Archives for 2018

Good morning,

Children of God can become discouraged. We forget the promises God has made to us. We get overwhelmed by circumstances in our lives. We resist the encouragement of loved ones, other believers, and our Pastors.

Yet there is hope in God. “…He never leaves us or forsakes us.” (Hebrews 13:5) In the midst of our discouragement, God is there.

Psalm 42:5-11 makes this point.

“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.⁶ O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.⁷ Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.⁸ Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.⁹ I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?¹⁰ As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? ¹¹ Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”

This should be a tremendous encouragement to each of us. God NEVER abandons us in our times of discouragement. He is close by.

Hope in God!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

God calls David “…a man after mine own heart…”. (Acts 13:22) He was human but loved God and continually tried to serve Him. He had a zeal for God. He desired to be close to God.

Psalm 42:1-4 shows us David’s heart.

“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.² My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?³ My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?⁴ When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.” (Psalm 42:1-4)

Do we thirst for God? Can we survive without daily nourishment from God? Do we cry out day and night, “Where is my God?” Does our remembrance of Him make us joyful and full of praise?

If not, maybe God is challenging us to get closer to Him.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

Psalm 33 has taught us about rejoicing, God’s creation, and God’s watch care over us.

Psalm 33:20-22 tells us what our response should be. Wait, rejoice, and hope. It is never a good thing to try and run ahead of God. Since God is in control, we should wait on Him, and allow Him to lead us. We should always rejoice in the Lord. Beside the fact that God tells us to do it, this should the desire of every true believer’s heart. Hope in the Lord. I am hoping for that day when I will see Jesus face to face in Heaven.  Every believer should also have that hope and full assurance that it will happen soon.

“Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.²¹ For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.²² Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.”

Our hope is in the Lord. Each of us must repent of our sins and ask Christ to be Savior and Lord to be able to partake in the promises of God’s word. No salvation, no Heaven, no fellowship with Jesus for all eternity, no strength to deal with the problems of today.

We have hope because of what Jesus did on the cross for us!

Psalm 33 causes us to rejoice because of God’s goodness to us.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

Psalm 33:13-19 tells about God’s watch care over His creation. After God created everything, He did not just leave us to fin for ourselves.

This may be considered a blessing or a curse. Knowing that God is watching every move we make should encourage us to do right. When we do right we can expect God’s blessing. However, sometimes we choose to rebel against God. Then we can expect chastisement. Actually, chastisement is for our good, if it brings us back to God. It is God’s desire to always have fellowship with His children.

“The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. ¹⁴ From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.¹⁵ He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.¹⁶ There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.¹⁷ An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.¹⁸ Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;¹⁹ To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.”

God knows every move that we make. Are those moves Godly or ungodly? Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Where do we find the commandments of God? The Bible. The commandments are found in all the books of the Bible. Which means we need to read the Bible from cover to cover and begin to determine what God’s commandments are and then do them.

The knowledge that God sees and knows everything should cause believer’s in Christ to rejoice. Our God cares so much about us that He wants to protect us from the wickedness of this world. When we fail, He retrieves us (after we repent), and tells us to get back to work for the cause of Christ. What a loving and merciful God!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

Today we will look at Obedience to Moral Decisions.

Each of us deal daily with making choices. Every choice should be made in light of Scripture.

God gives us examples of good decision making and bad decision making.

OBEDIENCE MORAL DECISIONS

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.¹⁷ And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. (Colossians 3:16-17)

INTRODUCTION:  MORAL DECISION: CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST

OBEDIENCE REQUIRES MAKING MORAL DECISIONS BASED ON GOD’S WORD

MOSES

EXODUS 2:11, ACTS 7:23-25, HEBREWS 11:24-27

And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. / And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. / By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense (PROMISE) of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT MOSES? WHAT DECISIONS DID MOSES HAVE TO MAKE?  WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF HIS DECISION?

JOSEPH

GENESIS 39:1-6, 7-12

And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelite’s, which had brought him down thither. And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured. And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT JOSEPH? WHAT DID HE DO? WHAT DECISIONS DID JOSEPH HAVE TO MAKE?  WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF HIS DECISION?

DAVID

2 SAMUEL 11:1-27

And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child. And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered. And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king. But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house. And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house? And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow. And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house. And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were. And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also. Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king, And if so be that the king’s wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall? Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for. And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate. And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king’s servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him. And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT DAVID? WHAT DID HE DO? WHAT DECISIONS DID DAVID HAVE TO MAKE?  WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF HIS DECISION?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

Psalm 33:6-12 reminds us that God made the heavens, earth, and all things that are on the earth.

This is a great reason to rejoice. Remember that part of that creative process was mankind, you and me. But there is so much more. Look up and see God’s handiwork in the skies. The sun, moon, and stars. Take a moment to look at your surroundings. Trees, mountains, plants, rivers, and lakes. Wildlife, moose, fish, cats, dogs, and bears.

This did not come to us by accident or evolution. God created it in six days, by His spoken Word. This should cause us to fear the Lord, stand in awe of Him, and rejoice!

