Today's Devotion: Psalm 139:14 (New International Version)
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

The psalmist praises God for his own individual creation. Each one of us is unique and created by God for use as God's instrument. Some of us are created for the ministry, some of us are created to become leaders, some of us are created to become martyrs. God knows us, just as he knew us before we were created. There is nothing about us that it is unknown to him. He knows our love, just as well as he knows our sins. Nothing is hidden. All is up front.

Today's Comments: It is, of course, obvious from this blog that I believe that I have a calling to a ministry for veterans, and I am in the process of attending Talbot to get the education that I need for that ministry. At the same time, more is happening than even I expected. My friend Angie, from the Philippines, and I are working on a mission building project on the Island of Quezon, where she has property that she wants to donate for that purpose. The initial meeting has taken place with Pastor Chito from the ABBCOP, a group of mission organizations in the Philippines. They are interested in using her land for the purpose of building a training center for their mission projects. They will be meeting again in June, probably on site. It is amazing how excited that my son, Chris, is about this project. He thinks that, for my age, it is pretty cool that I am involved in something like this. One of my proposals is that, when the training center is not used, the ABBCOP should make it available to military service members who serve in Southeast Asia.

Today's Devotion: Matthew 14:14 (New International Version)
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick

Matthew is leading up to the story of the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus had just learned of the death of John the Baptist and had attempted to withdraw to a solitary place. We also know from Matthew's account that a large number of people followed him. And it was this group, upon which Jesus took compassion.

We have no idea of how many people that he healed. But we do know that Jesus was with them to the end of the day, so one might expect that there were many people that he healed. At this point, one might wonder that with so many people and so much healing, there may have been many untold miracles performed that day. And such healing that he performed might have been as dramatic, if not more so, than the feeding of the 5,000 with the five loaves of bread and two fish. Oh to have been there to see!!!

Today's Comments: Today, I have been playing the part of healer. First, to veterans through my work - helping them to get jobs - and second to both my pets. Tigger the Cat got sick (hairball), and I had to clean up after her. Then Pickles got sick (I think from a flavor of dog food that I accidentally bought). It looked like the canned Mighty Dog Beef in Gravy that I normally feed her, but it it is Roasted Beef (Also in a can). I am concerned, because the pouched flavor of the same name was recalled. I ask for all my friends to pray for her healing.

Today's Comments: 1 Corinthians 1:8 (New International Version)
He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In this book, Paul is addressing a church that is in division and disunity. He exhorts us to be strong and firm in our faith. So it is that we must be strong in our purpose and resolve so that our purpose may be fulfilled in him.

Today's Comments: First, I have to excuse myself from not being consistent about my writing. Besides the fact that my son, Chris was here with his wife Kristi over the weekend, I also suffered a computer crash and had to take my laptop in for servicing. This meant transferring all my files and programs to my desktop. And that was quite a job.

The mission in the Philippines is progressing. Next week Angie has a meeting with Pastor Chito to discuss her donation of 2.4 acres to be used as a training center for OMF affiliated programs. I can imagine that I, at some point in time, will be called to make the trip over, and look forward to that prospect.

Which brings up a personal question for me: is it now time to retire, so that I can accelerate my studies and have time to work on those things that are most important to the Lord? I told myself that, at some point, when I don't feel that I can make a difference, it might be time for me to retire. I am starting to feel that now. It is obvious that my Division Chief does not value my importance on his staff, and I am not sure that I really want to go back to the field office. I have suggested 60% partial retirement so that I will work on staff two days a week. I will see what his answer is.

Today's Devotion: 2 Thessalonians 3 (New International Version)
May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.

We must remember that the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians was written to correct problems in the church, specifically believers who, thinking that the last days were imminent, were giving up and neglecting their families and their work. Here Paul is cautioning them against being idle. While we need to be ready for the Second Coming, we should not be idle. We need to remember God's love and Christ's perseverance and do the same. No matter what, we need to love the Lord our God with all of our being, as well as our neighbor.

