Past Devotions

I am reminded this morning how marvelously blessed I am. Sure, I have a few struggles, some of my own making and some not. I live in an aging body, so there are always struggles in that arena! Rising costs combined with a “fixed” income also create a few challenges. But amid all the circumstances and situations that are negative in nature, grace and blessings abound. And one of the greatest blessings in my life now is the women who call The Way Assembly of God in Middleton, Idaho, home.

God has surrounded me with women of all ages, from the young to those a few years older than I. I realized how great a blessing that is at the Yard Sale last Saturday that the church held as a fund raiser for needy children and families in our local school district. They donated items, came to set up, host the sale, and take down everything. They even bought stuff! They laughed, greeted and helped, willingly and eagerly.  They even engaged a few men to come along and help too.

As we sat and talked during the lulls between customers, I realized that God has truly blessed me with wonderful women of faith.  I never had a sister. I have two good friends that I’ve known for many decades, but they live far away now. These women are both sisters and friends.

When I went home Saturday night I knew what David meant when he wrote, “God sets the lonely in families.”  [Ps 68:6 NIV]

God has given me a beautiful church family to love and enjoy.

Father, thank you for Your love and for bringing these wonderful women into my life!  Bless them abundantly for all they do!  Amen.

One of the things I love best about living in Boise are the surrounding mountains and foothills. They are beautiful year-round, but I especially love them in the winter when the snow covers them. There are certain roads where I drive that present a clear view and I always have the sense of being up high, even though our elevation is just a little under 3000 feet. My favorite place is by the ocean, but I do love living amid the mountains.

The psalmist asks a question in Psalm 121.  “I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from?”

Then he answers his own question.  “My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” [Ps 121:1-2 NIV]

Psalm 121 is labeled as “A Song of Ascent.” This group of psalms (120-134) are also called “Pilgrim Songs.” Jerusalem is situated on a hill. Several times a year the pilgrims traveling to the city for one of the Jewish Festivals would sing these songs as they ascended the uphill road.

Where does our help come from? As much as I love the mountains and the hills around the Treasure Valley, I know that our help doesn’t come from them.  Our help doesn’t come from the government nor society.  Our help comes from the LORD God Almighty. The psalmist reminds us in this song that the One who watches over us does not slumber nor sleep. He reminds us that the LORD is our shade in the heat of the battle. He reminds us that the LORD will watch over our lives … when we come in and when we go out … both in the present and for all eternity.

Take a moment today and use this lovely song to praise God for all He is to us, Creator, Sustainer, Protector.

It was 3 o’clock in the afternoon when the man was confronted by a sight he had never seen.  He was a soldier, a man of courage and had seen much that would shake lesser men. But this was unlike anything he had ever confronted on a battlefield. It frightened him. His name was Cornelius, a Roman centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment, and what he saw was an angel from God.

According to Acts 10, Cornelius and his family were devout and God-fearing and gave generously to those in need. He was also a man who prayed regularly. As Cornelius stared at the angel in fear, the angel gave him a message. “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” [Acts 10:4-6 NIV]

Cornelius obeyed. The Apostle Peter also obeyed a message from an angel and went with the men to the house of Cornelius. And with that, the Gospel was opened to the Gentiles. Paul would become the principle Apostle to the Gentiles, but it was Peter who first opened the door through his obedience.

As I was reading the story of Cornelius this morning, I was touched by one part of the message brought by the angel. “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.” 

Cornelius apparently had aligned himself with the True God of Israel. He would have still been excluded from the Temple, held to the Court of the Gentiles, yet his prayers and what he did for the poor were seen and received by God Himself. While excluded from the earthly Temple, He would soon be included in the Heavenly One. Peter’s visit would lead Cornelius and his family to Christ, and the Holy Spirit would fall on them just as He fell on those in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost. What a wonderfully amazing God!

Today is going to be one long, very busy day. Our church, The Way Assembly of God, in Middleton, Idaho, is hosting a yard sale. Our first one ever. I know people who are big fans of yard sales; I’m not one of them. But this one is important to me because any proceeds will go to benefit our local school district. The funds will be given to the district’s family advocate to use to buy necessary items for children from families in need, things like shoes, underwear, clothes, school supplies, even laundry soap.

