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Devotions to help you Think about God’s Word and Apply it to your Lives.

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Outstretched Arm

During a recent Bible Class at our congregation, the leader asked what we thought of when we hear the term “outstretched arm.”  People suggested things like welcoming, hugging, holding hands, guiding, and giving directions by pointing. Someone mentioned the outstretched arms of Moses to part the Red Sea, arms that had to be held up by Aaron and Hur. Someone else brought up arms outstretched in battle to hold a shield and a sword. I suggested that sometimes an outstretched arm with a hand held up signals people to stop. My dear wife, sitting next to me, started singing, along with the hand motions: “Stop, in the name of love, before you break my heart…” An outstretched arm can mean many things.

In Scripture, this term is used repeatedly in the Old Testament to describe God’s activity here on earth. Most often it refers to God’s deliverance of His people from their slavery in Egypt and leading them to the Promised Land.

Exodus 6:6 “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.

Deuteronomy 26:8 So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders

Jeremiah 32:21 You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror.

The prophet Jeremiah also uses the term to describe God’s creative activity.

Jeremiah 27:5 With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please.

Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.

In every instance, the outstretched arm of God is a display of His power and strength.

I think the ultimate display of God’s power and might was in the outstretched arms of Jesus on the cross. He was accomplishing our greatest need by willingly, in an act of love, offering His perfect life as the only acceptable payment for the sins of the world. His mighty hands received the nails, but they were unnecessary to hold Him on that cross. He chose to go there in order to atone for my sin, for your sin, and for the sin of everyone…including those who do not believe in Him. With His mighty hand and outstretched arms He accomplished an even greater deliverance than the Exodus from Egypt. He delivers us from sin and death and the power for the devil.

When Mary sang her song of praise to God, she included these words:

Luke 1:51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

She was describing God’s power, which is capable of anything. And her Son displayed that power in the most loving way on that hill outside of Jerusalem.

Outstretched Arm2025-03-10T21:07:47-05:00

Deny Yourself

A common excuse people use to justify sinful behavior is “I was born that way” or “I can’t help the way I am.” And I do not disagree with their self-assessment. Scripture agrees with them, too.

Psalm 51:5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

But being born sinful does not give you the right to live that way and insist that God must accept you on your terms. If you choose to live in your sin without repentance, God will allow you to do so. He will also give you what your sins deserve.

How that must break the Father’s heart. He has provided a way for you to be set free from your sin and its eternal consequences. Jesus took care of that with a perfect life and the offering of that sinless life as the sacrifice for the sins of the world. If you trust in Him, forgiveness is yours.

There are those who try to twist the message of Scripture to say that belief in Jesus is permission to continue sinning without remorse or repentance. That is the opposite of what Jesus said. While Jesus spent all of His time with sinners, He never joined them in their sins. And His constant encouragement was to stop sinning, as He told the woman caught in adultery:

 John 8:11b “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

When God forgives you, a sense of gratitude should be the result, a gratitude that seeks to express itself in your life. You want to live in a new way, the new life to which God has called you, which strives to leave sin behind and live according to God’s Will.

Matthew 16:24–25 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.

Those who want to continue in their sins do not “deny themselves.” They think that indulging in their sins will give them the life they are searching for. But they end up losing the life God wants them to have, life eternal with Him.

God gives you the strength and power to deny the desires of your old sinful self. The problem is we don’t always use that power. We stumble and fail and fall. But God’s grace is a reality in the lives of those who put their confidence in Jesus. We admit our sin, repent, and God reassures us of His forgiveness for Jesus’ sake.

1 John 1:8–9 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

 

 

 

Deny Yourself2025-03-08T09:47:03-06:00

The Right Solution

A large manufacturing company was having production problems. They were not sure what the problem was, much less how to fix it. They tried a few in-house solutions, but there was no improvement, no increase in productivity. Finally, they decided to bring in an outside consultant. One man in particular came highly recommended. They called him and he agreed to come immediately. He showed up and spent about two hours walking around the plant, observing everything. Finally, at the end of those two hours, he took a piece of chalk out of his pocket, walked to a spot in the assembly line, and put a big X on the floor. He said, “Here’s your problem. If you streamline this spot, you will see a tremendous improvement.” The management was somewhat skeptical, but they took his advice and overnight productivity went through the roof! They could not have been any happier, that is, until a few days later when they got the bill from the consultant. They opened up the bill and it said, “Consulting fees: $50,000.00” The manager thought that was outrageous. The consultant had only been there for two hours! How could he justify charging that much?  He called the consultant and demanded an itemized billing. The next day, he received another envelope from the consultant. It was the itemized bill. The first line said, “One piece of chalk, $1.00.”  The second line said, “Knowing where to put the ‘X’  $49, 999.00.”

Romans 5:6-15 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still  sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! (NIV)

The cross marks the spot!

  • God knew what needed doing. We were powerless sinners separated from God by our sins. We needed reconciliation.
  • He knew when it needed doing. At just the right time, while we were powerless and enemies, God acted.
  • And He knew who needed to do it. God did it. He sent Jesus to take our place in punishment so that we … rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation

Thanks be to God. He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Right Solution2025-03-05T09:10:47-06:00

God Grieves

Someone asked me recently whether or not God cries. He said knew Jesus had cried while living among us, but He was asking if God still cries now.

