WORDS OF PEACE
November 10
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1
How many times in your life have you raised your voice or said something offensive in the heat of a stressful moment? It seems that when our emotions are high and we are not having a good day that the person we want to be, the person we know we ought to be, goes out the window. We can redo a lot of things in our lives, but we are not able to take back an idle word.
This world is full of people who are out to live for themselves. In the workplace the goal is to climb the ladder as high as you can. Often people do not care who else falls off in the process. If you get in their way they get defensive and maybe attack others. This is the way of this godless world. And even though we might have been born into this culture, we are called to be different.
Jesus said that we will be judged for every idle word that comes from our mouths (Matthew 12:36). This ought to bring some sobriety to the situation. We ought to try to get along with others for the sake of our personal testimony to the lost. We are told, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, being at peace with all men” (Romans 12:18). And, “Pursue peace with all men…” (Hebrews 12:14a).
Experience shows that even when someone else is upset about something, we as a Christian can react in such a way that the situation is deescalated. When faced with challenging situations with non-believers, don’t feed off of their bad attitudes. Instead, respond with grace and peace. All for the glory of God.
Matt Foreman
THE BIG PICTURE
November 9
Behold, we have left everything and followed You. What then will there be for us? Matthew 19:27b
We had a GREAT National Conference this year! I only wish that everyone in our CGBCI churches could have been there—but hopefully, in one way or another, our powerful Conference Theme (“Aspire to Something Higher”) will be communicated to those folks back home who were unable to be there.
One feature that I especially treasured was a daily reflection upon various heroes of our Brethren Faith—that “great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1) who were “all in” for Jesus. One such person was Angie Garber (1912-2006)—aunt of Pastor Peer—who dedicated her life unto God’s service through years of ministry unto the Navajo Nation. At face value, some might be tempted to regard this as a difficult and obscure ministry in a desolate land amongst a dispossessed people—a thankless labor that outwardly offered limited earthly benefits and few tangible results.
In a short video filmed during the latter portion of her life, an interviewer asked Angie to consider the alternate existence that she might have lived, had she not chosen to come to the desert. “Do you ever thing about those things you gave up?”
Her response was stark and unforgettable. Dismissively waving her hand, she in turn asked the correspondent: “What [things]?”
“WHAT” indeed! Jesus knows how to compensate His own with an extravagance that is infinitely beyond the pale of our present comprehension, as we see in His response to Peter’s question (Matthew 19:27-29).
“It will be worth it all when we see Jesus; life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ; one glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase; so bravely run the race till we see Christ.” (Esther Rusthoi).
Terry L. Reese
I WILL HIDE
November 8
And he was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle’s daughter... Mordecai took her as his own daughter. Esther 2:7
Names in the Bible have meaning, whether a person, place or circumstance. Esther’s birth name was Hadassah. Yet, throughout the book she was “Esther.” BDB (64) suggests her name was “star” in Persian. Yet, her Hebrew name, seter means “to hide” (add Alephprefix): ‘seter’“I will hide” is what God did, hiding her Jewish identity while she was in Persia.
“Esther did not tell anyone about her people or her kinsmen, for Mordecai had commanded her that she should not tell anyone about them” (2:10, 20). Mordecia’s Jewish heritage surfaced in 3:4 when he refused to bow to Haman, which would have been sacrilege. Mordecai was a godly man, holding fast to Divine Laws. He represented the Jews to Haman, through whom Haman instigated a Jewish holocaust. Haman, who viewed Mordecai as a representative of the Jews, convinced the king that this people should be exterminated because “their laws are different from those of all other people” (3:8).
Mordecai warned Esther that if she remained silent, not telling the king that she was a Jew, God would work relief for His people in another way besides her. She would not be able to save herself (4:13-14) but would perish along with all her nation. Esther’s godly character shines when she calls for a fast among all Jews in Susa (4:15-16). She would even die for the cause if necessary.
Esther’s Jewish lineage was no longer “hidden” when she claimed “my people” to the king (8:1-6). She disclosed her kinsmen to the king even while Haman’s edict was enforced. The Jews defeated the Persians and subsequently established Purim to make it a national holiday of victory for the Jews.
Although there is no direct mention of God’s name in Esther, nevertheless, “Jew(s)” is cited 40 times out of 67 times in the OT. God hid Esther up to a point, yet He hid her for the purpose that God worked through her.
