Day by Day

[Soldier4Christ]

"We Are All Winners With God"

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Matthew 25:34
   

I lived in Chicago over 40 years ago and if the Chicago Bears win the upcoming Super Bowl, I will feel like a somewhat like a distant winner myself.

Now, be patient, this devotion is not about football; it’s about feeling like a winner. All of us like to feel like winners. We like to feel that we, or something we have done, have been appreciated and applauded. We all like to feel valued and special.

Like “winners” is how 2,700 future freshmen felt last week when they received an email from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The email began, “Congratulations again on your admission to the University.” Those students had a right to feel special since about 20,000 people apply each year, and the school only enrolls about 3,800 new freshmen. Now, they planned to select courses, make academic plans for the next four years, and dream of a real future past graduation.

All of those things should be happening, but they’re not. The email sent to the applicants was a mistake. Students requesting admission to the University won’t be informed of their status until March. When I read that story, I felt sorry for those students. Someone they should have been able to trust lied to them.

We all know how it feels when so-called reliable individuals lie to us, don’t we? The newspapers are filled with betrayal stories of conmen milking elderly nest eggs, clergy betraying their supporters’ trust, spouses betraying each other, and public servants promising one thing and delivering another.
Is there anyone we can trust?

There is. God. He keeps all His promises, all of the time. Think about that for a moment. With God, we WIN.

If you doubt me, read through scripture and one thing will be clear: God keeps His promises. He kept His promise to deliver His people from Egyptian slavery and lead them into the Promised Land. He kept His promise to send His Son to save this sinful world. and Jesus kept His promise to be crucified and rise on the third day. What I’m saying is this: “God can be trusted.”

Because God can be trusted, you can believe the invitation He extends to believers: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are forgiven and special; we are going to heaven. God has made a promise and extended an invitation that will not be recalled. Because of Jesus, we are special, and we are saved.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Who Am I?"


I will delight myself in thy statutes; I will not forget thy word. Psalm 119:16
   

Joe Bieger made it into the national news last week. Do your remember Joe’s name? If you do, you’re a step ahead of Joe, a resident of Dallas, Texas. Last October, Mr. Bieger went out to walk his dogs and promptly forgot who he was.

Mr. Bieger was a victim of psychogenic fugue, an extremely rare form of amnesia, which left him unable to remember his name, his family, or recollect what he did for a living. Mr. Bieger simply couldn’t recall where he lived. It was this last part, being unable to find his residence, which caused him the greatest difficulty.

Although hundreds searched for him, Joe Bieger seemed to have disappeared. It took three-and-a-half weeks before someone, a contractor, recognized Mr. Bieger. By the time he was discovered, a scruffy Mr. Bieger had wandered 20 miles from home and managed to lose 25 pounds. Today, in order to make sure that Mr. Bieger never disappears again, his cell phone is equipped with a global positioning system that can help locate him.

As I said earlier, the doctors say Mr. Bieger’s condition is a rare one, but I wonder.

Over the years, I have seen many people who seem to have selective amnesia. No, they have no physical malady; theirs is a spiritual sickness. Look around and you will see a world that has forgotten God’s grace and the love of the Lord who sent His Son to seek and save us from our sins. When Jesus says, “I am the Way”, the world forgets His sacrifice and replies, “There are many ways, easy ways, broad ways, smooth ways, and paved ways, but the world does not need or want Your way, Jesus!”

When Jesus says, “I am the Truth”, the world forgets God’s faithfulness, joining ranks with Jesus’ judge, Pontius Pilate, and scornfully shooting back, “What is truth?” Sophisticated scholars say, “There is no such thing as truth.” Students are told today’s truth is tomorrow’s falsehood, and the common man is becoming convinced every person must find his very own ever changing version of the truth. Satan has confused and convinced people into believing boundaries, especially Biblical boundaries, can be broken. Cheat on your taxes, but don’t get caught. Cheat on your spouse, but don’t get AIDS. When Jesus says, “I am the Life”, the world forgets and scoffs at the Savior Who sacrificed Himself for their salvation.

