“And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.” (1 Chronicles 29:13)

The tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving became an annual custom throughout New England in the 17th century, but it was not until 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln declared the holiday to fall on the last Thursday of November. It was very clear in Lincoln’s Proclamation where the gratefulness for our many blessings should be channeled. His opening words state: “The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.” Lincoln’s established tradition continued until 1939 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt created a Thanksgiving controversy. He departed from well-established custom by affirming November 23, the next to last Thursday that year, as Thanksgiving. Some Americans refused to honor Roosevelt’s decree, but for the next two years, Roosevelt repeated the unpopular practice. However, on November 26, 1941 – he admitted his mistake and signed a bill into law, officially making the fourth Thursday in November as the national holiday.

Indeed, Thanksgiving controversies continue not because of any Presidential directive but more as a result of our society moving away from what it truly means to be thankful. In most families, Thanksgiving is less about real gratitude and more about over-eating, watching football, or getting out the door as soon as possible to do some early Black Friday shopping. Some actually dread the celebration, because they’re forced to sit in a room with people they really don’t enjoy and cautious not to initiate topics like politics that would be best not discussed. I can remember once talking with a coworker a few days after Thanksgiving, knowing that she had most likely been cooking for her rather large family. By the look on her face, I wished I could take back my question – “How was your Thanksgiving Dinner?” It didn’t take her long to respond with words of disgust, stating – “Well I worked hours making a nice meal for a bunch of ungrateful people.”  I hardly knew what to say but somehow uttered – “I am so sorry.” In years since, I often wondered whether she continued to make Thanksgiving Dinner for those same folks. Furthermore, I have also considered how many families go through a similar experience on what should otherwise be a special time together. Although there may be a feeling of inward gratefulness that is simply unexpressed, the whole reason for saying thanks is to let the giver of a gift know how much you appreciate their effort. Author G. B. Stern once said, “Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.”

Many of us will have to admit that we do much the same thing with God. The psalmist reminds us that we should “Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation” (Psalm 100:4-5). The gates into God’s presence are always open. The familiar song of Psalm 100 was an invitation for the Israelites to enter into the presence of God through the temple gates. They were to do so with praise and thanksgiving because of God’s steadfast and enduring love. Even when they forgot their identity and wandered away from Him, God remained faithful and still invited them to enter His presence. As a God of consistency, He does the same for us today just as He did for each past generation. As you praise God for who He is and thank Him for what He’s done, your perspective of Him grows larger, your problems grow smaller, and you will experience a deeper sense of intimacy with Him. As we move closer to Christmas, we will find it easy to grumble and voice complaints about the simplest things. But when we are thankful, it’s easier to “put on love . . . and let the peace of Christ” rule in our hearts (Colossians 3:14-15). We will modify our focus and begin seeing moments of sudden glory through the lens of gratitude and praise—glory moments that were there all along but hidden from the grumbling eye. And then our thanksgiving controversies will pass for yet another year.

REFLECTION: Who did President Lincoln suggest should be remembered during the observance of Thanksgiving? Do you struggle with how to show expressions of appreciation? Consider Jesus patterns of giving thanks and apply them to a few real examples for improved appreciation toward God and others.

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., DECEMBER 1, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

As a child of the 1930’s-40’s, he was an avid reader who studied Stalin, Marx, Gandhi, and Hitler, carefully noting the strengths and weaknesses of each. He found making friends difficult, and childhood acquaintances later recalled him as being a “really weird kid” who was “obsessed with religion … obsessed with death”. James Warren Jones became an American religious cult leader who, along with his inner circle, initiated and was responsible for a mass murder/suicide in excess of 900 persons on November 18, 1978. Jim Jones, as he became known, developed a charisma as an ordained Indiana minister in the Christian Church and later established the “Peoples Temple” in San Francisco in 1956. By the early 1970s, Jones began deriding traditional Christianity as “fly away religion”, rejecting the Bible and denouncing a “Sky God” who was no God at all. Jones promised a utopian society that provided for the common welfare of its members. But like most cult leaders, he became a tyrannical leader, and he exercised that power in a dangerous, manipulative way. In 1973, an increasingly paranoid Jones began to move Temple members to Guyana, South America, naming the settlement Jonestown in honor of himself. Once free of U.S. law, Jones became a brutal dictator in his isolated and heavily guarded compound, where he controlled and employed various mind control techniques on his followers. Concerned ex-members in California brought details of Jones’ terror to the attention of Congressman Leo Ryan, who, along with some aides and a TV crew, visited the Guyana “paradise” where Jones presented a false show of normalcy for the visitors. Ryan learned that some members wanted to escape, and transportation was offered for those who desired to leave. A vindictive Jones ordered the murder of Ryan, his staff, the TV reporters, and Jonestown escapees as they prepared to board their chartered planes. Back in the compound, Jones feared a U.S. military rescue mission as a result of killing a congressman, and the cult leader demanded that his trapped followers commit suicide as a “revolutionary act.” Jones urged his followers that they had do this or else the Guyanese military would come in and take their children away. The followers were forced to drink or otherwise administered with a fatal cocktail of poisoned punch.

