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TITLE: Commandeering
DATE: Sept. 30, 2019 Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed. TEXT:. 2 Corinthians 9: -7 - ESV - Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Over the years I guess I’ve seen about a gazillion or more Police movies. One of the scenes which appears in just about every film occurs when the bad guy is making a getaway. The officer, who is on foot at the time, surveys the cars, picks out what appears to be a fast one and moves toward the driver’s side of the car. Throwing open the door, he flashes his badge and demands the owner get out of his own car. The man has to get out because, as the officer says, “He is commandeering this car.”You can be sure, the next time the car owner sees his vehicle, it’s guaranteed to be a large pile of scrap metal. Even so, the man does get out and he does share his car. I admire that. I admire that partially because the Lord Jesus says that I should be ready to share the gifts He has entrusted to my care. Years before the Savior was born in Bethlehem, a barbarian prince came to Athens. It was his desire to seek a position of service under the successful Athenian admiral, Cimon. So that he might be assured of a favorable audience, he brought with him two containers. One was filled with pieces of gold, the other was overflowing with silver. Placing them at Cimon's feet he awaited a reaction from the general. Reviewing the man's gift, Cimon smiled and asked, "Sir, what you would prefer? To have me as your paid mercenary, or your friend?" It was not a hard question, and the prince quickly offered, "I would have you as my friend." "In that case", Cimon said, "take these things away. If I am your friend, your money will be mine whenever I need." Toward the end of His life Jesus came to Jerusalem. He came as a great Man, and as the Messiah. As the Messiah He had to fulfill the prophecy about him coming on a donkey. Scripture tells how the disciples requested a donkey from an unnamed man. We can only assume that this man had a soft spot in his heart toward Jesus. That's why the disciples didn't demand the donkey. Nor did they commandeer it. They simply said, "The Master has need." With those words, the question was settled. How different has been my response to the Lord's requests.
If the disciples had come to me, I might well have said, "Borrow someone else's donkey. I need mine." The Lord of life Who held nothing back in His desire to save me, has the right to ask anything of me. Whatever He asks, it would still be far too small a gift of thanks. Next time the Lord says to me, "I have need of something", I believe my answer will be different. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, forgive me for ignoring Your requests for help. Open my heart so that I might hear You, and respond with gladness and gratitude. In Your Name I ask it. 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
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TITLE: Limited Power
DATE: Sept. 29, 2019 Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed. TEXT: John 11:25-26 - ESV - Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” Although I’ve never made a thorough study, it appears to me every time and every nation has heroes. It there is nobody worthy of the title, then the poets or troubadours invent them., If they are less than perfect, the writers put a little elbow grease on their image and shine it up. Sometimes, at last in our minds, heroes become so big and so powerful they can do anything. That can be dangerous, especially if we begin to ascribe godly attributes to sinful humans. That certainly was the case for a general in Napoleon’s army. This was a man who had been devotedly, and enthusiastically, attached to Bonaparte through many campaigns. Now he had been mortally wounded. As he desperately clung to the last threads of life, he requested that his chief come to him. Napoleon arrived at the deathbed. Having seen the emperor defeat many enemies, the wounded man thought this would be no different. He earnestly pleaded with his leader to save his life. Having examined the extent of the man’s wounds, Napoleon sadly shook his head and, without a word of comfort, turned away from his old friend. But, as the tent’s curtain door shut behind Napoleon, the dying friend was heard to scream out, 'Save me, Napoleon! Save me!'" In the hour of death, that soldier discovered what every human being will eventually discover: only God is Ruler over life and death. That may sound like a simple enough concept for anybody to grasp, but apparently that is not the case. Even though the mortality rate for humanity is almost 100% (don’t forget Elijah and Enoch), multitudes still do not put their trust for eternity in God. They are astounded when a young person passes away. They are sadly shocked when someone close to them breathes their last. Even though the end was obviously coming; even though the doctors, like Napoleon, had shaken their heads and said, “There is nothing we can do”, they still do not turn to the Lord. God would have them know that an open grave need not be the final way we remember our loved ones. So that we might know there is a God of the living and the dead, Jesus came into this world. His death and resurrection show, to anyone who will take a serious look, that death is not the end of life, the grave does not have, for those who acknowledge Jesus as Lord, the final victory. That’s why, when Jesus says to us, “I am Ruler over life and death, “We can say, “Thank God, it is so.” THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, I give thanks that You raised up the daughter of Jairus, Lazarus, and the young man of Nain. I have seen that the grave is less than an inconvenience to You. Make me see, and trust in Your power when I must say an earthly good-by to a loved one. 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: Constancy
DATE: Sept. 28, 2019 Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed. TEXT: Matthew 23:25-26 – ESV - “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean The Savior said to the Pharisees, and to others, "I wish people would learn to look and examine the inside of things as carefully as they do the outside." That was certainly true when Adele Gaboury went missing in Worcester, Massachusetts. Concerned neighbors called the police, and a brother said she had gone to a nursing home. Satisfied, the neighbors began watching her property. When her mail started to pile up, they had it stopped. To keep the outside of the house in tip-top condition, one neighbor had Adele's grass cut by her grandson. When some water pipes broke, they called the utility company to shut off the water. What no neighbor guessed was that while they were doing their level best to help Gaboury, she had always been inside her home. After a long period of time, police finally investigated the house as a health hazard. They were surprised, and shocked, to find her body. It appears Gaboury had died of natural causes four years earlier. Those wonderful neighbors (and they were wonderful) had not looked at the inside of things as closely as the outside. Of course, those neighbors aren't alone.