In contrast to the world’s amnesia, Christians say with the Psalmist, “I will delight myself in thy statutes; I will not forget thy word.” Because we have knelt before the Bethlehem manger, stood before the Savior’s cross and looked into His empty tomb, how can we ever forget? By the Spirit’s power, we must always remember we were once lost, condemned people purchased with the Savior’s innocent suffering and death. We must remember this if we never remember anything else.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Where Do You Put a Risen Lord?"


So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put Him!” John 20:2
   

“El Cid” is the 1000-year-old story of Rodrigo Diaz, a Spanish knight who almost single-handedly saved the kingdom of Spain from the Moors. The movie itself is based on truth. It spoke the truth when it showed El Cid’s victories. It told the truth when it showed his death and how his generals tried to pretend he was still alive. The movie accurately showed how they dressed his body in armor, strapped him to his horse, and tied a sword into his hand. Then it showed the body of the dead leader, charging out of the gates of the city, leading his men against the enemy.

The movie is quite accurate … up to that point. For then, in a desire for a happy ending, the movie begins to lie, showing the Spanish forces in the lead routing the frightened Moors. But it didn’t happen that way—the dead body fooled no one. The charge failed, and the defeated Spaniards ran away. They found out that a dead man is a poor leader.

In contrast, Christians follow a living Lord. Almost 2,000 years ago, Jesus was crucified. Tens of thousands had been crucified before Him, but only Jesus—unexpectedly, unbelievably—came back to life. Because He did, the world is changed. Those who believe on Jesus as their living Lord are confident that death doesn’t have the final word in their lives. Those who put their hope and their futures into the nail-pierced hands of the risen Savior, know they will never be alone, and that nothing in this world can separate them from the love of God which has come to them through Christ Jesus.

Christ is risen! Yes, we know that sort of thing doesn’t happen … can’t happen. But because Jesus was the sinless Son of God, He didn’t have our limitations. Jesus did rise. In the days that followed, Jesus’ friends saw Him, ate with Him, talked with Him, touched Him. Not just once, but numerous times. This, the most wonderful event in the history of the world, cannot be denied. Jesus lives and, because He does, we know we follow a living Lord. This is the truth that has changed the world and, I pray, your life.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Your Jerusalem"

Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Luke 24:45-47
   

Years ago, an expert on time management spoke to a group of business students. As he stood in front of these high-powered overachievers, he said, “Okay, time for a quiz.” He pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table. Next he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, “Is this jar full?”

Everyone said “yes.” The instructor came back: “Really?” He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of sand. As he poured the sand, it filtered into the empty spaces left between the rocks. Once more he asked, “Is this jar full?” “No!” the class shouted. Without replying, the expert grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour until the jar was filled to the brim.

He then asked, “What is the point of this illustration?” One eager beaver raised his hand and said, “The point is no matter how full your schedule may be, if you try really hard, you can always fit more into it!” “No,” the speaker replied, “that’s not the point.” Do you know the point? Take a few moments and think. The professor told his class, just like I’m telling you, the point is this: If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.

So, what are the big things in your life? The things you dare not neglect? As a Christian, I am firmly convinced that there is no more important thing than to believe on Jesus Christ as your Savior. Then, when that is done, the next biggest thing is to share Him with those who are close to you. Beginning right now, share with those special people—family, friends, neighbors, co-workers—how, through Jesus, they can be rescued from sin, death, and the devil’s power.

You may do many things with your life, see many sights, and have a lengthy list of accomplishments. Still when your last day comes, you will know the biggest thing you have ever done is to have believed and shared how Jesus suffered and rose from the dead for you and for all the world. The big thing is to share Jesus right where you are, in your own Jerusalem.

[Soldier4Christ]

"A Shout for the Savior"

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!” “I tell you,” He replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Luke 19:39-40
   

Some years ago, a famous jewelry store on New York’s high-end Fifth Avenue announced they were having a promotional presentation. With great pomp and considerable advertising, they unveiled a flawless 70-carat diamond. For this trivial bauble, the company paid a record $1,050,000.

