December 2022

Daily Devotion December 2022

12/31/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/2k7jUTHGsTU

Complete the Verse & Name the Book: So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to . . . (completion at the end)

Notice: Bread for Today’s Journey will be taking a hiatus for the month of January. We’d like to suggest you receive a devotional from College Church on Wheaton College where Dr. Josh Moody is the pastor. Here is the link: https://college-church.org/grow/resources/daily-scripture/

The Bible has quite a bit to say on the topics of pride and humility. Luke 20:45-47 says:Then, with the crowds listening, [Jesus] turned to his disciples and said,"Beware of the teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces., And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished."

The religious leaders may have been proud of themselves, but Jesus wasn't impressed. In Matthew 23:25-28 Jesus said,"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.

"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness."

God looks at the heart. Pride says, "I want the attention on me. Look at my accomplishments. Look at all I do and give. Focus on me because I'm pretty amazing." Humility says, "I am nothing without God. I can do nothing of lasting value in my own strength." I Corinthians 1:25b says,"God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength." Verse 31b says, "If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD."

Humility doesn't want any praise; all praise is directed to God. 1 Peter 4:10-11 says,God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do willbring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever?! Amen.

One proud person in the Bible was King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel 4:28-32 says,"But all these things did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon. As he looked out across the city, he said, 'Look at this great city of Babylon! Bymy own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.'

"While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, 'O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you. You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn thatthe Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.' "King Nebuchadnezzar learned that day that Yahweh is God; he was not.

Another king who learned the hard way that pride comes before the fall was the prince of Tyre. Ezekiel was given this message to give to the prince:"Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor. So I threw you to the ground and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings. You defiled your sanctuaries with your many sins and your dishonest trade. So I brought fire out from within you, and it consumed you. I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All who knew you are appalled at your fate. You have come to a terrible end, and you will exist no more."(Ezekiel 28:17-19)

Jesus taught the religious leaders about humility:"The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted"(Matthew 23:11-12).

The church in Laodicea was proud and Jesus had some words for them:"You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked."

If we notice pride starting to sneak into our lives, we need to acknowledge the sin and humble ourselves. It's goes a lot better for us when we humble ourselves rather than leave it to God to humble us. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says,"Then if my people who are called by my name willhumble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land."

Let's learn from the Pharisees, King Nebuchadnezzar, the prince of Tyre, and the church in Laodicea. Let's not repeat their mistakes in our lives and reap unpleasant consequences. Let's make Psalm 139:23-24 our prayer for 2023:"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life."

Verse Completion: . . . spit you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:16 (NIV)

Bread for Today’s Journey will resume on February 1, 2023.

12/30/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/Ug7DjVvfIrI

Complete the Verse & Name the Book: Therefore, judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose . . . (completion at the end)

Today we will conclude a recap of Pastor Del McKenzie’s message “Victory Is the Gift of God”.

When we are controlled by something, we are a slave to what is controlling us. When we are a slave to something, it robs us of joy, peace, and satisfaction in life. When Jesus died on the cross, he covered our sin by dying in our place. Sin is what gives the devil access to our lives. Jesus covers that sin. In Jesus we find pardon, forgiveness, and cleansing. His blood covers our sin. We are able to resist the devil on the basis of Jesus’ victory on the cross. We are able to renounce the devil and his activities because of Jesus’ victory on the cross.

Jesus is able to help those who are being tempted. The hymn writer put it this way:

In the cross of Christ I glory,

towering o'er the wrecks of time;

all the light of sacred story

gathers round its head sublime.

When the woes of life o'ertake me,

hopes deceive, and fears annoy,

never shall the cross forsake me.

Lo! it glows with peace and joy.

It’s easy for us to get away from the cross. We can start focusing on our own importance and our own abilities. It’s through the cross of Christ that I can resist the devil and walk away from the devil’s temptations. The devil was defeated at the cross of Christ. Colossians 2:13-15 says: And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

When evil spirits try to deceive me, I can take refuge in the cross of Christ. The record of all my sins was nailed to the cross when Jesus died. Jesus stripped rulers and authorities of their power when he died and rose. Jesus triumphed over them. When tempted, we can say, “I refuse to think or respond that way because Jesus gained the victory on the cross.” We are exercising our faith when we say this.

Second, we get victories in our lives by faith. 1 John 5:4 tells us: For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Our trust is in Jesus. Our trust is in what Jesus accomplished on the cross. It’s the believers who overcome. We believe in Jesus and we continue to believe in Jesus. It’s a lifestyle. Believers live by faith. When we keep focused on the cross, when we keep trusting Jesus, there is victory. God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 2:14 tells us: But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

Jesus is the conquering King. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus leads us to victory. He was victorious on the cross. That’s where the battle was fought, and that’s where the battle was won.

E.M. Bartlett wrote a hymn titled “Victory in Jesus”. The lyrics are as follows:

I heard an old, old story how a Savior came from glory,

How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me;

I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood’s atoning,

Then I repented of my sins and won the victory

O victory in Jesus, my Savior, forever!

He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood;

He loved me ere I knew Him, and all my love is due Him.

He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood

I heard about His healing, of His cleansing pow’r revealing

How he made the lame to walk again and caused the blind to see;

And then I cried, “Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit,”

And some sweet day I’ll sing up there the song of victory.

I heard about a mansion he has built for me in glory,

And I heard about the streets of gold beyond the crystal sea;

About the angels singing and the old redemption story,

And some sweet day I’ll sing up there the song of victory.

Victory will be celebrated in heaven. Don’t miss that eternal celebration! Don’t let anyone tell you there isn’t victory in Jesus. Keep pursuing victory in Jesus. It’s there because of the work of Christ on the cross. We no longer have to be slaves to that which has control over us. We no longer have to be defeated. There is victory in Jesus.

Verse Completion: . . . the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. 1 Corinthians 4:5 (NIV)

12/29/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/HeRrAzapOQ0

Complete the Verse & Name the Book: By this is My Father glorified, that you . . .(completion at the end)

Notice: Bread for Today’s Journey will be taking a hiatus for the month of January. We’d like to suggest you receive a devotional from College Church on Wheaton College where Dr. Josh Moody is the pastor. Here is the link: https://college-church.org/grow/resources/daily-scripture/

Yesterday we started a recap of Pastor Del McKenzie’s message “Victory Is the Gift of God”. Today we will continue with this diamond.

Is my life best categorized as a life of victory or a life of defeat? Every gift from God is a gift that has to be received. God deposits gifts in our account, and we take those gifts by faith. Jesus said, “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith” (Matthew 21:22).

There is a need for us to have victory over our enemies. We do have enemies; the devil is one of them. We need to find out as much as we can about our enemy, so we can be victorious over our enemy. Ignorance is not bliss. We don’t want to be ignorant about who the devil is and what he does.

He’s enemy #1. He tirelessly works to keep us from walking in spiritual victory. He is real, and he is our adversary. He opposes us, and he can do things to harm us such as enticing us to do wrong. The devil enticed Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus. The devil planted the evil idea in the mind of Judas. The devil plants evil ideas in our minds, too. We need to learn how to have victory over those wrong thoughts.

The devil is able to make people suffer. We need to learn how to have victory over the devil. Do you have victory over the devil?

