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Ecclesiastes 4:9 NASB "Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor;"At first glance, you would think it was about marriage! Today's Word speaks about two being better than one because of the return for how we work together! The rule was "two in/two out", meaning that when we went into the fire building, we made sure we have our partner with us and when one had to leave for any reason, the other went with them! It was about life safety, making sure that each of us got out alive. When we try and go alone, we can get into trouble and possibly get into a situation where our life was on the line. Even Jesus sent His disciples out two by two so why would we try and go it alone?! Make sure we surround ourselves with godly men to help us as we walk the walk! peace, tom
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Proverbs 22:6 NASB "Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he grows older he will not abandon it."We will have to wait and see! Today's verse speaks about training up children so when they are older, they won't forget it! It's been four years of taking care of our oldest grandson. He will start Pre-K next week so I will no longer be babysitting him, he is growing up. I wonder if he will remember the times we prayed together, the times I prayed over him, the times we talked of Jesus. I will still be able to do those things as he grows up but I am glad for the time I had with him one on one where I could share life with him. We never know how we impact the lives of children, whether ours or others but we must always be training them up in the ways of the Lord. They may not remember our words but they will always remember how we acted, so let's be careful in what we do and say for they are listening and watching! peace, tom
John 8:32 NASB "and you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free."We don't need a password! Today's verse, a few short words but it means so much to how we live! Ugh, it was the fourth time I entered the password and finally it shut down my account so that I couldn't get into the site I was trying to get to! With the world of technology, we need passwords to get to where we want to go in the world wide web! If you don't know your password, you can't enter!! I thank God we don't need a password to get into our Bibles, or into service or even to talk to God. We have open Bibles to read at any time, services at our local church and prayer anytime and all times with no passwords!! You see with God, it's rather simple, and we will know the Truth and the Truth will set us free! Don't worry about remembering your password for learning more about God is always free! peace, tom
2 Thessalonians 3:9 EVS "It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate."I knew they would come but just didn't know how many! Today's Word speaks to us about not having the right but having the opportunity to offer how we live as an example of Christ. The stories of how he touched lives keep coming in. With the recent pass of my Dad from this earth to the glory of heaven, people have been reaching out with stories of how he touched their lives. I knew some of what he did and how he shared Jesus but I never knew to the extent he did it. Many have said "you look just like him" and my reply is "I pray I live like him" because he lived Jesus! The question for today is... who do people say we look like or live like?! I pray it's Jesus! peace, tom
1 Timothy 6:11 NASB "But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness."Man, did he run fast! Today's Word shares how we should flee from some things and pursue others! While checking the garden, a squirrel had gotten under the netting and began to eat the harvest. As I approached, he took off and ran up the fence and out of the yard. He knew he was in trouble for being there and began to flee from getting into more trouble. I had to laugh to myself as I thought about how fast we should be running away from trouble. Of course, the squirrel should never have been there in the first place and maybe we shouldn't be going to places where we know we will sin!! Let's get the speed of the squirrel and flee from those areas we shouldn't be at whether they are physical places or places in our mind! Let's go after the list of the Word for today! peace, tom
Colossians 2:8 NASB "See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the elementary principles of the world, rather than in accordance with Christ."I wonder if they really believe in what they are selling! Today's Word is great advice in life while we deal with those who are selling a false narrative! I just kept walking by! Recently we went to our local Fair and heard the many hucksters trying to sell this and that. They spoke of how their product will change our life and I couldn't' help but think that there are those among us that try to sell the "worlds view of Christ" that don't line up with His Word. We must be careful to go to God's Word when dealing with those in life who try and make living for Christ, this beautiful, easy, all we need kind of life when in reality, coming to Christ will challenge us in ways we may never thought of. The difference is that Christ offers hope through the struggles and will be with us but I wonder if those selling "their" products will be with us through the struggles! Just my thoughts! peace, tom
Hebrews 13:16 NASB "And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. I had made the promise so I needed to keep it! Today's verse shares about not neglecting to do good for the sacrifice is pleasing to God! I agreed to help someone and set the date in my calendar and no sooner did I get a call from a group of men that they were going on an adventure that I really wanted to be at. I had to make a decision, keep my promise to help or not to! When we make a commitment, we need to honor our decision even when a better offer comes our way. Skipping out of the promise to help someone is actually neglecting what God has asked us to do. There would always be another adventure so keeping my promise was the sacrifice I chose! Let's not make it about ourselves but about what God has called us to do! BTW, the promise to help left me feeling blessed more than I thought I would! peace, tom
Ephesians 6:13 NASB "Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm."Ouch!! Today's verse gives us the best advice regarding protection! I should have known better but I tried to do it without! I was getting pelted by the sparks and they hurt! While welding, I didn't put on all the protection I needed and sure enough, the sparks that hit me hurt and left scars where I got burned! In life, we need to put on the protection, the armor of our God, to keep ourselves from getting burned from the sin of the world, from the sin of our own bad choices! Like welding without protection, or not watching where we are walking, we are destined to get hurt. Let's make sure we put the full armor of God on and not just try to do life without it! peace, tom
Deuteronomy 6:5 NASB "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." Put your back into it!! Today's Word is something we must ask ourselves, do we? While wheelbarrowing some concrete, the foreman began to tell the guys who were going slower to put our back into it, meaning to use all our strength. it wasn't that they were getting tired, they just didn't give it all they had. Sometimes we love the Lord only so far and not as today's Word speaks. Doing anything half way, only using some of our strength will get the job done half way and most likely not that well. Putting all our heart and soul and strength in loving God will make the difference in our life. Just imagine if we did that with all things, like loving our wives, our children, our enemies?! Let's not do it half way but go all the way, in all our strength! We will see the difference and let's encourage others to join us in doing so! Let's put our back into it! peace, tom
Ephesians 4:14 NASB "As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;"The waves were crashing over the boat as the wind began to take us this way and that way! Today's Verse speaks about not being children anymore where we are tossed around and carried away by the world! As the wind began to get stronger, we lost anchor and began to drift this way and that way, not even close to where we wanted to be fishing. Losing anchor meant that we no longer were on target to where we knew the fish were. In life, if we allow the winds of the world, the trickery of some people and the deceitful scheming of the devil to toss us around and get us to lose our anchor upon Jesus Christ, we must get back to the Truth. Once we got back to the spot were we needed to be, we made sure our anchor was firmly grounded so we wouldn't drift away again. Let's make sure we are anchored to Christ for the wind of the world will blow but we must be stronger in Him! peace, tom
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Tom SEmberAuthor of Daily Devotions Archives
December 2024
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