Archive: 2023

This week’s devotions are based on the Week 1 “A Savior Born for You! (WATCH HERE)

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At dawn of December 7, 1941, the United States Pacific Fleet was caught by surprise by the Japanese naval fleet and air force bombers.  While the naval command was aware that the Japanese wanted to attack US interests, they did not think that the Japanese navy could sail 4000 miles across the Pacific and launch any kind of meaningful attack without being detected. Here’s a reflection from an article entitled, “The Radar Warning that Went Unheeded” (https://pearlharbor.org/blog/warning-went-unheeded/)

Early on the morning of December 7, 1941, George E. Elliott, Jr. was manning new radar equipment, a state-of-the-art SCR-270, on the northern tip of Oahu alongside fellow serviceman Joseph Lockard. A few hours later, the tragic events of that day started to unfold. Would things have turned out differently had a radar warning they called in been taken seriously?

At just after 7 a.m., Elliot noticed an unusually large blip on the radar, something that seemed to indicate a rather large flight. Unsure of what the signal could be, Elliot made a call to the Information Center at Fort Shafter and was advised no one was available and he would receive a call back.

Moments later, the callback came through and Lockard answered. On the other end was Lt. Kermit Tyler who was quick to dismiss the large blip as a dozen American B-17 bombers arriving from San Francisco, a judgment call that, had it gone the other way, may have prevented the complete surprise of the impending Japanese bombardment.

With Tyler’s mistaken reassurance, Lockard was ready to pack up and end his shift but Elliot insisted on tracking the signal, partially hoping to use the incoming flight as practice on the new radar warning system. By 7:39, the blip had vanished entirely into mountains of Oahu. Almost immediately after the signal disappeared, Elliot and Lockard were pulled off duty to head back to base for breakfast. Upon their arrival, the two learned of the Japanese attack. Among the enemy forces were 183 Japanese fighters that Elliot had spotted on the radar.

It’s safe to assume that, even if Tyler had heeded Elliot’s warning, the attack on Pearl Harbor still would have been devastating, but some sort of preparation—even ten minutes notice—might have saved lives of men who were unprepared for the surprise bombing. 

The story of Pearl Harbor reminds us of a couple things for our spiritual lives.

1. Never underestimate the enemy.  Satan is working to take us out and prevent us from growing in our relationship with Jesus.  Sometimes we think we are “safe” but Satan surprises us with temptation. 

1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 

1. Always stay watchful.  Attacks can come at any time.  We must stay spiritually alert and understand the warning signs that temptation and spiritual attack can always be looming.  

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

 

Apply: What measures can you take to avoid a “Pearl Harbor” spiritual attack?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for those that have given their lives to protect our country.  We also ask you to keep us always vigilant against the attacks of Satan.  AMEN.

This week’s devotions are based on the Week 1 “A Savior Born for You! (WATCH HERE)

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Don’t be ignorant!

Matthew 24:37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

They knew nothing?!?

For over 100 years the word of the Lord had been on the earth that he was sending a flood to destroy the wicked people that had strayed so far away from the Lord.  While there is no evidence, I can’t help but think that people heard about Noah building an ark in the middle of the desert.  The makers of the movie Evan Almighty capture what is probably a similar reaction as the real Noah had when he was building the original ark.  This guy was crazy.

How could the novelty and abnormality of Noah’s action NOT circulated around the civilizations of the time?

What we do know is people “knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came.”  Jesus tells us this.  So ignorance prevailed around the world and the waters of the flood caught all but eight people off guard.  As a result they perished.

Ignorance is not an excuse.

We have no reason to be ignorant of the reality of Jesus’ second coming.  For not just 100 years, but 2000 years the message of Jesus and his promise that he will return has been circulated around the world.  Especially in our era of digital Bible’s and translations in nearly every language of the world, ignorance is hard to justify.

Willful ignorance is even worse.  To know something and then choose to ignore it puts one in a grave danger.  Unfortunately there are many around us that will choose to ignore Jesus as Savior and also to ignore Jesus’ second coming.  Perhaps we can look at the numbers of people that choose to ignore the real meaning of Christmas and conclude, “If they have no idea of the real meaning of Christmas, how will they ever understand the reality of that same child returning to judge the living and the dead?”  They won’t.

So first, don’t be ignorant.  Be aware.  Jesus’ promise still stands.  He is coming back.  To remind us daily he has given these words:

Matthew 24:4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. 9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. 

All around us the “signs” are happening that remind us that Jesus is coming back.  Only read or listen to the news and multiple things Jesus said would happen are happening.  Each time is a call from ignorance to awareness, “Oh yeah, that’s right…Jesus could come back at any time.”

When we live in awareness instead of ignorance, we can use the information we know to share with others.  The Lord has entrusted us with the promise of Christ’s second coming and privileged us with the opportunity to share this promise with others.  Christmas is a great time to discuss spiritual things for today and transition from the manger to the promise of the future coming of the Christ-child.

Apply: When you hear Jesus’ words about what is to come, how does it change your interpretation of the news?   Who in your sphere of influence might God use you to dispel ignorance with awareness?

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for coming in the manger of Bethlehem.  Lead me to always be aware of and ready for your coming again.  AMEN.

This week’s devotions are based on the Week 1 “A Savior Born for You! (WATCH HERE)

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Would you build an ark?

Genesis 6      When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years.” 

5 The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. 

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. 

11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14 So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. …17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.” 

