Day by Day

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Rejoice Always"

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Psalm 46:1-3

There are, I imagine, people who are so isolated that they remain unaware the world's economy is in a state of disorder.

Experts seem confused that companies and corporations that seemed unshakable are rocking.

At the same time, depression, discouragement, and doubt are on the rise.

This is precisely the time when our need for the Savior and His presence ought to be the most obvious.

This takes me to the story of Harriet Martineau, a 19th-century atheist. One day she and a friend stepped out into the glories of a beautiful fall morning. As Harriett saw the brilliant sun peaking through the haze, and the frost on the meadow, and the brightly colored leaves falling to the ground, she was awed by the beauty and commented, "I am so thankful. I'm just so grateful for it all."

Hearing the comment, her Christian friend asked, "Grateful to whom, my dear?"

Right now, people all around us are looking for a savior. I think it quite right and proper for Christians to suggest these searchers would do well to look to the Savior for hope and help.

He who gave Himself to win our salvation has also promised to be with us every day we live. He is there to listen, to help, to bring us through good times and bad, happy times and sad.

In this we agree with the Psalmist who rightly said, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Because of our loving Lord, we, too, can say, "we will not fear, even though the earth be shaking, and the mountains fall into the sea, and the stock market seems like a roller coaster, and our jobs and retirement funds seem shaky."

Because of the Lord of life, we need not be afraid. He remains in control. We can be grateful to Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Thanks Always"

Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

So, what's your "Thanksgiving Quotient" this year?

With wars, suicide bombers, economic difficulties, and an uncertain future, it might not be at its highest.

So, how do you feel about St. Paul who wrote we should give "thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"?

Some might say the apostle needed a "reality check." In fact, there are times when I might have agreed with that opinion. Not any more. An article I came across in my files, at least in part, has brought about a shift in my opinion some time ago. I wish I could tell you where it came from, but that information has been lost to me.

This Thanksgiving Day, I have made a few changes to that article and share it with you in hopes it may help.

"I am thankful for all of the following things:
The taxes I pay because it means the Lord has given me an income.
I am thankful for snug clothes that show the Lord has put plenty on my table.
For weeds and clogged gutters because it shows the Lord has given me a home.
For high gas prices, because it shows I have a car and the ability to drive.
For my candidate who was or was not elected because I have been blessed to live in a land of freedom.
For piles of laundry which is God's way of saying I have more than "two robes."
For an alarm clock which goes off early every day. The Lord wants me to know I'm needed.
For duplicate emails from my friends because it means I have friends and they are thinking about me."


That list could go on. It ought to go on. It ought to be modified and personalized and thought about by every one of us. Truly, we complain about hard times, but the world knows differently. The Lord has blessed us.

Now, in response to His generosity, we can thank and praise, serve and share Him. We can thank Him for unnoticed and unappreciated gifts; we can share His Son's sacrifice, which has saved us. In Jesus' Name we can give thanks.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "A Holy Nation"

He (Ahaziah) did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. 1 Kings 22:52

Sometimes it's all in how we're raised. Let me share with you stories about two very different families.

The first family was led by a man who had a notorious reputation for wickedness. People feared him so much he earned the name, "Badman." When he died, his eldest son excelled in wickedness and became even more corrupt than his father. Soon, everybody came to know him by the name, "first son of Badman." Like his father before him, he lived and died in treachery, and no one mourned the loss.

The second family included a police officer, who was upstanding and disdained corruption wherever he encountered it. One morning after family devotions, he summoned his only son and requested the boy slip his feet into his (the father's) sandals. As the family watched, the boy did as requested. Then the father said to him, "Follow in my footsteps, even as I have followed with faith in the footsteps of Jesus Christ our Savior." And with these words, the man died. Today, the man's son has kept faith with his advice and is serving as a volunteer in the ministry here in Nigeria.

The Scripture above tells us King Ahaziah did evil in the sight of God like his father, Ahab, who reigned before him. The truth is, many people miss the mark in life when they follow the path of weakness led by their forbears. Some children, who grow up watching their parents fight, endure verbal abuse or totally distracted by the world, tend to follow in their parents' lifestyle. God not only expects us to live our lives differently but righteously, as we're accountable to Him.

As Christians, we rejoice that through faith in Jesus' atoning work for our salvation we are each a new creation. What better reason is there to be thankful and live our lives honorably and humbly in service to our Lord and Savior?