Not only do we have the devil against us, but there are also demons who oppose us. Demons are spirit beings—likely fallen angels who rebelled against God. Demons have different names in the Bible: principalities, powers, authorities. There are many of these spirits. Mark 5:6-9 says: And when [the man who lived among the tombs] saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”

Demons do the work of the devil. They are his servants and soldiers. They try to control our lives. They try to get us to think thoughts we shouldn’t think, act in ways we shouldn’t act, and respond in ways we shouldn’t respond. They try to get us to retaliate and take revenge when wrongs are done to us, rather than have us leave it in God’s hands. Romans 12:19 tells us: Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Our sinful nature is another enemy we need to have victory over. We can’t blame everything on the devil and demons. Some of our problems we create ourselves. Our sinful selfish nature can choose to think wrong, desire wrong, and do wrong. All of us have inherited this sinful nature. Galatians 5:16-17 says: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

The Spirit may be telling us to forgive while the desires of the flesh are telling us to retaliate. Which are you going to follow? Paul said, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Our sinful nature does not work for God’s good pleasure. In our sinful nature we’re not concerned about pleasing God, but God’s Spirit works in us. It gives us a desire to please God.

We need victories over the devil, the demons, and our sinful nature. How do we get these victories? There is probably now some area of your life where you feel defeated; you haven’t been victorious. There’s something you have not been able to triumph over. It has you pinned down. Maybe it’s the lack of exercise; maybe it’s the inability to get out of bed in the morning; maybe it’s the inability to let go of bitterness. There are many things it could be. You know the area in which you have experienced defeat. How do you get the victory over this area? Let me share some principles with you.

First, we get victories in our lives by focusing on the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus gained the victory through his death on the cross and his resurrection from the grave. Hebrews 2:14-15 says: Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. Jesus gained the victory over death and the devil.

Tomorrow we will conclude this recap of Pastor Del’s message.

Verse Completion: . . . bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. John 15:8 (NASB)

12/28/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/D7Cd9bQUHP0

Complete the Verse & Name the Book: Instruct [the rich] to do good, to be rich . . .(completion at the end)

Pastor Del McKenzie is doing a series of messages titled “Del’s Diamonds”. So far we have recapped: “God’s Provision for His People to Be Holy”, “Can a Human Be Righteous before God?”, “The Ability to Learn and Know”, “God’s Superlatives”, “The Love of the Father”, “God’s Values”, and “The Power of God”. Today we will start a recap of “Victory Is the Gift of God”.

The Bible often pictures people as being in a war. Paul writes about being in a wrestling match in Ephesians 6:12: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (ESV) He also writes about being in a boxing match in 1 Corinthians 9:26-27: So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. Paul also wrote about struggles in Hebrews 12:4: In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. In 2 Timothy 4:8, Paul said: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. James said, Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7). Peter said: Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world(1 Peter 5:8b-9).

A hymn writer wrote a song titled “Jesus Giveth Us the Victory”, and the lyrics include the following:

There's a battle raging in the heav'nly places,

Sin and death and sickness with Satan leading on:

With the hosts of earth and hell arrayed against us,

How in all our weakness shall the fight be won?

Jesus giveth us the victory,

He who overcame on Calvary,

Overcomes again in you and me.

Hallelujah! Jesus gives the victory!

We are led by One who never lost a battle,

And our adversary is a conquered foe;

We are more than conqu'rors, thro' our Captain's triumph;

Let us shout the vict'ry as we onward go.

Let us take the vict'ry, over Satan's kingdom,

Over sickness, sorrow, self and sin;

Let us bear the banner, o'er the lands of darkness

Till the foes' last stronghold we for Christ shall win.

Paul wrote in Romans 7:15-25: For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Victory is another diamond that we can mine, polish, and enjoy. The Bible is a diamond mine. There are untold diamonds to be mined there! 1 Corinthians 15:56-57 tells us: The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Tomorrow we will continue this recap of Pastor Del’s message.

Verse Completion: . . . in good works, to be generous and ready to share. 1 Timothy 6:18 (NASB)

12/27/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/ELjgFKACcdQ

Complete the Verses & Name the Book:

· Rejoice . . .

· pray . . .

· in everything . . . (completions at the end)

Today we will continue to look at prophecy and fulfillment. Let’s begin with Revelation 11:7-10, and then continue with the rest of the chapter:

When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them, and he will conquer them and kill them. And their bodies will lie in the main street of Jerusalem, the city that is figuratively called "Sodom" and "Egypt," the city where their Lord was crucified. And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them. All the people who belong to the world will gloat over them and give presents to each other to celebrate the death of the two prophets who had tormented them.(NLT)

Can't you just see this being broadcast on TV worldwide? People are happy and celebrating the death of these two prophets. Satan is claiming victory.

But after three and a half days, God breathed life into them, and they stood up! Terror struck all who were staring at them. Then a loud voice from heaven called to the two prophets, "Come up here!" And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched.

I hope the TV cameras catch all this!

At the same time there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people died in that earthquake, and everyone else was terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

The second terror is past, but look, the third terror is coming quickly.

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were long voices shouting in heaven: "The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever."

The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before God fell with their faces to the ground and worshiped him. And they said, "We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who always was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were filled with wrath, but now the time of your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest. It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth."

Then, in heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark of his covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared, and there was an earthquake and a terrible hailstorm.

It's going to be a grand and glorious day for Christians when Jesus returns. We know that day is coming; we just don't knowwhen. Meanwhile, we have the opportunity to work for Jesus and do what we can to bring others into the fold. It's a good thing Jesus is not returning this instant as more can come to know him as Lord and Savior. When he does return, it will be too late to become a follower of Christ. Therefore, now is the opportune time to come to know Jesus;now is the day of salvation.

Verse Completions:

· . . . always;

· . . . without ceasing;

· . . . give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NASB)

12/26/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/mDluHt4_IRM

Complete the Verses & Name the Book:

· Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and . . .

· fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who . . . (completions at the end)

When we readRevelation, we should be more concerned about interpreting the past rather than predicting the future. Ignore end time timelines proposed by people. We are not to knowwhen these things will take place; we're just to know they willtake place.

The birth of Jesus was prophesied around seven hundred years before the event took place. It wasn't foretold when the birth of the Messiah would take place; it was just told the event would happen. What the Scriptures foretell, will take place; we can be sure of that. When they take place is not for us to know, and we shouldn't waste our time trying to figure it out. Matthew 24:35-39 records the following words of Jesus:

Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.

When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.

Let's take a look at some things that will happen before Jesus returns. Revelation 11:1-6 tells us:

Then I was given a measuring stick and I was told, "Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers. But do not measure the outer courtyard, for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days."

These two prophets are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire flashes from their mouths and consumes their enemies. This is how anyone who tries to harm them must die. They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.(NLT)

South Africa experienced a bad drought about four years ago. Everyone in Cape Town was limited to the amount of water they were allowed to use. Toward the end of the drought, there was talk that there would be no water for people to use, and people would have to go to stations where water would be handed out to them. Fortunately, the rains came before this had to go into effect. Can you imagine how lives would be disrupted if these two witnesses cut off all precipitation and contaminated the rivers and oceans?

In a study of the minor prophets, Pastor Michael described a locust invasion that took place in 1915 in the area in and around Jerusalem. There were 60,000 locusts in one square meter of ground. They would advance at the rate of 400-600 feet per day destroying every bit of vegetation in their path. When they were done with an area, it would look as if a fire had moved through—total devastation. That's an example of one kind of plague.

Tomorrow we will continue to look at prophecies and their fulfillment.

Verse Completions:

· . . . let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

· . . . for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NASB)

12/24/2022

Good morning! Merry Christmas Eve!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/yzGFPQQj9BQ?t=1088

Complete the Verses & Name the Book:

· In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, . . .

· And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; . . . (completions at the end)

Today we will conclude a recap of Pastor Michael’s sermon from December 20, 2021, titled “Joseph’s Decision” based on Matthew 1:18-25.

We, too, have to make the choice to follow God just like Mary and Joseph had to do. We have to decide if we are willing to be counterculture and suffer the repercussions of that decision. In Matthew 10:26-40 we read the following words of Jesus:

26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,

a daughter against her mother,

a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—

36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.

