Archives for 2017

Good morning,

Believers’ in Christ know all about sin. They are surrounded by it, stained by it, and tempted by it. Sin is not our friend. We are told to “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11)

Today’s devotional deals with sin.

We ought to hate it with a deadly hatred! 

(J.C. Ryle)

“As He drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a dead person was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.” Luke 7:12

We see here, what sorrow sin has brought into the world. We are told of a funeral at Nain. All funerals are mournful things, but it is difficult to imagine a funeral more mournful than the one here described. It was the funeral of a young man, and that young man the only son of his mother, and that mother a widow. There is not an item in the whole story, which is not full of misery. And all this misery, be it remembered, was brought into the world by sin. God did not create it at the beginning, when He made all things “very good.” Sin is the cause of it all! “Sin entered into the world” when Adam fell, “and death by sin.” Romans 5:12

Let us never forget this solemn truth. The world around us is full of sorrow. Sickness, and pain, and infirmity, and poverty, and labor, and trouble–abound on every side. From one end of the world to the other–the history of families is full of lamentation, and weeping, and mourning, and woe.

And whence does it all come? Sin is the fountain and root to which all must be traced. There would neither have been tears, nor illness, nor deaths, nor funerals in the earth–if there had been no sin. We must bear this state of things patiently. We cannot alter it. We may thank God that there is a remedy in the Gospel, and that this present life is not all. But in the meantime, let us lay the blame at the right door. Let us lay the blame on sin.

How much we ought to hate sin! Instead of loving it, cleaving to it, dallying with it, excusing it, playing with it–we ought to hate it with a deadly hatred! Sin is the great murderer, and thief, and pestilence, and nuisance of this world. Let us make no peace with it. Let us wage a ceaseless warfare against it. It is “the abominable thing which God hates!” Happy is he who is of one mind with God, and can say, I “abhor that which is evil.” Romans 12:9

~  ~  ~  ~

To abhor evil should be the desire of our hearts. We should try to avoid it at all costs. When confronted, turn away. When stricken, repent.

Remember, “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.” (Romans 6:11-14)

Please read Romans 6 to understand these principles.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

While reading Isaiah 31, God reminded me who is in charge.  Israel was going down to Egypt for protection. They sought the protection of men, horses, and chariots. Verses 3 and 4, make it quite clear that Israel is seeking protection in the wrong things.

“Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together.⁴ For thus hath the Lord spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.”

Then God makes clear who will protect Israel. Verse 5 gives us the answer.

“As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.”

Now let’s apply this to our lives. What do we rely on when we are in crisis? The things of the world or God? God is able to take care of any problem we have. He wants us to acknowledge that He is in control and that we are willing to rest in Him.

Unfortunately, we sometimes believe we can fix our problems on our own. God’s plan, using God’s resources, done God’s way, will have a much better outcome.

So, we have a choice. We can be like Israel and go to Egypt, or we can go to God and be blessed.

Choose God’s way!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

 

Good morning,

Our walk with God can be strengthened by these gems from J.C. Ryle.

J.C. Ryle Gems #7

~  ~  ~  ~

Nothing so hardens the heart of man–as a barren familiarity with sacred things.

~  ~  ~  ~

Love should be the silver thread that runs through all your conduct!

~  ~  ~  ~

Sicknesses, losses, crosses, anxieties and disappointments–are absolutely needful to keep us humble, watchful and spiritually-minded. They are as needful as the pruning knife to the vine–and the refiner’s furnace to the gold.

~  ~  ~  ~

Surely it is better to enter into eternal life with a few–than to go to Hell with a great company!

~  ~  ~  ~

Doctrine is useless–if it is not accompanied by a holy life! It is worse than useless–it does positive harm. Something of ‘the image of Christ’ must be seen and observed by others in our private life, and habits, and character, and doings!

~  ~  ~  ~

The love of Christ towards His people–is a deep well which has no bottom!

~  ~  ~  ~

Let us daily strive to copy our Savior’s humility.

~  ~  ~  ~

Imagination is the hotbed where sin is too often hatched.
Guard your thoughts–and there will be little fear about your actions.

~  ~  ~  ~

The eye of God! Think of that. Everywhere, in every house, in every field, in every room, in every company, alone or in a crowd–the eye of God is always upon you!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Malachi is the last book in the old testament. We see God’s love for Israel, reproof of the Priests and people, and the Lord’s return.

