Good morning,

This week we conclude our study of the book of Romans. Chapter 16 lists the names of many Christians from Rome who have ministered with or influenced Paul’s life. Paul warns his readers of the people who try to cause divisions in the Church. He ends by praising God.

Ministry for Jesus Christ takes a team. The people Paul mentions, played a part in helping Paul be successful. Transportation, lodging, logistics, monetary gifts, and prayer are all part of ministry. Many times we see the Preacher or the Evangelist and are blessed by what they say. However, without the support team, there might not be a message.

Whatever you do in your local church is important to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. People get saved because of what appears to be insignificant ministries. No one may ever know what you do, but God does. He is pleased that you serve.

This is what Paul is communicating to the Christians at Rome.

Greetings to fellow laborers in the Lord (16:1-16)

I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:² That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.³ Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:⁴ Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.⁵ Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.⁶ Greet Mary, who bestowed much labor on us.⁷ Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. ⁸ Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.⁹ Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.¹⁰ Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus’ household.¹¹ Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.¹² Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which labored much in the Lord.¹³ Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.¹⁴ Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.¹⁵ Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them. ¹⁶ Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

Please ask God to show you how you might minister for Him. Then whatever He asks you to do, whether great or small, do it.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Idols come in many forms. Anything that we hold higher than God is our idol. As we will learn today, it may be things, thoughts, or our heart attitude. We need to get rid of the idols in our lives.

Some thoughts on idolatry!

“These men have set up their idols in their hearts!” Ezekiel 14:3

“Their heart went after their idols!” Ezekiel 20:16

“We are all born idolaters!” Thomas Watson

“An idol is an idol–whether worshiped inwardly in heart, or adorned outwardly by the knee.” J.C. Philpot

“Every one of us is, from his mother’s womb, expert in inventing idols. Man’s nature, so to speak, is a perpetual idol factory!” John Calvin

“An idol of the mind is as offensive to God as an idol of the hand.” A.W. Tozer

“O wretched idol, MYSELF!” Samuel Rutherford

“If we are indeed Christians–we have broken a great many idols. We have still some more to break–and we must keep the hammer going until they are all broken!” Charles Spurgeon

“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!” Ezekiel 14:6

“Dear children, keep yourselves from idols!” 1 John 5:21
~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

God wants us to pray. Prayer acknowledges our dependence on God. Today’s devotional tells us a real need of today’s local churches.

What the Church needs today!

(E.M. Bounds)

“They all joined together constantly in prayer” Acts 1:14

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42

The church is looking for better methods—God is looking for holier men.

What the Church needs today is not more or better machinery, not new organizations or more and novel methods–but men mighty in prayer.

The Holy Spirit does not flow through methods–but through men.
He does not come on machinery–but on men.
He does not anoint plans–but men, men of prayer.

Prayer is our most formidable weapon, the thing which makes all else we do efficient.

“The prayer meeting is the gauge of the Church’s spiritual condition. You may always test your church’s prosperity–by the number who assemble to pray!” Charles Spurgeon

~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Sin is bad. We need to avoid it at all costs. This devotion is a reminder why.

We are as moths near a burning candle!

(Charles Spurgeon)

“Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity!” Psalm 119:37

Dear friends, do not gaze upon any sin . . .
for looking breeds longing,
and longing begets lusting,
and lusting brings sinning!

Keep your eyes right–and you may keep your heart right.

If that first woman had not looked upon the forbidden tree and seen “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 would not have plucked and eaten the forbidden fruit–and we would not have been the children of sin and sorrow!

O friends, if we begin to look upon iniquity, we shall almost certainly fall! There are some sins that we poor, frail creatures cannot endure to look at. We are as moths near a burning candle–the only safety for us is to get out of the room and fly into the open air. But if we go near the candle–we shall certainly burn our wings and, perhaps, even destroy ourselves!

Just so, we must take care that we do not get used to sin. I believe that even the common reading in the newspapers of accounts of evil things is defiling to us. If we habitually read such things, we shall come, at last, to think less and less of the coarser forms of vice than we ought to do.

Nothing can keep us away from the fangs of sin, like falling into the embraces of Christ. Looking unto Jesus, is the great remedy against looking unto sin!

Turn away my eyes from vanity, my Lord, by filling them full with a vision of Yourself and holding me spellbound with that grandest spectacle that eyes of men, or angels, or even of God, Himself ever saw–the spectacle of God Incarnate bearing our sin in His own body on the Cross!