Joseph decided he was going to follow God. He had much to think about because that decision could result in him losing everything. It’s a decision we have to make, too. Will we risk it all to follow God?

Joseph was the first person who had the opportunity to deny Jesus, but he didn’t do it. At any point he could have said, “The shame that has come upon me is greater than the reward for following God, so I’m out of here,” but he didn’t. He remained true to God and true to Mary regardless of the consequences. Joseph could easily have caved in under all the cultural pressure, but he didn’t; he followed God. He could have justified himself in leaving Mary, but he didn’t; he followed God. We, too, need to follow God regardless of the pressures and shame placed on us by our culture simply because we are followers of Christ. God was vital in Joseph’s life. He needs to be vital in our lives, too.

The name of the baby would be Jesus which means savior. Jesus would grow up to be the Savior of the world because he would save people from their sins. The Savior of the world would be born into the home of Joseph and Mary.

Christmas is about welcoming Jesus, but that welcoming goes far beyond a cute baby. Jesus demands our loyalty to him. We have to lose our lives in order to welcome his life and become transformed people.

Christmas is more than family, friends, gifts, fun, frivolity, food, and fellowship. It’s about Jesus—following him and welcoming him into our lives. Like Paul we need to say: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. (Romans 1:16)

7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:7-11)

Paul could not be shamed by the gospel of Christ, and neither should we be able to be shamed by the gospel of Christ. People may say Christianity is a crutch, but we will not be shamed by it because we know it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.

Joseph and Paul purposefully chose to be counterculture because they chose to follow God instead of the culture.

Verse Completions:

· . . . I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.

· . . . that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:2-3 (NASB)

12/23/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/dCRunZGYBi4

Complete the Verses & Name the Book:

· But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied . . .

· For we have brought nothing into the world, . . .

· And if we have food and covering, . . .

· But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which . . .

· For the love of money . . . (completions at the end)

Yesterday we started a recap of Pastor Michael’s sermon from December 20, 2021, titled “Joseph’s Decision” based on Matthew 1:18-25.

Concerning pregnancy outside of marriage, we need to understand the culture during Mary and Joseph’s time. It was a shame-based culture. Everything is based on shame and honor. A person is born into a class of people and remains there because they don’t have enough honor to move up to a higher class. A higher class person will never give honor to a person of lower class because the higher class person wants the lower class person to remain in the class they are in. In a shame-based culture, if you were shamed by a person in the same class as you, it was expected of you to shame the person back. Retaliation had to take place. If a person didn’t retaliate, it was as if the person was saying, “I am willing to be lowered to a lower class by accepting the shame.”

If a person of a lower class than you shamed you, you simply ignored them because the lower class person wouldn’t have enough honor to bring shame on you. Retaliation is not necessary.

Mary has shamed Joseph by becoming pregnant outside of marriage. Their culture demands that Joseph retaliates against Mary. If he doesn’t, he is in danger of losing his own family. If Joseph doesn’t shame Mary, his own family will shame Joseph. It would appear that Joseph will either lose Mary or lose his family. He is in a terrible predicament. He decides on retaliation by separating from Mary, but because of his love for her, he would dismiss her as quietly as possible.

That night he has a dream where an angel told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife. He was not to be afraid of public opinion or losing his potential position in the future. He was not to be afraid of who the father was because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit? Who is the Holy Spirit? The angel wants Joseph to know Mary has been faithful to him. She was not with another man. Mary became pregnant supernaturally. God took an egg from Mary, fertilized that egg, and placed it in Mary’s womb. This concept is difficult for Joseph to wrap his mind around. It has never happened before in the history of the world.

The only viable solution to a gut-wrenching situation is to hear from God. Joseph hears from God. Now all he has to do is follow through with what God had told him. God told Joseph to go against the culture. Joseph was told to be counterculture. When we hear from God, we are to follow through with what he tells us to do. Joseph followed through with the countercultural directive and took Mary to be his wife. Would there be a great wedding feast filled with celebration? No, there would be a quiet ceremony.

Joseph was not to listen to the counsel of his family. He was not to listen to the counsel of his friends. He had heard from God, and that’s all he needed to make the right decision regardless of the consequences. Joseph stepped out of the norms and expectations of his culture, and he followed God.

We, too, have to make the choice to follow God. We have to decide if we are willing to be counterculture and suffer the repercussions of that decision.

Tomorrow we will conclude this recap of Pastor Michael’s Christmas message.

Verse Completions:

· . . . by contentment.

· . . . so we cannot take anything out of it either.

· . . . with these we shall be content.

· . . . plunge men into ruin and destruction.

· . . . is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 (NASB)

12/22/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/KZMhH_9VJD0

Complete the Verses & Name the Book:

· When you give alms, do not let . . .

· that your alms may be in secret; and your . . . (completions at the end)

On December 20, 2021, Pastor Michael gave a sermon titled “Joseph’s Decision” based on Matthew 1:18-25. Today we will start a recap of that message.

18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Joseph and Mary lived more than two thousand years ago. They lived in a different culture from ours. They fell in love and decided to marry. We don’t know if Joseph got down on one knee and asked Mary to marry him, but at some point the decision to get married was made. The word of their engagement spread quickly even without the aid of Facebook. Excitement, joy, and wonderment were in the air. Plans are being made for the big day. The parents of Joseph and Mary are looking forward to the day when they will have grandchildren.

There are so many hopes and dreams until the unthinkable and unforgivable happens—Mary ends up pregnant and Joseph is not the father. This is a big deal! This is something that can’t be swept under the rug. Two Jewish families are involved. These are families who follow Jehovah. They are well aware that sex outside of marriage is a sin. In our culture sex outside of marriage is no big deal; it’s widely accepted. However, for disciples of Christ, sex outside of marriage is a big deal:

· 4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. (Hebrews 13:4)

· 18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

· 3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8)

Mary is pregnant outside of marriage, and Joseph is not the father. Surely, Joseph wondered who the father could be. How could Mary betray Joseph like this? He thought he could fully trust her prior to this pivotal moment. Nothing was making sense.

Tomorrow we will continue this recap of Pastor Michael’s Christmas message.

Verse Completions:

· . . . your left hand know what your right hand is doing

· . . . Father who sees in secret will repay you. Matthew 6:3-4 (NASB)

12/21/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/7D-DH9aT3bs

Complete the Verses & Name the Book:

· Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are . . .

· You were bought at a price. Therefore . . . (completions at the end)

Yesterday we started a recap of Pastor Michael’s sermon given on December 20, 2020, and titled “That Christmas Feeling,” based on Luke 2:1-7. Today we will conclude the recap.

The adventure experienced by Joseph and Mary involved the unknown. Mary had never given birth before. Joseph had never helped in the birthing process before. This was all new to them, and they were unprepared. Baby Jesus was wrapped in strips of cloth. I wonder if those strips didn’t come from Joseph’s robe.

Mary and Joseph’s Christmas (upon which our Christmas is based) involved a journey they were unwilling to take to a place they were unwelcomed at to do things that were unknown to them for which they were unprepared. There were no colorful lights. Food wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. There was no laughter. There was no Christmas music. There were no gifts. There was no family. They weren’t welcomed by anybody. Where’s the Christmas feeling here?

When we say, “It doesn’t feel like Christmas,” what are we saying it takes to make it feel like Christmas? We may be confusing what Christmas is with the festivities of Christmas. We may have made Christmas into something it isn’t.

We know Jesus is the reason for Christmas but we often live like we don’t believe it. Consequently, we hear, “It sure doesn’t feel like Christmas this year. It’s a lot different. COVID has ruined our Christmas.”

