Archives for August 2020

Good morning,

This week’s foundation stone is sin. What is sin? Who is Satan? What did God command Adam not to do? Did Adam have a choice? What was the results of Adam’s decision? What is the consequence of sin? Can we be restored?

These questions will be answered this week.

Today we will look at God’s command, Satan’s temptation, and Adams decision.

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.

GENESIS 3

Satan’s temptation v1-5

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?² And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:³ But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.⁴ And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:⁵ For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

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.

Adam was the recipient of God’s command. He was there when Satan was speaking to Eve. Adam chose, by an act of his own free will, to disobey God. He did not step in and counteract what Satan was telling Eve. Then when given the opportunity to eat the fruit, he did.

Sin is disobeying God’s commands.

Tomorrow, we will see the results of Adam’s sin and God’s judgement.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This week’s foundation stone is sin. What is sin? Who is Satan? What did God command Adam not to do? Did Adam have a choice? What was the results of Adam’s decision? What is the consequence of sin? Can we be restored?

These questions will be answered this week.

Today we will look at a definition of sin and the tempter of sin, Satan.

What is sin?

Simply put, sin is disobedience to God’s word.

Who is Satan?

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. (Isaiah 14:12-15)

Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. (EZEK 28:12-19)

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44)

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8)

Satan committed the first act of rebellion, when he rebelled against God. It was his desire to be exalted above God, his maker. Satan is a created being. He was the anointed cherub. He was above all the other angels in heaven. When he rebelled, he took a third of the angels with him.

It is his task to draw people away from God. Believers are tempted so that they might do things that would ruin their testimony for Christ.

We must walk in obedience to God’s word on a daily basis.

Tomorrow, we will look at God’s command to Adam, Satan’s temptation, and the first act of disobedience by man.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

These pithy gems are given for your reflection.

Please read each one and reflect on what is says and how it impacts you. Then allow the Holy Spirit to guide you into action.

Pithy gems from Thomas Goodwin, 1599-1679


They only are wise, who are wise unto salvation.

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In Christ are treasures that will require digging to the end of the world!

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If I were to go to Heaven, and find that Christ was not there, I would leave immediately; for Heaven without Christ would be Hell to me.

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Judas heard all of Christ’s sermons.

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Those blessings are sweetest that are won with prayer and worn with thanks.

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As faith is merely a receiving grace, so prayer is a begging grace.

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My brethren, when God first began to love you, He gave you all that He ever meant to give you in the lump–and eternity is the time in which He is doling it out.

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Christian! All that God is, will supply all that you need.

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The person who loves Christ best, is the person who will pray best.

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Christ’s riches are unsearchable, and the gospel is the field this Treasure is hidden in.

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God is infinitely beautiful in Himself, and His beauty ought to attract you like a magnet.

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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Prayer is a privilege.

We have the privilege to come before the throne room of God and talk with Him. We may praise, adore, worship, or come with our petitions for ourselves and others. He is never wearied by our coming. He desires it.

This devotional expounds on the throne of grace.

The throne of grace

(Henry Law, “Family Prayers”)

Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, Heaven and earth are full of Your glory! Blessing and honor and glory and power be to You, O Father of mercies, O God of all grace and love.

We thank You, that, as vile and sin-soiled as we are–we may come into Your immediate presence, and hold this converse with You, and commune with You concerning all our concerns, all our sins, and fears, and hopes and desires.

We are astonished that we, poor sinners on earth, may speak directly to You–our great and glorious God, on Your throne in the Heaven of heavens! How wondrous the thought that our poor breathings may fly on the wings of faith, and have instant access to the ears of Your grace!

We thank You that, in the multitude of Your tender mercies and the riches of Your pitiful compassion, You have been pleased to erect this throne of grace before which we now most humbly bow. We bless You that here, free grace reigns. We bless You that, at all times and in all places, we have open access to You through the blood of Your dear Son.

We bless You that the veil is open, and that in His great name we may ever approach and find You . . .
  ready to hear, 
  waiting to be gracious,
  arrayed in smiles of love, 
  bidding us to touch the scepter of Your sovereign mercy, 
  inviting us to pour out every need and desire of our hearts, 
  and promising to give more than we can ask or think.

Grant, oh grant, that we may be wholly consecrated to You. May we, in spirit, soar far above earth. May our hearts be fast barred against admission of worldly thoughts or cares. Send Your peace, passing all understanding, as a flood into our anxious minds.  May our meditations of You be sweet. May we drink deeply of the refreshing streams proceeding out of Your throne. May we feast on the heaven-sent manna of Your precious Word, and thus gather strength for the upward race.

Hear us, answer us, bless us we pray. All we ask is in Jesus’ name, and for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

“Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16  

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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

What does it mean to be content?

This devotional will challenge our desire to be content. We may choose to be content or discontent. It depends on how we view our God.

Discontent!

(Arthur Pink, “Comfort for Christians”)

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:11

Contentment is the being satisfied with the sovereign dispensations of God’s providence. It is the opposite of murmuring, which is the spirit of rebellion–the clay saying to the Potter, “Why have You made me thus?” Instead of complaining at his lot–a contented man is thankful that his condition and circumstances are no worse than they are.