As a result of the massacre, “Drinking the Kool-Aid” became a commonly-used phrase to describe blind acceptance of a belief without critical analysis. The reference has been viewed as somewhat unfair to the manufacturer of Kool-Aid, since the actual drink used at Jonestown was something called Flavor Aid. But it has drawn attention to the reality that there are vulnerable members of society who can become infatuated with a purpose so extreme that they will die for the cause or its leadership. This is quite contrary to the teachings of Christianity. Any follower of Jesus understands that when an act is no longer voluntary, it is no longer Christ-like.  Jonestown is a bitter reminder of what happens when people surrender their emotional and moral independence and become spiritual slaves to evil leaders who guarantee their own promise of salvation, eternal life, or utopia. Contrast the drink offered by Jim Jones to his followers with the cup offered by Jesus to His disciples during that final Passover meal together. On that occasion – He spoke these words: “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people–an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you” (Luke 22:20). In this case, the only life that is being sacrificed was that of Jesus.  He did this that we might have Life Eternal.

So, does Jesus not require any sacrifice from us?  He asks that we serve Him. “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice–the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him” (Romans 12:1). These are the words of the Apostle Paul who also put forth this challenge: “You should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). As God’s beloved children, we are to imitate Him by loving one another, just as Christ sacrificially loved us. In order to do this – we must understand His ways, study and absorb His Word, and be a beacon of light in the world around us. Test and discern His will for your life, and you will not only learn to imitate Him but also walk in the footsteps of His sacrificial love!

REFLECTION: Why is it so important for us who imitate God to watch the way we act and speak? Why must we be careful to know God in all His attributes as revealed in His Word? What errors may result if we don’t? Consider what forces have negatively impacted your ability to make a living sacrifice for others.

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., NOVEMBER 24, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

“We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance.” (Romans 5:3)

The words, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” were spoken by Henry Morgan Stanley on November 10, 1871 when he located missionary and physician David Livingstone following several years without anyone hearing from him. Born in Scotland in 1813, David Livingstone’s devout Christian parents encouraged their son to pursue whatever he desired as long as it was to the glory of God. At an early age, he had such a passion for souls that he gave his life to go to the untouched and unexplored areas of Africa to reach those that would otherwise not hear the Gospel. He fought lions, buried a child and eventually his wife, suffered tropical illnesses and endured the hardships of being a pioneer in a strange land for the sake of being able to win people to his Lord. Livingstone did not hide the painful experiences of “anxiety, sickness, suffering, and danger.” Most people would consider those sacrifices, but he faced the trials head on. Towards the end of his life, the great missionary returned to his native Scotland to be honored by his countrymen and the University of Glasgow in particular.  There was absolute silence as Livingstone told of his experiences in Africa, his left arm hanging limp at his side, the result of being mauled by a lion. Quoting the missionary-explorer, “But I return without misgivings and with great gladness. For would you like me to tell you what supported me through all the years of exile among people whose language I could not understand, and whose attitude towards me was always uncertain and often hostile? It was this: “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world!” Livingstone did return but eventually his frail body failed, and he died in April, 1873. His native co-laborers found him slumped over the cot where the previous night he had knelt to pray. His well-worn New Testament was open to the same passage he had quoted to the university audience – that of Matthew 28:20.