COVID has not ruined or taken away Christmas, and it never will. You can have lights, family, celebration, food, friends, fun, gifts, and games at any time of the year, but you can’t have Christmas at any time of the year. The only thing that makes Christmas Christmas is what Joseph and Mary had—Jesus. Christmas is about Christ. Christmas means the celebration of Christ. It’s not “Foodmas” or “Friendmas” or “Giftmas,” it’s Christmas! Christmas is all about Jesus.

You might feel unwilling to have Christmas this year because family can’t be with you. You might feel you are unwelcomed in many places. There may be many unknowns this year. You may feel unprepared for what lies ahead. Welcome to Joseph and Mary’s world. May all these feelings draw us to that which really counts—Jesus. Jesus is the center of Christmas. We will have Christmas this year because the feeling of Christmas is Jesus: his love, his grace, his forgiveness, his presence, contentment in Jesus. Jesus is who we celebrate.

Don’t confuse past Christmas feelings with the reality that Christmas is simply Christ. It’s different this year, but it’s different every year. Have a Merry Christmas not because of what you don’t have but because of who you do have.

Verse Completions:

· . . . not your own;

· . . . honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NASB)

12/20/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/XMgxfkwZL4k

Complete the Verses & Name the Book:

· Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow, you are just a . . .

· Instead, you ought to say, . . . (completions at the end)

On December 20, 2020, Pastor Michael gave us the sermon, “That Christmas Feeling,” based on Luke 2:1-7. Here is a recap of that message that was given when COVID-19 was relatively new.

When the words “Merry Christmas” were said to the clerk at a store, the response was, “It really doesn’t feel like Christmas.”

What does Christmas feel like? We all have our Christmas stories that tug at our hearts, and we call that the feeling of Christmas. But every Christmas is different. Christmas as an elementary school student is different from Christmas as a junior high student, high school student, college student, self-supporting adult, married adult, parent with a child, and so on. So what is that Christmas feeling? If it’s what I felt as an elementary school kid, I’ll never be able to replicate that feeling because I’m not an elementary school kid any longer. In fact, I can’t replicate last year’s Christmas feeling because I have changed, my family has changed, and the world has changed.

What is this Christmas feeling we talk about? Is it the food? Is it the fun? Is it the family? Is it the lights? Is it the Christmas tree? Is it the presents? I will never have the same Christmas feeling I had last year, two years ago, or 10+ years ago. Can COVID take the Christmas feeling away? If it can, that Christmas feeling is in the wrong place.

If you asked Joseph and Mary what Christmas is, I wonder what they would say.

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

What would Joseph and Mary’s feelings be of what we consider Christmas? Their first Christmas involved a journey they were unwilling to take—they didn’t want to take the journey. They certainly didn’t look forward to it as one would a Christmas vacation. Mary was nine months pregnant. She would have to go on a long, cold, and uncomfortable journey. When they arrived, Grandma would not be meeting them at the door and welcoming them inside. In addition, they were going to a place where they were not welcomed. There was no place for them to stay. People refused to give them room in their houses because they had no room for them in their hearts.

Tomorrow we will conclude this recap of Pastor Michael’s message from 2020.

Verse Completions:

· . . . vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

· . . . “If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that.” James 4:14-15 (NASB)

12/19/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/VDmIddF7DfQ

Complete the Verses & Name the Book:

· that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, . . .

· and that every tongue . . . (completions at the end)

Today we will conclude a recap of Pastor Michael’s sermon “What Now?” based on Luke 2:8-21 and Matthew 2.

Matthew 2:16-18 tells us: When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Jesus was safe because when God spoke, Joseph acted. Joseph and his family start making a life for themselves in Egypt. Then Joseph has another dream that we read about in verses 19-23:

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.

When God speaks, you act. This time their move wasn’t rushed like the last time. They had some time to decide when and how the move would be made. They planned to return to Bethlehem where there were friends and familiarity. However, they were warned against it because King Herod’s son was reigning there, so they moved to Nazareth instead. Nazareth was where Joseph and Mary grew up. They were returning to where they were raised. Family would be there. However, tongues would be wagging over what had happened years before—Mary was pregnant outside of marriage, and Joseph was not the father.

Jesus was probably around four or five years old when they moved to Nazareth. They settled in and more children were born into the family. We aren’t given many details after this, but we know that Joseph was a man who trusted God, obeyed God, put his faith in God, and responded to God. He had learned that when God speaks, you act. Joseph knew that he was to do what God asked him to do so God could do what God planned to do. Both Joseph and Mary were obedient servants of the Lord.

Joseph had learned that when God speaks, you act; you don’t debate, you pull your freight. Joseph was God’s man. Are you God’s man? Are you God’s woman? When God speaks, do you act? If so, prove it. God has spoken clearly in his word; how do we act according to his word? Do we honor our parents? Are we people of prayer or people of gossip? Do we pray for those in leadership? Are we self-centered wanting our preferences, or do we put others first? Do we put God first? When God speaks, do we act? Do we forgive when we are hurt by others, or do we put conditions on our forgiveness?

Joseph was God’s man because he responded to God. His faith moved him into action. Are you God’s woman? Are you God’s man? If so, prove it. Don’t wait. Don’t debate. Pull your freight. When God speaks, will you act?

Verse Completions:

· . . . of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth,

· . . . should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10-11 (NASB)

12/17/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/3fbgWa5pH3g

Complete the Verses & Name the Book:

· In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can . . .

· Take the helmet of salvation and the . . . (completions at the end)

Today we will continue with a recap of Pastor Michael’s sermon “What Now?” based on Luke 2:8-21 and Matthew 2.

Jesus begins his life in Bethlehem. The family starts to build a life there. They have friends. They settle into a routine. Life is predictable until the day some men show up at their dwelling. They are nicely dressed and look very distinguished. Clearly, they are not from Bethlehem; they are from afar. They are kings from foreign lands. They announce they have come to Bethlehem to worship the Messiah. Matthew 2:1-12 tells us:

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

The kings from the East had gifts with them. They were gifts kings would give and gifts kings would receive. They refer to Jesus as the king of the Jews.

After the kings leave, Joseph looks at the gifts and says, “I thought I was the provider for Jesus, but now I see that Jesus is my provider.” Verses 13-15 tell us:

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

When God speaks, you act. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus head off to Egypt. Notice how Joseph didn’t say to God, “Are you sure? How about giving me a confirmation or two just to make sure it’s you I’m hearing from.” No, they leave right away while it’s still night. There’s no hesitation. When God speaks you don’t wait or hesitate; you move your freight.

Once again they will be going to a place where they won’t have a dwelling, and Joseph won’t have a job. Fortunately, this time they will have some finances to work with thanks to the gifts given to them by the kings.

On Monday we will conclude this recap of Dr. Wedman’s message.

Verse Completions:

· . . . extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

· . . . sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:16-17 (NIV)

12/16/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/_VvmuyhbIUQ

Complete the Verses & Name the Book:

· But when they deliver you up, do not become anxious about how or what you will speak; for it shall be . . .

· For it is not you who speak, but it is the . . . (completions at the end)

On Sunday Pastor Michael’s text was taken from Luke 2:8-21 and Matthew 2. The title to his sermon was “What Now?”.

After the birth of Christ, what would Joseph have been thinking? He probably was asking himself, “What now? What’s the next step? Where do I go from here? How do I navigate fatherhood?” Joseph had never had a baby before. There was no one to help him. He wasn’t in a hospital staffed with doctors and nurses. Joseph was on his own to care for Mary and baby Jesus. He had no manual to show him what to do. He had no checklist to follow nor a reset button to push. He was on his own to learn how to be a husband to a wife who had just delivered a baby, and he was on his own to learn how to care for a newborn baby.

