Archives for February 2020

Good morning,

I will be having cataract surgery on the 10^th and 17^th of February. I asked some of my friends to do the Daily Devotions for the next two weeks.

I appreciate your willingness to help me. You were chosen because you have played an important part in my growth, knowledge of God’s word, encouragement, or faithfulness in service over the 38 years I have been in Alaska. Please continue to minister and help others.

Enjoy!

Angels

Who was that, that just changed my tire for me?

Mary was on her way to her job running behind because of the hurtful breakup which just occurred.  Her husband had left her as he had threatened to do so many times before. She was thinking of the things said to her and how it all ended when her tire went flat.  It was cold and windy.  She went off to the side of the road.  She started crying and praying ‘God please help me.’  She pushed the button to open the trunk.  As he got out of the car a man walked up saying it was okay, he would change her tire.  She felt a peace come over her and not scared for some reason.  He told her she could get back into her car out of the wind and cold and keep warm.  She still had such a peace, no fear and not afraid.  Before long, she heard the trunk shut and she got out of the car to thank him, but he had disappeared.  She thought to herself, how did he do that and so quickly?  Where did he go?   

Who was this person?  Why did they disappear so quickly and why did they help me?

People think of angels being huge, winged and radiant creatures, but that is only part of the story.  Some appear this way (Matthew 28:3), others come with dusty feet, ready for a meal (Genesis 18:1-5) and are easily mistaken for everyday people (Judges 13:16).  The writer of Hebrews says that by showing hospitability to strangers, we can entertain angels without realizing it.

We don’t know for sure if Mary’s helper was an angel, but according to Scripture, he could had been.  Angels are at work right now, helping God’s people (Hebrews 1:14).  And they can appear as ordinary as a person on the street.

Hebrews 13:1-3

1 Let brotherly love continue.

2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers:  for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

Verse 1 begins with a call to maintain brotherly love and then verse 2 encourages readers to go further by extending love to strangers maybe helping them in some way (offering meals or lodging).  This command is reinforced by the observation that some people ‘have shown hospitality to angels’ without knowing it.  Verse 3 calls readers to remember (and extend empathy to) prisoners and the mistreated. 

Men, women, children, and even animals are mistreated.  You just never know, but God knows and puts them in your path, listen to Him as He…. whispers to your heart, ‘help’.

What do you know about angels?  Can you think of an instance when you may have encountered one without realizing it at the time?

Thank You, God, for the angels You send meeting us in our time of need.

Rev. Priscilla Fulford, Pastor Pathway to Heaven Mission

WASI Christian Services &

Sundays 11:30 am

357-7274

Good morning,

I will be having cataract surgery on the 10^th and 17^th of February. I asked some of my friends to do the Daily Devotions for the next two weeks.

I appreciate your willingness to help me. You were chosen because you have played an important part in my growth, knowledge of God’s word, encouragement, or faithfulness in service over the 38 years I have been in Alaska. Please continue to minister and help others.

Enjoy!

REPENTANCE

This word is given to us in Scripture to help draw us to an eternal relationship with God, through Jesus Christ.

Matthew 4:17 “From the time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus begins His preaching ministry urging men to repent. 

Why? Luke 13:3 Jesus again preaching said, ” Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”  

Jesus is carrying out the will of God who said in II Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness: but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 

God also has provided the way, through His love.  John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  This everlasting life (with God in heaven) is gained through true repentance.  Repentance means to change our minds and confess our sins.  I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Repentance is a change of mind toward God and a realization that my sin can only be forgiven through Christ.  Luke 15:10 “I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

Pastor Ben Burtch, Immanuel Baptist Church, Palmer, Alaska

Good morning,

I will be having cataract surgery on the 10^th and 17^th of February. I asked some of my friends to do the Daily Devotions for the next two weeks.

I appreciate your willingness to help me. You were chosen because you have played an important part in my growth, knowledge of God’s word, encouragement, or faithfulness in service over the 38 years I have been in Alaska. Please continue to minister and help others.

Enjoy!

CHRIST IS OUR SPIRITUAL CENTER

He is the central figure of Truth:   John 14:6   “Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”   This central figure is the only way to the Father and Salvation!

He is the central message of the Scriptures:  I Corinthians 15:3 “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.”  The Scripture is Truth without error!

He is the center of miraculous power, shown by His resurrection:  Ephesians 1:19,20 “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.  Which he wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.”   No Resurrection, no Salvation!