^“By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.⁷ He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.⁸ Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. ⁹ For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.¹⁰ The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.¹¹ The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. ¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”

Did God really create all that we see today? The answer to that question determines whether you are a believer or not. The fourth word in the Bible is God. “In the beginning God…” If a person does not believe in the God of the Bible, the God who created all things, who is all knowing, ever present, and all powerful, then they can not know the God who redeemed them through His Son’s perfect blood to pay their sin debt on the cross at Calvary.

Do you believe the God of the Bible or the god of this world? Your eternal destiny rests on the answer to that question.

Need to talk? Call me.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

This week we will looking at Psalm 33.

Psalm 33 tells us to rejoice in the Lord, about God’s creation, God’s rule, and what we should do.

Psalm 33:1 says, “Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: …”

Verses 1-5 tell us how we are to do this.

“Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.² Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.³ Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise.⁴ For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth.⁵ He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.”

We are told to rejoice, praise the Lord in song, and to love God and His word.

The challenge for believers in Christ is this what we believe? Do we believe Jesus is worthy of our praise? Is Jesus the central figure in our lives? Are we praising the things of this world above the person and work of Jesus? When we sing, is it the songs of Scripture, hymns, or spiritual songs, or are they the songs of this world?

It is certainly worth praying about this and determining God’s counsel.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

The tongue can be used to bless God or curse men. Today we will look at Proverbs 15:1-7 and James 3:5-10 and see what the Bible says about the tongue.

Proverbs 15:1-7

“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. 5 A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.6 In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.”

James 3:5-10

“Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.      9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

CONCLUSION

We need to think before we speak. Proverbs 15:1 is the practical answer on how to deal with the tongue.

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

True beauty is not of the face–but of the soul!

(Mabel Hale, “Beautiful Girlhood” 1922)

“Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the LORD shall be praised!” Proverbs 31:30

Every girl is a lover of beauty. Beautiful homes, beautiful furnishings, beautiful flowers, beautiful clothes, beautiful faces–anything wherein beauty is found, there will be found girls to admire it. From the time her little hands can reach up, and her baby lips can lisp the words, she is admiring “pretty things.” And when a little of that beauty is her own–her pleasure is unbounded.

Every girl longs to be beautiful. There is in woman a nature, as deep as humanity, which compels her to strive for good looks. There is no more forlorn sorrow for a young girl, than for her to be convinced that she is hopelessly ugly and undesirable. Oh, the bitter tears that have been shed over freckles, or blemished skin–and the energy that has been expended in painting and powdering and waving and curling herself into beauty!

A desire to be beautiful is not unwomanly. But, mark it: true beauty is not of the face–but of the soul! There is a beauty so deep and lasting, that it will shine out of the homeliest face and make it lovely! This is the beauty to be first sought and admired. It is a quality of the mind and heart–and is manifested in word and deed.

A happy heart,
a smiling face,
loving words and deeds, and
a desire to be of service–
will make any girl beautiful!

A beautiful soul shining out of a homely face–is far more attractive than a beautiful face out of which looks a soul full of selfishness and pride!

Let your chief charm be of heart and mind–not of face and form.
Seek the true beauty which lasts even into old age!

Solomon, in one of his wise sayings, plainly expressed the evil that comes to a woman who is beautiful of face, but lacks the true beauty of soul: “Like a gold ring in a swine’s snout--is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion!” Proverbs 11:22. As the swine would plunge the golden jewel into the filth and the mire as he dug in the dirt–so will a pretty woman who is not godly, drag her beauty down to the very lowest.

There are many peculiar temptations to those who are only lovely of face. Without true beauty of soul–a pretty face is a dangerous gift!

“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight!” 1 Peter 3:3-4
  ~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Obedience to God’s Commands is today’s lesson. Last week we discovered that God’s commandments are found in God’s word, the Bible.

Today we will see God’s first command, man’s failure to keep that command, and the consequences of that failure.

OBEDIENCE: GOD’S COMMAND

If ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15)

INTRODUCTION:  GENESIS 3 MEN AND WOMAN

TO UNDERSTAND OBEDIENCE, WE MUST UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD COMMANDED

GOD’S COMMAND

GENESIS 2:8-9, 15-17

And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.  And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

MAN’S REJECTION OF GOD’S COMMAND

GENESIS 3:1-24

Satan’s temptation                      v1-5

Adam’s decision to disobey God v6

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Result of Adam’s decision           v7-10

Realized he was naked and afraid of God

God’s response to Adam’s decision     v11-24

Recognizes Adam’s disobedience              v11-12

God’s response to the serpent (Satan)     v13-15

God’s response to the woman (Eve)         v16

God’s response to the man (Adam)          v17-19

Consequence of Adam’s sin (v22-24)

And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

CONSEQUENCES FOR DISOBEDIENCE IS SEPARATION FROM GOD

DEALING WITH TEMPTATION AND SATAN

1 CORINTHIANS 10:13

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

JAMES 4:7

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

SATAN ONLY HAS THE POWER YOU GIVE HIM

CHRIST TRIUMPHS OVER SATAN

COLOSSIANS 2:10-15

And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

I AM MY OWN WORST ENEMY

GOD SAID IT – THAT SETTLES IT.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001