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TITLE: Proof
DATE: April 30, 2019 TEXT: Mark 14: 55-56 – ESV - The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. 56 Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was the man who made Sherlock Holmes famous. I can’t be sure, but I don’t think he ever told of the time when the great detective and his sidekick, Dr. Watson, were on safari in Africa. The two were days away from civilization, camping on the veldt when, in the middle of the night, Holmes awoke. He nudged his companion and asked, “Watson, old friend, look up at the sky and tell me what you see.” As Watson formulated his answer, he determined to look wise…at least wiser than normal. He began: “As I survey the heavens, I see many things. Astronomically, I see that there are millions of galaxies which have the potential of holding billions of planets. Logically, from the placement of the stars, I see that the time is approximately half-past three – in the morning. Theologically, I can see that there is a Creator Who made and brought order to all that I see. He is Someone Who is greater than we are, more powerful, and wiser than any human being, including yourself, Mr. Holmes. Meteorologically, I can see that we have every possibility of enjoying a sunny day tomorrow.” Unimpressed Holmes asked, “Is that all you see?” Watson franticly searched his brain. Finally he groused: “Yes, Holmes that’s all I see. What am I missing?” Holmes sighed and said, :Something, elementary. You are missing the fact that somebody has apparently stolen our tent.” Like Watson, the chief priests and the Sanhedrin were looking very hard so they didn’t miss something elementarily wrong about Jesus.. They needed something wrong enough that would allow them to sentence Him to death. The false charges had been supplied; and trumped up charges had been brought in.. None of them worked; all just fell apart. It is my hope you see the calmest Individual in that ancient courtroom is Jesus. Jesus knows any sinful charge brought against Him must be bogus Even so, He sees clearly He must follow the Father's will and die so that we might be saved. The Innocent will die for the guilty. That was God’s plan and it worked. The risen Savior proves that. He is evidence aplenty. But it is evidence the world rejects. Remember that fact when you hear charges being made against Jesus by people who hate Him today. Remember when you hear critics tear Scriptures apart. They may try to twist His words and His mission. Don't let their words bother you. We who have been washed in the blood of Jesus, know there is no honest charge that can condemn our Savior. He remains, God's own truth. It’s elementary, my dear friends, elementary. THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, send Your Spirit to enlighten those who would try to make their reputations at the cost of Yours'. Let them see Your love and grace as I do. Let them see the Lamb Who is willing to die for humanity without defense or complaint. In Your Name. Amen. The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html
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TITLE: Self-accused
DATE: April 29, 2019 TEXT: Luke 22: 66-71 – ESV-And they led him away to their council, and they said, 67 “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, 68 and if I ask you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70 So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” 71 Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.” Have you ever noticed, more often than not, it’s the things we say which get us into trouble? I remember a good many years ago when a fellow pastor and his wife went out to dinner with Pam and myself, At the end of the meal the minister’s wife had not finished her slab of meat. Understandably, like many people, she asked for a doggy bag. Unlike most people who ask their waiter for a doggy bag the Pastor’s wife felt compelled to describe the appearance of the dog; the appetite of the dog; the tricks the dog could do. It took a good, long while before her description about the dog ran down, ' The waiter had been mesmerized by the story of her dog. Me, I was shocked. I was shocked because I hadn’t known they had a dog I said so in so many words. They exchanged one of those husband-wife looks, laughed and then they confessed. “We have no dog, It’s just that we don’t like to admit we’re taking the leftovers home for ourselves.” Their explanation was interrupted by the return of our waiter who was carrying a very large, a very full doggy bag. As he set the bag on the table. He explained, “I think I’d like your dog. At any rate when I got into the kitchen I found some other plates with scraps of steak on them. I picked up those scraps, too and added them to yours.” He didn’t understand when three out of four people at the table burst into laughter. The minister’s wife had been caught in her words, The Jewish Sanhedrin thought they had done the same to Jesus The priests said Jesus was condemned by His words when He said He was God’s Son. Indeed, lf anyone, other than Jesus, said such a thing would be a liar and stand condemned. But there was and is a difference. Whereas the preacher’s wife had lied and we, also lie, Jesus told the truth. How tragic that these religious men were blinded by the devil. They couldn't see that the lie was in their minds, not in Jesus' words. Because of their blindness, Jesus continued on the way to the cross and Resurrection Sunday’s open grave, As Christians, we give thanks that we have, by the Spirit's power, seen and heard God's Truth. Now it is our job to witness to Jesus. With our lives and our lips we need to proclaim him as Savior and Lord. THE PRAYER - Lord Jesus, help me avoid being a silent member of Your family. Let me be convicted by Your love to me. Let me share my faith with others, so that in all I do, people may say, "This is a Christian." In Your Name. Amen. The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along with three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: Unappreciated Saviors DATE: April 28, 2019 TEXT: Isaiah 53: 3-5 ESV - He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our grief and carried our sorrows yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; on him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. As near as I can tell there are two kinds of people in this world. The first group of people are the ones who love cats. By that I mean they LOVE cats. They love everything about their feline friends. These folk love the beautiful sheen of a cat’s coat and the way they can play like a kitten with some silly something or another. They love to watch them stretch and they love to watch them eating their food with hurried dignity. But these are cat lovers we are talking about here. They appreciate a cat’s aloofness as well as it’s condescending attitude. Goodness, there are even those who like a cat’s stupidity. While I do not wish to be offensive here, I must call them the way I see them… and the behavior of Philadelphia’s named Princess Momma qualifies as not being overly intelligent. In short, Princess Momma climbed to the top of a utility pole and stayed there…,for 12 hours. Apparently she couldn’t figure how to get down. I say, “apparently” because Princess Momma didn’t give out any interviews. She just cried and looked forlorn. The person who fancies herself the owner of Princess Momma felt terrible and she called the fire department, animal rescue services and the phone company. Nobody responded. Nobody that is until Maurice German showed up in the Verizon boom truck he ran. It appeared as if Maurice was a heaven-sent answer to prayer. Those concerned about Princess Momma gave their pleas and petitions to Maurice and he was not unmoved. He rescued Princess Momma. And there was great rejoicing. The owner of Princess Momma; Princess Momma’s neighbors, Cat-lovers-in-general all praised Maurice German for the kind and generous thing he had done. And this is where the story should end…but it didn’t. It didn’t because Verizon was not pleased with Maurice. Indeed, they were so upset with Maurice that they gave him three weeks without pay. The company said, “For safety reasons, our trucks and related equipment are not intended to be used in the area in which he was operating, specifically around electrical wires." So what, Daily Devotioners have you learned from this story? A number of things are possible… You could learn some Verizon bosses may not be cat fanciers. You could learn not to use a Verizon boom truck for personal purposes. or you could learn Saviors are not universally loved. Oftentimes they are punished for trying to perform a rescue. . But they continue being Saviors because that’s who they are. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks for my Savior and am saddened that He had to suffer and die to free me from the curse of my transgressions. Grant that I may be bold in my thanksgiving and appreciation. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. The devotion for today was inspired by various recent news articles. For further reading you may wish to go to this sitehttps://www.newser.com/story/273049/verizon-suspends-worker-who-rescued-stranded-cat.html: and the article written by Newser’s Rob Quinn,: The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He aly: ong three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: The Cover of Books