Livingstone remained committed to his cause for an entire lifetime but emphatically stated that he felt he had never sacrificed. He spoke the way Paul does in Philippians 3:8: “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.” The disciple Peter realized that Jesus called for radical sacrifice.  Jesus said, “In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples” (Luke 14:33). In response to Jesus, “Peter spoke up, ‘We have left everything to follow you!’” (Mark 10:28). Jesus quickly rebuked such boasting or self-pity, setting an example for Paul and Livingstone. He established that the sacrifice Peter and the others had made was not really a sacrifice at all. “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property–along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30). In the bright shadow of David Livingstone’s suffering, we are able to understand the point of Jesus’s words more readily — “Following me, you do not make a sacrifice.”

When missionary Dr. David Livingstone was working in Africa, a group of friends wrote him: “We would like to send other men to you. Have you found a good road into your area yet?” Dr. Livingstone sent this message in reply: “If you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all.” Lord knows that our culture lacks commitment these days, and it all stems from the fact that most of us are not willing to sacrifice.  It is evident in our work, our relationships with others and, in particular, our spiritual life. There’s a big difference between just being interested in doing something and actually making a commitment to doing it. Just being ‘interested’ allows one the freedom to do it only when circumstances of convenience or notoriety permit. However actually making a commitment means putting aside our fears and reservations, moving forward until we realize the end-result.  If along the way we need to make sacrifices, we will not see them as such because our focus is on that to which we have committed. Nothing else matters. That’s the kind of commitment the Lord expects from each one of us . . . and we’ll rejoice in the midst of any suffering.

REFLECTION: When you have made a commitment to a person or project, have you entered into the arrangement with an exit-strategy if one was needed? Through what type of arrangement would you be willing to endure suffering and consider it worth the cost? Does this apply to your relationship with God?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., NOVEMBER 17, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

“I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.” (1 John 2:21)

It was not the truth. Some said it was mistake. Others claimed it was a false prediction. On November 3, 1948, the Chicago Tribune mistakenly declared New York Governor Thomas Dewey the winner of his presidential race with incumbent Harry S. Truman in a front-page boldly-printed headline: “Dewey Defeats Truman.” In the weeks before the election, early Gallup polls forecasted the incumbent’s defeat. Truman chose not to use the press as a vehicle for getting his message across. Instead, in the summer of 1948, he went directly to the people on an ambitious 22,000-mile “whistle stop” railroad and automobile campaign tour. As the political underdog, Truman asked crowds at every destination to help him keep his job as president. When he went to bed on voting night, he was losing the election.  As returns were coming in slowly and the printing deadline at the Tribune was approaching, inexperienced workers filling in for staff members out on strike jumped the gun and published the soon-to-be untruthful headline.  In a now famous photograph snapped in the early morning hours after the election, a beaming and puzzled Truman is shown holding the Chicago Tribune issue that had wrongly predicted his political downfall. Truman had eventually defeated Dewey by 114 electoral votes.

Edgar Allan Poe once wrote: “Believe half of what you see and nothing of what you hear.” More and more, it seems like those who report the news have come to allow their personal interpretation of details to influence the story rather than simply convey the facts based on truth. It has been said that truth is relative, implying that we can’t trust it to be true all the time. Unfortunately, our society has grown to accept this kind of distorted truth. The great evangelist Billy Graham once told a story about a clergyman who had friend employed as an actor. The actor was drawing large crowds of people, and the clergyman was preaching to only a few in the church. He said to his actor friend, “Why is it that you draw great crowds, and I have no audience at all? Your words are sheer fiction, and mine are unchangeable truth.” The actor’s reply was quite simple. “I present my fiction as though it were truth; you present your truth as though it were fiction.” Graham concluded: “I fear that so often we Christians give the idea that the truth is fiction by the way we live and by the lack of dedication to the teachings of our Lord.”

