Daily Devotional; formerly Chaplains Corner

[Marlin]

If I may, Terry, I'd like to post this item, adding to your comments above, which caught my eye this morning. I thought the troops might benefit from wearing the "whole armour of God"

Yours in Christ,

Da Ole Judge



Ephesians 6:10-18

The Whole Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, (ESV)

[Woodnut]

AMEN!!!!

Still in the recliner with laptop, but no pain. I should be up and around by this afternoon, at least that's what I am hoping for. If the pain don't get any worse than it has so far, man this was a piece of cake.
Thanks everyone for your prayers and thoughts.

[ampaterry]

I have a Shogun ceremonial sword that was a gift from my TKD instructor many years ago. I take it outside, swing it at imagined forces of evil, and that passage - particularly Vs 17, ALWAYS comes to mind -

GREAT stuff, Marlin - THANK YOU!

Carl - GREAT news!
God is still in the healing business, it seems - -

[ampaterry]

Nurses Week begins today and runs through May 12th, the birthday of Florence Nightengale. Today, the first day of Nurses Week, has been designated as Nurses Day. The opinions of nurses very widely, probably depending on what kind of nursing care you have received. Some folks remember the one who had to stab them eight times with a dull needle before they could find a vein to get a blood sample. Others remember the smile, the warm and comforting words, and the complete assurance they felt that they were in excellent hands.
Confucious said “Man who want pretty nurse must be patient!”
I can say with perfect assurance that the looks of a nurse mean nothing when you need medical care.
W.C.Fields said “After two days in the hospital, I took a turn for the nurse!”
I can say with similar assurance that if your thoughts are on wooing your nurse, you are not very sick.
Dag Hammarskjold said “Constant attention by a good nurse may be just as important as a major operation by a surgeon.”
At last, we have a quote that actually fits what nurses are all about. They are highly trained care givers whose purpose is to bring comfort to people who are not in a good mood since they are either sick or injured.
God speaks condemnation against those who do not bring comfort to the sick:
Ezekiel 34:4 (KJV); “The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken . . .”
This condemnation makes it clear that God desires that we strengthen the diseased, heal the sick and bind up that which is broken. This is a very good description of what a nurse does, don't you think?
If you know any nurses, give them a call today and thank them for the work they do. And even if you do not know any, we can all include nurses in our prayers this day, asking that God bless them for the work they do.

God bless you, guys -

[Woodnut]

AMEN !

God bless these wonderful nurses, without them, where would the Doctors be? All the experiences I have had with nurses have been good ones. I am sure there are bad ones out there I just have not encountered one. Guess it is because I have lived a fairly healthy life.
My God bless each one here today.

[ampaterry]

When Mike returned home from his first day in kindergarten, his mother asked if he'd had a good day. He replied "I can't read and I can't write and they won't let me talk, so what's the use?"
So often we are like Mike. We give it a good shot, but if it doesn't work we are ready to drop it and move on to something else. If we were consistent in that attitude, none of us would ever learn how to play a musical instrument, type, drive a car, ride a bicycle, roller skate, swim, dance, or even walk, talk, or run. We have to be open to those lessons that are long and hard as well as to those that are short and easy.
In some ways, we are supposed to be childlike, such as the instance Jesus speaks of:
Matthew 18:3 (KJV); "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

But in most things, we should be prepared for a learning experience, including being open to the help of a teacher:
Acts 8:26-31 (KJV); "And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him."

As in so many things, the Christian walks the center path. We must not overanalyze everything, procrastinating until opportunity has passed. On the other hand, we must not be too rash and quick, but spend the time needed to gain the knowledge we need.

May the Lord bless each one here this morning -

[jack404]

Amen

[Woodnut]

AMEN !!!

Thanks Terry.
An update on my knee. It is doing better than anyone expected it would. I had the surgery Wednesday, they took the brace and bandage off yesterday and gave me some exercises to do. But I hardly have a limp. I can't believe it myself. So now I know that there was some divine help with my little episode.
Give the glory to God, and may God Bless each one of you that have helped me through this.
Brother, I'v got it made now.

[ampaterry]

GREAT news, Carl!
Thank you for the update, and I sure agree; divine intervention!

[jack404]

Good to hear ! take it easy still eh..

