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TITLE: Real Equality
DATE: May 31, 2019 TEXT: John 3:16 – ESV - “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. All things being equal, I think equality is a wonderful thing. The above statement may not be as nonsensical as it first seems. Consider all the men who are undergoing a physical change which allows them to compete in various sports against women. Many of these ladies, who have no problem in contests against other women, are now saying, “All things being equal, I think equality is a wonderful thing. But right now, things aren’t equal.” This year another change, adversity, is coming to the let’s-make everybody-equal playing field. What do I mean by that? I mean the SAT’s, one of the tests used by colleges to help screen and accept applicants is being changed. In the past the test gave schools information about a candidate’s verbal and math skills. This year a new score will be added: the score of adversity. The adversity score takes 15 factors into consideration. Some of the factors being measured are the family income, whether the student has a single parent, whether they could take advanced classes, and what were the crime rates in the student’s neighborhood. All-in-all the new score system is trying to create a new scale system where the measurable, the empirical things like math and verbal skills will be offset by that which cannot be quantified or successfully evaluated. Devotioners, as far as I can tell there are only a few places where people are all equal:
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, the world is constantly striving for some kind of artificial and temporary equality. Amazingly, they consistently reject the real equality which comes when condemned sinners are rescued by God-given faith in the Redeemer. May they learn of Your love before it is too late. 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 site https://www.newser.com/story/275249/sat-has-verbal-math-and-now-adversity-scores.html written by Newser Editors The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He among 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: Confessed
DATE: May 30, 2019 TEXT: Colossians 3:13 - ESV - Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. When I first graduated from the Seminary it was customary for congregation members who wished to attend Communion on Sunday to first visit with the pastor on Saturday afternoon. It was a good custom, and I, for one, am saddened to see, except in a few churches, to see it’s passing. If the custom is new to you, I should explain there was a two-fold purpose.
Hearing what his wife had just said, her previously and normally,-silent husband stirred himself and replied, “Revener, my wife can call me the ‘old devil’ if she wants, but not everything wrong at our house is my fault. I’ll be honest, she can be tough to live with, too.” Get it? You see, the wife was talking about THE devil and the husband thought… she was talking about him…. All of which is my way of getting to the question: “Have you been having a tough time with the old devil in your life?" Now, I’m not speaking about THE devil’ I am speaking about other people in your life who give you a devilish time. If you are like most folk, you know somebody who has habits which drive you crazy; whose idiosyncrasies send us up the wall; people who make us act… well, make us act less than Christian. Now, it’s possible that they really are as devilish as you think. But it’s also possible that we might be hard to get along with, too. To the best of my knowledge every one of the people who are reading or hearing this devotion is a transgressor. And…If our wrongs don’t upset other people, they will certainly not be not be pleasing to the Lord. Which is why all of us still need to come to the Lord and say, “Lord, be merciful to a sinner.”:
It’s a help He will give. After all, because of His Son’s sacrifice, the perfect God has forgiven us. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, forgive me and help me forgive others. Help me to reflect the love I have received from Jesus to those who may not seem to be especially lovable. In His Name. Amen. The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along mwith three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html TITLE: No Apology
DATE: May 29, 2019 TEXT: 1 Peter 3:15-17 - ESV - 15 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. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. In 1960 , Brenda Lee was nominated to get a Grammy for the song, ”I’m Sorry.” For those of you not acquainted with the song, some of the lyrics are: I'm sorry (So sorry) So sorry Please accept my apology But love is blind And I was too blind to see You tell me mistakes Are part of being young But that don't right The wrong that's been done All of those “sorrys” make Brenda Lee an apologist, or a person who is expressing regret. But, there is another definition of the word: apologist. An apologist can also be an individual who takes a stand for a cause. When Paul stood before the Emperor and explained the tenets of Christianity, he would have been an apologist. Although they are a global organization, until recently I had never heard of the group Ratio Christi (Translated: the reason of Christ.) I heard of them now because this group which helps people become apologists and defenders of the Christian faith had been de-affiliated by the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. The University took this action because the Ratio Christi had drawn up, at least in the University’s opinion, some pretty strange rules for leadership. While Ratio Christi accepted atheists and agnostics into its ranks, it did demand that their officers be believers in the Savior. To me that sounds like the Christian apologist group was making a reasonable request. Well the University disagreed, they took action and pretty soon Ratio Christi was on the outside looking in. But not for long. You see this Christian Group just didn’t teach others how to stand up for their faith; they also practiced what they preached. They took the University to court and they won. Basically their argument was: You can’t force the Vegan Group to have Steak-lovers as their leaders; and you can’t expect the Campus Chinese Association to have officers who are from Taiwan. Today I can tell you the law-suit is over and Ratio Christi won. Now there is a reason I applaud this law suit. We live in a world which is becoming increasingly hostile to the followers of Christianity. The Lord told us that would happen and we expect it. Which is why, we use the law to stop the pendulum from going too far. For example, while we don’t want Christian students to be given extra-credit for being believers, we don’t want them to be penalized for their faith. While we don’t expect to be applauded for what we believe, we didn't expect to be put down for it either. We don’t expect the rights of every person to be defended… except for those who are of the Christian community. We don’t expect to be profiled when nobody else is. Which means we become, “Here I stand” apologists THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, surely the days of persecution is coming. Grant that we may be prepared to give an apology for our Savior, the crucified and ever-living Redeemer in Whose Name we pray. Amen. The devotion for today was inspired by various recent news articles. For further reading you may wish to go to this site: http://www.breakpoint.org/2019/05/the-point-ratio-christi-wins-at-university-of-colorado/ and the article written by ,:John Stonestreet for Breakpoint 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: Doing Something
