APRIL

By Kingsley Baehr

   AS SPRING BEGINS AGAIN THIS YEAR,
 AND WE SEE IT SPRING INTO FULL FLOWER,
   WHAT ARE OUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE GOD WHO ASSURED US, IN GENESIS 8:22, THAT:
 “AS LONG AS THE EARTH ENDURES,
 SEEDTIME AND HARVEST,
 COLD AND HEAT,
 SUMMER AND WINTER,
 DAY AND NIGHT
 WILL NEVER CEASE.”?
 LET US USE THE FOLLOWING “APRIL” ACROSTIC,
 TO REMIND US OF THE GREATNESS OF
 “THE ONLY TRUE GOD AND JESUS CHRIST WHOM [HE] SENT.”[John 17:3]

ALMIGHTY GOD
Revelation 4:8 - ... “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
Revelation 15:3 - ... “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!

PRINCE OF PEACE
Isaiah. 9:6 - For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

RULER OF THE NATIONS
Psa. 22:28 - For the kingdom is the Lord’s, And He rules over the nations.
Psa. 66:7 - He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations; Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves.
Psa. 113:4 - The Lord is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens.

IMMORTAL ONE
1 Tim. 1:17 - Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God Who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
1 Tim. 6:15,16 - ... which He will manifest in His own time, He Who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, Who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, Whom no man has seen or can see, to Whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.


L ORD OF ALL
Acts 17:24,25 - God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands, nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.
Acts 10:36 - ... Jesus Christ— He is Lord of all—

ON TRIAL

By Kingsley Baehr

Let me set the scene.
 We are in a courtroom. A trial is set to commence. The Judge is seated. The prosecuting attorney has his brief ready. The defense attorney is surprisingly not mentioned. There are spectators standing around as well.
 The one on trial is named Joshua. He is a high priest. He is dressed in filthy garments.
The prosecuting attorney opens his mouth to speak—:

“The LORD rebukes you, Satan!” pronounces the Judge.
“But—“
“The LORD, who has chosen the people represented by this high priest, rebukes you!
“I have snatched this man from the fire of judgment. I will hear no accusations against him. Case closed!”
Then the Judge turns to those who are witnessing this incredible non-trial.
“Remove Joshua’s filthy clothes.”
He turns to Joshua and tenderly says to him, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.”
This is speedily done. A clean high-priestly turban is fitted on his head in place of the filthy one that was removed.

“But,” you will say to me, “that is the craziest trial I have ever heard of! How did you dream that one up?”
I answer, “It is not my dream. It is part of a prophecy given by God to Zechariah in His Book, the Bible [Zech. 3:1-7].
“But,” you ask, “what does it all mean? Who is the Judge? Why wasn’t the defense attorney in the courtroom? Who is Joshua, really? Why the filthy clothes? What crime had Joshua committed? Why was Satan not allowed to bring any accusation against him? Why was he not punished? What’s the deal with the turban?”
“I understand it this way:
The Judge is the LORD Jesus Christ. John 5:22,23
The defense attorney who is Jesus Christ is also the Judge, so, in fact, He is there. John 10:30
Initially Joshua represented the nation of Israel, but today, for us, he represents each one of us. Hebrews 5:1
The filthy clothes picture our sinful condition, the result of our crime of unbelief and rebellion against the Judge and His Father God. Isaiah 64:6
Satan is silenced and rebuked by the Judge, Jesus Christ, because He Himself has served the sentence and paid the punishment for our sin when He died and rose again on our behalf. 1 Corinthians 15:3,4; 1 Peter 3:18
We are not punished because the LORD Jesus Christ was punished for us. Isaiah 53:4-6
And if we accept His payment of our punishment, He gives us the right, as priests [pictured by the clean turban] to stand before Him and bring our offerings of service, worship and praise to Him.” John 3:17,18; Romans 8:1a;

  SO THE QUESTION IS:
WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT YOU ARE STANDING BEFORE THE JUDGE WHO DIED TO PAY THE PENALTY FOR YOUR SIN,
  WILL YOU HEAR HIM SAY TO YOU,
  “SEE, I HAVE TAKEN AWAY YOUR SIN”?
 WILL HE GIVE YOU HIS CLEANLINESS IN PLACE OF YOUR FILTHINESS?
 OR WILL YOU HEAR HIM SAY, “DEPART FROM ME; I NEVER KNEW YOU.” Matthew 7:23
    IT IS YOUR CHOICE.