[ampaterry]

Today is mothers day, and I am going to exercise the prerogative of the author of these devotionals, and make this one a tribute to my mother.
Mom was born in 1905. In those days, only the very wealthy could afford to continue their education, the rest needed to go to work to help support the family. My mom went through the 5th grade in school, then did exactly that.
In spite of this lack of formal education, Mom had one of the finest minds I have ever encountered. I was enrolled in college level science classes while I was in high school, and I hit a snag one night in my math homework in one of these courses. Mom asked me to explain the problem to her, and I did. She asked a couple more questions about it, read part of the textbook, and explained how I needed to work the problem. I worked it that way, and when the homework was graded I discovered she was right.
Soon after starting school, the federal education system convinced me that God did not exist, and I became an atheist at a very young age. Mom had a deep faith in Jesus Christ, even though she seldom attended church. I would bring this evidence or that problem home to her, hoping to help her shed this 'crutch' of religion. None of it ever fazed her in the least, other than the obvious hurt I caused her by being a non-believer. As I continued to study, around the tenth grade I began to see problems with the idea that science had all the answers, and I started seeking. After more years, God revealed to me the truth of Mom's faith, and did it in such a way that I have never wavered since. I am very glad that this happened while my Mom was alive to see it, because her pleasure at this was obvious. Now, she is in the arms of Jesus, who she loved and worked to be like all those years.
Thank you, Mom, for all that you did for me.
And thank you, Lord, for giving me a mother that could put up with my years of idiocy, and for keeping her here long enough to see me recover from it.
What can you do to please your mother? Strive for righteousness!
Proverbs 23:24-25 (KJV); The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

May God bless every mother today, and everyone here.

[Woodnut]

AMEN !

Thanks Terry, and Happy Mother's Day to my Mom who passed in 1999, I know she hears me.
Happy mothers day to each and every Mom in the World, may it be a blessed day.

[ampaterry]

Today is Yom HaZikaron, which is Israel's Memorial Day. Today, the nation of Israel honors all fallen IDF soldiers and all victims of terrorism. The Hebrew calendar runs from sundown to sundown, so this observance began yesterday evening at sunset, and runs until sunset this evening. Yesterday at sundown, sirens were sounded in Israel, and the entire country came to a complete stop. Everything. Traffic on the highways stops. Everyone gets out of their vehicle and stands for the full minute the sirens sound, out of respect for their fallen hero's and the victims of the terrorism which Israel has had to endure virtually constantly. All the Jews do this, even those who are not religious. Those that are religious say prayers at that time for the souls of the fallen. At the Western Wall, the official ceremony begins with the lowering of the national flag to half mast.
Today, at 11:00 AM, a two minute siren is sounded. This marks the beginning of the official ceremonies and private remembrances held in each cemetery where Israeli soldiers are buried. Tonight at sundown, on mount Herzl, the Israeli flag is restored to full mast, marking the end of the ceremonies.
The IDF is, in my opinion, one of the – if not THE – finest fighting force on this planet. Get a map. Look at Israel. Now look at the countries that surround her, ALL of which want Israel to cease to exist. And all of which have TRIED to eradicate this postage-stamp of a country. Imagine the Civil War that was fought here in the US with ALL states on the North side, and on the south side is only Atlanta. Now imagine that Atlanta WON! That is what it is like with Israel and the entire mid-east that opposes her. What are the odds of that? How in the world could this nation survive in that hostile area? It is due to forces from outside of this world. Israel is the possession of the Jewish people, God's chosen people, and always will be. God promised it to Abraham, and God has never taken that promise back.
Genesis 13:14-15 (KJV); And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

May God continue to bless the nation of Israel and all who support her.
And may God grant that the USA continues to be one of those nations.

