Good morning,

It is amazing what God has done for us. This devotion plus the “Something to ponder” should be an encouragement to all of us.

Christ takes the garbage!

(Charles Spurgeon)  LISTEN to audio!  Download audio

(You will find it helpful to listen to the audio above, as you read the text below.)

Jewelers can only prepare and polish the choicest diamonds.
But Jesus Christ polishes a common pebble, and makes a jewel of it!

Jewelers make their precious treasures, out of precious materials.
Christ makes His precious things, out of dross!

He always begins with bad material. Christ takes . . .
  the despicable,
  the vilest,
  the scum,
  the off-scouring,
  the filth,
  the garbage of the world,
and out of such stuff and matter as that, He builds up a holy temple, and gathers to Himself trophies for His honor and praise!

“Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
And that is what some of you were! But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

 ~  ~  ~  ~

Something to ponder
Don Fortner: “All true doctrine entirely rests upon the Word of God–upon the plain statements of Holy Scripture; and not upon history, religious creeds, religious traditions; or human inferences, logic or reason of any kind.”

~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Salvation is the first act of obedience for all individuals. Second is baptism. Scriptural baptism is by immersion and pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. But what does that mean in the life of a believer?

Romans 6 answers that question. Verses 1-15 teach us about what baptism means to us. When we received Christ as Savior and were baptized, we identified ourselves with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. That means we are dead to sin, we walk in newness of life, and are freed from the dominion of sin. Do we still sin? Yes, but that is not our lifestyle. We repent and move on.

Romans 6:16-23 deal with yielding and its results.

God made us with a “free will”. That means we are able to choose to do right or wrong. We may yield ourselves to righteousness or wickedness. We will be servants to whomever we choose. Each choice has a consequence. The two choices are righteousness, resulting in eternal life with Christ in Heaven or wickedness, resulting in death and separation from God for all eternity in Hell.

Read and reflect on what Jesus has done for us.

ROMANS 6

For he that is dead is freed from sin. (6:7)

INTRODUCTION Identification

1) Believers must die to sin and live to Christ (6:1-2)

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? ² God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

2) Believers identify with Christ in baptism (6:3-10)

³ Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? ⁴ Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: ⁶ Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. ⁷ For he that is dead is freed from sin. ⁸ Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: ⁹ Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. ¹⁰ For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

3) Believers are made alive unto God through Christ Jesus (6:11-15)

¹¹ Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. ¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. ¹³ Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. ¹⁵ What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

4) Believers are freed from dominion of sin (6:16-20)

¹⁶ Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? ¹⁷ But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. ¹⁸ Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. ¹⁹ I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. ²⁰ For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

5) The end of sin is death and of holiness everlasting life (6:21-23)

²¹ What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. ²² But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The choice is ours. Life or death.

CHOOSE LIFE

CONCLUSION

• Christ died for us
• Through baptism we identify with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection
• We no longer yield to sin
• Sin no longer has dominion over us because we are dead to sin
• We have everlasting life

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

God made us with a “free will”. That means we are able to choose to do right or wrong. We may yield ourselves to righteousness or wickedness. We will be servants to whomever we choose. Each choice has a consequence. The two choices are righteousness, resulting in eternal life with Christ in Heaven or wickedness, resulting in death and separation from God for all eternity in Hell.

Romans 6:16-23 deal with yielding and its results.

4) Believers are freed from dominion of sin (6:16-20)

¹⁶ Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? ¹⁷ But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. ¹⁸ Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. ¹⁹ I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. ²⁰ For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

5) The end of sin is death and of holiness everlasting life (6:21-23)

²¹ What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. ²² But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The choice is ours. Life or death.

CHOOSE LIFE

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Salvation is the first act of obedience for all individuals. Second is baptism. Scriptural baptism is by immersion and pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. But what does that mean in the life of a believer?

Romans 6 answers that question. Verses 1-15 teach us about what baptism means to us. When we received Christ as Savior and were baptized, we identified ourselves with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. That means we are dead to sin, we walk in newness of life, and are freed from the dominion of sin. Do we still sin? Yes, but that is not our lifestyle. We repent and move on.

Read and reflect on what Jesus has done for us.

1) Believers must die to sin and live to Christ (6:1-2)

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? ² God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

2) Believers identify with Christ in baptism (6:3-10)

³ Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? ⁴ Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: ⁶ Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. ⁷ For he that is dead is freed from sin. ⁸ Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: ⁹ Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. ¹⁰ For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

3) Believers are made alive unto God through Christ Jesus (6:11-15)

¹¹ Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. ¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. ¹³ Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. ¹⁵ What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Tomorrow we will look at verses 16-23.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Colossians 3:1-17 is a companion to Psalm 37. Righteousness versus wickedness, good versus evil. We are exhorted to seek things above, put off the wicked character and put on righteous character. The result is the new man has the peace of God. Then we are admonished to let the word of God dwell in us.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you V 16-17

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.¹⁷ And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Then let the word of Christ dwell in us. Teach others what we have learned. Choosing to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

It is not enough to know what God wants us to do. Once we know, we must obey. Once we are obedient to God’s word, then God tells us to teach and admonish others.

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2)

We have all the tools we need to teach. The word of God and the Holy Spirit who resides within us.

Go tell others what you know.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Colossians 3:1-17 is a companion to Psalm 37. Righteousness versus wickedness, good versus evil. We are exhorted to seek things above, put off the wicked character and put on righteous character. The result is the new man has the peace of God. Then we are admonished to let the word of God dwell in us.

Put on: V10-14 

The new man, which is renewed in knowledge, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, forgiving one another, charity V 10-14

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:¹¹ Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.¹² Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;¹³ Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.¹⁴ And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Peace of God V15

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Our testimony for Christ is directly related to the character qualities we present to others. If we fail to exhibit characteristics of love, patience, mercy, humbleness, meekness, forgiveness, we will not be a good witness for Jesus Christ.

