Day by Day

[Def]

Okay.

thank you Pastor Roger, goodnight you all ,chosen people priest and Kings Hallelujah goodnight...

[Def]

thank you Pastor Roger, goodnight you all ,chosen people priest and Kings Hallelujah goodnight...

if God is for us who can be against us sleeptight.Def "" the sheep is David and I..and you can hide yourself with Jesus in God OK..

[Soldier4Christ]

"A Dark Beginning"

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. Matthew 2:16

During the First World War, a new day was dawning on a battlefield in northern France. The sun was burning through a fog that had been so thick no one had been able to see more than a few yards beyond their own trenches. In the night, the Germans had drawn back their lines and the French had gone forward. Between the two positions a lonely farmhouse was still standing.

As the sun rose, heavy guns began to boom. Suddenly the firing ceased and there fell a strange, dead stillness. Midway between the trenches, near the shattered farmhouse, there was … no, it must be impossible! But it was not, for there in the green meadow, crawling on his hands and knees, was a baby, happy and contented. His laugh was heard as he played. Not a shot rang out from either side. This spot which had been an inferno of shot and shell, was now a peaceful island.

Suddenly a soldier jumped out of a trench and ran to where the child was crawling. He tenderly lifted him up and carried him back to shelter. Along both lines there rang out a mighty cheer. That little babe had brought peace to the battlefield, just as nearly 2,000 years ago, the Bethlehem baby, Jesus Christ—true man and true God—brought peace for humankind.

Of course there are some significant differences between the two infants. Jesus was not born for the purpose of bringing about an earthly absence of war. A world without hatred and violence will have to wait until we join Him in paradise. No, Jesus came into this sinful world so there might be peace for sinful souls.

As He lived His life for us—as He substituted Himself for us; as He died and rose for us—He became the bridge between humanity and His heavenly Father. Where there was darkness, Jesus brought light. Where there was sadness, the Savior brought joy. Where there had been death, He brought resurrection. There is one other difference we should note between Jesus and this baby of World War I. After the baby in our story was taken to safety, the soldiers once again took up their weapons. Jesus, on the other hand, was born for us so that He might bring peace, not for a few hours, but for eternity.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Anyone Listening"

I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words. Psalm 17:6

Here’s a question for you. What do the following companies have in common? Starbucks. Nordstrom. Four Seasons Hotels. Lexus. LL Bean. Chick-fil-A. Ritz Carlton. FedEx. UPS. Cadillac. According to a story filed last week by ABC News, all of these companies believe in customer satisfaction and listen to their customers who call in with a complaint or compliment.

There are other businesses, most notably cell phone and cable TV companies, airlines, and banks, which apparently don’t have the same motivation to please. Reliance on automated phone systems, slashed budgets in customer service, and dissatisfied employees cause many of these companies to be consistently rated poorly when it comes to customer satisfaction. Indeed, one cell-phone company, Sprint, recently made headlines because it dropped 1,000 customers because they complained too much.

When I read that article, I was compelled to compare these companies with the Lord. While some people may say God doesn’t care and never hears, the Psalmist confidently said: “I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God, incline Your ear to me, hear my words.”

The Psalmist is painting quite a picture, isn’t he? He is showing us a snapshot of the almighty, all-knowing God sitting on His heavenly throne. He wants us to see the Lord, the Creator, and Master of all that is. In front of God’s great throne stands the Psalmist. What a contrast is made by the small, helpless, humble human. In spite of the great differences between them, the Psalmist calls out: “God, would you please bend down here, incline Your ear and listen to me.”

Wonder of wonders. That is exactly what God does. God takes the time to listen to the prayers and petitions of that one, single human being. If you don’t think that’s impressive, try to get an appointment to see the President or a movie star. The Psalmist wants you to know that God is more accessible than any President, and more caring than any screen star. God listens, because God loves you.

