Good morning,

Today’s devotion comes from the Grace Gems website. I thought this might encourage you.

The name of the LORD is a strong tower!

(Ralph Erskine, 1685-1752)

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower!

A righteous person runs to it and is safe!” Proverbs 18:10

Jesus has a name suiting every want, every need.

Do you need wonders to be wrought for you? His name is Wonderful; look to Him so to do, for His name’s sake.

Do you need counsel and direction? His name is the Counselor; cast yourself on Him and His mighty name for this.

Have you mighty enemies to engage? His name is the Mighty God; seek that He may exert His power for His name’s sake.

Do you need His fatherly pity? His name is the everlasting Father; as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear him. Plead His pity, for His name’s sake.

Do you need peace–external, internal, or eternal? His name is the Prince of Peace; seek for His name’s sake, that He may create peace.

O sirs, His name is Jehovah-Rophi, the Lord, the healer and physician; seek, for His name’s sake, that He may heal all your soul diseases.

Do you need pardon? His name is Jehovah-Tsidkenu, the Lord our righteousness; seek for His name’s sake, that He may be merciful to your unrighteousness.

Do you need defense and protection? His name is Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord your banner; seek, for His name’s sake, that His banner of love and grace may be spread over you.

Do you need provision in extreme want? His name is Jehovah-Jireh, in the mount to the Lord it shall be seen, the Lord will provide.

Do you need His presence? His name is Jehovah-Shammah, the Lord is there; Immanuel, God with us; look to Him to be with you, for His name’s sake.

Do you need an audience of prayer? His name is the Hearer of Prayer.

Do you need strength? His name is the Strength of Israel.

Do you need comfort? His name is the Consolation of Israel.

Sit down and ponder your wants and needs–and you will find He has a name suitable for your supply; He has . . .

all wisdom to guide you,

all power to keep you,

all mercy to pity you,

all holiness to sanctify you,

all righteousness to justify you,

all grace to adorn you,

and all glory to crown you!

Please meditate on these names of God and take comfort in the Lord Jesus Christ to meet all your needs.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

 

 

Good morning,

When we think about soul winning, the Roman’s road, John 3:16, or 1 John 5:11-13 usually come to mind. Has Isaiah 55 ever crossed your path?

Verses 1-3, speak about salvation. It is for everyone. It is free. In this case, water illustrates salvation.

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. ² Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. ³ Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Verses 6-9, speak of seeking the Lord, forsaking wickedness, and the thoughts of God.

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: ⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. ⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. ⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Verse 11, speaks of God’s word. It shall not return void (without fruit). It will prosper.

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

We are challenged to:

• Get saved
• Seek the Lord
• Call upon the Lord
• Forsake wickedness
• Understand that God’s thoughts are higher than my thoughts
• God’s word will not return void (without fruit)
• It will prosper

Have a wonderful day.

Tom Stearns

WASI Chaplain

907 715-4001

Good morning,

Last week we looked at the fruit of the Spirit. In the past we have looked at love. Now I would like to tackle joy. Joy is used 59 times in the New Testament. It is defined as gladness. Since joy is a characteristic, it should show action. Today we will look at Affliction/Tribulation Joy.

Affliction/Tribulation Joy

2 Corinthians 7:4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

2 Corinthians 8:2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.

Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

So what did we see? There is a correlation between affliction, tribulations, and joy.

• Exceeding joy/tribulation
• Great trial of affliction/abundance of their joy
• Much affliction/joy
• Chastening/fruit of righteousness

So the conclusion of the matter is summed up in 1 Peter 1:3-9:

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, ⁵ Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: ⁷ That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: ⁸ Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: ⁹ Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

This is what our joy should be.

NOTE: We are working on getting the Daily Devotionals sent to your email addresses. In the meantime, each Daily Devotion is at the WASI website under Chaplain’s Services. You may even leave comments.

Tom Stearns

WASI Chaplain

907 715-4001

Good morning,

Last week we looked at the fruit of the Spirit. In the past we have looked at love. Now I would like to tackle joy. Joy is used 59 times in the New Testament. It is defined as gladness. Since joy is a characteristic, it should show action. Today we will look at With Joy, tomorrow, Affliction/Tribulation Joy.

2) With Joy

Luke 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

Luke 10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

Romans 15:32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

2 Timothy 1:4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;

We see that “joy” is connected to some action.

• Received the word
• Returned again
• Disciples were filled
• I might finish my course
• Come unto you
• Filled

We are filled with joy when…….. (Fill in the blank)

Have a day filled with joy.

Tom Stearns

WASI Chaplain

907 715-4001

Good morning,

 Last week we looked at the fruit of the Spirit. In the past we have looked at love. Now I would like to tackle joy. Joy is used 59 times in the New Testament. It is defined as gladness. Since joy is a characteristic, it should show action. So today we will look at Great Joy, tomorrow, With Joy, and Friday, Affliction/Tribulation Joy.

GREAT JOY

Matthew 2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

Matthew 28:8 And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word

Luke 24:52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

3  John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

So what do we see?

• They rejoiced
• Fear and ran
• Worshipped
• Heard

If we are joyous, we should be radiating it.

Have a day full of Great Joy.

Tom Stearns

WASI Chaplain

907 715-4001

 

 

January is a month of new beginnings.

Change is in the air. We are ready to try new things.  We make resolutions.  The old year is completed and another just beginning.

Change brings uncertainty.  Sometimes change is good; sometimes not so good.  There is no firm foundation.

One thing that does not change is God.  Hebrews 13:8 tells us, “Jesus Christ: the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”  The theological term is immutability.

The Immutability of God is the principle that God does not change. He is the same today as He was a thousand years ago. God’s nature does not change, nor does His character or attributes. We know that whenever something changes, it is made better, worse, or different. But because God is perfect, He cannot be made better or develop into a holier being. There is no need for Him to change.”

Read more at: http://www.allaboutgod.com/the-immutability-of-god-faq.htm

A. W. Pink writes that God is immutable in his essence and his attributes. Of God’s essence he says, “His nature and being are infinite, and so, subject to no mutations. There never was a time when He was not; there never will come a time when He shall cease to be. God has neither evolved, grown, nor improved. All that He is today, He has ever been, and ever will be.” Of God’s attributes he says, “Whatever the attributes of God were before the universe was called into existence, they are precisely the same now, and will remain so forever. Necessarily so; for they are the very perfections, the essential qualities of His being. His power is unabated, His wisdom undiminished, His holiness unsullied. The attributes of God can no more change than Deity can cease to be.”

The greatest change you could make this New Year is to repent of your sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior.  Acts 2:38 states, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Remember the words of the prophet Malachi in chapter 3 verse 6, “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”