Day by Day

[Soldier4Christ]

"By Any Other Name"

And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. Acts 11: 26b

Last week MSNBC carried a story on children's names like Wanna Towell, Al Caholic, and Fanny Large.

In his play "Romeo and Juliet", Shakespeare said, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

It was Shakespeare's way of saying, "Names don't count for anything; it's the person inside who counts." He may have been right, but I know both of our daughters, Kirsten and Kristianna, at one time or another, wished we had baptized them with a different name.

My girls aren't unique. Many people find their names nondescript, boring, embarrassing, or all of the above. Fortunately, most people grow out of this resentment and learn to appreciate the name mom and dad gave them.

That may not be true for everybody. I can't blame Wanna Towell, Al Caholic, and Fanny Large if they stayed upset most of their lives. And what can I say about those who were saddled with the names Bread White, Good Dog, and Gamble Moore?

Throughout my life I've endured many Santa Claus jokes, and I've learned to take it with good nature, but I don't know what I would have done if I had been named as some poor children have been-Avarice Sullivan, Dinner Ware, or Anita Bath.

In truth, we might not like the names our parents give us, but there is one name that should never cause us shame-the name "Christian". The book of Acts tells us how in Antioch the disciples of the Savior were first given the name "Christian". We, like the believers of twenty centuries ago, should rejoice to be so closely identified with the Son of God who is the Savior of the world.

True, the world might not like the name; it may try to erase it from memory, but we should never do anything that would embarrass our Lord. On the contrary, we should be proud to carry the name of Him who gave His life so we might have life eternal.

As St. Peter said (1 Peter 4:16), "... if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name."

[Soldier4Christ]

"Fast Food And The Bible"

Have you ever seen cows chewing their cud? What is cud, and why do cows spend so much time chewing it? These animals fill their stomachs with grass and then lie down to regurgitate and enjoy a good, long chew. That doesn't sound very appetizing to us, but it is during this phase that they glean important nutrients to sustain their bodies.

When composing Psalm 119 the writer understood this principle: the Word of God should be consumed slowly, intentionally, and with great respect. For him, it was not "fast food" to be eaten in a hurry and then forgotten. It was something to read closely, re-read if necessary, and apply one's mind to. This is how we get the "nutrients" the Bible has to offer.

Other Scriptural gems the 119th Psalm delivers are these:
11 - God's word strengthens us against sin.
40 - God's righteousness revives us.
98 - God's commandments make us wiser.
24 - God's mercies to us are great.

The best part of reading the Bible is learning how much God loves us. No matter how deep we have sunk into sin, He still loves us and through Christ forgives us. Jesus said, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

Meditating on Scripture is more than just reading the Bible; it is inwardly digesting it and applying its life-giving truths to our daily lives. The Word of God has been prepared for us to meet all of our needs. As such, it is a hearty banquet prepared for us to take pleasure in and receive spiritual strength.

Remember: Take your time with this meal and get the most out of it. God's Word is not "fast food."

[Soldier4Christ]

"Caged Bird"

And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 1 Thessalonians 5:14

Living in St. Louis, we have the opportunity every spring and fall to watch migrating birds travel the Mississippi flyway.

I'm not a student of birds, but I once had the opportunity to visit with such an expert. He told me if you were to capture and cage a bird whose flock is migrating, it would keep trying to travel. But, after the migrating season has passed, you can open up the cage, and the bird will be apathetic to making the trip.

He summed it up by saying, “The tug on the bird's heart to travel is gone.”

I've known a lot of people who are just like those birds.

At first, they want to do what's right and good. Then, due to all kinds of interfering circumstances, they get sidetracked. If those circumstances keep up long enough, eventually the tug on that person's heart to do what's right is gone. These poor souls end up as pitiful as any caged bird.

You and I can't always prevent such things from happening, but we can try to help everybody we meet see the Savior. He did as His Father asked and because He did, we are saved.

Now, because of the grace we have received in Jesus, the Holy Spirit encourages us to live the life that God wishes. By encouraging and reflecting the love we have received from the Savior, we can set an example and encourage others to be part of God’s flock and to fly as God intends.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Whispers"

Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

I was once invited to dinner at the house of a family who had a number of children. That's great; I like children.