The secular world is increasingly teaching that all truth is relative – a simple matter of each person’s perspective. Some things may appear true to you but may not resonate truth to me. If you believe it, it is true for you. If I don’t believe it, it is not true for me. Many people reduce any question of God or religion to this type of conjecture. The Apostle Paul would confront them with this astounding certainty: “But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God” (Romans 1:18-20). Those who have come to understand God’s intense love for us through His Son Jesus recognize that the truth personified by Christ is not relative. The existence of absolute truth is a necessary foundation of Christianity. in John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” In other words, truth is the very fabric of His being and defines who He is. On the other hand, Satan is described as the “father of all lies” (John 8:44). His mission is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10) and to counterfeit every blessing and promise God has in store for us. The task of every Christian is to declare and demonstrate the truth that is found only in Jesus.  Truth is the only sure foundation on which to build one’s life, because it is the only stable force capable of withstanding the pressures of this world where finding the real truth is often deceptive.

REFLECTION: Can you think of common statements that confuse absolute and relative truth about your faith? How do you compassionately reason that Jesus represents the true path to God? In what ways might neglecting to know and follow God’s Word suppress His truth as you interact with others each day? Ask God to reveal the areas in your life that you are not fully acknowledging His life-giving truth.

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., NOVEMBER 10, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

“For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.” (Jeremiah 31:25)

Towering above New York Harbor is the Statue of Liberty. That stately lady, with freedom’s torch held high, has beckoned millions of people who were suffering from oppression and seeking a better way of life. Drawn to what that monument symbolizes, it is without a doubt one of America’s greatest landmarks as it appears against the NYC skyline in images sent around the globe. Once referred to as “The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World” – it was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the United States. Recognized as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy, the statue was a welcoming sight to immigrants arriving from abroad being processed at nearby Ellis Island. Built in France and shipped overseas in crates – it was assembled on the finished pedestal on what was then called Bedloe’s Island, now known as Liberty Island. It was made with an exterior of copper and originally had a far shinier appearance than its green of today. The statue’s completion was marked by New York’s first ticker-tape parade and a dedication ceremony presided over by President Grover Cleveland on October 28, 1886.

Inscribed on the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal are these words by Emma Lazarus from her 1883 poem “The New Colossus”:

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore;
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

Lazarus was one of the first successful and publicly recognized Jewish American authors. She was born in New York City to a wealthy family. She began writing and translating poetry as a teenager and was publishing translations of German poems by the 1860s. Lazarus was moved by the fierce persecution of her people in Russia, a frequent topic of her writings, as well as their struggles to assimilate into American culture.

Paralleling the beautiful stanzas inscribed on the base of Lady Liberty are the comforting words of another, articulated many centuries before. They were spoken by Jesus who said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). When Jesus said He would give us rest – it meant we wouldn’t need to go find it, earn it or spiritually strive to develop it. It is simply a gift God gives us when we come to Him and openly receive it. This is liberty in its purest form. There is much debate in recent years as to how much automatic freedom should be granted to those who seek refuge in another country.  Some argue that such immigrants should follow a lawful process that leads to citizenship. Others feel that there should be open borders and an entitlement for all who come. Perhaps the Apostle Paul, who took advantage of his status as both a Jew and a Roman citizen to minister to both audiences, understood it best when he said – “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). For those who dare to journey with Jesus, we can access His enduring rest and experience everlasting freedom. As Christians in a fast-paced world, we too often find it difficult to relax in God’s gift of rest. Instead, we wear busyness like a badge of honor, carry loads we were never meant to bear, and for what . . . to simply get ahead. When we allow ourselves to pause and take time to be with God, we will receive His rest. In doing so we may not always be able to avail ourselves of all the earthly riches we might desire, but we will find that there is power in the act of resting. Jesus told His disciples: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20). Too often we find ourselves becoming part of the huddled masses yearning to breathe free. As you go throughout your day, let your heart find that true place of rest in His Presence.

REFLECTION:  What types of activities cause you to have feelings of “weary and burden?” As you look at these, how might you prioritize being able to find some time alone with God?  Consider reinstating some affirming thing in your life that used to bring you joy. Ask others to support you in this effort.