DATE: May 28, 2019 TEXT: Colossians 3: 16 - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Doing nothing is something that Melody Schick is very good at. Not so very long ago, Melody, dressed herself up as a rag doll and sat down on a revolving platform. Only Melody’s eyes moved. The rest of Melody just sat and sat and sat and… well, you get the idea. Five hours and 43 boring minutes after Melody first sat down, she slowly stood up and tried to smile. She smiled because she had just become the proud holder of the world’s record for sitting still! Amazingly, Melody’s stunt took place at a shopping center while hundreds of shoppers watched her do….nothing. You know, from what I’ve seen, there are an awful lot of people who have taken Melody lessons. From experience I know there are a lot of church goers who have raised “doing nothing” into an art form. From my vantage point in the front of the church I can see them. When I announce the first hymn, if it’s not “Silent Night” or “Jesus Loves Me”, or a Mighty Fortress”, they don’t sing. They don’t open the hymnbook; they don’t read the words off the screen in the front of the church… they just look straight ahead. Is it time for Confession? They don’t confess. At least their lips don’t move. Prayers go unprayed; songs are unsung; responses left unpresponded. They do nothing and it’s very frustrating… because, more often than not, I see their kids doing the same thing… or NOT doing the same thing. And that’s a shame, because worship is not a spectator sport. Now it’s true, I once stopped worship because whole rows of people were taking Communion and rather than returning to their pews, kept going out the door. Yes, I stopped the service, went to the door of the church and said, “Only one disciple left the original last supper without a benediction.” And then I blessed them. I know, I know, it was a poor use of the law, but the problem was stopped. I never knew how to deal with the folks who came to worship on autopilot; the ones who never got engaged in the Lord’s worship and praise.” Now I recognize doing nothing may be Melody’s gift… but it is difficult for me to believe that “doing nothing” is the kind of gift the Lord distributes in abundance to His congregations. No, I think what the Lord really wants from us is for His people to appreciate His Son. He wants them to thank the One Who has saved them from sin, Satan and death. God wants people who are willing to let their lights shine, glorify the Savior and help those around them. St. Paul says it: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. THE PRAYER: Dear Father, when I am tempted to do nothing, please help me refocus my energies into accomplishing something which will be a reflection of Your love to those around me. In Jesus’ Name I ask this. 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: Good News and Bad
DATE: May 27, 2019 TEXT: Ephesians 6:4 - ESV - Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. A new book put out by the Barna polling company is called: Households of Faith. That book offers good news and bad news for Christian families. Let me share some of the raw information and see if you are able to discern a pattern.
Now at this point you may be asking: are there any categories where fathers scored higher than mothers. I’m pleased to tell you there are. Indeed, there were three categories where the Dad’s put in a solid performance. Those categories are:
So, you’ve probably figured it out by now… THE GOOD NEWS IS: the study shows: “the outsized impact that mothers have, both on their children's spiritual formation as well as their character development. THE BAD NEWS IS: the same couldn’t be said for fathers. One of the researchers concluded: “It became apparent as we explored the research, that practicing Christians just don't really seem to share a lot of quality time with their fathers, compared to other immediate and even sometimes extended household ties.” So, good news and bad news. Of course, there is one more bit of good news. That is the news which says that those who have been washed of their sins by the Savior’s sacrifice are not forced to remain where they are. When we are brought into the marvelous light of the Lord, we are freed to do things differently; to live differently; to be moved ever closer to the ideal that the Lord wishes for His people. Which means a Christen Father really can be a spiritual father as well as the go-to-guy for allowance money, for directions and to play sports. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, when humankind sinned, Your vision for humanity was corrupted. Grant that by the Holy Spirit’s power, as much as is possible, believers may be changed and live up to that vision You have for each of us. 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.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/moms-are-influencing-children-for-christ-dads-not-so-much-survey-finds.html and the article written by Michael Foust on March 22, 2019: 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: Sleeping Easy
DATE: May 26, 2019 TEXT: John 14: 27 – ESV - 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. Read the paper and you will find a vast array of topics to make a reasonable person afraid. Watch the evening news on Television, listen to it on the Radio and you will hear the correspondent moving from one frightening subject to another. Maybe it’s all this unresolved fear which is keeping people from watching, reading or listening to the news. You may have noticed, in recent years fears have taken on a global, national, and neighborhood scale. Indeed, there doesn’t seem to be any way we can escape fear. That’s true not just for the common individual, it is also applicable to the select few who have managed to make it to the top of the human heap. I hope you don’t mind if I give you an example from relatively modern history Although he was one of the most powerful men in the world, Joseph Stalin, dictator of Russia, lived in constant fear of being poisoned or murdered. He had eight bedrooms… bedrooms in which he could lock himself up, bedrooms where he was as safe as if he had been in a bank vault. Why eight bedrooms? He wanted to make sure nobody ever knew in which of these bedrooms he would sleep on any given night. During my traveling years as Lutheran Hour Speaker, I slept in a lot of homes. Not a single one of those homes had enough bedrooms to allow the family members to escape their fears by moving around from bedroom to bedroom. True, some of us have equipped our homes with burglar alarms; some carry guns or mace, and most of us try to stay out of neighborhoods where we know we won’t be welcomed. Still, after all our excellent precautions have been made, we are forced to admit: fear remains. Which is just one of the reasons we need a Savior. Of course, knowing Jesus does not mean everything becomes sweetness and light. It doesn’t mean there is no evil which can tie your stomach in a knot. It doesn't mean the lion who is prowling this globe seeking to devour souls has been made toothless and clawless. Knowing Jesus DOES mean that although this world has troubles, those troubles cannot have a permanent spot in those who follow the risen Redeemer. Indeed, if Jesus is your Savior; and if He remains Your constant Companion, then you have His personal assurances that none of the evil of this world will have the final say, or be able to maintain the upper hand in your life. These spots are reserved for Jesus, the One Who conquered sin, Satan and death. His victory assures us this world simply does not have a match for our Divine Protector. And that, dear Readers, is the special Source of comfort we all need in this world of fear.. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, You are so much more powerful than all of the evils of this world. For having committed Yourself to my deliverance and protection, my thanks. In Your Name I shall always rejoice. 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: Betrayed