Peter knew well the individual distinctiveness God gives those who love Him. "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9).

Let us each follow in the footsteps of our gracious Savior who now sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Pursuit Of Happiness"

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

Are you happy? According to some reports, most of us aren't.

If so, the lack of happiness is nothing new. History tells us that once, when Benjamin Franklin had concluded a stirring speech on the guarantees of the Constitution, a heckler shouted, "Aw, them words don't mean nothin' at all. Where's all the happiness you say it guarantees us?"

To the ignorant challenge, Franklin smiled and replied, "My friend, the Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness; you have to catch it yourself."

Well, most of us are still in pursuit of happiness. Sadly, many people are pursuing it in places where it can't be found... or caught.

The Lord tells us, quite rightly, that true happiness-joy-and peace comes from people recognizing they need the forgiveness and salvation the Savior has bought for us with His life, suffering, death, and resurrection.

In other words, true happiness is found when the Lord brings our lives into harmony with His will.

Having said that, I know many people may not like that kind of answer to the question of the search for happiness.

I'm sorry they don't like it, but that answer is as true today as it was in the days of Ben Franklin.

Goodness, it's as true today as it was when Adam and Eve were booted out of the Garden of Eden for looking for happiness other than in the Lord. Theirs was a mistake we shouldn't replicate or duplicate.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Strangers"

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrews 13:2

A woman I know once called a sick friend to see how she was doing.

"Terrible!" was the stuffed up, hoarse reply. "My head's splitting, and my back is killing me. The house is a mess, and the kids are driving me nuts. The woman replied, "Go and lie down, I'll come over and cook lunch for you. After that, I can clean up the house and watch the kids while you get some rest."

Before she concluded, the caller asked, "By the way, how's Sam?" "Sam? There's no Sam here," the sick one said. With dawning understanding, the woman said, "Forgive me, I have a wrong number."

There was a long pause, then the sick mom asked hopefully, "But you are still coming over, aren't you?"

How many times haven't each of us, every one of us, wanted somebody to come and help us?

We'd even take a stranger if that stranger would be willing to help us or listen to us.

That IS what happened when Jesus came into this world. A total Stranger came to help us in our need. It was an act that took Him His entire life. It was a sacrifice which ended in His death.

Now, as we reflect God's love that we have received, we need to remember that we can be the listening ears and helping hands to others who are in our lives.

When we, by the Spirit's power and in Jesus' Name, show ourselves ready to listen and show our willingness to help, we will find this world a better place as we share God's love with others.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "What You're Worth"

Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10:31

"I really think I'll be working until I die. I'll be at work till the day they carry me out on a stretcher with a coroner's tag tied to my big toe."

Those are the discouraging words of Eddie Whitlock, a man whose dreams for retirement have gone down with his stocks and his 401(k).

Maybe you can identify with Eddie? According to a November 20th article carried by MSNBC, a lot of people do. The depressing news story spoke of how millions have had their plans for the future, for retirement, torn apart.

# The article told how many more of us are dealing with feelings of hopelessness, despair, anger, and shame.
# The article related how the rate of suicide rose in the 1930s, and suggested the possibility the same sort of thing might happen again. Indeed, the article quoted one person as saying, "I have contemplated suicide, but my family does not have enough money to bury me."
# Another unemployed man said, "Looking for a job tears away at your self-image and your self-respect. We determine our self-worth out of the job we have."


I have no doubt that all of the above examples are real. These are difficult days.

Even so, Christians need to keep a proper perspective. The positions we hold, or the money we've salted away, or the strength of our 401(k)s does not determine our self-worth.

We are blessed to have a Savior who told us we are far more valuable than the lives of many sparrows. That may not seem like much of a compliment. If that's the way you feel, then, please, take a look at just how valuable the Savior considers you to be. He thought you and your salvation so valuable and so important that He was willing to be sacrificed to save you.

You are so valuable that, in order to redeem you, He was willing to be beaten, spit upon, and crucified. He gave His life so you might have life.

This is why when the devil dishes out a heaping slop of hopelessness, despair, anger, and shame, you can tell him to "Get lost!" Jesus has shown your value, and we shouldn't let the devil take that away.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Oh, Great"

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable. Psalm 145:3

Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper was out for a walk.

Her walk was a beautiful one with a view that seemed to go on forever. Everything was wonderful until things started to go wrong.