The Lord pays attention to and is interested in everything we have to say to Him because His only Son, Jesus is our substitute and Savior from sin. He inclines His ear when we call on Him. He answers us when we speak to Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

"It's No Trouble"

"Lord, don't trouble Yourself, for I do not deserve to have You come under my roof." Luke 7:6

Do any of you remember Chris Hughes? Known by his men as “No-Slack Hughes,” he commanded the 2nd Battalion, America’s 327th Infantry Regiment in Iraq. While seeking the support of a Muslim holy man for their stay in a southern city, Hughes and his soldiers ran into a group of angry Iraqi men who blocked their progress. Shouting, “God is great,” the group turned into a crowd, and the crowd turned into a rock-throwing mob.

At that point Lieutenant Colonel Hughes could have issued the command to “open fire.” He could have been involved with a misunderstanding and a massacre. Instead, using good judgment rather than guns, creativity rather than confrontation, Hughes told his boys, "Smile, relax." He told them to “take a knee” and point their weapons toward the ground. Then Hughes backed his men away, turned the vehicles around, and went back to the compound. When tempers had calmed, the religious leader of the community called upon his people to welcome Hughes and his soldiers.

Centuries ago, a Roman centurion in Capernaum could have commanded Jesus to come to his house and heal his servant. Instead of sending soldiers with a demand, he asked a delegation of his friends to speak to Jesus on his behalf. Like our generation’s Colonel Hughes, the centurion, with humility, asked Jesus for help. And Jesus responded favorably. We shouldn’t be surprised. Back then, just as now, Jesus is receptive to those who come to Him in faith. Jesus was glad to be of help to the centurion, just as He is glad to help us. To help the hurting, to reclaim the lost, and to bring sinners from spiritual darkness into the light of God's saving grace was why Jesus had been born into this world of sin.

Look at the record of the loving Lord. The blind that came to Him were given sight; the lame He left walking; loathed lepers were cleansed; the deaf, having met the Savior were able to hear; the dead were raised; and the Gospel was preached to those who were poor (see Luke 7:22). Even today, Jesus brings forgiveness to the most serious of sinners and hope to those who find themselves beyond any concept of happiness. Having carried our sins, having been our substitute, Jesus still comes this day to you, to me, to any who, like the centurion, come to Him in faith.

[Soldier4Christ]

"What's Inside?"

For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26-28

“It’s not the color of the balloon, but what’s inside the balloon that makes it go up.” That’s the answer the circus balloon salesman gave to a young boy who wanted a colored balloon that would fly higher than any of the others.

It’s not the color, but what’s inside.

Kent Couch, of Bend, Oregon, knows that statement is true. According to ABC News, Kent tried to fly from Oregon to Idaho in a lawn chair. No, it wasn't just a lawn chair. Kent had some snacks, a parachute, a global positioning system, and 105 helium filled balloons. He didn’t make it to Idaho, but before he came down in a farmer’s field, Kent did manage to cover 193 miles in nine hours.

Yes, it really happened. There is a video of him flying across the mountains. And yes, Kent was spotted by an airline pilot who reported passing a guy in a lawn chair. And yes, Kent paid a fine of $1,500 for violating air-traffic rules.

Even so, Kent knows that it’s not the color of the balloons; it’s what’s inside that makes you go up.

That’s what Saint Paul was talking about when he wrote to the church in Galatia. He wanted them, and us, to know that if we’re going to go up, if we’re going to be forgiven, if we’re going to be saved, it’s not because we do it ourselves. It’s what’s inside that makes us go up.
Today, there are all kinds of self-help books on the market. Today, many people think of themselves as being self-made men or women. Maybe, but when the day comes when we stand before the judgment seat of God, none of the things we have done is going to count. We aren’t going to be saved because we were rich, successful, or come from a blue-blooded family. Salvation is going to be awarded solely on the basis of whether we had Spirit-given faith in Jesus Christ. We will receive our heavenly home if, and only if, our sins were washed away in the Savior’s blood.

It’s what’s inside that makes us go up. So if you have that faith, and if you have been cleansed, this would be a good time to rejoice. Inside, you’ve got that thing which is necessary, and someday, you’re going up.