That’s a tough question. Scripture, God’s revelation of Himself to us, describes Him as having emotions: sorrow, compassion, anger, joy, grief and others. But God is not controlled or overcome by emotions. And I don’t know of a place in His Word that would suggest that the Almighty sheds tears in heaven.

Let’s consider what the Bible says about God grieving.

Genesis 6:6 The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.

1 Samuel 15:11 “I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.”

Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

God grieves over sin. He feels sorrow when people suffer. It hurts Him when people turn away from Him. All this comes from the love that He has for the ones He created, the ones He came down here and rescued by dying in our place. He grieves because He wants only the best for all people, but not all people trust Him and take what He has to offer.

Knowing that God grieves and experiences emotions helps us relate to Him and understand Him. He cares about us and is affected by what we experience.

God Grieves2025-03-05T09:36:53-06:00

Remember the Alamo

One of the most courageous stands of self-sacrifice in the history of our nation is the defense of the Alamo, which is a huge part of the heritage of Texans. Colonel William Barret Travis and his force of less than 200 men had made their stand in what is now Bexar county. General Santa Anna reached their stronghold on February 23, 1836, with an army of 1600 men. The battle of the Alamo was underway. Travis sent out a letter requesting assistance. That letter deserves a place right up there with the Declaration of Independence and the Gettysburg Address. It read in part:

“I am besieged by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. I have sustained a continual Bombardment and cannonade for twenty-four hours and have not lost a man. The enemy has demanded surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken. I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, and our flag still waves proudly from the walls. I shall never surrender or retreat.”

Travis ends with this unforgettable, triple-underlined vow: “Victory or death.”

His entire force refused to surrender. They elected to stay and fight. The plea for assistance would not be answered in time. Realizing that no help could be expected from the outside and that Santa Anna would soon take the Alamo, Travis addressed his men and told them they were fated to die for the cause of liberty and the freedom of Texas. Their only choice was the manner in which they would make that sacrifice. He gave them three options:

  1. Rush the enemy, killing a few but being slaughtered themselves in the hand-to-hand fight with the overpowering Mexican army.
  2. Surrender, which would result in their massacre by the Mexicans.
  3. Remain in the Alamo and defend it until the last man, thus giving the Texas army more time to form and likewise taking a greater toll among the Mexicans.

The third choice was the one taken by the men. On March 2, 1836, during the siege of the Alamo, Texas independence was declared. Four days later, March 6, that document was signed with the blood shed at the Alamo. The sacrifice of men like Travis, Davy Crockett and James Bowie was not in vain. It was a sacrifice on the altar of liberty.

The battle-cry “Remember the Alamo” spurred on the forces of Sam Houston at San Jacinto six weeks later. On April 21, General Sam Houston led an army of about 800 in a surprise attack against Santa Anna and his 1600 men that afternoon. Shouting, “Remember the Alamo!” the Texas Army killed almost half of Santa Anna’s army while losing only nine men. Texas won the battle of San Jacinto in 18 minutes and secured her independence from Mexico. Texas remained an independent nation for nearly 10 years before becoming a state in 1845.

Remember the Alamo! Absolutely! It should be remembered. But there is something about the Alamo that most people do not remember. We think of it as a military installation. However, it was originally built 100 years before the famous battle with another purpose in mind. It was originally named Misión San Antonio de Valero, and served as home to missionaries and their Indian converts for nearly seventy years. It was a mission of the church. A mission outpost to take the message of Jesus Christ as Savior to the people of Texas. The Gospel message went out from the Alamo long before it was the site of that March Massacre. We should remember the original intent of that place.

Even more important is that we remember what God has said and done. Jesus Christ took a stand against sin and death and the devil. He had sent out His plea for help: “Father, if possible, take this cup from me…” But He would make His stand alone. That valiant stand would be the end. There would be no need for any further battles. When Jesus paid the price for sin with His own perfect life, He said, “It is finished” and it was. The victory was won for us. His sacrifice on the altar of the cross was the last sacrifice necessary for sin.

The anniversary of the battle of the Alamo usually falls during Lent, a time of remembering the Victory we have because of the death of Jesus. For us it is not “Victory or Death.” For us, it is Victory through Death, the death of Jesus! That gives us the victory over sin and death and the devil. Faith claims His victory as your own. And that is something worth remembering.

 

 

Remember the Alamo2025-03-05T08:11:52-06:00

Countdown to Easter

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of another Lenten season. For those who don’t follow the church year calendar, Lent is a 40-day period (not counting Sundays) from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, a season of marking time, a countdown to Easter. People who give up something for this penitential season are certainly counting the days. You watch the clock, waiting for time to pass, maybe even marking the days off your calendar until it is over. Perhaps you suffer a little because of what you have given up, which is to be a reminder of how much Jesus suffered for you and all He endured to accomplish your salvation.

Lent is not mandated in Scripture. It is an observance developed in the history of the Church to assist us in reflecting on the death of our Lord and preparation to celebrate His Resurrection.

