Archives for March 2020

Good morning,

Thomas Watson challenges us in the area of contentment. We love to be on the spiritual mountaintop, but loathe being in the valley. We wonder if God has abandoned us when we perceive things not going the way we want.

God knows everything, is always present, and all powerful.  Whatever circumstance we are in, He knows about it. This in itself should be a comfort for us.

Knowing that God is with us always, we should be content.

A cross of their own choosing

(Thomas Watson, “The Art of Divine Contentment“)

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content–whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.” Philippians 4:11-12

Paul knew how to manage in every state–he learned to be content whatever his circumstances.
If he was in prosperity, he knew how to be thankful.
If he was in adversity, he knew how to be patient.
He was neither lifted up with prosperity–nor cast down with adversity.

A Christian should be content in any and every situation. Many are contented in some conditions–but not in every condition. They can be content in a wealthy state. When they have the streams of milk and honey–now they are content. But if the wind turns and is against them–now they are discontented. While they have a silver crutch to lean upon–they are contented; but if God breaks this crutch–now they are discontented.

Many would be content with their affliction–if God would allow them to pick and choose. They could better endure sickness–than poverty; or bear loss of estate–than loss of children. If they might have a cross of their own choosing, they would be content.

But a contented Christian does not desire to choose his cross–but leaves God to choose for him. He is content both for the kind of the afflictions, and the duration of the afflictions, which God gives him. A contented man says, “Let God apply whatever medicine He pleases, and let it lie on as long as He desires. I know when it has done its cure, and eaten the venom of sin out of my heart–that God will take it away.”

A contented Christian, being sweetly captivated under the authority of the Word, desires to be wholly at God’s disposal, and cheerfully lives in whatever circumstances that God has placed him in. “I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.” (2 Corinthians 12:10) He does not only submit to God’s dealings, but rejoices in them!
 ~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This devotion will encourage our hearts. It will also challenge us to allow God to lead our lives, not us.

Read it, make copies, and pass them on to other needy souls.

My way–Your way

(Susannah Spurgeon, “Free Grace and Dying Love!”)

“Make Your way straight before my face.” Psalm 5:8

Dear Father, this cry is going up to You this morning from many a tried and perplexed soul, who is fearing to “wander in the wilderness in a pathless wasteland.” Will You graciously bend down Your ear, and listen to their prayer, and grant the desired direction and guidance?

“Make Your way straight.” Dear Lord, it is not that Your ways are ever crooked or deviating, but that my eyes are bent on seeing pleasant little bypaths, where the road is not so rough, or the walking so toilsome–as on the King’s highway! My way looks so enticing, so easy, so agreeable to the flesh. Your way means self-denial, taking up the cross, and the relinquishment of much that my carnal heart desires.

Now, dear Lord, hear my cry, “Make Your way straight before my face!” Compel me, by the power of Your love and Your example–to go in the narrow road! “Hedge up my way with thorns”–rather than that I should take a step out of the way which You have laid down for me.

What if, sometimes, there are mists and fogs so thick that I cannot see the path? ‘Tis enough that You hold my hand, and guide me in the darkness; for walking with You in the gloom–is far sweeter and safer than walking alone in the sunlight!

Dear Lord, give me grace to trust You wholly, whatever may befall; yielding myself up to Your leading, and leaning hard on You when “dangers are in the path.” Your way for me has been marked out from all eternity, and it leads directly to Yourself and home! Help me to keep my eyes fixed on the joy that is set before me, and deliver me from the very faintest desire to turn aside, and linger in the flowery meadows which have so often lured the feet of poor pilgrims into danger and distress!

Father, You have said, “My ways are not your ways, neither are My thoughts your thoughts.” True, dear Lord; but then You can uplift my thoughts to Yours, and exalt my ways until they reach the mountain-top of obedience to Your blessed will. Work this miracle for me this day, O Lord; use that sweet compulsion which will delight my heart, while it directs my steps! Make me to run in the way of Your commandments, and I shall run gladly, with the blessed certainty that I shall reach the goal at last! Have You not given me a monitor within, which strikes a gentle warning note when my feet turn but an instant from the straight way?