DeLane Miller
GOD IS LOVE
November 7
The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8
One day C.H. Spurgeon was walking through the English countryside with a friend. As they strolled along, the pastor noticed a barn with a weather vane on its roof. At the top of the vane were these words: GOD IS LOVE. Spurgeon remarked to his companion that he thought this was a rather inappropriate place for such a message. "Weather vanes are changeable," he said, "but God's love is constant." "I don't agree with you about those words, Charles," replied his friend. "You misunderstood the meaning. That sign is indicating a truth: Regardless of which way the wind blows, God is love." Spurgeon’s friend made a good point. God’s love is immutable. It doesn’t change no matter what winds of circumstances may blow upon us.
In his book, Knowing God, J.I. Packer wrote: “So the God who is love is first and foremost light, and sentimental ideas of His love as an indulgent, benevolent softness, divorced from moral standards and concerns, must therefore be ruled out from the start. God’s love is holy love. The God whom Jesus made known is not a God who is indifferent to moral distinctions, but a God who loves righteousness and hates iniquity…God’s love is stern, for it expresses holiness in the lover and seeks holiness for the beloved. Scripture does not allow us to suppose that because God is love we may look to Him to confer happiness on people who will not seek holiness, or to shield His love ones from trouble when He knows that they need trouble to further their sanctification.”
As the hymn writer wrote: “Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made; were every stalk on earth a quill and every man a scribe by trade; to write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry; nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.”
Ike Graham
ARE YOU BETTER OR BITTER?
November 6
Let all bitterness and anger and wrath and shouting and slander be put away from you along with all malice. Ephesians 4:31
How does a person become bitter? The unkind, critical words, misunderstandings, injustices, betrayals, arguments, abuses as well as trials of life can hit us all very hard causing stinging disappointment and anger. Is there hope for the bitter person? Can we destroy the ugly roots of bitterness in our lives? Can we actually become better and not bitter despite the hurts of life? God’s Word says “Yes!” many times over!
Bitterness must be recognized as sin (Ephesians 4:31). We need to confess it to God, forsake it and experience His cleansing (1 John 1:9; Proverbs 28:13). We also need to accept and receive His forgiveness, freeing ourselves from becoming bitter about the situations we find ourselves in and our personal failures. Reading further, vs. 32 gives another command: “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, graciously forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has graciously forgiven you.” We can forgive others for the wounds, hurts and pain they have inflicted on us when we remember how God the Father freely gave up His Son, Jesus to die on Calvary’s cruel cross for the full and complete payment of our sin debt against Him (John 3:16). Unless you have experienced God’s saving grace and forgiveness, it will be very hard for you to forgive others.
Forgiveness is like unlocking a door to set someone free and realizing you were the prisoner! Are you battling bitterness? Why not set yourself free by receiving Jesus’ forgiveness, and relinquishing your anger toward others, yourself and even God! Try it, and you’ll love the new joyful you!
Bob Kulp
THE BIG PICTURE
November 5
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. Ecclesiastes 3:11
Here is a dilemma for you (as if you needed another one!). Psalm 90:10 says, “As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to might, eighty years, yet their pride is but labor and wickedness; for soon it is gone and we fly away.” Yet, the Ecclesiastes verse says that God “has set eternity in their heart.” We are left to reconcile living forever with being on the earth for only 70 or 80 years. This really makes it difficult to define “a successful life”, as we might want to claim that accomplishment when our time on earth is over. We are aware of timeless forever in our soul, yet our days are “rush-rush, hurry-hurry” in trying to achieve something glorious and make our mark while we are here.
Hence, the second part of Ecclesiastes 3:11: “…no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end” (NKJV). No matter how hard we work at it, no one is a complete picture of anything in themselves. The part we play is unique and draws more or less attention from the world. Yet, even how much our input affects the world is relative in the eyes of God. It seems that Moses’ influence on the world would be more rewarded than, say, that of Onesimus. But no less than what Paul says in I Corinthians 12:23, “…those members of the body which we think as less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor…”
We are each just one more piece of the jigsaw puzzle of God’s beautiful plan. How important each piece is, is up to Him to judge. Let’s just all pray together that the Lord soon puts that last piece in place!
Davy L. Troxel
WHAT DOES HE OWE?
November 4
…you shall not leave alive anything that breathes. Deuteronomy 20:16
Liberals often point to a stern passage like Deut. 20:16, in which God commanded the total annihilation of Canaan, as a demonstration that the OT God is “crude,” “barbaric,” and “unevolved” in His mindset. The softer NT ethic, however, supposedly demonstrates humanity’s “moral progress”—even as today’s secular mindset demonstrates further “evolutionary development.” But it isn’t simply the skeptics who are troubled by such a text: Christians are by nature a tender-hearted people, and thus struggle with such passages. Genocidal warfare—extending even to babies? Corporate guilt, with the sins of the parents visited upon their children?
