Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Reign Forever (7/3/25)

Continuing our journey through Revelation, we come to another pivotal moment. Remember the 7 sealed scroll Jesus was worthy to open back in Revelation 5? He opened the first 6 seals in Revelation 6 and the 7^th seal in Revelation 8. The 7^th seal revealed 7 angels with 7 trumpet judgments. We examined the first 6 angels and 6 trumpet judgments in chapters 8 and 9. Then, chapters 10 and 11 gave an interlude (including details about the two witnesses) before the final 7^th angel and trumpet judgment. As we continue our journey through Revelation, we peak into heaven before the rest of the judgment unfolds.

Revelation 11:15-19 ¹⁵ The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:

“The kingdom of the world has become
    the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,
    and he will reign for ever and ever.”

¹⁶ And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,¹⁷ saying:

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
    the One who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power
    and have begun to reign.
¹⁸ The nations were angry,
    and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,
    and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your people who revere your name,
    both great and small—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

¹⁹ Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.

It is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture that Jesus is on His throne when we see evil prevailing. However, this peak into heaven reminds us that Jesus will return, triumph over evil, judge the ungodly, reward believers, and righteously reign for all eternity!

As we reflect on these events, let's remember that our perspective on life is best shaped by the reality of Jesus' reign. How will we let that change our perspective on life today? Let’s trust Jesus’s sovereign reign, even when it seems like evil prevails.

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Remove Power (6/19/25)

James decided to bike home early on Tuesday from swim practice without talking to a parent. This decision led to a consequence: we took away the privilege to bike to and from swim practice for the foreseeable future. As his parents, we have the authority to give and take away freedoms.

This giving and taking away freedoms can be seen in our Heavenly Father. Sometimes it is a consequence for a decision we made, like in James’ situation, but other times it is Him sovereignly working His plans in the world. As we have authority over James, our Creator has authority over all of creation!

Last week, we discussed the amazing power given to the two witnesses at the end of the world. They were given power to spit fire and fend off their enemies! For 3½ years, they bore witness purposefully and powerfully under Jesus’ protection. But then…  

Revelation 11:7-10        ⁷ Now when they [the two witnesses] have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. ⁸ Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. ⁹ For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.¹⁰ The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

At first glance, this seems like a devastating conclusion to their ministry, especially after experiencing Jesus’s miraculous power for several years. Jesus will give them physical protection until they complete His work. He will then remove this physical protection for a few days, but it is all part of His sovereign plan.

As we reflect on the events described in Revelation 11, we may think the world is bad now, but it will be far worse at the end. We can find peace in Jesus, knowing He has already overcome the world (John 16:33). As the One with ultimate authority, Jesus may give or remove physical protection as part of His sovereign plan, but He won’t take away our spiritual protection and eternal blessings. What comfort does this give you today?

Let’s continue next week to see how spiritual protection unfolds for the two witnesses and what it means for us!

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Open the 5th Seal (2/27/25)

The other day I was trying to drive close to the speed limit and watch changing speed zones, but a car behind wasn’t as careful. They sped up to go around me when the road expanded to four lanes. However, the speed limit reduced right there (as we entered a small town) and a police pulled them over immediately. My first thought was in thanks to God it wasn’t me and that I saw and slowed down timely. My second thought was that the other driver would have benefited from not being so eager to pass me. 😊

Other times, when a reckless driver passes me, weaving in and out of other cars, I do wish they would be caught quickly to end the danger they are bringing to everyone around them. When someone is harmed by someone else, we often want justice served quickly and completely. Even the saints in Heaven pleaded for justice.

Revelation 6:9-11       ⁹ When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.¹⁰ They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” ¹¹ Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.

God is Just and will eventually avenge evil. He patiently and lovingly withholds immediate justice to give people additional opportunities to repent of their rebellion against Him and turn to follow Him.

II Peter 3:9       ⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

In what circumstance are you and I desiring justice? Like the saints in Heaven, I think it is natural and acceptable to ask God “how long?”. The saints didn’t say “Please Judge!” or “Will you Judge?” but asked when will God Judge. Knowing God’s Holy and just character, they knew He would judge, but it was a matter of when. They asked according to His will.

