Romans 15:1 NASB "Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not just please ourselves"Just help them! Today's verse shares about helping the weak and not just to please ourselves! They are all around us, people who need help! The question is are we willing to help them?! Help can come in many ways, a shoulder to cry on, a helping hand for someone with a heavy load, and some times just an open ear to listen as they unload their struggles. I am amazed at how God can use a "deaf" guy to just listen as another man shares his struggles. Let's not let what we think is a disability keep us from helping others. God can use each of us no matter what we think is impossible, so let's get out there and keep our eyes open for an opportunity to help and our ears open too! peace, tom
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Ephesians 4:2 NASB "with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love"Come on, show me how! Today's verse speaks to us about humility, gentleness, patience and love! Good words to live by! I finally had to admit that I couldn't figure it out! It was one of those mind teaser games where you have to get the ring off two square blocks. No matter how I tried, I just couldn't get it off. I usually can find the answer but having to admit I couldn't do it, I humbly asked how! Thinking too highly of ourselves is pride, and sometimes things will come along and knock us off our pedestal. Even though it was a child's puzzle, I found myself being humbled by it. Let's not let pride keep us from humbly stepping into the Throne Room of God on our knees and thank Him for the gift of His Son! peace, tom
2 Corinthians 4:16 NASB "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day."There was as time! Today's verse speaks to us about growing old and yet being renewed day by day! There was a time when I could keep up with the little ones. Crawling along the floor, running and not getting winded, jumping up and down but now I find myself slowing down. The joints hurt a little more, the next morning brings soreness but I keep doing it because in my heart I enjoy my grandchildren. As we get older, our bodies will wear out, but if we keep the joy of the Lord in our heart, we will find the strength to carry on. Whether its playing with the grandkids, or sharing the love of Christ, we must renew our inner body by recounting the many blessings of the Lord. I may be older, but I'm not dead! Let's refresh our inner person with the joy of the Lord and use a heating pad for those aches and pains! LOL peace, tom
Daniel 2:22 NASB "It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him."It was fun to watch! Today's Word is about revealing hidden things and how He is the one who reveals them! I sat back and watched as my grandsons looked for their Easter Baskets. They went around the room and looked here and there. Given a few "clues" which pointed them in the right direction helped them find the hidden treasure. In life, most of us will try and hide those things we don't want others to know about us. Things that we may be ashamed of but Jesus will reveal the Truth in our lives and reveal those things hidden in the darkness. May we examine our lives and remove those hidden things so that we may dwell in the Light with Him. If we need a few "clues", just open His Word, it's filled with them to help us remove the hidden items and find His Treasures! peace, tom
John 11:25 NASB "Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies"I can't imagine! Today's verse speaks to us about faith, faith that even though we die, we will live! I have often sat and wondered how the disciples went on after Jesus died and rose. I couldn't imagine what their life was like. Being with Jesus for 3 years, to have Him gone in a matter of speaking. As I thought about them, it occurred to me that life goes on. After losing my best friend, fishing partner, and father, I wasn't sure how I could go on with our him in my life but life goes on. I know that he still lives, but now with Jesus and I can't imagine what's that's going to be like! Foolishly I joke that he will always be catching fish but I'm sure heaven is more than that! Let us believe and know that even though our love ones have passed, if they knew Jesus, they live! So must we, life goes on! peace, tom
Luke 23:34 NASB "But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."I wonder if He has said that about us?! Today's verse is a sobering thought if we apply it to our life! I remember a time when what I did was just wrong, it hurt the other person so bad and yet they turned to me and said "I forgive you!" Maybe you've been there too, when our actions have hurt, simply hurt someone. And that someone has forgiven us for that wrong. I wonder if we hold on to some hurt done by someone to us and have yet to forgive them?. Maybe this day, as we think about our Savior on a Cross for our sin, we can find the strength in what He did for us and go and forgive! Wouldn't that be understanding what the Cross was all about - the forgiveness of our sin! May we forgive and He has forgiven us! peace, tom
2 Timothy 2:16 NASB "But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,"Better to keep it shut! Today's Word simply means to keep our mouth shut rather than to speak empty words! The Bible doesn't say much about what Jesus did on this day but we know He was getting ready to share the Passover meal with His Disciples. That meal is what we call the Last Supper and as I reflect upon what Jesus was getting ready to go through for you and me at Calvary, I think it's best that we spend time in prayer and listen to what God is trying to speak to us rather than speaking empty chatter. Take some time to just sit and meditate upon what Jesus was going to face in the next few days! peace, tom
Luke 21:37 NIV "Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives," I can still hear him! Todays verse shares what Jesus was still doing during the week before the Cross. It has been a few months since my dad's death and I can still hear him teaching me life lessons. If we think hard enough, we can see the lessons that those who have gone on before us, taught us during their lifetime. Little lessons to keep us safe, or how to operate a new tool or how to live with our eye focused on Jesus. During His Last Week on earth, Jesus was still teaching and caring for us, teaching us life lessons we can hold on to. What life lessons are we teaching others as we live for Christ?! peace, tom
Mark 11:17 NASB "And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”"Maybe it's time to ask ourselves what? Today's verse is about cleaning out the den of robbers in the Temple. The second day of Passion Week and we find Jesus cleaning out His Father's House! With the recent passing of my father, we had to clean out his house. Going through the many items brought back a lot of great memories. Deciding what to keep and what to get rid of, was a hard decision to make. With each decision, the house became cleaner and cleaner. As I thought back to that time, I began to ask myself, what needs to be cleaned out of my life. Things that satan uses to keep me in my past and not walk in the newness of the Resurrection! What needs to be cleaned out of our lives so we have more room for Jesus?! peace, tom
Matthew 26:20 NASB "Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve." Sharing a meal! Today's verse is the beginning of Passion Week for our Savior and it begins with a meal with friends. I thought back to the meals I have shared with family and friends. How breaking bread brought us closer together as we ate and shared life. And I thought of the many who eat alone, no one to talk with, no one to share life with. What a contrast life can be. I wonder if this week, we could invite one person we know who eats alone, to join us for a meal. Maybe it can be to invite that lonely guy at work out to lunch or that family who's new to our church over for dinner. Life is better together, so lets do it, no excuses! Invite someone to share a meal with us this week! peace, tom
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Tom SEmberAuthor of Daily Devotions Archives
May 2024
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