Good morning,

Be careful what you say!

Harder to tame than wild beasts!

(J.R. Miller)

“The tongue has the power of life and death!” Proverbs 18:21

“The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by Hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man–but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison!” James 3:6-8

The tongue is a very troublesome member! It is a very important member, however–and with it we can do great good.

Our words, if they are true and loving–carry blessings wherever they are heard. But the tongue is hard to control. When we have really gotten our tongue under control–we are almost perfect. One who can govern his speech–can govern every other part of his life.

A small bit keeps a spirited horse in check–and a little rudder turns a great ship in its course. Just so the tongue, though so small a member, controls the whole life!

The tongue is harder to tame than wild beasts! There has been but one Man who never spoke foolishly, rashly, bitterly. Jesus never did–His words were always pure, sweet, helpful, and inspiring.

We ought to set ourselves the task of mastering our tongues–for then we can do untold good with them. Only Christ can help us to do it. He mastered everything–demons, diseases, winds, waves, death itself. He alone can help us to master the most unruly tongue!

~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

Additions help thing get bigger.  Add a room to a home, ingredients to a recipe, stocks to your portfolio, and it begins to grow.

The Bible has an example of addition in 2 Peter 1:5-7.

A splendid sum in addition!

(J.R. Miller)

“ADD . . .
to your faith, virtue;
to virtue, knowledge;
to knowledge, self-control;
to self-control, perseverance;
to perseverance, godliness;
to godliness, brotherly kindness; and
to brotherly kindness, love. 2 Peter 1:5-7

Our verses presents us with a splendid sum in addition! These graces are to be added one to another.

Faith comes first. But faith cannot stand-alone, so we add to our faith, virtue–that is, conformity of one’s life and conduct to the highest moral and ethical principles.

Next we are to add knowledge. Knowledge, of course, of the true kind–wisdom for life, spiritual knowledge, knowledge of God, and of God’s will as found in His Word.

Self-control comes next–this is the key of all noble life. No matter how strong we are, or how much we know–if we have not self-control, then something is lacking. He who can rule himself is strong–while he who lacks self-mastery, no matter what other gifts he may have, is pitiably weak.

Self-control produces another element–perseverance, perseverance in all Christian duties.

Another quality to be added to patience is Godliness–Godlikeness, Christlikeness.

Then comes brotherly kindness–affectionateness and forbearance to those among whom we mingle.

Last of all–love, the crowning gift and blessing!

These elements of character make up Christian maturity.

~  ~  ~  ~

Look at this list and take stock. How are we doing with each of these graces? It should be our goal to be growing in each of them.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

 

Good morning,

Patience is an acquired attribute. The serving order for lunch at WASI  is by table number. There are nine tables. If table one is called first, table nine must wait. I am not a patient person. Depending what is going on that day, I would like to eat and run. That is not always possible. So I have learned to wait. Others just spend the time complaining.

It is God’s design that we should be patient. We have been brought up in a generation where everything is immediate. I want it and I want it now. God says wait. Be patient.

“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” (James 5:7-8)

The food we eat is patiently grown over a period of time. It is planted, cultivated, watered, and nurtured, and then harvested. Then and only then is it ready to be eaten.

That is the beauty of patience. Patience makes us appreciate whatever we are waiting for even more.

Take time today to cultivate the habit of patience.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

This devotional will help determine whether our Christianity is for men or for God. Many people claim to be Christians but do not act like it. Then there are some who are outwardly very pious but wickedness lurks within.

This good, old couple!

(J.R. Miller)

“They were both righteous before God–walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.” Luke 1:6

It is a beautiful thing which we read of this good, old couple, Zacharias and Elisabeth–that they were righteous before God. Some people appear to men to be righteous–who before God have no such record.

Real character is what our hearts are–our hearts make us. We ought not to be satisfied only doing well, the things which men can see. We ought to work and live ever for God’s eye.

Sometimes we say that it is does not matter how we do certain things, because nobody will see them. But we should remember that God will see them–and surely we should never do careless, faulty work for His eye.

The word “commandments” suggests that the holiness of these people was of a very practical kind.

Some people’s religion is chiefly emotional. They talk about loving God–but they pay little heed to His commandments.

God is pleased with ardent devotions, but He wants us to prove our religion by obedience–doing the things which He gives us to do.

~  ~  ~  ~

So which one did you turn out to be? It is God’s desire that we obey His word.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Yesterday I attended a wedding of Marie and Donald. She committed herself to him and he committed himself to her. The Reverend Fulford ministered the marriage. Marriage joins two people together for life.

So how did marriages get started and when? The Bible gives us the answers. It happened at creation and God created the first marriage partners, Adam and Eve. It was God’s original intent that nothing could break this relationship.

“But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. ⁷ For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;⁸ And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.⁹ What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” (Mark 10:6-9)

That all changed in Genesis 3 when man sinned. The law of Moses contained a bill of divorcement. Man’s heart became hard and God’s blessing no longer blessed man.

“And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.³ And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?⁴ And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.⁵ And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.” (Mark 10:2-5)

God designed marriage for one man and one women to become one flesh and never to be parted.

If all couples were willing to read the Bible, study it, obey it, all marriages would be successful. Disobedience to God’s word causes strife, bitterness, and broken relationships.

We all may choose to have a great marriage if we are willing to obey God’s word.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

 

Good morning,

Jesus gives us rest. He knows are needs and meets them.

Today’s devotional will be an encouragement to you.

The one unfailing source of help and comfort!

