Archives for 2019

Good morning,

Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection are all rooted in one concept, forgiveness. We are sinners who owe a debt we cannot pay. Jesus, perfect, sinless, blameless, paid our sin debt with His blood on the cross.

This week we will look at that forgiveness.

What are we to do and why?

“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”  (Colossians 3:13)

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32)

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.³⁷ Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:” (Luke 6:36-37)

“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. ²⁶ But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25-26)

Why? Because that is what the Lord Jesus does for us. Does it hurt when a brother or sister sins against us? Oh yes it does. But all we have to do is look into the mirror and see ourselves. Each day we rebel against God. It hurts God to see His children sin. He gave His own Son to die on the cross to pay our sin debt.  When we ask for forgiveness, God forgives us. So why do we refuse to forgive others, no matter how egregious their sin?

If we want God’s forgiveness, we must be willing to forgive others.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection are all rooted in one concept, forgiveness. We are sinners who owe a debt we cannot pay. Jesus, perfect, sinless, blameless, paid our sin debt with His blood on the cross.

This week we will look at that forgiveness.

FORGIVEN

 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32)

INTRODUCTION: People need to forgive

God’s example of forgiveness

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” (Ephesians 1:7)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” (Acts 13:38-39)

How often should we forgive?

“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?²² Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22)

“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.⁴ And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.” (Luke 17:3-4)

What are we to do and why?

“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”  (Colossians 3:13)

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32)

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.³⁷ Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:” (Luke 6:36-37)

“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. ²⁶ But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25-26)

What is the result when we forgive? Reconciliation.

“Then Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.” (Genesis 33:4) Jacob and Esau.

“So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.¹⁸ And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.¹⁹ And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?²⁰ But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” (Genesis 50:17-20) Joseph and his brothers.

“And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.²⁷ But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.²⁸ And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.” (Acts 9:26-28) Saul and the disciples/apostles.

CONCLUSION

Jesus forgave us

We should forgive others as many times as needed

Reconciliation is the end state of forgiving others

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection are all rooted in one concept, forgiveness. We are sinners who owe a debt we cannot pay. Jesus, perfect, sinless, blameless, paid our sin debt with His blood on the cross.

This week we will look at that forgiveness.

How often should we forgive?

“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?²² Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22)

“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.⁴ And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.” (Luke 17:3-4)

If a believer truly repents of their sin and asks for our forgiveness, the Bible says we are to forgive them. There is no number of times. Each one of us is forgiven daily by God. We should follow His example.

Will we choose to forgive?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection are all rooted in one concept, forgiveness. We are sinners who owe a debt we cannot pay. Jesus, perfect, sinless, blameless, paid our sin debt with His blood on the cross.

This week we will look at that forgiveness.

God’s example of forgiveness

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” (Ephesians 1:7)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” (Acts 13:38-39)

What is sin? It is the failure to obey God. It began in the garden of Eden when Adam refused to obey God. He and his wife Eve were cast out of the garden of Eden. The judgment God gave to them and all who would follow was death, physical and spiritual. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12) “For the wages of sin is death;” (Romans 6:23)

Jesus came and paid our sin debt. He redeemed, justified, and forgave all our sin.

We need to step back and ask ourselves, “Have we accepted God’s forgiveness?” If not, that is the starting point.

Contact me and let’s talk.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Passover and Resurrection Sunday are less than a month away. This week I would like to explore the gospel in one verse, John 3:16. This one verse has five elements of the gospel, the good news. First, who is God? Second, what is love? Third, why and for what purpose did God give His Son? Fourth, what benefit does a person receive by believing? Fifth, what is everlasting life?

Whosoever believeth in him

Believe and receive Christ as your personal Lord and Savior (John 11:25-26, John 1:12-13, Revelation 3:20)

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:²⁶ And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

Have everlasting life

Eternal life (John 3:36, 1 John 5:11-13)

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.¹² He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.¹³ These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

It was always God’s intent to redeem sinful men and women through the blood sacrifice of His Son Jesus. It had to be a blood sacrifice from a spotless lamb, Jesus.

Be very thankful for God’s provision!

Decision time.

You may choose to receive Christ as personal Lord and Savior and have everlasting life OR choose to reject Jesus offer and spend eternity in the lake of fire. “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.¹⁵ And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:14-5) “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)

Your choice. Choose wisely!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Passover and Resurrection Sunday are less than a month away. This week I would like to explore the gospel in one verse, John 3:16. This one verse has five elements of the gospel, the good news. First, who is God? Second, what is love? Third, why and for what purpose did God give His Son? Fourth, what benefit does a person receive by believing? Fifth, what is everlasting life?

He gave his only begotten Son

Paid my sin debt (Hebrews 10:11-14, 1 John 2:1-2)

“And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:¹² But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;¹³ From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.¹⁴ For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:² And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

The Bible tells us we have sinned. It tells us the wages of our sin is death. “For the wages of sin is death;” (Romans 3:23a)

How did God deal with the “sin” problem? He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to become sin for us. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) No animal was worthy to take away our sin.

