John 16:22 NASB "Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you."I thought about all the promises we make in life, like promising our employer we will be to work on time, or the promise to our children to take them to the park, or the promise to our wives when we say "I do". Today's verse speaks of a promise of Gods - that we will see those we love who have gone on before us and that our hearts will rejoice and be filled with joy! It has been a rather emotional few weeks with the passing of my mentor and good friend, then to watch my mother-in-law go to be with Jesus too. I needed to go back to God's Word and stand firm upon His Promise that we will see them again! It's never easy to lose a loved one, to walk the thin line between grieving and the joy of knowing we will see them again but if we believe His Word and His Promises are true, we can walk that thin line! I am reminded of the lyrics of Johnny Cash, "because you're mine, I walk the line!" - Is Jesus yours? peace, tom
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2 Thessalonians 3:11 NASB "For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies."It sat idle for 6 months but it looked good doing it! It was time to fire up the lawnmower that had sat all winter, but in order for it to begin to work, I had to do some things to it! Today's verse speaks to us about idleness, being busybodies but not really doing anything, hopefully it's not about us! Although the lawnmower looked good, there was no gas in it, the oil needed to be changed and the blade sharpened for the new cutting season. Just looking at it, you couldn't tell that it was basically useless until it was worked on! Some of us may be just like that, we look good from the outside, but we need some work to be productive. We may even be busy doing this and that but never really accomplishing anything. We need to get fired up, new gas in our system, new oil in our veins, and a sharpening of our skill set so that we can not just look good but be productive! Let's get fired up and sharpened for the work God has called us to! peace, tom
1 Corinthians 15:33 NASB "Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”"Although it was hard to do, it must be done! The trees had grown out of control, parts of them were not producing fruit any longer and needed to be cut out, so it had to be done! Today's verse gives us some great advice about the company we keep and the effect it can have on us! Working one summer, I helped trim fruit trees that were not producing good fruit, the process was hard and we had to make sure we were cutting the unproductive branches in order for the producing ones to grow stronger. We would never think about cutting off some of the company we keep, but if it causes us not to be productive, it must be done! And before we go cutting our list of friends, let's make sure we aren't the unproductive ones! Good friends will help us increase in our walk with Christ but those who cause us to go down the wrong path need to be trimmed and prayed for! peace, tom
Luke 15:20 NASB "So he set out and came to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him."There were times when today's verse came to life for me, that my dad felt compassion for me and embraced me for I had gone off the path of being a good son! Looking back at our lives can bring some memories of trying times, struggles, pain but they can also bring moments of a second chance, a new opportunity to start again, a fresh beginning like never before. Admitting our failures, our sin, our faults can bring forgiveness, and compassion from those we hurt along the way but we must never forget to ask for forgiveness from God. He is waiting patiently for us to "come clean" and start fresh. Don't let our memories of the things we did wrong cloud the opportunity to be refreshed. Be encouraged that we have a God who loves us and will forgive us when we come clean with our sin. peace, tom
Hebrews 10:31 NASB "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God."Maybe you heard it too, growing up "wait till your father gets home!" As a young boy, who was always testing the limits of my mother's patience, many times I would hear those words spoken to me and I would begin to worry. Today's verse speaks some very important Truth, it's about a terrifying thing, falling into the hands of the Living God! When we fail, sin, fall to temptation, there is always a price to pay! We are found guilty and yet, knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we find forgiveness, and the Person who paid for our sin. When my dad came home, I would get the punishment I deserved for whatever I had done wrong that day but there was also the days when my mom would say "wait till your father gets home" and that would bring joy for he may take me fishing, or we would spend time together. It should be a terrifying thing to fall into God's Hands when we have sinned, but there can also be a time when we fall into His Hands because He cares for us - the choice is up to how we live! Choose well my friends! peace, tom
Isaiah 40:29 NASB "He gives strength to the weary,
And to the one who lacks might He increases power."I am always amazed that when I admit my weakness, I find strength in others to get it done! No man knows it all and trying to pretend that we have all the answer can lead us into trouble! Today's verse shares with us about strength and weakness, and how God will strengthen and increase our power when we go to Him! Time after time in my life, I have found myself needing help and only when I let go of the "I can do it alone" mentality and ask for help, do I get the jobs done! Some may think it's weakness to ask for help when in reality it's being strong to ask for help! There are other who are gifted in areas that we are not and asking them to help is how the Lord can help us when we are weary and lack the might to get things done. Don't let fear or pride keep us from finding true strength in Him and others! peace, tom Matthew 5:28 NASB "but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.""Ouch!!" It was early in our marriage when my wife caught me looking at another woman and gave me a good punch on the arm. Today's verse is one that many men will likely stay away from for it speaks to us about the Truth in lusting after woman. I could have made an excuse, that I was looking somewhere else but that would have only made it worse. I admitted my sin, asked for forgiveness and from that day forward, only look at my wife! I guess it really hit home when I had my three daughters and watched as other men gazed upon their beauty. Keeping our eyes on Christ, and the love of our life that He has blessed us with, maybe easier said than done, but all things are possible for those that love Christ! When we focus on our wives, we will see the beauty that God has blessed us with! Let's keep our eyes on the prize as we walk as godly men! peace, tom
1 Peter 2:2 NASB "and like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,"He watches me get it ready and can't wait to get it! Babysitting our youngest grandson, I am always amazed at how he watches me when it's time for his bottle. His eyes never leave me or the bottle as I get it prepared! Today's Word shares about being like a newborn, longing for the pure milk of God's Word, that we may grow in our walk. He's not able to speak, talk or walk but he knows the importance of getting feed. He eagerly awaits bottle time and enjoys every last drop. I wonder if we crave God's Word like a newborn, eagerly reading it daily, ready to let it strength us for our walk on this earth. The milk nourishes our grandson so that he will grow up strong and healthy. Maybe we need to be in God's Word so that we may be stronger, and healthier in our walk as followers of Christ?! Crave the milk of His Word! peace, tom
Job 8:7 NASB "Though your beginning was insignificant, Yet your end will increase greatly."When I invited him to attend, he simply said "I don't know enough so I'd rather not!" I had invited him to join the bible study group of men that met each week, but he didn't feel he knew the Bible well enough to attend! Today's verse shares how our beginning may be small but by the end it will increase greatly! Sharing with him that we all start somewhere, no one knows it all but we can learn! Whether it's reading the Bible, learning a new trade, or job, we all start out at the beginning but if we stay at it, keep learning, we can finish stronger than when we started. The key of course is getting started and finding the reason to continue! A few weeks later, he agreed that going was one of the best decisions he made, for he was learning more than he ever thought possible! Don't let the fear of not knowing keep us from courage to learn! Get started today and we will know more tomorrow than we did today! peace, tom
Romans 8:11 NASB "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you."It was if I was breathing a new life, something within me had changed! Today's verse speaks of death and life, and how the Spirit of God will give us new life, the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead! Sitting alone in my room, I had asked Jesus to take my life, for I was not living as I wanted or should. Spending time in prayer, crying out to God, and feeling Him say that it was my responsibility to live as a mature man woke me up to the fact that my life had to change! That change came as I realized life would no longer be the same, I needed to live for Christ and that meant my actions, words, thoughts, and attitude needed to be more like Christ's! In life, we will face many different types of death but the one that brings new life is found only in Christ! May the Resurrection of our Savior NOT be just for one day but for our lifetime! peace, tom
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Tom SEmberAuthor of Daily Devotions Archives
April 2024
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