Daily Devotional; formerly Chaplains Corner

[jack404]

Amen

[skullfr]

amen

[BlackEagle]

Originally Posted by Krogen

Colossians 3:12-14! Ding! Ding! Ding! Thanks for today's message, Terry. I needed to read that one. I return to work next Monday after some time off. One of the guys on the team is, "a challenge." I really haven't been looking forward to dealing with him again. No need for the details here, but I can get quite frustrated with him. This passage in Colossians is spot on. Now, if only I can adhere to the directive.

Ditto here.

Todays': One of the amazing things is these are all defeats that Israel is remembering. Yet, in spite of these massive defeats, God has kept the people of Israel going over all these years. God is a faithful God. He has done the same with His chosen people all through history, Israelites, and Christians. Lots of things going on right now make the world look gloomy, but God is still in control. We can't ever forget that.

1 Samuel 2:8-10
“ He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap
To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor;
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He set the world on them.
He keeps the feet of His godly ones, But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness;
For not by might shall a man prevail.
Those who contend with the Lord will be shattered;
Against them He will thunder in the heavens,
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
And He will give strength to His king,
And will exalt the horn of His anointed.”

Thanks again, Terry.

[ampaterry]

THANK YOU, guys, for the support!

For today:

C. Ray Dobbins, Editor of Cumberland Presbyterian, was on a plane and his seatmate told him of riding a plane recently from Miami on which there were 65 psychiatrists traveling home from a convention. During the flight a woman became ill and mentally upset, yet none of the doctors offered to help. The plane had to put down in Nashville so they could take the woman to the hospital. His companion's comment was, "Life is like that." There is a great deal of intelligence and expertise in this world but often it is of no help in the face of human needs.

We hear a great deal today about the difficulty of finding people who are competent! Every one of us has worked with, or dealt with companies, where it seems NO ONE has any idea what is going on! Is there REALLY such a total lack of good sense in the world today? NO! What there is a lack of in the world today is people who CARE!! The indifferent one who sells you the wrong part is NOT stupid; he just does not CARE enough to be sure he has sold you the right one!

The response of most Christians is many times the same. We see great spiritual need. As Christians we have the answer to help. In fact, we go to great lengths to say that we have what this world needs, yet we often continue unresponsive. We move away from the problem and pretend to be guiltless. Where is the courage to care?

James 2:14-17 (NCV);
“My brothers and sisters, if people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save them? A brother or sister in Christ might need clothes or food. If you say to that person, “God be with you! I hope you stay warm and get plenty to eat,” but you do not give what that person needs, your words are worth nothing. In the same way, faith that is alone—that does nothing—is dead.”

James 4:17 (NKJV);
“Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

May God bless each one of you with the gift of caring.

[skullfr]

Yes sir it is our duty to feed the needy soul.Great message

[HAGEN442]

Thank You Ampaterry
Amen
Just Found The Chaplins Corner
00

[BlackEagle]

Thanks again, Terry, for another great reminder.

[ampaterry]

Hagen442, welcome to the Amen corner!
Thank you all for the support -

For today:

I have always been interested in old laws and customs, especially those that seem VERY outlandish by today’s standards. There is a law on the books that says an automobile cannot drive at night unless it is preceded by a man carrying a lantern. In Memphis, Tennessee, it is illegal for a woman to drive a car unless there is a man either running or walking in front of it waving a red flag to warn approaching motorists and pedestrians. I’m not going to elaborate on that one!

Some time ago I read this, which leads to the point for today’s message:
In 1842 the first bathtub was denounced as a "luxurious and democratic vanity". I have seen pictures of bathtubs with boards blocking the bathers view of their own body, because it was considered sinful! Boston made it unlawful to bathe, except on doctor's prescription. In 1843, Philadelphia made bathing illegal between November 1 and March 15. Now we know when NOT to visit Philadelphia, huh?

These practices sure seem outlandish! We laugh at people that passed such laws, or believed in such customs, don’t we? Yet there are MANY Christians today that have some VERY odd ideas about cleansing – spiritual cleansing, that is. It is tragic, but true. We have adopted some practices which we need to change! In many cases, we would rather put up with the stench of our unconfessed sins than come clean before God!

Jeremiah 4:14 (KJV); “O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?”