Joseph had no home for Mary and Jesus. He was likely in a cave because most stables in those days were caves. The family is homeless, and Joseph has no job. What now? Where should they go from here? What should Joseph do to earn an income for the family? While he’s praying and pondering these things, some men arrive at the cave. Luke 2:8-12 tells us who they were:

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

The shepherds were excited. They knew this baby was the Messiah, the son of David. They knew the Messiah was God with skin on, and he would be the one who would restore Israel. He would be the one that would judge the world of sin, make provision for sin, and make everlasting life possible.

The shepherds would have been encouraging to Joseph and Mary. They would have said something like: “You’re going to be okay. God clearly has his hand on you. Don’t worry about a home and a job; God has this! Everything is going to fall into place in God’s timing.” With the arrival of the shepherds, Joseph no longer felt alone. He had support.

The shepherds also spread the word of the Messiah’s birth. Bethlehem was the hometown of those with lineage to David. The announcement of the birth of the Messiah would be big news for those living in Bethlehem. Surely, it was surprising for some to find the Messiah in a cave. We can be sure that Joseph’s family wasn’t in the cave long. What serious follower of God would allow the Messiah to remain in a cave?! They would have opened their homes or made arrangements for a proper place for them to stay.

Tomorrow we will continue this recap of Dr. Wedman’s message from Sunday.

Verse Completions:

· . . . given you in that hour what you are to speak.

· . . . Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. Matthew 10:19-20 (NASB)

12/15/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/Xw38pGhPXIk

Complete the Verse & Name the Book: The stone which the builders rejected, this became . . . (completion at the end)

Today we will conclude a recap of Pastor Del’s message “The Power of God”. We have looked at the power of God in the lives of Jonathan and Gideon.

Third, let’s take a look at the power of God in the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus. While she is engaged, an angel tells her she’s going to have a baby. We read in Luke 1:34-37: “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

Nothing is impossible with God. Mary wasn’t God. Mary was a common person engaged to a carpenter. She probably considered herself an insignificant person, but little is much when God is in it. She was highly favored by God and chosen to give birth to the Son of God.

Fourth, let’s take a look at Jesus. It was his sacrifice on the cross that made it possible for our sins to be forgiven. Jesus willingly became the substitutionary sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins. Sin entered the world through one man—Adam, and salvation entered the world through one man—Jesus. Romans 5:17b tells us: For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

Jesus started the Church and he is building the Church today. Jesus is the leader of the Church; he’s the head of the Church. The poem, One Solitary Life by James Allan, describes how little is much when God is in it:

He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty. Then for three years he was an itinerant preacher.

He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put his foot inside a big city. He never travelled more than two hundred miles from the place where he was born. He did none of the things usually associated with greatness. He had no credentials but himself.

While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied him. He was turned over to his enemies, and he went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While he was dying his executioners gambled for the only piece of property he had on earth—his coat. When he was dead, he was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen centuries have come and gone, and today Jesus is the central figure of the human race and the leader of mankind's progress. I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that have ever marched, all the navies that have ever sailed, all the parliaments that have ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of mankind on earth as powerfully as that one solitary life.

Little is much when God is in it. What is impossible with man is possible with God. With God, all things are possible. Our God is a mighty God. He is the almighty God. He is the omnipotent God. Jesus is a great example of what can take place when God is in someone and with someone.

Bigger is not always better. What you do for God may seem small and insignificant at the time, but God rejoices in what is right and not necessarily in what is big. Be faithful in small opportunities. Begin where you are, do what you can, and leave the results to God.

Zechariah 4:10a says: “Who dares despise the day of small things?” We shouldn’t. God enjoys the small things.

The devil may be powerful, but God is all powerful! Sin is powerful, but grace is more powerful. You are only one, but you are one. Little is much when God is in it. God can do much through one.

How much do you know about the power of God? How much do you know about the efficiency of God? How much do you know about what God can do? Are you experiencing the power of God in your life? Are you experiencing the power of God in your battle against sin? Are you experiencing the power of God in your service for Jesus? Are you experiencing the power of God in your influence on people? Trusting in God’s power and not your own power makes big things happen because little is much when God is in it.

Verse Completion: . . . the chief corner stone; This came about from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Matthew 21:42 (NASB) See also Mark 12:10 and Psalm 118:22.

12/14/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/4cP26ndrmtg

Complete the Verse & Name the Book: When you give a banquet, invite . . .(completion at the end)

Today we will continue a recap of Pastor Del’s message “The Power of God”. We have looked at the power of God in the life of Jonathan, King Saul’s son, and we are currently looking at the power of God in Gideon’s life. Judges 6:14-40 tells us:

The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”

The LORD answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”

Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.”

And the LORD said, “I will wait until you return.”

Gideon went inside, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.

The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And Gideon did so. Then the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared. When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, “Alas, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!”

But the LORD said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.”

So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

That same night the LORD said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Then build a proper kind of altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.”

So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime.

In the morning when the people of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar!

They asked each other, “Who did this?”

When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.”

The people of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.”

But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.” So because Gideon broke down Baal’s altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal that day, saying, “Let Baal contend with him.”

Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel. Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them.

Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.

Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

In Judges 7:2-3 we read: The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

God said there were still too many Israelites to go against the Midianites, and he whittled the army down to three hundred soldiers. It would be 300 Israelites against 135,000 Midianites. That’s a ratio of one to 450! But little is much when God is in it, and God saw to it that the Midianites were defeated.

Tomorrow we will continue this recap of Pastor Del’s message.

Verse Completion: . . . the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind. Luke 14:13 (NIV)

12/13/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/ElJ0fiD0lkc

Complete the Verse & Name the Book: Do not be overcome by evil, but . . .(completion at the end)

Today we will continue a recap of Pastor Del’s message “The Power of God”. Yesterday we looked at the power of God in the life of Jonathan, King Saul’s son. We also started to look at the power of God in the life of Gideon by reading Judges 7:1-24. We will continue where we left off:

But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”

So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.

The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.

Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. During that night the LORD said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.

Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”

His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”

When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The LORD has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.

“Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon.’ ”

Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!” While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.

When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.”

So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah.

When Gideon was a judge in Israel, there was peace for forty years. Before he was judge there was great oppression by the surrounding nations. They would enter Israel and cause havoc by stealing their cattle and burning their crops. Gideon was hiding from his enemies when God called him to be a judge. Gideon resisted the call. He saw himself as a little and insignificant person. He couldn’t understand why God would want to use a person like him to accomplish great things. He wanted a sign from God.

Tomorrow we will continue with this recap of Pastor Del’s message.

Verse Completion: . . . overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21 (NASB)

12/12/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/ujEKWAfg7oE

Complete the Verse & Name the Book: for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord . . . (completion at the end)

Pastor Del McKenzie is doing a series of messages titled “Del’s Diamonds”. So far we have recapped: “God’s Provision for His People to Be Holy”, “Can a Human Be Righteous before God?”, “The Ability to Learn and Know”, “God’s Superlatives”, “The Love of the Father”, and “God’s Values”. Today we will start a recap of “The Power of God”.

Little is much if God is in it. It’s the power of God that makes all the difference. Jehovah is the Almighty God. The power of God is worth a lifetime of study. The power of God is to be pursued and thought through.

Let’s look at the power of God in the lives of some people in the Bible. First, let’s look at Jonathan, the son of King Saul. There was a low time in Israel when they were afflicted by the Philistines. There were no blacksmiths in Israel. In order to get their sickles sharpened, they would have to get the Philistines do it for them. The Israelites were hiding in caves, thickets, rocks, pits, and cisterns. There were only two swords for their entire army of 600 men. 1 Samuel 14:6 tells us: Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.” Jonathan believed God could use what little they had and accomplish much.

We find what happened next in verses 7-23: “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”

Jonathan said, “Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the LORD has given them into our hands.”

So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.”

So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel.”

Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.

Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.

Saul’s lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. Then Saul said to the men who were with him, “Muster the forces and see who has left us.” When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there.

Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (At that time it was with the Israelites.) While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”

Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords. Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. When all the Israelites who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit. So on that day the LORD saved Israel, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.

Little is much when God is in it. God can accomplish much with very little. We can know and experience the power of God in our lives.

Second, let’s look at Gideon. Judges 7:1-24 tells us: Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

Tomorrow we will continue with this recap of Pastor Del’s message.

Verse Completion: . . . will be saved.” Romans 10:13 (NIV) See also Joel 2:32.

12/10/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/dCRunZGYBi4

Complete the Verses & Name the Book:

· Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not . . .

· does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not . . .

· does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but . . .

· bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, . . . (completions at the end)

Yesterday we were looking at King David’s sin and its consequences.

Paul said in Romans 5:20-6:7, 12-16:God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.

Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace.

Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living."

What would David's life had been like if he had chosen to obey God? I know it would have been a lot better for him and the other people who were affected by his sins. Let's encourage one another to obey God and follow hard after him. We don't want to suffer the consequences of sin like David did, and we don't want a brother or sister in Christ to suffer them either.

Verse Completions:

· . . . brag and is not arrogant,

· . . . take into account a wrong suffered,

· . . . rejoices with the truth;

· . . . endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NASB)

12/9/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/abNfho2tM2c

Complete the Verses & Name the Book:

· For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor . . .

· nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to . . . (completions at the end)

2 Samuel, Chapter 11, tells how King David saw a beautiful woman, committed adultery with her, and then had her husband placed on the front lines of a battle where he would likely be killed. Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, was killed in the battle and Bathsheba became David's wife just as David had planned.

Let's pick up the story in the next chapter:So the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: "There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man's own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest."

David was furious. "As surely as the LORD lives," he vowed, "any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity."

Then Nathan said to David, "You are that man! The LORD, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. I gave you your master's house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. Why, then, have you despised the word of the LORD and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah's wife to be your own.

"This is what the LORD says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.

Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD."

Nathan replied, "Yes, but the LORD has forgiven you, and you won't die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the LORD by doing this, your child will die."

Sin has consequences! As modern day Christians, we sometimes have an attitude that says, "I know it's wrong, but I can always ask God to forgive me, and he will." That kind of an attitude abuses God's grace. It would be like a teenager taking his dad's new car out four-wheeling knowing it would damage the car, and his dad would get angry, but also knowing Dad would get over it and forgive him. The joy ride would be worth the scolding. That's abusing a father's grace. Abusing God's grace is much more serious.

David paid a high price for his sin. The consequences were severe, but he didn't die for it because God forgave him. When we sin, we should die for it, but we don't because God forgives us when we repent. Nevertheless, there are consequences less than death that take place. Is the sin worth the consequences? We need to think long and hard before entering into sin. I don't want any of us to have to suffer the consequences of it.

Tomorrow we will continue this theme involving sin and forgiveness.

Verse Completions:

· . . . things to come, nor powers,

· . . . separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (NASB)

12/8/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/NzEX3QMuVPM

Complete the Verse & Name the Book: If therefore the Son shall make you free, . . . (completion at the end)

Today we will conclude a recap of Pastor Del’s message titled “God’s Values”.

Everything needs to be Christocentric—centered in Jesus. Moses knew the Messiah was coming. He knew the Messiah was going to be the Redeemer of the world. When we are Christocentric, everything is centered in Jesus: Everything in Jesus, and in Jesus everything.

How will the things we value now look to Jesus when we present our values to him? Moses had a Christ-centered view of life; what he knew about Christ shaped his life. Our lives are determined by our values. What we are is determined by what we put value on.

The third statement is: Not only are our lives shaped by our values and determined by our values, but we determine our values by what we accept and what we refuse. Only we know what our values are. It may appear that we value certain things, but it may be a façade. We can’t judge another person’s values.

We determine our values in several ways. We determine our values by our refusals. Hebrews 11:24 says: By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. There are things in life that we have to learn to say no to. We should always say no to bad things, but there are good things that we have to learn to say no to as well. What we refuse will go a long ways in determining our value system. As Christians, we refuse to be used by the devil. Instead, we choose to be a child of God. We choose the spiritual over the material. We choose holiness over sin.

Hebrews 12:4 tells us: In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. In many ways our lives are made up by what we choose to accept and what we choose to refuse. If we refuse truth and accept error, that will shape our lives a certain way. It’s probably not a bad idea for us to sit down and list the things we have chosen to refuse. We may need to make a list of things we should be refusing but are not.

We determine our values by our choices. Hebrews 11:25 tells us: [Moses] chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. We all make choices. Moses chose persecution. We need to follow his example. We are the sum total of the choices we have made in our lives. We can choose to get up in the morning or stay in bed. We can choose to eat a donut or pass on a donut. We can choose to procrastinate or be punctual. We can choose to study the word of God or not study it. We can choose to be part of a church or choose not to be part of a church.

We determine our values by our enjoyments. [Moses] chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. What do you enjoy in life? Hopefully, it’s not sin. Some sins are enjoyable for a season. It’s our choice to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin or not to enjoy them.

We can enjoy worship. We can enjoy spectator sports. Sometimes we have to make a choice between the two. We have to be honest with ourselves and ask: Do I enjoy sin? Do I enjoy things that are of little value?

We determine our values by our treasures. What do you treasure? Do you treasure that which is material? We can determine our treasures by watching what we spend our money on. You will spend money on that which you treasure. How much of your money goes to missions? How much of your money goes to support people who are taking the gospel to the last unreached people on the earth?

We determine our values by our vision. Hebrews 11:26 tells us: [Moses] regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. Moses was looking ahead to an eternal reward. We should look ahead, too. We can watch for the return of Jesus. We can look ahead to heaven. We can look forward to the reward we’ll receive from Jesus for our faithful service to him. What do you look forward to? What’s your vision for what life is about? Where is your vision taking you?

You have a set of values. Are you aware of what they are? If so, have you evaluated them? When you stand before God, will your values go up in smoke like wood, hay, and straw, or will they be like gold, silver, and costly stones that are able to withstand the fire? Carefully evaluate your values today. Do they need to be adjusted? There’s no better time than the present to make that adjustment.

Make what God values the same as what you value.

Verse Completion: . . . you shall be free indeed. John 8:36 (NASB)

12/7/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/QP0TGh6c-Ss

Complete the Verse & Name the Book: But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to . . . (completion at the end)

Today we will continue a recap of Pastor Del’s message titled “God’s Values”.

Wood, hay, and straw burn quickly. When some people’s values are tested, they will be found to be like wood, hay, or straw; their values won’t amount to anything that endures. When other people’s values are tested, they will be found to be like gold, silver, and costly stones; they are values that endure. They are values that stand the test of fire. They don’t burn up and disappear. They are values that will be rewarded. Those that don’t endure will not be rewarded. Each person receives what is due him.

1 Timothy 5:24-25 says: The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.

We suffer the consequences of some sins while we are still here on earth. Those are obvious sins. However, some sins won’t be fully known and revealed until Christ returns, and we stand before God in judgment. Hebrews 4:13 tells us: Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. God sees everything that happens.

1 Corinthians 4:5 says: Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.God sees our motives. He knows why we do what we do. He sees why we value what we value.

Do we value what God values? What we value will be measured by God.

The second statement is: Our lives are determined by our values. Values measure our lives, and we are able to measure our values. We can measure our values by contrasts. In the passage about Moses, the contrast is between mistreatment and pleasure. Moses chose mistreatment over pleasure. We have the same choice. Are we going to choose the pleasures of sin or mistreatment for being a child of God? Do we value pleasure more than truth? Do we value pleasure more than righteousness?

Moses chose the responsibility God laid on him over the pleasures of sin. Our values are determined by our pleasures. What do we delight in? You can learn a lot about a person from their answer to the question: What brings you pleasure?