That, of course, does not apply to Jesus. Inside and out, He was always our loving Lord and sacrificing Savior. From the cradle to the cross, from Bethlehem to His burial and beyond, He reached out to the wretched and pronounced forgiveness to the most serious of sinners. In Him there was never an inconsistency between what He showed on the outside and Who He was on the inside. Which is precisely why we know we can count on Him in the best and worst of times. It is why we can rely on Him for help and hope in this world and the next. It is why, when you see an inconsistency in all those around you, you can be confident of your Savior. He is always the Lord of love. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, I have seen how false this world can be. Thank You for giving me something to hold on to; for being SI can trust. May others learn to see Your constancy. 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: The Original
DATE: Sept. 27, 2019 Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed. TEXT: John 14:^ ESV - 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. When you hear the words, “Accept no imitations.”, you know you are being encouraged to embrace and hold fast to that which is the real deal, the original, the one-of-a-kind, the unique, the one which has no peer. When Jesus was with us, He observed, “There are a lot of false Messiahs out there. I encourage you to accept no imitation Saviors.” Jesus was absolutely right to extend that warning to the generations of believers who would follow in the centuries to come. He was right because, over the years, millions of people, intelligent, sincere people have ended up following counterfeit Messiahs who have promoted their own false doctrine. Which is why, echoing our Lord, it is the job of Christians, to point out that which is fake and encourage sinners to follow the Real Savior, Jesus Christ. To do that, we might take a lesson from the officers in the US Treasury. Their job is to track down counterfeit bills and the criminals who make and distribute them. You would think, to be able to identify counterfeits, these folks would be trained to study all the different types of fake money being printed. You might think it, but that's not what they do. What they do is spend hours with "real" money. They come to know how the bills look and how they feel. These agents don't have to become acquainted with all the different types of "funny money." That would be a never ending job. Instead, when the agents are intimately familiar with the real thing, everything else stands out as false. In the religious world today there are a multitude of pseudo scholars who dissect the words and life of the Savior. They throw out one set of teachings and question others. Even worse, there are messed up messiahs who say “They, not Jesus, are the way, truth and life.” No matter how strange these doctrines; no matter how weird these messages, there are people who willingly gamble their lives, and their eternities, on these false messiahs. To combat them, we can try to investigate every false doctrine, every questionable leader. It is far better, and a more solid investment, to become solidly acquainted with what the Savior teaches. We need to see how He finds the lost; how He reaches out to those who were unreachable; how He is a friend to those who have no one else. We need to hear, and believe, Scripture when it says there is no other Name under heaven, given among men which can save us. When we know God and His love this way, we shall be able to clearly identify all false doctrines, and Messiahs, which are fake. That way, when Jesus says, “There are a lot of false messiahs in the world.”; I shall be able to reply, “Yes, Lord, but I know the real Thing.” THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for being Truthful and Real. Send Your Holy Spirit to defeat all those who would compromise the full Gospel message of salvation; and call back those who have been confused by counterfeits. 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: Sharing
DATE: Sept. 26, 2019 Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed. TEXT: 2 Corinthians 5:19-21 – ESV - 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling[a] the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Have you ever heard of the Toddler Property Laws? If not, I’ll repeat them here. It begins...
As near as I can tell, Jesus, Who shared Himself with the sinful world, didn’t agree with those laws. He came to redeem the world by sharing His work with us. That makes Him very special. “Let me tell you what I mean. I have had the opportunity to stand before the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. Everyone has seen pictures of the pyramids, but no photograph can prepare you for the great size of this monument to the pride of the Pharaoh Khufu (say: “Koo-foo”). The pyramid contains about 2.3 million blocks of stone, which tip the scale somewhere between two and fifteen tons. The base covers 13 acres. Although there are a lot of about how the pyramids were constructed, the best say it would take 100,000 men over 20 years to put up the structure. Now that you have a mental picture of this pile of stone, I want to inject one more thought: this building was designed to be the burial chamber for one man. He didn’t invite his friends into the pyramid. He didn’t share a spot with his workers or his many wives. This pyramid was to protect him and his stuff for eternity. Khufu’s plan didn’t work. His body has long since disappeared, and his stuff stolen before Jesus was born. All that is left is the pile of stones. Unlike Khufu’s pyramid which was for his exclusive use, Jesus life and sacrifice was designed to be shared with His disciples. Although there were times when Jesus went off to be alone and pray, most of the time He asked for no privacy. He demanded no body guards to keep others away from Him. Instead, His heart opened wide so that those who were brought to faith in Him would receive the forgiveness of sins which was being won at such a high cost. The graciousness of His act cannot be diminished by time. Since it is freely given, it cannot be stolen by thieves. THE PRAYER: Dear Jesus, You are the King Who gives Himself for His people. May I appreciate and receive Your gift with joy and repentance. 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: Really, Really Dead
DATE: Sept. 25, 2019 Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed. TEXT:. Matthew 27:62–63 - ESV - The next day, that is, after the day of gPreparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember how hthat impostor said, while he was still alive, i‘After three days I will rise.’ When I took Latin, I memorized a little poem. In doing do I joined the ranks of all students who have in the last 300 years studied Latin. The poem is: Latin is a language, as dead as it can be. First it killed the Romans, and now it’s killing me.” To the best of my knowledge, when a language dies, it usually stays dead. Oh, it may be examined by scholars but it doesn't get resurrected. Jesus’ resurrection. That is what the priests and Pharisees were trying to prevent when they came to Pilate and said, “We want to make sure Jesus is dead.” They had a good idea. You never know when someone is going to cheat death. It does happen, you know. Not so long ago, a Romanian woman fainted when she opened her front door and found her husband standing there. Her husband, Neagu (say: “Knee-ah-goo”) had choked on a fish bone, stopped breathing and collapsed. The family doctor, knowing about Neagu's heart condition, promptly declared him dead of a heart attack. Three days later, gravediggers at the cemetery heard a knocking coming from the inside of a casket. They opened Neagu's coffin to find him, surrounded by wilted flowers, very much alive. When Neagu arrived home his wife, thinking he was a ghost, refused to let him spend his nights at the house. Neagu had an even more difficult time with the authorities. It took Neagu more than three weeks to convince the authorities to strike his death certificate from all of their records. Yes, the priests had a good idea in making sure Jesus was dead. Skeptics might say, “See, people do come back from the grave.” I would agree. When a person chokes on a fishbone and a doctor misdiagnoses the illness, it is possible for that person to come back from the grave. But nobody ever came back from a Roman crucifixion. Roman death squads crucified tens of thousands of victims. In every one of those thousands of cases, when they took the condemned off his cross, he was dead. These squads took pride that their charges were dead. These squads knew their own lives depended upon the crucified being dead. That’s why they speared the crucified in the heart, or broke his legs, they wanted to make sure he was absolutely, completely, totally dead. There was no room for exceptions. That’s why, I’m glad when the Pharisees and Priests said, “Make sure Jesus is dead.” I agree with them. If these doubters and skeptics are content that Jesus was deceased, I know it was so. I know that Jesus has truly paid the price for my redemption. I know that the Lord has accepted His Son’s sacrifice made for us. And I know that when Jesus rose on the third day, it really was from the dead. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, I give thanks that You are my Redeemer, not a deceiver. You have given Your very life so that I might have life eternal. May I treat that sacrifice with the respect I should. 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: “Not Me Did It.”