DATE: May 25, 2019 TEXT :Matthew 5: 10-12 – ESV - Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Most folks have encountered a time or two in their lives when they were close to flat broke. Most folks have occasionally reached the end of the month and they had to decide which bill was being paid now, and which were being left to later. Most folks have had a time or two when they looked into their purse or wallet and wished there were a few more greenbacks there. Now, if you have been one of those “most folks” I’ve been talking about, I’ve got a deal for you. Well, actually the Chinese city of Guangzhou has a deal. They are paying for information and they are paying 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000 yuan for those who supply it. For those of you whose yuan/dollar conversion is bit rusty, that’s $450, $750 and $1500 American. Oh, there’s one other thing you should know… the Chinese officials are looking for people who could play the role of Judas in any Passion Play. That’s right, they are looking for people who are willing to betray their neighbors, their family members, their business associates. The officials are urging citizens to ‘rat out’ anyone who is guilty of “illegal religious activities.” And just what is an “illegal religious activity?” The answer to that question is a bit fuzzy, that is nebulous. For example starting a “home church”, that is a congregation which is not officially registered with the government is definitely illegal. Trying to witness to the Savior is questionable. Even so, a lot of money is going to be spent trying to locate and make life uncomfortable for Christians. Now you may rightly wonder how Chinese believers took that Holy Week News. Actually, they responded surprisingly well. A Priest went public and gave an interview to Asia News. He said, “The authorities could not have picked a better time, just before Easter to introduce these measures. At this time, we often meditate on the passion of Jesus and Judas’ treachery for 30 pieces of silver. The Guangzhou government wants to turn people into many mini Judas.” Now that’s an attitude that I can appreciate. It’s the kind of attitude the Savior talked about. How did Peter say it….”1 Peter 4:13-14 - ESV - Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. I encourage those persecuted brothers and sister. I pray for them, too… and for myself…that we might be ready whenever our day of testing may come. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, keep those whose lives are threatened for their faith. Keep them and make us all ready for our time to stand for our Savior. 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.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/chinese-city-pays-citizens-1-500-to-be-a-mini-judas-and-turn-in-christians.html : and the article written by Michael Foust on April 3, 2019. 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: Revenge
DATE: May 24, 2019 TEXT: Romans 12:19 (ESV) - Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it[a] to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Today, as I drove to the store, I had a fellow cut into my lane of traffic. He didn’t look and I’m pretty sure he didn't’ know I was there. I was mad and I was just about ready to lay on the horn when I remembered a story an old preacher told me when I first started in the ministry. The pastor told me about a farmer in his congregation who had frequently been pestered by a carload of young folks… young folks who delighted in sneaking over his orchard fence and playing havoc with his apples without asking permission. Eventually the farmer caught the youngsters red-handed and full mouthed. Quickly swallowing a chunk of Golden Delicious, one of the apple thieves sheepishly smiled and said, “We hope you don’t mind that we took a few of your apples.” “No, not at all,” said the farmer who was also smiling. He continued, “…and I hope you don’t mind that I took some of the air out of your tires.” Honestly, that story changed my life. That farmer did more than take some air out of a few tires. He has taken some of the air out of me. Every time I’m ready to get back at somebody for a real or imagined hurt they’ve done to me, the face of that farmer shows up in my mind. He shows up and I have to smile and calm down. That’s probably good… after all, revenge seldom helps the people I’m angry at, and it insults the memory, example, and wishes of my Savior. You see, Jesus Who gave Himself to save us never paid people back for the evil they did to Him. On the contrary He tried to bring them closer, call them to repentance and offer them forgiveness. I don’t know why I said, “Them” in that sentence. What I really meant is He brings me, and you closer as He calls us to repentance and forgiveness. And, if I read today’s Scripture correctly we’re supposed to avoid revenge and leave the score evening to the Lord. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, how blessed we are to have a Savior Who forgives our poor choices and our bad attitudes. Now may I, one of Your forgiven children share that forgiveness with others. In Jesus’ 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: Happy Happy
DATE: May 23, 2019 TEXT: Psalm 84:10 - (ESV) - 0 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. Years ago, a retired member of the ministry told me about how things were during the depression. In spite of terribly tough times, he shared a special, and precious memory. The pastor spoke of how he had met a fellow who had, through no fault of his own, become a hobo. This hobo had come to him offering to trade a day's work for a hot meal. It was an equitable arrangement and the man perfectly performed everything he was asked to do. He even did his work with a smile and some happy humming. As they sat down to dinner, the pastor made some small talk. He asked bout about the hobo’s birthplace his family. Then he asked the man, "Don't you think you would be happier if you were rich?" The man said, "No, sir, the rich men I’ve worked for never seem to do any laughing.” Now, the point of the story is not to encourage people to yearn for poverty. As near as I can tell, having too little money can be just as bad and upsetting as having too much. No, I would rather have you consider the idea that: money doesn't always bring happiness. The truth is, money is simply a commodity, a commodity which can either be used or abused. True happiness, the happiness which remains no matter our outward situation, comes from the Savior. I’m pleased to share a great many, a great majority of Christians are firmly convinced the presence of the loving Lord Jesus has totally changed their outlook and their perspective on life. How could it be otherwise? Before Jesus they were lost, doomed and damned. With Jesus as their Savior, they are forgiven They have been blessed with ongoing peace and are promised an eternity bereft of pain or problem. Indeed, some of those Christians would go so far as to say: Jesus has given their lives true riches. Those true riches which come from the Savior, lead to true joy and, yes, true smiles. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the reminder that Your love and presence in my life are far more valuable than money or things material. Draw me closer to You, dear Lord, and let me rejoice in that closeness. 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: A Fine Farewell
DATE: May 22, 2019 TEXT: Romans 14:8 - (ESV) - 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. Yesterday I went to the funeral of a dear old lady who was special to me. She had been a Christian not just in name, but also in the way she lived her life. If you can judge a person’s popularity by the number of trips the florists had to make, you would be forced to admit this lady was special to a great many. The funeral home was positively lined with potted plants and bouquets of fresh-cut flowers. Along with the memorial flowers there was a steady procession of people lined up to say earthly "farewells" and words of comfort to the family left behind. None of what I’ve described so far makes the funeral memorable. Even so, there was one line which came out of her service which I shall always remember. During the course of a fine funeral message, the pastor said, “This lady came into the world crying while those around her were smiling; she went out of the world smiling while those around her were crying." Now I know it wasn’t an original idea with that pastor… but in this case he used the expression in a most appropriate manner. All of which set me to wondering, “What will they say about me after I’m gone?”