This week we will look at 1:1 through 2:9. The Priests have not been faithful to God in offering the sacrifices. God condemns them.

MALACHI 1:1-2:9

And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel. (1:5)

INTRODUCTION

God’s love for Israel (1:1-5)

The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.² I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob,³ And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.⁴ Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the Lord of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever. ⁵ And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel.

Priest’s Contempt (1:6-14)

⁶ A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? ⁷ Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible.⁸ And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts.⁹ And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the Lord of hosts. ¹⁰ Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.¹¹ For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts.¹² But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.¹³ Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord.¹⁴ But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

Instruction for the Priest’s (2:1-9)

And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.² If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.³ Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.⁴ And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.⁵ My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.⁶ The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.⁷ For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.⁸ But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.⁹ Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

CONCLUSION

How do we worship God? Are we being faithful to God’s word? Do we do what we do out of love or duty?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

 

Good morning,

Men will fail us. Ministers, Pastor’s, and Clergy, will fail us. The only thing we can rely on is God’s word. It is infallible. It has the truth from the beginning of time to the end. It speaks of creation, sin, Israel, and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, sometimes we put more stock in the opinion of man, than we do God’s. God will never fail us. Read today’s devotion with that in mind.

We all naturally love to have a pope of our own!

(J.C. Ryle, 1884)

“When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong!” Galatians 2:11

One lesson we learn from this verse, is that great ministers may make great mistakes. The best of men are weak and fallible. Unless the grace of God holds them up, any one of them may go astray at any time. Let us learn not to put implicit confidence in any man’s opinion, merely because he is a minister. Peter was one of the very chief Apostles–and yet he could err. What are the best of ministers but men–dust, ashes, and clay–men of like passions with ourselves, men exposed to temptations, men liable to weaknesses and infirmities?

We all naturally love to have a pope of our own. We are far too ready to think, that because some great minister or some learned man says a thing; or because our own minister, whom we love, says a thing–that it must be right, without examining whether it is in Scripture or not.

It is absurd to suppose that ordained men cannot go wrong. We should follow them so far as they teach according to the Bible, but no further. We should believe them so long as they can say, “Thus it is written! Thus says the Lord!” but further than this, we are not to go. Infallibility is not to be found in ordained men, but in the Bible alone!

Let us take care that we do not place implicit confidence on our own minister’s opinion, however godly he may be. Peter was a man of mighty grace, and yet he could err. Your minister may be a man of God indeed, and worthy of all honor for his preaching and example; but do not make a pope of him! Do not place his word on the same level with the Word of God.

The Christian minister is not infallible! The vulgar notion that a clergyman is not likely to hold or teach erroneous doctrines, and that we seldom need to doubt the truth of anything he tells us in the pulpit–is one of the most mischievous errors which has been bequeathed by the Church of Rome. It is a complete delusion! Ordination confers no immunity from error! Ministers, like Churches–may err both in living and matters of faith.

The Apostle Peter erred greatly at Antioch, where Paul withstood him to the face. Many of the church Fathers and Reformers and Puritans made great mistakes. The greatest errors have been begun by ministers!

The teaching of all ministers ought to be constantly compared with the Scriptures–and when it contradicts the Scriptures, it ought not to be believed. However high a clergyman’s office may be, and however learned and devout he may appear–he is still only an uninspired man, and can make mistakes. His opinion must never be set above the Word of God!

Let us receive nothing, believe nothing, follow nothing–which is not in the Bible, nor can be proved by the Bible. Let our rule of faith, our touchstone of all teaching, be the written Word of God alone!

“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true!“ Acts 17:11

~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

This devotion should be each of our desires.

Reader! have you enjoyed the presence of Jesus today? 

(James Smith, “A Help to Devotion” 1859)

“Abide with us–for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” Luke 24:29

The presence of Jesus, is the life and the joy of the saints. When we enjoy it–we dread the thought of losing it; and when we have lost it–we cannot rest until we have regained it. That is a gloomy day–in which the presence of Jesus is not enjoyed; and that is a dreary night–when Jesus is absent from us.