DATE: Sept. 24, 2019 Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed. TEXT:. Philippians 2:2-8 - ESV - Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ... If you look on the birth and baptismal records they say Pam and I had three children. The truth is, for a long time I thought there were four. The name of that last, almost anonymous child was, “Not Me.” When we would ask, “Whose turn is it to take out the garbage, the other three would almost unanimously say, “Not Me.” If you asked other questions, questions like, “Whose turn to clear the table?” or “Who should let the dog out?”, the answer was always the same. It was “Not Me’ turn. During those years nobody was guilty of neglect, and nobody did anything wrong. The reality is we are all guilty of doing things wrong. If you doubt me, consider what would happen if Jesus actually, physically, came and knocked on the door of your home. Of course you’d invite Him in. You would let Him sleep on the best bed in the house. No doubt, You would sound like a broken record as you told Him repeatedly that you’re glad to have Him around. There’s no doubt you would prepare the best food you could. But….and it’s a big but….isn’t it possible that you would have to change a few things before you let Him in the door? Might not the family have to change the TV shows they watch. Would a few magazines have to be put away, and the Bible substituted in their place? Isn’t it possible that the table prayer, all of a sudden, might become longer, more personal, and not just a going-through-the-motions kind of thing? Would you be glad to have Him by your side while you’re talking on the phone, or over the backyard fence, with your closest friends? Most importantly, would you breathe a sigh of relief when Jesus finally said that He had to go somewhere else? The truth is plain, none of us can claim to be completely innocent. None of us can make a claim of perfection, except for the Savior. When He was on trial for His life, He didn’t feel the need to defend Himself.
He kept His silence so we might, on Judgment Day, be declared innocent. He was condemned, so that we might be released. He died so that we might live forever. His trials were the greatest travesty of justice the world has ever seen… and the greatest act of grace, as well. Which is why, if you listen with ears of faith to what Jesus doesn’t say at His trials, You will thank Him for His silence. That silence speaks volumes about His love. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, every day I say many words. Never am I able, with honesty, to say, “I’m innocent. For my sins, I ask forgiveness. For the future, I ask Your power. May I glorify You. 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 Changed Man
DATE: September 23. 2019 TEXT:. Psalm 51:16-17 – ESV - 16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Danny Dashay Holmes is a 30-year-old man who, depending on your point of view, does, or doesn't have much of a future. Let me try to explain.... You see, right now Danny is accused of robbery and murder and is living in a Tennessee prison. He had already entered a plea of “not guilty” and was prepared to use every legal maneuver to beat the charge, or at least have the penalty for the crime reduced. Then, the first day of his trial, Danny came in and asked if he might change his plea from ”Not Guilty” to “Guilty.’ When asked about why he would do such a thing and thereby receive an automatic verdict of life in prison, Danny said that he had had a change of heart. It was a change of heart which came to Him after he had listened to the Big Daddy Weave song titled Redeemed. Now working under the assumption you have never heard the Big Daddy Weave song entitled :”Redeemed”, here are some of those lyrics: “All my life I have been called unworthy/ Named by the voice of my shame and regret/ But when I hear You whisper, "Child lift up your head"/ I remember oh God, You're not done with me yet/ I am redeemed, You set me free/ So I'll shake off these heavy chains/ And wipe away every stain now I'm not who I used to be/ I am redeemed” Now I have to say, those lines about “I’ll shake off those heavy chains and wipe away every stain”: are pretty weak theologically. Only Jesus can shake off our chains and only Jesus can make our souls white.” Even so, the Holy Spirit apparently has made some changes in this man’s heart. Even as he accepted his life’s sentence, Holmes said, he “would be praying for his victims’ family and vowed to serve Jesus for the rest of his days.” It’s a good story. Amazingly it’s the story of all of us. Sure, our sins may not be as violent or heinous, and our call from the Lord not as dramatic, but all of God’s people recognize that the Savior Who gave His life for them, has forgiven their sins and wants them to change. When you become the Lord’s, you say goodbye to the old ways and gladly embrace your new life in Jesus. As St. Paul said: “7 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.[a] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, grant me sincere repentance for when I have sinned and raise me up to serve You in all I do. This I ask in my Redeemer’s Name. Amen. The devotion for today was inspired by various recent news articles. For further reading you may wish to go to this address: https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/will-maule/man-confesses-to-murder-after-listening-to-christian-song-redeemed.htmland the article written by Will Maule. 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: “How Great Is His Love”
DATE: September 22. 2019 TEXT:. : Romans 5:7-9 – ESV -7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. Most people are unacquainted with Dr, Eleanor Chestnut. If you are one of them, please, permit me to tell you a thing or two about the good Doctor. The American Presbyterian Mission Board sent Eleanor to China in 1893. Upon arrival she saw the need for a medical missionary was so immediate that she began performing surgery in her bathroom. Eventually a hospital was constructed; but it was paid for with Eleanor’s own money. Up to this point, Eleanor had only given in a way that ten-thousand other missionaries have given. But Eleanor was special. One day she performed an operation which amputated the leg of a common laborer. Complications arose and it became necessary to do some skin grafts. A few days later, another physician asked Doctor Eleanor why she was limping. Her reply, saying the subject was closed to future question was a simple, "Oh, it's nothing." Only later did a nurse share that the skin graft for the laborer had come from Eleanor’s own leg. But there was more. Since Eleanor had to do surgery on both the laborer and herself, she had only been able to use a local anesthetic to numb her