Good morning,

Passover begins at sundown on 27 March 2021. It ends at sundown 28 March 2021. It is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It lasts for seven days. It begins on 28 March through 4 April 2021.

Our devotionals will center around the memorial of Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, the story of the Jewish Exodus, why Passover is relevant to Christians, and the blood.

What Is the Feast of Unleavened Bread?

April 23, 2019

iStock.com/belchonock

Leaven is repeatedly emphasized in the Bible. It is mentioned more than 70 times from the time of Abraham to the life of Moses to the histories of the kingdoms to the former prophets, major prophets and minor prophets. Jesus Christ talked about it during His ministry, and He emphasized it on the final night before He was crucified.

Why? Because leaven is a powerful spiritual symbol.

The biblical book that mentions leaven most frequently is Exodus. Exodus 12 records God commanding millions of Israelite slaves in Egypt to keep the Passover, in part by eating lamb, bitter herbs and unleavened bread. The next night, God miraculously freed them, and they joyfully left Egypt. Verse 34 notes that they “took their dough before it was leavened.” Seven days later, with the Egyptian army in pursuit, God miraculously divided the Red Sea, the Israelites walked across the seabed on dry land, and the returning waters destroyed the Egyptians.

God commanded His people to memorialize these events—and their spiritual meaning—by keeping annual observances: Passover at sunset, the Night to Be Much Observed the following sunset, and the feast of Unleavened Bread over the next seven days.

“Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. … [F]or in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt …” (verses 15, 17).

Jewish believers still keep a form of this observance. But it is actually commanded for God’s Church today. The Apostle Paul wrote to New Testament Christians that “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us; Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). New Testament Christians keep the feast of Unleavened Bread! (see Acts 20:6).

There is nothing inherently wrong, unhealthy or evil about leavening. But during this unique one-week period, God uses leavening to represent sin. God commands that we get it out of our lives during this time—every last loaf, slice and crumb!

Jesus warned against “the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees” in Matthew 16. The Apostle Paul focused on leaven in 1 Corinthians 5:6-7: “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven ….” The Bible links the way leavening puffs up dough and the way sin spreads and permeates our life. It only takes a pinch of leavening to raise an entire loaf—and it only takes a single compromise to fill our life with sin.

Sin means breaking God’s law of love (1 John 3:4; Romans 13:8-10). It ultimately results in death (Romans 6:23). Every particle of human failure and suffering is caused by breaking God’s law, just as failure and suffering are caused by breaking the laws of biology, chemistry and physics. Let sin into your thinking, and it quickly spreads from one part of your life to another—to another to another. It subtly infuses you with selfishness. It puffs you up with vanity. And it takes God’s miraculous intervention, combined with your effort, to put sin out of your mind and completely keep it out!

Just as with the ancient Israelites, God focuses us on “cleaning house” during the Days of Unleavened Bread: removing every crumb of bread with leavening ingredients like yeast, baking soda and baking powder from our homes, our workplaces, our vehicles and every nook of personal property in between. This symbolizes ridding our lives from every bit of sin and keeping it out. Physical deleavening is no easy task, but neither is getting sin out of our lives. It takes real effort and sweat to deleaven your possessions, just like it is a constant, lifelong battle to remove sin and keep it out when it inevitably begins to creep back in.

However, simply getting the leavening out doesn’t completely fulfill the command in Exodus 12:20. For seven days we not only avoid leavening, but we also eat unleavened bread, representing God’s way of sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:8). That bread symbolizes Jesus Christ Himself—the “bread of life,” the bread we must eat if we are to inherit eternal life (John 6:35, 48). As we ingest that and allow Christ into us, He transforms us into a new and different person. This is another beautiful lesson of the Days of Unleavened Bread.

For God’s people, from Moses and the Israelites to David and the kingdom of Israel to Jesus Christ and His disciples to New Testament Christians through the ages, one of the greatest highlights of the year is the meaningful, exciting, inspiring feast of Unleavened Bread.