National Parent Leadership Month

By Kingsley Baehr

As is probably the case with every month of the year, the internet lists special observances for the month, each week of the month, and each day of the week. I was interested to find that in 2004, February was designated as
National Parent Leadership Month
by the Parents Anonymous Inc. Organization.*
That seemed to be a great idea, so I went to their website to check it out. There was a wealth of excellent information offered on good parenting and especially on how to get the word out about how vital parent leadership is.
However, I was saddened that there was no mention of
God’s instruction on good parenting or its source, the Bible.
Quoted here is the closest thing to it that I could find: “3. Making a presentation at your church about how you became a Parent Leader, or how they can strengthen and support families.” It would seem that Parents Anonymous Inc. is of the opinion that their information will do more good than that which can be learned in churches from the Bible. What do you think?
Here are some suggestions about PARENT LEADERSHIP from the God Who created us and invented the whole idea of “parents” and “family”:
[God said about Abraham] “For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him, to keep the way of the LORD, by doing what is right and just...” – Genesis 18:19
“Love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them upon your children. Talk about them when you sit at home, and when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up.” - Deuteronomy 6:5-7
“My son... trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:1a,5,6
“My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent His rebuke; because the LORD disciplines those He loves, as a father the son he delights in.” – Proverbs 3:11,12
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” – Proverbs 22:6 “... After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for the children.” – 2 Corinthians 12:14
[Speaking to the young man Timothy] “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it [his grandmother Lois, his mother Eunice, and his spiritual father, Paul], and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:14-17 [1:5]
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” – 3 John 4
PARENTS, WHAT KIND OF JOB ARE WE DOING IN LEADING OUR CHILDREN IN THE TRAINING AND INSTRUCTION OF THE LORD?
* Why would parents want to be anonymous anyway?

Follow the evidence

By Kingsley Baehr

Grissom, the star of the television series “CSI”, often cautions his co-workers to “Follow the evidence.” Wherever the evidence takes you will be the truth.
Good advice! Let’s apply it to the Bible. Where does the evidence take us in trying to decide if its writing was controlled and inspired by God?

It was written by approximately 40 men from all walks of life, from servants to kings.
It was written over a period of about 1500 years.
It was written on three continents.
It was written in three languages.
It is comprised of 66 books and letters.
Many of its human authors had no knowledge of nor had met each other.
It addresses many very controversial subjects.

and yet,

IF YOU WERE TO BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING AND READ IT THROUGH TO THE END,
YOU WOULD FIND TO YOUR AMAZEMENT
THAT IT BEGINS AT THE BEGINNING AND ENDS AT THE END,
THAT IT IS ONE BOOK, UNIQUELY UNIFIED.
THE EVIDENCE LEADS TO THE FACT THAT IT HAD TO HAVE ONE AUTHOR
WHO LIVED FOR AT LEAST 1500 YEARS
AND WHO CONTROLLED WHAT WAS WRITTEN.
NO OTHER INTERPRETATION FITS ALL THE FACTS.

By contrast, if you were to choose 40 men, all residents of the United States all living in 2006, all speaking English, all with university degrees, and were to ask each of them to write his own book on one controversial subject such as “love”, and then were to take their writings and bind them into one book and read that book from beginning to end, what would you have? A HODGEPODGE! No continuity among the books! Little agreement regarding the subject! Many contradictions! Certainly, nothing like the Bible!

So you decide,
Is the Bible the Word of God?
And if so, will you believe it
or continue to choose to fly in the face of the evidence
and reject it?

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine [what is right],
for reproof [what is not right],
for correction [how to get right],
for instruction in righteousness
[how to stay right],
that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.- 2 Timothy 3:16,17

New

By Kingsley Baehr

New "Improved!" products!
  New drug therapies!
    New technologies!
      New space discoveries!
        New Age philosophies!
SUCH A SWIFT PACE WITH SPEEDY OBSOLESCENCE!
Same old humanity
  Same old philosophies
    Same old psychologies
      Same old "self-discovery"
        Same old sinfulness
SUCH A SPIRITUAL SWAMP WITH HOPELESS OPTIMISM!
GRAND OLD STORY - of OPTIMAL LOVE!
  GRAND OLD GOSPEL - of OPTIMAL GOOD NEWS!
    GRAND OLD PLAN - of the OMNIPOTENT GOD!
      GRAND OLD SALVATION - of OPTIMAL VALUE!
        GRAND OLD REMEDY - of OPTIMAL HOPE!
SUCH A SURE FOUNDATION WITH ETERNAL OPPORTUNITY!
Enjoy an everlasting life with the Lord Jesus Christ!