pain. Eleanor’s giving to the people of China continued on until the Boxer Rebellion of 1905. In that year, Dr. Eleanor, and four other missionaries, were killed by a mob that stormed the hospital. Greater love hath no man, or woman. Which leads me to ask: How many times would you, have been ready to give your life to others as did Doctor Eleanor? Her sacrifice was too much, and too unappreciated, for most of us to copy. Yet, that is the kind of love to which Christians are called. It is the life that Jesus led for you and I. He sacrificed Himself when He turned down the devil’s offer of the world’s kingdoms. He sacrificed Himself when He gave up home and family to go about and preach. He sacrificed Himself when He allowed my sins to be placed upon Him. He sacrificed Himself when He willingly hung upon the cross, pouring out His life'’ blood. The kind of sacrifice shown by the Savior, and reflected by Doctor Eleanor is beyond the grasp for many of us. That doesn’t mean that we should not try. The Savior said to us: , “Are you ready to glorify me by laying down your life for your friends?” To His question, I can only say, “Lord give me strength.” THE PRAYER; Dear Lord, caring for others seems to be the kind of job I am ready to let others do. May I be filled with a new commitment to You that will be seen in my devotion to others. 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 Life Worth Keeping
DATE: September 21. 2019 TEXT: John 12: 25 - - ESV- 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Everybody invests their life in something. Which leads me to ask, “Isn’t it better when people invest it in something worthwhile?’ One of the saddest things in life is to watch someone dedicate himself to that which is trivial, inconsequential and unimportant. Now let me be clear, I can’t vouch for the following story. All I can say is I am presenting it as it was told to me. During World War II, the Nazis were trying to crush the resistance movement in Italy. Hastily, they rounded up anyone who seemed suspicious, including some who had been totally uninvolved. When the officer in charge was unable to separate the guilty from the innocent, he ordered the entire group to be executed. On the day of execution, one man totally lost his composure and began to plead: "I am innocent; I didn't do anything." A resistance leader turned to him, looked him in the eye and spat out the words "You didn't do anything? I don't understand How is it that you could do nothing?. Our life was being destroyed. Minds were being warped; institutions were being subverted. How could you not do anything? “ The resistance fighter concluded: “If those things weren’t enough to make you do something, then you deserve to be punished." 2,000 years ago, the Heavenly Father took a stand against sin, Satan and death. These invaders had destroyed the perfect way of life which He had created for our ancestors to work, play, praise and glorify What is worse, they were incapable of throwing off the oppressive yoke of slavery. To rectify our fallen estate, the Lord sent His Son into this world. That was accomplished with the birth, life, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For thirty-three years, Jesus resisted every sin, temptation and terror they could throw at Him. Jesus invested His life in us, so that we might have new lives. He gave His all, so we might have all. Now, as we have been saved by the work of the Christ, the Father asks us, in gratitude, to lose our lives in Jesus. He wants those who have seen, and who believe, in the Lamb of God, to invest themselves in giving thanks to Him. Every day He asks us to become part of Christ’s resistance movement who are committed to the struggle against humankind’s enemies. So, when Jesus says to me, “Do you feel you have lost your life?”, I can proudly reply, “No Lord, not lost, but given to You, Who first gave to me.” THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, there is so much in life that is meaningless. Grant me the wisdom to find the one thing that is needful, the one thing which shall never be taken way. Give my days glorious purpose in serving You. In Your Name I ask it. 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:- Betrayer
DATE: September 20. 2019 TEXT: Matthew 26:24 - ESV - The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born. The expression says:“Betrayal hurts most when it comes from an ungrateful heart.” Dirk Willemzoon would agree. In Holland, centuries ago, Dirk had been condemned to death for no other reason other than the fact he was a Protestant. Dirk eventually managed to escape from jail. Pursued by an officer of the court, he made his break for freedom across a frozen lake. It was Spring and the weakened ice trembled and cracked beneath his footsteps. It took some time, but he did reach the shore in safety. Not so the officer. Weighed down by armor, he fell through the ice. Only Dirk heard the man’s desperate call for help. Following the commands of a Christian conscience, Dirk returned, risking his own life to save his enemy. The officer did not return the favor to his savior. Having reached the safety of the shore, he arrested Dirk and brought him back to the prison in Asperen. On the sixteenth of May, this same officer, reminded of his oath to king and country, lit the flames that snuffed out the life of Dirk Willemzoon. Dirk, like our Savior, had been betrayed by an ungrateful heart. Usually, when we think of the Savior’s betrayal, we single out ungrateful Judas. There is no question that he is worthy of unhonorable mention. Judas had rejected every opportunity to have, and hold, the faith of forgiveness that his Master would win for him upon the cross and at the borrowed and empty tomb. Of course, Judas was not the only betraying heart that our Savior met during the short years of His ministry. In Bethlehem, Herod would have taken His life; Nazareth, His Boyhood town, tried to kill Him. Peter denied Him. The other disciples deserted Him in the Garden. After Pentecost, love of this world caused Demas to desert his Savior. And, although it is painful to say it, I, too, have betrayed the Lord. More than once I have turned my back on the Savior Who gave His life so that I might have life. And I would not admit it if I were alone, but you stand with me, side-by-side. It makes little difference that my betrayal has often come through inaction rather than with a kiss. It doesn’t matter that our denials have come from our silence or inactivity rather than like Peter’s powerful curses. Our Lord Jesus deserves, and expects, better than that from those whom He loves so much. He deserves faithful friends who witness with words and works. When that happens, Jesus will never again have to warn one of His disciples by saying: “One of you will betray me.” THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, by the Spirit’s power, I have been allowed to see how great Your commitment was to me. You have made me Your friend. May I always act like that friend. 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: The True Giver