DATE: April 26, 2019 TEXT: Mat. 26:66-68 – ESV- 5 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” 67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you? Although it’s not always wise, it’s almost always easy for us to judge a book by its cover. I cannot vouch for the authenticity of the story which follows. It was given to me by a minister who said ”It is true.” But I’m not convinced. In order to tell a good story, he has been known to stretch the truth, This is what he shared with me: About a year-and-a-half ago, one of my church members picked up a small bouquet of flowers for his wife. Wishing to surprise her, he rang the front doorbell. When his wife opened the door, she saw him with flowers and a great big (she says: "idiotic") smile. She found herself saying, "Listen, hubby, the baby has a touchy stomach; the washing machine broke, and your son got into a fight at school. You've made my day by coming home drunk." Looking at the cover, she misread the book. The soldiers who were beating Jesus did the same thing! Under the influence of Satan they had assumed Jesus was a very weak Man. They beat Him as if He were a coward. They shouted at Him as if He were unable to defend Himself. They cannot believe that Jesus is the most powerful Person Who has ever lived. It is His powerful love, not human weakness, which allowed Him to receive their taunts. As Christians, who have read the Scriptures, we know that Jesus was neither enemy, nor weakling. On the contrary, Jesus was the suffering Son of God, the Messiah who had voluntarily left the glories of heaven to come to earth where He fulfilled the prophecies about the Messiah. Just as importantly
Jesus was on a Divinely designed mission to save us. If He had to take spit and mockery to save our, souls, so be it. He would not be turned from the way of sorrows which was leading Him to death on the cross. Today, give thanks for our Savior Whose intentions are still misunderstood by a world who would still judge Him wrongly. THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, open my eyes to see, appreciate, and share Your Divine intentions to save the souls of sinful humanity. Keep me and mine from any activity which would tarnish Your Name. In our Name. Amen. The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along with three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: Not So Easy Choice
DATE: April 25, 2019 TEXT: Matthew 26: 50-54 - ESV - Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant[g] of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” Most people try to escape making hard decisions. That's the way it was in the year 1209. During the bloody Crusade against the Albigenses, a French army took the town of Beziers. Before they crashed through the walls, the soldiers wondered, 'How can we tell heretics from good Christians?' One of the French leaders, Simon IV de Montfort came up with an easy solution to the problem. He said, "Kill them all, for the Lord will know his own." Because of that unbelievably cruel statement, tens of thousands of men, women and children were murdered. It was the easy way out. In Gethsemane, Jesus had been confronted with the reality of the cross. Satan had worked on Him and the Redeemer knew that He had options…. ….and He also knew what the consequence would be if He took those options,
Yes, Jesus could have escaped. But if He had, He would not have been our Savior, Seeing the cross and seeing Jesus' willing sacrifice we soon realize that the easy way out is not the best way. Not even for the Son of God. In His love and by the Spirit's power, we can say, "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt." Seeing Jesus rejection of Satan’s temptation, we stand in awe of our Savior Who chose to embrace death, so that we might have life eternal. THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You died to be my Savior. May I live as Your faithful disciple, drinking from the sweet or bitter cup that is given to me. In Your Name I pray. Amen. The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along with three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html No One ElseDATE: April 24, 2019
TITLE: No One Else TEXT: Acts 4:12 - -ESV - 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Most of us have spent more than a few minutes pondering how it would be to walk in someone else’s shoes…. No, make that sandals. That was what happened to a 19-year-old College student. The only difference between us, is he went out and tried to find an answer. Like St. Francis, the college student went begging for food; he washed with melted snow; he dressed in a simple brown robe, talked to the animals, and the like. What he discovered was this: people whispered behind his back, they called the police, and they stared at him as if he were a nut—pretty much the same way St. Francis’ contemporaries had treated him in the 11th-century. The animals weren’t much better. “I tried to talk to some birds,” said the student. “They flew away.” No matter how desirable or advantageous we might think it would be to be like somebody else, we don’t have the ability to make ourselves into somebody different. We have to be ourselves with all of our sins and shortcomings. That’s not any kind of revelation,, is it? What might be surprising is this: in spite of our sins and shortcomings, the Lord still loves us and wants to save us. That’s why Jesus was born into this world. It is why He lived for us; why He resisted temptations to sin; why He sacrificed Himself for us. It is why He rose on the third day. Now, all who believe on Him find that they have indeed become somebody different. In Jesus they are forgiven and saved. And that’s a person worth being. THE PRAYER: Dear Savior, for loving me as a sinner, I thank You. For giving Yourself so I might be changed and saved, my eternal gratitude. May I, this day, reflect Your grace to others who don’t know how You can transform them. In Your Name. Amen. The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along with three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html DATE: April, 23, 2019