Jesus was perfect. He never sinned. When He became sin for us, He took on Himself the sin of all mankind, past, present, and future.

How do we partake in what Jesus did for us?

Come back tomorrow and find out.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

THE GOSPEL IN ONE VERSE

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Introduction D. L. Moody

God

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God,…”

Omniscience

GOD is omniscient, All knowing (Psalm 139:1-4)

“O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.² Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.³ Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.⁴ For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.” 

Omnipresent

God is omnipresent, He is everywhere (Psalm 139:7-10)

“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?⁸ If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.⁹ If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;¹⁰ Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”

Omnipotent

God is omnipotent, He is all powerful (Jeremiah 32:27)

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?”

Genesis 1 references God 31 times. God is mentioned in the Bible 4,379 times, which is .5%.

So loved the world

Demonstrates His love (Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:7-10)

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.⁸ He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.⁹ In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.¹⁰ Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

He gave his only begotten Son

Paid my sin debt (Hebrews 10:11-14, 1 John 2:1-2)

“And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:¹² But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;¹³ From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.¹⁴ For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:² And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Whosoever believeth in him

Believe and receive Christ as your personal Lord and Savior (John 11:25-26, John 1:12-13, Revelation 3:20)

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:²⁶ And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

Have everlasting life

Eternal life (John 3:36, 1 John 5:11-13)

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.¹² He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.¹³ These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

It was always God’s intent to redeem sinful men and women through the blood sacrifice of His Son Jesus. It had to be a blood sacrifice from a spotless lamb, Jesus.

Be very thankful for God’s provision!

Good morning,

Passover and Resurrection Sunday are less than a month away. This week I would like to explore the gospel in one verse, John 3:16. This one verse has five elements of the gospel, the good news. First, who is God? Second, what is love? Third, why and for what purpose did God give His Son? Fourth, what benefit does a person receive by believing? Fifth, what is everlasting life?

God

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God,…”

Omniscience

GOD is omniscient, All knowing (Psalm 139:1-4)

“O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.² Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.³ Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.⁴ For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.” 

Omnipresent

God is omnipresent, He is everywhere (Psalm 139:7-10)

“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?⁸ If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.⁹ If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;¹⁰ Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”

Omnipotent

God is omnipotent, He is all powerful (Jeremiah 32:27)

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?”

Genesis 1 references God 31 times. God is mentioned in the Bible 4,379 times, which is .5%.

So loved the world

Demonstrates His love (Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:7-10)

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.⁸ He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.⁹ In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.¹⁰ Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

The all knowing, ever present, all powerful God, loves the whole world. This truth in itself is a lot to wrap our mind around.

What is the problem? Sin. The Bible is very clear that, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23) “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:¹¹ There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” (Romans 3:10-11)

The solution?

Come back Thursday or Friday to find out. You could also join us live in the meeting room at 1000 AM on Wednesday to hear the whole message.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

We have come to the end of our study of Esther.

This week we will see how God triumphed over wickedness.

The Jews are safe. Mordecai has been achieved greatness is the eyes of the King and of the Jews. A holiday is commemorated to remember the occasion.

The presence of God is seen through each and every chapter. We serve an awesome God!

CHAPTER 10

Mordecai Promoted

And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea.² And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?³ For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.

Things to think about

Mordecai was a Jew. The Bible says he became great among the Jews, advanced by the King, declared great by the King, next unto the King. How does this happen apart from God’s intervention?

Will we submit to God’s intervention in our lives? He wants to do miraculous things in and through you!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

We have come to the end of our study of Esther.

This week we will see how God triumphed over wickedness.

The Jews are safe. Mordecai has been achieved greatness is the eyes of the King and of the Jews. A holiday is commemorated to remember the occasion.

The presence of God is seen through each and every chapter. We serve an awesome God!

Chapter 9

Jews Defend Themselves for a Second Day (9:15-19)

¹⁵ For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand.¹⁶ But the other Jews that were in the king’s provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,¹⁷ On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.¹⁸ But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.¹⁹ Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.

Feast of Purim Begun (9:20-32)

²⁰ And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,²¹ To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,²² As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.²³ And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them;²⁴ Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them;²⁵ But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.²⁶ Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them,²⁷ The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year;²⁸ And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.²⁹ Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim.³⁰ And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,³¹ To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.³² And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.

Things to think about

The enemies of the Jews were hard hearted, wicked, and stupid individuals. Instead of seeing that God was on the side of the Jews, they continued their fight at Shushan. It cost them 300 more lives.

In the provinces of King Ahasuerus, 75,000 were killed. God protected the Jews and gave them the victory.

He does that with us today, if we are willing to trust Him completely.

The holiday of Purim is a remembrance or memorial. It reminds Jews all over the world, in all generations, of how God preserved His chosen people. The Feast Of Purim is a celebration over wickedness. It is a time of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.

God will never break covenant with the nation of Israel!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001