DATE: September 19. 2019 TEXT:. 1 Corinthians 9:7 – ESV - Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. It is a wonderful thing when people trust the Lord to take care of them rather than relying upon themselves or their money? When that happens, they have the right priorities." I would like to share a true story of such a right-prioritied lady. It comes from Sunday worship, not so many years ago, in North Dakota. An elderly woman by the name of Mary fainted, and struck her head on the end of the pew. It didn't take long for a member of the congregation, an Emergency Medical Technician, to call an ambulance. Mary was strapped to a stretcher and they headed her out the door. That was when she regained consciousness. Weakly, she motioned for her daughter to come near. In all probability, the Trustees of the church were hoping that she was not threatening the congregation with a law suit, but most people watching the events assumed that she was using her last bit of strength to share a final request, or a last bit of motherly wisdom. The daughter, with her ear next to her mother's mouth, heard the whispered words, "My offering envelope is in my purse." Just like Jesus truly appreciated the widow who confidently placed herself, her future and her two mites into the Lord’s hands; we can applaud someone, in our own century, who does the same things with the blessings the Lord has entrusted to them. Both of these ladies knew, as all Christians should know, that their lives can be entrusted, with complete confidence, to the Lord. He Who cared enough to redeem our souls from sin, death and Satan by sending His Son to die upon the cross, will not, at this, or any stage, leave us or forsake us. The Psalmist confidently shared the promise of God which runs as an unbroken thread through Scripture. He said (50:15 – ESV - and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” Here and elsewhere the Triune God has clearly told, and shown, us that it is His job to take care of us. Through our failures and fears, through frustrations and foolishness, He will, because of His Son’s vicarious atonement, watch over us. In response, our job, under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, is, as Luther said it, “to thank and praise, to serve and obey Him.” The way we live our thankful lives says, “this is most certainly true.” That’s why, when Jesus says to me, ‘Isn’t it wonderful when people trust Me?’, I can reply, “Yes, Lord, and I pray that I might always be one of them.” THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, forgive me when I think that I can, or should, control my life. Grant me the confidence to say, “Thy will be done”, and be appreciative when it is. 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: “Are You Troubled?” DATE: September 18. 2019 TEXT: 1 Peter 5: 6-7 - ESV - Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. When it comes to your faith, do you ever have any doubts? The answer is simple, but the reason behind your answer is not very complimentary. Yes, I doubt. because I am a human being that relies on my senses more than I do my faith. That’s the lesson of a story that comes from the 1800’s. A skeptic was standing on a soap-box at Hyde Park Corner. His words poured scorn on Christianity. He said, "People tell me that God exists; but I can't see Him. People tell me that there is a life after death; but I can't see it. People tell me that there is a judgment to come; but I can't see it. People tell me that Jesus has died and risen for me, but I can’t see Him." When he stepped down from his pulpit, he received a smatter of cheap applause. Then another man stepped up to the soap-box. His style of speaking was a deliberate copy of his unbelieving predecessor: He began, "People tell me that there is green grass all around, but I can't see it. People tell me that there is blue sky above, but I can't see it. People tell me that there are trees nearby, but I can't see them. I can’t see them because I am blind.” Actually, both men were blind. One was blind physically. The other was blind spiritually. I can tell you which of the two had the greater handicap. If you look at the crowd at the foot of Jesus’ Jerusalem cross you will see many people are blinded.
How wonderful it would be if all eyes would be opened to the immensity, and individuality of Jesus’ love. Jesus died for me! For MY sins. For MY troubles, doubts and fears. Now, if anyone says to me, “Are you ever troubled, and do you ever doubt?’, I can say, “I sometimes do, but I also remember,” amazing grace, how sweet the sound, to save a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.” THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, I believe, help my unbelief. Let me see in the cross Your love and grace that cares and offers hope to all who would believe. In Your Name, I ask it. 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: “Rough Roads”
DATE: September 17. 2019 TEXT:. Matthew 7:13-14 - ESV - 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. So, what is tomorrow going to bring for you? Will it be a good day filled with magnificent and unexpected blessings, or will it be a time of sadness and sorrow. None of us, not even the smartest of us can give a 100% accurate forecast of our own future. Nobody knows what ruts are on the road before us. Years ago, after the Portuguese had withdrawn from Angola, the nation fell into tribal unrest and civil war. For many years trucks sat beside the roads awaiting a few parts which would make them functional once again. Bridges became untrustworthy, and the roads were pocked with potholes. During that time, a representative from a Christian charity organization, was on a fact-finding mission in that war-torn country. He was surprised to note that his driver made absolutely no attempt to miss the deep holes and ruts that are so common. On the contrary, it seemed, given a chance, the man tried to hit those axle-breakers. When they did come across a stretch of road that had been repaired, the driver almost always headed for the side of the road. Curiosity finally got the best of the visitor and he asked his driver why he was avoiding those patches of improved road. The reply was: “I avoid the smooth spots, because that’s where the land mines are." A casual spectator, looking at the life of Simon Peter would soon discover that when the disciple tried to hit the ‘smooth spots’ of life, his faith failed and he ran right into the devil’s land mines.’