Discontent! Was there ever a time when there was so much discontent and restlessness in the world, as there is today? We very much doubt it. Despite our boasted progress, the vast increase of wealth, the time and money expended daily in pleasure–discontent is everywhere! No class is exempt. Everything is in a state of flux, and almost everybody is dissatisfied. Many even among God’s own people are affected with the evil spirit of this age.

Contentment! Is such a thing realizable, or is it nothing more than a beautiful ideal, a mere dream of the poet? Is it attainable on earth, or is it restricted to the inhabitants of Heaven? If feasible here and now–may it be retained, or are a few brief moments or hours of contentment the most that we may expect in this life?

The force of Paul’s statement will be better appreciated, if his condition and circumstances at the time he made it, are kept in mind. When the apostle wrote the words, he was not luxuriating in a special suite in the Emperor’s palace–but was in prison “in chains”. The contentment which Paul enjoyed, was not the result of congenial and comfortable surroundings. Most people suppose that contentment is impossible, unless one can have the desires of the carnal heart gratified. A prison is the last place to which they would go, if they were seeking a contented man. This much, then, is clear–contentment comes from within and not without; it must be sought from God, not in creature comforts.

Now, there is a vast difference between precept and practice, between the ideal and the realization. But in the case of Paul, contentment was an actual experience! It was something he had learned in the school of Christian experience.

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said–Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Sheep need a shepherd.

Believer’s in Christ are sheep and Christ is our Shepherd.

This devotional will tell us our responsibilities as sheep and Christ’s responsibilities as the Shepherd.

My sheep!

(James Smith)

“My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me.
 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish–ever!
 No one will snatch them out of My hand!” John 10:27-28 

All of Christ’s sheep know Him, love Him and follow Him.
They all somewhat possess His disposition: He was meek and humble in heart.
Are you one of Christ’s sheep? Are you following after the Good Shepherd? If so, He will lead you, feed you, protect you and save you.
Your person, life, comforts, and eternal safety–are committed to His care.

He loved His sheep more than His own life–He laid down His life for them!

He searches and seeks out His sheep wherever they stray.

He feeds His flock. He cares for His sheep more than for all the world beside. He feeds them in the most suitable pasture, and leads them in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

O view Jesus as your Shepherd! Expect Him to lead you, feed you, enfold you and present you to His Father with exceeding joy. Cleave to Him; let nothing tempt you to leave His feet, His flock or His fold. He will never leave you–nor will He ever forsake you.

“He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in His arms, holding them close to His heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young!” Isaiah 40:11
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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This devotion challenges us to look at ourselves for fulfillment in life or fulfillment through Christ’s work in our lives.

We are failures in our own power, but complete when God has control of our lives.

There is a contrast of wickedness and holiness.

All that we see within is foul, ugly, and grim!

(Frank Hall)

“You are complete in Him!” Colossians 2:10

Oh desponding Christian, is not your grief caused by looking within yourself? Is not that miserable feeling of failure and disappointment, caused by your strange fixation upon your hollow heart of iniquity? You look within, hoping to find something good, something pure, something precious, something clean–but what do you see? Nothing but sin! To stare into one’s self–is to stare into a bottomless pit of despair and hopelessness! “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked!” Jeremiah 17:9

Will we ever learn this? There is nothing within us to give us hope, rest, or peace. Have we ever found anything within us that gave us joy? Of course not! Then why do we continue to stare into the darkness? All that we see within is foul, ugly, and grim! One glance within ought to sicken us. We would sooner find diamonds in a dunghill or roses growing in a sewer–than find goodness dwelling within!

In ourselves we are sinful, guilty, and vile! But bless God forever!
Our standing before God is not in ourselves; it’s in Christ! He is . . .
  our Salvation,
  our Righteousness,
  our Hope,
  our Holiness, and
  our Acceptance with God!

Change the direction of your gaze–and look up! Stop staring into the empty void of your heart–and fix your eyes upon Jesus your Lord, in whom all fullness dwells. Our hope is not within, but without, seated at the right hand of the Father! Lift up your head that is bowed down with guilt and shame! Behold Christ your Savior! Behold your glorious Redeemer! Bid sorrow goodbye and fear depart! Rejoice, for “You are complete in Him!”

Believers are perfect in Christ. To be complete in Christ is to be perfect in Christ. Perfect is not something that we will be, or strive to be–but something that we are right now, by virtue of our eternal union with God’s darling Son.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we are, by the free grace of God, complete in Christ our Savior!
We lack nothing!
All that He is–we are in Him!
All that He has–we have in Him!
All that He has done–we’ve done in Him!
We possess the infinite fullness of eternal life and everlasting salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord!

We are completely righteous in Him!
We are completely holy in Him!
We are completely forgiven in Him!
We are completely accepted in Him!
We are completely, everlastingly, perfectly sinless in Him!