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., NOVEMBER  3, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come” (Mark 13:32-33)

The catchphrase “I’ll Be Back” is associated with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He used it in his first role as the title character in the 1984 science fiction film The Terminator.  It has been high on the rankings of famous movie quotes of all time. The Austrian-American actor once admitted that he had had difficulty pronouncing the word I’ll and would rather have said “I will” but was not permitted to do so.  This allowed for various characterizations through the years, always with a great amount of imitation placed on the “I’ll” part of the phrase.   Schwarzenegger himself used the same line, or some variant of it, in many of his later films. A similar saying was once used by General Douglas MacArthur who served as chief U.S. military advisor to the Philippines before World War II. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, MacArthur was forced to leave the islands due to a Japanese invasion. Months later, he was informed that relief of his forces trapped in there would not be forthcoming. Deeply disappointed, he issued a statement to the press in which he promised his men and the people of the Philippines, “I shall return.”

This promise would become MacArthur’s mantra during the next two and a half years, and he would often repeat it in public appearances. For his valiant defense of the Philippines, MacArthur was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor and celebrated as “America’s First Soldier.” But it was not until September, 1944, that the General was poised to launch an invasion of the Japanese-occupied Philippines. After a period of indecision about whether to invade the Philippines or Formosa, the Joint Chiefs put their support behind MacArthur’s plan. On October 20, 1944, a few hours after his troops landed, MacArthur waded ashore onto the Philippine island of Leyte. That day, he made a radio broadcast in which he declared, “People of the Philippines, I have returned!” Over the next months, Japanese forces were cut off, and the Philippine capital of Manila fell. Only one-third of the men MacArthur left behind in March 1942 survived to see his return. “I’m a little late,” he told them, “but we finally came.

It’s difficult at times to place logical timeframes on when it might be possible to see someone again. After Jesus ascended into heaven, the angels declared to the apostles, “‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven’” (Acts 1:11). Today followers of Jesus still await His return, this time not as a suffering servant but rather as the conquering King with the armies of heaven at His side. Modern Christians are often so captivated with the Second Coming that they overlook the ways Jesus comes to us each and every day.  When the tragedies around us, the suffering of people we love, and even the stresses of daily life all seem bigger than the fixes on the horizon – we fail to see that Jesus meets people in the midst of these critical events. We discover that God is still at work in the messes of society, and we suddenly receive a reality check that the story isn’t always about us. Sometimes it’s about God’s plan to give time to others who don’t yet know His Son. As the words of Peter remind us: “But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:8-9). Our attachment to this world often keeps us from living in anticipation of Jesus’ return as we should. In an increasingly chaotic world, what a hopeful thought that this could be the day or the year Jesus returns. More comforting still is the anticipation that all who trust Him for salvation will be gathered together, relieved from this world’s suffering, sorrow, and fear. Our prayer should be that we will always be mindful of His inevitable return. Meanwhile, we should help to equip others with the knowledge that this world is not all we have and affirm that a blessed eternity awaits all who know Him personally as their savior. Regardless of whether we pray for Jesus’ coming or we expect him to come soon, one thing is sure: He will return . . . maybe even today!

REFLECTION: Do you eagerly await Christ’s return or are you more concerned with storing up earthly treasures? What would you do differently if you knew Jesus was returning today? Would you be motivated and excited or frightened and alarmed? Consider these things in prayer and ask the Lord to make you eagerly await His return.

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT. OCTOBER 27, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” (Psalm 118:22)

The establishment of the United States capital on the banks of the Potomac River was the result of political compromise between the Federalist and the Republican factions of the early republic. The states of Maryland and Virginia relinquished land to form the District of Columbia with work on the new city beginning in 1791.  One year later, plans were made for a neoclassical presidential home on Pennsylvania Avenue. On October 13, 1792, the cornerstone of the building which would later become known as the White House was laid during a Masonic ceremony overseen by member George Washington who had selected the site. Supposedly the cornerstone went missing the following day, and no one has seen it since. Many attempts have been made to find it. In the 1940’s, then President Harry Truman renovated the building. The rooms were completely dismantled and rebuilt, and a new internal load-bearing steel frame was constructed inside the walls. During this time, a letter was found which uncovered the fact that the first stone was actually laid in the southwest corner of the building. One theory is that the cornerstone might have ended up between two stone walls in the Rose Garden, but so far, nothing has been found there. Its location remains an unsolved American mystery.