I suppose the answer to those questions depends on the mourner we’re talking about. Still, when all is said and done, the only opinion that is going to count; the only important words which will be said, will come from the mouth of the Lord.
So, what will be said about each of us on the day we meet the Savior face-to-face? I pray all of us may hear Him say… ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” THE PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, the day is coming when I will leave behind those who are close to me; those who are loved by me. For many people that is a frightening thought. For me, because of Jesus, my dying will be a cause for rejoicing. I will at that moment be standing before my Savior, my Redeemer, my Brother, my Friend. In His 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: Lethargy
DATE: May 21, 2019 TEXT: James 1: 2-3 – ESV - Count it all joy, my brothers,[a] when you meet trials of various kinds,3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. “God is great. God is good” That ‘s the way the prayer begins. Unfortunately, there are times when we find those simple statements of faith hard to believe. Day-to-day living can break down our confidence which ought to hold the Lord always has our best interests at heart. Like the friends of Job we come to believe that we have sinned and the Lord is going to take out some punishment on our hide. . Then, out of the blue, when we’re already shaken, comes a disaster of monumental, and unprecedented proportions. Before we know it, we have concluded the Lord has got it in for us… and we begin to put the worst not the best construction on everything He does. Which is why this little story from the old west might help. It begins in the 1880’s when a woman, along with her little baby, was riding in an open stagecoach across western Montana. The weather was bitter cold, and the mother started to fall into the sleepy, numbing chill of death. Seeing her condition, the driver stopped the coach, took the baby and, wrapped him warmly and carefully placed him under the seat. He then set the mother down on the road and, without a word, he drove away, leaving her behind. The woman, seeing the coach, along with her baby, grow smaller as it got further ahead, began to panic. She shook off her lethargy; and followed in the tracks of the coach. Her walk became a jog, her jog became a run. Finally, when the driver was sure the mother was functioning and her blood was flowing, he stopped the coach, welcomed the mother back aboard, and reunited her with her child. Now the question is this: did the driver perform a loving or a cruel act? How do you think the mother felt? Would you believe me if I said, not so long afterward, the mother changed her mind about the action of the driver? She understood his unpleasant actions had saved both of them. Amazingly, while most people can understand the actions of the driver, they don’t do the same with the Lord. The truth is, God, Who sent His Son to save us, continues to care. He cares even during the difficult times and circumstances of life If pains and problems arise, we can be confident they can be used by the Holy Spirit to bring us closer to our Lord. Which is why I suggest if your faith is cooling down, or you’re finding yourself starting to fall asleep spiritually, do not be surprised if God stops the coach and sets you running on the road. If it happens, think twice before you get mad at God. He may just be saving your life. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, sometimes I don't see how much You care. I pray that the Holy Spirit will use even the most difficult circumstances to bring me closer to You. Give me trust in Your goodness and gracious hand which is most evident in the Savior’s sacrifice. In His 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: No Grenades
DATE: May 20, 2019 TEXT: Luke 6:35 - ESV) - But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but this sinful world is a pretty selfish place. Because that’s the way it is, I’m often happy to share the stories of people who commit an especially caring act. No, I’m not talking about the person who throws himself on a hand grenade to save his buddies. although that would certainly quality as a selfless act. No, we are talking about examples which are more commonplace, more everyday; examples which might often go unheralded. Which brings us to today’s sharing. It is the story of a small-town barber who noticed that he had quite a few new customers walking in the door. Business was booming and, without trying to appear ungrateful, he poked around to find out why. It took a bit of persistence before he managed to find out the other barber in town had had minor surgery. His competition was going to be laid up for at least five weeks. The new walk-in business he was enjoying was composed of men whose wives and sweethearts wouldn’t let them wait the month until their barber’s return. So…the question was….what should he do with this extra money, this unexpected bounty from heaven. Give it to missions? Help a needy family in town? Pay off some overdue bills? Well, I can tell you what this Christian barber did: at the end of every week he sent the extra money he had earned to his competition. I did tell you the barber was a Christian, didn’t I? A Christian showing Christian compassion. When I heard the story I wondered, "Would I have acted that way?" Let’s take that thought one step further: Would I have even thought of doing something that caring and compassionate? I just don't know. What I do know is this: from now on, I will try, in the Name of Jesus and following His example to go that extra mile to be of assistance. No I probably won’t end up throwing myself on a hand-grenade but I just may run into a situation where I can be of service. And, being a social sort of fellow, I’d like to invite you to join me. It won’t cost you very much. Certainly nowhere near what it cost the Savior to rescue us from sin, death and devil. Indeed, it costs Jesus' people so little to be kind and generous; and it mends so many fences when we go just a bit out of our way to reach out. It's a wonderful lesson from a Christian barber - - a lesson for a pastor like me and a Daily Devotioner like you. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me to reflect Your Love by being kind and generous to those around me. It costs me little to do so. Through my life, may others learn of the high price You paid for them out of love. In Jesus’ 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: Each Day
DATE: May 19, 2019 TEXT: Psalm 118:24 - (ESV) -24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to celebrate with a few people who had managed to reach their 100th birthday. Don’t be surprised when I tell you that all of them, along with age, had two things in common. First, all of them had a birthday party. Some parties were elaborate occasions with all kinds of skits and singing performed by any relative who had a modicum of talent. Other parties were put on by relatives who were overflowing with reverence and respect for their honored oldster. And the other thing they had in common? Well, if you thought about it you could probably guess…all of them, somewhere during the course of the festivities, were asked, “What is the secret of your longevity?" I've been amazed at some of the responses I've heard to that question. Some elderly have said, "I owe it all to good, clean living.” Others have replied, "It's because I smoke three cigars a day and drink a quart of brandy before lunch." But the best answer I ever heard came from a little old lady who had obviously put some serious thought into how she would answer the unavoidable question. At her birthday party, one of her great-great-nephews was the one appointed to ask the question. The Guest-of-honor waited long enough to make it appear as if she