Jesus is worthy to open the 5th seal and graciously gives us assurance that our Holy God will bring justice in His Sovereign time. As we await His justice, we can focus on the grace and mercy He has already extended to you and me and pray for others to respond to His opportunities to repent and turn to Him.

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Open the First Seal (2/13/25)

A very loud “thud” disrupted our family Bible time last night. We each looked in various rooms for something that fell, but never did figure it out. We finished our Bible reading, discussion, and prayer time and then put the kids to bed. They were able to go to sleep knowing they were safe, despite not understanding the reason for the loud noise.

Similarly, reading Revelation can be puzzling. However, we can focus on what we do know for sure – God is in control! His continued plan of redemption and justice unfolds as the worthy Lamb of God opens the 7 seals of the scroll.

So what’s in the scroll and what are the seven seals?

Revelation chapter 6 begins to tell us.

Revelation 6:1-2      I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” ² I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

Each seal seems to reveal preliminary events leading up to the culmination of God’s plan for redemption and justice. Seven is a number of completeness, so each of these 7 seals reveals a layer of God’s judgment on the earth. One view is that each of these layers is part of the tribulation. Another view is that these layers cover the entire time between Jesus’s 1^st and 2^nd coming. Either way, what we do know is that God is Sovereign and in control of each layer.

Well, what about the rider on the white horse? White often signifies holiness, perfection and purity. God the Father and Jesus the Son are often described as clothed in white. However, this rider on a white horse is “bent” on conquest. He’s not the already Victorious One. He isn’t bent on peace or redemption or justice. He appears like Christ, but deceives. The rider could be the Antichrist or one of the false prophets or a kingdom. His power is given to him and is limited. He can’t do anything outside God’s rule and authority.

Jesus is worthy to open this 1^st seal and He is in control of what comes from it!

How will you and I trust Jesus’s control in our lives today, even when we don’t understand confusing things that happen around us?

Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God and Job’s Everything (10/10/24)

Remember Job’s vindication from last week? Not only did God vindicate Job before his friends, but He also restored his health and replaced his family and property. I couldn’t find in the Bible where it specifically stated God healed Job, but other details imply he was healed. For instance, people weren’t to offer sacrifices until after their leprosy, disease or other “uncleanness” was healed and a period of cleansing had taken place. So, it seems God healed Job when He came and spoke to Job and his three friends because at the end God asked Job to pray and make sacrifices for his three friends. Plus, Job resumed and enjoyed life like he had before.  

Job 42:10-17      ¹⁰ After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. ¹¹ All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.

¹² The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. ¹³ And he also had seven sons and three daughters. ¹⁴ The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. ¹⁵ Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

¹⁶ After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. ¹⁷ And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

Not only did God replace all that Job lost (to the exact number of sons and daughters), but God gave back double his fortune and livestock! If you remember from Job 1:2-3       ² He had seven sons and three daughters, ³ and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

I would guess that when it says in Job 42:12 “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part” that it includes Job’s spiritual relationship with God. If Job was so trusting of and loyal to God before, how much more rich his relationship must have been after! He certainly had no doubt that EVERYTHING comes from God. God is the only All-knowing, Almighty, Sovereign Creator and sustainer of the universe!!!!!

How might truly believing that also affect your and my life? I think that if I truly believe everything comes from God, then I’ll be humble in seasons of ease and plenty and I’ll be content to trust God in seasons of hardship.

I pray we’ve all grown in a deeper understanding of God as we’ve watched Job these last 16 weeks! May the truths encourage and comfort you and me as we go through the highs and lows in life.

Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God and Sarcastic Job (9/5/24)

After the rebuke of his third friend, Job had enough! He responded with sarcasm.

 Job 12:1-4 Then Job replied:

² “Doubtless you are the only people who matter,
    and wisdom will die with you!
³ But I have a mind as well as you;
    I am not inferior to you.
    Who does not know all these things?