But, best of all, dearest Lord, may You Yourself come with me along life’s road, today and every day! Let the abiding of my soul in You be so real and constant, so true and tender–that I may always be aware of Your sweet presence, and never take a single step, apart from Your supporting and delivering hand!
~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Our lives are filled with minor actors. People who may have played a significant part in our lives at one time, but have faded away as time goes on. However, without those minor players, we would not be where we are today.

Try to visualize who those people were.

Hathach

(J. R. Miller, “Miller’s Year Book–a Year’s Daily Readings”)

“Mordecai gave Hathach a copy of the decree issued in Susa that called for the death of all Jews, and he asked Hathach to show it to Esther. He also asked Hathach to explain it to her and to urge her to go to the king to beg for mercy and plead for her people. So Hathach returned to Esther with Mordecai’s message. Then Esther told Hathach to go back and relay this message to Mordecai . . .” Esther 4:8-10

We are apt to overlook the minor actors in Scripture stories–in our absorbed interest in the prominent ones. Yet ofttimes these lesser people are just as important in their own place, and their service is just as essential to the final success of the whole–as the greater ones.

The little girl in the story of Naaman the leper, is scarcely seen among the splendors of the Syrian court; but without her part, we would never have had the story at all.

The young lad with the basket, is hardly thought of when we read the account of the miracle; but they were his loaves with which the Master fed all those hungry thousands that day on the green grass.

The smallest links in a chain–are ofttimes quite as important as the greatest links.

Hathach was one of these obscure characters. But his part was by no means unimportant. Without his being a trustworthy messenger, Mordecai’s communication with Esther would have been impossible–and the whole Jewish nation would have perished!

If we cannot do brave things like Esther, nor give wise counsels like Mordecai–we may at least be useful, as Hathach was, in faithful service. And perhaps our lowly part may some day prove to have been as essential–as the great deeds which all men praise. We may at least help some others in doing the great things that they are set to do in this world.
~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

What happens when a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ? Instantly, their lives are changed.

How they are changed will be our focus for the next several weeks.

We will look at what happens when a sinner gets saved, in relation to God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and between each other.

Some of the things that happen once a sinner is saved are as follows…

In Relation to God the Son

24) He receives a blessed hope – Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; (Titus 2v13) Notice, he does not hope he’s saved.  He received the blessed hope, & the blessed hope is that Christ is coming to get us – Rev 22v20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Jesus Christ is the blessed hope. He is coming to get us. He is going to take us to heaven to be with Him for all eternity. We patiently await His soon arrival.

25) He comes into fellowship with the Trinity.  John wrote… That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.  1 John 1v3

God wants to have fellowship with us.

26) We gain a mansion in glory – In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  John 14v2

Jesus Christ is preparing a place for each of us. He wants us to be with Him. He has committed His time and resources so we will welcome when we arrive in heaven.

At the moment we received Christ as personal Lord and Savior, God gave us everything we would need to be successful.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

What happens when a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ? Instantly, their lives are changed.

How they are changed will be our focus for the next several weeks.

We will look at what happens when a sinner gets saved, in relation to God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and between each other.

Some of the things that happen once a sinner is saved are as follows…

In Relation to God the Son

20) He becomes a friend of God – John 15v15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

What a tremendous statement. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the one who made all things, calls us His friends. We could not earn it. We did not deserve it. He had to become sin for us. He became the blood sacrifice to pay our sin debt. The He called us to Himself. He calls us friends!

21) His name is recorded in Heaven – Luke 10v20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

What a privilege to have our names written down in heaven. The significance of this is that our eternal destiny is secured. We know when we die, heaven will be our home. We will see Jesus face to face.

22) He becomes a fellow laborer whose name is written in the book of Life – Phil 4v3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life.

We are labor for the Lord. We are to witness, give, counsel, and comfort fellow believers.

