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John 8:36 (NASB) "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed."This fourth of July will be different, no big gatherings, no firework displays, no parades, no family gatherings, kind of feels as if we are not truly free! Today's verse speaks about freedom, and true freedom is found in Christ alone! I think back to some of the fourth of July events I have been apart of like the parade on the fire department, throwing candy to the children who lined the street, doing fire protection as the fire works were lit and sent into the evening sky, and I think of the times with family as we sat and watched the sky light up. But somewhere along the way, we lost what true freedom is. Men and woman gave their life in pursuit of freedom from tyranny many years ago. People are still fighting tyranny in many forms but the reality is that only Jesus Christ can set us free, truly free. I pray that as this fourth of July is a little different, it maybe a lot different as we recognize the freedom found in Christ. HE will set us free, and we will truly be free indeed! peace, tom
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Job 8:21(NASB) "“He will yet fill your mouth with laughter And your lips with shouting."Did you hear about the young farmer who returned to the farm store to buy more baby chicks, the lady at the counter asked him that he must have a huge farm for this was the third time he was buying 1000 chicks. Today's verse shares about laughter and shouting with joy! The young farmer replied "I don't have a big farm but I am not sure if I am planting them too deep or too close together, but they aren't growing! (think about it!) Sometimes life can get so confusing and stressful that we need a good laugh to relieve the pain of the struggle. I am sure when God sees some of the things we humans do, He must laugh a little, or in my case, laugh a lot! My mom always said that "laughter was lubrication for the soul", when was the last time you laughed, oiled your soul so you can face the day with a smile on it?! BTW, if you go around with a smile on your face, people will think you're up to something! Maybe the something we are up to is bring God the glory by simply smiling at each other?! Have a good laugh today, it will help! peace, tom
Hebrews 10:36 (NASB) "For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised."
In bidding for the job, I did it by the job and not an hourly wage, boy was I wrong! The job took a lot longer than I expected, that's why I had originally bid it as a one time price. With each day that passed, the job still wasn't completed but I had to continue to get the pay that I had requested! Today's verse shares about endurance, and the need of it as we finish what the will of God is for our lives. Only then, and not before will we receive what is promised! I so desperately wanted to quit but I had made an agreement and had to keep my end of the deal. God will keep His End of the deal and we will walk with Him one day on streets of gold but for now, we need to have endurance to complete what He has called us to do. The struggles may hurt, the temptation to run away may surround us but if we keep our eyes focused upon Jesus, He will see us through! Endurance my friends, for it's a marathon and not a sprint to see Jesus face to face! peace, tom Lamentations 3:21 (NASB) "This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope."They told us that it would be a long journey, the path would be difficult but if we stayed the course, it would be worth the struggle. Today's verse speaks to us about recalling to mind things that will allow us to have hope! There's no better place than God's Word to recall to our minds, to hear the promises of God and have hope that things will get better. I struggled with the journey we were on but I kept hearing those words to staying the course, that the end would be worth the fight to get there. Maybe you're struggling right now, not sure how it will end or if it will end. May the words of our Savior bring you hope to keep up the fight for what is right. It will mean that many of our friends will turn away but God never will. Keep on keeping on and find the hope in God's Word. Don't give up on that marriage that is going through a rough patch, or that child that is disobedient, or the job that seems to be a struggle every day or even that church that may not have it all together, keep recalling to mind the things of God and have hope in Him! peace, tom 1 Peter 5:7(NASB) "casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."It was late and he needed someone to listen to him and care! I am usually in bed by that time but when my phone rang, I answered it. It was a friend who was stressing out about a situation that was occurring with him and his family. He needed a calming voice, someone to pray with him, someone to say it was going to be ok! Today's verse speaks to us about calling out to God, casting our anxiety and fear upon Him simply because He cares for us! As we shared on the phone, I left him by praying with and for him and his family and shared today's verse. We can support each other, pray for each other, but the reality is that the best place to go is to God! Supporting each other through the rough patches of life by sharing God and praying is exactly what life with Christ is all about, don't believe me, check out God's Word. Read what Jesus did and how He cares for us today! Be a blessing to someone and cast our own fears upon the Lord, He really cares! peace, tom