The cornerstone is one of a building’s most important pieces, since it is the first stone to be set and also determines the position of all the pieces to be laid afterwards. Cornerstones have been part of building structures for centuries. In the case of the White House cornerstone, it can be assumed that the piece was quite large in size and very heavy, since it was made out of Aquia sandstone from Virginia. Some imagine that the stone was inscribed by the founding fathers, while others believe there was a plate on top with the date it was established. Over time, cornerstones have often taken on the purpose of a ceremonial masonry stone. Usually set in a prominent location on the outside of a building –  these stones often contain inscriptions indicating the construction dates of the building, sometimes including the names of significant individuals.  In years past, a piece of the cornerstone would be hollowed out to act as a type of time capsule to contain artifacts from the era in which a particular building was built. In biblical times, a cornerstone was used as the foundation and standard upon which a building was constructed. Once in place, the rest of the building would conform to the angles and size of the cornerstone. In addition, if removed, the entire structure could collapse.

The Book of Isaiah makes many references to a coming Messiah. God prophesied through Isaiah that He would place a foundation stone in Jerusalem . . . “a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken” (Isaiah 28:16). Hundreds of years later, Jesus identified Himself as this stone: “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the LORD’s doing, and it is wonderful to see” (Matthew 21:42). It’s amazing how the Prophet Isaiah and the Apostle Peter both reference the term of building stones to complete a nice thread that flows from the writing of a heavenly promise in the Old Testament to the New Testament gospel about the One whom a disciple knew personally. Peter provides a description that all who believe in Christ are “like ­living stones . . . being built into a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5) which holds together as the one edifice of God’s people spread throughout the earth. The illustration of Jesus as the Cornerstone upon which the “household of God” was being built would have been well-understood by the early Christians. For those living in societies where people often built their own homes, using construction terminology to explain the priority of Jesus the Messiah as the cornerstone of the household of God provided a clear connecting point that would have made absolute sense. Just as the cornerstone is laid as a guide to line up the rest of the structure, we need to be sure that our life is in alignment with Christ and His teachings. Unlike the one at the White House, the Cornerstone of Jesus Christ will never disappear and is one we can be certain to safely build upon.

REFLECTION: Consider your preferences, experiences, traditions and values. Do they align your life to establish a cornerstone for your faith?  If not, how might you hit the reset button to readjust the substance of your journey with the teachings of Christ? In what ways can you better set an example for others to be “fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:19-20)?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT. OCTOBER 20, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

 “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1)

Recently our family decided to take shelter in our basement after we became aware of a tornado watch for our area. The warning from the National Weather Service forecasted potential strong, damaging winds accompanied by torrential rainfall. With some blankets and few battery-operated devices including a cellphone – we knew that in the underground part of the house we would have better protection from the elements as well as the ability to enjoy TV and have access to a supply of food if the power did not go out. Somehow, it just made sense.  Since the alert was time-limited, a few hours later we came back up the stairs to discover nothing outside had occurred. However, the thought crossed in the back of our minds that it could have. Better to have been safe than sorry. Sometimes the storms of our lives are meteorological; at times they are man-made. On October 6, 1961, President John F. Kennedy advised American families to build bomb shelters to protect them from atomic fallout in the event of a nuclear exchange with the Soviet Union. Only one year later, true to Kennedy’s fears, the world hovered on the brink of full-scale nuclear war when the Cuban Missile Crisis erupted over the USSR’s placement of nuclear missiles in Cuba. During the tense 13-day crisis, some Americans prepared for nuclear war by buying up canned goods and completing last-minute work on their backyard bomb shelters.

How to save yourself and others from potential adversity has become an obsession of many over time. The doomsday philosophers have created an upswing in interest about how to properly prepare a safe space for almost any crisis such as power grid failures, nuclear disasters, tsunamis, earthquakes, terrorist attacks or economic collapse. Start-to-finish guides for elaborate bunkers sometimes include cinemas, underground gardens, swimming pools, spas, wine vaults and whatever other ‘necessities’ you might deem important in order to find comfort during your anticipated apocalypse. Some claim that this frenzy has occurred as we find ourselves in an age of ‘secular humanism’ where those without the security of religion believe their hope lies in working on ways to survive for as long as possible. Predictions about the end of the world have come and gone many times. Jesus warned that someday this world as we know it will come to an end—not because of a war or natural disaster, but because God will intervene at an established time only He knows. Jesus said, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority” (Acts 1:7). Meanwhile He warned of false prophecies and of Satan’s influence in the world situation – “This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 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” (1 John 4:2-4). Our greatest adversary is alive and well.