2 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV); “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

1 John 1:9 (KJV); “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

And – by the way – someday in the future, someone interested in old ridiculous laws will point out that way back in 2012, the legislature in New York made it illegal to sell large soft drinks, and then forced the hospitals to lock up the baby formula to encourage breast feeding, and will guffaw at all the laws that tried to make us safer by disarming us - -

May God richly bless you, guys -

[HAGEN442]

Thanks
Amen
00

[skullfr]

thanks great message

[BlackEagle]

Spot on, Terry. Thanks again.
Matthew 23:27 is right up that alley also.
Psalm 15 shows the benefits of being clean from the inside out.

[ampaterry]

Thank you, guys!

For today:

Man does not like to admit that his sinfulness and rebellion are at the heart of the problems of society. He's much more comfortable discussing imperfections, weaknesses, mistakes, and errors in judgment. These terms are socially acceptable, and almost everyone identifies with them. But an outright acknowledgment of guilt before a holy God, a 100-percent acceptance of responsibility for wrong- doing, runs against the grain. Yet this kind of honesty is the first step to the freedom from sin and guilt that God longs to give us and has provided in the death of Christ.
The story is told that one day Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, visited a prison and talked with each of the inmates. There were endless tales of innocence, of misunderstood motives, and of exploitation. Finally the king stopped at the cell of a convict who remained silent. "Well," remarked Frederick, "I suppose you are an innocent victim too?" "No, sir, I'm not," replied the man. "I'm guilty and deserve my punishment." Turning to the warden, the king said, "Here, release this rascal before he corrupts all these fine innocent people in here!"

This is the way it works with ourselves and God; As long as we profess our innocence, or blame our parents, or our environment, or our dis-advantaged situation, or our genetic makeup which caused us to be 'born this way', we will continue to rot in the ruin of our own sinfulness. When we realize and admit, however, that we are SINNERS, and that it is US that is at fault, he lifts us out of the cesspool of our own making!

Proverbs 28:13 (KJV);
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

1 John 1:8-9 (KJV);
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

May God bless each one of us with perfect vision for self-examination.

[jack404]

Man does not like to admit that his sinfulness and rebellion are at the heart of the problems of society. He's much more comfortable discussing imperfections, weaknesses, mistakes, and errors in judgment

Mainly in others



Cheers Terry

[BlackEagle]

Maybe the hardest words to say are "I was wrong. I'm sorry. Would you please forgive me?"

As I recall, the Hebrew word for repentance means to turn around and go back.

Amen and thanks, Terry.

[skullfr]

amen great message

[sub-moa]

Great as usual Terry

Isaiah 30:15
This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.

[ampaterry]

Thank you, guys!

For today:

In a painfully honest look at his own life, W.E. Sangster wrote in his journal that although he was a minister, the spiritual passion in his private life had languished. He made the following observations.
* I am irritable and easily put out.
* I am impatient with my wife and children.
* I am deceitful in that I often express private annoyance when a caller is announced and simulate pleasure when I actually greet them.
* From an examination of my heart, I conclude that most of my study has been crudely ambitious; that I wanted degrees more than knowledge and praise rather than equipment for service.
* Even in my preaching I fear that I am more often wondering what the people think of me, than what they think about my Lord and His word.
* I have long felt in a vague way that something was hindering the effectiveness of my ministry and I must conclude that the "something" is my failure in living the truly Christian life.
* I am driven in pain to conclude that the girl who has lived as a maid in my house for more than three years has not felt drawn to the Christian life because of me.
* I find slight envies in my heart at the greater success of other young ministers. I seem to match myself with them in thought and am vaguely jealous when they attract more notice than I do.
If you kept a journal of your life, and kept it HONESTLY, how would it read? Would it be as critical of you as this? NOW is the time to change!

2 Corinthians 4:11 (TLB);
“Yes, we live under constant danger to our lives because we serve the Lord, but this gives us constant opportunities to show forth the power of Jesus Christ within our dying bodies.”
Gal 2:20 (TLB);
“I have been crucified with Christ: and I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And the real life I now have within this body is a result of my trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

May God bless each one of us with this kind of brutal honesty in self-examination.

[skullfr]

great message.I know I am lacking in the way I live.I tend to find myself letting the world govern my life instead of letting God take control.The right path is so hard to stay on and we all fall short in his desire for us to live right.I tend to get bent when reading these post and the evil comes to the surface.Thanks for reminding me.