To learn more about this annual sacred festival, read Exodus 12-13 and Pagan Holidays—or God’s Holy Days—Which? You can also download a holy day calendar.

Thanks to the Philadelphia Church of God for a clear and concise description of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Passover begins at sundown on 27 March 2021. It ends at sundown 28 March 2021. It is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It lasts for seven days.

Our devotionals will center around the memorial of Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, the story of the Jewish Exodus, why Passover is relevant to Christians, and the blood.

The Blood

Why was the blood such an integral part of Old Testament worship? Man’s sin required a way to reestablish fellowship with God. God required a blood sacrifice. The Passover is a good illustration.

Israel is under bondage to the Egyptians. They cry out to the Lord. God hears their cry and sends Moses to deliver them. Pharaoh would not allow the Hebrews to leave. God sent 10 plagues upon Egypt. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. The first plague was turning the river water into blood. The last plague was the death of the first born which could be avoided by the blood.

Disobedience to God’s word is sin. Pharaoh and anyone following him sinned against God. So in Exodus 12, God tells Moses what the Hebrews need to do to avoid this plague. If they obey, they live. If they disobey, they die.

Exodus 12:3-14

Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: ⁴ And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. ⁵ Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: ⁶ And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. ⁷ And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. ⁸ And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. ⁹ Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. ¹⁰ And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. ¹¹ And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s passover. ¹² For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. ¹³ And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. ¹⁴ And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

They obeyed, lived, were promptly allowed to leave. However, from time to time, the nation of Israel disobeyed God. God instituted animal sacrifices to cover the sin, but not take them away. Hebrews 10 explains this.

Hebrews 10:3-14

But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. ⁴ For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. ⁵ Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: ⁶ In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. ⁷ Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. ⁸ Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; ⁹ Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. ¹⁰ By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. ¹¹ 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.

Obey God. But when we don’t, we need to repent, go to God and ask His forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 states, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Passover begins at sundown on 27 March 2021. It ends at sundown 28 March 2021. It is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It lasts for seven days.

Our devotionals will center around the memorial of Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, the story of the Jewish Exodus, why Passover is relevant to Christians, and the blood.

Why is Passover Relevant to the Believer in Jesus Christ?

Passover is an eight-day festival celebrated in the early spring, from the 15th through the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan and commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt.

In Exodus 12:12-17 states, “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.”

 In Luke 22, Jesus shared the Passover meal with his apostles saying, “And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:  For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 22:15-16) Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover. He is the Lamb of God, sacrificed to set us free from bondage to sin. (John 1:29; Psalm 22; Isaiah 53) “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

Jesus is our Passover.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Passover begins at sundown on 27 March 2021. It ends at sundown 28 March 2021. It is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It lasts for seven days.

Our devotionals will center around the memorial of Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, the story of the Jewish Exodus, why Passover is relevant to Christians, and the blood.

A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person (who has died) or an event. The most common type of memorial is the gravestone or the memorial plaque. Also common are war memorials commemorating those who have died in wars.

Today is Passover.

The Passover

Passover is found in Exodus 12:11-14. In the verse leading up to these verses, the Israelites are told to take an unblemished lamb and kill it. They are told to take the blood and place it on the side and tops of the door frames of the houses where they would eat the lamb.

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.¹³ And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.¹⁴ And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.”

So the Passover was important as a memorial to the Israelites as it reminded them:

1. God’s separation of His people from the Gentiles.

2. God’s protection of His people.

3. God’s deliverance of His people.

4. God’s requirements of His people, that is, dedication to Him.

5. God’s commandment to them to keep the feast annually to remind them of all God had done for them.

God sent Jesus to shed His blood as a once for all sacrifice for our sins. We should separate ourselves from the world and to God. We should dedicate our lives to Him. At the cross Jesus delivered us from our sin debt. He protects us from the temptations of this world.

Think about how the blood changed your life.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

This week’s devotions will highlight my call to be the WASI (Wasilla Area Seniors, Inc) Chaplain, and the teaching, prayer, counseling, and hospital visitation ministries. 