[jack404]

If i may add,

Lord touch the peoples hearts, show them that Israel needs to stand , that it has stood alone between Us and the Evil out there , and it has stood alone for too long.
Lord we ask this in Your Name

[Woodnut]

AMEN !!! Terry

AMEN !!! Jack

[ampaterry]

Today is Yom HaAtsmaut, or the Jewish independence Day. Yesterday, Israel held memorial services for the soldiers that have died fighting for their country. Today, they change from the solemnity of memorials to the celebration of independence! On this day in 1948, Israel declared it's independence. Less than 24 hours later, the new country was attacked by Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. Eight months later, cease-fire agreements were signed which gave Israel more land than she had when the war started. In other words, this flea-speck of a nation cleaned the clocks of her surrounding giant Arab neighbors who were larger, richer, and better equipped.
Does that puzzle you?
It shouldn't.
God promised that land to Abraham and his seed forever.
God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
God does not go back on his promises.
Happy Birthday, Israel.
I pray that your days will be long and sunny, and that your Arab neighbors will all be caught up in their own snares.
If they dig a pit for you, I pray they will fall into it.
I pray that God will continue to strengthen your fighting forces, to give comfort to your citizens, and a bright future for you; the only democratic state in the area.
I pray that the United States will remain firmly behind Israel, our only true ally in the entire region.

Genesis 12:1-3 (KJV);
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Has that prophecy come to pass?
Are all families of the earth blessed through the Jewish people?
Take a look at the list of nobel prize winners -
Who are the finest doctors, physicist, and scientists of all kinds?

[Woodnut]

AMEN !

Thanks for a great start of the day Terry.

[jack404]

God dont break promises , we screw em up , but He dont break em

[Juker]

Amen, amen!

[ampaterry]

We once attended a little independent Baptist church in IL that we dearly loved. The pastors son coming home from church one night, saw someone breaking into his house. He drove on by, went to his dads and borrowed a shotgun, returned and gave the guy a butt full of pellets as he ran away.
Some people, upon hearing that story, are really aghast that a pastors son would shoot someone for trying to steal from him. These folks seem to think that, as a Christian, they are not to take action against someone robbing them.
They usually base this belief upon this passage of Christ's in Matthew:
Matthew 5:40 (KJV); And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
What is important to note here, though, is that this does not deal with robbery, but with a legal action. If you have not made your car payments, and the bank re-possesses your vehicle, you are NOT to go out and cold-cock the repo-man. You do not try to keep the tires, the keys, or the DVD changer. IF the repossession is a mistake, call the lien holder, the police, and an attorney, in that order, until the mistake is corrected. IF the repossession was wrong, it will be put right in due time, through the legal system.

There is another passage, also in the words of Christ, also in Matthew, and this one DOES deal with robbery:
Matthew 12:29 (KJV); Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
It is clear from this that one is to guard their own possessions against theft; They are to STOP the thief.
I am a pastor.
If I see you breaking into my house to rob me, praying for you will not be my first action. Shooting you will be. Then, should you survive, I will pray that you find a safer way to make a living in the future. And that is what I find in my Bible.

I will talk to you again tomorrow - and may God RICHLY bless you.

[jack404]

Good one ! cheers Terry

God knows whats best ..

[Juker]

Amen!

[Warith]

Amen and oh so true. Give unto ceasar what is ceasars but keep what is yours yours.

[Woodnut]

AMEN ! and thank you Terry, no truer words than those. Very good description of the scripture.

[ampaterry]

Yesterday, I had a message that I know put some people off. Somehow, the idea is out there that Christians are supposed to be all meek and mild all the time, no matter what the circumstances. This devotional is to them.
I remember an old evangelist I sat under for a week-long revival many years ago in IL. He had a message titled "Jesus was not a nice guy; he was RIGHT!"
The whole point of the sermon was that Jesus was not some touchie-feelie milquetoast type of person. He was not all holding hands and singing cum-by-ya.

John 2:13-15 (KJV); And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;

When the money changers were desecrating the temple, Jesus did not say "Come, let us reason together." He did not apply the principles taught in sensitivity training classes. He made a WHIP. The Bible does not go into great detail about his entry into the temple that day, as it only mentions that he drove all out and then upset the tables of these merchandisers. If that is ALL he did, why did he first make a whip? Do you suppose he whipped those nasty tables with it? Do you suppose he drove them out of the temple the way a bar owner closes the place by announcing "You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here!"? No, the whip was for the MEN who were desecrating the temple! Jesus was not all completely peace and love that day; but he was all completely RIGHT.

And that is the lesson to us.
We are to pattern ourselves after Christ; that is why we call ourselves Christians.
As Christians, we are not required to always be NICE.
But we must guard that, when we are not nice, we are right.

May the Lord bless each one of us here, and I pray for strength and morality that none of us kindle his righteous anger.