23) He becomes seated with Christ in Heavenly places – And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: In a sense, the Christian has already gone home to glory. – Eph2v6 His body is still down here, & he is in his body, ‘absent from the Lord & present in the body’.  However, his spirit has been ‘born again’ & ‘regenerated’ by the Holy Spirit & joined to Christ’s Spirit – But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. (1 Cor 6v17).  In this sense, he is at present seated with Jesus Christ ‘in heavenly places’

Although we are still here on earth, our position is seated with Jesus in heaven. It is reassuring to know that at the moment of salvation, we safe and secure with Jesus in heavenly places.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

What happens when a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ? Instantly, their lives are changed.

How they are changed will be our focus for the next several weeks.

We will look at what happens when a sinner gets saved, in relation to God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and between each other.

Some of the things that happen once a sinner is saved are as follows…

In Relation to God the Son

What happens when a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ?

When a car is running, the moment the driver releases the clutch, many things happen, but perhaps all the driver knows is that the car is in motion.  This is a good illustration of what happens in salvation for the Christian!

The most dangerous part of a believer’s life in Christ is when the car first gets in motion, because the Devil is very anxious to guide it the WRONG way & thus make the new Christian’s life ineffectual.  Even though the sinner is saved & on his way to Heaven, the Devil wants to make him as ineffectual & fruitless as a child of God by getting him hooked onto some ‘hobbyhorse’ such as ‘Calvinism, baptismal regeneration, tongues & healing’ etc.

Some of the things that happen once a sinner is saved are as follows…

In Relation to God the Son

 13) The sinner is ‘accepted in the beloved’ Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

14) The believer is baptized into Christ’s body by the Holy Spirit – 1Cor 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.  EVERY child, EVERY sinner who trusts Christ, is put into Christ’s body by the baptism of the Holy Spirit; Paul says in Gal 3v27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

15) When the sinner who trusts Christ is ‘accepted in the beloved’ (Eph 1v6) & is baptized into Christ’s body by the Holy Spirit, he is buried with Christ by ‘spiritual’ baptism – Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  Col 3v3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 

Every believer in Jesus Christ is baptized by the Holy Ghost into Christ’s body!  1 Cor 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.  Every child of God is baptized INTO Christ’s body; every saved sinner is buried with Christ.

16) The believer becomes a love gift to the Son from the Father – The Lord Jesus said in John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.  Every saved sinner is a special love gift from the Father to His Son Jesus Christ

17) The moment you trust Christ as Savior, you are indwelt by Christ, & you are saved by Jesus Christ – Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  Acts 4v12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.  You are indwelt by Jesus Christ the moment you trust Him for your salvation!  Jesus said in speaking of these matters… John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

18) When a sinner trusts Jesus Christ, he possesses ETERNAL LIFE! John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 1 John 5:13 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.

19) When the sinner trusts Jesus Christ, he has peace with God.  Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Rom 5v1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: John 14v27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

20) He becomes a friend of God – John 15v15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

21) His name is recorded in Heaven – Luke 10v20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. 

22) He becomes a fellow laborer whose name is written in the book of Life – Phil 4v3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life.

23) He becomes seated with Christ in Heavenly places – And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: In a sense, the Christian has already gone home to glory. – Eph2v6 His body is still down here, & he is in his body, ‘absent from the Lord & present in the body’.  However, his spirit has been ‘born again’ & ‘regenerated’ by the Holy Spirit & joined to Christ’s Spirit – But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. (1 Cor 6v17).  In this sense, he is at present seated with Jesus Christ ‘in heavenly places’

24) He receives a blessed hope – Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; (Titus 2v13) Notice, he does not hope he’s saved.  He received the blessed hope, & the blessed hope is that Christ is coming to get us – Rev 22v20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

25) He comes into fellowship with the Trinity.  John wrote… That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.  1 John 1v3

26) We gain a mansion in glory – In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  John 14v2

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

What happens when a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ? Instantly, their lives are changed.

How they are changed will be our focus for the next several weeks.

We will look at what happens when a sinner gets saved, in relation to God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and between each other.

Some of the things that happen once a sinner is saved are as follows…

In Relation to God the Son

16) The believer becomes a love gift to the Son from the Father – The Lord Jesus said in John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 

Every saved sinner is a special love gift from the Father to His Son Jesus Christ.