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 3:11
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.- Acts 4:12
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.Romans 10:13

halloween and Christmas.

By Kingsley Baehr

I realize that this is a November devotional, but I want to talk about halloween and Christmas.
   October, this year, has been hounding us with:
Hideous halloween decorations and yard displays—uglier every year.
  Shelves and shelves of halloween paraphernalia in stores.
 Weird halloween music assaulting our ears whether we like it or not.
Horror-filled halloween programs and movies for our viewing displeasure.
  An ever-increasing halloween emphasis on ghouls and goblins,
    the scary, and the macabre,
  and vicious, bloody scenes of violence and death.
 Ghostly and ghastly halloween costumes on many small children
   [as they want the treat without doing the trick].
  And all this for financial gain which is gaining every year!

The amazing thing is that halloween is supposed to be a children’s holiday!
    What are we thinking?!
    Have we gone crazy?!
 Do we have any idea any more of the damage we are doing to the
  minds, emotions, souls and spirits of our younger generation?
  And guess what? When Christmas rolls around, there will be:
  Fewer and fewer manger-scene decorations;
 No nativity creches on display in public venues;
 Very little Biblical paraphernalia on store shelves;
 No Christmas carols wafting through the halls in malls;
 An increasingly scanty selection of programs and movies
   about the birth of Christ—
   Only X-mas* trees
   Fake Santa Clauses,
  reindeer, elves, and snowmen;
  And more and more expensive toys and games
   trying to bring X-mas* cheer to children of all ages,
And all this to mollify the ire of rejectors of the God Who created them!
        [*We have to take the “Christ” out of “Christmas” these days!]

  There will be a decreasing emphasis
on the glory surrounding that miraculous birth 2000 years ago
    that changed the course of history,
    And little attention to Jesus Christ,
      [the Reason for the season
before the treason of the season was foisted upon us],

    And a disregard for:
    The purity of His Person,
    The wonder of His love,
   The selflessness of His sacrifice,
  And the glory of His gift of eternal life.

    What are we thinking?!
    Have we gone crazy?!
   Don’t we realize that His tender love,
    His measureless mercy,
    and His great grace
are what our children, our society, and our nation need to be celebrating?

 O Lord God of heaven and earth,
  please forgive us for our failure,
   please save us from our sinfulness,
    and please restore us to our right minds.
     This is our November prayer to You this year, 2007.

THOSE WHO HONOR ME...

By Kingsley Baehr

Hannah had a horrible home life.

[You can read her fascinating story in 1 Samuel, chapters 1 and 2 in the Bible.]

She was married to a man who, although he loved her very much, was clue-less. Penninah, his other wife [yes, the culture of his day allowed that, even though God had said, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife {not wives}, and they shall become one flesh. – Gen. 2:24] was a haughty bully. Because she had presented her husband with children, and Hannah had not, Penninah was merciless in her ridicule and scorn toward Hannah. Sooo... Hannah had a horrible home life.

Therefore Hannah did something that we all should do when life is hard. She poured out her heart to God. If God would enable her to have a boy child, she said, she would give him back to God as a thanks-giving gift.

Hannah made a deal with God. Have you ever tried to make a deal with God, and God didn’t respond? Could the reason be that, as God looked into your heart, He could see that you had no real in-tention of upholding your end of the deal?

God gave Hannah a baby boy whom she named Samuel [which means “Name of God”]. For three to four years she nursed him, cuddled him, loved him, adored him—and then, after weaning him, she did as she had promised—she gave him back to God the only way she knew how—she took him to Eli, the high priest, for his service. How it must have torn her mother’s heart to part from her beloved son! But she had made a deal with God. He had kept His part and now she would keep hers.
There is much more to this story that for the sake of brevity we will skip, but we can’t ignore the “end of the story.”

  1. God gave Hannah three more sons and two daughters!
  2. Samuel grew up to be one of the great Old Testament prophets, who became famous as the one to whom God spoke His word during a time when the word of God was seldom spoken, because so few were listening or interested!
  3. And Hannah was able to see how God used her gift to Him for the good of the whole nation of Israel!
God is no man’s debtor. He says in
1 Samuel 2:30, “...those who honor Me, I will honor...” God keeps His promises.

Are you honoring Him in your life today?
If not, why not?
If so, you too will be honored by God in His perfect time and way.

LABOR DAYS—FOR WHOM?