⁴ “I have become a laughingstock to my friends,
    though I called on God and he answered—
    a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!

 Job sarcastically pointed out to his friends that they were not the only ones who knew anything. He then firmly (and without sarcasm) told them they weren’t superior. He acknowledged that God had answered his prayers. He knew God heard him and had responded, even if he didn’t get his desired outcome. He also went on to declare God’s sovereignty.

Job 12:13-17      “To God belong wisdom and power;
    counsel and understanding are his.
¹⁴ What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;
    those he imprisons cannot be released.
¹⁵ If he holds back the waters, there is drought;
    if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.
¹⁶ To him belong strength and insight;
    both deceived and deceiver are his.
¹⁷ He leads rulers away stripped
    and makes fools of judges.

Even the most humanly wise person can be foolish. Job’s friends were probably some of the most prominent people of his day, and yet they were grossly ignorant. Job knew only God was all-knowing. Thankfully, Job didn’t base his understanding of God on the “wise” or foolish people around him. Job knew God is in ultimate control of the rise and fall of anyone, any nation or anything.

As you and I interact with those around us, let’s remember that only God is all-knowing, sovereign and fully trustworthy. Even the smartest people around us can be ludicrous, like Job’s friends. The next time you and I are wrongly accused, we can cling to what is true about God.

Thursday Devotional - Fear Again?

 Have you ever had a time in life where it felt like you faced one storm or challenge or hardship after another? I can think of several different times. One of those times was when Joe lost his job several different times during the recession.

 

Well, Paul was no stranger to challenge after challenge. Last week, though, everyone on the ship finally listened to Paul! They took his advice this time, ate and were encouraged. Maybe Paul finally breathed a sigh of relief. However, he was about to face another death sentence!

Acts 27:38-44           ³⁸ When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

³⁹ When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. ⁴⁰ Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. ⁴¹ But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.

⁴² The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. ⁴³ But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. ⁴⁴ The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.

Safe at last! Paul seemed to have a challenge at every turn. He didn’t worry or give up or blame God. He trusted God’s plans and His Sovereignty, even when it didn’t look like anything good could come of something. God proved trustworthy and accomplished His plans for and through Paul.

We can trust God’s Sovereignty, too. He has plans for each one of us and will accomplish His plans for and through us. I’m nervous about several things right now (mountains of work, kids going back to school, lots of changes to our normal Fall schedule, etc.). It doesn’t help me to stay in a state of fear. I can cast my cares on God. He cared for Paul and He will care for me!

What fear do you need to lay before God?

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Timely Encouragement from Jesus

Have you been timely encouraged recently?

Last week we saw how Paul was ready and willing to die for Jesus as he traveled back to a hostile Jerusalem. Things went well for the first week in Jerusalem (Acts 21:17-26), but then he was wrongly accused, seized, and dragged out of the temple to be killed. God sovereignly had the Roman commander and troops intervene and spare him. The Jews were determined to kill him, though, and continued their wrongful accusations (Acts 21:27-23:10).

That’s when Jesus timely appeared:

Acts 23:11     The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

Jesus didn’t promise it would be smooth sailing, but provided renewed confidence, a new assignment, and evidence He was watching, caring for Him and in control.

I have found it so timely that everyone in the Bible study I’m in has been studying Paul’s difficult trials and hardships while we are going through our own new challenges. It has so encouraged me to keep everything in perspective! Jesus’ words to Paul can apply to us. We are to “take courage!” He’s aware of everything going on around us and everything going forward. He’s in control. He’s watching. He has new and different assignments for us during this time. I can trust Him!  

I know several of the devotional writers have shared timely encouragement from God and His Word during this time. Feel free to share any other Scriptures that have really encouraged you recently!

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Certainty in God

After 2 heart surgeries, including a defibrillator/pacemaker implant, my Dad is home recovering. It was a scary week for all of us. As I cried out to God for help, direction, healing, etc., I knew I could trust God. I wasn’t sure I could trust all the doctors or any of our own research and wisdom, but I could trust God who sees all and knows all and is in control of all. He’s the only Sovereign One over all creation.