The next contrast is between the Egyptians and the people of God. Moses had to choose whether he would align himself with the Egyptians or the people of God. There was a large contrast between the two. Moses chose to be aligned with the Hebrew people. He valued the Hebrew people over the Egyptians.

There’s another contrast that deals with the pleasures of sin for a short season or long term service to God. Moses valued long term service to God over the pleasures of sin for a short season. What we value shapes our lives.

There are degrees to what we value: [Moses] regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. The treasures of Egypt had value—monetarily, great value—but serving God had even greater value. Someone once said, “The enemy of the best is not the bad; it’s the good.” Something that’s good could have great value, but by pursuing what is good, we can miss what is best. You may have heard the following saying:

Good, better, best

Never let it rest

Until the good is better

And the better is best.

Moses chose the best; he valued what was best. God’s will is always best. Ecclesiastes 8:12 says: Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.

Do we value a relationship with God more than other things? Moses did; he was looking ahead to his reward. He was looking far ahead to the time when he would be united with God in heaven. Hebrews 11:27 says: By faith [Moses] left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. We need to value everything in light of how it will be seen in heaven.

Tomorrow we will continue this recap of Pastor Del’s message.

Verse Completion: . . . give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

12/6/2022

Good morning!

Let me only accomplish the Will of God.

Let me not desire great things for myself.

--from Florence Nightingale’s diary, 1850

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/XG347euXoTM

Complete the Verse & Name the Book: Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is . . . (completion at the end)

Pastor Del McKenzie is doing a series of messages titled “Del’s Diamonds”. So far we have recapped: “God’s Provision for His People to Be Holy”, “Can a Human Be Righteous before God?”, “The Ability to Learn and Know”, “God’s Superlatives”, and “The Love of the Father”. Today we will start a recap of “God’s Values”.

Hebrews 11:26 tells us: [Moses] regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.

Moses was a person who knew a thing or two about values. He chose mistreatment over the fun of sin. What are the treasures of Egypt? In those days, kings had a great deal of treasure, and Moses was heir to the throne as the king’s adopted grandson. Being king would mean great wealth, position, prestige, and power. We can get an idea of the extravagant wealth involved with being king from reading 1 Kings 10:14-29:

The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the territories.

King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three minas of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.

Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days. The king had a fleet of trading ships at sea along with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.

King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.

Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue —the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price. They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans.

The weight of gold that Solomon received yearly was about 25 tons. We learn a bit about King Hezekiah’s wealth from reading 2 Chronicles 32:27-30:

Hezekiah had very great wealth and honor, and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables. He also made buildings to store the harvest of grain, new wine and olive oil; and he made stalls for various kinds of cattle, and pens for the flocks. He built villages and acquired great numbers of flocks and herds, for God had given him very great riches.

It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Gihon spring and channeled the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook.

Moses gave up the opportunity to become a very wealthy man. He valued something else more than material wealth. It’s important for us to examine what we value. It’s important for us to examine the Scriptures and see what God values. We will do this with three statements.

The first statement is: Our lives are being measured by what God values.Romans 14:12 says: So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.Our account will be based on what we have valued in life. Have we valued what God values? Our values will be tested. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 tells us:

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

Tomorrow we will continue this recap of Pastor Del’s message.

Verse Completion: . . . the fulfillment of the law.” Romans 13:10 (NASB)

12/5/2022

Good morning!

Only one life ‘twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

--Charles Studd

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/vS35FuKvcLM

Complete the Verses & Name the Book:

· But I have this against you, that you . . .

· Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and . . . (completions at the end)

Today we will conclude a recap of Pastor Michael’s message from Sunday, November 27, “The Old Covenant and the New Covenant” based on Galatians 4:8-5:1.

Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.

These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written: “Be glad, barren woman, you who never bore a child; shout for joy and cry aloud, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”

Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman (Galatians 4:21-31).

The false teachers were not interpreting the law properly. They made the law say what they wanted it to say rather than take what God said to heart. What Paul did in this passage is he took an example from the law and showed them what it reallymeans, not what they are saying it means. He uses an analogy from the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar (see Genesis 21).

Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. Ismael is an analogy for the law—salvation by works. Isaac is an analogy for the promise—salvation by grace.

Two women are involved. Hagar, Sarah’s maidservant, is an analogy for the Old Covenant of law. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, is an analogy for the New Covenant of grace. Those in Christ are children of Abraham. Those seeking to be right before God by the law are like Ishmael who came from Hagar. Paul is saying to get rid of the slave woman and her son; get rid of the Old Covenant of law. It’s of no use for salvation. The two covenants cannot exist together.

Followers of Christ are people of the promise. They are people of the Holy Spirit. They are children of God. Their inheritance is forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. They are free from the requirements of the law and the curse of the law. They now live by grace through faith in Jesus.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1).

We are to stand firm in our freedom. We are not to go back to the law. We are children of the promise, not children of the law. Salvation is not about rules, rituals, traditions, or regulations. Salvation comes through a relationship with Jesus as we put our faith in him. His grace saves us. We don’t save ourselves through our good works.

We need to let our preferences go. We need to let our traditions go. We need to release the belief that we can do anything to earn salvation. Salvation is through faith in Christ alone, not through Christ and our personal beliefs, corporate traditions, or anything else.

Galatians 4:29 tells us: At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now.

The works of mankind will always persecute the works of Jesus. The law will always persecute the promise. Legalistic people, people of the law, will always go after those who are living in the grace of God through Jesus. Legalists prefer their way over the way of Jesus, and they will do what they can to get their way, including persecution. Church division results when personal pursuits of personal preferences trump the ways of God.

Legalism destroys churches. We must always be on our guard against legalism slipping into our church. We want everything we do to be centered on Jesus and hisworks, not us and our works. We always want Jesus to be the head of our church.

Verse Completions:

· . . . have left your first love.

· . . . repent and do the deeds you did at first; Revelation 2:4-5a (NASB)

12/3/2022

Good morning!

Only one life ‘twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

--Charles Studd

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/iO7ySn-Swwc

Complete the Verses & Name the Book:

· Whatever you do, do your work heartily, . . .

· knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It . . . (completions at the end)

Yesterday we started a recap of Pastor Michael’s message from Sunday, “The Old Covenant and the New Covenant” based on Galatians 4:8-5:1.

I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you! (Galatians 4:12-20).

Paul has set his theological arguments to the side, and he is speaking to the Galatians on a personal basis. Notice how he pleads with them. Plead means to beg, implore, appeal, petition, or ask with earnestness. He uses the words brothers and sisters. They are fellow believers in Christ. Paul and the other believers are one in Christ. They have all been adopted into the family of God, so they are now brothers and sisters. Paul accepts them, and they accept Paul. They don’t do anything to harm the other. They have a good relationship with one another. They trust each other. They live out their faith in unity. Paul is now asking them to follow him in freedom with Christ.

Paul first preached to the Galatians because of an illness. His illness was a trial to them, but they treated him well. At this time, illness and sickness were often seen as a judgment from some god for some wrongdoing. A person who was sick was viewed as deserving the sickness for something bad they had done. A sick person would not be seen as an authority on God. However, the Galatians didn’t view Paul that way. They saw Jesus in Paul. If there was something they could have done to help ease Paul’s misery from his sickness, they would have jumped on it. Even if it caused them pain, they were willing to do it.

It’s possible Paul’s sickness may have involved his eyes, but we don’t know for sure. What we know is there were some people who were stirring things up against Paul. They cast doubt on Paul. They were agitators. They were gathering people to side with them and treat Paul as the enemy. Their intent was negative. Rather than treating Paul like a blessing to them, they were treating him as the enemy. As they gossiped, they said things like: “Paul has not told you everything. He’s holding some things back. He’s leading you astray. He’s not concerned about your well-being after all.” They were casting doubt on Paul. They viewed him differently because of deception, not truth.

