Good morning,
Facing the new year with any uncertainty? There is One we can always be certain of. He never changes!!! The news of the day, the current events here and around the world could lead one weak in faith, to believe that God was not in charge. One may be tempted to say: "If He were in charge, then somehow He has lost it." A thousand times no! He never changes, and though we don't understand why He places certain ones in leadership; why some stand for so long, and why some fall so soon, we can rest in Him. He is still King of kings and Lord of lords. Because God is King, we should sing. Psalm 147 starts, "Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph. For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth" May the Lord Jesus bless you today as you worship Him, and never forget that you are loved!!! Henry
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Good Morning,
Christmas day at Dogwood was a beautiful time, with wonderful music, a great meditation, and a powerful message from our Pastor, to a congregation that filled the building. If you missed it, please go to the church website, and hear it there. Jesus said to Peter: "But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." Luke 22:32 Christmas is now behind us, we are a week away from starting a new year, and we all are climbing higher. Life is a steep climb, and it does the heart good to have somebody "call back" and cheerily beckon us, strength us, on up the high hill. We are all climbers together, and we must help one another. This mountain climbing is serious business, but glorious. It takes strength and steady steps to find the summits. The outlook widens with the altitude. If anyone among us has found anything worth while, we ought to "call back." If you have gone a little way ahead of me, call back-- 'Twill cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony track; And if, perchance, Faith's light is dim, because the oil is low, Your call will guide my lagging course as wearily I go. Call back, and tell me that He went with you into the storm; Call back, and say He kept you when the forest's roots were torn; That, when the heavens thunder and the earthquake shook the hill, He bore you up and held you where the very air was still. Oh, friend, call back, and tell me for I cannot see your face, They say it glows with triumph, and your feet bound in the race; But there are mists between us and my spirit eyes are dim, And I cannot see the glory, though I long for word of Him. But if you'll say He heard you when your prayer was but a cry, And if you'll say He saw you through the night's sin-darkened sky If you have gone a little way ahead, oh, friend, call back-- 'Twill cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony track. As far as I'm concerned, you cannot share we me too often, what the Lord Jesus has done for you. Please "call back". And never forget that you are loved!!! Henry Hello,
The thing that saddens a Christian's life most is sin; which is the very work of the devil. But we have the promise from Jesus Himself, that He came to destroy the works of the devil. The best definition in the New Testament for sin is: The willful transgression of the known law of God. Those intentional sins, the deliberate sins, those premeditated sins, those known sins committed on purpose, He came to destroy. This is what truly turns the saddened life into a life filled with joy and peace; the fulfillment of the Christmas story. Grace and faith are the characteristic features of the present dispensation. Not only is salvation now declared to be by grace, through faith, but the Spirit also operates in the believer by grace, through faith, to cleanse and keep the believer clean. He does not take possession of us and cause us to do what is right, but fills each surrendered believer's heart so, to provide needed guidance and the strength to withstand temptation, and we may avail ourselves of this provision by faith. Faith is trusting in His word. The Spirit, Who first imparted life to us will also impart strength to withstand temptation and overcome sin. In our inability to even pray as we ought, "the Spirit... helpeth our infirmities" and "maketh intercession for us" (Rom. 8:26). In our weakness we are "strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man" (Eph. 3:16) and God even stoops to "quicken [our] mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in us" (Rom. 8:11). "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh" (Ver. 12). The implication from the above passage is that though sorely tempted we are debtors to the Spirit who dwells within and provides overcoming power. The question, in times of temptation, is generally whether we truly desire to overcome, for we may overcome in any given case by grace, through faith. In the present dispensation it is not true that it is not possible for the believer to sin, but it is blessedly true that in any situation it is possible for him not to sin, for the Spirit is always there to help. Do not live below what has been provided for you at a great cost. But may you embrace this Christmas gift from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit today, and never forget that you are loved!!! Henry Hi,