Keep your eyes fixed there–and all will be well.

~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

Each new year brings a fresh batch of challenges, growth, and spiritual renewal. May our focus be on Jesus, the cross, and our heavenly home. This could be the year He takes us home.

Are we ready?

This year I may be in Heaven!

(Octavius Winslow, “Morning Thoughts”)

“You have not traveled this way before!” Joshua 3:4

How solemn is the reflection that each traveler to Zion is commencing a new and untrodden path!
New events in his history will transpire;
new scenes in the panorama of life will unfold;
new phases of character will develop;
new temptations will assail;
new duties will devolve;
new trials will be experienced;
new sorrows will be felt;
new friendships will be formed
new mercies will be bestowed.

How truly may it be said of the pilgrim journeying through the wilderness to his eternal home, as he stands upon the threshold of this untried period of his existence, pondering the unknown and uncertain future: “You have not traveled this way before!”

Reader! if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus, you will enter upon a new stage of your journey by a renewed surrender of yourself to the Lord. You will make the cross the starting-point of a fresh setting out in the Heavenly race.

Oh, to begin the year with a broken heart for sin, beneath the cross of Immanuel–looking through that cross to the heart of a loving, forgiving Father!

Do not be anxious about the future–all that future God has provided for:
“All my times are in Your hands.”
“Casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.”
“Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain you.”

Let it be a year of more spiritual advance: “Speak to the children of Israel that they go forward.”
Forward in the path of duty;
forward in the path of suffering;
forward in the path of conflict;
forward in the path of labor; and
forward in the path to eternal rest and glory!

Soon will that rest be reached, and that glory appear! This new year may be the jubilee year of your soul–the year of your release. Oh spirit-stirring, ecstatic thought–this year I may be in Heaven!

~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Read and be encouraged.

Holy ground!

(Alexander Smellie, “The Secret Place” 1907)

“Do not come any closer! Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground!” Exodus 3:5

I have no need to go to the loneliness of Sinai to meet with God. I find holy ground much nearer home. But I wonder whether I take my sandals off of my feet.

God reveals Himself to me in His written Word. It is His sanctuary. By its agency, my deepest life is created, quickened, sustained. Listening to it, the saints have heard the very voice of their Lord. But do I reverence God by my frivolous use of the words of Scripture? And, whenever I open the Book, do I remember that God has breathed the Spirit of Life into its chapters and verses? Mine is culpable levity.

He reveals Himself in my history, as truly as ever He did in the history of Israel. In it, the devout heart will trace . . .
His perfect providence,
His power,
His wisdom,
His stern hatred of sin,
His overflowing goodness.

Best of all, He reveals Himself in Christ. But if Christ brings Him close to me, He teaches me fresh reasons for standing in awe of Him.

His life shows me what God is–spotless, righteous, faithful, unflinchingly holy.

And His Cross has a more impressive message still. Here are God’s infinite gentleness and shoreless mercy. Side by side with these are God’s abhorrence of my iniquity, and His unconquerable justice. He is holy, holy, holy–even in the brightest and sweetest manifestation of His grace. Yet I do not always worship Him “with trembling hope and penitential tears.”

Not a day passes, that I am not standing in the courts of His house. Not a place can I visit, where the Spirit of glory and of God may not overshadow me. I pray for tenfold more thoughtfulness and adoration and humility.

~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Happy New Year.

Many people make resolutions each year. Generally speaking, most are broken before January has expired. Sunday I preached a message on Spiritual Conduct. The Introduction began with a suggestion to dump the resolutions in place of OBEDIENCE to God’s word. Further I asked how many had even read the complete Bible. How can you be obedient to something you know nothing about? So, the challenge was to begin to read the Bible this year. Three chapters a day should do it.

This is an important message for all believers. God expects us to act in accordance to His word. I have printed the outline and references below. Please look up the references and ask God whether these are areas where work is needed. Then allow the Holy Spirit to convict and work.

Obedience to God and His word should be what we strive for in 2017.

1) SPIRITUAL BATTLE (EPHESIANS 6:10-12)

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

2) SPIRITUAL MIND (PHILIPPIANS 2:1-3, 4:8-9) KEY VERSES 2 AND 8

 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

3) SPIRITUAL CONVERSATION (JAMES 3:1-18) KEY VERSES 10, 17-18

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

4) SPIRITUAL FRUIT (GALATIANS 5:22-3)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

5) SPIRITUAL CONDUCT (2 PETER 1:1-12) KEY VERSES 3-9

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

6) SPIRITUAL TRUST (PROVERBS 3:5-6)

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

7) SPIRITUAL CLEANSING (1 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.