For days, the curious waited in queue to get a glimpse of the diamond. A short bald man peered condescendingly at the gigantic jewel protected in the theft-proof glass case. He leaned over and whispered to his wife, “I can see a flaw, but let’s keep it a secret. I wouldn’t want to say anything to the company.” A chic and stylish lady concluded, “You know, it really isn’t that beautiful.” “It’s too large,” said one woman in rhinestone-studded glasses. “I think it’s vulgar, but I just had to see it,” commented another. At the end of two weeks, the guard assigned to protect the jewel sadly said, “I’ve heard more ‘trash talk’ these last two weeks than in my entire life.”

Trash talk was part of Jesus’ daily fare. People trash-talked Him when He associated with serious sinners (Matthew 9:11). They trash-talked Him for not obeying their man-made laws (Matthew 9:14) or for the way He and His disciples remembered the Sabbath (Matthew 12:2). They trash-talked Him for the way He kept traditions and for the stories He told (Matthew 21:45-46).

Trash talkers are still around; you can still hear them speaking against the Savior. They can be found in our courts where prayers are hushed and commandments are concealed. In our schools, trash talkers take textbooks and rewrite them so centuries are shown to be without the Lord. Trash talkers minimize every contribution made by Christians in Jesus’ name.

It is my prayer that you will realize that trash talkers are simply trying to stop you from seeing the Savior and His sacrifice. I pray God will let you see, most clearly, Christ’s love that has taken from us that which would have crushed us. We don’t deserve it, but He has saved us. See Him and join me in rejecting the talk of those whose tongues speak only trash about the Savior. Instead, with gladness and joy, may we shout the praises of Him who has loved us.

[Soldier4Christ]

"The Same?"

For by grace you have been saved through faith - and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8
   

The other day I handed out my business card. I was at the airport and sitting behind me I overheard two college students talking about religion. The common consensus was that all religions, with some very minor differences, are basically the same. With some degree of fervor, they agreed that every religion had the same deity and all believers were going to end up in the same place.

Finally, when I could stand it no more, I interrupted. "Excuse me, my name is Ken Klaus, I am a Lutheran pastor. I apologize, but I couldn’t help overhearing your opinions about religion. You have a fascinating position on things, but I don’t think you’ve got the whole story. There isn’t a Christian, Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist who would agree with you. Each of us knows there are major differences in what we believe."

I continued, "Personally, I believe Christianity is unique because of a Savior who has substituted Himself so I can be saved. I realize that other religions believe they are distinctive, but Christianity really is one-of-a-kind."

Then, because the plane was boarding, I had to end with, “If you’d like to talk about those differences and why Jesus is special, here is my card. I’d love to visit with you at length.” They took the card, and who knows, maybe the Holy Spirit will have them call me.

I pray they will, because they need to know that all religions are definitely not the same. Let me give a short example. Last week, many of the citizens of Sydney, Australia became upset with a Muslim cleric who urged children to be martyrs for Islam. According to Sydney’s Daily Telegraph, the leader said, “Put in their soft, tender hearts the zeal of jihad and a love of martyrdom.” I don’t know any Christian pastor, no matter what denomination he represents, who would make a similar statement.

Nor do I know any Christian who would agree with the Ramadan message of the Imam of Australia’s biggest mosque who said, “Unveiled women were like uncovered meat.”

Are there differences in religion? Yes. For example, while Islam and all other religions say its adherents must work their way up to god; only Christianity says God has come down to us. While all other religions says each of us must pay for our sins, Christianity stands alone in preaching that Jesus has, with His life, suffering, death, and resurrection, paid the price for our forgiveness. While Islam and all other religions say heaven must be earned, Christianity says eternal life is a gift, which comes from a gracious God.

[Soldier4Christ]

"We Should Have Known"

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
   

Amid the horrors of World War I, there occurred a unique event in the annals of warfare. For a few hours, a temporary truce was declared. All became quiet on Christmas Eve 1914. The war was only five months old and already around 800,000 men had been wounded or killed. As Christmas day approached, the soldiers began to think. Surrounded by death, they reflected. So far from home and the things they loved, these soldiers proceeded to ponder. Then something happened. British soldiers raised signs that said “Merry Christmas.” From the British trenches, a loud, sweet, tenor voice began to sing “The Lord Is My Shepherd.” From the German side, a rich baritone voice joined in, “Der Herr Ist Mein Hirte”—the same song in German.