[Soldier4Christ]

"But What About. . ."

This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4

Another story begins with a lady who died and found herself outside of paradise. Soon an angel showed up and said, “Hello, Virginia (Virginia was her name), we’ve been waiting for you.” The lady inquired, “What do I have to do to gain admittance?” The angel said, “The doors will open for you if you can correctly spell one word.” She asked, “And that word would be?” The angel replied: “Spell love.” Very carefully Virginia spelled, “L-O-V-E.” Although Christians know it is only through the merit and blood of Jesus that we get into heaven, in this story, the doors slowly opened and the lady was in.

Although heaven doesn’t have time, about three years later—by earth’s calendar—Virginia was on duty at that same gate when her earthly husband show up. With an official tone, she asked, “Hello, dear, how have things been going?” He confessed, with a pretty big smile, “Well, things have been going famously. Do you recall that attractive nurse who was taking care of you just before you died? We fell in love and got married a couple of months after you died. Then I found I was holding the only winning ticket to a $75,000,000 lottery. We moved into a mansion, I quit my job, and we traveled all over the globe. The last thing I remember is that we were skiing in the Swiss Alps and I tried to outrun an avalanche.” Then he asked, “So, how can I get in?” His ex-wife replied, “To get in, all you need do is spell one word correctly." “And what’s the word?” he asked. She smiled and said, “Czechoslovakia.”

I imagine that if God were to ask us to decide whether certain people we know should make it into heaven, we’d end up saying “no” to more than one. Thankfully, God reserves the right to judge human souls for Himself. Being a loving God, and beyond any human understanding, He desires that all men be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.

Even more than hoping we are saved, God has provided a way for that salvation to become a reality. God’s plan, begun and ended in His own Son, Jesus Christ, is the way into heaven. To be saved we don’t have to do anything, not even learn to spell Czechoslovakia. All we need is Jesus as our Savior. If we do, heaven’s gates are open.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Always Is A Long Time"

“. . .And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20b

Overflowing landfills across the country tell us that we live in a world where things are disposable. If it’s broken or old, get rid of it. If there’s a newer model, get rid of the old.

Most things may be disposable, but people should never be. That’s the way I thought things were until I read an article from Time, which told the story of a Chinese girl who left school to become a professional athlete. At the age of 13, she was assured that her country’s sports organization would take care of her the rest of her life. With that kind of security, she worked hard and managed to win some national championships.

The girl kept her end of the bargain, but when she retired in 1993, she found out her government wasn’t going to do the same. After working three years at some menial jobs in the team’s kitchen, she was asked to leave. Without any education, she ended up working at a host of poor paying jobs. She carried sacks at a construction site. She sold lamb-kabobs on the street, and she gave massages. The last job paid $60.00 a month.

According to an interview one of the coaches gave to the Beijing News, the girl is not alone. He said, “(her) national medals are worthless. There are world champions who end up jobless after retirement.” Indeed, the article told of one woman who won the Beijing International Marathon and was selling her medals so she could feed her family.

No cereal box covers for these folks.

They are disposable.

As I look at the Savior’s earthly ministry, I can never think of a time when He thought anybody was worthless or disposable. The Gospels tell of how He restored those who were possessed by devils and healed those whose leprous bodies had made them outcasts of society. Jesus lovingly spoke with foreigners, ate with tax collectors, and reached out to the most despicable of sinners.

To Jesus, no one is without value, including you and me. Jesus gave His life as the supreme sacrifice, which saves us from our sin because He loves us. Because Jesus cares for us, He completed the Father’s work of redemption that has rescued us. Because Jesus loves us we are forgiven and adopted into God’s family of grace.

Because He loves us, His words are true: “I am with you always.” That’s the kind of life-long love we need.

[Soldier4Christ]

"A Perfect Flight"

For God so loved the world. . . John 3:16a

Most people know the hymn “Away In A Manger.” That hymn has a line that refers to the Savior. It states: “no crying He makes.”