Every year we buy gift cards from places like Walmart, Target, Staples, using donations from our congregation.  This year we decided to host a yard sale to add to those donations. The outreach to our school children is our biggest outreach into our community. It includes buying for a family in need at Christmas that we also obtain from those vetted by the school district’s family advocate.

I love this outreach because it isn’t geared for us to increase members. It helps families in need and it is somewhat anonymous. Jesus said that when we take care of those in need, we are doing it as unto Him. “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’” [Matt 25:40 NIV]

He also reminded us that we will always have the poor with us, not that we need a reminder [Matthew 26:11].  All we need to do is open our eyes and we will see the poor in every part of the world, even in our own neighborhoods. It can be overwhelming at times. The little we do can seem like we are trying to empty the ocean with a teaspoon, but that doesn’t mean we should do nothing. We may not be able to change the circumstances of every poor child, but we can change it for one, or two, or three that are within our reach.

So …. If you have nothing to do today … come to The Way’s yard sale. We even accept donations if you don’t find anything to buy!

The great coverup! The “Saga of the Sink” has added a sequel — “The Saga of the Fridge.” Monday was to be the day, the day when the flooring was installed and except for some spot painting, everything was to return to normal.  It didn’t happen. When the old flooring was ripped up underneath the fridge we found a large section of black mold. There was only one problem, there was no leak and it was completely dry (attested to by the inspector the next day).

Because the flooring, baseboards and exterior drywall showed no visible signs of any damage, it was decided it had probably been covered up by the previous owner with new flooring and baseboards just before we bought the house. This means without an active leak, insurance won’t cover the mitigation to spray so the mold doesn’t become active again, nor the removal and replacement of the drywall.  The old owner’s coverup worked great – for him.

The Greatest Coverup of All!  In the Book of Romans, Paul used David’s words from Psalm 32 to remind us “of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.’”  [Rom 4:7-8 NIV]

Paul reminds us in many of his letters that this “Greatest Coverup” is accomplished through the blood of God’s Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. When we come to Christ, our sins are covered, forgiveness is granted, and God promises never to hold those sins against us. [Ro 3:25, 5:9; Eph 1:7]

That’s a coverup I can really appreciate!

Thank you, Father, for sending Your Son, and for His sacrifice at Calvary that covers us so completely! Amen.

Monday was supposed to be a great day.  We were entering the final stretch after weeks of dealing with the mitigation and reconstruction following the water damage under our kitchen sink.  The flooring crew arrived early, moved the fridge and stove out of the kitchen into the living room and began ripping up the old flooring. The superintendent showed up with the new flooring. All that was going to be left after this was a little bit of painting and we were home free!

Didn’t happen. When the old flooring was ripped up, more damage and mold was discovered under the fridge. So, they moved my kitchen table into the living room, moved the fridge where the kitchen table resided and re-set the stove. Then they left leaving me to deal with the insurance company – was this something that could be added to the old claim or was it something that would require a new claim to be investigated (with another deductible). As it turned out, it was neither, everything will be out of our pockets.

We have been dealing with this since April 29. It’s June 21 and it still isn’t settled. Life is taking its toll on my living!  But nothing like the toll life is taking in the living of our friend and his family. “It’s back” is a terrible message after eight years cancer free. “This time we need to be more aggressive in treatment” is what he’s going to be walking through in the months ahead.

Our problems are minimal, I’m sure whatever happens God will provide for us to handle this financially – even if it means I go back to a secular job for a time. I’m also sure that “It’s back” did not take God by surprise either and He will provide the support, the love, the comfort our friends need as they walk through this difficult time.

Those words first spoken to Israel, then repeated to Joshua, and referred to again in the Book of Hebrews are often quoted, but it is at times like this that they become more than words … they become our very lifeline.  “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”  [Deut 31:6; Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5-6]

I have had very little quiet since the reconstruction on our kitchen began.  It started with the mitigation of the water damage and has continued through the replacement process.  Craftsmen with saws, hammers, drills and all kinds of noise-making tools and equipment have invaded my dwelling.  That, of course had me thinking about quiet.

Paul commands us to make it our ambition to live quiet lives.  “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” [1 Thess 4:11-12 NIV]

The recent Father’s Day turned my attention to my dad. When my brother and I were youngsters I would not have described my dad as quiet. He had a temper and could often shout his displeasure. But as my father came to know Jesus in a more personal experience, his temper quieted. In his last decades, he lived the life Paul describes above.

