1 Thessalonians 5:14 NASB "We urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone."I knew I should have strengthened it! Today's verse is an urging, to help those in need, in patience of course! When I grabbed the sledge hammer, I knew that the handle wasn't in good condition but began to swing it. No sooner did the handle break in two and the tool was useless. There are people out there who need to be strengthened, helped, encouraged and generally loved upon. We know who they are and it's up to us to be the ones to come alongside them. Let's not wait for someone else to do it, for in that time they may just reach the breaking point! Remember back when we needed that extra help, that person that came alongside us... let's be that person for someone today and bring God the glory! peace, tom
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Proverbs 22:3 NASB "A prudent person sees evil and hides himself, But the naive proceed, and pay the penalty."Many have done it, I have even done it myself! Today's wisdom says that a smart person can see the danger but a fool will pay for not seeing it! They are there for a reason but too often men take them off! I am speaking of the safety guards on tools. While doing a job, in order to go faster, I removed the safety guards from the table saw. No sooner did I remove it when piece of wood came flying back at me. I thank God it missed me! I put the safety guard back on and continued the job. Too often we remove the safety gear God has given us in our life. We try to do things with out Him or the Spirit to guide us and we end up in bad situations. Let's put the safety gear of God on, like the armor found in Ephesians and work safely! peace, tom
Philippians 1:3 NASB "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you"I took a moment! Today's Verse is about giving thanks as we remember! As I sat and began to wire my new train layout, I took a moment to remember my dad, a lover of trains as well. I remember how he taught me how to wire up the switches, the uncouplers, the motion pieces on the track and although he is physically gone, his spirit lives on in me! Loss of a loved one can be hard to overcome, but if we hold on to the spirit of the person, we can keep moving forward. I can only imagine what those 11 men, who saw Jesus return to heaven must have felt, but Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to comfort them and give them the power to move forward. Don't let the death of a loved one keep us from going down the track! Walk in the Spirit and be comforted as we remember them and Him! peace, tom
Ephesians 6:11 NASB "Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."They did it for us! Today's Word shares about putting on the full armor and being able to stand firm against evil! Many men and women put on their uniforms, battle gear and went out to face the enemy and they did it for the freedom we have today. We are called to honor them today, Veteran's Day, a day to celebrate their loyalty to freedom. Sadly many of them struggle, struggle with PTSD, struggle with trying to fit into society again and it's up to us to make them feel at home! So, thank a veteran today, pray for them, take them out for coffee, honor them in some way to make them feel that they are loved and appreciated. Remember they went for us! Welcome them home from the battlefield no matter how long it's been! Welcome home! peace, tom
James 5:16 NASB "Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much."After hearing the news, all we could do was pray! Today's Word is filled with so much like admitting our sin, praying for healing, and how the prayers can accomplish much. As he shared the news of how he cheated on his wife, he spoke of how he regretted it, repented of it, but still had to face the reality of divorce and not being with his children, we began to pray. Our men's group made the decision to pray with him and for him daily. As the court date came closer, we prayed and then the news came that his wife didn't want the divorce but that they would go for christian marriage counseling. Years later, they were still together, stronger than ever and the sin of the past was far behind them. Prayer can accomplish much but we must be willing to be steadfast in praying for those who repent and turn to Jesus. Let's keep praying, it can accomplish much! peace, tom
Exodus 35:10 NASB "Have every skillful person among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded"It is simply a request! Today's verse shares about all skillful people using their talents! It was an honest conversation about what. Some men gathered and began to ask "what can we do to help" - some of us were gifted in certain areas and others in others but we all came and offered what we could do to help the situation. Offering our time and gifting doesn't have to be a burden! It can be a great day of getting together as men and using what the Lord has blessed us with to bless others. By the end of the day, the workload was done and the family who were blessed couldn't thank us enough. As we began to leave, we stopped to pray and thank God for the gifts and talents He gave to us so we could give to others. When was the last time we used our gifts and talents to help?! peace, tom
Deuteronomy 1:13 NASB "Obtain for yourselves men who are wise, discerning, and informed from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads."I would never tell you who to vote for but I will tell you to vote! Today's Word is about choosing who will lead us, it's about choosing wise, discerning men and woman to lead! I always say that it comes down to choice but if we don't make a choice, we shouldn't be complaining about the outcome. Voting is a privilege and whether we are voting for a new pastor, or a council person or any one who will be in a leadership position we should pray, ask God for the direction of our vote and be informed! With the flip of a switch or a filled in circle, we can make change so there is a responsibility to be informed! Of course the greatest choice we have is to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, that's a choice that needs to be made sooner rather than later! Choose wisely my friends and be informed! peace, tom
Philippians 1:6 NASB "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus."I could just rush through it to get it done but taking my time, I'll get it done right! Today's Word is about confidence and allowing God to finish the work He is doing among us and one day it will be complete. I really wanted to get the train set up and running as soon as possible but with so many wires, I knew I needed to take my time. Rushing through the many wires would only cause me to have to redo most of the them again but if I took my time, having the confidence to do them right the first time, I know the end result would be worth the wait! Let's not try and rush what God is doing in our lives! Let's let Him take the time to finish what He started in each of us, the results will bring Him glory! peace, tom
Psalm 104:4 NASB "He makes the winds His messengers, Flaming fire His ministers."It's almost comical! Today's verse speaks of how God uses us to be His Wind and Fire! Years ago I was putting out fires, but today, I am trying to start them! That's how it is when we turn our life over to God. One day we are doing one thing and then the next another. Going from being a firefighter to a minister seems like a weird transformation, but that's how God works. He does the unnatural, the unthinkable and the out of the ordinary. The fires I put out saved the houses and "stuff" but the fires I start now will save the souls through Jesus. Don't ever think that God can't use us in a new and different way. Be the wind to fan the flames of Jesus Christ and start a fire in the heart of someone today. We don't even need matches! peace, tom
Isaiah 40:29 NASB "He gives strength to the weary,
And to the one who lacks might He increases power."It's never a good idea! Today's Word speaks to us about getting strength and increased power from the Lord! Exhausted, I had to make some critical decisions and half way through I found that my decisions weren't the best. Being tired doesn't help us make the best decisions. We should step back and get some rest and then make those important decisions when fully rested otherwise we will find that we made some bad choices! Being tired can cause our minds not to work properly and effectively so don't be afraid to admit that we need rest. When we take the time to rest in the Lord, seeking His peace and comfort, our decisions will be based upon Truth rather than a cloudy mind! Let's get the rest we need so we can focus on Him and make the right choices! peace, tom |
Tom SEmberAuthor of Daily Devotions Archives
April 2024
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