Early on Christmas morning some of the British soldiers scrambled out of their trenches into no-man’s-land. They carried a soccer ball. Between the trenches, they started a game. Some of the German soldiers joined in. It was England v. Germany. Those who were there say the Germans won 3-2. In some places, the truce continued the next day, neither side willing to fire the first shot. Only when fresh troops arrived did the war resume.

What force changed hatred into a handshake? No human force could do such a thing. Only Jesus has such power. If, up until this time, fear has been lord in your life, let me introduce you to the Prince of Peace. One night, 2000 years ago, when the world was living in fear, He came. The angel said: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).

When was the last time you heard of good news for everyone? Some win; some lose; that’s life. But it’s not God’s way of life. The Father sent His Son, the Prince of Peace, so all who believe on Him might have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10). Jesus, our Savior is good news for all people. It is possible that when you read this America may be at war. Without Jesus, your heart is certainly in conflict. If so, I encourage you to find your peace in Him who can untrouble your heart and banish your fears: Jesus Christ, God’s Good News of great joy.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Jesus Doesn’t Let Go"

I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
   

When our three children were young, Pam and I enjoyed loading them into our full-sized conversion van. The vehicle, featuring an icebox, a sink, and a foldout couch, enabled us to keep driving while the children stretched their legs, played on the floor, and took naps on the sofa. We loved that van and never gave much thought to what might happen if we were in an accident.

We should have thought about it. We had seen what happened to the children when we hit a big bump crossing some Indiana railroad tracks. I remember all four tires of the van leaving the ground as we launched into the sky like Evil Knievel. I recall looking in the rearview mirror and seeing all three of our children in the air at the same time. We should have figured things out, but we just never did.

Pam and I are thankful our children are smarter than we were. They make sure the grandchildren are buckled into a car seat every time they go anywhere. I’ve noticed that if it means keeping their children safe, most parents don’t mind the extra time and inconvenience of putting their children into restraints that are only slightly less confining than a straight jacket.

Everybody felt safe with the car-seat situation, until, a few weeks ago, “Consumer Reports” said many of the car seats, the car seats that we trusted to save our children, had failed some tests. The magazine said most car seats wouldn’t keep the children protected. Parents panicked at the shocking news. They stayed panicked until Consumer Reports came forward and said, “OOPS, we goofed on the tests; the seats are safe; your children will be secure.”

All of which got me to thinking … can we ever be sure that we are safe? After some pondering, I found an answer in the writings of St. Paul. The apostle said, “I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39). Those verses are God’s way of letting us know that people, and car seats, and magazines may fail us, but He never will. It’s the Holy Spirit’s way of telling us that pains and problems; hurts and horrors will definitely visit each of us. Even so, we can be sure that if we are held in the all-mighty, all-loving hands of our Savior, we remain secure. The Savior, in His life, death, and resurrection has shown He will never let us go; He will never fail us.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Laughing at the Lord"

And they laughed at Him Mark 5:40
   

The television show, American Idol, is on tonight!

I am absolutely convinced that the short sentence above will cause more reaction from the readers of these devotions than anything else I’ve written. In all probability, some of you are thinking something like: “Watching American Idol is a ridiculous waste of time. Anyone who watches that program needs to get a life.”

Allow me to explain American Idol to those of you who have recently awakened from a coma and still think Elvis is king and Dwight Eisenhower is in the White House. American Idol is an immensely popular TV program that auditions tens of thousands of young people who think they have the talent necessary to become a pop-singing star. Most of them are mistaken.

Some of those young people are terribly, embarrassingly, shockingly mistaken. For every person who can sing, there are a hundred who can’t carry a tune with a scoop loader. Listening to these vocal catastrophes, the audience may feel sorrow when a nice person is told he has no talent. More often than not, the audience laughs when they see some pompous performer being taken down a peg by a critical judge.

That same kind of critical laughter was once directed against Jesus when He entered the house of a man named Jairus. The Savior had been asked to do what He could to help Jairus’ daughter who was dying. Sadly, the girl passed away before Jesus ever got to her house. By the time the Savior arrived, the crowd had already begun to mourn her passing.