He is the central business of the church:  I Corinthians 2:2 “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”  I Corinthians 1:23,24 “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”  Please read I Corinthians 1:22-31.

He is the central and the sum of all things:  Ephesians 1:10 “That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.”   He is now and forever the sum of all things spiritual!

Let us make Christ the true center of our lives! 

Pastor Ben Burtch

Immanuel Baptist Church

Palmer 

Good morning,

I will be having cataract surgery on the 10^th and 17^th of February. I asked some of my friends to do the Daily Devotions for the next two weeks.

I appreciate your willingness to help me. You were chosen because you have played an important part in my growth, knowledge of God’s word, encouragement, or faithfulness in service over the 38 years I have been in Alaska. Please continue to minister and help others.

Enjoy!

Jesus Christ’s “So Great Salvation” Part 2

Text: Hebrews 2:1-4, especially verse 3, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.”

The Book of Hebrews in our Bible was written to persecuted Jewish Christians to strengthen them in their faith and faithfulness to Jesus Christ. The Bible calls on them to hold fast to their “so great salvation” which is found only in our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. But how is their salvation (and our salvation) “so great”?

Yesterday, we saw that our salvation is “so great” because of the magnitude of our sin before we got saved. No Christian can fully appreciate Christ’s salvation unless he recognizes the greatness of his past sins before he got saved. Today we will look at God’s role in our “so great salvation.”

First, Hebrews 2:9 tells us that Jesus’s salvation is “so great” because of His grace, “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”

Because of God’s grace, Jesus died for sins that we might be saved and have everlasting life. Furthermore, His death covered the sins of all persons who would believe on Him. Jesus tasted “death for every man.”

Second, Hebrews 4:16 tells us that Jesus’s salvation is “so great” because of His mercy, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Grace and mercy are twin sisters but there is a difference. Grace provides what we don’t deserve (a Savior and salvation), and mercy spares us from what we do deserve. We deserve God’s eternal judgment, but when we come to Jesus Christ for His salvation, we have God’s mercy upon us as sinners.

You and I can believe on Jesus Christ and be saved from the judgment of our sins because God is gracious and merciful to any sinner who will go to Him for salvation: Hebrews 7:25, “Wherefore he (Jesus) is able also to save them (us sinners) to the uttermost that come unto God by him (Jesus), seeing he (Jesus) ever liveth to make intercession for them (us sinners).”

Truly, God’s grace and mercy gives us “so great salvation.”

Pastor Stan Tucker, Pilgrims Baptist Church

Good morning,

I will be having cataract surgery on the 10^th and 17^th of February. I asked some of my friends to do the Daily Devotions for the next two weeks.

I appreciate your willingness to help me. You were chosen because you have played an important part in my growth, knowledge of God’s word, encouragement, or faithfulness in service over the 38 years I have been in Alaska. Please continue to minister and help others.

Enjoy!

Jesus Christ’s “So Great Salvation”

Text: Hebrews 2:1-4, especially verse 3, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.”

The Book of Hebrews in our Bible was written to persecuted Jewish Christians to strengthen them in their faith and faithfulness to Jesus Christ. The Bible calls on them to hold fast to their “so great salvation” which is found only in our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. But how is their salvation (and our salvation) “so great”?

First (tomorrow we will look at the second reason), our salvation is “so great” because of the magnitude of our sin before we got saved. No Christian can fully appreciate Christ’s salvation unless he recognizes the greatness of his past sins before he got saved. When He forgave the sins of a sinful woman, Jesus told Simon a Pharisee, “Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little,” Luke 7:47.

When we see ourselves as “so great” a sinner and Jesus Christ as our “so great” Savior because He forgives us of all our sins, we will praise God for His “so great salvation.”

But there is a further encouraging thought in this account of the sinful woman. Those who are saved by faith in the “so great” Savior may not count their sins to be as serious as more notorious sinners and may not love as much, but their sins are still forgiven (Luke 7:42).

However, a fresh sense of our past sinful condition will give us a fresh sense of God’s “so great salvation” as well as a greater appreciation for the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Pastor Stan Tucker, Pilgrims Baptist Church

Good morning,

Next week I will be having cataract surgery.

This week we look at what the Bible says about our eyes.

Topics to be discussed are eyes in general, eyes are good, eyes are evil, eyes healed by Jesus.