The hospital visitation ministry can be one of the most rewarding of all our ministries. People are at their most vulnerable and yet at their most joyful. Some visits can be more uplifting to me, than to the one being visited.

Some visits are a bit more challenging. Yet they are glad to see a familiar face. Some like to talk and some like to hear Scripture read to them. Others are not so receptive. In each case God leads me in what is said and how to conduct the visit.

So why do we go?

1 Peter 3:8 says, “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.”

1 Corinthians 12:26 says, “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

2 Corinthians 1:3,4 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

 In Matthew 25:35-40 Jesus said, “For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me …”

We are here to serve, comfort, and encourage those who are sick.

Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the hospital visitation ministry is on hold. We do not have opportunity to visit anyone.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

This week’s devotions will highlight my call to be the WASI (Wasilla Area Seniors, Inc) Chaplain, and the teaching, prayer, counseling, and hospital visitation ministries. 

The counselling ministry has helped many people find understanding, comfort, Godly wisdom, and life. Sometimes this ministry is just a listening ear. People need to vent. Sometimes it is more serious.

When counselling others, it is the Spirit of God that guides me.

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” (John 16:13)

When people harbor thoughts of doing harm to themselves, it becomes a bit more serious. In dealing with these types of situations, allowing the person to talk gives them a bit of relief. Hopefully, we can get to the root cause of their problem. Then we take the Bible and use its wise counsel to address the problem.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Sometimes counsel is needed to provide direction and purpose in life. They need help navigating through the complexities of life. So we use the Bible to direct them.

“Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14)

“Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.” (Psalm 119:24)

My office hours are 0830 to 1130 each day. Any other time, phone me, or text at 715-4001. Always available to chat.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

This week’s devotions will highlight my call to be the WASI (Wasilla Area Seniors, Inc) Chaplain, and the teaching, prayer, counseling, and hospital visitation ministries. 

Prayer is talking with God. God desires to hear from us. He wants us to acknowledge our need of Him. When we pray, God hears and acts. He always answers our prayers. Sometimes yes, sometimes no, and sometimes wait. Remember that God knows all, sees all, and has the power to change any circumstance He pleases. His answers to prayer are always right.

God’s word, the Bible, tells us to pray.

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6)

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” (Ephesians 6:18)

“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;” (Luke 18:1)

“Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” (Psalm 55:17)

Each Wednesday we devote time to pray. Over the years we have seen God heal people, change circumstances, and do miraculous things.

Recently, we prayed for a pregnant mother. The baby was not expected to live, but God caused the baby to live.

Marie, a charter member of our class, had a serious medical problem. She had to go to the emergency room on several occasions. She was not eating and growing weaker. Yet as we continued to pray God began to heal her body. She is now eating and growing stronger.

We also support a missionary in prayer in Bangladesh. She is an administrator, teacher, and mentor, at the William Carey Academy. She was taken ill and evacuated back to the states. Then COVID-19 happened. She was stuck here. She also needed a new visa and other documents to get back into Bangladesh. Did I mention the country was closed? She was able to conduct her classes via the internet. Then God answered our prayers and she was able to get all her paperwork, supplies, and funds to get back to Bangladesh. She has now returned.

These are just recent answers to prayer. We have seen God consistently answer prayers over the last seven years.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskasenior.com

Good morning,

This week’s devotions will highlight my call to be the WASI (Wasilla Area Seniors, Inc) Chaplain, and the teaching, prayer, counseling, and hospital visitation ministries. 

The teaching ministry has several different components.

The Daily Devotion is a Bible based devotion used to challenge the readers to action. Published in its current format since February 2015, it has tackled many critical topics to help believers in Christ grow to maturity. You may find it on the WASI website, www.wasillaseniors.com, click on Programs, then Chaplain Services. There is also a place to subscribe to get the Daily Devotion in your email inbox.