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus!” Hebrews 12:2

“For every look at SELF–take ten looks at CHRIST!” Robert Murray M’Cheyne
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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Sometimes we forget the greatness of our God. In every circumstance we can go to Him. He is all knowing, ever present, and all powerful. Charles Spurgeon shares this with us in today’s devotion.

All that He has, and all that He is, is theirs

(Charles Spurgeon)

“I will be their God.” Jeremiah 31:33

Child of God, let me urge you to make use of your God. Make use of him in prayer; I beseech you, go to Him often, because He is your God. He has made Himself over to you, and He has become the property of all His children, so that all that He has, and all that He is, is theirs. O child of God, will you let your treasury lie idle, when you need it? No! go and draw from it by prayer.

Fly to Him, tell Him all your needs. Use Him constantly by faith, at all times.

Oh! I beseech you, if some dark providence has come over you–use your God as a sun, for He is a sun.

If some strong enemy has come out against you–use your God for a shield, for He is a shield to protect you.

If you have lost your way in the mazes of life–use Him for a guide, for the great Jehovah will direct you.

If you are in storms–use Him, for He is the God who stills the raging of the sea, and says unto the waves, “Be still.”

If you are a poor thing, knowing not which way to turn–use Him for a shepherd, for the Lord is your Shepherd, and you shall not want.

Whatever you are, and wherever you are, remember that God is just what you need. I beseech you, then, make use of your God!
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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This week we will begin a ten week series on the Old Testament foundation stones. These are the bedrock for what we believe. Without an understanding and obedience to these teachings, no one can correctly understand the rest of the Bible. Including our salvation.

Our study will encompass the whole book of Genesis 1-50 and Exodus 1-12.

We begin with an introduction to the Old Testament, things to know about the Old Testament, and the eight foundation stones.

What we will be studying

a. Week 1: Genesis 1 Creation In the beginning God… (Gen 1:1)

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

b. Week 2: Genesis 3 Fall of man …and he did eat (Gen 3:6)

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.

c. Week 3: Genesis 6 The flood And the Lord said, I will destroy            man… (Gen 6:7)

And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

d. Week 4: Genesis 12 Abraham So Abram departed (Gen 12:4)

So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

e. Week 5: Genesis 24 Isaac And the Lord appeared unto Isaac… (Gen 26:24)

And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.

f. Week 6: Genesis 28 Jacob And, behold, I am with you…(Gen 28:15)

And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

 g. Week 7: Genesis 37 Joseph And the Lord was with Joseph… (Gen 39:2)

And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

 h. Week 8: Exodus 12 …and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel,  and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door,… (Ex 12:23)

For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

i. Week 9: CONCLUSION

This will be an exciting study. We will learn many things that will help us to understand what and why we believe.

These foundation stones are crucial to correctly tell others about their heritage.

Join us and bring others. We meet in the meeting at the Wasilla Area Seniors, Inc, Wednesday mornings at 10 am.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This week we will begin a ten week series on the Old Testament foundation stones. These are the bedrock for what we believe. Without an understanding and obedience to these teachings, no one can correctly understand the rest of the Bible. Including our salvation.

Our study will encompass the whole book of Genesis 1-50 and Exodus 1-12.

We begin with an introduction to the Old Testament, things to know about the Old Testament, and the eight foundation stones.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1

INTRO:  OT books are the foundation for our understanding of the NT.

MAKEUP OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

1. 39 books

Pentateuch (First 5 books: Law-Redemptive-Historical)

Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy

Last 12 books Historical

Joshua Judges Ruth 1-2 Samuel 1-2 Kings 1-2 Chronicles

Ezra Nehemiah Esther

         b. 5 Poetry (Experiential-personal, dealing with the human heart)

            Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon

        c.  17 Prophetical (5 major 12 minor prophets)

Major Prophets: Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel

Minor prophets: Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi

2. Things to know about the OT

         a. Inspired by God (2 Tim 3:16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

        b. The OT was written mostly in Hebrew with a few passages in Aramaic

         c. Testament means covenant.  Old covenant is of the Law.

         d. 929 chapters, 23,214 verses, and 592,439 words.

         e. Middle book Proverbs, middle chapter Job 29, middle verse 2 

             Chronicles 20:17

3. What we will be studying

       a. Week 1: Genesis 1 Creation In the beginning God… (Gen 1:1)

       b. Week 2: Genesis 3 Fall of man …and he did eat (Gen 3:6)

       c. Week 3: Genesis 6 The flood And the Lord said, I will destroy 

            man… (Gen 6:7)

       d. Week 4: Genesis 12 Abraham So Abram departed (Gen 12:4)

       e. Week 5: Genesis 24 Isaac And the Lord appeared unto Isaac…

          (Gen 26:24)

       f. Week 6: Genesis 28 Jacob And, behold, I am with you…(Gen 28:15)

       g. Week 7: Genesis 37 Joseph And the Lord was with Joseph…

            (Gen 39:2)

       h. Week 8: Exodus 12 …and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door,…  

            (Ex 12:23)

       i. Week 9: CONCLUSION

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001