He had a strong work ethic, and always shouldered the responsibility of providing for his family. His love for people increased as he aged. When people remember him, they tell me they never heard him speak a bad word against anyone, that he always had a smile and a hug for them along with a word of encouragement. They remember him with respect.

He may have had very little in the way of material things, but in his quiet way he won the respect of “outsiders” and possessed the love of his family.  He left a good legacy and a good testimony for Christ. I pray I can do likewise.

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”  [John 11:25-26 NKJV]

“Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” [Rev 1:17-18 NIV]

The Apostle John was with Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus when He heard Jesus first claim to be the resurrection and life. It was to the Apostle John that the Glorified Christ Jesus uttered the declaration that He once was dead but is now alive for ever and ever, and that He holds the keys of death and Hades.

I can imagine that John was confused outside the tomb of Lazarus.  Lazarus had been dead for four days and was already putrefying when Jesus declared that He was the resurrection and life. He might have wondered why they waited so long to go to Lazarus after they first heard he was sick. I’m sure he was stunned when Jesus commanded Lazarus to come out of the tomb and saw Lazarus do just that.

John, however, was even more stunned when the Glorified Christ appeared to him on the aisle of Patmos. John recounts that he fell on his face as though dead when He saw Jesus in His Glorified Nature.  I am sure he believed the words Jesus spoke this time … I hold the keys of death and Hades. 

Father, thank you for sending Your Son to be The Resurrection and Life. Amen.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”  [John 10:26-30 NIV]

Don’t you love the picture this verse paints? It’s a picture of eternal confidence. Listen to those words … I know [my sheep].  I give them eternal life. They shall never perish.  No one can snatch them out of my hand.  No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

Look at those wonderful words one more time.  Know. Eternal. Never. No one can …. No one can!

I’ve known some people who are so anxious that they think they can “lose” their salvation by turning the wrong way off the freeway. They are afraid that God has forgotten them or will forget them. They doubt that their salvation is real, or that it is strong enough to hold them in the tough times.

Well, beloved, Christ knows you … He has given you eternal life and you shall never perish. He paints a picture of one hand covering another, one palm up, one palm down, clasped together tightly. It is His Hand and the Father’s Hand and you are safely tucked away between them. Of course, we also have a part, we listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and we follow Him.  But the confidence is found not in our ability but in His ability to keep us tucked safely in His care.

With that in mind, “Let the eternal life within thee express itself in confident rejoicing.” [Spurgeon’s Daily Devotions, June 16]

Every morning I get an email with a “Word of the Day” from Merriam-Webster. A lot of the time I am familiar with the word, but occasionally I get one I’ve never seen before.  Thursday’s was such — “defenestration.” It was defined as 1) a throwing of a person or thing out of a window, and 2) a unusually swift dismissal or expulsion (as from a political party or office).

I like big words and to expand my vocabulary, but somehow, I don’t think I’d ever describe throwing something out of my window as “defenestration.” I’d probably just say something like … “I threw it out the window!”

There are a lot of big words in Christian theology. I’m partial to propitiation, soteriology, and theophany myself. We are going to be studying three of the biggest words and their meaning this morning in Sunday service.  They are, Lord, Jesus, Christ. If you want big words with big meaning for your life, these three words are the biggest!

 When we call Jesus Lord, we join Thomas in his declaration after the resurrection of Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” That declaration is a recognition of His Deity. It is also an acknowledgement of our submission to Him.  [John 20:28]

When we say the name Jesus, we are using the name given Him by the angel. (Yeshua in the Hebrew, Iesous in the Greek, and Jesus in the English.) One day, at the name given Him by the angel, every knee shall bow and every tongue acknowledge that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father. [Philippians 2:10-11]

And finally, He is the Christ. Christ is from the Greek word Christos, meaning anointed one or chosen one. It is the equivalent of the Hebrew Messiah, and is a title signifying that Jesus was sent from God to be King and Deliverer. He is the one who fulfills all the Old Testament prophecies, the Chosen Savior who came to rescue God’s fallen creation.  And He is the King of kings who coming back again.

You want big words?  They don’t come any bigger than Lord, Jesus, Christ. Amen.