False teachers are always zealous for more followers. They want their own ideas to be exalted even at the price of truth. When Paul didn’t go along with their false teaching, they started spreading the news that something is wrong with Paul. Why did they change? They started believing their own personal convictions and stopped searching for truth.

In spite of how Paul was treated, he continued to labor for them. He wants to see them living in the truth. He doesn’t reject; he corrects. He cares deeply about their spiritual well-being. He doesn’t want them to remain in falsehood. He doesn’t want them to remain at odds with the truth of Christ. He wants to see them moving closer to Christ, not distancing themselves from Christ through falsehood. Whenever we are at odds with the truth of Christ, we are at odds with Christ.

On Monday we will conclude this recap of Dr. Wedman’s message from this past Sunday.

Verse Completions:

· . . . as for the Lord rather than for men;

· . . . is the Lord Christ whom you serve. Colossians 3:23-24 (NASB)

12/2/2022

Good morning!

Only one life ‘twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

--Charles Studd

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/ZFHuU9fgdWQ

Complete the Verses & Name the Book:

· For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of Gpd; . . .

· Then we who are alive and remain . . . (completions at the end)

On Sunday Pastor Michael’s text was taken from Galatians 4:8-5:1. The title to his sermon was “The Old Covenant and the New Covenant”. Paul wrote to the churches in Galatia to prove that salvation is by faith alone; it’s not by the law. We can’t do any works to earn our salvation.

The law leads to curse while the promise leads to salvation from that curse. The law has value: It shows us that we are sinners. We have all fallen short of the requirements of God for salvation. We are all eternally separated from God. The law can’t do anything to save us. The law can’t forgive our sins or give us everlasting life.

However, the promise does provide a way for our sins to be forgiven and for us to have everlasting life. The promise of God for salvation is Jesus. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law. He offered the payment of sin—death—that the law required. Through Jesus there is forgiveness of sins and everlasting life.

When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become children of God. We are adopted into his family. We become heirs to the throne of God. We are set free from the law and its curse. We have been given the Holy Spirit to live in us. We are free to live without the requirements and consequences of the curse of sin hanging over us.

So far Paul has given us proofs for why salvation is by faith in Jesus alone. Now Paul transitions to what it means to live by faith in Jesus.

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces ? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you (Galatians 4:8-11).

Paul is reminding the Galatians they are children of God; they have received the inheritance. Since they are no longer subject to the guardianship of the law, they shouldn’t be going back to the law! The law served its purpose in showing them they were sinners. It showed them their need of a Savior. Now that they have found Jesus, they don’t need the law. Going back to the law is going backwards; they need to be moving forward in Jesus.

They used to be slaves to the law; they were in bondage to that which cannot bring salvation. Now they know the true God, Jehovah, and they are his children. Why would they want to go from being a child of God back to being an orphan? Why would they want to return to the old rules of living that could not give them salvation? Why would they want to return to legalism?

Legalism involves the following of rules. Legalistic people think following rules is what makes them righteous or accepted by God. The more rules they follow, the better people they believe themselves to be. A legalistic person might never miss a Sunday because they believe God is taking attendance and giving them a star for every Sunday they are in church. Legalistic people believe God is keeping track of every penny that is given to the church. Maybe a person who gives 10% gets one star, and a person who gives 15% gets two stars. Legalistic people believe God loves them more when they dress up for church. They look at the Ten Commandments as the “big sins” and they insure they don’t break them using their standard of interpretation of the commandments.

Legalistic people do works that they believe will impress God and make them more right than those who don’t do those works. Legalism is associated with tradition and ritual. As long as they do things the traditional way, they are doing things the right way.

Paul can’t understand why anyone would return to legalism. Legalism does zero for salvation. It does zero for giving a person a right standing before God. There are no longer special days, months, seasons, or years. Attending church on Easter or Christmas does not make a person right before God. There’s only one thing that makes a person right before God—their faith in Jesus alone. It’s not Jesus and something else; it’s Jesus only!

Tomorrow we will continue this recap of Dr. Wedman’s message from Sunday.

Verse Completions:

· . . . and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

· . . . shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NASB)

12/1/22

Good morning! Welcome to December!

Only one life ‘twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

--Charles Studd

Song for the Day: https://youtu.be/ZFHuU9fgdWQ

Complete the Verses & Name the Book:

· For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of Gpd; . . .

· Then we who are alive and remain . . . (completions at the end)

Today we will conclude a recap of Pastor Del McKenzie’s message titled “The Love of the Father”. So far we have explored nine characteristics of God’s love. It is unmotivated, unconditional, unfailing, infinite, natural, proven, guaranteed, personal, and sacrificial.

Because I have been adopted into the family of God, I am legally a child of God. I signed the contract and God signed the contract. It’s binding.

And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1b). Notice the present tense of the verb. We are currently children of God. We don’t have to wait until we get to heaven to be God’s children. God’s love is there for us in more ways than we can understand. Every breath we take in is an example of God lavishing his love on us. We can we thankful for living in America at this time in history. We have been lavished with material blessings.

God’s love is a mysterious love. There’s mystery in: The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him (1 John 3:1b). The world doesn’t know us. Unregenerated people do not see us as loved by God. If they did, they’d want that same love. They don’t know what we are because they don’t know who he is. They’ll never figure it out using human reasoning. We don’t look all that different physically and socially because we are loved by God. People don’t see it, and they can’t understand it. We have to communicate with them. Someone once said, “Go everywhere preaching the gospel, and use words if necessary.” We have to live it as well as share it.

God’s love is a transforming love. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:2). When we become like Jesus, it will be a transforming event. Hopefully, we are being conformed to his image now, but to be changed to be like Jesus fully will be a culminating change. It’s his love that will fully transform us.

God’s love is an illuminating love. It’s a revealing love. We will fully know his love when it is revealed, when it is illuminated. Seeing Jesus will illuminate us in a way we have not experienced here on earth. We will be able to see what we can’t see now. 1 Corinthians 13:12 says: For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. Someday we will see Jesus in all his glory. Even though we can’t see Jesus, we believe in him.

God’s love is a hopeful love. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure (1 John 3:3). We have hope in Jesus. God’s love gives us hope. Hope is an anticipation and expectation. We look forward to a marvelous future with Jesus. This future can be counted on. It’s a sure thing; we just don’t know when. Romans 5:3b-4 tells us: We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Christ in me is the hope of glory—the hope of being like Jesus, the hope of seeing Jesus as he is.

God’s love is a purifying love. When we have the anticipation of heaven, it spurs us to get ready for heaven. We purify ourselves by drawing on God’s love, confessing our sin, repenting of our sin, renouncing our sin, and repudiating our sin by dying to it. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself by turning to Jesus, leaning on Jesus, and drawing on Jesus.

God’s love produces purification in our lives. If we really think about the love of the Father, the love of the Son, and the love of the Holy Spirit, we will be purifying ourselves. Some of the things that go on in our lives we will put a stop to. Why? Because of the love of God. Selfish love wants what I think is best for me. Selfish love loves darkness. Selfish love tries to hide things. Selfish love is concerned about self-protection. Love for the world is a selfish love. As Christians, we love the people in the world, but we don’t love the evil that is happening in the world.

What an amazing love God has poured out on us. It’s beyond description. Keep turning this diamond of God’s love over and over, around and around, thinking about it, and contemplating it. Read the Scripture verses that speak about God’s love. Thank God for his love.

Verse Completions:

· . . . and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

· . . . shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NASB)

951 E Dalby Rd,
Union WA 98592
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PO Box 232
Union WA 98592
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New Community Church of Union

Daily Devotion December 2022