TITLE: Forever Love TEXT: Psalm 71:9 - 9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent. Every time we go past a pet store, my beloved wife, Pamie, drags me in. That’s because she finds the antics of the small puppies and kittens absolutely irresistible. Now I trust my wife in almost every area a person can be trusted. The one exception to that rule is puppies. Oh, I know she says, “Honey, we already own a 100 lb Goldendoodle who was supposed to be a mid-size mutt We don’t need another dog.” Yes, she says it, but I think she’s gambling that one of those visits some pup is going to do something so cute I’m going to throw caution to the wind and say, “Let’s get the paperwork done. We’re bringing this pup home today.” The problem is I also enjoy the visit…and don’t entirely trust myself. That trust was truly put to the test the last time we went. In the front of the glass window was a sign which said, “Love Guaranteed Forever.” Now, there’s no question in my mind that the pet store certainly does sell animals who will, given a chance, love their owners. My problem comes in the word: forever? Forever seems to be stretching things a bit. Is there any place where love can be guaranteed for forever? Because of sin and death, even the most faithful of spouses will eventually have to say an earthly farewell. Which is why, if we are looking for real permanence in love, a love which is going to be around forever, we’re going to have to find it in Someone Who will always be with us. That kind of criterion limits things, doesn’t it? Truly only the eternal, omnipresent Lord has the ability to give us love which is guaranteed for all of our tomorrows. Only the Triune God can make a loving commitment which can be counted on to go on forever. The Psalmist should have been sure: The Lord doesn’t cast off the elderly, and He will be around to strengthen us when we have grown weak and tired. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I live in a changing world. People, philosophies, countries and leaders all come and go. Which is why I give thanks that You, dear Lord can be counted on. Your love as shown in the Savior’s sacrifice is a source of comfort and strength to me. For that eternal love I give thanks in the Name of Jesus. Amen. The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along with three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: Raised
DATE: April 22, 2019 TEXT: 1 Corinthians 15:16-19 –ESV - 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope[a] in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. When I graduated from the seminary, lo, these many years ago, the world was a different place. Back then,
But then, slowly, ever so slowly things began to change. Extra-Biblical evidence began to trickle in and, all of a sudden people like David became a real person with a real spot on the historical and Biblical timelines. Talk to a secular scholar about Jesus and no longer would he argue about every single point. Jesus had become a real person who had been tried and crucified by Pontius Pilate. When push came to shove there was really only one fact which was not negotiable. That fact was Jesus’ resurrection on the third day. It was not negotiable because, if true, Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. So let me tell you why, other than blind faith, you can believe the resurrection is real. The basis for our belief in the resurrection begins with: Jesus being dead. In the ancient world there is no record of anyone surviving a Roman crucifixion. Everyone agrees, when Jesus was taken off that cross He was dead. 1. When news broke that Jesus had risen, there weren’t any serious arguments against it or explanations made to rationalize. With an event this dramatic there should immediately been all kinds of explanations to calm the rumors of a resurrection. 2. The Empty Tomb – where was the body? The Jews and Romans would love to have produced it. The disciples died believing Christ had risen. NOBODY came up with a body…even though one decomposing bearded body, from a distance looks a like another decomposing bearded body. 3. Eyewitnesses all agreed. There is no division of people who saw something different. There should have been all kinds of personal points of view as to what was being seen. There wasn’t. The only explanation was: Jesus had risen. 4. The Spread of Christianity. Based on what had been seen and agreed had happened in Jerusalem the faith spread like wildfire… almost as if the Lord had an interest in its success. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, this week we remember the Savior’ passion and sacrifice which has brought about our redemption. May I bear witness to the wonder and majesty of Your love which has saved me. In Jesus’ Name., Amen. The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: Almost
DATE: April 21, 2019 – Resurrection Sunday TEXT: 1 Peter 1: 3-5 - ESV Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. How poor an Easter, today is. Not because of a lack of colored Easter eggs, nor because of a dearth of Easter bunnies hopping down the bunny trails, or because no one has an Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it. Our celebration will be poorer this year because our country, the United States, is one of the few nations of the world in which the customary greetings contain no reference to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is no resurrection reference in "Happy Easter", or "Good morning." If you live in the Greek speaking world, you would address one another with the same salutation that rang through the early church, "Christos anestee!" "Christ is risen!" Those you meet would respond with the equally ancient, "Aleethos anestee," "He is truly risen." In the Latin church of the first centuries, while Christians were being martyred, the Easter greeting was "Vivit", He lives, and the reply, "Vere vivit", He lives indeed. n Germany, believers salute one another with exultant joy, "Der Herr is auferstanden" and the reply is, "Er is wahrhaftig auferstanden." Even in Russia, where Communism did not banish reverence for God's truth, loyal followers of Christ, meeting their kindred in the faith say, "Christos Voskres" and receive the reply "Voistinu Voskres." All these expressions serve one thought and purpose: They glorify the risen Savior. But for many, this is a almost kind of holiday.”. That’s the way it was the year Jesus died for us. The days were filled with almosts. The disciples had almost stayed awake in the Garden of Gethsemane. They had almost stood by His side. Peter had almost defended His Lord in the high priest's courtyard. Pontius Pilate had almost pardoned the Christ. He almost released the Son of God. He almost heard his wife and his own conscience saying that Jesus was innocent. He almost let Jesus go. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus believed in Jesus and had almost proclaimed Him as their Lord, but they, too, failed, and weren't present or kept silent at the Lord's trial. In contrast Satan had no almosts. From the day Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, Satan’s henchman had acted with single-minded purpose. One of Jesus' disciples is successfully bribed. The crowd calls for Jesus' death. The governor is successfully threatened, and the sound of hammer on nails resounds on Good Friday morning as Jesus is nailed to a cross. Satan had no almosts, no failures. Jesus was stripped, beaten, humiliated, mocked and wounded. The church turned away from Him, justice rejected Him. Satan had no almosts. Jesus, the innocent Son of God died in our stead and was buried. Make no doubt about it. Jesus was dead. Not almost dead. To assure doubters, a spear, wielded by an experienced Roman soldier, was thrust into His heart. So no skeptic or fanatic could suggest that Jesus had been almost dead, a guard was posted, and a seal placed upon the rolling rock at the grave’s entrance. The priests were sure Jesus was dead’ so were the disciple; so were the women who went to embalm a dead body. Yes, Jesus was dead but now He is alive. It is God’s truth which changes everything It forgives sins, opens heaven and provides hope. This is what we celebrate today… and that is the way our devotions will begin from henceforth. CHRIST IS RISEN. HE IS RISEN, INDEED! THE PRAYER: Dear Savior, I give thanks for what You have done. May I remember, and all the world believe this the most important fact in history. In Your Name. Amen. The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: The Day Death Died