(Francis Bourdillon, “Come unto Me!” 1864)

“Come unto Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest!“ Matthew 11:28

Jesus invites all who labor and are heavy laden, to come unto Him. Not sufferers of one kind only–but all sufferers. Not those alone who feel the weight of this particular burden or that–but all the heavy laden.

The poor and needy,
the weak and sickly,
the toiling father,
the anxious mother,
he who feels the weight of his sins,
he whose conscience testifies against him,
he who finds no comfort in this world, and yet fears that he is not prepared for the next
—all are invited to come to Jesus!

Their cases are widely different, the burdens that press upon them are by no means alike–yet all are invited to one Helper and Comforter, “Come unto Me!” He does not bid one sufferer go for comfort to this source–and another to that. He invites all to Himself–as the one unfailing source of help and comfort! 

“Come unto Me!” We do not deserve to be thus invited. Many are suffering the consequences of their own sins–and all of us are sinners. If we met with only what we deserve–then He might justly say to us, “Go away from Me!” Instead of this, Jesus bids us come to Him. Whatever we may have been–however thoughtless, however ungrateful, however wicked–yet if we are now in need or trouble, that is enough. He bids us come to Him.

We are not to stop and think about our own unworthiness. He says nothing here about that. He only says, “Come unto Me.” That is what He invites us to do–that is what we are to do, and we are to do it at once!

~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

I am looking forward to heaven and being with Jesus for all eternity. However, heaven will not be everyone’s home.

Today’s devotional tells us about the choice we must make.

O eternity!

(James Smith, “The Way of Salvation Set Forth”)

“They will go away to eternal punishment–but the righteous to eternal life!” Matthew 25:46

The soul is immortal–it can never cease to be. It is destined by the immutable decree of God, to exist eternally.

O eternity! Who can conceive your dimensions!

Forever! Who can grasp the mighty idea!

To exist forever–solemn consideration!

Millions of ages as numerous . . .
as the stars in the skies,
as the sands on the seashore,
as blades of grass on the surface of the globe,
as leaves which fall from the trees in autumn
–are as nothing in comparison with eternity!

But where shall we exist? How will eternity be spent by us? In happiness–or in torment?

That will entirely depend upon the character, the state, the condition–in which we live and die. If we live in sin, if we serve self and Satan, if we die accursed–then we must suffer the due desert of our deeds in eternal Hell. But if we believe in Jesus, if we live unto God, if we die under His blessing–then we shall possess and enjoy glory, honor and eternal life in Heaven–and these forever!

Let the solemn fact that you are immortal, deeply impress your mind. Try to realize the overwhelming thought, “I must live forever! I must live forever in unspeakable happiness–or inconceivable misery! My eternal state depends on my present state. If I live unconverted, then I must die accursed–I am lost, and once lost, lost forever!”

O eternity! Tremendous sound! Incomprehensible idea!

“So teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

~  ~  ~  ~

We each have the choice to choose to spend eternity in heaven or hell. It is our choice. No one can make that choice for us.

Choose wisely.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

The Bible is God’s principles on how to live successfully. Prior to the Babylonian captivity, Israel had forsaken their God and His revealed revelation, the Book of the Law of Moses. Then a copy was found and read to the people.

“And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. ² And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.³ And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.” (Nehemiah 8:1-3)

The people were thirsty for God’s word. They stood for the reading of God’s word. They worshipped God, the Levites explained its meaning, and the people understood.

“And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.⁵ And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:⁶ And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.⁷ Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.⁸ So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” (Nehemiah 8:4-8)

The law of Moses commanded that the children of Israel dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month. They obeyed the command.

“And they found written in the law which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:¹⁵ And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.” (Nehemiah 8:14-15)

God wants us to read His word, be blessed by it, worship God, and then obey. This is God’s recipe for success in the Christian life. God has revealed His will to all mankind through His word. From the creation of this world, to its ultimate destruction through fire, God has shown us His plan.

Is His plan your plan? If not, please write or call me and maybe we can settle this issue for you.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

 

 

 

Good morning,

 

“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? “- Micah 6:8

 

Matthew 12:7,8 talks about mercy vs sacrifice.

 

“But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.” – Matthew 12:7-8

 

God loves justice-He is the God of justice, but His justice is tempered by mercy, throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

 

Without God’s mercy each of us would be without hope. God the Father’s mercy, allowed His Son Jesus to shed His blood to pay our sin debt, die, be buried, and arise three days later to be seen by more than five hundred people.

 

We need to do what is taught in Micah. What God repeatedly taught to each generation from the garden of Eden to the present time. What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

 

(Submitted by Kathy Stearns)

 

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 

Good morning,

Sunday was our 34^th wedding anniversary. We went to the “big” city, Anchorage, and enjoyed dinner at Golden Corral.

My wife and I have many happy memories over these years. God has been very good to us. Even in what might be called the “trying times”, God has been there, helping us through.

Anniversaries are always a good time to remember what God has done for us.

God chose to do this with the nation of Israel. He was always reminding them of His promises. He emphasized obedience equaled blessing and disobedience equaled a curse. Like us, sometimes they chose to obey and sometimes not.

As the nation of Israel was preparing to enter the Promised land, God reiterated that Israel should, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: ⁵ And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

Then He tells them to, “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:⁷ And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.⁸ And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.⁹ And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

WHY?

“And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,¹¹ And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;¹² Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. ¹³ Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.” (Deuteronomy 6:10-13)

That is why God gave us His word in written form. The Bible, read, obeyed, and reverenced, provides us a way that we should not forget our God. He cared about us so much, He sent Jesus to pay our sin debt.

NEVER FORGET!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001