It’s a pleasant thought to think that the Savior never cried. It's pleasant, but as far as I am able to tell, unsupported by the Bible. Since we know Jesus cried as a man, it is not a far stretch to think that He also cried as a Child.

In truth, most of our children cry, shout, argue, and make noise. Those are the things children do. It’s part of their job description. This is why I was surprised to hear that Kate Penland and her 19-month-old son, Garren, were kicked off a commercial airplane that was traveling from Atlanta to Oklahoma. (Yes, the stewardess waited until the plane made a scheduled stop in Houston before she ordered the two off.)

As a frequent flyer, I can understand how a stewardess might get tired of a child who kept repeating, “Bye, bye, plane.” I can understand because I get frustrated with children who cry for the entire length of a cross-country flight. (Don’t they get tired?) I get upset with the child who kicks the back of my seat, the person in the next chair who puts their head on my shoulder (my wife excluded), or the person who hasn’t showered in a few weeks, and the person who. . .

The above paragraph could have been longer, but this devotion does have some space limitations. In truth, there are a lot of things and a lot of people who upset me. You probably have your own list of folks who get on your nerves.

This is one of the things I really appreciate about the Lord. The first part of John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world. . .” He loves the little boy who is kicking the back of an airline seat, and He loves the minister who gets upset with the little boy who is kicking his airline seat.

Jesus loves. Jesus loved the man who betrayed Him with a kiss. He loved the men who lied about Him and the ones who made sure He would be crucified. Jesus loved weak Pontius Pilate and the strong soldiers who pounded nails into his hands and feet. Jesus loved sinners so much that He was willing to die so that the condemnation for humanity’s sins might be removed, and so all might be forgiven and saved.

God so loved the world. And God so loved each of us.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Mixed Signals"

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10

Ministers usually don’t have problems finding the right words. Even so, last week the Washington Post reported an incident that may have left many preachers tongue-tied.

According to the article, a group of friends in Washington, D.C. were having a dinner party on the patio of one of their homes. That’s when a thief, his face covered by a hood, slid through an open gate and pointed his gun at the head of a 14-year-old girl. His demand was simple. He said, “Give me your money, or I’ll start shooting.” Everyone froze, except for one woman who said, “We were just finishing dinner. Why don’t you have a glass of wine with us?” The robber took her up on the offer and drank the entire glass. The host offered him the bottle. The thief took the bottle and helped himself to a bit of Camembert cheese. After awhile, the thief put his gun away and apologized, saying, “I think I may have come to the wrong house. Can I get a hug?”

They hugged him. He left. The dinner part moved inside the house, and they called the police.
While the police were amazed at the story of the gentle criminal, many Christians won’t be. We have heard Jesus warn, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” Jesus knew that sin and Satan don’t always look sinister and menacing. They may, like the Washington thief, check us out and try to find our weaknesses. Like the Washington thief, they may try to slip into our lives without causing commotion. Like the Washington thief they may appear to be civilized, polite, and apologetic. They may even come to us appealing to our emotions and asking for our affection.

Jesus wants us to remember that no matter how the thief comes to us, he is there to steal, kill and destroy.

It was the Lord’s way of reminding us to avoid sin’s transgression and flee Satan’s temptations, no matter how good they look, or how smooth they talk.

It is far better to trust the Savior who comes into our lives to give and not to take, and far smarter to believe on Him who gave His life so we might have life and have it to the fullest.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Changing Times"

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Times are changing. Sometimes I forget just how much. A number of years ago, when my daughter was five years old, I had the opportunity to show her around the old family farm. Conscientiously, I pointed out the hard work and skills it took to farm the land. As we entered the cow barn, I showed her the long, handmade ladder to the loft and explained that here is where grandfather had kept the hay to feed the cows. I thought I had made an impression until she said, "I bet it was hard for those cows to climb that ladder."