DATE: April 20, 2019 – Holy Saturday TEXT: 1 Corinthians 15:54-58 - (ESV) -when the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Around Resurrection Sunday, we often talk about the death of the Savior. Today I would like to talk about the day death died! In doing so I will speak of death as though he were a real person. Usually, when we write up the obituary of an individual, we begin with their formative and early years. It is no different as we talk about death. I believe I can pinpoint the exact day death was born! It was conceived in Adam and Eve’s temptation and birthed the moment they sinned. As is the case for every newborn, he brings changes into his family. This baby was no different. Before his arrival the world had been a pleasant place to live. There were no thorns; no thistles; no pain; no travail, no labor. Crops grew willingly. Human bodies were made to last forever. The arrival of Death changed all that! It didn’t take long for death to show just how hyperactive he could be. He first shows up when God skins some animals and makes clothes for His fallen children out of the hides. Then he makes his presence felt as Cain strikes down his brother, Abel, in a field and buries him in a hidden spot. Death soon flexes his muscles, growing into the strongest predator on the face of the earth. Relentlessly, tirelessly he hunts his victims, tracking down each one, catching and wrestling him down to the rot and mire of the grave! Of course he has some qualities some might consider to be good. He plays no favorites. Nor is he prejudiced. He stalks young and old; man and woman and child. Red, yellow, black or white, make no difference to him.! The years passed and Death noted the Savior’s birth. Noted and waited until the day Christ was laid on a rugged, Roman cross. Death, Satan all of hell watched with glee as the Roman soldier placed nails in each hand and the feet of Jesus. They laughed as the cross was lifted and dropped into place, tearing the flesh and sinew of the Lord. Heaven stood in stunned amazement as the Son of God slumped and died. Pandemonium broke loose in hell. On Friday, Satan had roared one word of warning: “Watch Him well, Death. Keep Him for more than three days and His Kingdom will be yours". Day 1: ---all is well -- the celebration goes on. Day 2: No problems, the party continued. Day 3: Death felt somewhat faint. Then it happened. Christ arose from the grave. At that moment, death convulsed. He rattled the rattle of death, and died. On the day Christ arose from the grave, Death (for the Christian) died. Scripture tells us: I am He that liveth and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore ... Scripture says it…..a resurrected Lord assures it: death can have no more terror in your life. He cannot hunt you down. He cannot tear you apart. Why? Because of that first resurrection morning, the Savior changed everything. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, resurrection morning has changed my life… infinitely for the better. Damnation is set aside by salvation and hope has been given to keep me always at peace. For all this and much more I praise the Savior’s Name. Amen. The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: What We Need
DATE: April 19, 2019 – Good Friday TEXT: John 1: 9-13 – ESV- He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own,[b] and his own people[c] did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. There was once a man who had for some time suffered from various illnesses. He had seen countless doctors But the man’s condition did not improve. He tried home remedies, drank herbal tea, took mega-doses of vitamins along with his prescriptions, but he did not feel any better than he had before. Then he heard of a physician who was said to be an outstanding diagnostician. Hundreds of people reported that this doctor could cure the diseases which bamboozled others. The day of the appointment arrived. After the doctor had thoroughly examined the man. She sat him down and said, "My friend, you are not a healthy man. But you can be well again if you will follow my advice. What you need to do is lose about sixty pounds, get involved in a regular program of exercise, and eat more grain, fruit, and vegetables. You don't need to take any more pills." When the man heard this, he was indignant. The doctor smiled patiently and repeated her advice. The man cursed the doctor and stomped out of the office. For the rest of his sickly life, he hated her and told everyone he could that she was a hoax who didn't deserve the title of doctor at all. The truth was she had given him what he needed, not what he wanted. Once there was a small nation that was deeply troubled. Little by little, people began to talk of the need for a Messiah who would fix everything for them--a messiah who would overthrow the foreign army and bring peace and prosperity to the nation. When word came about a Man Who was able to heal people, cast out demons, and change water into wine, ;the people said, "At last." One day this Man came into the capital city of Jerusalem. The people cheered His arrival. Then opinions turned. On Thursday they arrested Him. On Friday the Man was crucified. The world has a history of denouncing and killing messiahs who don't deliver what it wants. The world wants a lapdog god it can domesticate and control, a sweet god who indulges and blesses the sickness, the selfishness--in other words, the sinfulness of the world. The Bible talks about many sins, but in truth, there is only one. That is the sin of substituting another god for the only true God. When you devise a messiah from your own desire and imagination and then you worship that messiah rather than God, you sin. Today is Good Friday and we surrender to the Suffering Servant, Jesus, all of our false expectations and selfish hopes. He offers His body and sheds His blood as He carries the sin of the entire world Today is Good Friday and we remember the Savior’s sacrifice, His gifts, His care, His grace, His love. We meet, once again, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Today is Good Friday and we enter the dark night of sorrow and death, so that we may receive the eternal life offered in the resurrection. This Good Friday we give thanks for a Savior Who gives us what we need, and not what we want. Today is Good Friday and we pray THE PRAYER: Dear Lord while in this world we see things cloudy and confused. Grant that with faith in the risen Redeemer we may see things Your way. This I ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: At A Distance
DATE: April 18, 2019 – Maundy Thursday TEXT: MT. 26: 58 – ESV - And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end. In Luke's Gospel, he tells of how Jesus healed ten lepers who stood at a distance. (Luke 17:11-13). Later he shares Jesus’ parable about two men, a Pharisee and a tax-collector, who “went up to the temple to pray.” Jesus shared how the one was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The tax collector stood at a distance. He said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' (Luke 18:10-13) In Luke’s Gospel, on Maundy Thursday, Jesus was arrested. As He was taken away by the soldiers, Luke says, "they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. (Luke 22:54) In Luke’s Gospel, on Good Friday, as Jesus is crucified, it is recorded: "…all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things." Time and again, Luke talks about standing at a distance. Sometimes that action is reasonable. It was reasonable for lepers, with their disease, to stand at a distance. It was reasonable to stand at the distance during the Savior’s execution. Executions were terrible, violent, horrible events, made even more so if you knew the person being executed. There are other times, when following at a distance seems to be just an excuse. It was an excuse to not get too close. Now how is it at your church? I can tell you. In almost any church, I can tell you the very last seats to fill up. You know them: the fronts rows. Congregations always fill their church from the back. Sometimes you can see children, who don’t know the rules, drag their parents up front. Parents come reluctantly. It is as if they are afraid of getting too close. That’s why everybody worships at a distance. On the other hand, take a look at a baseball game, a football game, a golf tournament, a rock concert. People pay a higher price for the seats up front. Why? To get a better view. To be a part of the action. But people don't want to be part of the action with Jesus. Luke knows it, there is something safe about following Him from a distance….and there is something frightening about following Him up close. Why should this be? Well, partly because Jesus does some unpredictable things. He tells us to "take up our cross and follow Him. “Gladly, Lord, but I hope it’s ok if we follow at a distance." There are places where Jesus goes, people whom He touches, things He says, that keep us at a distance. It is more comfortable to stand at a distance from the Savior. If you doubt it, let me prove it. How many times have you not heard someone at church say, “You know, somebody ought to do something about…..” And then they fill in the blank.