The preaching and teaching of God’s word. Each Wednesday at 10am we meet to discover what the word of God, the Bible, has to say. We only use the Bible as our study material. The Bible is the only book that has the answers to all life’s questions. Need answers, turn to God and His word.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

On Sunday a traditional Christian worship service is held in the Meeting Room at the WASI Senior Center at 11:30 am.  This service consists of praise, teaching and celebration.  Rev. Priscilla Fulford, preaches God’s word and challenges the congregants to follow Jesus every day.

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.” (2 Timothy 4:2)

Discipleship is key to our growth in Christ. Helping people to learn God’s word and how to grow in Christ. God has taught me many things over the years, now it is my responsibility to share it with others.

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2)

Please feel free to participate with us as we go deeper into the word of God, the Bible.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

This week’s devotions will highlight my call to be the WASI (Wasilla Area Seniors, Inc) Chaplain, and the teaching, prayer, counseling, and hospital visitation ministries. 

The spring of 1972 brought pain and joy to my life.

During the fall semester in 1971, there was a girl who would become my fiancée. She was staying with her grandfather, who required her to go to church each Sunday. We all went together. During spring break, I travelled from Idaho to California, to surprise my intended. She was warm and receptive. On my arrival home, a letter arrived, with her engagement ring, telling me she no longer wanted to pursue our relationship. As you can imagine, this was devastating news.

The church we went to seemed to have many young ladies. These ladies were virtuous and were not looking for unsaved boyfriends. What they cared about was telling others about Jesus Christ. They invited me to a Bible study and it was through this study Christ became my Lord and Savior. That brought me a tremendous amount of joy.

The Campus Crusade for Christ ministry on campus discipled, trained, and taught me about the Bible, how to grow in Christ, and how to minister for the Lord. Coupled with my church attendance and service, the discipled became the discipler. In 1974, on my graduation from college, my years of ministry began.

During the next 47 years God allowed me to serve with several local church’s, para-church organizations, the military, teaching and preaching God’s word in some common and uncommon ways. Ministering in church’s, tents, indoors or outdoors.

In 2013, Ingrid Ling, CEO of WASI, called and asked me to be the Chaplain. My response was no. My job was full time and paid quite well. As with Moses, God does not accept our no. What happened next is epic. My employer terminated my employment. He fired me. No one had ever fired me before. This was the hand of God.

God wanted me at WASI. He made it quite plain that He wanted me to minister to the seniors at WASI. A subsequent call to Ingrid confirmed this and on 1 November 2013, WASI had its first Chaplain.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Wait on the Lord. That is a process. It doesn’t just happen. As we will see, David and Isaiah both knew their God. Subsequently, they were able to completely wait for God to act.

2) COMFORT FOR JERUSALEM (ISAIAH 40:1-31)

J. GOD HAS POWER OVER LEADERS (40:23-24)

That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.²⁴ Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.

        K. GOD IS… (40:25-31) HOLY ONE (40:25), CREATOR, STRONG IN POWER (40:26), FAINTETH NOT, NEITHER IS WEARY (40:28), GIVETH POWER TO THE FAINT, INCREASETH STRENGTH (40:29)

To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.²⁶ Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.²⁷ Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?²⁸ Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.²⁹ He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

        L. JERUSALEM AND JUDAH COULD WAIT ON THE LORD BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS (40:30-31)

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. 

God is using Isaiah to tell Israel who God is, why He is superior to any other god, and ultimately why He can be trusted. Knowing all these things, Israel can confidently “…wait upon the Lord…”

Isaiah tells Israel that princes are nothing and judges of the earth are like vanity.  He says that “…the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.” God controls politicians. God can raise up or remove a politician at His pleasure. However, remember God sees the big picture. He knows why these people are in authority.

Isaiah then tells Israel that their God is holy, creator, strong in power, faints not, never gets weary, gives power to the  weary, and to them that need it, He increase their strength.

So what does God say to those who are weary? Wait upon the Lord. The results will be, renewed strength, mount up with wings as eagles, run, not be weary, be able to walk, and not faint.

We can wait on God’s provision for us. Because He sees all, knows all, and is powerful enough to change any circumstance He pleases.

His will or our will?

What will you choose?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com