As Believers, we soon come to realize that wherever we seek safety – it is God’s presence with us in that place that provides the strength and protection we really need. As he hid in a cave from an enemy who would kill him, David understood that feeling: “Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed” (Psalm 57:1). As humans, we sometimes allow ourselves to view God’s protection as a magic force field that keeps us from all harm. Yet Jesus affirmed that the storms of life will always be there. In reality, we will never know how many times God has actually protected us since He works in ways simply beyond our comprehension. Sometimes God’s protection comes in the form of peace and strength in the middle of despair. Sometimes it comes in the form of an ending because He sees something more on the horizon that we cannot see. When we come to Christ, we are given new life as well as God’s shield in which absolutely nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). The assurance of a safe space like this one will provide all the security we need, regardless of any fallout from the world around us.

REFLECTION: Consider what you define to be the safe spaces in your life. Do they include a sturdy home where you seek shelter in the event of a storm or the loving arms of a loved one when you are personally attacked? Where does God fit into this picture? How do you challenge yourself and others who sometimes unnecessarily seek safe spaces in their lives when they merely need to exercise faith in God’s protection?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT. OCTOBER 13, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

“O LORD, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things!  You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them” (Isaiah 25:1).

Alexander Fleming was a young bacteriologist when an accidental discovery led to one of the great developments of modern medicine. His discovery and isolation of penicillin marks the start of antibiotics which has been hailed by some as “the greatest contribution medical science ever made to humanity.” Returning to his lab after a late summer vacation with his family in September, 1928 – Fleming noticed a patch of “blue mold” with a clear area around it in a culture dish. After some testing, he concluded that the mold had stopped the growth of that particular bacteria. He kept the mold alive and tested it on lab animals. The following year – Fleming published a medical paper stating that this mold could kill disease-causing bacteria with high degrees of resistance and yet was non-toxic to animals. The mold was identified as “Penicillium notatum,” and Fleming named the substance it discharged “penicillin.” Fleming lacked the chemical means to turn his discovery into a usable drug, so he moved on to other projects. A decade later – two researchers at Oxford University read the details of Fleming’s discovery and conducted extensive tests, proving it was possible to make penicillin in pure form. By 1942 – British drug companies began making enough penicillin for military use, saving lives by the hundreds of thousands. The new drug was considered a military secret, and news of its effectiveness was not released officially until war’s end. In 1945, along with Fleming, they were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine.

The discovery of penicillin is often cited to be by chance. Others, however, are convinced that it was God who planned and directed its finding, just as He did with all of His creation. Fleming seems to support this theory with his own words, “Nature makes penicillin; I just found it.” His observation of the growth of a ‘random deposited mold’ emerges as unmistakable evidence of a design in which we can see the finger of God…if we only look. Long before Fleming’s miraculous encounter – a French biologist, microbiologist and chemist by the name of Louis Pasteur who died on September 28, 1895 once stated: “The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the Creator. Science brings men nearer to God.” By His very own creation, God provided white blood cells in our bodies to fight infections, but some people would still die from them. When the right time had come, He allowed for a new opportunity in our lives through the introduction and use of penicillin. Yet disease processes still occur and new types of infections persist, some of which result in the demise of human lives. Just as we might expect, there will always be those among us who will dare to ask the question, “Where is God?”

This was the very same question asked by two sisters who were friends of Jesus. When He heard that their brother Lazarus was sick, Jesus purposefully delayed travel for two more days (John 11:6). By the time He and the disciples arrived, “Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days” (John 11:17). When Martha, one of the sisters, went out to meet Jesus – she said to Him, “if you would have been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21), as if to say, “Jesus, why did you wait so long?” Jesus ultimately resurrected Lazarus, which was a display of Jesus’s glory for all to witness. In John 11:40, at the end of the Lazarus story, Jesus says, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” God’s delay is not his denial; it is simply an opportunity in the end for Him to be glorified. God’s glory is not determined by His timing but rather as He works through the circumstances of our lives.  While we fret and worry about the events of today, He is already at tomorrow. The Old Testament prophet gave us these words from our Creator: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). We need never ask where God is. But if we do, we will hopefully hear the voice of Moses in the distance saying to us – “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you” (Deuteronomy 31:8). Where is God? Simply revealing a path for you to find and follow.

