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Galatians 6:9 NASB "Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary."Slowly they started to come! Today we read about not getting discouraged! We had put out the request for help, the fire was getting out of control. Although we were doing our best to control the fire and put it out, we needed help. When we arrived, the grass fire wasn't that bad but as we tried to put it out, it grew larger and larger to where we needed help. Once the other crews arrived, we began to make progress on putting the fire out. We could have become discouraged and given up but as we continued to do our job, and with the help of others, the fire went out. Don't let discouragement keep us from continuing to do the right thing! Let's not be too proud to ask for help when we feel the discouragement coming, for with help, we will be encouraged rather than discouraged! peace, tom
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Philippians 2:2 NASB "make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose."We all had to pull in the same direction! Today we read about being of the same mind, united on one purpose. In order to get the car out of the ditch, we all needed to pull in one direction. When we first got started, some were pushing and some were pulling but in opposite directions. The car never moved an inch! Not until we united, came with the same mindset of which way and in which position to push and pull, did the car begin to move. Life can pull and push us in many different directions but if we want to succeed, we need to all be on the same page! Whether it's a family, a work group and even a church, we need to unite and come together with the same mindset. Moving forward is about moving together as one! Let's not go our own way but unite in love and move together as one! peace, tom
Ephesians 5:2 NASB "and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma."Taking a moment, amid the joyous celebrations to realize what they gave for us! Today's verse speaks of love, and how Jesus gave Himself up for us as a sacrifice to God. Most of us will never visit the cemeteries where hundreds of flags will wave this day. A day to honor all those who have given their life for what we have. Some are buried miles away from home as their bodies are laid on foreign soil, never to return home. We, who are enjoying the freedoms that they fought for, gave their life for, should take a moment and remember, and pray for their families. Let us never forget what they gave for us and honor them by how we live. Jesus gave His Life for us in order that we may understand the love of God, may we walk in that love each day! Memorial Day is a day to remember and reflect on those who gave all so we may have all! peace, tom
John 4:48 NASB "Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.”"It's time! Today we read Jesus' words about signs and wonders and our unbelief! I always remember my dad saying "don't plant anything in the ground until after Memorial Day!" and he was usually right. When Memorial Day comes, it's a sign that we can plant and not worry about the frost killing our plants. I couldn't help but think that today's generation needs signs to believe in Jesus Christ and maybe we do too. It's not enough to accept the word of my dad about planting or the Word of Jesus regarding signs and wonders. There are signs and wonders all around us, we just aren't looking for them. We get all caught up in the world that we miss the signs and wonders that are taking place. Let's take some time this weekend, as we remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and see their life/death as a sign of service to this country! And think of Jesus Christ, giving His Life for us as the greatest sign to believe! peace, tom
Romans 5:4 ESV "and endurance produces character, and character produces hope"I quit! Today's verse is about endurance, character and hope, all three go together! NO I am not stopping from sharing the devotions! I am referring to a young man who came looking for a job and I hired him. On his first day, we had a rather difficult job to do and shortly after we started, he quit! No matter what I said to him, he didn't want to hear it. All he wanted was a soft cushy job where he got paid a large sum of money. Having the endurance to face the difficulties of life, a tough job, a medical appointment, somewhere where our Christianity is called into play, we must have the courage in Christ to endure. It's never an easy road but when we walk with Christ, we find strength to endure, character that brings hope and who doesn't need that from time to time. peace, tom
John 1:1 NASB "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." I received another request! Today's Word is all about the Word! Not sure if you get them, but I do! The request to go paperless when it comes to some of the bills I have to pay. I began to think about going paperless, where I no longer have a paper copy of my bill and wasn't sure if that's the best idea. Sure, computers are wonderful but what happens when they crash and you forgot to back everything up... I thought about God's Word, and how today many use an online app to read it, but what happens when you can't get the internet, or your wifi is down! I like the old fashioned Bible, where I can write in the margins, highlight some verses that speak directly to me. I don't know about you but I like my paper Bible rather than the paperless one! Sure it's easier to carry the paperless one around but it takes courage to carry a paper Bible into a coffee shop! peace, tom
Hebrews 2:1 NASB "Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it."The foreman gave the directions a few times! Today we read about paying closer attention lest we forget it! Each step of the process was shared over and over to make sure we understood. When it came time to implement the new procedure, those of us who paid attention had no problem but those who didn't listen carefully found the procedure hard to do. In life, we will have those moments when instructions are given to us, like when we were children and our parents taught us things or how about in church service when the preacher explained God's Word. When it came time to put into practice what we heard, did we fall away due to our lack of attention?! Let's make sure we are listening with both ears so when it's time to live it, we have no problem! peace, tom
Genesis 3:13 NASB "Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”"I had to stop! Today's verse speaks about deception! For years, I blamed everyone else! The things that I did, the anger that I let run my life had caused me to blame everyone else but myself! Like today's reading, I blamed my actions on others and used it as an excuse to allow my anger to be justified! I had played the "blame game" so well that I didn't even know the Truth anymore. I had to come clean, take responsibility for my actions and put the blame where it needed to be, on myself! We need to stop deceiving ourselves and others by blaming them for the choices we make! Let's be honest and let the Truth be told! peace, tom
Ezekiel 1:12 NASB "And each went straight forward; wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went." I had to keep it straight! Today's we read about moving forward, and not turning to the left or right! When I first began to cut wood using a circular saw, my cuts were all over the place. I couldn't keep a straight line no matter how I tried. Not until I began to focus on the line on the wood did my cuts begin to be straight. I had to take my time, let the saw do the work and just focus! In life, we may be all over the place, not going in a straight path. Not until we focus on Christ, go slow and let Christ do the work within us, will our lives be on the straight and narrow. Many times we lose focus on Him and began to look at ourselves. It's then that our lives become crooked. Let's focus on Him, go slow and not turn to the left or right! peace, tom
Proverbs 3:5 NASB "Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding."I just sat back and was amazed! Today's Word is about trust and trusting God with all our heart! As I sat waiting to be called for my appointment, I saw her walk in. She struggled a little with finding a seat but finally found an empty chair and sat down. She just sat there, and as I watched, I had to close my eyes and just try to imagine what her life was like. You see, she was blind. Putting our trust in the Lord is like being blind, where we have to rely on Him to get us through this thing called life. I don't know her whole story but the confidence she showed in walking in and trying to find an empty seat taught me that no matter what we face, we can get through it. Let's put our faith and trust in the Lord even if it is blind faith! peace, tom
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Tom SEmberAuthor of Daily Devotions Archives
December 2024
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