But these children whispered to each other at the dinner table. They whispered a lot. They whispered so much I found myself getting upset and rather frustrated with them. I thought, "Why hasn't anyone taught these youngsters any manners? Don't they know it's impolite to whisper in front of others?"

That's what I thought, but it wasn't the real problem.

What really bothered me was the fact that I was being left out. These young folks, with their looks and quiet words, were excluding me from their conversation.

None of us like to be excluded, do we? Like Rudolph, it’s easy to get upset if the other reindeer don’t let us join in their reindeer games. It doesn't matter if the occasion is at a friend's house for dinner or when we were children and nobody picked us for one of the school games. We don't like to be on the outside looking in.

This is why I give thanks I have a God who keeps inviting me into His family of faith. His Son keeps inviting us to come with Him into heaven. He tells us most clearly that He has done all that is necessary for that to happen. Because of Jesus, we’re not left out.

[Soldier4Christ]

"A Foolish Mistake"

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." Psalm 53:1

Lefkos ubgone86i is a man in love. Last week he decided to pop the marriage question to his girlfriend in a way she would never forget.

She won't.

Lefkos had his twelve thousand dollar diamond engagement ring placed into a helium-filled balloon. He planned to give his girl the balloon along with a pin to pop it. Then, when she picked up the ring from the popped balloon, he would pop the question.

Lefkos' plan was great; his execution, on the other hand, was a disaster. As he left the shop where he had the balloon filled with air, a gust of wind took it out of his hand. The balloon, along with the diamond ring, sailed away.

Lefkos, who lives in London said, "I couldn't believe it. I just watched as it went further and further into the air. It cost a fortune and I knew my girlfriend would kill me." The frustrated suitor jumped into his car and followed the balloon for two hours before balloon and ring sailed out of sight.

The story carried in the Telegraph reported Lefkos hopes someone will return the ring. I really hope that will happen, but I fear Lefkos will get that ring back at just about the same time his angry girlfriend starts speaking to him again.

You know, all of us do foolish things. True, we may not put a diamond ring in a helium-filled balloon, but we still manage to do our own foolish acts. But of all the foolish things we can do, Scripture is clear, nothing is MORE foolish than refusing to believe in God.

Christians believe there is a God because the heavens show us His handiwork. We believe in God because knowledge of His existence is written in our hearts. Most of all we believe there is a God because we have seen Him. We have seen His Son born in Bethlehem and crucified on Calvary's cross. We have stood before Jesus' empty tomb and, by God's grace, joined with Thomas in saying, "My Lord and my God."

Now the odds are, if you're like me, before today is over you will have done something very foolish. If that happens, won't you say a short thanksgiving prayer that the Lord has given you a faith that keeps you from making the most foolish mistake of all?

[Soldier4Christ]

"I Should Have Thought Of It""

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. Isaiah 9:2

Children have a lot of energy.

That's not a revelation to any of us. Years ago, I heard of how an Olympic athlete was asked to duplicate, on a comparable scale, all the things a little child does. According to the story, the athlete lasted about two hours before collapsing in exhaustion.

I don't know if that story is true, but I do know children do have almost limitless energy.

The energy of children is what a young inventor, Daniel Sheridan, hopes to harness.

Daniel has created a simple seesaw which, in ten minutes of use, can generate enough electricity to light a school classroom for an entire evening. Daniel hopes to come up with a battery of playground toys that can do the same thing.

If Daniel manages to pull this off, it will make a tremendous difference to the education programs of many places in Africa. There, in numerous remote regions, schools are closed down at night because there is no power to illuminate classrooms for the many adults who would willingly attend night classes.

When I read David's story in an article carried last week by the BBC, I thought, "What a difference it makes when people are able to live in the light."

It's a difference we don't always appreciate. Even so, it's true. The light changes everything.

That's what Isaiah was trying to convey when he was moved to prophesy about the light that comes to us in Jesus. Because of Jesus, we who were once stumbling around in the darkness are given the light to see the dangers that surround us. Because of Jesus, the Lord's route before us can be clearly seen.

Because of Jesus, we live in the light. Because of the Savior we no longer need to feel lonely or lost, depressed, or discouraged. Jesus brings light; we are forgiven and redeemed, and the darkness of death and the devil has been dissipated.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Confess The Christ"

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

Confessing Jesus.