By Kingsley Baehr

In the “Wizard of Id” comic strip by Parker and Hart, [Sun. Newark Star-Ledger, Sept. 2, 2007] a representative of the peasants of Id appears before the king:
“The peasants want the day off work for Labor Day,” he demands.
“Nice try! It’s Labor Day not lazy day,” replies the king
.
Isn’t it interesting that we have a holiday from labor and call it “Labor Day”?

“Laborers” are often disrespected in our society, mainly because much of their work does not seem to require a complete education or advanced technical skills. What is required of them is commitment, trust-worthiness, obedience and hard work, in what are, often, difficult environments.
“Laborers” who are committed, trustworthy, obedient and hard-working are exactly whom Jesus says He wants.

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” [Luke 10:2]

Laborers, not PhD.’s.
 Laborers, not techno-whizzes.
  Laborers, not star athletes.
Laborers, not highly-skilled artists.
 Laborers, not wealthy businessmen.
Of course, if you are a committed, trustworthy, obedient and hard-working servant of Jesus, plus a PhD. or a techno-whiz, or a star athlete, or a highly-skilled artist, or a wealthy businessman, or all of these combined, Jesus wants you as His laborer. But any of the last five without all of the first four are useless to Him.
But why would anyone want to be a laborer for Jesus? Well, Jesus “worked Himself to death” for us. So, if we have any appreciation of His work on our behalf, then it should be a thrill to us to “do all for the glory of God.” [1 Corinthians 10:31a]
And listen to this!

“Now he who plants and he who waters are one [unified in their labor]; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s co-workers...” [1 Corinthians 3:8,9]

How exciting is that! Being a co-worker with God! And who could possibly be a better rewarder than God?

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” [Colossians 3:23,24]

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every man according to what he has done. [Revelation 22:12]

So for whom or what are you laboring? Is it worth it? Will it last throughout eternity? Or will you lose it all when you die? Something to seriously think about.

Conquering With The Choir

By Kingsley Baehr

Please find a Bible and read 2 Chronicles 20:1-30 in sections according to this outline.
[It is a fascinating story. You won’t regret spending time on it.]

  1. The Coalition Comes on. – vs. 1,2
  2. The Cry Goes Up. – vs. 3-12
  3. The Confidence Comes Down. – vs. 13-17
  4. The Choir Goes Out. – vs. 18-21
  5. The Coalition Comes Apart. – vs. 22,23
  6. The Collection Goes Well. – vs. 24-26
  7. The Conquerors Come Home. – vs.27,28
  8. The CONQUEROR Gives Rest. – vs. 29,30
[This historical account took place about 840 B.C. Old Testament accounts of battles against physical enemies need to be applied today as battles against our three enemies, Satan, the world system that has set itself against God, and sexual immorality.]

IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD THERE IS STRONG CONFIDENCE – Prov. 14:26
Please notice what the prophet Jahaziel said to King Jehoshaphat and his subjects about the three armies that were threatening them:
“DO NOT BE AFRAID OR DISMAYED [DISCOURAGED],... FOR THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS, BUT GOD’S.”

Why did the prophet of God say this to the King?
  1. Because the king and his small army were afraid of the massive host march-ing toward them.
  2. Because King Jehoshaphat had prayed,
“We have no power against this great multitude;... nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You [God].”
Remember: “Fearing God = Having a reverential awe of Him, trusting Him and loving Him.”
As illustrated by this story, what can we learn from the answers to the following questions?
  1. When we are afraid of people, circumstances, or spiritual powers, what can we do?
  2. When we ask God for His help, what should we expect?
  3. How can we show God that we totally trust Him to “win the battle” for us?
Try thinking about these verses along the same lines:
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” – Psalm 46:1
“I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.’” – Psalm 91:2
“The [Messenger of the LORD = Jesus] encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.” – Psalm 34:7

GOD IS MORE POWERFUL THAT ANY ENEMY WE WILL EVER FACE.
A WISE RESPONSE? YIELD YOUR LIFE TO HIM,
GO FORWARD, TRUSTING THAT THE VICTORY IS ASSURED.
[This is the second of a three-part series on “The Fear of the Lord.]”

WHAT ARE WE DOING?!