As God prepared Joshua and the Israelites to enter and take over the promised land in Canaan, He had the spies enter the home of someone who had already believed in God’s sovereignty (His power and control over all things).

Joshua 2:1-11            Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.

² The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” ³ So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.”

⁴ But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them…

⁸ Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof ⁹ and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. ¹⁰ We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. ¹¹ When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

As the spies were in good hands, so is my Dad. God goes before us. He paves the way, just as He did for Joshua and the spies. My Mom and sisters and I had moments of doubts this past week. At times we doubted the right decisions were made or the right care was done. However, God reminded us of the ways He had provided when we had asked for wisdom and direction.

 

When has God gone before you in the past?

How can you and I remember that as we trust Him to go before us in the future?

We’re in the best hands with God. Only He is Sovereign.

We can have certainty in Him!

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Fear of Authority?

I lost our temporary license plate a couple Saturdays ago. It was wedged inside the back hatch, but it flew out when I drove home with the back open (after buying a bigger bike for James at a garage sale). James told me something flew out, but I didn’t realize what it was until we got home and took the bike out. After going back and looking for it a couple times, we couldn’t find it. So, we drove the other car the rest of that day. There wasn’t a way to get a new tag until Monday. However, Joe and I needed to go separate places Sunday afternoon. We thought about driving our car and hoping the police didn’t see. However, I decided to call the police Sunday morning (the non-emergency line 😊) to see what our options were legally. I found out that we could get a ticket for failure to display, but we could legally drive our car since it was registered and had insurance!

I know this was a seemingly little thing, but I think there are lots of areas where we tend to plead ignorance or make excuses for breaking a law.  Paul points out how God established the authorities and we’re not to rebel against them. When we disobey or make up our own rules, we are really rebelling against God.

Romans 13:1-4a                 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. ² Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. ³ For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. ⁴ For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good.

As believers, we are to submit to governing authorities for God’s glory and our good.  

Where have you and I rebelled against a governing authority or wanted to rebel? Who would we really be rebelling against?

When have you and I submitted to a governing authority when it wasn’t convenient or when we disagreed, but saw good come from it or a blessing of some sort?

God is Sovereign. He has all power, rule and authority over every person and all of creation. He is the One who establishes governing authorities for His perfect purposes. There is nothing outside His control, including all rulers. Let’s demonstrate a righteous and godly response to those whom God has placed in authority over you and me.

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Worship While Waiting

Are you still waiting for God to fulfill something He’s promised? Or, are you still waiting for an answer from Him about something you’ve prayed about for years? What are you and I doing while we wait?

Let’s see what Abraham did while he waited…

Romans 4:18-21            “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”  Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead – since he was about a hundred years old – and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.  Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”  Romans 4:18-21

Abraham didn’t pout or wallow in disappointment. He didn’t weaken in faith or waver in unbelief, but was strengthened in his faith while he waited! He didn’t blame God or get angry with God, but gave glory to God!!!

Worshiping God in “bad” times and difficult situations can be hard. The more we are fully persuaded that God is all-powerful and sovereign over everything, the easier it is. God used our wait for children to grow me in this area.

So, when most of our basement flooded last week with water continually coming up through the floor with no where to go (while the sump pump ran non-stop), I was able to stop and praise God. I praised Him for who He is, knowing He is sovereign, in control and has power over everything. I could trust Him to help us, guide us and get us through. I then thanked Him for what I did like about our house 😉 and that we had a roof over our head! God then helped me put things in perspective, realizing it could be a whole lot worse. He also reminded me of some of the things I take for granted.   

How will you and I remember to stop and worship God in good times and bad or while waiting? He’s always worthy of our worship!!!

Alice

Our Journey to Adoption, Part II - Choices

In 2010, Joe went back to school for a master’s in psychology (after financial constrains led to his job loss as a youth pastor). So, I thought maybe God was going to wait to give us children until after Joe finished his masters and got another job. However, we did eventually see a second fertility doctor, who again didn’t find any issues.

