It is saying that they are constantly doing something.  They don't seem to be standing still for any length of time.  I sometimes think that I need a vacation as I have not had one like the rest of my peers for a very long time.  Well, the last one was a trip to an amusement park about 12 years ago.  I still get advertisements from them but I don't go on rides that leave the ground or need a lot of funnel cakes.  Then, when I think about it, the word "vacation" doesn't seem to appear in the Bible.  I can't say that I have seen anyone leaving the work for two weeks.  The closest time to someone taking some time off was Peter falling asleep on the roof at Joppa.   Acts 10:9-10 says, "On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:  And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance," 
       We know the story.  It was the time of the vision of the sheet being lowered from heaven with all kinds of beasts and creeping things in it and being told to eat.  The purpose of the vision was because some people were heading for Peter's gate that were Gentiles and Peter was being prepared to meet them and to accept them into the house and then to eat with them.  So, even this recorded slumber had a divine purpose.  When we look at the lives of the the apostles and even of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, we see that they were continually about the work of the ministry and that no grass was going to grow under their feet.  Spare time was at a minimum and if there was any, it was being used to get from one place to another.  Even when someone was traveling they were things to do.  Paul remarks quite often that he is and has been in prayer about a certain group.  Paul must have had quite a prayer list because he often said that he was continually in prayer for a group of people.  You and I have a ministry.  We are part of the Body of Christ and our gift or gifts of the Holy Spirit are continually being used.  This is how the body is functioning.  There is a mission song that I refer to now and then called, "The Grass is Growing."  It is the story of a Christian native in a tribe who goes out each day to pray.  The result is a path becomes visible as the same route is taken day after day after day.  Soon, it is bare because of the times of prayer that had taken place.  Then, one day, the man doesn't go out and then the next day neither.  Soon, the grass begins to grow on the path that was once bare.  He is confronted by a brother who informs him that he must be sinning because the grass is growing on his path to his prayer spot.  Well, how about you?  Is grass growing on your path?  Praise God today that He has something for all of us to do in His fields that are white unto harvest.

Perilous Times

     We have an expression that goes, "If the shoe fits, wear it."  I would guess that the meaning is such that if what has been said applies to you, then accept it.   There have been many times in my life when the preaching in which I was sitting, seemed to be rather personal and I might feel singled out in the service.  There have also been times when I was the preacher, going through a book of the Bible, and yet people thought I was talking about them specifically.  Some have even thought about avoiding the service because they thought I was speaking about them.  The Bible, you see, is very personal.   Second Timothy 3:1 says, "2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come."  
       It doesn't take too long for a person to realize that the conditions of the world match what is stated in this passage.  I have included only one verse, but you should read the passage completely in Second Timothy 3:1-5.  It will give you the complete list of conditions that are prevalent in the world today.  While it is true that you can probably find all of the conditions in every age, they seem to come to the forefront as the days go by.  I have mentioned that I, of course, send this devotion through Yahoo as it is still free, and they still allow me to send out an email to a large group of people at one time.  When I begin, I am forced to go through a couple of pages of news articles that would challenge the National Enquirer as to their truthfulness.  They are almost all sensational in that they provoke your interest.  I often refer to the super market tabloid that reported that they had fund a B-29 super fortress aircraft on the moon.  You are prompted to turn directly to that page.  If it were just sensational items, that would be one thing, but the reporting even of the local news channel brings to the forefront the actions of humanity in almost every community that fit the description given in Second Timothy three.  Paul began with this statement about the perilous times and then went on to describe what those conditions were.  As you read the list of nineteen characteristics, you can plainly see that they describe the conditions in which we live.  The negative side is unsettling to say the least.  As you look at the list, you should be able to determine what the opposite would be and strive to see that characteristic in your life.  We see that the number one trait listed is that people are lovers of themselves.  Then, the opposite would be to love others before you love yourself.  How often the Scripture mentions that we should look onto the things of others first.  The Scriptures telly us to put others first.  So, take the opposite of every trait and incorporate those traits into your own life.  Instead of being covetous, be content with what you have.  Then, just keep going through the list.  Praise God today that His Word guides into righteousness.

Refolding the Map

     My Father used to have a saying about a chauffeur.  The test for a chauffeur was to see if the person could refold the map.  We always had a collection of maps in the car as they were free at that time and could be picked up at any local gas station.  They came neatly folded but once you unfolded it and found the road for which you were looking, you had to refold the map.  I don't know how many times I got frustrated at refolding that map.  Finally, I would just press down and make my own creases in it.  In those days, you had to have the maps in order to find out where you were going.  Now, we have GPS and all we have to do is listen to the voice as it guides you through unknown roads in far away places.  I listened to my GPS once and followed it until I came to a turn and came face to face with a sign which read, "Not for Motorized Vehicles."    Well, so much for the GPS.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says, " Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." 
      God does have His own spiritual GPS in that He guides us in our spiritual journey.  You can refuse to follow a road map and you may take a lot of unnecessary detours.  Well, you could do the same thing in your spiritual journey.  You can notice that the passage says that we should not lean unto our own understanding.  That is the negative side and the positive side is that we should trust in the LORD with all of our heart.  Our opinions will misguide us every time but God will not disappoint us or lead us astray.  The reward of obedience to God is that He shall direct our path.  He won't lead us close to danger but as far from as it as we can possibly be.  The key to our having the best guidance is trusting God with all of our heart and not just part of it.  Did you notice those words, "..In all thy ways...?"  That means just what it says.  We are to trust God in all of our ways.  You may find out that you will be surprised at the outcome.  I may be anxious about something but decide to trust God anyway and leave the outcome up to Him.  When the next day or the next week comes, I find that He took care of it all.  I could have worried and schemed as to how to come out on top, but instead, I just trusted God's Word for what it said.  Follow God's GPS and you will not take a wrong route even in your spiritual life.  Praise God today that He is our Guide in all areas of our lives.