By Kingsley Baehr

Below, written in red, is a prayer of Billy Graham’s which was aired a while ago on Paul Harvey’s radio program, "The Rest of the Story" and received a larger response than any other program he has ever aired. Interspersed in the prayer are my own examples in black italics and some things that the Bible says in purple.
Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.
["Seek God while He’s here to be found; pray to Him while He’s close at hand. Let the wicked abandon their way of life and the evil their way of thinking. Let them come back to God who is merciful—come back to our God who is lavish with forgiveness." – Isaiah 55:6,7]
We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. ["Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes..." – Isaiah 5:20.21a]
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. ["Just a little bit of luck" is all that is needed when the odds are 1 in 100,000 to 1 in millions?]
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. ["Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your hands... so that you will not be dependent on anybody." – 1 Thessalonians 4:11,12]
We have killed our unborn and called it choice. [Norma McCorvey — nee. Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade—was the icon for abortion. Now, McCorvey wants to be known for protecting life. She says, "In 1973, I was a very confused 21-year-old, with one child, and facing an unplanned pregnancy. At the time, I fought to obtain a legal abortion, but truth be told, I have three daughters and have never had an abortion." McCorvey goes on to share that she’s a Christian and that being involved in Roe v. Wade was the biggest mistake of her life. Note: Why haven’t we heard about this monumental turn-around in the new media? It is certainly newsworthy!]]
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. ["You shall not murder." – Exodus 20:13]
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. ["Correct your children while there is still hope; do not let them destroy themselves." – Proverbs 19:18
"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." – Hebrews 12:11]
We have abused power and called it politics. ["Such people are not serving our Lord Christ but are only doing what pleases themselves. They use fancy talk and fine words to fool the minds of those who do not know about evil." – Romans 16:18] [There is an old saying which I have watered down somewhat: "Power can corrupt, and absolute power can corrupt absolutely."]
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. ["Then (Jesus) said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abun-dance of his possessions.’ " – Luke 12:15] [T.V. programs preach that possessing more and more is the focus of the good life. Who is right? The one who lays up riches on earth or in heaven?]
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
[In order to be hot, we have to be sexy and obscene. Blatant lust is a part of most music, T.V. programs, and even commercials. "Sex sells." Sug-gestive "blips" censoring obscenities might as well not be there. Most people know what word is being "blipped out." But here is what the Bible says: "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming." – Colossians 3:5,6]
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
[But God says: "O people, the LORD has told you
what is good, and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right,
to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God." – Micah 6:8]
Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.
["Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." – Psalm 139:23,24]
AMEN!

Memorial Day

Devotion by Russ Innes

"Memorial Day [which we recently observed] is about remembering those soldiers who have sacrificed their lives to defend and protect the freedoms we enjoy in the U.S.A.
"Because of my experience in Vietnam, this day of remembrance has always produced very personal and emotional feelings that I cannot dwell on for very long, since soldiers with whom I served lost their lives during fighting in which I participated. It brings back memories that overwhelm me, which I try to suppress more often than not.
"At Cedarcroft Bible Chapel, on Sunday, 5/25/09, at a service to remember

  the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us,

Steve Kuitems shared his thoughts about some similarities between Jesus’ sacrifice and that of soldiers who have given their lives in battle.
"A light went on in my head, and God showed me that He wants me to tap into those thoughts of soldiers who died next to me when I remember that

  His Son Jesus Christ died for me.

"My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died in my place to give me a freedom that can never be lost or taken away by any force in this world or beyond. The gratefulness, love, and peace that overwhelm me when I remember what He did on the cross should never be suppressed, as I try to do with the memories of the Vietnam war.
So as one who has accepted Jesus’ death as payment for the death penalty of my sin, our memorial service of Jesus’ sacrifice which we hold each Sunday, has a very special meaning for me.
"Jesus said it best in John 15:13: ‘There is no greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends.’” – Russ Innes

  American soldiers lay down their lives for their country.
  Jesus laid down His life for you.
  They, to preserve the freedoms we already have.
  Jesus, to offer you freedoms you do not have:
  Salvation from sin.
  Freedom from the power of sin
    now
  and from the presence of sin in heaven.
  Freedom to enjoy the abundant life
  He wants to give you.

    So,
  why not make this day,
  [the day you are reading this],
  a memorable day in your life,
  the day that you receive
  the Lord Jesus Christ
  as your Savior and Lord.
[This devotion is by Russ Innes, a Vietnam veteran who served for one year with the 1st Infantry Division in 1969.]

JUST ONE LETTER

By Kingsley Baehr

Many years ago, before air-conditioning and directional sig-nals in cars, drivers would ex-tend their left arms out the win-dow and make hand signals to indi-cate what they were planning to do. When they made a REVOLVING motion with their hand, it meant that they were turning right. But a 7th grade student of mine wrote in a composition that a driver had made a “REVOLTING” mo-tion!

ONE LETTER MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE!