Joe graduated in 2012 and got a full-time job at a treatment facility in 2013. No pregnancy ensued, though. We didn’t sense any direction from God regarding adoption, either.

Then, in 2014, we were led to again call the Department of Human Services about attending a foster orientation. They were no longer hosting orientation classes, but contracted with Orchards Children’s Services to conduct in-home orientation classes. So, a lady came out to our home. (We let her in and didn’t lock her out! J) After orientation, we could choose any agency to go through to get our foster license. I didn’t know which agency to pick. Even after prayer, it wasn’t clear. Joe thought we could go with Orchards as they did the orientation, so that’s what we did.

God knew it didn’t matter where we got licensed. He knew the unique circumstances that would connect us with James and Sarah. It only mattered that we got licensed and not who licensed us. I had worried about selecting the “right” licensing agency when God knew it didn’t matter.

Sometimes any of the choices before us are the “right” choice. I often want God to specifically direct me to a certain choice. I don’t want to make a mistake. However, He is Sovereign!! He will accomplish His plans even if I do make a mistake.  

Job 42: 1-2 Then Job replied to the Lord: I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you.

Have you ever been stuck in a situation where any choice could be the “right” one? Besides prayer, we should also check our options against God’s Word. Do any of the choices violate any of His commands? If not, we don’t need to keep sitting and waiting but can move forward in faith with any choice.    

James 3:13, 17-18            If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom… But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

Are you in a situation where many options seem good? After much prayer and checking your options against God’s Word, you can move forward in faith with any of the choices. Then, be open to God’s confirmation or redirection as you take one step of faith after another!

Alice  

Thurs Devo: How Long for Justice?

We often want justice served quickly and completely for those who harm other people. Even the saints in Heaven plead for justice.

Revelation 6:9-11     ⁹ When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.¹⁰ They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” ¹¹ Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.

God is Just and will eventually avenge evil. He patiently and lovingly withholds immediate justice to give people additional opportunities to repent of their rebellion against Him and turn to follow Him.

II Peter 3:9    ⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Are you and I pleading for justice now? Or, are we waiting patiently for God’s final judgment day? Like the saints in Heaven, I think it is natural and acceptable to ask God “how long?”. As we await His justice, we can also focus on the grace and mercy He has already extended to you and me, and rest in the assurance that God will bring justice in His Sovereign time.

Alice

Thurs Devo: Death Planned

Most of us will not know ahead of time the exact time and place of our death, but Aaron did.

Numbers 20:22-29       ²² The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. ²³ At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ²⁴ “Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. ²⁵ Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor. ²⁶ Remove Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will die there.”

²⁷ Moses did as the Lord commanded: They went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community. ²⁸ Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain, ²⁹ and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died, all the Israelites mourned for him thirty days.

God blessed Aaron by telling him ahead of time when and where he would die. God also told Aaron how to prepare and who would take his place as high priest. Moses and Eleazer weren’t left to try to figure it out on their own.

A relative of a friend of mine died in a bicycle accident last year. As sad as it was, the whole family saw God’s hand preparing them ahead of time. The guy who died had recently told his wife that he thought something might happen soon, so he made sure she knew what all their passwords and accounts were, etc. That was just one of several ways God prepared them.

As sad as death is in this life, we can look to God for direction on how to prepare for and/or handle death, whether our own or someone else’s. God is Sovereign over life and death.   

Alice

Make Better Choices

So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone.  But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”  Joshua 24:14-15

My five year old granddaughter is something else!  The other day, she had a moment with my daughter asking why she did not come to her birthday party.  My daughter explained that she had practice the same day, and she could not miss it or else she would be fined.  In her special way, my granddaughter responds, “Well, you made a choice, and you need to make better choices.”  It’s obvious that she is destined to be a leader one day, and has already figured out where people are on the ‘Accountability ladder.’  As funny as the story is, it reminded me of the choices we must make as Christians each and every day.  When we are rushed for time, do we skip our morning prayer to do other things?  Are we missing Sunday service because of son’s soccer practice or daughter’s cheer tournament?