were mulling it over. After the pregnant pause, her face brightened and she, with a twinkle in her eye, replied, "I can’t say for sure, but I kind of think it’s because I didn’t stop breathing. As near as I can tell, most people ruin their chances of reaching 100 when they stop breathing. Not breathing is what stopped most of my friends from living as long as I have." Both family and friends roared their appreciation of her light-hearted outlook at life. I wish there were more folks like her. Indeed, as I go out and talk with people, all too often I see them dwelling on the dark and depressing side of life. Physical ailments, troubles in the world, deflation, inflation, and a host of other pains and problem will occur and when they return, they will do their best to leave you discouraged, defeated and disheartened. If that's true for you, I encourage you, by God’s grace, shake it off! The truth is, every day ‘we’re breathin’ God gives us a shot of having joy in Jesus. Every day that God gives His forgiven and adopted children is an opportunity for them to share the peace and the hope which they have in their Savior. Every day is a day that the Lord has made and the Savior’s redeemed can rejoice in it. So, folks, if the grumps have managed to get you down, then let the Lord lift you up! The Lord is with you as long as you keep breathin’ and because of His Son’s blood-bought salvation, will continue to be with you long after you stop. THE PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for every day that You have given me. Help me rejoice in the little and big graces which come from Your hand. Let my Redeemer be my resolve in the world, even as He will be my joy in the next. In Jesus’ 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: Trust
DATE: May 18, 2019 TEXT: Proverbs 3:5-6 English Standard Version (ESV) 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. We’ve been together for some time now, so I’m pretty sure you won’t be surprised when I tell you “It’s pretty difficult to find someone you can trust.” You won’t be surprised because life has taught us both the same lesson. It is a lesson which is regularly enforced by examples like… ...the druggist in the eastern part of our country who advertised: We are the drug store you can patronize with confidence-- Accuracy and experience, our motto.” Those are pretty bold words to live up to. They would be difficult for any Pharmacist…but they are doubly difficult for someone who had no official training. Yes, my friends, it’s true It took some time, but eventually it was discovered that the druggist had been fulfilling all those prescriptions withou Not only was he not an expert pharmacist, he had never even studied pharmacy. It is impossible to guess how many people suffered in health from his inexpert filling of prescriptions. The trust people had given him had been misplaced. We’re almost used to that kind of thing, aren’t we? How often haven’t we seen somebody lie to make a sale; or lie to get elected; or lie when they speak of love, or lie to get their way? For many, lying is far, far easier than telling the truth. Which makes it hard to find someone in whom we can place our confidence. Today, I wonder, do you have someone you can trust? Do you have somebody you would trust absolutely? Completely? Totally? If so, you are a very blessed individual. If you don’t have such a confidant, you, I’m afraid are one among many. Which is why, if you are looking around for Someone you can trust, I would like to place before you: Jesus of Nazareth, God’s Son, our Savior. He is One-of-a-kind, an absolutely unique individual, unduplicated in the annals of history. Jesus has never broken a promise; He has never gone back on His word. When He says He wants to save us, He means it. When He says all who believe on Him as redeeming Savior will be given a permanent place in paradise, you can take it to the bank. Which means that Jesus is a refreshing breath of fresh air in a world which remains polluted by people who abuse our trust. As Scripture says, “He is the way and the truth.” THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, You are the Rock, the Foundation upon which I stand. I praise You for Your faithfulness and the fact You never, ever abandon Your people. For that, I thank You in Jesus’ 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: Strangled
DATE: May 17, 2019 TEXT: Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Over the years people have given me books that they thought I should read. Sometimes they wrote those books; sometimes they thought the book had a message for me and sometimes they gave me the book for a reason I couldn’t understand. Now that I am retired, I have tackled that stack of volumes and have gotten to my first book which was given to me for an unknown purpose. It is a book on plants. Since I am not a plant person, I am surprised to find myself actually reading and learning some interesting stuff… stuff like the “Matador”, or the “killer” plant of Brazil. The matador works this way: when the matador's vine meets a vigorous tree, it clamps on and climbs up. As the plant grows larger it shoots out tendrils that surround the tree, growing thicker and clasping it tighter. The matador grows beautifully, but it does so at the cost of killing its host. Then, when “the matador” has reached maturity, it puts forth a huge, flowery head above the strangled tree's top. Soon the murderous plant scatters its seeds on the rainforest floor and the process of death begins again. Now the reason I find this plant so fascinating is because I have seen peoples' sins and problems do the same thing to them. Let me explain. To the casual observer, an individual may seem have it “all together.” The person under observation seems so gifted that folks believe there is nothing he can’t do; no storm he cannot weather. Sometimes an individual’s history and experiences cause him to believe that he is immune from any negative influence; impervious from any attack. The sad part comes when the individual is so sure of himself that he ignores the small sins which seem to have taken root at his feet. Almost imperceptibly those transgressions start to take over, choking out that individual’s future, robbing him of his strength. If this seems to be an accurate description of your life, or of someone dear to you, then you can, even now, rejoice. Through the sacrifice of His life, the Lord Jesus has done that which was necessary to cut you free from any and all evil which has crept into your life. By the power of the Holy Spirit, heartfelt faith can offer forgiveness and then offer a new lease on life. Jesus has promised to offer us an abundant life. It is a promise He keeps as He frees us from sin’s strangle hold. Which is why today we encourage you to rejoice in the Christ Who has redeemed you. THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, it is a fact of life: little sins grow up and become big sins… sins which can rob us of peace, joy, and sometimes our salvation. Help us know that You are with us. Reach out to us. Through Your Son free us from our sins and grant us a new and clean heart. In Jesus’ 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: 100% Wrong
DATE: May 16, 2019 TEXT: 2 Peter 2: 1 – ESV -But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. Almost 200 years ago spiritual leaders in New York founded Union Theological Seminary. In 1836, Union Seminary was a pretty straight, that is, a Scriptural place. The goal of the Seminary was to “promote the kingdom of Christ.” The Professors of the Seminary were all required to believe: 1. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the word of God.” 2. The only infallible rule of faith and practice.” That’s the way it was in 1836….but as we all know… things don’t stay the same… not after almost 200 years. Times change; governments change, Churches change, beliefs change and the Presidents of Seminaries change. Today Serene Jones is the President of Union Theological Seminary. As near as I can tell, she is probably a significant change from the past. I say that, because in an interview which came out around Easter she shared some of the things she DOESN'T believe in. You know things like:
When she was asked, :”What happens to the soul of a person when they die?”, Serene gave this most flexible response. “I don’t know! There may be something, there may be nothing. My faith is not tied to some divine promise about the afterlife.” Well, as we said, things change… and you really can’t expect things to be the same after almost two-centuries, can you?” Or is that the EXACT thing we should expect? Looking at the Bible, I see it saying:
Now, Serene Jones can believe what she wants… but who are the people who put her in a position of authority? Who are the folks who think she should be setting direction for the Christian leaders of the future? They, too, are accountable for this spiritual disaster. All I can say is this:, if you have a church where the leaders believe and the pastor preaches salvation through Christ, be thankful. You are very blessed …and you are becoming more rare. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, how like sinful humankind to want to make god in their own image. Grant that our hearts may be filled with humility as we recognize You are the One Who saves, and we are the ones who are saved by grace through faith in the Christ. In His Name we pray. Amen. The devotion for today was inspired by various recent news articles. For further reading you may wish to go to this site: https://www.newser.com/story/274285/boy-thrown-off-mall-of-america-balcony-still-under-sedation.html and the article written by the Newser editors on April 23, 2019. 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: Sinful Longing
DATE: May 15, 2019 TEXT: 1 John 1:9 - (ESV) - 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If I read through Scripture correctly it would seem that the devil succeeds best in his temptations when He makes something seem so desirable a person will do just about anything to possess that forbidden item I believe the truth of that statement can be found in various familiar stories from Scripture. Amongst those stories world be:
Now you would be wrong if you believed such temptation ended with the deaths of the Apostles. As proof I submit the story of five-year-old Iziah Hall of Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was early Sunday when Iziah awoke. He was hungry, really hungry. Now this is where it gets interesting. Hungry Iziah saw his grandmother was still asleep. The situation was hopeless…. Until Iziah thought of something. He thought of something he knew he really shouldn’t do. He called 911 and asked the dispatcher “Can you bring me some McDonald’s?” The dispatcher was shocked at the request and declined… and then sent Officer Dan Patterson to do a wellness check on the boy. As the officer traveled to see the five-year-old, he realized he was going past McDonald’s and he stopped to pick up some grub for the lad. When the Officer, food in hand, knocked on Iziah’s door, he saw the door open ever so slowly, until Iziah could stick his head out., With a repentant heart, Iziah whispered, “My grandma's gonna be so mad (at what I’ve done), can you please go away?" Now the story you’ve just heard has gone viral and brought a smile to the faces of many. But the truth is, this story, is a simple illustration of how repentance is supposed to work, As human beings, each day we become the target of Satan’s temptations. Some of those spiritual seductions will work and we will see our hearts longing for that which is not acceptable to the Lord. All too often we follow the sinful yearnings of our heart and we sin. But that is not the end of the story. Because of our Savior, because of His life, His suffering, death and resurrecting, we who believe are forgiven. With a repentant heart, we echo Iziah as we say to the Lord, “Can’t You please take this away?” As John says, this is exactly what the Lord does, “ he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, we are weak and improper in many of our heart’s longings. Help us become properly focused on that which is good and pleasing to You. As to our wanderings, please straighten our paths. In Jesus’ Name I Pray. Amen. The article which served as inspiration for today’s devotion was written for Newser by Polly Davis Doig on April 21, 2019, That article can be found at: https://www.newser.com/story/274170/5-year-old-kid-really-wanted-mcdonalds-called-911.html 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 Many people share emails with others. Some of it is humorous, some is newsy. If you are a person who has forwarded things in the past, why not forward The Savior’s Story. Let friends and family know they, too can sign up for them at: https://www.thesaviorsstory.com/daily-devotions Remember, the devotions are still free and often worth every penny.
TITLE: Three Point Nine DATE: May 14, 2019 TEXT: Ps. 46: 10 – ESV - “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! One morning while driving in to the library, I was almost pushed off the road by a very reckless and speeding driver. The man carelessly switched from one lane to another, and, back again. In doing so, he put himself, and a lot of others folks in danger. I wondered, "How much time does he think he’s saving, by driving like a spoiled little kid?” I thought the question was rhetorical. One of my friends told me differently. There actually had been a test… a test to see how much actual time gets saved. That test was put on by Cliff Bergere, a one-time driver at the Indianapolis Speedway. As an experiment Cliff was asked to drive a 15-block course in Colorado Springs. Cliff followed the traffic rules and finished in 9 minutes and 35.1 seconds. Then, with permission of the police, he did the same course at illegal speeds. He broke 52 traffic rules and cut a grand total of 3.9 seconds off his time. If you’re like me you may conclude 3.9 seconds isn't worth the risk. Of course we’ve just been talking about driving here. I wonder, “How many of us don’t do that kind of thing in our lives?” Think, how many of us are rushing, pushing, driving our days at breakneck speed. For what purpose? What does it get us? The Lord has given us a beautiful world, and many wonderful people surround us. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice and redemption the really big problems of life have been taken care of. As for the other problems…God has blessed us, and it is right we take the time to appreciate His blessings. That’s what Psalm 46 wants us to do: be still and know the Lord. And, as a final thought, if you’re not ready to do it for yourself, please do it for the peace of the folks around you. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, give me the patience and wisdom to appreciate You, my salvation and Your myriad blessings which surround me. Grant me a quiet moment to thank You for all that I don’t deserve, but which You continue to give. In Jesus' 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: Power To Stop The Waves
DATE: May 13, 2019 TEXT: Mark 4:39-40 - ESV - 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” Consistency, continuity, commitment. These things sinners have in pretty short supply. If you doubt me look at the way the crowds welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem on Sunday. It was quite spectacular. But you also need to take a look at and remember how, just a few days later the crowds intimidated Jesus’ judge by demanding that He be crucified. Crowds can be fickle like that. Their opinions flip like pancakes. It certainly wasn’t the first time Jesus experienced an almost instantaneous change from those around Him.