Reader! have you enjoyed the presence of Jesus today? Has He communed with your spirit, thereby . . .
strengthening your faith,
exciting your hope, and
deepening your comfort?

If so, I know that your prayer tonight will be, “Abide with me! Yes, precious Lord Jesus, we do beseech You to visit us, converse with us, open up the Scriptures to us, and abide with us. Let us feast our eyes on Your glory–and our hearts on Your grace. With You, we can feel at home–we can be happy anywhere. Without You, we cannot rest, we cannot feel satisfied, we cannot enjoy repose–let us have whatever we may. You have won our heart’s love–You have made yourself the center and source of our comfort. Come, then, and abide with us this evening–and then a blessed evening it will be. Your presence will free us from all our cares, and raise us above all our troubles. Your presence will feast us, refresh us, and make us satisfied with our lot, be it what it may!”
~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

J.C. Ryle challenges us again to walk closer to Jesus. As we meditate on these gems and apply them to our lives, we will grow in our relationship to God.

~  ~  ~  ~

J.C. Ryle Gems #6

~  ~  ~  ~

Blessed are those who live like pilgrims and strangers in this life–their best things are all to come!

~  ~  ~  ~

The surest mark of true conversion, is humility.

~  ~  ~  ~

When I speak of a man growing in grace, I mean simply that . . .
his sense of sin is becoming deeper,
his faith is becoming stronger,
his hope is becoming brighter,
his love is becoming more extensive, and
his spiritual-mindedness is becoming more marked.

~  ~  ~  ~

The Christian who keeps his heart diligently in little things–shall be kept from great falls.

~  ~  ~  ~

Fathers and mothers–do not forget that children learn more by the eye than they do by the ear.
Imitation is a far stronger principle with children, than memory.
What they see has a much stronger effect on their minds–than what they are told.

~  ~  ~  ~

Let us read the Bible reverently and diligently–with an honest determination to believe and practice all that we find in it.

~  ~  ~  ~

Every fresh act of sin . . .
 lessens fear and remorse,
hardens our hearts,
blunts the edge of our conscience,
and increases our evil inclination!

~  ~  ~  ~

We may love money without having it–just as we may have money without loving it.

~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This week’s lesson is on Sukkot. There are actually four names as you will see.

The Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot/Feast of Booths/Feast of Ingathering

The Facts:
What do the Scriptures say about it?
Lev 23:34 “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord.”
Lev 23:35 “On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.”
Lev 23:36 “Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto YHVH: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto YHVH: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.”
Lev 23:39 “Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.”
Lev 23:40 “And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.”
Lev 23:42 “ Ye shall dwell in booths seven days…”
Deut 16:13 “Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:”
Deut 16:14 “And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.”
When is it?
Lev 23:34 “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, the fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto YHVH.”
What are we commanded to do?
1. Keep it Holy as a regular Sabbath, doing no servile work or the things associated with the seventh day Sabbath on the first day and the eighth day of the feast.
2. Keep it at its time and season on the fifteenth day of the seventh month.
3. Have a holy convocation on the first day of the feast and on the eighth day of the feast. This is a calling of the assembly or community of like-minded believers to assemble together and celebrate Tabernacles. If no one is able to convocate then call together your own family or travel to where another group of believers are assembling and keeping this day Holy or set apart.
4. We are to build “booths or sukkahs” out of various branches mentioned in Lev. 23:40. We are to dwell in booths or tents for seven days and rejoice before YHVH. This is one of the pilgrimage feasts where all of the males have to appear in Jerusalem before the Lord.

Spiritual/Prophetic Significance:

Sukkot is significant of many things:
1. The Israelites were led through the wilderness, being delivered from the bondage of Egypt and dwelt in booths and tents. YHVH provided everything they needed and protected them throughout their wanderings.
2. Yeshua is believed to have been born on the first day of Sukkot (not on December 25th) and was the Word made flesh and dwelt (tabernacle/sukkoted) among us and was circumcised according to the covenant of Abraham on the eighth day (Hoshana Rabbah).
3. Sukkot could also speak of a future exodus out of Babylon as scattered Israel and those nations that are grafted in journey through the Great Wilderness of the Tribulation and ultimately tabernacle with the Messiah in the New Jerusalem for 1,000 years.
The Messiah in Sukkot-
Bible scholars believe that it was during the feast of Sukkot that Yeshua the Messiah was born upon this earth. Specifically, the first day of Sukkot the Son of God put on temporary flesh and dwelt among men. John the disciple alluded to this fact when he wrote where the Messiah came from. Matthew starts out showing the lineage of Joseph, while Luke eludes to the lineage of Miriam (Mary) through the family connection of Zechariah and Elizabeth but John spoke of the Heavenly DNA, linking Yeshua of Nazareth with the Word of God.
John 1:1-2,14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God…And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…” The word used for dwelt in this passage literally means “tabernacled.” The feast of Sukkot is a 7 day feast with a special 8th day observance called Hoshana Rabba (the last great day or the last great praise) and Yeshua was circumcised on this 8th day (of the feast) and it is recorded in Luke 2:21.
Later on in the life of Yeshua we see another mention of Sukkot and it is a powerful demonstrative teaching that causes much stir in the temple ceremonies. It is during the Feast of Sukkot that a temple ritual would take place called the water libation ceremony. A priest was dispatched from the temple mount out through the southern steps down to the pool of shiloach (which means sent) and the priest fills a vessel with water and returns up the steps into the temple. This is the only time that water (mixed with a little wine) is placed upon the altar. As water is poured out down one side of a trough that led down to the altar, wine was poured down another trough leading to the altar and together they would meet together on the altar that was red hot at this point. As the mixture of wine and water splashed upon the altar it hissed and steamed as everyone huddled around praying for rain in the coming season, praying for the Messiah to come and the indwelling of the Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit). It is at this moment that Yeshua stood up and proclaimed, “If anyone is thirsty, let him keep coming to me and drinking! Whoever puts his trust in me, as the Scripture says, rivers of living water will flow from his inmost being!’” (John 7:37-38). It is at this moment that everyone started putting together the pieces of the puzzle. The waters carried up from the pool of Shiloach were called the “waters of salvation” or quite literally the waters of Yeshua. Here they have the Messiah who was named Yeshua which meant salvation and he stands at this moment and makes this claim as the mixture of wine and water, which symbolized the blood and water that flowed from his side was spilled upon the altar. Some argued with him and some believed while others pondered these things further. On Hoshana Rabbah, the last day of the feast four 75 foot tall Menorahs were lit in the temple courts and Yeshua continued his teaching by using the symbolism of the bright lights around him:
John 8:12 “I am the light of the world: whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light which gives life.”
The Feast of Ingathering-
Another name given in scripture for the feast of Sukkot is the feast of Ingathering and also the feast of harvest. This is the end of the year in the fall when the fruit harvest was being collected. Three times a year males are to go up and pilgrimage to Jerusalem to keep the three “harvest feasts.” They are not to be empty handed because they are to produce the firstfruits of their harvest as tithes to the LORD. The first harvest feast is Passover which is the barley harvest. The second harvest feast is Shavuot (Pentecost) which is the wheat harvest and the third harvest feast is Sukkot for the fruit harvest. Notice that there are three harvest feasts to report to Jerusalem and there are three resurrections recorded in scripture.
1. When Yeshua raised from the dead and those that raised with him called the firstfruits of the resurrection (Matt. 27:53, 1 Cor. 15:20,23).
2. The “first resurrection” or the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:14) before the millennial reign of the Messiah (Rev. 20:4-6).
3. The “second resurrection” after the millennial reign of the Messiah (Rev. 20:12) which has been titled the Great White Throne Judgment by many teachers.
It is interesting to note that these were pilgrimage feasts symbolizing the resurrections into the Kingdom of Heaven or the New Jerusalem. It is also symbolized in scripture in various places as being the reaping of the harvest.
Exodus 23:16 “And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labors, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labors out of the field.”
Mark 4:29 “But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.”
Revelation 14:15 “And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.”
Remember that the “first resurrection” is called up at the feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah) and those that are Atoned for under the blood of Yeshua (Yom Kippur) will be gathered together and made priests and judges in the Millennial kingdom, while tabernacling with the Messiah for 1,000 years.
Isaiah 27:12-13 “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.”
Zechariah 14:9 “And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day (the millennium of the Lord) shall there be one LORD, and his name one.”
What will the Messiah Yeshua be doing during the Millennial reign over the Earth?
Micah 4:2 “And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and HE (the Mashiach) will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law (Torah) shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
Isaiah 2:3 says the exact same thing. HE, the Messiah, will teach us His ways. I doubt Yeshua will be teaching replacement theology or modern church doctrine that speaks against the Torah and the feasts of the LORD. There will still be Gentiles or nations outside of the New Jerusalem that will be required to go up and keep the feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot or they will face famines and plagues as punishment. Does this sound like modern Christian doctrine? This is not a matter of liberty or grace but a righteous requirement. This isn’t the “well I don’t fully understand this feast stuff so God understands my heart and will be ok with it.” Read for yourself! The scriptures speak it clearly and overwhelmingly, leaving no shadow of doubt or question.
Zechariah 14:11,16-18 “And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited… And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles… And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain… the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles… and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.”

