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2 Timothy 2:15 NASB "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth."Notice I didn't say how it broke! Today's Verse speaks to us about how we handle the word of Truth, we need to be diligent about it! If you read yesterday's daily devo, you would have learned that I broke one of my favorite fishing poles, but I never said how it broke. The Truth was that I was in a hurry and quickly closed the window in my vehicle where the tip of the pole was sticking out. It took a second and "snap", the tip broke off! i was a shamed of how it broke so I didn't mention it yesterday. It's not that I was lying, I just didn't tell the whole truth. We need to make sure we don't edit the story of our life by leaving out the Truth for the Truth shall set us free! Let's be careful out there in how we present ourselves to each other and let Truth set us free! peace, tom
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Leviticus 25:14 NASB "Furthermore, if you make a sale to your friend, or buy from your friend’s hand, you shall not wrong one another." I didn't think I'd ever find another one! Today's Word is some great business advice, in how we should treat those we do business with! I had broken one of my favorite fishing poles and needed to get a replacement. As I began to search for the exact same one, I found out that they no longer made it, UGH! As I walked the aisle, looking for a suitable replacement, salesman came up and inquired what I was looking for. He said that he would be back. No sooner had he left when he returned with the exact same pole. He knew his business and made the sale! WE need to make sure we know our business of sharing Christ so when someone comes looking, we are ready and have the knowledge to "make the sale!" peace, tom
Colossians 3:17 NASB "Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father."That's good enough! Today we read about doing everything, what we say and do, to do it in the name of the Lord! Finishing up some fence pickets, I had quickly painted them and said "that's good enough" but as I stood back, I realized that my painting was fair at best. There were places where the paint was thin, places that didn't have any paint on them at all and if I had put them on the fencing, they would have rotted faster when the rains came. I began to paint them again and thought of today's verse, what if I was painting God's Fence!! We need to do everything as we were doing it for Him cause we should be! Good enough should be "God enough"! peace, tom
2 Timothy 1:6 ESV "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,"It was going out! Today's Word, speaks to us about fanning the flame of the gift of God! With summer time fast approaching, we will be sitting around campfires, BBQing on grills and getting the charcoal ready for some juicy meals but if we don't fan the flame of the charcoal, our best intentions for a wonderful meal will not go as planned. God has given each of us gifts but if we don't unwrap them and use them and fan them into all that God wants us to do with them, then they sit as unused charcoal in the grill. As I piled the charcoal up and began to get them lit, I thought to myself that we the church need to pile ourselves together to allow the Holy Spirit fire to grow to where we are ready to be used! Let's fan the flame of Christ today and get cooking! peace, tom
Colossians 3:10 NASB "and have put on the new self, which is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created it"It was time, I kept getting the reminder! Today's Word says to put on the new self, and having it be renewed each day! Every time she started her vehicle, the reminder came on the screen! The maintenance light blinked and reminded me that it was time for an oil change. As I put it off, the reminder flashed for a second or two and finally came on and stayed on. It was telling me that it needed to be done. Out with the old oil and in with the new so that the engine had new protection. I also changed the filter, for what sense was it to change the oil and not the filter!! In life, we can put on a new self, but if we don't change the filters in our life, we will be just putting the new self through the dirty filter. Change the oil in our life but remember to change the filters too! peace, tom
2 Corinthians 6:14 NASB "Do not be mismatched with unbelievers; for what do righteousness and lawlessness share together, or what does light have in common with darkness?"What was I thinking?! Today's Word speaks about partnering up with the wrong crowd! I should have known better! I knew their reputation but decided to use them on a customer's home. It was a disaster! Their reputation of being, well let's just say less about the work but more about the money, kind of company. So, when I hired them to work alongside me, things went from bad to worse. I learned an important lesson about who to partner with. I had lost that customer forever! Let's be careful out there with who we are associating with because sooner or later their reputation will be our reputation! As the scripture says, how can light have any thing in common with darkness?! peace, tom
James 1:12 NASB "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."Finally!! Today's Word simple put says to keep on keeping on!! My arms were aching, my back ready to give out and my legs were beginning to cramp up as we worked to put the fire out! It had been hours since we first arrived on scene of a large warehouse fire. Working through the night, we kept at it, with new crews coming in to relieve us from time to time. Finally after many hours, the fire was extinguished and we were able to go back to the fire house. Life will throw those situations at us, whether at home or at work, that will take all our strength, all that we have but if we remain determined with Christ, we will make it to the end. Be strong in the Lord and keep our eyes upon Him throughout the struggles, and one day we will hear those words "good and faithful"! peace, tom
1 Thessalonians 5:14 NASB "We urge you, brothers, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone."I was there once, maybe you were too! Today's Word speaks to how we should treat others, something to keep in mind as we encounter each other! I was given the opportunity to train a new co-worker. He struggled with every little job I gave him, even after showing him how to do it more than once. I could have recommended that he be let go but instead I remembered my first days on the job. How I too struggled to learn the basics, and get proficient at the job. As we sat at lunch, we talked, and he shared how much he needed the job, how he felt unsure of himself and that he would try better. By the end of the week, he had learned the job and was very good at it. Let's not be so quick to dismiss others but treat them as we want to be treated, cause we were there once! peace, tom
Proverbs 16:9 ESV "The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps."What next?! Today's verse is one to keep in mind when our plans don't go the way we think they will, but His Will be done! The plan was set in place, we were to have an amazing day at service, that is until things began to unravel! The sound booth man called in sick with no replacement, the power point presentation wasn't working correctly and the computer and projector weren't on speaking terms! All the plans that we had made to have an amazing church service were quickly displaced by problem after problem but we kept moving forward. God had a plan and so we followed His Plan rather than what we had set up. In the end, all things worked out, no sound booth, no powerpoint, no projector or computer but we had the Spirit of God and we rejoiced for He had Risen! As I walked to the pulpit, I simply thought, Jesus didn't need a sound booth or a computer or a powerpoint, He simply lived God's Plan and so did we. It was a blessed day, His Way not ours! peace, tom John 14: 6 NASB "Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me."I had no idea how to get out of there! Today's verse is Truth, simply put that there is only one Way to the Father! As a young boy, my dad would often play around with us on the ground! As we wrestled around, he would wrap a large blanket around us and we needed to find a way out. There were times when I began to struggle, not being able to find my way out but eventually I would see some day light and follow after the light and find freedom! In life, there will be times of struggle, times when we are not sure which way to get out of the mess we are in. If we look to the Light, we will find the Way out and that's found in no one else but Jesus Christ. As we do this thing called life, and find ourselves struggling in the darkness, look for His Light, it shines brighter than anything else in the world! peace, tom
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Tom SEmberAuthor of Daily Devotions Archives
January 2025
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