To show the limitations of his power, Canute had his throne taken to the seashore. With a stern voice, he commanded the tide not to come in. You won’t be surprised to hear, in spite of the kingly decree, the waves continued to come crashing in anyway. The score was God 1 – King 0. In my readings, I am convinced that there has been only one Person, in all of history, who has had the ability to command wind and wave. That person is the Lord Jesus., He had the power and the wisdom to act… and if it was important to His mission… to not act. Jesus Christ is our Redeemer. This was the all-important work He had been assigned. All He did; all He didn’t do was designed, first, foremost and always to complete His Father's plan of salvation. THE PRAYER: Dear Father, I thank you for Your Son's sacrifice. To believe in a Redeemer who holds the power to stop wind and wave and, at the same time, set aside that power to save us is… well, it is almost unbelievable. Lord, help all the world believe in this wonderful Savior. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. The music which begins 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: Hope
DATE: May 12, 2019 TEXT: Romans 15:13 English Standard Version - 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Where were you in 1991? Me? I had just taken a call to a new church in Danville, Illinois. Two of our children were in high school and our youngest had just made the grade-school cheerleading team. Today they are all college graduates and have families. In 1991 my hair was still black, curly and full, and I weighed less But where were you in 1991? Perhaps I ought to ask, “Who were you in 1991?” You have seen a lot of changes? Your hopes, your dreams, your desires have probably seen radical changes. Do you remember way back to 1991? The average American home sold for $120,000.00, the average income was $29,430.00 and a gallon of gas was $1.12. In 1991 there were only 7-million cell phones in the United State. Of course that wouldn’t have helped Munira Abdula. Munira was living in the United Arab Emirates when she was in an accident with a school bus. Since there were few cell phones nobody called for help and she had to wait for house before someone arrived. By then her rare brain injury had set in. It was a condition which left her minimally conscious but totally unresponsive. That was 1991. By 1992, the Physicians were saying there is no hope. After three years had passed without any change the Doctors became more confident. There was no hope. The future would always be this way. Then, in 2018, Munira heard her son arguing with someone by her bedside. Her son had been four when the car accident took place. He had been four when she took the brunt of the accident and shielded him with her own body. He had been four and now Munira’s son was 31, the same age as she had been at the time of the accident. After all those years in a twilight, Munira came back. Her son said,” "I was flying with joy. I always had a feeling that one day she will wake up." And what is the message of this devotion? Her son says, "not to lose hope on their loved ones.," Years ago, a wife emailed me and said, “I have prayed that my husband would become a Christian. I have prayed for 24 years. He’s still the same? What should I do?” I wrote back, “Pray the 25th.” A year later she wrote back and said “The Holy Spirit got Him in the year 25.” Don’t lose hope. THE PRAYER: Lord we don’t know what the future holds. We can only pray we be given hope as we place ourselves, our loved ones, and eternity in the hands of the Holy Spirit and the grace which is ours in Jesus Christ.” In the risen Savior’s Name we pray. Amen. The devotion for today was inspired by various recent news articles. For further reading you may wish to go to this site: https://www.newser.com/story/274262/churchs-easter-gift-to-residents-is-worth-22m.html and the article written by ,:Arden Dier on April 23, 2019. 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 Ancient proverb – If you give a man a devotion, you feed him spiritually for a day
If you sign him up for Daily Devotions, you feed him spiritually… For probably longer than a day. https://www.thesaviorsstory.com/daily-devotions TITLE: Power and Love DATE: May 11, 2019 TEXT: John 3::16 – ESV - : 16 “For God so loved the world,[a] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Dolly Madison is more than a company which makes Zingers and powdered donuts. Dolly Madison, wife of the fourth president of the United States, remains one of the most popular women in American history. Rich or poor, man or woman. People liked Dolly. Once, when she was asked to explain the secret of her "power" over others. Mrs. Madison seemed surprised. Quickly she replied, "Power over people? I have no such power. I desire no such power. I merely love everyone." Not too many of us can say that without hearing other folks break into laughter. As a Christian, we know One other Person who did love everyone: the Lord Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, unlike Dolly Madison, the blessed Redeemer was generally not universally loved, applauded or appreciated.