Matthew 7:24(NASB) “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock."I am not sure the first time I went in there but I do remember going there often and finding things I enjoyed and have learned from! As a young boy, I always enjoyed going into my father's work space. I would climb upon his chair and began to look at and play with the tools that hung upon the peg board. I was always curious what the latest project he was working on! Today's verse speaks about God's Word and how if we hear them, and act on them, we will be compared to a wise man! Years later, I still remember the lessons from my dad and his workshop. As I use tools today that I seen as a small boy, I remember the wisdom my dad passed along. That's how is should be with God's Word. Opening the Bible will share some amazing promises and lessons that God wants to share with us. It will give us tools to accomplish this thing called life and if we stay in God's Word we will truly be a wise man! When was the last time you spent time in God's Workshop and seen His Latest project, that project could be us? peace, tom
Mark 13:32 (NASB) "But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."I thought back to my first day in the fire house. I waited anxiously for the "go bell" to go off and we would be responding to a first aid call or a fire call. I remember wondering if I was prepared for what was to come. Today's verse speaks about Jesus Christ's return, how not even the angels know when it will take place but it will happen! I remember going over in my head the things that I had learned in rookie school, how to do this and that, what responsibilities I was to have once we were called into action. Waiting for Christ's return will come when we least expect it so I wonder, are we ready, have we lived our life "prepared" for His Return. No one knew when the go bell would go off and we would be heading out, so we needed to be ready at a moment's notice. The question for today is are we ready?! Reading His Word daily, praying without ceasing and walking by the Spirit are all things we should be doing as we wait for His Go Bell to ring! peace, tom
Mark 9:35 (NASB) "Sitting down, He called the twelve and *said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”"We were excited to get into the concert and find our seats before the performance began but the line outside was very long! Today's verse shares Jesus' Words to His 12 and to us today, about being first and being last! After waiting about 20 minutes, we were close to getting in and that's when we seen a car pull up and out came a wife and her husband. He was in wheelchair and carried his oxygen tank with him. They looked at the long line behind us and you could see the disappointment in their faces, realizing what a long wait it would be to get in. That's when my wife and I let them cut the line!! It wasn't a popular decision but it was a godly one. Letting them go first made our wait a little longer but made our hearts glad! Being last and a servant of all isn't a bad thing, it's a state of mind to be like Jesus! Even a small gesture can change a person's life! peace, tom
1 Corinthians 14:33 (NASB) "for God is not a God of confusion but of peace..."I had to take a step back, take a breath and find some peace in the crazy situation before me! Today''s verse speaks about peace and confusion and how God is in one and not the other! Whether I was at a fire scene where things were getting crazy or at a church board meeting where views were differing and things were getting out of hand, I had to step back and breath! Maybe you've found yourself in situations were things were going off the rails, that what was being done or said just didn't make sense and the confusion was growing by the minute. It's times like these that we need to step back and seek our Lord's peace, the Holy Spirit's comforting and quiet voice to bring peace to a confusing situation. Even in our families, we can find confusion or peace, the choice is up to us. We know that God's Word says He is not a god of confusion so if we find ourselves there, we must ask, is God with us, if not let's invite Him in! peace, tom
Titus 2:7(NASB) "in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified,"I was amazed that after seeing me do it once, he copied me! Spending the day with my grandson, I noticed from time to time, that he imitated my actions. Today's Word speaks to us about showing ourselves to be examples of good deeds, with purity and being dignified! I couldn't help but wonder if my example to my grandson fit today's verse. I had to examine my behavior, my actions, for he was definitely watching every thing I did. People watch people and most children will do what they see us adults do, so I wonder, what example are we setting. More importantly God is watching! I remember as a young boy, thinking to myself, that God had eyes everywhere, seeing all I did. I am sure that most days, He must has shaken His Head and said "what is he thinking by doing that?" Let's make sure that our actions fit according to God's Word and not according to the world. People are watching, the question is... what are they seeing in us? peace, tom
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Tom SEmberAuthor of Daily Devotions Archives
June 2020
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