We must choose to serve God wholeheartedly, and continue to make Him the priority in our lives.  Reading the 24^th chapter of Joshua gives clarity to the conflict we face between serving our God and other ‘Gods.’  After all God had done to bring the Israelites out from Egypt, they got to a point where they have turned to their sinful ways, and Joshua made a bold statement to them in today’s verses.  Like all great leaders, he ends his address asking for Israel’s commitment saying, “I choose to serve God.  Who’s coming with me?”  Now we tend to think of Gods as spirits and entities that live above the earth, but there are other ‘Gods’ that we serve and do not really notice.  For example, I have the NFL ‘God’ that might ask me to watch the game instead of an event serving others in need or spending time with family.  The ‘Cosmopolitan’ God obsesses over how you look above where you are spiritually, and the adventurous ‘Thrill Seeking’ God would have us look for greater adventures above a spending time with a God who loves you.  Moderate doses of all these can be fun and in some ways healthy.  However, we must be careful not to let these supersede our relationship with a God who is always there for us.  He is a God of abundance giving us more than what we will ever need, and all we need to do is to choose to serve Him decision by decision.

A choice for God is both simple and yet difficult.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6b)  Choosing to serve Him is a simple one, but this decision requires life changes.  Many of them will challenge our ways of thinking and how we do things.  Let us renew ourselves to putting God at the top of our lives for He alone is worthy.  What false Gods are taking away from you serving God?  What must you reprioritize to put God first in your life?  My prayer is that we are able to as my granddaughter put make better choices.  Amen.

Seriously?

One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

He replied, “You know the saying, ‘Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow; red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.’ You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times!  Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Then Jesus left them and went away.  Matthew 16:1-3

My eleven year old daughter really makes me laugh at how she tries to get out of the obvious. This phenomenon is not unfamiliar to any of you who have parented a child. The other day, an ice cream bar that I had been saving suddenly was missing. I asked my wife if she had eaten it, and she said no. Being that there are only three of us in the house, the finger naturally goes to my daughter. We asked if she had eaten the ice cream, and she said emphatically, “No!” My wife and I look at each other, and say, “Seriously?” While we had to hold her accountable and reinforce the importance of telling the truth, we continue to laugh about how ‘creative’ she was in trying to explain for the unexplainable.

This brings me to how we as believers encounter people who choose not to believe in Christ. We must without hesitation be able to confirm both His existence and truths. We encounter those who choose not to believe even though the signs are right there in front of them. The verses today refer to such a instance where the elite and knowledgeable sects of the Jewish faith questioned Jesus’ authority . . . dare I say again. This was after Jesus had (get this) fed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish (Matthew 14:13-21) and then another 4,000 with seven loaves and a few small fish (Matthew 15:32-39)! So in reading Jesus’ response, we get the impression of ‘what the heck does He have to do to convince these people?!?!?’ Seriously? Rather than appeasing them, Jesus, the master that He is, tells them of the sign of Jonah, which referred to His own resurrection. This would be proof beyond all doubt of Jesus’ divinity. We are often presented with things where people will question the existence of the true living God. We must answer with a sound mind and heart not focusing on what we do not know (i.e. why a tragedy occurs). Instead, we must focus on what we do know (His grace, His word, the transformative changes in our lives). Only then are we able to be advocates for Him.

Our personal relationship with Christ answers all doubts of His existence. While nonbelievers may come up with evidence of His nonexistence, we know beyond question how real He is. Our mission is not to convince others of His existence. Ours is to be knowledgeable of it and present the evidence to them for their spirit within cannot deny it. Where do you doubt Christ’s existence and how will you address it? How will you without hesitation tell of Jesus’ existence in your life? My prayer is that we confirm our truths so when questioned of Christ’s existence, we simply say to ourselves, “Seriously?” Amen.