In spite of what “they “ did; Jesus kept on loving. When one of His best "friends" betrayed Him, He kept loving. When they lied about Him at His trial, He continued to love. Even when they had Him crucified, He forgave those who had put Him there. And why did Jesus love so intensely, sacrifice Himself so completely? Not so He could have power; not so He could be famous. Jesus loved, so the world, through Him, might be saved. Won't you join with me in loving our Savior, who first loved us? THE PRAYER: Dear Savior, Your love caused You to offer Your life as a sacrifice for my redemption. Because of your glorious resurrection I am able to believe that all who acknowledge You as Savior will not perish but will have eternal life. In Your Name I ask that all believe in Your love and in You. 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: 105, 219, 345
DATE: May 10, 2019 TEXT: Romans 12: 9-13 – ESV -Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit,[a] serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. “Well, did you survive Easter?” I remember, when I was just a little feller, people in the congregation would ask Mom, “Did you survive Easter?” They knew that Mom was usually the hostess for the extended family and putting on a big spread for the whole crew was quite the labor of love.” “Well, did you survive Easter?” I remember, after I became a Pastor, this was the question we preachers would throw at each other. Weeks of special Lenten services, a full complement of Holy Week sermons and a Son-rise worship that really began at sunrise was both exhilarating and exhausting. “Well, did you survive Easter?” With the Easter bombings of churches and hotels, this year that question took on a whole new, and literal, meaning. As of this writing there were eight explosions. Six of the attacks were carried out by seven suicide bombers who were working in conjunction with each other . So far authorities have arrested 24 people who were connected with the bombings which killed almost 300 individuals. That’s a lot of hatred, and it’s hatred which seems to be spreading. Do you remember the last time I gave you a homework assignment? No, I don’t either. That being the case, I have to share that today there will be a small, a very small homework assignment… a bit of memorization… three numbers. The numbers are 105, 219, 345. Open Doors, an organization which tracks persecution around the world, uses those numbers, 105, 219, 345 as a monthly average. Now here is what they mean… each month …105 – Christian churches are burned or attacked …219 - Christians are detained without trial, arrested, sentenced and imprisoned.” …345 – believers are murdered, are unjustly imprisoned beaten, or lose their families; Now, what I would suggest is this;. As you pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world you remember those three numbers and put them in the prayer. Remember the 105 churches which are gone the spiritual homes which have ceased to exist; remember the 219 Christians whose world is defined by concrete and iron bars and remember the 345 whose lives, in one way or another, are over. Remember them and ask the Lord to help them survive this Sunday, this week this month. Pray they be given an extra measure of faith and empower them to be faithful to their Savior Who is with them still. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, persecution is all around. Especially this day I remember the 105 places of worship which are no more; the 219 brothers and sisters who have lost their earthy freedom even as they have been given spiritual freedom by the Christ. I remember the 345 who have, even in the face hatred and murder shown their love for the Redeemer. Lord, help them, help to stand firm. 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 site: and the article written by Jerry Newcombe on April 21, 2019,: 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 Ancient proverb – If you give a man a devotion, you feed him spiritually for a day
If you sign him up for Daily Devotions, you feed him spiritually… For probably longer than a day. https://www.thesaviorsstory.com/daily-devotions TITLE: Ultimate Knowledge DATE: May 9, 2019 TEXT: 1 Corinthians 1:25 –ESV - 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. I can’t prove it, but “they say” humankind’s search for knowledge ends up with a warehouse of books and papers being published every day. “Published, read and forgotten.” That’s what ‘they say.’ Well, I don’t know if they’re right in what “they say”, but I am sure there is so much raw information being produced it’s impossible for any one man or woman to digest it. Which is why it’s refreshing to note that, over the years, a number of books have been published which contain only blank pages. One book, published in Belgium, carried the humorous title, “The Memoirs of an Amnesiac.” My personal favorite was one which was published in 1929. The year is important since the book, filled with blank pages, was entitled, “What I Know About Wall Street After 14 Years Experience.” If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that we really don’t know much at all. Even worse, most of us are pretty sure the facts of which we are sure of today will probably be contradicted tomorrow. Which is one reason I find joy in being a Christian. I may not know a lot, but I do know the Son of God, the Savior of the world, has redeemed me. Sent by the heavenly Father as a Divine act of grace, Jesus gave His life so I might have life. Because of Jesus, believers know they are loved by God. That’s why, as we live our lives, no matter how ignorant we may feel about other things, we can rest assured that we have that one thing needful: we know Jesus is our crucified Savior and our risen and ever-living Lord. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, there are so many things in this life that I do not know, that I will never understand. Let my ignorance daily remind me of how much I need and depend on Your love, Your wisdom, Your Son. This I ask 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: RIP
DATE: May 8, 2019 TEXT: Acts 13:38-39 English Standard Version - Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed[a] from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses When I first saw Teflon, I said to myself, ’”I wish I had thought of that.” When I saw a demonstration of Velcro, I said ”I wish I had thought of that. Somebody is going to make a fortune. Well, my friends, “The-wish-I-had-thought-of-that-bug has bit me again. “ This time the thought was triggered by an action performed by Pathway Church in Kansas. In the past, along about Easter time, they sent out fliers to many of the neighborhoods surrounding their church. It was a nice idea, but she Congregation was pretty sure that most of those invitations to Easter worship ended up in the trash. They wondered how to increase the impact of the Savior’s resurrection and maximize the money they were spending to reach the lost. The first thing they did was try to summarize the resurrection message. What they came up with was something like this: “We are forgiven of our sins because we have faith that the Savior, with His life, death and resurrection has paid their price.” They also wanted to convey that this good news was absolutely free and cause for rejoicing. The next step they took was to visit with a charity called RIP Medical Debt. RIP told them that in every State of the Union there are people who, due to no fault of their own, have accumulated massive amounts of medical debt. Debt which they can’t pay off. RIP goes out and buys those debts up for pennies on the dollar. Then they forgive those debts and offer the one-time debtors a new life. What Pathway Church did was have RIP buy up the debts of 1600 Kansans. That represents 2-million dollars in debt… but far, far less in actual expenditure Then Pathway sent out a special letter to all 1600 Kansans and told them that ‘in Jesus’ name, their medical debt had been forgiven.” They concluded, “"We may never meet you, but as an act of kindness in the name of Jesus Christ, your debt has been forgiven." As I said at the beginning of the message, I wish I had thought of that. That’s because it’s a rare idea which benefits everybody; which makes everybody a winner:
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord once we were debtors and unable to make good on the vast amounts we owed. To pay the price of our sins, Jesus came and did all which was necessary so we could be forgiven. May we be clear witnesses of salvation’s message. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. The inspiration for this devotion can be found here: http://www.kake.com/story/40347256/wichita-church-pays-22-million-in-medical-debt-for-1600-kansans 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 |
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