First, a grease gun in her tool bag exploded, covering everything with gunk. Then, while she was trying to clean things up, she lost track of her tool bag. The next thing you know the bag was gone -- almost as if it had floated away.

Heidemarie's controlled comment of frustration was, "Oh, great."

Did I fail to tell you that Heidemarie was on an extravehicular walk from the space shuttle Endeavor? She was, and by the time she realized what had happened, her bag was out of reach. All she could do is watch it float away.

The folks at Mission Control are still tracking of her tool bag.

"Oh, great!" How many times haven't we said something like that, or worse, when things seemed to spin out of control and drifted beyond our ability to stop them? "Oh, great! A flat tire." "Oh, great! I failed the test." "Oh, great! They're laying people off at work -- again." "Oh, great! Another bill I can't pay."

I'm sorry if I missed your "Oh, great!" That's an omission on my part, not because you don't have them.

In contrast to our helplessness, our hopelessness, our shortcomings, and sins, we are blessed to have a Lord whose greatness is unsearchable.

Remember Him. He's the One whose might is most obvious when we are at our weakest. His strength is not minimized by bad stock markets, or weather conditions, or illness. His power is not diminished by catastrophe or calamity, mishap or misfortune.

He is great -- and He has promised to help us. Indeed, He has already done so with the sending of His Son to be our Savior. Now, because of Jesus' victory, our Father in heaven has given us the assurance He will listen to our prayers and help us through the catastrophes and complaints which seem to be so common.

In short, our great God will be there when our times aren't so great.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Gang Aft A-gley "

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. Galatians 3:26-27

Robert Burns said it: "The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men Gang aft a-gley, An'lea'e us nought but grief an' pain For promis'd joy!"

I don't know about the plans of mice and men, but the plans of Elizabeth Ferris of Indiana went a-gley. Excuse me, her plans went wrong.

For almost ten years, Elizabeth has had vanity license plates, which she used to make a Christian witness.

Her license plate read: BE GODS.

This year, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles rejected her renewal request as being "inappropriate due to form or content." That was rather strange since the Indiana Supreme Court just allowed the state to have "In God We Trust" on a license plate.

As I thought about this story, I could understand how some might consider the license plate to be badly chosen. Think about those words again and remember there are no apostrophes on license plates: BE GODS.

Depending on your point of view, you could -- like Elizabeth -- be saying we need to depend on the Lord, upon the sacrifice made through the life, death, and resurrection of the Redeemer.

But, you could also conclude Elizabeth was encouraging each and every one of us to be little gods or masters of our fate, independent from the Lord. (This is something she definitely is not doing.)

Yup, our best-laid plans just might gang aft a-gley.

Still, I encourage all of the Daily Devotion readers to keep up their witness. There is an unbelieving world out there, and we need to share the Savior whenever, wherever, and to whomever we can. Then, having done so, we put the matter in the Holy Spirit's hands. He'll make sure it doesn't gang aft a-gley.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Rest In Pieces"

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end. Luke 1:32-33

Go to Jerusalem and you will see, off to the south, a hill that looks like a mini-volcano.

It's not a volcano. It's the Herodium, the winter palace of King Herod the Great. You remember - he's the fellow who had the baby boys of Bethlehem murdered.

Now, according to Ehud Netzer, head of Jerusalem's Hebrew University's excavation team, it appears the crypt and two-story mausoleum of Herod the Great may have been found.

The decorative artwork -- unique to that time - and the lavish setting, suggest Herod may have chosen the place to be his final resting place.

The only problem is, Herod the Great isn't resting there. His bones are nowhere to be found. "Where did he go?" I hear you ask. Well, don't think Jerusalem can boast a second resurrection. It can't. In conquering death, Jesus stands unique.

The current theory is the Jews who rebelled against Rome in 71 AD looked upon Herod the Great as a puppet of Rome. So much did they despise this monarch, they disposed of his remains and, as much as they were able, destroyed his tomb.

So much for Herod the Great, and Alexander the Great, and Katherine the Great, and all the other "Greats" of history.

Truly, if you want to follow a person who is really worthy of the title "Great," you must look to Jesus, God's Son, our Redeemer. His greatness stands unique in the annals of human history.

Even heaven agrees. That's why, at Jesus' annunciation, Gabriel told Mary that "He will be great." Note the selection of words. The archangel doesn't say Jesus will be "called great." He says, Jesus "will be great."