But when it’s time to DO something about the problem, those folks are nowhere to be found. They are following at a distance. But the Savior has called us to follow Him close up. He Who gave His life as the ransom which forgives our sins invites us to be close to Him for eternity. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, You never kept Your distance from us. Grant that nothing keep us from following You Who have made heaven a reality. May I do .my best to bring Your story to others who have never seen you In Your Name I pray. Amen The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: Temples Made With Hands
DATE: April 17, 2019 TEXT: Ezra 3: 11-12 – ESV -And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. 12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy, You have watched the fire at Notre Dame. The destruction impacts different people in different ways.
All around the world people are looking back to the church which once was. The President of France says they will rebuild. They should. The company which restores historic monuments says it will take 10 to 15 years to reconstruct Notre Dame. It will take longer… in all of France there are no trees which can replace the ones in the roof which have been burned. Which is why, when so many are looking backwards, this devotion reminds us that the Lord Who doesn’t live in temples made with human hands, always leads His people forward. When Adam and Eve wanted to return to the Garden, God prevented that, and moved them forward into His promise. When the Children of Israel complained and wanted to go back, the Lord took them to he promised land. When one of the thieves on the Jerusalem cross challenged Jesus to free him, it was only so he could go back to his life of crime. To this man who wanted to go back, Jesus said nothing. But there was another man there on another cross. He spoke to Jesus and asked if he could be delivered forward into the Savior’s kingdom.. To that man the Redeemer said something. He said something which He said to nobody else in the New Testament. Jesus guaranteed, before the day was out, that man would be in heaven. So, today it is appropriate to mourn the wounding of a great church, a magnificent work of art; but it is also right for us to look forward. In a few days we celebrate the resurrection. The risen Redeemer having kept God’s laws; having conquered death, leads people of faith forward. Forward into a life filled with forgiveness; forward into days filed with hope; forward into fellowship with brothers and sisters redeemed; forward into eternity with Him. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Surely in temples made with hands, God, the Most High, is not dwelling; High above earth His temple stands, All earthly temples excelling. Yet He whom heavens cannot contain Chose to abide on earth with men, Built in our bodies His temple. 7. Grant then, O God, where'er men roam, That, when the church-bells are ringing, Many in saving faith may come Where Christ His message is bringing: "I know Mine own, Mine own know Me; Ye, not the world, My face shall see. My peace I leave with you." Amen. (TLH 467 s 2, 7) The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along with three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: Spectator
DATE: April 16, 2019 TEXT: Mark 14:54 – ESV - 54 And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. I can watch a movie for 2-hours..but if I leave the room for 30 seconds to fill my water glass, I miss the biggest action scene of the movie Always. I can last three hours at a baseball game, but the moment when the guy throws a bag of peanuts to me is when the guy on 3rd base steals home and wins the game. All the way home I will listen to my fellow-fans talk about the incredible way the game ended. Well, that’s the kind of thing which happens when you are a spectator and not a participant. On July 4, 1776 the English King, George the III, was a spectator and not a participant. He was responsible for all of the giant British Empire, but most of the time he remained unconcerned. That's why, on July 4, 1776, he was able to write in his diary, "Nothing of importance happened today." George had no way of knowing that the long-festering hatred of the American Colonies against Great Britain had ended with the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. On Maundy Thursday, Peter, under the devil’s influence, tried to turn himself from a participant to a spectator. He had tried the same earlier at the dinner when the Savior had tried to wash his feet “No, no!”, Peter had declined, But Jesus wasn’t going to allow anyone to remain being a mere spectator at the group’s last meal together. During the dinner Peter had boasted of how he would, no matter what would others might do, remain a faithful, active servant of the Savior. That boast had disappeared when Peter had disappeared into the dark. Now, once again, Peter was trying to become a spectator in the life of Jesus. Jesus had been arrested and Peter was trying to go unnoticed and remain anonymous. He had forgotten that there is no such thing as secret discipleship. Either the secrecy destroys the discipleship, or the discipleship destroys the secrecy. You can read what happens to Peter’s faith that night. A few days later you can hear how the risen Redeemer sends a message to His disciples, AND Peter. The question which comes out of this devotion is this: "What have you written in your Christian diary today?" Did you record, "Nothing of importance happened today?" Have you been will you be, a spectator, rather than a witness, to Jesus? We dare not be mere watchers like Peter. When we do that, people at work remain uninvited to meet the Savior; family members are left without an introduction to Jesus Who died to bring us truth. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, You could have remained uninvolved with my soul's salvation. You could have watched from heaven. But You loved enough to get involved. Help me to get involved in my following of You. In Your Name. Amen. The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: Steadfast
DATE: April 15, 2019 TEXT: 1 Peter 3:15-16 – ESV - but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. In 1541, when Suleiman was laying siege to Vienna, the rulers of Germany called for the people to offer up petitions and prayers for deliverance. In response to that plea, Luther wrote the hymn, “Lord, keep us steadfast in Thy Word…. In the hymnbook it reads “Lord, keep us steadfast in The Word; Curb those who fain by craft and sword Would wrest the kingdom from thy son and set at naught all he hath done.’ It’s a beautiful hymn. But that’s not what Luther wrote, Not at first, not at the beginning What Luther REALLY wrote was this: Lord keep us in thy word and work, restrain the murderous pope and Turk.” Who fain would tear from off thy throne Christ Jesus, Thy beloved Son. You won’t find that version in any of our hymnals. That’s because the second version, the one without THE MURDEROUS POPES AND TURKS is doctrinal and more easily sung by more people in more situations and more circumstances. AND, since the second version of the hymn remains solidly doctrinal, it becomes the preferred version. That is making a good change. But the Chinese government, in a desire to slow the growth of the faith and influence the doctrine’ of what believers hold to be true, are also trying to make changes… And their changes are not going to be ones which are doctrinally solid. Among the things the Communists are proposing would be: to incorporate Buddhist scripture and Confucian teachings into the Bible and edit worship songs to include Chinese characteristic. And what is the response of church leaders to this possible persecution? Hundreds have signed a fourfold statement of beliefs By God’s grace may believers around the world join them in standing fast to these proposals:
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, keep us steadfast in The Word; Curb those who fain by craft and sword Would wrest the kingdom from thy son and set at naught all h hath done.’ In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen. Today’s devotion was inspired by various articles, amongst which is the one written by LEAH MARIEANN KLETT on October 3, 2018 for the Gospel Herald . Those who wish may check out this link which was, at the time of writing, fully active: https://www.gospelherald.com/articles/71865/20181003/china-rewrite-bible-include-buddhist-teachings-infuse-worship-songs-chinese.htm The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: Bombarded
DATE: April 14, 2019 TEXT: James 1: 12-15 – ESV - Happy are those who remain faithful under trials, because when they succeed in passing such a test, they will receive as their reward the life which God has promised to those who love him. If we are tempted by such trials, we must not say, “This temptation comes from God.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But we are tempted when we are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires. Then our evil desires conceive and give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:12-15) I can remember the morning, years ago, when I woke up and our house was covered in toilet paper, henceforth referred to as “TP.” To be honest, I was not totally pleased by the completeness of the transformation which had been done by person or persons unknown. That was when my girls, who were in high school at the time, informed me that this was an honor, a compliment. They further explained, “People don’t generally TP the homes of someone they hate, Dad, they TP the abodes of those whom they like or respect.” They concluded by letting me know that sometimes TP-ing the home of a young lady might be the way a shy-guy might let her know he is interested. So”, I said, “having my home TP-ed is a good thing?” My girls said, “It’s a good thing.” A week later my home was TP-ed a second time. I asked my girls, “Still a good thing?”: “Still a great thing”, they replied. When they TP’d the place for three times in as many weeks I decided to do two things”
All of which is my way of saying, I can understand the plight and frustration of Walt Gilmore and his family who live in Suburban Salt Lake City. Since last August they have been the target of some individual who is acting like a stalker. This is what happens. Each day, 20-or-more people show up at the Gilmore household. Tradesmen, sales people, professional workers, counselors all show up because they thought the Gilmores had requested their services. The police have answered more than 80 calls made by what they assumed was a family member. Only when they got to the Gilmore home, they found they were victims of a crank call made by the stalker. Did it ever occur to you that the devil does much the same thing… uses much the same strategy. He hits us with not one or two temptations… no, he rolls out a whole battery of tests to win us away from our Savior; all kinds of temptations to encourage us to take our eyes off the Redeemer. Then, when and if we do that, he has begun the process of wooing us away from the Lord more permanently. James anticipated just this kind of onslaught by the forces of evil. That is why He reminded us that the Holy Spirit encourages us to remain faithful under trials. To that end he offers up some encouragement. He says, ”when we pass the test we will receive the rewards of life which God has promised those who love Him. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, keep our eyes set on Your eternal rewards, not the devil’s fleeting temptations. This I ask in the Name of our Redeemer Who has given His life to give us those rewards. Amen. Today’s devotion was inspired by various articles, amongst which is the one written by the Editors of Newser on March 27, 2019. Those who wish may check out this link which was, at the time of writing, fully active: http://www.newser.com/story/273039/extreme-stalker-has-familys-home-under-siege.html The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: Bombarded
DATE: April 14, 2019 TEXT: James 1: 12-15 – ESV - Happy are those who remain faithful under trials, because when they succeed in passing such a test, they will receive as their reward the life which God has promised to those who love him. If we are tempted by such trials, we must not say, “This temptation comes from God.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But we are tempted when we are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires. Then our evil desires conceive and give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:12-15) I can remember the morning, years ago, when I woke up and our house was covered in toilet paper, henceforth referred to as “TP.” To be honest, I was not totally pleased by the completeness of the transformation which had been done by person or persons unknown. That was when my girls, who were in high school at the time, informed me that this was an honor, a compliment. They further explained, “People don’t generally TP the homes of someone they hate, Dad, they TP the abodes of those whom they like or respect.” They concluded by letting me know that sometimes TP-ing the home of a young lady might be the way a shy-guy might let her know he is interested. So”, I said, “having my home TP-ed is a good thing?” My girls said, “It’s a good thing.” A week later my home was TP-ed a second time. I asked my girls, “Still a good thing?”: “Still a great thing”, they replied. When they TP’d the place for three times in as many weeks I decided to do two things”
All of which is my way of saying, I can understand the plight and frustration of Walt Gilmore and his family who live in Suburban Salt Lake City. Since last August they have been the target of some individual who is acting like a stalker. This is what happens. Each day, 20-or-more people show up at the Gilmore household. Tradesmen, sales people, professional workers, counselors all show up because they thought the Gilmores had requested their services. The police have answered more than 80 calls made by what they assumed was a family member. Only when they got to the Gilmore home, they found they were victims of a crank call made by the stalker. Did it ever occur to you that the devil does much the same thing… uses much the same strategy. He hits us with not one or two temptations… no, he rolls out a whole battery of tests to win us away from our Savior; all kinds of temptations to encourage us to take our eyes off the Redeemer. Then, when and if we do that, he has begun the process of wooing us away from the Lord more permanently. James anticipated just this kind of onslaught by the forces of evil. That is why He reminded us that the Holy Spirit encourages us to remain faithful under trials. To that end he offers up some encouragement. He says, ”when we pass the test we will receive the rewards of life which God has promised those who love Him. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, keep our eyes set on Your eternal rewards, not the devil’s fleeting temptations. This I ask in the Name of our Redeemer Who has given His life to give us those rewards. Amen. Today’s devotion was inspired by various articles, amongst which is the one written by the Editors of Newser on March 27, 2019. Those who wish may check out this link which was, at the time of writing, fully active: http://www.newser.com/story/273039/extreme-stalker-has-familys-home-under-siege.html he music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: Pearls of Great Prices