Although we were living under the same roof, my daughter and I saw things in a different way. The computer that amazed me, she took for granted. Yet, there are some things that have stayed the same for both of us. The care of a mother is above improvement; the need for respect from family and friends remains a constant, as does the love of the Lord.

As a Christian, we know that even though the world becomes unrecognizable, the compassion of our gracious God will always be there, consistent, consistent and continuous. It is always with us, reaching out, to young and old, providing hope and joy that comes from having Jesus as a Savior.

[Soldier4Christ]

"A Lost Life"

Then He said to them all: “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Luke 9:23

Let me tell you about a recruiter who appeared at an Ivy League University. Representing some of the poorest school districts in the country, the woman stood in front of the students and said, “I don’t think I belong here. I was told this was a Beemer campus (a school at which the students are affluent enough to drive BMW cars), and I can see you are destined for success. There’s no point in asking you to walk away from that so that you can go to a poor place you’re not sure of, and where you probably won’t be appreciated. I wish you luck.” Then as the recruiter sat down she said, almost as an afterthought, “But, if by some chance I’m wrong, and you are interested in what I’m saying, visit with me afterwards.” The meeting ended, except for the mass of students who mobbed the woman, the students who thought their lives had a higher purpose.

That story gives me the opportunity to ask, “Do you think your life has a higher purpose?” Is it possible you were born merely with the objective of attending school, going to work, having a few years of retirement before someone says a few words over you at the cemetery? Is that all we are, all we were meant to be?

The Lord has never thought so little of us. When He made our first ancestors and set them in the Garden of Eden, He gave them a purpose. God’s purpose was set aside when humankind followed Satan’s suggestion to sin. Even though we discarded Him, God refused to reject us. In love, He sent His Son into this world to pay the purchase price for our freedom. In love, He sends His Spirit to call us to faith and to a cross.

Nowadays, it’s fashionable for ministers to say “when you become a Christian, your life will be sweetness and light.” Jesus makes no such promises. On the contrary, He says, “If you follow Him, you will carry a cross.” I cannot, at my computer, say what your cross may be. I do know it is a special thing, designed to strengthen your faith, make your witness more solid, your faith more sure. God has allowed this individual cross to come so that your life, relying on Him, may have a higher purpose.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Is It I?"

The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Genesis 3:12-13

When I was a little boy, I scraped my leg on the dining room table. Rather than giving me sympathy, my mother turned and started talking to the table. In between her words, she “spanked” the offending furniture. As I remember it, she said, “Bad table! (whack) Bad table! (whack) Don’t you ever (whack) hurt my little boy again!” (whack) By the time she was done, I felt better, and the table had learned its lesson. Spanking a table was one of the sillier things my mother has done in her life. Her disciplining of an unfeeling table made absolutely no sense. It was so silly that Pam and I did the same thing when some inert object jumped out and hurt one of our children.

According to a story carried by the news services last week, the custom of punishing inanimate objects may be a widespread concept. In case you missed the article, here’s a synopsis.

Last week the residents of a Hanover, Germany apartment building were awakened by the sound of shattering glass followed by a large noise. When police came to investigate, they found a street littered with electronic parts and a man with a satisfied smile on his face. He explained that his computer had not been working properly and he had, in frustration and anger, decided to “punish” the offending machine by throwing it out the window.

Amazingly, the police didn’t arrest him. They asked him to clean up the computer mess and explained to the crowd that had gathered, “All of us, sooner or later, want to punish our computers.” Those German police knew that people prefer to blame somebody, or something, else for their problems. That’s not news to Christians. We have seen how Adam blamed Eve for the fall into sin, and Eve tried to transfer the guilt to Satan (Genesis chapter 3).

The truth is this: we are sinners and the world is a sinful place. A computer may not work the way we want it to, but it is an out-of-control temper that makes us throw it out the window. We are sinners, and although we may not like it, God holds us accountable. To save sinners, God sent His Son into the world to be our Redeemer. Look at Jesus’ life, and you will see the innocent Son of God being punished for guilty humanity. Look and you will see Jesus living, suffering, and dying for us. With Jesus’ resurrection, sinners are assured that they have been forgiven of all they have done wrong.