She squatted against the storefront. Cradled on her lap lay a newborn; The mother’s right arm extended, braced on her knee, her uplifted palm held open. Her face remained expressionless until a someone placed a coin in her hand. “Gracias,” she spoke softly. She quickly tucked the coin away. It was then the passerby comprehended, she was blind. “Some of them are drug addicts,” someone whispered. “If you give, it only encourages them,” another said. When Jesus began His ministry, He could have called for the Law of Moses, or read a psalm by David. Instead, He called for the Isaiah scroll. His divine commission: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor." Luke 4:18a There has been a very popular phrase among the Christian community over the past several years: "WWJD", representing What Would Jesus Do. In order for us to understand what Jesus would do, in a given situation pertaining to our life, we must know Him thoroughly, and what He did through the gospels. This continues today when we proclaim His good news to those who are poor — whether economically, socially, or spiritually. Let's be followers Christ today. May the Lord Jesus bless you and yours today, and always remember that you are loved!!! Henry Hello,
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...." John 3:16a Is not the greatest gift love? John said we love Him because He first loved us. Jesus, Himself said, they will know you are mine because of your love for each other. The following was written by A. W. Tozer several years ago: (A radiant Christian love. I want to see a restoration of a radiant Christian love so it will be impossible to find anyone who will speak unkindly or uncharitably about another or to another. This is carefully thought out and carefully prayed through. The devil would have a spasm. He would be so chagrined that he would sulk in his self-made hell for years. There should be a group of Christians with radiant love in this last worn-out dying period of the Christian dispensation, a people so loving that you could not get them to speak unkindly and you could not get them to speak uncharitably.) I feel Tozer must have known several Christians who displayed such love; but he longed to see it again, and to see it wide spread in the church. "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. . ." 1 Corinthians 13:6–8a It's such a privilege to love! Unconditional love cost us nothing! It's value is priceless! Henry Hi,
Do you ever tire of hearing bad news and have a deep longing for good news? Nearly every day we are updated on some global crisis, national emergency, or local catastrophe. Aging parents lose their vitality, friends decide to divorce, and teens make wrong decisions. If we think only of those things, we are overcome with a sense of hopelessness. Titus 2:11 says, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people”. Not some people, not select people, not lucky people–but to all people. In the person of his only Son, Jesus Christ, God has come into our world to be “with us.” That is good news! It means that when life is tough, God is with us! When people disappoint, God is with us! When times are hard, God is with us. May His presence bless you today, and always keep in mind that you are loved!!! Henry Good morning,
We are saved and placed into the family of God, by the Grace of God. Grace through faith in Jesus, and His finished work on the cross, that can save the sinner, cleanse the Christian's heart, and keep the Christian, is what we are thankful for today, this day after Thanksgiving. Some today want to abolish the teaching, preaching, and singing of the blood of Christ. Let's never forget to thank Him for His sacrifice. GRACE to you, and peace" (Rom.1:7); "Being justified freely by His GRACE" (Rom.3:24); "we have access by faith into this GRACE wherein we stand" (Rom.5:2); "the GRACE of God, and gift by GRACE...is by one Man" (Rom.5:15); "the abundance of GRACE and of the gift of righteousness" (Rom.5:17); "where sin abounded, GRACE did much more abound...that GRACE might reign" (Rom.5:20,21); "for ye are not under the law, but under GRACE" (Rom.6:14); "not under the law, but under GRACE" (Rom.6:15); "there is a remnant according to the election of GRACE" (Rom.11:5); "if by GRACE, then it is no more of works; otherwise GRACE is no more GRACE.... But if it be of works, then is it no more GRACE" (Rom.11:6); "By the GRACE of God I am what I am; and His GRACE... was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the GRACE of God which was with me" (ICor.15:10); "that the abundant GRACE might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God" (IICor.4:15); "receive not the GRACE of God in vain" (IICor.6:1); "ye know the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ" (IICor.8:9); "God is able to make all GRACE abound toward you" (IICor.9:8); "the exceeding GRACE of God" (IICor.9:14); "My GRACE is sufficient for thee" (IICor.12:9); "I do not frustrate the GRACE of God" (Gal.2:21); "the praise of the glory of His GRACE" (Eph.1:6); "the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His GRACE" (Eph.1:7); "the exceeding riches of His GRACE" (Eph.2:7); "For by GRACE are ye saved, through faith" (Eph.2:8); "the dispensation of the GRACE of God... given me to you-ward" (Eph.3:2); "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you r ichly...singing with GRACE in your hearts to the Lord" (Col.3:16); "the GRACE of our Lord was exceeding abundant" (ITim.1:14); "who hath saved us...according to His own purpose and GRACE, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (IITim.1:9); "Be strong in the GRACE that is in Christ Jesus" (IITim.2:1); "GRACE be with you all" (Tit.3:15). May the God of all grace bless you today, and never forget that you are loved!!! Henry Good morning,