Today's Comments: Another semester at Talbot is over. Summer school starts the week after next. I will be starting a Christian ethics class. That will be interesting. I hope that my work with both the Old and New Testaments will help me. One thing that I can be sure of is that I am not going to be idle, like those Thessalonians were. Unfortunately, I know too many people who sit back and let the world pass them by. As Christians, our job is to be a light to the world. So, whatever we do, we can't let the light burn out, can we?

Today's Devotion: 1 Chronicles 29:15 (New International Version)
We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.

Without reading the surrounding verses, we are bound to misinterpret this particular passage. It is not saying that our life on earth here is hopeless. It is really saying "without God, our life here on earth is hopeless." This passage refers to David's giving thanks to God for the abundance that he has been given for use in building the Temple in Jerusalem. He is about to turn over his reign to Solomon, his son, whom God had appointed to be the creator of his great Temple. Even as a king, David practiced humility before God, and we should do the same.

Today's Comments:

I have not been doing a very good job in keeping my blog up to date. For that I have two reasons. First, I have been spending every moment that I can with my new girlfriend, and second, I have been spending every moment that I can doing work and research on my final class project. Incompatible? Not exactly. While we have been spending some time visiting her relatives in this area (she is from the Philippines and has been visiting her son, who is a theology doctoral candidate at Fuller Seminary, in Pasadena), she has what appears to be a whole village of relatives in Cerritos. Saturday, after attending a family picnic, she came over to my house to fix dinner and just be with me while I work on my paper. She even cleaned up my kitchen and refrigerator and then went outside to pick grapefruits off the backyard tree. I have not, since my wife died, felt such love or devotion from someone. From the picnic, she had me bring home enough food so that I wouldn't have to cook last night or tonight. I haven't seen her since Sunday and won't until Thursday, after I turn my paper in and then I will only see for a few hours while I take her to the airport. I am going to miss her.

But, like David, I will have something to thank God for. It looks like her (now our) project to donate her land in the Philippines for mission use may be successful. Through a friend at church (a Biola professor) and his referral to another professor, we were able to make contact with a group who appears to be interested. I ask all who read this to pray for our success.

Today's Devotion: Romans 1:16-17 (New International Version)
16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[a] just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."[b]

Our salvation is universal, just as long as we believe and accept Jesus Christ into our lives.

Today's Comments: When I wrote my blog last night, I was in Sacramento for a disABILITIES Advisory Committee meeting. I am back in my hotel and am looking forward to another half day of meeting, before I go home. We seem to be getting a lot accomplished, and the committee is a great group of people. Ultimately, we can help a lot of disabled people in the department if we just keep on track. Paul, in the verse above, is also asking us to keep on track in our Christian lives. We should all pray for each other that we will.

Today's Devotion: 2 Corinthians 12:9 (New International Version)
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

Here Paul is talking about a "thorn" or challenge in his life that he has been given. There was something that is unnamed that was tormenting Paul. It could have been illness, it could have been aggravation that existed in his ministry. The reply that he receives is that God's grace is enough.

Today's Comments:
I can't help but go back to the challenge that my wife's Multiple Sclerosis played in our lives. I don't think that God caused it, but I do think that God allowed it to work to improve the lives of others, including myself, who knew her. When He was through using her for His purpose, he called her to Heaven so that she could claim her reward.

Norma's weakness inspired me to be an advocate on her behalf and on the behalf of veterans for whom I now hope to serve as a Deacon in the church. For many others from Blessed Sacrament who visited her on a regular basis, her attitude taught people how to minister. Her caring for me and them taught all of us what it means to care for somebody and how it feels to be cared for.

I never thought that I would meet somebody who cares for me as much as Norma did. But I think that I may have come close. Actually, there are two people. One is a wonderful friend from Arizona and the other is becoming more than just a wonderful friend. It is for that reason, I have not had time to update my blog. She is here in the U.S. and will be returning to the Philippines to work on her mission project, in which I have become involved. I may, through friends at church, be able to find an interested party who will want to use the 2.5 acres that she wishes to donate for missionary use.

What happens from here is difficult to predict. But I am sure that my future will be revealed in time.