[tcox4freedom]

Great message Terry.
I must confess; Mr. Sangster's self examination exercise sounds very much like mine. It is a struggle for me a lot of times to be more patient & less irritable with those I love.

But, some of the most difficult introspection's come from an honest critique of the carnal man that still prevents me from soaring in the "Spirit".

-

[BlackEagle]

The last few days remind me of James 1:22-25.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

The self examination that leads to life change gives freedom and success in God's eyes.

Thanks, Terry.

[ampaterry]

Thank you, guys!

We will be on the road for the next three days. I will have my notebook with me, but will be depending on other internet connections, so understand if I do not get every days devotional posted - or ANY days, for that matter - between now and Tuesday when we will be back home.

Stanley Jones wrote this about a crucial moment in his life when he found himself on his way to what could have been a spiritual disaster:

For months after my conversion, I was running under cloudless skies. And then suddenly I tripped, almost fell, pulled back this side of the sin, but was shaken and humiliated that I could come that close to sin. I thought I was emancipated and found I wasn't. I went to the class meeting -- I'm grateful that I didn't stay away -- went, but my music had gone. I had hung my harp on a weeping willow tree. As the others spoke of their joys and victories of the week, I sat there with the tears rolling down my cheeks. I was heartbroken. After the others had spoken, John Zink, the class leader, said: "Now, Stanley, tell us what is the matter." I told them I couldn't, but would they please pray for me? Like one man they fell to their knees, and they lifted me back to the bosom of God by faith and love.
When we got up from our knees, I was reconciled to my heavenly Father, to the group, and to myself. I was reconciled. The universe opened its arms and took me in again. The estrangement was gone. I took my harp from the willow tree and began to sing again -- the Song of Moses and the Lamb, especially the Lamb. The cross was my refuge and my release.
That was a very crucial moment in my Song of Ascents, the moment when I lost my music. My destiny was in the hands of that group. I was a very bruised reed; suppose they had broken me? I was a smoldering wick; suppose they had snuffed me out? Just a criticism: "I told you so. Too good to be true. He was riding for a fall." But they never uttered a criticism, or even thought of one, as far as I could see. The reaction was nothing but redemptive love. That group became redemptive. I saw and experienced the power of redemptive love incarnate in a group.

Galatians 6:1 (NCV);
“Brothers and sisters, if someone in your group does something wrong, you who are spiritual should go to that person and gently help make him right again. But be careful, because you might be tempted to sin, too.”

May God bless each one of you!

[HAGEN442]

Very Meaningfull
Thanks
HAve a Safe Trip
00

[skullfr]

great have a safe trip and may God watch over you.

[ampaterry]

Thank you, guys!
Here safe in IL, and even have internet at the motel!

For today:

Today is Coast Guard Day. The Coast Guard started on August 4th of 1790, when congress authorized the construction of ten cutters to enforce our tariff and trade laws, and fight smuggling. Back then, it was called the Revenue Cutter Service.
In 1871, the Life-Saving Service was created. Their goal was to save the lives of shipwrecked people.
In 1915, by an act of Congress, these two were merged into a single agency named the Coast Guard.
From their web-site:
“The Coast Guard is one of the oldest organizations of the federal government and until Congress established the Navy Department in 1798 we served as the nation's only armed force afloat. We protected the nation throughout our long history and served proudly in every one of the nation's conflicts. Our national defense responsibilities remain one of our most important functions even today. In times of peace we operate as part of the Department of Homeland Security, serving as the nation's front-line agency for enforcing the nation's laws at sea, protecting the marine environment and the nation's vast coastline and ports, and saving life. In times of war, or at the direction of the President, we serve under the Navy Department.”

The Word of God tells us:
Genesis 6:13-14(a) (KJV);
And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood . . . .

Today, the earth is filled with violence also. And today, just as Noah preserved and protected mankind and beasts through the use of a ship, our coast guard preserves and protects mankind and beasts through the use of many ships.

Lord, put a hedge around all members of the Coast Guard today, and around the members of all our armed services. Protect them in the work they do, Father, and let them know that they are loved and appreciated.

Amen -

[skullfr]

The CG is a great service.Many young men and women have sacrificed thier lives in the preservation of lives.
Dear Father,please watch over our young men and women and guide them in your service to mankind. Amen