There is a story of a farmer who received a visit from the local pastor. The pastor commented on what a beautiful and successful property the farmer and the Lord had produced. The farmer's response was: "You should have seen the place when it was only in the hands of the Lord, the weeds and brush were everywhere, and there were none of the crop fields or flowers beds, ands the buildings were in shambles. Strange, is it not, that when men are successful, they generally credit themselves liberally for their success but when things go wrong they begin to blame others -- even God. We do not have up-to-date information about two particular plots of ground in Moscow, but some years ago one of these was a beautiful garden, the other a patch of weeds. Above each there was a sign. Over the one: "This plot is cared for by the United Soviet Socialist Republic," over the other: "This plot is cared for by God"! Evidently the atheistic Soviets who hatched this "bright idea" did not stop to think that only God could produce the beautiful flowers in the USSR plot. All their watering and cultivating would have been in vain except for the God they deny. As to the other plot, they probably did not even know that even in Eden God put the garden in man's charge "to dress it and to keep it" (Gen. 2:15), and later, when man sinned, God said to Adam, "Cursed is the ground for thy sake" (Gen. 3:17). This is why the Soviets had to employ a gardener to control the weeds in even their garden! How wrong and foolish, then, for man ever to blame God for anything that goes wrong for him or causes him trouble! And how right it is to praise God for every good gift, thank Him during this season, and all year long, for your salvation, and how He cherishes you. A garden is one of the most beautiful places to be and God chooses it to describe us. Amazing that He finds glory in us!!! His love for us and His approval of us is described in the Song of Solomon Chapter 4, when the Bridegroom, Jesus, is speaking of His Bride, you: "A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, spikenard and saffron; calmaus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: a fountain of gardens a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon." So the next time you are down on yourself, thinking you are worthless, and good-for-nothing, remember that the Lord knows much more than you do, and He loves you, and glories in you, beyond measure. May He bless you real good this Monday morning while you partner with Him as a farmer or gardner partners with Him, and never forget that you are loved!!! Henry Good morning,
Almost every word, I guess, has an antonym and a synonym, and this is true in the descriptive words concerning our spiritual life as well. There is good and evil, righteousness and unrighteousness, holy and unholy, faithfulness and doubting, and thanksgiving and complaining. As we approach the season we call "Thanksgiving", it may be helpful for us to also consider that antonym, "complaining", so we can put it off complete, with the Lords help. "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." I Thessalonians 5:18 The soul that gives thanks can find comfort in everything; the soul that complains can find comfort in nothing. Is it a choice? Yes! May the Lord fill you today with blessing after blessing after blessing, and never forget that you are loved!!! Henry Good morning,
A new born baby just arrived in the Deaton family, the sixteenth grandchild, the eight granddaughter, Willow. What a precious sweet gift from God she is. Children are a joy in any normal household, as is the newly born-again Christian to the Church. Willow is very content to have the milk she needs now, but just like our latest grandson, Caleb, who is six months old now, she will want to add her Nanny's homemade apple sauce. Then later she will want to have the apple itself, as well as many other solid foods. It's normal. But is it normal for a Christian to say I am content to stay on the milk of the word. This is not a compliment to those who constantly boast that they are satisfied with "the simple things," and fail to study God's Word, as II Tim. 2:15 commands. A new-born babe in Christ is a joy to behold, but every born-again Christian should grow through the study of the Word. I Pet. 2:2 says: "As newborn babes desire the sincere [pure] milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby..." Are you hungry for something more than you are allowing yourself? Get yourself into the study of the Bible, stop at the Christian book store and pick up a good book on Christian living. Time changes at mid-night so you will have an extra hour in the morning. The old you would say: "I'll use that extra hour for myself, and sleep in," but if you give that extra hour to God, and come to Sunday school in the morning you will never regret it. You hungry for something more, something that will help you grow! May the Lord bless your week-end, and never forget that you are loved!!! Henry |
Henry DeatonHenry D. is from Southern Indiana and writes these wonderful daily devotionals to encourage those at the Dogwood Community Church located in Paoli, Indiana. Henry has graciously agreed to share these wonderful devotionals here at Without Excuse Ministries to encourage you our valued guest! Archives
January 2013
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