The problem posed here is not simply one for the long-haired armchair philosophers; every day, we wrestle with disturbances and enigmas that relate to the justice of God, and struggle with its seeming inequities. This struggle demands that we have a Biblical understanding of ultimate reality: i.e., who God is, and who we are. We must recognize, beloved, that the relationship that exists between God Almighty and ourselves is vertical, not horizontal. He is the holy and awesome God who transcends all things that are creaturely and sinful (Isaiah 6:1-5); we are but creatures—sinful sons of Adam (Romans 5:12)—guilty from the moment of conception (Psalm 51:5).
With this Scriptural insight, we arrive at some solemn conclusions. First, there are no “innocents” in His sight. God “owes” no man a “long and happy life” or a “happily ever after.” He does, however, owe every man a death. And we shall die (Genesis 3:19, Hebrews 9:27). God is sovereign and free to demand men’s lives in the time and manner of His choosing—whether it be by cancer, or traffic accident—or the edge of Israel’s sword.
Terry L. Reese
WHO IS THE BIG DEAL?
November 3
And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us, and released us from our sins by His blood… Revelation 1:5
Jesus is the faithful (true and reliable) witness. The one telling us how it is. You can believe Him without question. He was raised in an eternal resurrection body with the power and authority to raise us likewise. He is the prince (ruler, authority) over the kings of the earth. He is the King over all of the kings on this planet. He has the Divine authority, political authority and military force over every single country and ruler. That makes Jesus “The Big Deal.” The President of the USA has great economic powers so he can persuade and manipulate other countries with sanctions and tariffs. He has great military power to force other countries to comply. But, the President doesn’t know my name. It is likely that you have never met him either. Jesus is far greater in every way to our president, and Jesus knows our names. Jesus loves us. Jesus took care of our greatest problem. We were eternally separated from God because of our sins. Jesus washed our sins away with His own blood, making us right with God and allowing us into heaven. Did your favorite political leader do that for you? Did your sports hero do anything like that for you? Does your favorite singer or actor even know your name? Jesus is The Big Deal, and we need to put Him in that place. We need to serve Him and treat Him as The Big Deal that He is.
Tom Johnson
HITTING THE WALL
November 2
He gives power to the weary, And to him who lacks vigor He increases might. Isaiah 40:29
Endurance runners talk about ‘hitting the wall.’ They are referring to the time in the race when they have run out of energy and cannot go another step. Running coaches give a number of tips to overcome that moment: fuel your body throughout the race, and listen to those around you who can be a source of encouragement and motivation. But even in those moments, it takes a runner deciding whether or not he is going to keep going or if he is going to give up and quit.
Sometimes in the Christian life we can ‘hit a wall.’ Difficult things happen, we are struggling and failing against the temptation to sin, there seems to be no results for all of the effort and time we put into someone else. In those moments it can be tempting to give up in despair. But just like a good endurance runner we must get through the wall. We must continue to fuel ourselves with the truth of the Word of God. We must continue to surround ourselves with believers who can encourage us and remind us of the truth. And most importantly, we must continue to rely on the Lord, who is the only One who can provide the power and might we desperately need to keep going. Take hope from the final two verses of Isaiah 40, “Though youths grow weary and tired, and choice young men stumble badly, yet those who hope in Yahweh will gain new power; They will mount up with wings like eagles; They will run and not get tired; They will walk and not become weary.”
Joshua Steiner
GOD IS HOLY
November 1
Because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16
The word, “holy” occurs over 900 times in the Bible. Isaiah alone tells us that God is “the Holy One of Israel” more than 50 times. What does it mean that God is holy and how does He expect us to be holy? The word itself means to be set apart, or separated for a particular purpose. When used of God, it means that He is set apart from His creation and from sin. Isaiah 57:15 reads, For thus says the One high and lifted up; who dwells forever, whose name is Holy, “I dwell on a high and holy place.” God is transcendent above His creation. He is also set apart from sin. In Him, there is no darkness at all. What does that mean for us? As 1 Peter 1:16 states, God expects us to be like Him; set apart from sin. Rather than drawing as close as possible to self-centeredness and trying to walk the line between that and holiness, like a good parent God tells us to stay far away from it. God tells us where to go…what to look out for…and what not to participate in. He also tells us how we can have a deeper, more enjoyable relationship with Him through the work of His Spirit. What is it that you desire the most in your life and for your life? Money? Pleasure? No responsibility?