When Jesus commented, “the little girl was just sleeping,” the people responded with laughter. Many must have thought, ‘Jesus may be a wise teacher and a worker of many miracles, but He is sadly misinformed if He thinks He can help a girl who has breathed her last.’ The crowd laughed because they knew that anyone who thought he could conquer death was miserably mistaken. If it hadn’t been for a single, notable fact, they would have been right.

And what is this single, notable fact? Simply this: Jesus brought the dead girl back to life. Although the Bible doesn’t say so, I’m pretty sure that when the girl started moving, the laughter of the crowd was stilled.

Of course 2,000 years is too long for the snickers of a smug crowd to be silenced. If you watch television; if you read the papers you will hear many people scoffing at the Savior. “Jesus is a joke,” they say with a smile. How wrong they are; how sad is their smile. Will you not join with me in prayer for those who laugh at the Lord? Ask the Holy Spirit to take them for a visit to Jairus’ house or to the empty tomb. Pray that they may be lead to faith in Jesus who said, “because I live, you shall live also” (John 14:19).

[Soldier4Christ]

"Is Your Conscience At Peace?"

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51: 10
   

CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN, INDEED!

The Associated Press recently carried the story of a German shoplifter who had come clean after 37 years and the nameless individual finally “fessed” up. He admitted to having taken about $15.00 worth of goods when he, his brother, and his wife were touring Lom, Norway. After all the years, he no longer could remember the name of the shop; nor could he recall the shop’s owner. This theft was the only thing his conscience had not allowed the years to erase. German wrote to Simon Bjorgen, Lom’s mayor, and the letter said, "For many years, my conscience has bothered me. I hope to free myself from that with the enclosed check and also ask forgiveness for the wrong I’ve done." The check was made out for $375.00.

For those of you who are never content until you get the entire story … the mayor found the 78-year-old shopkeeper and give him the check. The shopkeeper requested the mayor to tell the German “all was forgiven”, and the money was given to the residents at the local retirement home.

The story ends with a happy German, mayor of Lom, shopkeeper, and the folks at the nursing home. Everyone lives happily ever after. Maybe. I’m not sure if the German asked the Lord for forgiveness. “After all,” he may have thought, “To the best of my knowledge, God doesn’t own a tourist shop in Lom, Norway. If I didn’t steal from God, why should I go to Him for pardon?”

There is an answer to the question. Everything that repels against the will of God: either heard in our language, seen with our eyes, locked in our deepest thoughts, or witnessed in our deeds is a sin against God. The German’s theft was committed against an earthly shopkeeper, a sin against the Lord. After all, He is the Lord who has created order, governments, relationships, and consciences and all the stuff that sits on the shelf in a Lom, Norway tourist shop. Peace for our troubled consciences comes from the Lord. Because of His Son’s sacrifice, death, and resurrection, the Father forgives sins from anyone who, with faith asks, “Lord, be merciful to me a sinner.”

The psalmist said, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You” (Psalm 51:10-13).

[Soldier4Christ]

"What Will You Die For?"

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. Romans 6:8
   

Father Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish priest. Imprisoned for hiding Jews, he was sent to the Nazi camp at Auschwitz. In July 1941, a man from Kolbe’s bunker was imagined to have escaped. (The escaped prisoner was later found drowned in a camp latrine, so the reprisals were made without cause.) The remaining men of the bunker were led out. “The fugitive has not been found!” commandant Karl Fritsch said sternly. “Ten of you will die for him in the starvation bunker.”

Ten were selected, including a Polish resistance fighter. Hearing the news, he cried in anguish, “My wife! My children! What will they do?” Father Kolbe stepped forward and said to the commandant, “I am a Catholic priest. Let me take his place. I am old; he is young. He has a wife and children.” Kolbe’s offer was accepted. He was thrown into Building 13 and left there to starve. After two weeks, only four of the 10 were alive. But the cell was needed for more victims, so the camp executioner injected a lethal dose of carbolic acid into the arms of the four men.

Would you, like Father Kolbe, be willing to die for another? Yes, you might be willing to die for noble and lasting things. You might even be willing to die for family or country or compatriots. But Jesus Christ, God’s Son, showed that He was willing to die for sinners like you and me.