Today's Devotion: Hebrews 10:22 (New International Version) ......let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Max Lucado points out that faith is not a an award given to the most learned, but it is a desperate dive out of a sinking boat with the prayer that God will pull us out of the water. Remember when Peter tried to walk on the water toward Jesus? Like Peter, without His hand out there to guide us, we are often likely to sink.

Today's Comments: In our Bible study of the Gospel of John, our leader, Roger, asked us which of the seven signs do we think of when we relate it to our faith. I thought for a few minutes and then pictured Jesus out there walking on the water toward his disciples. No matter how hard I try, I will need His hand to steady me. I know my path, and I know what I need to do to get down it. However, I still need that hand to help me get there.

Today's Devotion: Titus 2:14 (New International Version)
who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Paul here is telling Titus that we, as saved people, should be eager to do good. Our special relationship with Christ does not excuse us from sin. James, tells us, in fact, that our good works should flow from the relationship that we have with Jesus.

Today's Comments: There is no question about it: it is difficult to be good with all the bad going on around us. I think that sometimes we feel overwhelmed, because we see so much poverty, neglect, drug use, etc. What can we do about it. The answer is simple. We just take one thing at a time, one step at a time, and one minute at a time. One of my favorite stories is the Starfish Story, and it illustrates what I mean. A very nice version is located at http://www.cuttyhunkroseinspirations.com/starfish.htm. Read it, and you will understand.

Today's Devotion: 1 John 4:4 (New International Version)
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

"Them" in this verse refers to the spirit of the Antichrist. The key to understanding this verse is to understand that "Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God." The key to understanding today's thought is that because the Holy Spirit is in us, we are protected.

Today's Comments:

This verse provides the perfect opportunity to bring up spiritual warfare. The Book of Ephesians (6:10-18) talks about the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. These are the same forces that John is talking about. Paul then tells us to put on the full armor of God. It is the spirit within us which gives us the knowledge and ability to stand up against those forces.

Today's Devotion: Romans 8:33 (New International Version)
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.

There are two points to this verse:

1. We are chosen by God
2. We are justified by God

Anybody that stands between God and us (i.e. Satan) will not prevail as long as God is on our side.

Today's Comments:

Between yesterday's root canal and today's State Military Reserve Duty, I am wasted. However, it is a comforting thought that I am still alive and am still working toward my goal as a deacon. As I stated in a message that I sent to a friend, "At this stage in life, all I can do is try to do something to fulfill the purpose of my being. Although I am so busy, I feel at peace with life. That tells me that I am doing the right thing."

Today's Devotion: Matthew 14:28 (New International Version)
Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."

Peter got out of the boat and started to walk toward Jesus, but then sank. Our faith sometimes does very little to uphold us. And yet, he still holds us up.

Today's Comments:

I have faith that everything is running smoothly for me. I met with my volunteer faculty advisor at Talbot this morning to go over the list of classes that the Episcopal Church Diocese Standing Committee wants me to take. I had terrible fears that I would have to go to another seminary (perhaps Claremont) to pick up some of the courses. However, it looks like I can do them all at Talbot, including my Clinical Pastoral Education. And, Professor Greg Peters of the Apologetics Department has volunteered to teach an independent studies course on Anglican Theology. What a blessing. I pray that the Episcopal Church will accept that.

Today's Devotion: 1 Peter 3:12 (New International Version

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

The devotional today talks about the fact that God will answer our prayers. But, sometimes, he does not answer them as we might expect. He will give us one of four answers:

• Yes: he will grant our request
• No: he has something else in mind
• Slow: this is going to take some time
• Go: go for it!!!

Today's Comments:

The situation above with my ministry. right now, is Slow. While I thought that summer courses might be a prospect, the courses that I need are not being offered. I have a meeting with two people tomorrow so that I can set up a schedule for the coming year that will include independent Anglican studies, which the Episcopal Church insists that I need for ordination. Fortunately, Greg Peters, a Biola Apologetics professor, member of my church and an aspirant to the priesthood is willing to put an Anglican Studies program together for the Fall. He is developing the course, because he needs to take it himself.