REFLECTION: In what ways does God’s goodness strengthen your life? When you fail to see evidence of Him working in your daily routine, or when comforting another who is struggling – how might you find peace in these words – “I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you” (2 Kings 20:5)?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT. OCTOBER 6, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person,                                                           though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.” (Romans 5:7)

Twenty-one-year-old Nathan Hale was forced to make a moral decision. Born in central Connecticut in 1755, he was reared in a Christian home. His father Richard Hale was deacon in the local Congregational church and his older brother was on the way to also becoming a pastor. During Nathan’s college years at Yale, the colonists were in constant friction with England. He heard fiery speeches in behalf of freedom. By the time he took his first teaching job, war was a distinct possibility. Hale joined a Connecticut regiment in 1775 and served in the successful siege of British-occupied Boston.  By written accounts, it is noted that while in the army – Nathan showed great character. When morale dropped, he divided his extra pay with his men. When his comrades became ill, he visited and prayed with them. When Washington sought a spy to penetrate the British lines to get information, Nathan Hale was the only volunteer. In the summer of 1776, he posed as a civilian and crossed behind their held territory on Long Island to spy on the British. Dressed in farm clothes and carrying his Yale diploma, he passed as a Dutchman seeking a school position. He went through the entire British location, estimating their numbers and sketching their fortifications. He took notes in Latin, and while returning with the intelligence information, British soldiers captured Hale near the American lines and charged him with espionage. He immediately acknowledged his true identity, as his notes were found in his boot. Taken to New York, he was hanged without trial the next day. On the morning of September 22, 1776 – Hale wrote a letter to his mother and brother, but the British destroyed them not wanting it known a man could die with such conviction. As he prepared to die, he calmly spoke. The last words attributed to him were – “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

What are those things for which you would offer your life? Perhaps you would enter into a risky surgery that would save the life of someone you love. As a parent, you would run toward danger when you realize that your child has found themselves in a perilous situation.  As a young person, we might fantasize about becoming a fireman or a police officer. Then we grow up to discover that these first responders are potentially placed into harm’s way each time they are called to serve. The story is told of how author and speaker Brennan Manning came to better understand the deep love of God. Brennan had a best friend named Ray. They hung around, double-dated, and even bought a car together. In time they enlisted and served in the same military unit. One day the two friends were in a foxhole when a hand grenade landed in their midst. Ray looked at Brennan and quickly jumped on top of the bomb. It exploded and killed him instantly. Sometime later, Brennan went to visit Ray’s mother. He asked her, “Do you think that Ray loved me?” She replied by saying something to the effect of, “What more could he have done for you, Brennan?” Jesus said – “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13), and then He did just that when He died on the cross for you and me.

The truth of the matter is, few of us will ever die for another person; however, all of us have the opportunity to put others first on a daily basis. Making others’ needs more important than our own is the sacrifice expected of us when we belong to Christ.  “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it” (Luke 9:23-24). Taking up our personal cross is a call to absolute surrender. Evangelist Oswald Chambers once stated: “It is much easier to die than to lay down your life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling of God. We are not made for the bright-shining moments of life, but we have to walk in the light of them in our everyday ways.” Taking up our cross daily requires at a minimum that we will lay down our lives for others through sacrificial acts of giving our time, possessions, personal plans, and even asking the question – am I willing to follow Jesus if it means losing my life? As Nathan Hale so profoundly expressed, our only regret then will be that we only had but one life to lose. Except this time . . . it will be for our Savior.

REFLECTION:  The Apostle Paul said, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better” (Philippians 1:21). How might you apply is words in your walk with Christ? If there comes a point in your life where you are faced with a choice—Jesus or the comforts of this life—which will you choose?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT. SEPTEMBER 29, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.