In 1987, George Bush spoke about the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. He told of the Marxist rhetoric and the coldness of the funeral, which had no reference to God. Then President Bush said, "I happened to be in just the right spot to see Mrs. Brezhnev. She walked up, took one last look at her husband and there in the cold, gray center of that totalitarian state, she traced the sign of the cross over her husband's chest."

In that simple act, Brezhnev's widow confessed Christ.

Now according to London's Telegraph, another Soviet leader has made his own confession. Last week Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Communist leader of the Soviet Union, visited the tomb of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy. Unrecognized by others, Gorbachev knelt in prayer for half an hour.

Though baptized as a Christian by Christian parents and the husband of a wife whose mother and father were killed in World War II for having religious icons, Gorbachev held to the party position during his time in office. In one interview he was reported to have said, "nature is my god.'

That was then and this is now. Now, the once mighty man has said, "It was through St Francis that I arrived at the Church, so it was important that I came to visit his tomb."

A confession of faith.

I wonder how the world would have been changed if Gorbachev felt he had the freedom to make that confession years ago. I wonder how it would be changed if every Christian confessed their faith. According to St. Paul, confessing the Christ is something Christians do. Not because they have to, but because a thankful and living faith won't let them do anything else.

A crucified Christ and a risen Redeemer is something that needs to be shared. By God's grace and as He gives opportunity, may all of us share the Savior's story.

[Soldier4Christ]

"No sin? Not yet"

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9

Just a few days ago, USA Today asked, "Is sin dead?" The question wasn't being asked in a vacuum.

Pope Benedict XVI recently said the modern world "is losing the notion of sin."

He may be right. Popular religious spokesman Joel Osteen never mentions sin in his television sermons or his book Your Best Life Now. "I never thought about (using the word "sinners"), but I probably don't," Osteen told Larry King in an interview. "Most people already know what they're doing wrong. When I get them to church, I want to tell them that you can change."

Michael Horton, professor of theology at Westminster Seminary in California calls that kind of preaching "moral therapy." This new preaching encourages people to believe if they change their lifestyles they can get into God's good graces. These preachers indicate people can improve themselves so much God will be compelled to reward them here and now, and not someday in heaven.

Karsen Case, an ex-Missouri-Synod-Lutheran-turned-atheist summed it up when he said, "... the Bible has a lot of good stories. And I do connect with the story of Easter ... It tells me you are going to make mistakes, and you will get another chance to do right in the future."

This means if we can solve our problems and sins ourselves, we don't need Jesus. We don't need His birth, suffering, death, crucifixion, and resurrection.

It would seem our modern age would rewrite the Pharisee's prayer of Luke 18: "Lord, I thank You that I am not as other men are who do really bad mistakes. Me, I deserve happiness because I'm a pretty good guy who is doing fine on his own."

To this St. John replies, "If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." The beloved apostle wants the world to know God's Scripture-given truth that tells us when we have been given a faith to confess our sins and when we rely upon Christ, God will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The hymn writer puts it into poetry: "We deserve but grief and shame, Yet His words, rich grace revealing, Pardon, peace, and life proclaim. Here their ills have perfect healing who with humble hearts believe-Jesus sinners doth receive."

[Soldier4Christ]

"Forgiveness"

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. Lamentations 3:22

From early childhood I have feared confrontation. Instead, I chose to appease people while collecting grudges. Although I never retaliated, I never stopped feeling wronged. This went on even after I became a child of God. I discovered that forgiving and forgetting was easier said than done. I allowed my grudges to fester and infect the people closest to me. The people I loved and who loved me could not help but feel hurt by my attitude and bear grudges of their own.

The grudges I bore were not over trifling things. I had been betrayed, maliciously attacked, and abandoned. Was I not justified in feeling bitter? How could it be a sin against God if I did not do something? I held on to my resentment, nurturing it with rumor and gossip.

It dawned on me very slowly that my spiritual development had ground to a halt. I had slowly slid back down into the pit of fear and anxiety from which I had escaped through my relationship with Christ.

I found myself spiritually where I never thought I would be again. I was wracked with guilt and hopelessness. But, as I asked God for forgiveness, I felt completely unforgivable. Even when I knew I had the assurance of forgiveness, I found it very hard to accept it. I argued with myself that there were some things that may be beyond forgiveness.