In contrast to Peter, our Savior never took the smooth road. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He didn’t take the smooth road. Instead, He carried our sins and sorrows. At His trials, He could have taken the smooth road and defended Himself, but He didn’t. On the cross, He could have taken the smooth road and stepped down. Instead, Jesus chose to die so that we might have life. An examination of your life may show that when you went on the smooth route, you also ended up stepping on a spiritual land mine. It is a wonderful thing that the Lord can, when we hit such problems, take us past them. It is also a wonderful thing that He can then empower us to help others. But it is the most wonderful thing of all if we, by the Spirit’s power, do what glorifies the Lord and avoid the land mines of the devil. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, help me survive the smooth road where the devil has planted his land mines. When I, through my own weakness, trigger one, take me through, patch me up, and let me be Your witness to others. 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: “Finished Off”
DATE: September 16. 2019 TEXT:. Hebrews 10:10 (ESV) - and by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. It was in the summer of 1989 that over one million people in the countries of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia linked arms for the completion of a singular task. Together they formed a human chain that stretched for more than 360 miles. When the chain was complete, one person, at the end of the line, whispered a single word into the ear of the person next to him. It was not a hard word to remember. That word didn’t change as it was passed along the line. Mile after mile, person after person, that all important word was passed. Have you guessed that word? Can you imagine one word which has the power, and importance, to bring a million people together? That word which touched the hearts of each of those people was freedom. It’s not hard to understand the power of such a word to people who had experienced fifty years of oppression and outside tyranny. Now allow me to tell you about another word, even more powerful than freedom. I said it is more powerful because it has touched tens of millions of souls. I am talking about the Greek word: "tetelestai." Centuries ago, the word tetelestai was written on tax receipts when they were paid. On a papyrus tax receipt, tetelestai would be the equivalent of a rubber stamp which means, “Received Payment.” There is one other thing you should know about tetelestai. Tetelestai is the last word that Jesus said upon the cross. Both the King James and the English Standard Version of the Bible translate tetelestai as, “it is finished.”
In short, tetelestai means that the Son, with the shedding of His holy, precious blood, and with His innocent suffering and death, has made full, and final payment to our heavenly Father for all that we have done wrong. The bill for our sins has been marked, “paid in full.” THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, You have done that which we could never do for ourselves. You have paid, in full, the debts of all our sis Now may I, with gladness, share the good news of atonement with others. In Your Name. Amen. he 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: Highly Important
DATE: September 14, 2019 TEXT: Matthew 6:33 - ESV - 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Way back in 1964, one of America’ new, socially-conscious troubadours, Bob Dylan, wrote about how “The Times Are a-Changin’.” A few weeks ago the Wall Street Journal and NBC News made public the results of a new poll which they had taken. Based on the questions from a survey taken 21 years ago it was designed to measure just how much the things which are “very important” to America have changed in the last two decades. Now the first thing which needs to be said is: not everything has changed. Most things have, but not everything. For example, one thing which has not changed is the importance of hard work. Two-decades ago hard work was the most important thing to us, with 83% of us saying it was very important. Today, 89% of those polled have said hard work remains as a very high priority for them. So, by now, you probably would like a look at some of the winners and the losers. Nothing is easier: LOSERS
WINNERS
Now if that sounds a bit discouraging to you, I’ll give you two more facts.
All of which made me wonder Is there a common denominator in all these swings. It occurs to me there is. Things which are tangible and touchable; things which are of the present are more important to the younger group. For more and more people philosophical’ things which are for tomorrow and eternity are not as important as the here, the now, the touchable. Which might be fine as long as they don’t forget Jesus’ warning, Matthew Matthew 6:33 English Standard Version (ESV) - 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. The Lord Who sent His Son to save us, doesn’t want us to forget all He has done to rescue us for eternity. Which is why His priority should also be ours. I THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, grant Your will and ways may be mine. In Jesus Name I ask it. Amen The devotion for today was inspired by various recent news articles . For further reading you may wish to go to this address: https://www.newser.com/story/279615/values-seen-as-important-to-americans-are-changing.html?utm_source=share&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=defand the article written by .Editors of Newser and Wire Services 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 Time For It All
DATE: September 14, 2019 TEXT:. Matthew 24:42-44 – ESV - Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. The 3rd chapter of Ecclesiastes begins this way: For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; Nobody can argue with those words. How could they, since in a very few lines they cover most of a person’s life. Indeed, just about the only thing I could add to those poetic lines is this: normally we expect a reasonable period of time between the two opposites. We expect that, but we don’t always get it. Consider the story of 19-year-old Harley Joe Morgan and 20-year-old Rhiannon Boudreaux Morgan. The Texas duo had met and begun dating in high school. Then, a few years after they graduated they decided to get married. Oh, they had other plans, too. He spoke about going to college and she was considering entering nursing school. Those were their plans, but first the wedding. They got hitched on a Friday afternoon at their Orange County Texas courthouse. The couple accepted the congratulation of the few family and friends who had come to offer their congratulations and prayers for the new couple. After all the formalities and informalities were concluded, the couple got into their Chevy Caprice. They started up the motor, put her in gear, crossed over the parking lot to so they might pull on to the highway. That was when Harley’s car collided with a Ford F-250 which was pulling a trailer. The driver of the pickup was all-right,; not so, the newly-wed couple. Their car was pushed into a culvert, where the two died. As Ecclesiastes says, “there is a time to be born and a time o die. For the rest of the wedding party which was lined up behind the couple, they knew there is a time to weep and a time to laugh... ,...and, yes, they also know there is a time to mourn. Harley’s mother, considering the carnage, said "Go home and hug your family tonight. If you have kids, go home and hug them...” It is good advice. That which the Savior gave is even better. The Lord, Who gave His life so we might have life; Who defeated sin and removed the sting of death wants us to know the grave is not the end. Because of Him, for those who are ready for the world’s judgment day, or their own personal day of death, Jesus has given us a time to dance for joy in Him. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, truly we don’t know how much time has been given to us. That is why we pray that we may remain in a perpetual state of readiness. This we ask 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 address: https://www.newser.com/story/279566/couple-gets-married-pulls-onto-the-highway.html https://www.newser.com/story/279566/couple-gets-married-pulls-onto-the-highway.html and the article written by Neal Colgrass. 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: Real Value
DATE: September 13, 2019 TEXT:. TEXT: Ephesians 2:8-9 – ESV - 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Steven Nelms is a practical man. When he got married to Gloriana (Glory), 3-years ago, they decided it made sense for her to work and finish putting him through College. When she became pregnant they decided that since Glory’s salary would just about pay for child support she would stay at home and be a full time Mother. This couple made the difficult decision that once their son was born, his wife (the mom) would stay home and care for their son, house and home. That’s the way it was supposed to stay, unless something happened to upset the applecart. Well, something did upset the apple cart. The other day Steven came home and announced he no longer could afford Glory to be a full-time Mom. Glory was surprised. She hadn’t heard any wolves howling at their door so she asked her husband to explain. He did by explaining he had put a dollar value on her work. He said...
