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James 1:27 NASB "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."Maybe we need to ask ourselves why we aren't doing it?! Today's Word speaks to us about what we should be doing as a church body! It's one thing to say it and another to do it! Some people are church hoppers, they go from church to church to have their ears tickled while others are those who live today's verse. One way to find out if the church you attend is pure and undefiled is whether or not they are living today's Word. Rather than jump churches again, we should be the ones to start visiting the orphans, widows in distress and I am sure there are many other ways to keep us from being stained by the world. The question we need to ask is... what kind of church are we for we are the church! peace, tom
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Ephesians 6:10 NASB "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might."Although I seen him lift things that most could not, his strength was in the Lord! Today's verse shares with us about where to be strong and where to find that strength! I still am running into people who knew my dad. And they always say how strong of a man he was but that he was stronger in sharing his faith. I had seen my dad do some pretty amazing feats of strength but his real strength came as he shared his love of Jesus and God's Word. It didn't matter where we were or what we were doing, his strength in Christ always came out in different forms like praying for people, sharing a kind word, giving away a pizza, giving someone a few dollars. His strength was in his relationship with Jesus and I pray that we all can be strong in the Lord for someone else! peace, tom
Matthew 11:28 NASB “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."I just sat back! Today's verse speaks of coming to Christ and finding rest! Going from job to job to job was getting exhausting so when my dad called to go fishing, I took a day off. What a great day of just sitting in the boat and relaxing, I didn't even care if I caught a fish or two, I was there for a different reason. Rest is not necessarily sleep. Rest is taking a moment, a day, a week and stepping away from the burdens of life. Jesus wants us to come to Him, all of us who get weary and burdensome and He will give us rest. After taking the day off, I found that going back to work was better. I went with a renewed sense of purpose. When we have lost focus on the job at hand, maybe it's time to call out to Jesus and get that rest that only He can give?! Get some rest, you look tired! peace, tom
Genesis 2:24 NASB "For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh."Seriously!! Today's verse, used by many at weddings, speaks to being connected! It seemed each time I went on the roof, the electric cord came apart. Climbing back down the ladder, I finally tied the two extension cords together so when I got to the roof, I had power. In marriage, if we aren't connected to our spouse, we will not have the power to get through the struggles of marriage, let alone life. And the best way to stay connected is to talk, to share our struggles, our goals, our life! And getting connected to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is to pray together, to seek Them as one! Nothing will strengthen our marriage like staying connected to the power! So, let's get connected by tying each other together with the Word of God. Remember, happy wife, happy life! peace, tom
Isaiah 26:3 ESV "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."No matter how crazy it got, I kept my mind on Him! Today's verse shares with us about keeping focus on Christ and not on the situation surrounding us! As the smoke got thicker, the flames got higher and the heat became more intense, I kept focus on Christ and that I would get out alive! While battling a warehouse fire, the situation turned ugly fast and the chief ordered everyone out for fear of roof collapse. Making our way out, despite the surroundings getting worse by the minute, meant keeping focus not on the fear of death but on Christ and the joy of life. We all will face those moments when the situation will seem hopeless but if we know Jesus Christ personally, we can focus on Him and find hope for a better outcome. Let's get our eyes checked to make sure our focus is on Him and not on the situation around us! peace, tom
2 Corinthians 10:3 NASB "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage battle according to the flesh"There will be battles! Today's Word states that we do not wage battle according to the flesh! We all face battles, whether they are fleshly battles to remain pure and men of integrity or battles at the work place to honor God by the decisions we make, we will face them! I am always aware of the appearance of evil so I make sure I have plans in place. Some of the plans include never meeting alone with a woman, making sure that I can hand my phone to my wife at any time, and always seeking the Holy Spirit to guide my way. Without those plans in my life, I know I will go down roads that I never should. How about you, what plans do you have in place to face the battles of godly manhood?! Don't have any, get some! peace, tom
Luke 15:7 NASB "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance."It ain't easy to come clean! Today's Verse shares about the joy in heaven when we come clean and repent of our sin! I remember as a young boy, the guilt I felt about what I had done. I wanted to come clean about it but I also knew that I was going to face punishment for what I had done. Finally I couldn't take the guilt any more and came clean about what I had done. I did get the punishment but I also got the good feeling as my dad had said to me "I knew you did it and I am glad you told the Truth! Just to think that the angels in heaven will rejoice when we come clean is an awesome thought. Sure it will be hard to admit we've sinned but think of the joy of being set free from the guilt! We all know we sin, but we should also know the joy of being set free! peace, tom
Matthew 24:13 NASB "But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved."I was ready to give up on the project! Today's Word shares about endurance, and enduring to the end! I had broken three saw blades and was ready to give up on the project. Working with my scroll saw, I kept breaking blades and putting new ones in was beginning to be a pain. I was going to give up on the project until I decided to find out why I was breaking the blades. I had too much tension on them so each time I tried to move the wood around, the blade snapped. In life, there will be tension, pressure applied to our lives, how we deal with them will decide if we can endure to the end. Whether the tension is put on us by ourselves or others, we need to find out how to relieve the pressure and going to God's Word, sharing our struggle with a godly friend can relieve the tension so we make it to the end. Don't give up but remain strong in Him! peace, tom
Romans 8:37 NASB "But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us."Not in some but in all! Today's verse speaks of victory through Him who loves us! Let that sink in! It had more to do with my attitude than it did about what I was trying to accomplish. I was reminded of that old childhood book about the little train who kept saying "I think I can, I think I can!" I was attempting to remove a large rock from our yard so I could put in a new garden. At first glance, I thought to myself, this isn't going to move but as I slowly kept digging, kept removing the dirt around it, I got to a point where the rock moved!! I was inspired to keep going and finally I got it out! In life, we will run across those situations where we think that they are impossible but with Christ all thing are possible! Re-read today's verse and make sure we read in "ALL" of these things, we can overcome and conquer with Christ! peace, tom
Matthew 10:28 NASB "And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."Let's be honest! Today's verse is kind of a warning about those who will try to attack us! When we say that we are followers of Christ, we must be ready for the attacks, for they will come. The sad reality is that the attacks will come from friends and family first as we begin new lives in Christ. We need to hold strong as the attacks come from not understanding what coming to Christ brings. The key will be how we handle these attacks, the doubt, the fear of what we have found in Christ that changes us from our old past to new beginnings. Make sure we are ready for them, for they will come but with each attack, gives us the opportunity to live Christ. Somewhere I read that we are to pray for our enemies, that's how we overcome! peace, tom
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Tom SEmberAuthor of Daily Devotions Archives
December 2024
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