Do you know what an ermine is? It is a weasel-like animal with white fur. It is said that an ermine would rather die than soil its white fur. This illustrates how God values purity and separation from sin (holiness). Is that true of you? Do you so value being like God that you would avoid the pollution of sin even to the point of physical death?
Ike Graham
THE POWER OF NEGATIVE EXAMPLES
October 31
Whether then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
We all need positive examples and role models to look up to and follow in our lives. Besides good examples we find in the Bible to imitate, there are also negative examples for us to avoid. In 1 Corinthians 10:1-15 we see God reminding us of mistakes the Israelites made on their way to the Promised Land as examples and warnings for us to learn from and not repeat.
First (10:6), don’t lust/covet anything. Second (10:7), don’t usurp God’s #1 position of worship and service in your life. Third (10:8), don’t fall into any sexual immorality. Fourth (10:9), don’t tempt Christ in bold presumption of His Word and will. Fifth (10:10), complaining is not appropriate for God’s people. These accounts of the Israelites are true negative examples for us to learn from. We should indeed flee/abstain from all fleshly lusts (2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Peter 2:11), have no other gods/idols besides the Lord (Exodus 20:3-5), flee sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18-20), not tempt or test the Lord by ignoring His Word (Matthew 4:5-7) and do all things without complaining (Philippians 2:14). God is just as serious today as He was then even though the consequences may differ.
God urges us to BE AWARE of these “warning lights” (10:1-11). He desires us to BE HUMBLE, not proud/boastful, thinking you’ll never be like them (10:12). BE ENCOURAGED, God promises to never allow you to be tempted above and beyond what you can bear (10:13). BE-WARE, fleeing from idolatry in any form (10:14) and BE WISE, heeding these examples (10:15). The bottom line question is “Will you?” You’ve been duly warned and encouraged to be all you can be for Jesus. Doesn’t He deserve it?
Bob Kulp
OPEN EYES
October 30
But blessed are your eyes, because they see... Matthew 13:16a
It is said that the captain of the Titanic refused to believe the ship was in trouble till water was ankle deep in the mail room. Because of this he did not call for help until it was very late in the crisis. Perhaps if he had been more willing to humbly consider that his great ship really could sink, more lives might have been saved.
As the Gospel goes forth there is always two different reactions to the truth of God. One person is hard hearted and rejects the message, thinking they don’t need what is being presented. They might misunderstand the fundamental necessity of receiving Christ. They do not see their spiritual deficiency.
Another person has a soft and receptive heart. They are convicted in their heart as they consider God’s Word and what God is saying to them. God is working on them to draw them to Himself. In that moment we repent of our sins and commit in our hearts to believe and follow God. This attitude should continue throughout our Christian experience.
In Matthew 9:27-31 there were two blind men who cried out to Jesus asking for mercy. They had faith that He could help them. Jesus then touched their eyes and gave them sight. Not long after Jesus cast out a demon from another man. In response the Pharisees accused Jesus of doing these things by “the ruler of demons” (Matt. 9:34).
Those two blind men were physically unable to see the world around them. Yet, they perceived the truth about the Messiah, Jesus which the religious leaders were unwilling to see. Be a man or woman of God who has not only believed in the one and only Savior, Jesus Christ, staying open to further learning as time goes on.
Matt Foreman
“O KING, LIVE FOREVER!”
October 29
…fear God, honor the king. 1Peter 2:17b
An absurd situation (Daniel 6)…
A forceful assembly of scheming courtiers successfully manipulate a sincere but inexperienced sovereign into drafting an ill-advised law that cannot be repealed—thereby ensnaring the octogenarian Daniel, the king’s most trusted official.
Following the execution of the sentence, King Darius unseals the entrance to the lions’ den and cries out, hoping to hear the voice of his beloved Daniel—but dreading that the only response will be the lions’ roar! But it is Daniel that responds (6:21): “O king, live forever!”
This salutation customarily offered unto Babylonian monarchs is employed multiple times within Daniel by various court dignitaries (2:4; 3:9; 5:10; 6:6). This is the only time in the book, however, that we see Daniel (or any Hebrew) address a Gentile ruler in this fashion. Some commentators have connected this usage with v. 20, in which the king refers to Daniel’s God as “the Living God.” If such a connection be made, it would thus reflect Daniel’s heartfelt desire that the Great Author of Life would grant life in its fullest meaning unto his friend, King Darius. Note John Calvin’s paraphrase of 6:21: “…that is, may God protect thy life and bless thee perpetually.” Observe that while Daniel had been condemned for refusing to pray unto Darius, he did not cease from praying for him!