When one’s life becomes diffi-cult physically, psychologically, or socially, he/she could become either

BITTER OR BETTER.

ONE LETTER MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE!

An “I” stands for ego, self, and pride.
An “E” stands for “Elohim,” the Hebrew name for “God.”
So, if my focus is on the “I” in the problem, I will become BITTER.
But If my focus is on “ELOHIM” in the problem, I will become BETTER.

Suffering is a part of life as a result of the judgment on the human race, because we are try-ing to be gods ourselves.
All the way back in the garden of eden, adam and eve were told by Satan that if they would dis-obey God, they would be like God and know good and evil.
They already knew good, be-cause God had made everything GOOD, so all that was gained by disobedience was evil and all of its consequent sufferings.
Therefore, if I insist on focus-ing on myself in the midst of my suffering, I will only become BITTER

But if, instead, I focus on what God wants to teach me about His goodness through the suffering, I will become BETTER.
Which will it be for you?

GOD CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE!
Check out these verses from god’s Word, the Bible:
1 Corinthians 1:3,4 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
1 Peter 4:12,13 - Beloved, do not think it strange con-cerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
1 Peter 5:8-11 - Be sober, be vigilant; because your ad-versary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seek-ing whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Romans 8:18 - For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
But, how much more important is it that we remember the one MAN who laid down His life out of love for us!
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS?

PEACE AND WAR

By Kingsley Baehr

What though wars may come with marching feet and beat of the drum,
 For I have Christ in my heart!

What though nations rage as we approach the end of the age,
 For I have Christ in my heart!
God is still on the throne--
 Almighty God is He--
  And He cares for His own
   Through all eternity!

So let come what may, whatever it is, I only say
 That I have Christ in my heart!
  I HAVE CHRIST IN MY HEART! - Words and music by Wendell P. Loveless


Jesus Christ said:
"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God-- believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and pre-pare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."
"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
"These things I have spoken to you that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but, be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Are you on speaking terms with Jesus Christ?
 Is He filling your life with His presence?
  Have you received Him as the Savior from your sins?
    If so:
  You can experience the peace which Jesus Christ promises!

ARE YOU FORGIVEN AND FORGIVING?

By Kingsley Baehr

After languishing for months in Hitler’s prison Martin Niemoller emerged saying, “It took me a long time to learn that God is not the enemy of His enemies!”
-- Tan, P. L. (1996, c1979). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations. Garland TX: Bible Communications.

Please take careful notice of the following passage from the Bible:
... You were [God’s] enemies, separated from Him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now He [will] bring you back as His friends... through His [Son’s] death on the cross in His own human body... – Col. 1:22,23a

While the Lord Jesus Christ was hanging on a Roman cross, a bloody mass, in excruciating pain, soon to be separated from His Father God while being made sin for us, He said,
“Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” – Lu. 23:34

God has mercifully and graciously initiated a reconciliation with you and provided the means for it! He certainly is not the enemy of His enemies!

When the Moravian missionaries first went to the Eskimo people many years ago, they could not find a word in their language for forgiveness, so they had to compound one. This turned out to be: Issumagijoujungnainermik. It is a formidable-looking assembly of letters, but an expression that has a beautiful connotation for those who understand it. It means: “Not-being-able-to-think-about-it-anymore.”
—Minister’s Research Service

So what happens when God forgives your sin?
He removes our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west. --Psalm 103:12
[He] will have compassion on us. [He] will trample our sins under [His] feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean! -- Micah 7:19

God says:
“I—yes, I alone—am the One who blots out your sins for My own sake and will never think of them again.” --Isaiah 43:25
“I have swept away your sins like the morning mists. I have scattered your offenses like the clouds. Oh, return to Me, for I have paid the price to set you free.” -- Isaiah 44:22

When God forgives sin, He forgets it and will never throw it up into your face again!
But what does one have to do to have God’s forgiveness applied to his/her account?

If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. 1 John 1:8,9
...I confessed all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone. -- Psalm 32:5

And finally, what should be the effect of God’s forgiveness in our lives?
... Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. -- Ephesians 4:32

FEBRUARY, the BIRTHDAY MONTH

By Kingsley Baehr

February is the Big Birthday Month in the Baehr/Hendry families.
 My mother-in-law’s, an uncle’s, and a cousin’s are all on the 1st.
 My mother’s is on the 2nd. My own is on the 5th.
  Two cousins’ and a niece’s are all on the 10th.
 Abraham Lincoln’s is on the 12th. One cousin’s is on the 15th.
A grandmother’s was on the 17th. A grandaunt’s was on the 18th.
   George Washington’s is on the 22nd.
  Charles Lindbergh’s is somewhere in there.
 In fact, all great people are born in February! [Spoken like a true Februarian!]