Eyes healed by Jesus

“And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. ²³And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. ²⁴And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. ²⁵After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.” (Mark 8:22-25)

“When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, ⁷And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.” (John 9:6-7)

Conclusion

God made our eyes

Eyes may be used to bless or curse God

God heals the eyes of men

The challenge for each of us is be very careful what we look at. Make sure our eyes look at Godly things and avoid the wicked things.

Eyes focused on Jesus.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Next week I will be having cataract surgery.

This week we look at what the Bible says about our eyes.

Topics to be discussed are eyes in general, eyes are good, eyes are evil, eyes healed by Jesus.

Eyes for evil

“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28)

“If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; ⁶Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. ⁷If my step hath turned out of the way,and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;” (Job 31:5-7) 

“For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. ⁶And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” (Genesis 3:5-6)

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2:16)

“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” (Luke 16:23)

Unfortunately, Adam and Eve were not satisfied with God’s perfect creation. Satan tempted them and their perfect eyes were corrupted. They were deceived by what they saw.

The result was sin entered into the world. All God’s perfect creation was now tainted with sin. Rebellion, betrayal, ugliness, pollution, and death is what man and woman saw through their eyes.

That is what we see too. Temptation is all around us. We see things that are wicked and worldly. We act upon what we see. We are afflicted just as Adam and Eve were.

Adam and Eve were banished from the garden of Eden because of their sin. Will God remove us from our heavenly reward because of our sin? It depends.

If our eyes have landed on the Bible and we have placed our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, then we are saved, going to heaven. Will we sin along the way? Yes. However, the Bible states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

So those who are saved, walking with God, will not be removed from our heavenly reward. Their eyes are focused on heaven.

The eyes of those who continue in their worldly pleasures, rejecting salvation through Jesus shed blood on the cross, will be separated from God and be cast into the lake of fire.

 “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵ And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:14-15)

 “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10)

Do our eyes focus on heaven or hell?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Next week I will be having cataract surgery.

This week we look at what the Bible says about our eyes.

Topics to be discussed are eyes in general, eyes are good, eyes are evil, eyes healed by Jesus.

EYES

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. (Psalms 119:18)

Introduction: My cataract surgery

Eyes in general

“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” (Matthew 6:22)

“The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.” (Proverbs 20:12)

“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evl and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3)

Eyes for good

“I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; [it] shall not cleave to me.” (Psalms 101:3)

“And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. ¹⁷And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:16-17)

“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” (Psalms 119:18)

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

Eyes for evil

“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28)

“If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; ⁶Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. ⁷If my step hath turned out of the way,and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;” (Job 31:5-7) 

“For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. ⁶And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” (Genesis 3:5-6)

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2:16)

“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” (Luke 16:23)

Eyes healed by Jesus

“And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. ²³And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. ²⁴And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. ²⁵After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.” (Mark 8:22-25)

“When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, ⁷And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.” (John 9:6-7)

Conclusion

God made our eyes

Eyes may be used to bless or curse God

God heals the eyes of men

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Next week I will be having cataract surgery.

This week we look at what the Bible says about our eyes.

Topics to be discussed are eyes in general, eyes are good, eyes are evil, eyes healed by Jesus.

Eyes for good

“I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; [it] shall not cleave to me.” (Psalms 101:3)

“And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. ¹⁷And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:16-17)

“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” (Psalms 119:18)

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

God created Adam and Eve perfect. What they saw was perfect. Their eyes witnessed the dazzling beauty of God’s creation. They saw the animal kingdom in all their majesty. The sky, the air, the waters all clean and clear. Crystal lakes and rivers.

It is God’s desire that our eyes see good things. Pure and unspotted from this world. Seeing God’s majesty, beauty and handiwork. Allowing our eyes to fall upon the pages of Scripture and to observe His supernatural actions.

Do we use our eyes to focus on God’s good things?

Tom Stearns,  WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Next week I will be having cataract surgery.

This week we look at what the Bible says about our eyes.

Topics to be discussed are eyes in general, eyes are good, eyes are evil, eyes healed by Jesus.

Eyes in general

“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” (Matthew 6:22)

“The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.” (Proverbs 20:12)

“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3)

We take our eyes for granted. They are always there and function well. Until they don’t.

When our eyes fail to function correctly, we fail to function correctly.

Think about what happens if we cannot see. We are unable to navigate from point A to B. We are unable to read the Bible. We are unable to drive our cars. We are unable to see God’s creation.

Yet we never think about or thank God for our eyes. God made our eyes. His eyes are watching over us for good and evil.

Consider your eyes and thank God for them.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001