Jude 1:23 NASB "save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh."We never went to work thinking that today was the day we would pull someone out of a burning building but each day the crew and I were ready to do so if called upon. The scriptures for today speaks of saving others, pulling them out of the fire, having mercy, hating even those polluted by the flesh. It didn't matter the color of their skin, what financial background they had, where they worked or any other factors. It was simple, if they were trapped in the burning building, we were there to lay down our lives to get them out! When we see the sins of the flesh pulling someone down, are we ready to step in and help. When the call comes to aid a struggling brother, are we ready to lend a hand? If we claim to know Jesus Christ and God's Word, the choice is obvious, but knowing Him and living Him are two different things! Live Christ because He died for us! peace, tom
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2 Timothy 2:7 NASB "Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything."His words came back to me as I took the time to sit and think for a moment! The problem I was facing seemed overwhelming but as I took a step back, my father's words came back to me and I remembered what he said and how to fix the problem! Today's Word shares with us about considering what the Lord has said for HE will give us understanding in everything! Rushing through the problem didn't help, trying to understand it in my own way wasn't helping, not until I stepped back and thought for a moment, did the answer come. In life, we will face struggles, trials, times when we just don't have the answer or understanding but if we turn to the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, to guide us, to help us, we will find the solution to what we face in life. Let's step back a moment and listen for His Voice as we face life, we may just have a better understanding of things! peace, tom
Psalm 25:4 NASB "Make me know Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths."Sitting the guidance counselor's office, I remember asking him what direction I should go. He gave me a lot of great advice but said "the ultimate decision is yours". Today's verse shares some great advice about life, and where to go when we are facing a decision! I remember my mom and dad teaching me to make a list - the pros and cons of any decision I needed to make. Seeing it written out made the decision easier than just thinking about it. With seeking God for His Direction, we can go to where things are written down, that's God's Word. Taking the time to read through God's Word is where we find His Ways and the path that we should be on. The key of course is whether or not we are reading God's Word. Taking the time to read God's Word can make the difference between making a good decision or a bad one! Seems like a no brainer to me, how about YOU? peace, tom
Isaiah 46:9 NASB "“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me,"It's hard for me to see the date and not think of 9/11 as a time when life changed for so many. I recall when the planes hit, when my brother and sister fire fighters gave their lives, when brave men took control of a highjacked plane and yet some of us have forgotten. Today's verse speaks to us about remembering the former things and the most important thing to remember is that God is God! I recall getting on the train to go and help in anyway we could. Men and woman from all over came and helped those days, helped people we never met before or may never meet again. People came together and prayed, it didn't matter what religion you were, what political party we were, what ethnic background we were, we came together to pray! That's remembering that God is God and not ourselves. Maybe we need a little more of that today, unity in Christ rather than division within ourselves! May we never forget! peace, tom
Revelation 21:5 NASB "And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”"For over 10 years, I have woken each morning and walked our family dog. But with her passing, I have to change my morning ritual and do a new routine. Today's verse speaks about God making all things new and how those words are faithful and true. sure I will miss those morning walks with her but I need to look for a new way of starting my day. I find myself spending a little more time in His Word, a little more time exercising, a little more time just listening for His Voice to guide my day. Starting a new is difficult, letting go of past things and people, and even our pets can make life challenging but if we keep focus on Christ, and the new life we find in Him, life begins a new each day. Stay focused on Him in all things and He will see us through. BTW love on those we have in our life today, for tomorrow is promised to no man! peace, tom
2 Corinthians 5:11 NASB "Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.He thought for a moment and then said "hey, your the guy who..." I wasn't sure what was coming next. What had he heard about me? Was it my life before Christ or after coming to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior?! Today's verse shares about knowing the fear of the Lord, persuading men and being made manifest to God! During the moment of silence, while this young man was thinking of what he was going to say, my mind raced as to what "he had heard about me". I thought to myself that no matter what comes next, I would make sure he knew that I was a new man in Christ and do my best to try and share Christ with him that day. What are people saying about you as they meet you? I pray, that no matter our past, we are pointing them to Christ today! peace, tom
Ecclesiastes 3:1 NASB "There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—"Life can get crazy! Our days filled with different emotions and today's Word shares that there is a season for everything and a time for every event under heaven. Our hearts are made with four chambers, each doing their part to keep us alive and I wonder if each part can feel a different emotion at the same time. Carolyn and I celebrate our 36 years together while we our hearts still hurt after putting our beloved Dee down. Life gets crazy sometimes and our emotions do too! There is an appointed time for everything like the Word says, a season for everything. In life, there can be joy and pain all on the same day but we should realize what's important and that's making sure we share Christ, and the joy of knowing Him with others before their time comes to end here on earth. There truly is a time for every event under heaven and today could be the day you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. peace, tom
John 12:35 NASB "So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes."I had to adjust them a few times to make sure they got the full sun and were able to shine through the darkness of night! Working with our solar lights, I wanted to make sure that they would fully charge by the light of the sun so that they would be bright through the darkness night! Today's verse speaks about the Light of Christ, and how we must have His Light so that the darkness will not over take us and lead us where we do not know! If I put the solar lights in a shady place in our yard, when night comes, they will not shine. It is the same with our walk with Christ, the Light of the world. We need to be charged by the Light of the Son so that we may not walk in darkness but walk and shine into a darkened world. The Question is... are we being recharged daily by the Light of Christ? peace, tom
Luke 11:28 ESV "But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”"It was almost like he was standing behind me! As a long boy, I made some bad choices but I can remember the words of my father speaking to me before I made those choices. His words would come to me and sadly I didn't listen and got into trouble. Today's Word shares about hearing the Word of God and keeping it. There were so many times when I wished I would have kept the words of my father rather than just listening to them. Keeping them meant staying out of trouble but too often I would only hear them and choose the wrong path. I wonder what our lives would be like if we really kept God's Word? Would we keep ourselves on the right path of life? Would we see things through God's Eyes rather than our own, would our days be different? I guess the key is whether or not we are even hearing God's Word in order to keep it! Maybe today's the day we silence ourselves and listen for the Voice of the Lord as we live this thing called life on earth?! peace, tom
Hebrews 2:1 NASB "For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it."I should have stopped but in my ignorance I kept going! There were warning signs, the little pain in the elbow but I kept working despite the pain. As it turned out by continuing to work through the pain, I was doing more damage, I should have stopped at the first notice that something was wrong! Today's verse shares with us about paying much closer attention so that we don't drift away! Drifting away from the Truth can lead us down a path of pain and discomfort, recognizing that something is going wrong by the early warning signs is paying closer attention! By working through the pain, I was setting myself up for weeks of rehab as my elbow heals from the lack of wisdom in stopping at the first notice of pain. In life, we will get warning signs that something is going wrong, whether it's our decisions or life choices, we need to pay attention to what God is trying to teach us, otherwise we can spend weeks in pain and the healing takes longer! Be aware of the signs that we are going off track and get back on His Path! peace, tom
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Tom SEmberAuthor of Daily Devotions Archives
April 2024
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