   Do you know your birth date?
Of course you do! Almost everybody does! It is an important date in our lives.
It began our physical lives lived separately from our mothers’ wombs.
   But do you know your spiritual birth date?
    Do you even have one?
   Have you been born again?
Was there ever a time when you received a new eternal life,
 because you invited the Spirit of God to come to live in you
  through faith in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ,
   when he died in your place, and rose triumphant over death
  so that He could offer you eternal life?

   Which birthday is more important?
   The one that imparts physical life ending in death?
  Or the one that gives spiritual life which never ends?

 If you have never had a spiritual birthday, today [in February no less!] would be an excellent day to be born again. (2 Corinthians 6:2) How?

CONFESS that you are a sinner whose sins have offended the holy God Who created you, and that you deserve nothing less than death. (Romans 3:23)
ADMIT that you are helpless to earn your own eternal life because your sins have separated you from the God Who alone gives life. (Isaiah 59:2)
RECEIVE as a gift from God eternal life, which the Lord Jesus Christ paid for and bought with His bloody death in your place as your Substitute. (Romans 6:23)

January

By Kingsley Baehr

The month of January in the Roman calendar as well as ours, was named for the Roman god Janus, the two-faced god. He was considered to be the keeper of the universe.

Jehovah, the God of the Bible IS the Keeper of the universe.

Isaiah 40:18 – To whom then will you liken God? or what likeness will you compare to Him?

Isaiah 40:21,22 – Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He who sits on the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are as grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens as a curtain and spreads them out as a tent to live in.

Isaiah 40:25,26 – “To whom then will you compare Me, or shall I be equal?” says the Holy One. “Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who has created these things, who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by names by the greatness of His might, for He is strong in power; not one fails.

Isaiah 40:28 – Have you not known? Have you not heard that the everlasting God, Jehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not faint, neither is weary? There is no searching out His understanding.

Janus was considered to be the god of beginnings.

Jehovah IS the God of beginnings.

Genesis 1:1 – In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

John 1:1,2,14 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him and without Him, nothing was made that was made... And the Word became a human being and lived among us...

Janus was considered to have been a great king before he became a god.

Jehovah IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

1 Timothy 6:15b,16 – He is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light... to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

If a Roman began an endeavor with prayers to Janus, he hoped that he would be ensured a good conclusion.

If you will begin the rest of your life by addressing to Jehovah prayers of: confession, repentance, and pleas for forgiveness, He will deliver you from the bondage of sin, send His Spirit to indwell you, and guarantee to you the best conclusion of all: ETERNITY AT HOME WITH HIM IN HEAVEN.

Romans 10:9,10 – If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes for righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made for salvation.

John 14:16,17 – [Jesus said to His disciples] “I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”

John 5:24 – [Jesus said] “He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

In which are you trusting: your own “Janus”, or the true God, Jehovah?

ARE YOU A “JUDAS” OR A “JUDAH”?

By Kingsley Baehr

“Which Judas?” you ask.
“Well, who is the most notorious Judas of all?
“That guy that betrayed Jesus.”
“Yes, that Judas!”
“Are you asking me if I am a betrayer? How dare you! And, by the way, aren’t Judas and Judah the same name in different languages? Your question makes no sense and is insulting, as well!”
“Please let me explain. Yes, Judas is the Greek form and Judah, the Hebrew form of the same name. That name in both languages means ‘Let Him [God] be praised.’ So my question really is, ‘Are you betraying Jesus with your life, or are you praising Jesus with your life?’”
“But I’m a good person. I try to do the right thing. I have never betrayed any-body, much less God!”
“O.K. Let’s assume that for argument’s sake. Here is the next question: ‘Is your life praising and glorifying God? As people observe your behavior, do they say, “Wow! Look at what God is doing in his/her life! God must really be real!”?’”
“Um... well...”
“Look at these verses about why God created you:

  Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him. – Isa. 43:7
  This people I have formed for Myself; they shall proclaim My praise. – Isa. 43:21
  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit... – John 15:8
  That we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. – Ephesians 1:12
  But you are...His own special people, that you may proclaim the praise of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. – 1 Peter 2:9”

“So, are you a Judah, praising and glorifying God with your life as He created you to do, or are you a Judas, betraying the God who created you for His glory, and selling out His Son Jesus Christ for your own agenda and goals in life?”