MARK the respect which Daniel offers unto dignitaries (Rom. 13:7, Prov. 24:21), even in the aftermath of a situation in which he was appallingly ill-used by the regime—and thus perhaps entitled to some degree of frustration!
MARK Daniel’s benevolent and sincere concern for the welfare of the king!
MARK that Daniel’s pre-eminent thought is to rejoice and bring glory unto God for his deliverance (6:22).
Terry L. Reese
WHERE IS YOUR REAL HOME?
October 28
We prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8
How many places have you called “home” in your lifetime? My birth home was Manheim, PA. Since getting married in 1979 we have lived in 15 different dwellings in four states (IN, PA, OH, VT) plus New Zealand. But all these are really just homes away from our ultimate home: Heaven.
The Apostle Paul affirmed that he was a citizen of heaven, and was patiently waiting for His Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ to come and take him home (Philippians 3:20)! I can fully relate to what Paul is saying! You might ask, “How can I be absolutely sure that my final home will be in heaven and not hell?” Great question!! Jesus Christ told us that there are many mansions/dwelling places in the Father’s house/heaven, and He wants to prepare one for all who will trust Him for forgiveness of their sins and eternal life (John 14:1-6).
In Jesus’ parable (Luke 15:11-32) the wayward son wastes his portion of his father’s inheritance with wild, immoral living in a far-off land. When his money is gone, he is forced to feed pigs. Seeking forgiveness, he risks going home to his father hoping to be a servant. But his father welcomes and forgives him rejoicing, “My son is back! He is home!”
The same is true when we repent of our sin and put our trust in Jesus. We are received whole-heartedly by our heavenly Father, forgiven of our sins, adopted into His forever family and have a home reserved for us on high! Don’t you dare settle for anything less! I really look forward to going HOME someday! Will I see you there?
Bob Kulp
DEVELOPING GOD-LIKENESS
October 27
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness. 2 Peter 1:5-6
A few years ago, a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night’s dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding. All but one.
He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor. The 16-year-old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.
The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, ‘Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?’ She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, ‘Please forgive our carelessness.”
As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, ‘Mister. ...’ He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, ‘Are you Jesus?’ He stopped in mid-stride, and said, “No, but I know Him. He changed my life. Could I tell you about Him?” Go and do likewise.
Ike Graham
OUR GLORIFIED BODIES
October 26
For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Corinthians 5:1
How often does the senior man or woman long to get across to a teenager or young adult that they do not have all the time in the world. Our lives are truly short. We are like a vapor which is there one moment and gone the next (James 4:14). Our time on this earth is like grass or a flower which is blown away by the wind (Psa. 103:15-16).
As we get older our bodies get weaker. We have more and more physical problems. Dr’s visits come with greater and greater frequency. All are reminders that we cannot always do the things we used to do in the prime of life. One day we will leave this world. Are we ready for that?
The Bible compares our body to a house or a tent, something that wasn’t always there in the past until it was built. A point will come in the future when it will no longer be standing. For the non-believer these thoughts are crushingly depressing. All negative. But for the Christian we simply look to a bright and blessed future provided by our God.
When our earthly house “is destroyed,” that is, when we die, we are not destined to roam eternally without a body. There is a resurrection body which the Lord provides so we can live on in that body for all eternity.
What happens when the Christian dies? “We are of good courage and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8). There we remain until the time of the resurrection and rapture (1 Thess. 4:16-17; 1 Cor. 15). Praise God for a future resurrection body!
Matt Foreman
HONESTLY, WALK IN THE DAY
October 25
Let us walk properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. Romans 13:13
This verse is Paul’s explanation from the previous verse of what putting on the armor of light is and the giving of some examples of the works of darkness that we are to cast off. Christians are not to be involved in “carousing and drunkenness.” This Greek word refers to any kind of wild drinking parties, usually happening at night, although the time doesn’t matter. This also includes the music and out of control revelry that usually occurs at such events. Christians are not to practice “sexual promiscuity and sensuality” referring to our world’s practice of “hopping in the sack” or maybe you call it “free love.” This “wantonness” or wanting more and more, is excessive, unrestrained lust which is shameless for unbelievers, and it is doubly so for a Christian. We are not to practice “strife and jealousy.” A Christian ought not to be arguing and fighting especially if the strife is because they are envious or jealous of another. I find all of these sinful practices happening amongst professing Christians way too much. But, true believers are to walk or live “properly as in the day.” Deeds done in the day can be seen by all. So, the believer is not to be ashamed of what they are doing and how they are living. Everyone should find what you do as being acceptable according to the Bible and Christ. That is actually a high standard and hard to attain to perfectly. But, it is a Biblical requirement, so “Let us” live up to this as much as possible, for the sake of Christ.