Look at every religion or philosophy this world promotes. You will see that this kind of gracious gift is unique to Christianity. Only Christianity says, “We have been saved by the sacrifice of God’s Son.” Christ has shown God’s love by doing all that was needed so we might have forgiveness and an eternal future. The religious leaders plotted against Him; His own disciples deserted Him. He was sold for the price of a slave, beaten, whipped, lied about, spit upon, crowned with thorns, and made to carry the cross upon which He would die. All this, so you and I might be saved.

For what would you be willing to die? The Father showed His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, He, with a love that refused to be deterred by our antagonism, sent His Son to die for us. Today a risen Lord extends His nail-pierced hands to you, offering the gift of a salvation you, on your own, couldn’t earn.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Rusty Treasures"

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:20-21
   

Let me tell you of a lady whose treasure became trash. This lady, an amateur “antiquer,” found a beautiful old piano. Built in 1901, it was mahogany with stunning carvings across the front. She bought the treasure and took it home to be tuned. A few moments of work had the specialist explaining that the piano had been “doped.” The wood holding the tuning pegs had dried out and wouldn’t keep the strings taught. Someone had doped the insides of the instrument with antifreeze and water. The expert concluded, “Sometimes doping a piano will add years of life. In the case of your piano, doping destroyed it.” The livid lady had the piano hauled out to the curb with a sign: Free—500 pounds of firewood.

Over the years, I’ve seen that same sort of thing happen to a great many people. The things they trust the most often prove to be tarnished and trashed, which leads me to ask, “Is your treasure rusty?” Is it possible your security is your home? Still, homes can be flawed, and this year too many children have been stolen from the security of their own homes. Maybe your security is wealth. Too many of us have lost a great deal in the roller-coaster ride of the stock market. Possibly, your security is your job. Like me, you probably have a lot of friends hitting the streets because their jobs disappeared.

All too often, our temporal treasures, seemingly valuable and lasting, are in actuality cheap and temporary. They fail to deliver on their boasts and promises of happiness. Let me suggest that the treasure all of us should want is one that will never get rusty, one that will never turn to ashes. Our true treasure should be something that isn’t going to be devalued, diminished, or reduced. Our true treasure is something we can trust and treasure for time and through eternity. Quite frankly, I know of only one such treasure: the sinless Son of God.

Born in Bethlehem, over 2000 years ago, every moment of His life was lived for the express purpose of saving you. Over the centuries He has shown that when He makes a promise, He keeps it. If He says He will be with us in difficult times, we can be sure He will be there. If He commits Himself to hearing and helping us, we can be positive His promise will be kept. Truly He is our one great treasure, which will never rust or tarnish.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Are you on the run?"

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? Psalm 139:7
   

CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN, INDEED!

Nobody likes to go to jail. Brian Valetino is no exception to that rule.

Where Brian Valentino is exceptional is that he decided to do something about it. Last Thursday Brian was being taken to the Onondoga, New York County Jail. To escape “the big house”, Brian came up with a bold and risky plan, a strategy that called for courage, precise timing, and some degree of physical prowess. The odds of success were stacked against him, but Brian knew he had to try. Brian didn’t want to go to jail.

Things went amazingly well. First, Brian kicked out the back window of the police car. Then, even though he was handcuffed, Brian jumped through the hole. He hit the pavement running and didn’t stop until he found refuge. Brian smiled as he ran into a building, hurried down a hallway, and hid himself behind a door. There, Brian planned what he would do next.

He might have saved himself the trouble. There was one, very small, almost inconsequential problem. When Brian ran into the building, he didn’t see a big yellow star on the entrance. He didn’t know he had taken refuge in the headquarters of the county sheriff. Brian didn’t know there was a part-time deputy on duty who would think a snow-covered man in handcuffs was worthy of investigation. Nobody likes to go to jail, but Brian is going.