17) The moment you trust Christ as Savior, you are indwelt by Christ, & you are saved by Jesus Christ – Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  Acts 4v12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.  You are indwelt by Jesus Christ the moment you trust Him for your salvation!  Jesus said in speaking of these matters… John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

The Lord Jesus Christ lives in us. Every place we go, Jesus goes with us. Everything we see, Jesus sees. Everything we say, Jesus hears. We need to consider how we live our lives.

18) When a sinner trusts Jesus Christ, he possesses ETERNAL LIFE! John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 1 John 5:13 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.

We never have to be afraid of death! For believers in Christ, when we die, we go to be with Jesus in heaven. All who are saved will be there.

19) When the sinner trusts Jesus Christ, he has peace with God.  Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Rom 5v1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: John 14v27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Today our world has no peace. The great cry of this world is Peace on Earth. But there is no peace. However, believers in Christ have the peace of God within them. We no longer have to stress and struggle. We trust in the peace we have through Christ.

God is so good to us!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

What happens when a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ? Instantly, their lives are changed.

How they are changed will be our focus for the next several weeks.

We will look at what happens when a sinner gets saved, in relation to God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and between each other.

Some of the things that happen once a sinner is saved are as follows…

In Relation to God the Son

13) The sinner is ‘accepted in the beloved’ Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

We are accepted by Jesus. How? When we trusted in the finished work Jesus did for us on the cross, His blood paid our sin debt, and we became acceptable to Jesus.

14) The believer is baptized into Christ’s body by the Holy Spirit – 1Cor 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.  Paul says in Gal 3v27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Every child, every sinner who trusts Christ, is put into Christ’s body by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

15) When the sinner who trusts Christ is ‘accepted in the beloved’ (Eph 1v6) & is baptized into Christ’s body by the Holy Spirit, he is buried with Christ by ‘spiritual’ baptism – Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  Col 3v3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 

Romans 6 helps us understand the old nature versus the new nature. It uses baptism to illustrate the burial of Christ. Please read Romans 6. Satan no longer has dominion over us. We belong to Jesus. Why? Because He bought us through His blood sacrifice for our sins.

Rejoice in what Christ has done for us!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

What happens when a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ? Instantly, their lives are changed.

How they are changed will be our focus for the next several weeks.

We will look at what happens when a sinner gets saved, in relation to God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and between each other.

In relation to God the Father…

        10) The saved sinner becomes a priest of God – 1 Pet 2v9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:  1 Pet 2v5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.  Note – NOT ‘literal’ sacrifices!

        11) The saved sinner is reconciled to God.  Eph 2v12+13 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:  v13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.  Rom 5v10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

        12) When a sinner trusts Jesus Christ as his Savior, he is sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus 1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.  Acts 26v18 lists sanctification as a direct result of conversion…To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

This is just the beginning of what happens when we get saved. It is amazing what God has done for us. When we are tempted to think God has abandoned us, grab this list and rejoice in the fact that God cares for you.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

What happens when a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ? Instantly, their lives are changed.

How they are changed will be our focus for the next several weeks.

We will look at what happens when a sinner gets saved, in relation to God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and between each other.

In relation to God the Father…

        7) He becomes an heir of God & a joint heir with Christ – Gal 3v29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.  Rom 8v17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

        8) He becomes a new creature NOT ‘creation’ as in the new CORRUPT ‘Bibles!’  2 Cor 5v17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  We are born with the old nature i.e. the fallen Adamic nature which is called a ‘creature’ in Rom 8v20.  NOW we have God’s nature, & you are a ‘creature’ that has been born again!

        9) The saved sinner becomes a servant of God.  Rom 6v22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

What was the promise of Galatians 3:29? We find the answer in Genesis 21:9-12.

“And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.¹⁰ Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.¹¹ And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.¹² And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.”

Through this promise we become heirs and joint-heirs with Christ. When we become a believer in Christ we go from pauper to prince. Nothing to everything.

We are also made a new creature. Sinner to saint. A new divine nature.

Then we become servants of God. Not out of compulsion, but out love for what God has done for us. We are fulfilling God’s will, not ours. We no longer serve self. We now serve God!

What a blessing.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001