22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

 

Perhaps this is an odd verse of Scripture with which to begin the season of Advent.  It seems like nothing to do with Christmas or even Jesus’ second coming for that matter.  Advent is a season of waiting and does lead us to prepare to celebrate Jesus’ first coming in the manger of Bethlehem, but it is also a season to remind us that Jesus is coming again…and he wants us to be ready.

Ironically in multiple areas of the New Testament, Noah and the flood are referenced and even some of the circumstances surrounding the flood are spoken of as going to happen in a similar way when Jesus returns (As we will see later in the week.)

So why Noah and the flood.

The promise of a world-wide flood would seem unbelievable to many.

The world was wicked and the justice of God was going to be carried out on the world.  However, the reality of the coming flood must have made it to many ears in the 100 plus years that God waited after he told Noah about the flood.  Don’t you think the “news” of the day would carry the crazy guy named Noah building a boat out in the middle of no where?  Yet even after so many years, almost everyone was caught unaware of the flood coming.  

For over 2000 years we have heard about Jesus and the reality of his birth in Bethlehem…and his promise to return.  Yet, perhaps we see what we would call a similar level of wickedness and a similar level of ignorance of these facts in the world around us.  Unfortunately, there is nothing new under the sun.

But Noah lived by the promises of God.  He believed God and did as God commanded.  I’m sure there were times where he questioned why he was getting ark ready for animals of every kind.

But when the flood waters came, I’m sure he was glad he did.

Jesus is coming back…we don’t know when.  But we want to be ready.  Noah built an ark to be ready.  What are we supposed to do to be ready?

This week we will unpack what Jesus has to say to be ready for his return!

 

Apply: What would you have thought about a coming flood and building an ark if you were Noah today?

Prayer:  Thank you for your love and grace which has let us know you will return, Savior Jesus.  Help me not to blow this truth off, but to live this reality every day!  AMEN.

This week’s devotions are based on the Week 11″Explore God” – Meant for More! (WATCH HERE)

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BLESS someone today!

Last Sunday’s message ended with this encouragement.  It wraps up our Explore God series and these last three weeks on engaging with people so God might use you to bring Jesus to them.  Perhaps copy this and put it on your mirror.  Let it be our brief but great devotional reminder as we head into the weekend and the weeks ahead!

B – Begin with Prayer!

L – Listen with empathy, ask questions.

E – Eat with people outside of your faith community.

S – Serve – Look for ways to be a servant to others.

S – Share the story of Jesus and your faith journey.

Let me close by sharing the vision of what it will be like when the fruits of our witnessing are seen around the throne of God.  You make a difference when you share the message that makes a difference!

Revelation 7:9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: 

         “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” 

11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: 

         “Amen! 

         Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. 

         Amen!” 

13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” 

14 I answered, “Sir, you know.” 

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, 

         “they are before the throne of God 

         and serve him day and night in his temple; 

         and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. 

         16      Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. 

         The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. 

         17      For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; 

         he will lead them to springs of living water. 

         And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” 

 

Prayer: Lord, use me to be your voice to share the good news of Jesus with someone today and every day! AMEN.

This week’s devotions are based on the Week 11″Explore God” – Meant for More! (WATCH HERE)

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How you speak matters!

Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

“It’s not WHAT you said…it’s HOW you said it.”

How many times have we heard this phrase?  Words can mean or communicate something very different depending on the tone and inflection that are connected to the words.  Even in the texting world programmers have developed countless emoji’s to allow the texter to put some emotion behind an emotionless text.  Everyone knows HOW you say something matters.

It is no different in our witnessing opportunities.

People will tune out to your words when they do not have the right tone.

The Apostle Paul knew it would be easy for every Christian to speak to people outside the Christian faith with a tone that would turn them off.  A tone of judgment comes across as “I am better than you.”  A tone of frustration comes across as, “I can’t believe you believe that nonsense.”  A tone of anger comes across as, “I’m not going to waste my time on you anymore.”

And once someone senses a tone that is incongruent with the Gospel of grace, I’ve lost the opportunity to share a message of grace.

“Let your conversation be always full of grace.”

What do you think this sounds like? Or better yet “feels” like to the one receiving your words? Here’s a few thoughts.

My tone communicates love and genuine concern and care.

My words seek to always represent and point people to the forgiving love of Christ.

My demeanor never communicates anger or frustration, but an empathy that comes from the heart.

The Gospel message is the best news ever.  It is the power of God for the salvation of souls.  We want to get out of the way with emotions and tones that negate or taint grace and simply let God’s grace not only be communicated but be felt.

“Seasoned with salt.”  Salt makes something palatable and tasty.  The Gospel is not devoid of also sharing the reality of sin and God’s law.  However, even when my words communicate God’s will and point out where someone is living contrary to it, my words are seasoned with the life-giving and life-changing reality of God’s forgiveness and love for us found in Christ.  The answer to sin found in the forgiveness in Christ is an example of being “seasoned with salt” that makes a tough message easier to swallow.

“So you may know how to answer everyone.”

Ultimately grace is the solution for everyone.  Virtually any spiritual question will come to a discussion about the saving work of Jesus.  The Apostle Peter encourages us to answer people with gentleness and respect.  We won’t always agree.  But we can always answer with truth seasoned with love.  With gentleness which leaves a conversation respected.

Tone and heart matter for our conversations with people outside the Christian faith (although the same encouragement can be a blessing within the community of believers too!).  When our tone and heart communicate grace, truth and love, the recipient of the words we share will not only hear them as the words of God, but will feel them as coming from a God who loves them.

Apply: Evaluate the last spiritual conversation you had. What changes when you replay the conversation with your words full of grace?

Prayer: Lord, season all my words with your grace.  AMEN.