Tom Johnson
AMAZING GRACE!
October 24
But where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. Romans 5:20b
You have all heard the hymn Amazing Grace written by John Newton. Born in 1725, his mother died in July 1732. She had taught him to read and memorize Bible verses. After her passing, John went to school for three years, dropping out at age 11 to go to sea with his father, the captain of a merchant ship. By age 24 he had experienced despair, depression, dangers, abuse, public floggings and even some miraculous escapes from death. Newton lived without restraint, caring for no one but himself. He was one LOST soul for sure!
Later he became the captain of a slave ship. Newton was insensitive to the inhumane treatment of the Africans chained in the hold of his ship. In May 1848, a violent storm almost sank his ship. For 4 weeks the sailors were in deep despair. Finally after near starvation, they reached Ireland’s shores. Months later on an African island, Newton contracted a deadly disease. Burning with fever he wrote, “Weak and almost delirious, I arose from my bed and crept to a secluded part of the island; there I found renewed liberty to pray. I made no resolves, but cast myself before the Lord to do with me as He should please. I was enabled to hope and believe in a crucified Savior. The burden was removed from my conscience.”* God miraculously saved him. He married, and later became a pastor and hymn writer. In 1779 he wrote and published the hymn, Amazing Grace.
At age 82 shortly before his death, he said, “My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things; that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior!”* Amen!
*The Amazing Story Behind ‘Amazing Grace’, 1996, American Tract Society
Bob Kulp
GOD CONTROLS EVERYTHING
October 23
Yahweh has established His throne in the heavens, And His kingdom rules over all. Psalm 103:19
During WWII, one of America’s mighty bombers took off from the island of Guam headed for Kokura, Japan, with a deadly cargo. Because clouds covered the target area, the sleek B-29 circled for nearly an hour until its fuel supply reached the danger point. The captain and his crew, frustrated because they were right over the primary target yet not able to fulfill their mission, finally decided they had better go for the secondary target. Changing course, they found that the sky was clear. The command was given, “Bombs away!” and the B-29 headed for its home base. Sometime later an officer received some startling information from military intelligence. Just one week before that bombing mission, the Japanese had transferred one of their largest concentrations of captured Americans to the city of Kokura. Upon reading this, the officer exclaimed, “Thank God for that protecting cloud! If the city hadn’t been hidden from the bomber, it would have been destroyed and thousands of Americans would have died.” God’s ways are behind the scenes; but He moves all the scenes which He is behind.
Two of the great biblical examples of God’s sovereignty are Joseph, son of Jacob, and Esther. God controlled each situation in the lives of both Joseph and Esther. If we, as God’s people, have a good grasp of the sovereignty of God, then fear, anxiety, fretting and anger will greatly diminish in our lives. To know that God sees all and has all power and controls all, should bring peace of heart and comfort to my soul. These should remind me that nothing will happen to me today without passing through my Father’s hands because He alone is the all-seeing, all-powerful, sovereign God.
Ike Graham
DEMOTING GOD
October 22
Beware lest Hezekiah mislead you, saying, “Yahweh will deliver us.” Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? Isaiah 36:18
It is natural for an unbeliever to think that Yahweh is no different from any other god. Thus, we must not be surprised when an unbeliever does or says something that demotes God from His true position. As believers we know that there is only one God (1 Cor. 8:4). All of the so-called gods other people worship, are simply figments of imagination or an evil spirit trying to manifest as a god. As such, false gods have no power. Thus, it is not surprising that the king of Assyria was able to defeat the other nations who were worshiping false gods. But for Rabshakeh to demote Yahweh, by comparing Him to those false gods, he was making a serious error.
But how often can we do the same thing? No, we don’t compare Yahweh to other gods, but sometimes in our minds we demote God, making Him just like us. We think that He should do things the way we want them to be done. We doubt that He is really in control of certain situations. We worry that terrible things will happen to us or our loved ones. In these instances, and many more, we are in a sense demoting God. May God strengthen us to “Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My counsel will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’” (Isaiah 46:9-10).
Joshua Steiner