And so He is - our Sacrifice, High Priest, and Savior. He frees us from sin, Satan, and death. His is a Kingdom that will never end.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "God's Eyes"

O LORD, You have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. Psalm 139:1-4

We might imagine our activities can be carried out in secret - away from the Lord's view - but this is not what Scripture teaches. This truth was apparent to one young girl who understood the omniscience of God and how nothing happens beyond His watchful eyes.

A high-school boy had invited this girl into his room. He had big plans for her. The girl was a Christian and asked him to close the door and windows of his room first, which he happily did. Then, she asked him to close God's eyes that were looking on them. The young man did not know where to find God's eyes. The girl explained to him that God sees all things. He knows us, and He knows all our thoughts and ideas. Even though we may be out of sight from men in a hidden room or in darkness, God's eyes can see us.

After pondering the girl's words, the boy reconsidered his plans and put them aside. He understood that though he might do something secretly - beyond the eyes of men - his actions were still plainly visible to God.

We've all been in this situation. Maybe you find yourself doing something in secret. It might be sneaking off and abusing alcohol or drugs; it might be a habit of petty thieving or gossiping about a work colleague or family member; it might be "big plans" involving sex or taking advantage of someone in an inappropriate way.

Whatever it is, know that God, who is our Creator and ultimate Judge, has His eyes fixed on us every moment of our lives. He knows our every move and intention. He knows our heart - inside and out. And even though He knows us this well, He loves us anyway - so much so that He sent His Son to the cross to bear our sins and provide a way back to Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "His Gift"

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Thanksgiving is over. That's not news, is it?

Christmas shopping has begun. That's not news either. The stores all have their Christmas decorations and lights on display.

These changes have not escaped children who are anxiously waiting in line to visit Santa and offer up their list of things they want, desire, NEED.

A store Santa once told me about one young boy who came to him and demanded, "Santa, I want one of everything you've got." Another youngster topped that request. He said, "I want a rifle, a pistol, a machine gun, a hand grenade, dynamite, and tear gas. I am planning a big surprise for my big brother."

I'm not sure what kind of Christmas that big brother had last year. I hope it wasn't as bad as it sounded.

I do know that the Christmas experience is a terrible experience for a lot of people who hit the ground running as hard as they can right after Thanksgiving.

They get so worn out trying to get the "perfect gifts" that they never have time to think about God's perfect gift, Jesus. Although Santa doesn't bring Him, He remains the Father's present that everybody needs.

We will never outgrow Him; He never wears out, and He will never be replaced by a "new and improved version."

No wonder the store owners don't want their clerks and workers to say, "Jesus is the reason for the season."

Still, He is just that. The Savior who has come to bring peace to troubled minds, hearts, and consciences.

This is why, in the midst of the Christmas rush, I join with Paul in reminding you, "God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in... Christ Jesus."

[Soldier4Christ]

 "His Love"


Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7

I wonder how the bears are doing in Yellowstone Park... now that the weather is cold.

Do you think that is a strange way to begin a devotion? Well, it probably is.

Allow me to explain. Many years ago, when we were in Yellowstone for a family vacation, I talked to a ranger about the "Do Not Feed the Bears" signs, which are all over the park.

He told me, "Sir, tourists like you have only a small part of the picture." Then, he described, how in the winter, the park service personnel end up carting away the bodies of dead bears; bears who had, because of handouts from tourists, lost their ability to fend for food.

That was sad.

Still, it's not nearly as tragic as watching people who are starving for forgiveness, love, and hope.

Right now, the shopping malls are packed with people; during rush hour our city highways snap into a slow-motion gridlock.

Even so, there are many people who are isolated and desperately alone. They are hungry to have someone say, "I love you."

Thankfully, saying, "I care" is what Jesus does for each and every one of us. He enters this world to fix things so sin can no longer isolate us from our Father; so death cannot separate us permanently from our heavenly home; so we will always have a Friend to hear our thoughts and help us carry our burdens.

Because of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, no one ever need starve to death spiritually or emotionally.

This is something each of us, at one time or another, needs to remember: in Christ, we will be fed forever.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "A Full Pardon"


But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 (emphasis added)

"Does she or doesn't she? Only her hairdresser knows for sure."