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Remember, people are looking at you every day. Christians should be presenting themselves as the Scriptures above state.

Are we?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This devotion will close out our celebration of Hanukkah.

Tonight, we light the seventh Hanukkah candle. With each night, the light grows brighter. It reminds us that light dispels darkness. We live in a dark world. Open a newspaper, a news feed on the computer, or the evening news, and you will notice that the lead story is usually about death, wickedness, or some kind of sin. The light that Jesus gives allows men and women, boys and girls to live above what the world has to offer.

Seventh Candle

The prophet Isaiah speaks of the future glory of a restored Israel in
Isaiah 60:1-3:

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord
has risen upon you… And nations will come to your light, and kings to
the brightness of your rising.

God is not done with Israel. If you have any doubt, please read the books of Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Revelation. Israel will be restored to Her rightful place as God’s chosen nation and people. Today’s Scripture states that nations and kings will come to light of Israel and ultimately to the Messiah, Yeshua, the Lord Jesus Christ. What a glorious day that will be.

The message of salvation is woven through the whole Hanukkah celebration. I would be remiss in not sharing that message with you.

God created a perfect world, no sin. In Genesis 3, man chose to disobey God’s clear command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  The first sin. From that time to this God sees us as sinners. In the Old Testament, God directed a blood sacrifice for the covering of sin. We see this demonstrated in Egypt, just before the Exodus and the Priests sacrificing animals daily for the sins of the people.

God had a better plan.  “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5) How was this to be done? Jesus tells us in Mark 1:14-15, “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” What is the gospel? “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-6)

So to summarize.

1) We are lost and need a Savior. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” (Romans 3:10) “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)

2) God sent Jesus to redeem us. (See Galatians 4:4-5 above)

3) We must repent of our sins. Repent means turning in the opposite direction. Renounce all your wickedness before Jesus. (See Mark 1:14-15)

4) We must believe the gospel. That Christ died for our sins, that he was buried, and that he rose again on the third day. (See 1 Corinthians 15:1-6)

5) Last we must a make a decision to accept or reject God’s free gift of salvation. Romans 10:8-11, makes this very clear. “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”

Jesus came to earth as a baby, grew to manhood, preach God’s message of salvation, and then went to the cross for US! Jesus would love for you to trust Him as Lord and Savior. If you know Jesus as Lord and Savior, tell someone about this good news.

Tonight is the last evening of Hanukkah. I hope you enjoyed the devotions on Hanukkah.

Eighth Candle

Revelation 21:22-27 gives us a description of our glorious eternal dwelling place in the New Jerusalem:

And I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb, are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. And the nations shall walk by its light, and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it. And in the daytime (for there shall be no night there) its gates shall never be closed; and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; and nothing unclean and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

So the question begs itself, are our names written in the Lamb’s book of life? If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, see yesterday’s devotion, your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life. If not you will be separated from God for all eternity. You choose.

This is the last devotional for 2016. I hope these daily devotions are an encouragement to you.   Since February of 2015 the devotionals have been on our website. If you need a bit of encouragement, please go to our archives for a jolt of inspiration, enlightenment, and sound Bible teaching.

Have a Happy Hanukkah and safe a blessed New Year.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

Latkes and jelly doughnuts

On Hanukkah, it is customary to eat potato latkes and jelly doughnuts. These treats, which are fried in oil, remind us of the miracle of the jug of oil that burned for eight days.

Fourth Candle

Psalm 119:105 and Psalm 119:130 describe the light that comes from
God’s Word:

Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path. The
unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the
simple.

When we read God’s word, the Bible, God gives us His light. He allows us to see things that will encourage us, convict us, and motivate us to follow Him more closely. He allows us to see things that we should be doing and things that we should not. Wisdom and understanding are found in the pages of the Bible.

Fifth Candle

Messiah Yeshua is the greatest light of all:

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light
shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it (John
1:4-5).

As Messiah Yeshua was in the Temple in Jerusalem watching the
illuminating lights, He declared: “I am the light of the world; he who
follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of
life” (John 8:12).

