Today's Devotion: So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ga 5:16)

Paul is telling the Church at Galatia, as he would tell us today, that as we allow the Holy Spirit to take more control of our life, we will be able to avoid the pitfalls of temptation and the sinful desires that we possess. We can then begin to live as God wants us to live.

Today's Comments: As we look at the church today in its many forms, we see a very fractured organization full of denominational distinctives and disharmonious bickering. I think that when Paul talks about living by the Spirit, he is not just talking about living individually, but he is also talking about corporate life as well. There are some who I know that will swear up and down that religion is not about churches, but about individuals. That is wrong. God created us as social beings, to love one another as we love Him. It means that we must be willing to support and nurture each other and, if necessary, correct the Church--- not avoid or ignore it. When James tells us to anoint one another with the oil of healing, he is also talking about the church, because, like it or not, we are the church--- even if we try to escape it. And the loss or defection of one member is a loss or defection to all. It is only in letting the Holy Spirit guide us that we can find healing in ourselves so that that being guided by Him, we may anoint others with the oil of His healing.

Today's Devotion: but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. (The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. 2 Ti 1:10)

We are called to have confidence in the Gospel that has been brought to us in Jesus Christ. It is the light to illuminate our pathway and the truth to keep us under God protection and providence.

Today's Comments: Life is not always rosy. Bad things happen to both bad and good people. Besides being sick with a very aggravating bronchial infection, I just found out last night that the State Military Reserve folks up in Sacramento have denied my application for transfer to the Chaplain Corps in the State Military Reserve. The short story is that one of the State Chaplain's assistants has sabotaged my acceptance by posting policy changes that will prevent me from serving. In other words, the Pharisees decided to change the law. While I have filed my protest and my Commanding Officer has offered to follow up, I must also accept a final outcome, be it favorable or unfavorable. I cannot be afraid of truth of the Gospel, but I must use its teachings to help me learn why I may not be able to be in a place where I think that God wants me to be. I must seek answers from the source, God, Himself. Yet, at the same time I get the bad news about becoming a chaplain in the SMR, I received a message from my Commanding Officer that I have been selected for promotion from Captain to Major. So, I must try to understand what the major reason (pun actually intended) that I will be operating outside of the Chaplain Corps. I ask for the prayers from all of my friends, including those who read this blog.

Today's Devotion: But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. (The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Jos 24:15)

The interesting thing about this passage is that in Verse 19, Joshua says, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. 20 If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.” And yet, in Verse 21, the people say, “No! We will serve the Lord.”

Today's Comments: No wonder we are in such bad straits. Today, it seems as though we serve everything but the Lord. We serve money and wealth. We serve for recognition from our fellow man. And, finally, we serve ourselves. It seems like the only time we seem to think about serving God is when we seem to be experiencing crisis in our lives. Could that be the reason why we are experiencing the problems of this economic downturn? Is God sending us a reminder that without His grace and forgiveness, our lives will remain in chaos? Or, is it simply our choice of greed over sharing, hatred over loving, and indifference over compassion. In either case, it is we who much change our direction.

Today's Devotion: For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. (The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Jas 3:16)

As the Bible Reader's Companion states, even our faith that produces good works is challenged. We must resist the challenges of greed, envy, and selfishness.

Today's Comments: When we are selfish or envious, we stand outside the light of God and stand in our own light, instead. Worldly wisdom can produce trouble, while God's wisdom produces blessings. Therefore, we must keep ourselves fixed on God, not on ourselves.

Today's Devotion: 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Heb 4:16)

According to the Teacher's Commentary, this verse tells us that we should never be ashamed to come to the Lord with our problems, no matter how embarrassing, sordid, or shameful that problem is. Jesus is our High Priest, and God calls us to turn to Jesus and to rely on Him.

Today's Comments: How often is it that we leave Jesus out of our lives, even though we are troubled and tormented because of our sins and deficiencies. Perhaps, like Adam, we are tempted to hide in the garden so that the Lord does not see us naked in our inadequacies. Instead, we must be willing to step up to the throne, confess our sins, and ask for guidance and forgiveness.

Today's Devotion: 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ro 12:2)

In modern terms, Paul is saying here that whatever we do on Sunday should be done on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. In other words, the rest of the week.

Today's Comments: Does that which we receive on Sunday help us to transform ourselves on Monday, or do we just return to our old sinful selves when we leave our churches? As Christians, the rest of the world sees us by the example that we set in our everyday activities. A good friend of mine, a Christian and a well known radio personality, once told me that the last person that he would ever deal with commercially is the person who advertises in the phonebook or the newspaper that they are a Christian business. According to him, anybody who uses a cross or a fish in their advertising is probably going to deal with him in some dishonest way. The bottom line is that, by calling ourselves Christians, we do not necessarily act like Christians. That takes some effort on our part. We must pray to God that He will give us that power of transformation so that we may be Christ's example to the world.

Today's Devotion: 10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ne 8:10)

The context of this message is the return of the exiled Jews to their homeland, their city, Jerusalem, and their temple. When they returned, they were aware of their sins and transgressions against God. On the other hand, Nehemiah exhorts them to celebration, for the Lord has enabled their return and their transgressions have been put aside.

Today's Comments: The lessons of the prodigal son in the New Testament also applies to God's prodigal people, the Jews. This passage says that it is now time for the celebration of God's people in their return to their heavenly father's place. Only, this story does not have a happy ending. For Gods people again stray, and by 70 AD, all that they have built is destroyed.

Yet, even today God has returned the Jews to their homeland. Will they, at some point, get it right and worship the one who came to atone for their sins? Time will tell.

Today's Devotion: 11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Mt 5:11-12)

These words of Jesus apply, even today. These are words that confirm that righteousness flows from within, not from just obeying rules and regulations. There is conflict between Christians and the world, and that conflict shows up in the persecution of Christians by the rest of the world. Our path, in other words, is not devoid of potholes and pitfalls.

Today's Comments: This is the first day of my return to this blog since before my ordination to Deacon, which took place on January 24th. I have finished school, and now I am embarked on another career--- one of serving the Lord. Even now, there are some that would like to see me brought down--- they include at least one chaplain in the State Military Reserve who does not think that an Episcopal Deacon deserves to carry the title of "chaplain." Persecution can come from both outside and inside our circle of friends and acquaintances. Yet, when things go wrong, we should not not seek revenge on our own. Instead, we should trust in the Lord, for without Him we are nothing, but with Him, we are everything.