DATE: April 13, 2019 TEXT: Matthew 13:45-46 – ESV- 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. I have never had a “pearl of great price,” Goodness, I have never even had a pearl of little or no price. For that reason I have to rely on what Jesus said, and about what the papers print about pearls. Now you already know what Jesus had to say about pearls In his short, two-verse parable, He tells us of a pearl aficionado who found a pearl of such wondrous, lustrous beauty that he hocked everything he owned just to be able to buy that gem, Yes, you know Jesus story, but you may have missed the report about Abraham Reyes, Abraham has a pearl of great price… except for the fact that the pearl of great price cost him nothing…not a penny. According to the family story, Abraham’s grandfather bought a giant claim form a Filipino fisherman. Inside this giant clam was a giant pearl. And if you’re wondering “how giant”, it’s pretty hard to answer. CBS news says it’s the size of a baby and Abraham says it’s like a cows head. Me, I’ve seen pictures of it and it’s not particularly beautiful. But it’s one of the biggest pearls in the world and it weighs about 60 pounds. That means Abraham’s free pearl of great price is insured at a figure somewhere between $40 and $60 million dollars. So, we’ve got two stories about two pearls. One pearl cost everything one man had; the second cost nothing. Even so those pearl’s still had a value…a value to the person who was wise enough to appreciate it Of course the question still arises. On a spiritual level what is so valuable? Jesus says it is the kingdom of heaven. Saint Paul put it differently when he wrote, in Philippians 3: Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ Understand what those words mean. St. Paul had Roman Citizenship. He counted that rubbish. He had the best of education. Rubbish. He was a respected member of the Pharisees. Rubbish. When faith was planted in Paul’s heart his world was transformed. It was turned right-side up. Things which once had been important lost their value .Jesus, the One Whom He had been persecuting became His best and dearest Friend. No, more than a Friend. Jesus became His Savior and Lord And how can you put a price on the Person Who has washed away your sins, freed you from hell and opened the doors to heaven… or should we say opened the “pearly gates” THE PRAYER: Dear Lord there are a lot of pearls which catch our interest and capture our attention. May we have the wisdom to see that which is most valuable: our Savior and the salvation He has won. In Jesus’ Name I pray it. Amen Today’s devotion was inspired by various articles, amongst which is the one written by the Newser Editors on March 28, 2019. Those who wish may check out this link which was, at the time of writing, fully active: http://www.newser.com/story/273176/family-heirloom-may-be-worth-90m.html The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: No Pain, No Gain
DATE: April 12, 2019 TEXT: Romans 5:3-5 -(ESV) - 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Do you know what a Scotch bonnet chili pepper is? Well, I can tell you two things about the Scotch Bonnet:
The reason Jo can do this apparently superhuman feat is the same reason the 71-year old lady can undergo an excruciating hand surgery without blinking; it’s the same reason she carries on a regular schedule even though she has a hip mostly eaten away by arthritis. And the reason for Jo’s seeming immunity to pain is simple: for some, special genetic–reason she is immune to pain. Apparently, she has always been immune to pain.
Amazingly, Jo thought everybody was the same as she. It was only when she was 65 that she realized she was special. At that point the Physicians came to her and said the pain from her bad hip should be keeping her bedridden… But it wasn’t. Now you may think that no pain is a good thing. I do, too. If I had to pick a life it would be pain free. But the Lord and Jo Cameron know a painless life isn’t without it’s downside. For example:
What I’m trying to say is that the Lord gives us pleasure and He allows pain. Although we would like to be in control of when and how much pain comes, the Lord retains control…and He does so for a reason. Look at the verse above and note the progression which reminds me, ever-so much of dominos falling down… We rejoice in suffering. Why? Suffering produces endurance. (You know, no pain, no gain.) Endurance produces character and character produces hope, hope which is centered and fixed on the Savior Who gave His life to free us from sin, sorrow AND suffering. Now I’m not going to ask the Lord for a whole boatload of suffering in my prayers tonight… but I will thank Him for letting me know why suffering and pain may come. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks that You are the One Who determines what things come my way. I rejoice because You know what is best for me… and what is best is not something that I might not order up for myself. So let me, in all situations, follow my Lord Who prayed, “Your will be done.” In Jesus’ Name. Amen. Today’s devotion was inspired by various articles, amongst which is the one written for Newser by Richard Kemeny on March 28, 2019 . Those who wish may check out this link which was, at the time of writing, fully active: http://www.newser.com/story/273159/woman-feels-no-pain-didnt-realize-it-until-age-65.html The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: Forgiven You
DATE: April 11, 2019 TEXT: Psalm 32:5 | ESV - I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. A few weeks ago Skuli Morgensen wrote a letter to his employees. Amongst other things, in that note he said, "I will never forgive myself for not acting sooner." For you to make any kind of sense of that note or that line I probably need to share a few facts. First who is Skuli Morgensen? Skuli is the founder of WOW Airlines. WOW operate out of its hub in Reykjavik. You should also know WOW Airlines specializes in ultra-cheap flights between major cities in Europe and North America. Now just about the only thing you don’t know is the thing for which he didn’t start early enough the thing for which he will never forgive himself. That thing is not selling the airline when he found out it was in financial trouble. The final ending for WOW came without warning. Passengers on WOW received the message, “WOW Air has ceased operation." When they checked, the stranded passengers on two continents found out there would be no further flights and they would do well to visit with other airlines to get assistance in reaching their destinations. As far as the employees of WOW were concerned, they probably ought to be looking elsewhere for a job and assistance meeting their long and short term financial goals. hich takes us back to Skuli’s original statement: "I will never forgive myself for not acting sooner." You know when people say things like that, they’re often looking for sympathy, and they usually get it. Skuli’s friends could have made him feel better by saying things like:
Which is why what follows is so important. When the world doesn’t forgive you and you can’t forgive you, there is a Person, the Triune God, who has already forgiven Your transgression. Indeed, Jesus lived, died and rose so you might be forgiven and saved. Which is why we give thanks for a Lord Who forgives the unforgivable. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks that because of Jesus, You have been merciful to me a sinner, Now may I be empowered to live as a forgiven member of the family of faith. In Jesus’ Name I pray Amen. Today’s devotion was inspired by various articles, amongst which is the one written by the Editors of Newser on Mar 28, 2019. Those who wish may check out this link which was, at the time of writing, fully active: http://www.newser.com/story/273180/airline-to-passengers-sorry-we-dont-exist-anymore.html The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: The True Physician Offers True Healing