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

God is loving, merciful, and forgiving. We are unloving, unmerciful, and unforgiving. God has not left us without options. We can come before God, repent of our sin, and God will forgive us.

His mercy is a boundless, fathomless, endless ocean!

(James Smith, “The Evening Sacrifice; Or, A Help to Devotion” 1859)

“You, O Lord, are good, and ready to forgive–and abundant in mercy to all who call upon You.” Psalm 86:5

What a beautiful representation of God is this! How comforting, at the close of another day’s cares and troubles, sorrows and sins–to be reminded that our “God is good,” and especially that He is “ready to forgive”–ready to pardon all the faults and follies of this day–ready to pass them by, and still treat me as His beloved child!

He only requires me to confess and be sorry for my sins–and in a moment, all is forgiven, all is forgotten, and forgotten forever!

Then He is “abundant in mercy.” The fountain of His mercy has not yet run dry. Run dry! It is not in the least diminished! His mercy is a boundless, fathomless, endless ocean!

God has plenty of mercy for miserable sinners . . .
  mercy to pardon them,
mercy to purify them,
mercy to comfort them,
mercy to save them–
mercy for all who call upon Him!

O my soul, take home tonight this lovely representation of your God, and believing that He is good, ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy–go to Him, call upon Him, and plead with Him. Then you may obtain mercy, and find grace to help you in every time of need.

Good and gracious God, I adore You for Your goodness; I bless You that You are ready to forgive; I rejoice that You are abundant in mercy. And now, O Lord, glorify Your mercy in me–show Your readiness to forgive, in me! Let my heart be eased of every sorrow–and let my conscience be cleansed from every sin! Let me lie down to rest tonight guiltless–rejoicing in the glorious fact that You have blotted out my sins as a cloud, and my transgressions as a thick cloud, and are now at eternal peace with me!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Last evening our church celebrated The Lord’s Supper, Communion. (1 Corinthians 11:17-34) Jesus told his disciples to do this in remembrance of me. (11:24-25)

The Bible is a book of remembrances.  God does not want us to forget what He has done. He gave Israel holidays to help them remember. Integral in all these remembrances is the blood.

Passover reminds us when the death angel passed over the homes that had blood on the lintel and doorposts. (Exodus 12:1-13)

Rosh Hashanah or the Feast or Trumpets, is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days specified by Leviticus 23:23–32. The people were to seek the Lord and repent of their sins in preparation for Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement. (Leviticus 23:26-32, 16:1-34) The High Priest goes into the Holy of Holies, sprinkles the blood on the altar, to make atonement for the holy place.

The Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot/Feast of Booths/Feast of Ingathering reminds us of the wanderings of the children of Israel during their forty years in the desert and God’s supply once they got there. Blood sacrifices were a daily occurrence. (Leviticus 23: 34-42)

Each of these remembrances required a blood sacrifice. Today, however, there is no tabernacle or temple. How can the sins of the people be atoned? The simple answer is they can’t.

The only blood sacrifice available is the Jewish Messiah, Jesus. Being God, He was the perfect sacrifice. He was sinless, unspotted by sin, and willingly gave His life to atone for mankind, once for all.

Jesus paid the sin debt that the Law, sacrifices of goats and bulls, and we as individuals could not pay. His death, burial, and resurrection, atoned for man’s sin.

God wants us to remember and then act upon what we know. It is God’s desire that all men and women trust Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

Want to know more, call me.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001