Some of the Daily Devotion readers might remember that famous line from the Breck hair color commercials of years gone by. (It really is Clairol, not Breck. -- Pastor Klaus' proofreader, Rose)

Right now, in Washington, they are asking a different question. People want to know this: "Will he, or won't he?" The answer to that question is only the president knows for sure.

The question is motivated by the fact that, according to Article II, section 2 of the Constitution, the president can pardon just about anybody he wants to pardon.

Think about that for a moment. Almost any criminal, for just about any crime, can be set free by the president. It's the kind of thing that can give a prisoner hope and make victims of that prisoner's crimes cringe.

Now, past presidents have generally been discriminating in awarding a pardon -- still they have been given a great deal of power.

As I thought about the power to set someone free, I thought of the pardon the Lord has given to me. For all my sins -- transgressions of thought, word, and deed -- I have been given forgiveness.

But there is a difference between a presidential pardon and the forgiveness God gives. No president has gone to jail for the crime of another; no child of a president has ever been beaten, or spit upon, or crowned with thorns, so another might be released.

It would be too unfair for an innocent person to be punished for the guilty.

Still, that is the unfairness our Savior endured to grant us pardon from our sins. Isaiah understood when he wrote, Jesus "was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed."

I don't know who, if anyone, will receive a pardon from the president, but I am most thankful that I have, because of Jesus, been pardoned of my sinful past.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Everybody's Doing It"

You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 2 Peter 3:17-18

Survey results can be boring; they can be fun, and they certainly can be enlightening.

The Los Angeles-based Josephson Institute of Ethics has just published the results of a survey that fits into the last category: enlightening. Having surveyed almost 30,000 students at 100 randomly selected high schools, they found 30 percent of U.S. high school students have stolen from a store and 64 percent have cheated on a test.

Enlightened? It gets worse. One fifth of the students said they had stolen something from a friend and almost a quarter said they had stolen from a parent or other relative.

Does that survey prove kids are bad? Well, there is no question that 100 percent of the students questioned, like the rest of us, are sinners and in need of a Savior.

But exactly what does the survey prove? Personally -- and this is just an opinion -- I think it shows the results of America's education experiment are starting to come in.

We wanted to see how a nation would look if we banished God from the public square, from the classroom, and from much of the lives of our people.

Now we know.

High schoolers on the fringe are making up their death lists and mainstreamers are stealing from mom and dad. It's a dark picture made darker by the fact the experts seem confused why the young seem to have questionable, or non-existent, values.

The question is why should young people have values? Without God, without the Scripture's call to repentance and the Savior's blood-bought forgiveness, there is no authority to which they must answer.

This is why, along with praying for these upcoming generations, we Christian veterans need to let these folks see a Savior of love, of integrity, of power, and self-sacrifice. Jesus, and Jesus alone, can change the results of the next Josephson Institute survey.

That's because Jesus, and only Jesus, can change sinful, self-centered hearts.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "An Obligation"

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. Romans 15:1-2

Twenty-four-year-old Barrington Irving is a pilot. You can spell that word PILOT with capital letters. Barry, you see, is the youngest person to have made a solo flight around the world.

Pretty impressive? Not by half.

According to NBC news, Mr. Irving has done something else even more spectacular. This summer he took 60 Miami-area teenagers into a program called, "Build A Plane."

According to one of the students, their instructions were essentially the following: "Here's some metal. Here's some rivets. Construct a plane."

Barry told them that if they built the plane, he would fly it.

The students, who had been novices to the world of flight, built that plane. And they did it in ten weeks.

And Barry, having said a prayer, flew the plane, which had been named, "Inspiration II." ("Inspiration I" was the plane Mr. Irving had flown around the globe.)

It's a great story, but what's the point? Paul understood the point. Remember what the text for today's devotion says: "We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak... (to) please his neighbor for his good, to build him up."

That's what Barrington Irving did. He built up some young people. Building up is what the Savior always did. Read through Scriptures and you will find Jesus always built up those who needed Him, who came to Him, who trusted Him. He's doing it still.

Earlier this week, we had a devotion about young folks who are -- without any absolute truth or values -- making some bad choices. It was a sad devotion.

On the other hand, if we inspire them it gets better. If the Holy Spirit inspires them, these young folks can be transformed and do some marvelous things. Think about it: if kids from the inner city can build a plane from scratch, what might their enthusiasm and passion do for the work of the Lord?