Romans 5:3 NASB "And not only this, but we also celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance"It's one of those verses when we say "what"?! Today we read about celebrating in our tribulations which will give us the strength to go on. It almost sounds ridiculous to rejoice in trouble, but that's what today's verse states. I don't know about you but it's not the first thing on my mind when trouble hits. To celebrate when tribulations comes our way teaches us that when they are over, we can see that we persevered and got through them. Anyone who has struggled with some sort of health issue knows how hard it is to rejoice in it but going to God, and asking Him for the strength to see us through, can be a form of celebration. We see that going to Him celebrates our faith that God will help us and He will. It just may not be as fast as we want it but, that gives us more time to celebrate the fact that He is with us through the tribulation. Hold the faith, rejoice while we are in the thick of it and He will see us through! peace, tom
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Hebrews 13:5 NASB "Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you,”"All they really wanted was time with dad! Today's verse reminds us of what's truly important, not our money but our time! Going from job to job, I thought I was giving them what they wanted, the things I could buy for them. Taking a day off was out of the question, I had become a workaholic. Not until I was forced to take a day off did I realize what they wanted was time with their dad. To sit and play on the floor, take them to the zoo, just sit and read a book with them, to listen to them and be there to love on them. Let us not become so consumed with the love of money that we miss the things that money can't buy! Spending time with those we love and being content is something money can't buy! peace, tom
2 Corinthians 5:7 NASB "for we walk by faith, not by sight" With each cast, I have faith that I will catch one! Today's Word is about walking by faith and not sight! With modern electronics, you can now see what's under your boat. You can see where the fish are and where they are not but with all that technology, we still have to cast the lure to catch a fish. And there is no guarantee that the fish will bite! Fishing is a lot like today's verse, walking by faith that the lure will work, that the spot we picked out will produce fish but we still have to cast the lure. When we share Jesus, we need to walk by faith and not sight. We may never know how our simple acts of kindness will reach the heart of others for Christ. So, we cast the seeds of love and let our faith hold strong that God will use them for the harvest! peace, tom
Hebrews 10:25 NASB "not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."It was simply a lie! Today's verse speaks the Truth about meeting together with others and encouraging them to keep getting together. I asked him why he hasn't been coming to the meetings, his answer was that no one would miss him if he didn't show up. That response was a lie, we did miss him and prayed for him when he didn't show up. Two things happen when we don't meet together, 1. the guys who do meet regularly wonder if he's ok, and 2. others begin to think the same way, that they won't be missed. When we gather together, we can strengthen each other, share words of comfort, pray for each other and share our struggles and our victories. Let's not get in the habit of not meeting but get in the habit of meeting so that we may encourage others to meet too! peace, tom
Philippians 2:13 NASB "for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure."It may seem funny but I like a good day of work, how about you?! Today's verse let's us know that it is God who is at work in us! Even though, at the end of the day, I am exhausted, I love to work. To get things done, to take this off the list, to get that sense of accomplishment. But there are those times when I ask myself "why". Why am I doing this or that, and I can only come up with today's verse. It is God who is at work in me. Rather than sit there and ask why, I get back to work. No matter what, I like to finish what I started. We may be wondering why we are called to a certain place to work, it just may be that God wants to us to reach someone for Him, it is His good pleasure! So let's get down to business and give Him the glory! peace, tom
John 15:11 "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."There is a difference! Today's verse is about joy and how we may have our joy be made full! There is a difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is for the moment where joy lasts longer. Joy is something we can have despite going through a trial or struggle. We are not happy when we go through them but if we know the Lord, we can have joy through them. I was talking with a friend who was going through a rough patch of life but you would never know it. He had joy, an attitude that no matter what, God would see him through. It wasn't a laughter but an inner joy of security, an inner peace despite the struggle on his plate. He had the joy of the Lord and his was full. We may only find that kind of joy with the Lord so we should stop looking for it in the world. Maybe we need to bring the joy of the Lord to the world so they can have it too and it would be full! peace, tom
Hebrews 10:26 NASB "For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,"It was the third and final straw! Today's verse, while hard to admit, must be realized if we fall into that category! We worked together, side by side for a few years, but one day he wasn't there. I had learned that he was fired and not really understanding the reason, I asked the manager. I was told that he was found stealing from the company time and again. They had given him his third opportunity to come clean, but he failed it. The manager said they could have called the authorities and had him arrested but didn't and let him go. When we are given opportunities to come clean, we need to take advantage of them and start living right. If we sin, we need to repent and start fresh but if we keep on sinning, we will face the Truth that there no longer remains a sacrifice for our sin. Let's not wait for the third opportunity to get it right but repent at the first glimmer of sin! peace, tom
Matthew 7:15 NASB "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves."Many times it is too good to be true! Today's Word is a warning that we all should be aware of! I had found out that a recent update to my phone also added an app that would allow others to see where I was at any given time. It's not that I go places I shouldn't but I still believe in privacy. At first glance, I thought the app was a good thing but after being told about the "they can find out where you are" I removed that part of the app. Sadly there are those who are not who they profess to be. They are out for themselves and to see if they can con us into believing they have our best interest in mind. Let's not fall for their trickery but be always on the look out for those who can and will con us. Walking by the Holy Spirit will help us keep our eyes open and give us the peace we need to see through the sheep's clothing! peace, tom
Romans 12:21 NASB "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."Sometimes... Today's verse is a great one to hold tight to our way of life. There are those moments, when my flesh wants to fight back evil for evil, but then I remember verses like todays and I have to put away my desire to get even. I'm sure we all have those moments when we want to strike back, want to get even, want to get revenge but that's not going to help anyone or any situation. Sure, it may seem like it feels good for the moment but long term, it will do more damage than good. Taking the high road, being the better man, loving our enemies isn't going to be easy but with the help of the Holy Spirit, all things are possible. The key of course is unlocking the Holy Spirit in our life so He can lead us and not the "I want to get even" voice! peace, tom
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Tom SEmberAuthor of Daily Devotions Archives
March 2024
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