A silly story? Maybe, until you realize Brian, in his foolish attempt to escape judgment, is like much of humanity. He’s not much different than Adam and Eve who tried to hide in God’s garden. Nor is he unlike millions of people who foolishly believe they can escape the divinity by denying their sins, ignoring God’s law, and rejecting the Lord Himself. Some might admire these folks for their boldness and bravery, but they have less chance of escape than did Brian when he hid himself in the county jail.

Thankfully, we are not on our own. Jesus has cleared our names. Because of what the Savior has done, when believers appear before the judgment seat of God, they will hear His verdict: Innocent!

With the joyous knowledge that God’s grace had delivered him from judgment, King David wrote, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? ... If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139).
Nobody likes to go to jail; no one wants to go to hell. This day rejoice; because of Jesus, you don’t have to go.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Deliverance"

Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” 2 Kings 16:17a
   

The last few days, our devotions were in prayer for a young boy who was kidnapped. By God’s grace, he has been returned to his family. There is one more thing I wanted to say: even the most vigilant of parents must confess that there have been times their children managed to escape their watchful eyes. And with school shootings in safe and secure neighborhoods, no one is completely protected.

The reality is, our loved ones are safe, because God watches over us. Psalm 91:11 says: “For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” That passage is substantiated by an event in the sixteenth chapter of the Old Testament book of 2 Kings. The king of Syria was having difficulty conducting his war against Israel. He was frustrated that his plans seemed to be known to the leaders. Suspecting a spy in his ranks, he was told, “Nobody here is sharing your secrets. It’s the prophet Elisha who is sharing your plans with the King of Israel.” Wishing to put an end to the divinely inspired breach in security, Syria’s king sent a large contingent to arrest the prophet.

The king’s soldiers arrived at night and quietly surrounded the city where Elisha was staying. Scripture says the prophet’s servant came to Elisha and said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” Unperturbed, Elisha tried to calm his servant by saying something like: “Don’t worry. We’ve got more fighting for us than there are against us.” Elisha’s servant didn’t calm down.

Elisha asked the Lord to open the eyes of his servant. The Lord granted the prophet’s prayer and Scripture records, “ the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

So, what’s the point? I wonder how many times God and His heaven-sent representatives have protected our children? How many times have we been delayed by a fraction of a second and delivered from an accident that never happened? How many times has the benevolent hand of our heavenly Father, unseen, unfelt, and unknown, kept us safe? Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, it is the kind of thing He would do.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Found"

There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Luke 15:10
   

CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN, INDEED!

Most of us remember Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son. If so, you will recall the joy shown by the father who saw his delinquent boy returning home. The Lord shared how the father ran to his boy, embraced him, and threw a party for him. Everyone would have empathized with the old man when he said, “let us celebrate … my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” Every generation loves that story, because they understand that story.

Last week, I asked you to pray for the safe return of 13-year-old Ben Ownby and many of you prayed for Ben and other children in distress. Thank you. I’d like to give you an update. On Friday, Ben, missing for four days, was found. But there was a big bonus to Ben’s recovery; another boy, who had been kidnapped four years earlier was also rescued.

Families, friends, sheriffs, searchers, civic organizations, and Christian congregations were overjoyed the two boys were found. The words of Scripture came alive as the video cameras recorded parents crying and saying, as if to say, “let us celebrate … my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”

The story of the Prodigal Son is recorded in the fifteenth chapter of Luke. Jesus wanted us to realize that even as we give thanks to God for the return of a son, a sheep, a lost coin, the angels in heaven rejoice over a sinner who, by the power of the Holy Spirit, repents and is saved.

When Adam and Eve were put into the Garden of Eden, God loved them, for our first ancestors were His special children. Satan seduced and stole them away from the Father and kidnapped their souls. God was angry and grieved but He was also gracious.

In His love the Father decided to do whatever was necessary, pay whatever price was needed to rescue and restore us to His family of faith. To that end, our heavenly Father sent Jesus, His only Son into this world.

Jesus’ work was to: seek and save the lost, offer Himself, be the price of our redemption through a sinless life, through His sacrificial death, with His glorious resurrection. Jesus did all that was necessary to free us from our demonic kidnapper.

Because of what Jesus has done, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Because of Jesus’ blood, sons and daughters who were lost, have been found; because of the Savior’s sacrifice, you and I who were once were dead are alive again.