Dear reader, God loves you so much, in spite of your betrayal of Him, that He sent His Son Jesus, to be betrayed by Judas into the hands of those who crucified Him on a Roman cross. There He died as your substitute, taking on Himself all your punishment for your betrayals [sins] and offering you forgiveness, cleansing, and eternal life in their place. So either you accept His loving offer or reject it and keep on being a Judas until the final judgment when you will have to undergo eternal punishment because you refused to accept eternal life. I beg you, accept Jesus’ offer and become a Judah, whose life will praise and glorify the God Who created you and His Son Jesus Who gave His life for you.

Whom are you most often trying to please?

By Kingsley Baehr

Whom are you most often trying to please in your life? Yourself? Your wife or husband? Your parents? Your friends?

  God?
 Hmmm... God--- How does a person please God?

TRUST pleases God.
“But without faith, it is impossible to please [God]; for he who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that he rewards those who diligently search for Him.” – Hebrews 11:5,6

HIS PEOPLE please God.
“For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.” – Psalm 149:4

ASKING FOR AN UNDERSTANDING HEART & DISCERNMENT BETWEEN GOOD &
BAD pleases God.
“Solomon prayed, ‘Give me an understanding heart... that I may discern between good and bad...’ And it pleased the LORD that Solomon had asked for these things.’” – 1 Kings 3:9,10

NOBILITY OF LIFE pleases God.
“That you might walk worthy of the LORD pleasing Him in all things, being fruitful in every good work...” – Colossians 1:10

KNOWING HIS WILL pleases God.
“For this cause we... do not stop praying for you, and desiring that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and understanding... pleasing Him in all things and increasing in the knowledge of God.” – Colossians 1:9,10

SACRIFICIALLY DOING GOOD AND SHARING pleases God.
“But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” – Hebrews 13:16

THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE please God.
“I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the LORD...” – Psalm 69:30,31a

One final question:
Is it better to please the God
before Whom you will stand in judgment one day with eternal results or yourself— for the few years you have left here on earth?
It’s your decision.
I hope and pray that you make the wise one.

SHAKY START

By Kingsley Baehr

 Stock market plunging!
  Confidence wavering!
   Citizens worrying!
OCTOBER IS OFF TO A SHAKY START!
  but
CHECK OUT THESE VERSES FROM GOD'S WORD, THE BIBLE:

"My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:19. These words were sent to the Christian church meeting in Philippi. They apply to the church today. Are you one of Christ's people? Has He added you to His church? Acts 2:47b says, "… And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Then you won't have to depend on an undepen- dable stock market for your daily needs.

"Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." - Philippians 1:6. Has Jesus Christ begun a good work in you? Ephesians 2:8-10 say, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." If you have been saved by God's grace, you can have the confidence that He will not desert you, but continue working in you until He takes you home to heaven.

"Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:1,3 God has promised that evil men will die away. Do you trust Him enough to believe that promise? Look at these verses also in Psalm 37: 7-16,35-40. God has pronounced judgment on the Saddam Husseins of the world.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." - John 14:27 The peace that Jesus gives does not depend on world conditions or personal situations, but on His presence and power with you Do you have His peace? Then you will never have to worry.

. GIVE CHRIST [THE PRINCE OF PEACE] A CHANCE!

School

By Kingsley Baehr

  September means school!
  And school is way cool!
  So why be a fool?--
  Since you know the rule—
  You must go to school.
  Get out of the pool!
  It’s now time for school,
  'Cause school is way cool!

You have probably guessed that this attempt at poetry was made by a teacher, an old teacher trying to be cool! I doubt that I have succeeded in the “cool” part, but I insist that the message is true. Schooling of one sort or another will always be a part of our lives, absolutely necessary for growth and maturity.

But have you been to God’s school? It also is absolutely necessary for spiritual growth and maturity.

Where is it, you might ask?
ALL THE WORLD-OVER! - John 8:12 – When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

How does one register for it?
APPLY TO JESUS CHRIST! - John 6:37 – [Jesus said,] “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never drive away.”

What are the curricula and textbooks?
ALL IN THE BIBLE! - 2 Timothy 3:15,16,17 – ...The Holy Scriptures... are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in [right living], so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

What is the grading scale?
ALL DEPENDENT ON FAITHFULNESS! - 1 Corinthians 4:2 - ...Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
Matthew 25:21,23 - ...”Well done, good and faithful [student]; ... Come and share your Master’s happiness.”

What about the graduation ceremonies?
OUT OF THIS WORLD! – 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 – For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.