That added up to $67,860, and those are bargain basement prices. But there’s more...
He concluded: :Our income doesn't even come close to covering what she does for our family. In short, I can't afford for my wife to stay at home. And I've tragically failed to show my wife the appreciation that she deserves. She loves me, loves our son, and loves our family, so obviously she isn't doing any of those things for a paycheck or even for recognition.” Now I like what Steven figured out here. And I tried to do the same... but for our Savior. I wondered what value can I put on Him...
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, for all You have done all I can say is “Thank You” and try to live my life in a way which honors You. In Your Name. Amen. The devotion for today was inspired by various recent news articles. For further reading you may wish to go to this address: https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/will-maule/yale-professor-rejects-darwinism-says-intelligent-design-is-a-serious-theory.html and the article written by Stacie Marshall. 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: One Savior
DATE: September 12, 2019 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[a] by which we must be saved.” My professional pilot friends tell me that flight simulators are a great invention. Having a computer create or reproduce a bad mechanical or weather situation can be invaluable in helping the pilot of a ship learn what to do to avoid catastrophe. At least that is the way it is supposed to work. Unfortunately when pilots are asked to deal with the mechanical failures encountered on United Airlines Flight 232 on July 19, 1989, they have a problem. The problem is the flight simulator says they will all crash and will die. The bottom line is that flight was a no-win situation. You can understand why that would be. Flight 232 first encountered problems about 75 miles north of Des Moines when the engine located in the tail of their plane malfunctioned. Shrapnel from the engine cut many of the hydraulic hoses in the tail and thereby severely reduced the crews ability to fly the plane. According to the flight simulator’s reconstruction a crash was inevitable. According to the flight simulator’s reconstruction the crash was not survivable. Which is a good thing that Captain Al Haynes, and his crew, never tried that program. Nobody told them they were going to die… so they didn’t. They played all kinds of tricks to keep the plane in the air so they could make it back to Sioux City’s Gateway Airport. Yes, they made it back… but when they landed the right wing broke off the plane Watching that giant fireball spin down the runway, you can understand why the flight simulator was sure nobody on that plane could escape death. Amazingly, while 112 people did die on that flight, almost 200 lived. Captain Al Haynes was credited as the man who managed to pull victory out of the jaws of certain death. True, he passed the credit on to his crew members, but everybody knew, on July 19, 1989, Captain Al was the man who had defeated death; he was the savior of almost 200 people. Well, that last statement is untrue… and Captain Al would be the one who would be first to tell you: he didn’t defeat death; he just cheated the grim reaper. Captain Al’s funeral a few weeks ago shows that in 1989 he did a wonderful thing, almost a miraculous thing, but it wasn’t a permanent thing. And in regard to him being a savior… well Captain Al had done some pretty spectacular stuff, but he would be quick to point out that there are some serious differences between what he had done and what Jesus did. He would share:
In short, Captain Al might be a savior but only Jesus can be called the Savior. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, the world has seen men and women who have done good things, wonderful things, impressive things but only Jesus has done things which are eternally saving. For my Savior I give thanks. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen. The devotion for today was inspired by various recent news articles. For further reading you may wish to go to this address: and the article written by Arden Dier. 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: Carrier
DATE: September 11, 2019 TEXT:. 1 Peter 3:15 -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, In the early decades of the 1900’s Mary Mallon was a cook in the homes of some wealthy New Yorkers. She was also the lady who was responsible for giving 51 of them Typhoid Fever. Three of the people infected died of the illness. You see, Mary carried the illness but never showed any symptoms. Eventually, Typhoid Mary had to be kept from the common public for 23-years. Cut to the present day and a New Zealand teenager who was vacationing in Southern California. As would be expected, she went to Disney and Universal Studios and some of the other tourist hot spots. Unfortunately, as she toured, she also infected many around her with measles. No, at the time she was traveling she didn’t know she had the disease. It was only after she was done with her travels that she was diagnosed, treated and made well. Sadly, it is estimated that,, after exposure to the teen, 90% of all who were not vaccinated for the disease will come down with it. How many were hit with the disease is unknown... but the figures should be coming in... including the figures of those who were infected by the folks who were made sick by the New Zealand girl on her vacation. When I first read that story, I thought long and hard on how to come up with a good devotion. It wasn’t easy. There were too many possibilities. Finally I ended up asking, “Spreading measles and typhoid is not a good thing. The results are tragic and deadly. But suppose it was possible to become a carrier of Christianity. Suppose 90% of all the unbelievers we met would want to know more about Jesus and eventually become believers. . What would such a faith look like? I think Peter (see above) and Paul (following) were describing such a faith when they wrote: (1 Corinthians 1: 1-8a) If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[b] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. That kind of Christian faith would truly be contagious. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, may I always bear witness to my Savior with my words and works. Let my life praise Him Who died to win my salvation. 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 address: https://www.newser.com/story/279618/unwelcome-disneyland-visitor-measles-virus.htmland the article written by editors of Newser and News Services. 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: Thy Will
DATE: September 10, 2019 TEXT:. Proverbs 3:5-6 – ESV - 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. When we lived in South Dakota I often drove from Hot Springs up to Custer and Hill City. The fastest route was through Wind Cave. Prairie dogs, deer antelope, fox, coyote and bison were there in abundance. Truthfully speaking, it was not the wildlife which was the most interesting thing to see on that trip. If you wanted to see fascinating things, don’t look to the wildlife, look to the Park visitors. I have seen a fellow with a freshly waxed black VW Beetle. He dove up and stopped right next to the bison herd... during mating season. One of those old bulls, took a look, thought his reflection was competition for the ladies and he demolished that VW, Then there was the fellow who walked through the Prairie Dog village with his four-year-old daughter. He was concentrating so hard on his objective, he couldn’t hear shouts of warning from the peanut gallery. “And what was his objective?”,I hear you ask. Well, he wanted to put his little girl on the back of the bison so he could take a picture and preserve the memory of their trip. He was almost as bad as the tourist who recently visited Yellowstone National Park. When he and his family left the Park, he filled out an official suggestion sheet. This is what he wrote: “Our trip was wonderful, but we never saw any bears. Please train your bears to be where guests can see them. This was an expensive trip to not to get to see bears. I imagine the first time somebody in the National Park Service read that note he said:
I believe the Lord must sometimes feel that way about the longings of our hearts. When the lottery reaches the hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars mark, how many prayers to supply the right number can the Lord give? Or whose prayer should he listen to... the farmer who needs rain on his field, or the vacationer who is looking for some sunny weather as he’s trying to be restored. How can He favorably answer all the students who apply to the prestigious Ivy League College? How can He look favorably upon the requests of those who want Mrs. Clinton to become President and those who want Mr. Trump to be the Chief Executive? Now all this is not to tell people to stop praying. Jesus told us to ask the Father and pray in His Name.... No, the Lord wants to hear Your prayer but He wants one more thing from us. He wants to hear those words: “Thy will be done” In the final analysis, when everything else has been said, and when we have finished pouring out our hearts, the Lord wants us to leave the final decision to Him. It’s what Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane; it is what we need to do too. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I come to You because of Jesus; I speak because You have encouraged it; I pray Your will be done, because You, not I should be in control. 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 address: https://unofficialnetworks.com/2015/08/27/yellowstone-tourist-files-complaint-over-untrained-grizzly-bears/and the article written by Baarclay. 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: The Real Deal
DATE: September 9, 2019 TEXT: Matthew 24:24 – ESV - 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. A rose is a rose is a rose. There was a time when I might have said, “Truer words have ever been spoken.” But not now. You see we live in an age and in a time when things aren’t always what they appear. For example, do you know that:
That’s right, folk. Chicken: The company, which has its HQ in Atlanta, are going to use that same audience and try handing out sample “wings and nuggets. And if the samples produced by Impossible Foods, don’t work out... don’t worry. Tyson and Perdue Farms are also doing their best to produce an unchicken. Who knows... maybe the day will come when somebody will be able to make a fake chicken wing or faux nugget which can’t be distinguished from the real thing. In the verse at the head of our devotion today the Savior warns His followers that the devil is working hard at making a substitute which he can successfully market to the world. This pseudo-savior will spout all kinds of religious platitudes AND he will be able to produce some first class miracles. Like the old snake-oil salesman, he will say he can cure all manner of illnesses and problems. In short he will look and sound so good that much of the world will be glad to follow him. They will encourage friends and family to get on the band wagon while there still is time. The only problem is: he won’t be the real deal. Scripture is clear: there is only One Mediator between God and humankind. There is only One Who gave His life and carried our sins. There is only One Who has conquered death. And the devil’s pseudo-savior isn’t it. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, it doesn't make much difference if we like real chicken nuggets or a plant-based substitute... but there is a tremendous difference if we think saviors are interchangeable. Keep us focused on the Lamb of God Who takes away the world’s sin. .In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen. The devotion for today was inspired by various recent news articles. For further reading you may wish to go to this address: https://www.newser.com/story/279630/coming-to-kfc-plant-based-chicken.html and the article written by Evann Gastaldo. 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: The Wrong Places
DATE: September 8, 2019 TEXT: Titus 3:5 – ESV - He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. A few weeks ago, a prominent young Christian pastor, and songwriter, confessed he was losing, or had already lost, his faith. He listed some of the causes... some of the problems which he says the church avoids. Today we come to the end of our talk about these stumbling blocks. We do so with the prayer that all those who are searching may be touched by the Holy Spirit and find peace in the Lamb of God Who takes away the world’s sins. So, here we go....our Pastor says.....
What you find is often determined by what you are looking for and where you do your looking. That is a truth our young pastor should learn. I say that, because in the last week he has been saddened by the things he has found.. He’s been disappointed because he’s been looking in all the wrong places. It is no different with today’s challenge. He is looking to find spiritual satisfaction among believers and not at the foot of the cross. To do that is to guarantee a great letdown. Let me explain. Once, a long time ago, I tried to find how many characters in the Bible are shown without a significant sin or serious flaw. Now this wasn’t a thorough scientific study...it was just me going through my list of Biblical personages. Would you like to see my list? Here it is:
And it is no different today. The church is composed completely of people who have flaws. If you want to look for goodness and perfection, don’t look among us. Among us all you will find are sins and shortcomings. We are a goodly cross section of the sinful and lost world, With one exception:. We are forgiven, which means we are saved. The Holy Spirit has called us, given us faith, removed our sin and saved our souls. Faith given in the Savior has changed us, changed our future and present. Which is where the young pastor would probably ask... ‘IF JESUS IS SO SPECIAL, AND THE CHANGE He has brought about is so profound why don’t we see people showing those changes in their lives. ? Yes, you should... and you do.... those are some of the wonderful people you mention....and in regard to the others... imagine how THEY were before they met the Savior. Pretty frightening. No, if you’re going to see what you need to see in Christianity, I encourage all to look to the stable the cross and the empty tomb. That’s where forgiveness and salvation are. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, for the times I have not shown the importance of Jesus in my life, I ask forgiveness. Now may I show my gratitude by sharing His Name and living in a way which pleases Him. In His Name I pray. Amen. The devotion for today was inspired by various recent news articles. For further reading you may wish to go to this address: https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/hillsong-s-marty-sampson-i-m-genuinely-losing-my-faith.html and the article written by Michael Foust . 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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