The resentment I harbored in my heart weighed heavy and stifled my expectations for forgiveness. I grew to realize that if I didn't let go of my grudges I could never understand my salvation in its entirety. I understood I was condemning myself the same way I insisted on condemning others. Yet, thankfully, God has forgiven me and, in so doing, taught me how to forgive others. God does not wish to victimize me. He wants to liberate me and has regarded my failings with compassion, forgiving them and completely forgetting them.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Hanging Dead"

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

To Christians, the crucifixion of the Savior will always remain one of the most powerful and moving of all the Lord’s manifold graces.

That is understandable. Because of the Christ’s sacrifice on the cross the price for our salvation has been paid.

Even so, there is a rest of the story.

One day, when Michelangelo's skills were at their best, he turned to his fellow artists and said with disappointment in his voice, "Why do you keep filling gallery after gallery with endless pictures on the one theme of Christ on the cross, and most of all, Christ hanging dead? Why do you concentrate on the passing episode as if the curtain dropped down there on disaster and defeat? That dreadful scene lasted only a few hours. But to the unending eternity Christ is alive; Christ rules and reigns and triumphs!"

Michelangelo said it as good as anyone can.

Easter is the triumphant message from God that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross has been accepted. No longer is death in control. No longer is the grave the ultimate end for humanity.

Because Jesus has risen, we too will rise. All of Christianity continues to shout the ancient greeting of the church: "Christ is risen!" And from heaven comes the reply, "He is risen, indeed!" May the risen Christ always live within your heart.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Hidden Treasure"

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:20-21

A man by the name of Wookey was searching for scrap metal in a pile of rubbish outside of Lancashire, England.

Mr. Wookey was most surprised when he came across a leather-bound book. The binding was scorched and smoking, but the pages remained in good shape. Wookey grabbed the book, and kept it when he moved to Canada.

Years later, in Toronto, Wookey decided to have the book appraised. The expert said the volume was a 300-year-old work by Thomas Traherne. At auction, the book sold for over one hundred thousand dollars!

All of which is my way of saying that you can find some pretty valuable things in unexpected places.

As valuable a find as Wookey's book was, I can think of another Treasure which is far more precious. To find this Treasure, you should not search through the dumpsites of the world. This Treasure is found, actually will not be found, in an ancient and borrowed tomb.

The empty grave of Jesus assures us God's most valuable plan of salvation is complete.

Unlike Wookey's treasure, this valuable Gift from God cannot have its worth measured in dollars and it will never be sold at auction. Even so it is priceless, a gift from our gracious God which should be cherished and kept and shared.

In that spirit, allow me to encourage you to continue the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, humankind’s Treasure. If you do, you will have a Fortune that is precious, indeed.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Remembering Important Stuff"

He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise. Luke 24:6-7

I used to remember things. The active words in that sentence are "used to remember."

Now I know the younger readers of the Daily Devotion might not understand that sentence. That's okay; the day will come when they will. On the other hand, if you're no longer as young as you used to be, you too might be the victim of an occasional bout of forgetful-itis.

If so, this devotion may give you some comfort. There are others who are worse than we. Last week Reuters News Service carried the story of a shoplifter in Kerkrade, Holland, who stole a package of meat. The thief managed to get out of the store, get to his car and shake off a supermarket employee who threw himself on the car's hood to stop the man's escape.

All in all, the crook was feeling pretty good until he realized he had forgotten a rather key piece of evidence back in the store. He had left his twelve-year-old son behind. After the boy talked to the police, the law contacted the crook and asked him to please come back and pick up his boy. The thief politely declined and suggested the officers might want to call the boy's mother instead. To make a long story short, the crook eventually turned himself in.

Forgetfulness. All of us are probably going to forget a great many things before we're done in this world.

One thing we dare never let slip from our recollection is the good news of salvation, which is ours through the Savior's third-day resurrection. "Remember Jesus told you," the angel said on Easter Sunday, "He must be delivered to sinful men, be crucified and rise again on the third day."

With those few words, this dark world becomes filled with light; our damnable destination for eternity is reversed, and folks of faith are both forgiven of the past and freed to live a life of joy in the present. The Savior's resurrection is something worth remembering.

[Soldier4Christ]

"A Good Feeling"

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

"Yup, I knew that."

Over the years I've found myself saying those word many times, "Yup, I knew that." Understand, such a statement was not made because I am naturally brilliant or intuitive. I'm not. No, I'm able to say, "I knew that" because the Bible told me so.