God desires us to walk close to Him, proclaim the good news of the gospel message, and pray for the lost to come to Christ.

Each of us has a part to play. Will we be obedient to God’s call?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Colossians 3:1-17 is a companion to Psalm 37. Righteousness versus wickedness, good versus evil. We are exhorted to seek things above, put off the wicked character and put on righteous character. The result is the new man has the peace of God. Then we are admonished to let the word of God dwell in us.

Seek those things above V1-7

Seek those things above V1

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Set your affections on things above V2

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Mortify your members which are upon this earth V5-7

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:⁷ In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

Put off: V8-9                                                                                

Anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication lie not one with another V8-9

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.⁹ Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

Put on: V10-14 

The new man, which is renewed in knowledge, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, forgiving one another, charity V 10-14

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:¹¹ Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.¹² Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;¹³ Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.¹⁴ And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Peace of God V15

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you V 16-17

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.¹⁷ And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

How do we conduct ourselves as believers in Christ?

Colossians 3 gives us three things to do. Seek those things which are above, set your affections on things above, and mortify (kill) your members which are on the earth.

Then we are instructed to put off a list of wicked, sinful, character qualities, and put on a list of Godly, spiritual, Biblical, character qualities.

Then let the word of Christ dwell in us. Teach others what we have learned. Choosing to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Our testimony for Christ is directly related to the character qualities we present to others. If we fail to exhibit characteristics of love, patience, mercy, humbleness, meekness, forgiveness, we will not be a good witness for Jesus Christ.

God desires us to walk close to Him, proclaim the good news of the gospel message, and pray for the lost to come to Christ.

Each of us has a part to play. Will we be obedient to God’s call?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Colossians 3:1-17 is a companion to Psalm 37. Righteousness versus wickedness, good versus evil. We are exhorted to seek things above, put off the wicked character and put on righteous character. The result is the new man has the peace of God. Then we are admonished to let the word of God dwell in us.

Put off:                                                                                 

Anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication, lie not one with another V8-9

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.⁹ Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

These character qualities are in direct opposition to what God desires. Jesus did exactly the opposite of these.

These characteristics are in direct rebellion to God. Satan exhibits each of these. He wants to draw men, women, boys, and girls, to himself. He makes sin look good, when it is not.

Choose not to follow Satan. “Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Colossians 3:1-17 is a companion to Psalm 37. Righteousness versus wickedness, good versus evil. We are exhorted to seek things above, put off the wicked character and put on righteous character. The result is the new man has the peace of God. Then we are admonished to let the word of God dwell in us.

Seek those things above V1-7

Seek those things above V1

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Set your affections on things above V2

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Mortify your members which are upon this earth V5-7

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:⁷ In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

Colossians 3 gives us three things to do. Seek those things which are above, set your affections on things above, and mortify (kill) your members which are on the earth.

The question is where is our focus? Is it on this sin sick world or on heaven and the realm of glory? On Satan or Jesus? On hell or heaven?

God wants our complete attention. He wants us to focus on the things above. He wants our minds set on Godly things, not the things of this world.

Is that our desire? It should be.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

July 16, 1983 changed my life forever. God entrusted me with one of His children in marriage. That’s right 38 years. Her name is Kathy.

It was not an easy task to get us together. Kathy was serving in the Army in Alaska and I was serving in a church ministry in California.  My assignment ended. My intention was to stay in California. God’s intention was to move me to Alaska.

A pastor from Alaska was preaching at our church. My pastor explained the situation to him. He offered me a position to work in their single’s ministry. I prayed about it and accepted the position.

I went from 60 degrees to 0 degrees in just one plane ride.

My part of the single’s ministry was to visit the local military bases. I would talk to people and invite them to our single’s class. I also was tasked with visiting people already in the class.

Kathy was attending the single’s class. One of my visits was to her. It was not love at first sight. She was not very impressed with me.

At some point in time, her perspective began to change.

What attracted me to her, was that she got her prayers answered.

In September, 1982, my mother passed away. I intended to fly Space-A from Alaska to Illinois. Kathy said she would take me to the Military airport and wait to make sure I got a flight out. We talked all night. I got to know Kathy deeply that night. She shared her heart, testimony, and desire to serve the Lord. There were no Space A flights available. Kathy took me to the international airport and I got a commercial flight.

When I arrived, I told my brother I had met the girl I was going to marry.

In October, I set up a scavenger hunt, all across Anchorage. It ended at the Cattle Company. I proposed to her and she said ”No”. You might have guessed, she eventually said “Yes”.

We would have preferred a small wedding. It was not to be. The church went to great lengths to give us a good wedding.

We honeymooned in Portland, Oregon, at a Bill Gothard seminar.

Proverbs 18:22 says, “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of the Lord.” God has given me a wonderful wife and has favored us. My wife is loving, kind, patient, resourceful, generous, and cares about me and others.

She has put up with all my military assignments. My temperament. My shortcomings. She has prayed for me continually. She is constantly studying the Bible.

In each church we have been in she has ministered to the needs of others. From making clothes for children, teaching in a Christian school, learning native culture, making native jewelry, clothes, footwear, and then teaching these tasks to native children, teaching in VBS, Sunday School, children’s church, and the CDIC (Chief decorator in charge).

She manages our home, inside and out. We eat from the bounty she plants in her garden.

Over the years we have had the opportunity to share our home in celebrations for Christmas, Passover, and Hanukkah. She decorated, cooked, and is a great hostess.

I am so pleased that God allowed me the opportunity to meet, court, marry, and be blessed all these years with a person I dearly love.

Thank you, Lord Jesus!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com