2 Timothy 1:6 NASB "For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands."It was quite an interesting conversation as we mulled over the cards in the shop. We each seemed to pick up one and then put it down, looking for just the right one to give to our wives. He started the conversation by saying that there wasn't a card that really expressed his love for his wife and I replied I wonder if a blank card was better, so we could write our true feelings! Today's verse is a reminder to refresh the gift of God which is in us! I couldn't help but think how the love between a husband and wife needs to be refreshed and with St. Valentine's Day fast approaching, it may be a good time to refresh the relationship with our wives (Guys, this is your reminder to get her something!!!) I wonder when was the last time we refreshed our relationship with God?! We can't send Him a card but we can make our life a living card of love, especially to our wives, His Daughters!! Refresh our relationship with Christ and our wives and thank God we have them! peace, tom
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James 3:2 NASB "For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to rein in the whole body as well."Paging through a men's health magazine, I came to realize that I will never have the perfect body, or even remotely look like some of the guys in the articles! Today's verse states more about what we say and how that can affect our whole body as well! Keeping our body in shape shouldn't be to be like the other guys but to do what is best for us and the routine that works for us. The same can be said of our words, and how they can cause us to stumble. Words can lift us and others up or it can tear down. Realizing the difference in the tone, of how we say things, is important! Let's not just "tone up" our bodies but "tone up" our speech so we can be more like Jesus! In His Book there are no physical pictures of Jesus but we can see how He lived, what He has done and try to make our life example His! What do you say, wanna spiritual work out? peace, tom
3 John 1:2 "Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers."There are those days... when it seems that life gets so hard, you're not sure how much more you can take! Today's verse is John speaking to us, calling us beloved, and saying that he prays, that in all respects we may prosper and be in good health, just as our soul prospers! What a wonderful thought but the question is, is our soul prospering? Regardless of what the world throws at us, we can find comfort and even prosper in God through the struggles, through the pain. Whether it's the loss of a loved one, a job lost, kids going crazy without school, not enough to pay our bills, God wants nothing more than to bless us but we have our part to play as well. Turning to God and reading His Word, we can find the strength where our soul will prosper. It was shortly after having to retire due to an injury that I found no matter what life threw at me, as long as I had my relationship with God, Christ and the Holy Spirit and some godly friends and family, life was going to be ok! Turn to Him during our times of struggle and He will prosper our souls and our life! peace, tom
Habakkuk 2:3 NASB "For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hurries toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it delays, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay long."I waited too long and had to throw it out! While repairing a crack in the basement wall, I mixed up some cement mix but I wasn't prepared for how fast the product would begin to get hard and wasted it in my delay! Today's Word speaks about vision and waiting and how there is an appointed time for both! I had not prepared the wall well enough to apply the mixed cement so when I went to apply it, it fell out due to my lack of preparation! In life, we will be called upon by God to complete His Vision but if we aren't prepared and ready, we may just end up too hard to use! Thank God, He doesn't throw us out like the dried up cement but will allow us to be remolded, reworked until we can be used again! Let's be ready and waiting for His Call today! peace, tom
James 1:26 NASB "If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless."Truth be told, I never liked working Super Bowl Sunday! It wasn't so that I could sit home and watch the game, it was because soon after the game, we, the Fire Dept. would get a call and have to respond to a domestic violence situation. Men would get so involved and bet so deeply on the outcome of the game that if their team didn't win, they would take it out on their wives, children, girlfriends, etc. It was a sad time to see how a child's game of football could destroy peoples lives! Today's verse shares a sobering thought, if we think we know Christ, and yet do not bridle our tongue, we are deceiving ourselves and our relationship with Christ is worthless!!! I believe that the strongest muscle in the human body is the tongue because it can destroy or build up with a simple word!! Let's think about how our words and actions bring God glory rather than destroy our families - it's only a game! peace, tom
John 6:27 NASB "Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”I had to step back and take a serious look at why and what I was doing! Working three jobs meant time away from my family, those I love and I came to realize that I was working so much for the wrong reason! Today, we learn from God's Word that our work shouldn't be for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for all eternity! I was trying to love my family by working so much for the almighty dollar rather than what I should have been working for, time with them! Some times in life we get our priorities all messed up, working so many hours meant less time with the ones who I should have been with, teaching them the ways of the Lord rather than the ways of the world. I pray that we step back once in a while and ask God, through the Holy Spirit to set our priorities in order according to His Word and not according to the world. He who has the most toys doesn't really win when you're sitting alone! Think about it! peace, tom
1 Peter 1:13 NASB "Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."I had gone over the list twice to make sure I was prepared for whatever we may encounter! The ice was finally thick enough to go hard water fishing but I needed to make sure I was prepared for a day out on the ice. Today's verse shares about preparing our minds for action, keeping sober in spirit and setting our hope completely upon Jesus Christ! You never know what you will encounter as we walked out on the ice, having prepared for the what if, made the day hopeful for getting some fish. Although we didn't bring back a bucket full, what we had caught was worth the day on the ice! Life may not bring us all that we want but being prepared can make each day worth living. Jesus didn't call us to sit around with knowledge of who He is but has asked us to share Him with others. The question is, are we prepared for action, are we spending time in prayer, reading His Word and putting our faith into action? Let's not find ourselves slipping on the ice but walking confidently in knowing Jesus Christ! peace, tom
Matthew 7:5 NASB "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye!"I could tell right away that the chain was going to slip off the log and we would have to reattach it again! It seemed that time after time, as we began to move the logs from the trees we cut down, that the chain wasn't in the right place to haul them away. Today's verse speaks to us about the log in our eye rather than the speck in our brother's eye! We readjusted the chains and began to pull the log back to where we would cut it and split if for firewood but it was tough going! It a lot easier to point our the faults of a brother than it is to look honestly within ourselves and yet in order to help a brother remove his splinter, we must take the log out of our own eye. It's going to be a difficult thing, it may need a lot of strength to get it out but it can be done, in the power of the Holy Spirit to be honest with ourselves. So, let's get the chains out and the tractor and do some log re-moving today! peace, tom
Matthew 25:41 NASB "Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you accursed people, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;"With the year of Covid, came many cancelations - things that I was looking forward to, maybe some of your life things got canceled too! Today's verse is a tough one to read and yet it is the Truth, make sure you take time to really understand what it is saying for it's the greatest cancelation of all time! No one likes things we were looking forward to to be canceled and yet with the crazy covid year, we found ourselves living cancelation notices. Churches were and are canceled, weddings cancel, hockey leagues cancel - the list could go on and on but one day we will face our Savior and for those who do not believe that He is the Savior and Lord of our life, we will get the cancelation of eternity with Him in heaven, let that sink in... eternity without Him and those we love - that's a cancelation that we can avoid by accepting Him as our Lord and Savior!! Don't get canceled for all eternity! peace, tom
Matthew 24:36 NASB "But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.""Sometime between 8am and 6pm!" was the answer when I ask when it would arrive! I like schedules and knowing the date and time when orders will arrive but sometimes it's out of our control! Today's verse speaks about the second coming of Christ, and like me, the disciples wanted to know when Jesus would return. His Answer probably didn't sit well with them but they had no choice in the matter, it was and is up to God! Sometimes scheduling things down to the minute means that I am trying to be like God, always in control when the reality is that sometimes the spur of the moment is better than the controlled event! I have learned by spending time with my grandson that enjoying the moment is far better than waiting for "my schedule" to arrive. While we wait for Christ's return, let us enjoy the moments that can bring blessings to others and glory to God - a far better schedule! peace, tom
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Tom SEmberAuthor of Daily Devotions Archives
April 2024
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