Maybe I should give you an example of something I and other Christians know-something that the scientific community is just beginning to understand and explain. The March edition of Science Magazine reported that researchers at the University of British Columbia have discovered when individuals contribute cash to help others they feel quite happy. When that same money is spent on themselves, there get no warm fuzzies.

Another study from a Boston firm found employees who donated a percentage of their profit-sharing bonus to good causes were happier than those who didn't.

Yup, I knew that. The Bible tells me that the person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly.

Now those researchers put forth a number of reasons why giving to others might make an individual feel good. For example, they suggest charitable giving could make a person feel noble, nicer, or even provide meaning to an individual's perspective of himself.

Maybe all those things are true, I don't know. Without the ability to look into human hearts, I would only be making a guess as to meaning and motivation.

On the other hand, we do know the Lord has told us He loves a cheerful giver. The Lord loves those people who give not because they have to, nor because they feel compelled to, nor because someone is twisting their arms.

No, God loves a cheerful giver. Indeed, how can God's people be anything but cheerful givers? Because of Jesus' gift as presented to us in His life, death, and resurrection, we have been graciously granted forgiveness and faith, hope and heaven, and peace and the ongoing presence of the Christ. Having received freely, God's people are glad to give freely.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Life's Drive"

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please Himself. Romans 15:1-3a

I've never met the children of South Africa's Salumbe village. Even so, I admire them.

Some time ago, the village boat was stolen. Without buses and cars and with the nearest safe crossing calling for a twelve-mile detour, each day one hundred and fifty students swim across the crocodile-infested Tugela River to get to school.

They swim that river in their underwear, using rubber inner tubes to keep them afloat and buckets to keep their schoolbooks and uniforms dry.

Now you might think self-preservation would dictate those students do all they can to get across that river as quickly as possible. That's what most people would do if they were crossing a river with crocodiles.

Not so the students of Salumbe village. The older ones, the ones who are stronger swimmers, help those who are younger and weaker.

Yes, I like the students of Salumbe village.

They have a pretty good grasp of what St. Paul was saying to the Christians who lived in ancient Rome. He wanted them, and us, to know that those who have been saved by Christ, who have been washed of their sins and been given a strong faith, have an obligation to help those who are weak.

Did I use the word obligation? Let's change that to opportunity. We who were once helpless in sin and bound by Satan have been brought to safety by the Savior's great sacrifice. Now, as opportunity presents itself, we can show our thanks to Jesus by helping those who are weak or have a special need.

To help the weak swim their own rivers-that's the way Jesus said He wanted His followers to live, isn't it? You remember His words, don't you? "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me" (Matthew 25:40b). Jesus wants us to help others swim their own rivers.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Really, Truly Dead"


But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. John 19: 33-34

All that could be done for Zach Dunlap had been done.

After Zach's all-terrain vehicle accident, the doctors had monitored his brain activity. Seeing nothing, the doctors declared Zach dead and asked the family to approve the taking of his organs so they might be transplanted into others.

After the family had agreed, they stopped in Zach's room to express their final farewells. As a last test, a knife was scraped across Zach's foot and he moved. Yes, Zach who had been pronounced "dead," was quite alive.

Today, Zach has been released from the hospital and says for a dead man he is feeling 'pretty good." In case you're wondering, he does confess to harboring a bit of bitterness toward the physician who pronounced him "dead." Although he was unable to move or say anything, Zach says he heard everything that had been said about him.

A great many people, reading Zach's story carried last week by the Associated Press, would say, "Ah, ha! If today's modern tools and technology can't always determine if a person is alive or dead, how can we be sure Jesus really died on the cross? Maybe He was in bad shape like Zach. Maybe He was even taken down from the cross-alive. May be He never really rose."

Good questions.

This is why we should be thankful that the Holy Spirit anticipated our contemporary questions. That's why He inspired John to write, "one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear and at once there came out blood and water." That last part, about blood and water coming out describes a medical condition that only happens when the heavier parts of the blood have been separated from the lighter parts.

Two thousand years ago, John described a condition modern medicine tells us only occurs when a person has been dead for a period of time. It does not happen when a person has fainted, is in a coma, or is unresponsive.

In short, the stab of a spear and not the light touch of a knife blade shows to any who will look, Jesus died on Calvary's cross, and a resurrected Christ emerged from the borrowed tomb.