[Soldier4Christ]

"In Good Hands"

Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. Isaiah 46:4

The passing of the decades has taught me there is truth to the expression that old age is “ten years older than whatever age I happen to be.” Even so, the years do have the ability to creep up on us, and if God grants us the time, the day will come when we can’t do for ourselves all we would like to do.

On a regular basis, I get letters from people whose parents are in a nursing home or in assisted living. The letters almost always read like this, “My parents and I have always listened to The Lutheran Hour. But now, with my mother and father not able to get around, The Lutheran Hour has become “church” for them. Of course, we are thankful for a pastor who visits them, and brings them Communion, but the weekly Lutheran Hour message is a great blessing.” Speaking for everyone at The Lutheran Hour, it is a joy to be of assistance.

Sometimes, (although they may not want it) the elderly do need some special help. That point was brought home last week by a 75-year-old lady in Japan who was caught in an earthquake. With two-broken ribs and a cut foot, her family had to bring her meals and take her to an outside washroom. Since she was sleeping on a hardwood floor, it was necessary for a doctor to stop by and give her pain pills.

Painfully, and speaking for all the elderly, she mused, “The earthquake hurt a lot of old people because we couldn’t move fast enough to escape.” Indeed, all ten of the people killed were older than 65. In 2004, when another earthquake hit Japan, two-thirds of the people who died were seniors.

Statistics say that a natural catastrophe might only be the beginning of the difficulties for seniors. Official records report that one-third of the people who died after the 2004 earthquake succumbed to the stress that came from being transplanted to the strange life of a shelter.

Because the Lord knows our needs, He wants His seniors to know that He hasn’t forgotten them. Although life can be difficult at any age, Isaiah assures God’s people that the Lord who has made us will continue to carry us when we are old. He who gave His Son as the Sacrifice to save us promises that He will be the One we can count on to carry us when our hair has turned grey.

A caring, loving Lord is a comfort we will need, that is, if we ever get to that point in our lives when we get old.

[Soldier4Christ]

"They Didn't Get It"

They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. John 20:9

There is in the state of Georgia a white man who is buried in a cemetery traditionally reserved for African-Americans. The mother of this man died when he was a small child. His father never remarried and, according to custom at that time, he employed Mandy, a black woman, a Christian woman, to help with the raising of his son.

Without being his mother, Mandy gave the boy a mother’s love. Among his earliest and warmest recollections was Mandy’s tradition of waking him with a gentle, “Wake up — God's mornin' is come.” The boy grew and went off to college. When he came home for holidays and summers, Mandy still began the day with, “Wake up — God’s mornin’ is come.” He never outgrew hearing those words; she never outgrew saying them.

Later in life, after he had achieved some success, the man received the message, “Mandy has died. Can you come to her funeral?” Standing at Mandy’s open grave the man turned to his companions and commented, "If I die before Jesus returns, I want to be buried here, beside Mandy. I like to think that on Resurrection Day she'll say, 'Wake up, my boy, God's mornin' is come!'" The boy, like Mandy, had gotten it. They knew that their Savior has risen. With faith in Him, they knew that death could never destroy them. They knew that God’s resurrection mornin’ is coming for all who hold fast to Jesus as their Redeemer. They got it.

Sadly, the world is filled with hundreds of millions of people who don't get it. Some have never heard of Jesus. They can't get it. Some know the name of Jesus, but only when it's used as a curse word. They won't get it. Some don't get it because they refuse to believe that a man who lived and died 2,000 years ago can have any impact or influence. When people don’t get what God wants to give, they remain lost, retain their sins, and refuse the Redeemer’s rescue.

God wants you to "get it". There are numerous proofs to the reality of the Savior’s resurrection. Check it out. Better yet, trust the Holy Spirit who can help you get hope where there is horror, joy where there is judgment, peace where today there is only poison. Get God’s gift: the Christ who gives us God’s good morning.