Aged Simeon was promised by the Lord that he would not die until
he saw Israel’s Messiah. When he saw Yeshua as an infant in the Temple,
he knew that this One was the light of Israel and the Nations. Simeon
declared: “My eye have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in
the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the gentiles,
and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:30-32).

For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One
who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Messiah (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Sixth Candle

After we come to know Messiah, we are to be a source of light for the
world. King Messiah tells us in Matthew 5:14-16:

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be
hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure,
but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your
good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

What we learned:

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Candle Five pictures the baby Jesus as the greatest light of all. Simeon testified to it. John, the apostle, writes about it. Then Candle Six makes the application to believers to be lights to the whole world. Live it, teach it, proclaim it, to all who will listen.

Our world is BLINDED by the wrong kind of lights. The holiday displays, commercial and residential, fails to portray the God of all creation, who was virgin born, sent to provide salvation to all, and who would eventually die on a cross for the sins of all mankind. They fail to pay reverence to God’s Son, second person of the trinity, and soon coming Judge.

So we have a choice to make. How will we celebrate Christmas this year? Will we follow the true light or a fake. Is Christmas, for us, still about Jesus and his birth or is it about the bells and baubles of commercialism? Each of us must decide and then act decisively.

The lights of the Hanukkah lamp can teach us a lot.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

 

Good morning,

Today we will look at the Hanukkah candle lighting ceremony.

The Menorah

Eight lights are lit in the Menorah, one for each night of Hanukkah. Most Menorahs burn candles, but some have wicks to burn oil, as did the Temple Menorah long ago.

A special candle, the shammas, is used to light the menorah candles. New candles are lit each night. A new shammas is lit each night, too. The shammas is lit first, and the Hanukkah candles are lit from it.

On the first night of Hanukkah, put the first candle at the right end of the Menorah, as you face it.  On the second night two candles, three on the third night, and so on. Always light the newest candle first, then light the others, from left to right. Place the lighted Menorah in a window, so all may see and share the celebration.

Messianic Hanukkah Candle Lighting

Each night we recite three blessings, acknowledging God’s Lordship, power in working miracles, and sustaining us another year.

Then we acknowledge the Scriptural significance of each candle lit.

Shammash (Servant) Candle

Messiah Yeshua stated in Mark 10:44-45:

Whoever wishes to be first among you shall be the servant of all. For
even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to
give His life a ransom for many.

First Candle

Genesis 1:3-4 describes the creation of the first light:

God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that
the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.

Second Candle

Exodus 13:21-22 reveals that God is the source of Israel’s light:

And the Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to
lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them
light, that they might travel by day and by night. He did not take
away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from
before the people.

What did we learn today?

First, God is Lord and in control of all things.

Second, we need to be servants, not demanding to be served. (Shammash candle)

Third, light was spoken into existence by God. Light is good. God separated the light from the darkness. (The first candle)

Fourth, God led the nation of Israel. He gave them literal light to lead them through the wilderness and spiritual light to lead them to Him. (The second candle)

Now we will look at the Dreidle and the Third candle.

The Dreidle

One of the games played at Hanukkah is the Dreidle. It played a significant role during the persecution of the Jews.

“It is said that when King Antiochus would not let the Jews worship God, they prayed and studied secretly. Little wooden tops were kept on the tables with the Holy Books. When soldiers came into the houses to make sure the King’s orders were being followed, everyone pretended to be playing a game with spinning tops.

During the celebration of Hanukkah, children play with the four-sided top called a dreidle. There is a different Hebrew letter on each side. The letters stand for the words: “A great miracle happened there.” This refers to the victory of the Maccabees over the King’s army.” (Festival of Lights, The Story of Hanukkah)

Third Candle

King David reminds us that God Himself is the source of our own
individual light:

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is
the defense of my life; whom shall I dread (Psalm 27:1)? For You light my lamp; the Lord my God illumines my darkness (Psalm 18:28).

In life, we may be told we cannot witness, read our Bibles, or speak about what we believe. It is then, we must learn to be creative. The Jews used a top. What can you use? The Scripture for today goes right along with this. I should have no fear because God is my defense. He will give us light in the midst of darkness. He will also give us creative ideas to communicate Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world.

Interesting how a Jewish holiday, that a couple of days ago you knew nothing about, can be so helpful to our walk in Jesus Christ.

Happy Hanukkah.

Tomorrow we will look at candles 4-6.

Tom Stearns
WASI Chaplain
907 715-4001