DATE: April 10, 2019 TEXT: Mt 9: 10-13 - ESV - And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” When it comes to our health, all of us want the best. We want the best medicine, the best Doctors, the best money can buy. Indeed, when it come to our health, most of us would say that “expense is no object.’ That is why you might be surprised to learn of a Korea physician who is a Christian. An excellent doctor, he found, as he became older, and weaker, that he had to place a premium on his time and expenditure of energy. When a potential patient called for an appointment, he had an initial consultation. At that visit, he asked, "Are you sure that you have money to pay for this procedure?” Most people never hesitated to say, “Absolutely.” To those who had pledged payment, the doctor made a surprising statement. He suggested, “Since you have the where with all, please go to another doctor. I am too weak to take care of a patient who has money." If on the other hand, they said they had no money, the doctor saw them at once. In a language similar to the doctor, Jesus had little time, or patience, for those who thought they could purchase forgiveness by their own perfection or buy salvation by their good deeds. Our Lord had entered this world to be a saving Physician for the souls of this sin-sickened world. The Savior says to me, “Be washed in My blood and you shall be saved.” In His three years of ministry, having been a living example of the Father’s grace, Jesus ended up being a magnet for sinners, prostitutes, and publicans. They entrusted their faith, and future, into His heavenly hands. They were not disappointed. Today, Jesus stands before every man, woman and child and asks, “Do you think you are able to pay for your salvation?” Those who answer in the affirmative will be told to go elsewhere. But to those, like me, who are conscious of their sin; who know that they are helpless and hopeless without Him, Jesus says, “Come on in. There is no waiting room.” Then, looking at every sin I have committed; examining the worst of my spiritual maladies, He prescribes a medicine which leads to heavenly forgiveness and eternal healing. THE PRAYER: Dear Jesus, forgive me for those times when I have trusted home remedies to cure me of my sin. Forgive me for consulting with “quacks.” Allow me to trust You, my personal Physician, Who takes away my sin. In Your Name. Amen. The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: The True Physician Offers True Healing
DATE: April 10, 2019 TEXT: Mt 9: 10-13 - ESV - And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” When it comes to our health, all of us want the best. We want the best medicine, the best Doctors, the best money can buy. Indeed, when it come to our health, most of us would say that “expense is no object.’ That is why you might be surprised to learn of a Korea physician who is a Christian. An excellent doctor, he found, as he became older, and weaker, that he had to place a premium on his time and expenditure of energy. When a potential patient called for an appointment, he had an initial consultation. At that visit, he asked, "Are you sure that you have money to pay for this procedure?” Most people never hesitated to say, “Absolutely.” To those who had pledged payment, the doctor made a surprising statement. He suggested, “Since you have the where with all, please go to another doctor. I am too weak to take care of a patient who has money." If on the other hand, they said they had no money, the doctor saw them at once. In a language similar to the doctor, Jesus had little time, or patience, for those who thought they could purchase forgiveness by their own perfection or buy salvation by their good deeds. Our Lord had entered this world to be a saving Physician for the souls of this sin-sickened world. The Savior says to me, “Be washed in My blood and you shall be saved.” In His three years of ministry, having been a living example of the Father’s grace, Jesus ended up being a magnet for sinners, prostitutes, and publicans. They entrusted their faith, and future, into His heavenly hands. They were not disappointed. Today, Jesus stands before every man, woman and child and asks, “Do you think you are able to pay for your salvation?” Those who answer in the affirmative will be told to go elsewhere. But to those, like me, who are conscious of their sin; who know that they are helpless and hopeless without Him, Jesus says, “Come on in. There is no waiting room.” Then, looking at every sin I have committed; examining the worst of my spiritual maladies, He prescribes a medicine which leads to heavenly forgiveness and eternal healing. THE PRAYER: Dear Jesus, forgive me for those times when I have trusted home remedies to cure me of my sin. Forgive me for consulting with “quacks.” Allow me to trust You, my personal Physician, Who takes away my sin. In Your Name. Amen. The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: A Little Tempting
DATE: April 9, 2019 TEXT: Luke 4:1-2, 13 – ESV - And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. … And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. Life is filled with choices. Some are easy, some are hard. About 15-years ago a father wrote me about how his daughter taught him about easy decisions. On his way home from work he stopped at the farm of a friend. There he picked up two buckets of cow manure. Arriving home, in the suburbs Dad took the buckets out of the plastic bags he had used to contain spillage and smellage. His four-year-old daughter was intrigued by the sight of her father carrying those buckets with one of his work suits on. She approached closer and got her first whiff of the bucket’s contents. She asked the understandable question: “Daddy, what’s that stuff for?” Dad gave the honest reply, “It's for our strawberries." That stopped the four-year-old in her tracks. She inspected her father's face to see if there was any possibility he was joking. Seeing no indication of any kind of teasing or horseplay in her father’s face, the young girl went and looked for another solution. So as not to sound disrespectful or unappreciative, in her very best and politest voice she asked, “Can I have my strawberries with Cool Whip instead?" As I said, some decisions are easier than others. It was not so easy when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. To say, ‘Yes”, to Satan's offer would make Him ruler of the entire world. On the other hand, to say, “No” to the invitation would take him to the nails and cross of Jerusalem. Now for most of us, the decision would be easy. We'd pick the world. But Jesus is not one of us. He is God's perfect Son and upon His daily decisions rested out forgiveness and salvation. Being about the Father’s business Jesus willingly gave up His life so that we might live eternally. Jesus made the right choice for us-but it was incredibly costly for Him. Over the years I have seen other Christians make some hard choices as they followed the Savior.
When I’ve talked to them and others about what I thought was a difficult choice they had made, they all have replied, “There was no difficulty, Pastor. There are hard decisions and there are easy ones. Following Jesus is one of the easy ones.” THE PRAYER - Dear Lord Jesus, You decided to save me. For Your decision and the witness of others who have followed You, I give thanks. Send Your Spirit to help me make right decisions. In your Name I pray. Amen. The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html |
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