Remember that Old Testament 40-day period of waiting when it did not stop raining? Noah had an experience of watching and waiting. Even after the rains stopped, the water covered the entire earth. He and his family and the animals would be in the ark for a long time before it settled on dry land.

Life is filled with times of watching and waiting: for a child to be born, at the bedside of a loved one who is hospitalized, for a spouse to return from deployment. Those times come and those times go, but that is not all there is to life. I don’t imagine that Noah’s time on the ark was all work and gloom and drudgery. When I try to picture those eight folks together on the ark, they had to have done something. One author said he imagined them spending their evenings playing pinochle and telling stories and having sing-alongs! As bad as things were, they knew there was an end in sight. Eventually the time would be up, their current circumstances would be over, replaced by something better.

That is the message from God’s Word for you as well, involved as you are in this business of marking time, watching and waiting. You go through Lent to get to Easter! You go through life to get to heaven! You are assured of something better because of what Jesus did. You have God’s Word on it.

God made a promise to Noah: “Never again will you have to go through what you have been through. You have my word on that!” The rainbow was the sign that God keeps his Word. The colors of the rainbow can remind us of the promises God makes to us, too.

  • Red for the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross to make us clean from every sin.
  • Golden orange, a prelude of the untold riches that await us.
  • Yellow, like the rising sun, promise of a new and better day.
  • Green, the color of life, of things that live and grow.
  • Blue, for heaven, cloudless when the storm is past.
  • And purple, the traditional color of the Lent, the color of royalty, a reminder of what our Lord endured, the King of Kings once crowned with thorns and throned on the cross, to let God’s kingdom come.

Lent is a season for counting the time. It is not simply a season you have to endure, but a time to remember what Jesus was willing to do so that you could be forgiven. And as we go through this waiting period, we already know of the rainbow, the promise that we are moving toward Easter when the counting is all done. And the even greater promise of life everlasting earned for us by Christ through His death and resurrection.

 

Countdown to Easter2025-03-04T18:33:55-06:00

God Heals

Last September I woke up one morning with severe pain in my left wrist. It came on all at once. I thought I must have slept on it wrong. But it didn’t go away. I had just recovered from surgery to release two trigger fingers on my left hand, and now this! When I went back to the doctor who had done the surgery on my fingers for what should have been my final appointment, he told me I had something called De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis.

I don’t know who De Quervain was, but I wish he had kept this affliction to himself! It was so painful that I was unable to play the guitar, something I love to do. I tried an injection of steroids –  which was probably the most painful injection I’ve ever had in my life, and I’ve had shots in my eyes – but it did not grant any relief. I prayed that God would grant me healing. I was finally able to have surgery to cut open the sheath around those tendons in my wrist on February 20th. There is still a lot of healing that has to take place, but last night I pulled out my guitar and for the first time in almost six months I was able to play and sing a couple of songs. There was a bit of pain still, but nothing like before, and I didn’t push it too far so that the healing could continue.

I thanked God for the healing. I had left it in His hands, and He chose to grant me relief. I thanked Him for my surgeon and all those who went before him that figured out how to perform this procedure. It reminded me of just our good and kind and gracious our God is. I am well aware that God does not always give us what we ask for, but this time He did, and I recognize it as a tremendous gift from my loving Father.

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

The last song I played and sang last night was a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to the one who not only gave me His Son to secure my salvation, but healing as well. The song was written by Chris Tomlin, but when I sing it I always add a verse from an old hymn that you might recognize.

The splendor of the King, clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice All the earth rejoice
He wraps himself in Light, and darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice Trembles at His voice

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

And age to age He stands And time is in His hands
Beginning and the end Beginning and the end
The Godhead Three in One Father Spirit Son
The Lion and the Lamb The Lion and the Lamb       

 How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

Name above all names Worthy of all praise
My heart will sing How great is our God

Then sings my soul, my Savior, God, to Thee
How great Thou art, How great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior, God, to Thee
How great Thou art, How great Thou art

 How great is our God, sing with m
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

 

 

 

God Heals2025-03-03T18:48:24-06:00

Imitators

A very popular trend online not too long ago was posting pictures of something someone made and then a picture of someone else’s efforts to imitate that item. They would do so with the phrase “Nailed it!” attached, when in fact their attempt barely resembled the original. I’ve included a couple of examples with this devotion.

Some people have made a living imitating others, like Rich Little and Frank Caliendo. They did a good job of acting and sounding like the people they imitated. Other people don’t do as good a job of being imitators.

I thought about that in a recent Bible Study when we read this passage.

Ephesians 5:1–2 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

What does it take to be a good imitator of God? How often do we confidently think “Nailed it” when we in fact have not been good imitators of God?

The first thing Paul encourages us to do in order to imitate God is “live a life of love.” That message is echoed throughout Scripture. Love one another. Even the people you don’t like or disagree with. Show them the same kind of love God has shown to you.

The love of Christ led Him to set aside His own wants and desires and take our place in punishment. He let Himself be put to death to atone for the sins of all people, so that anyone and everyone who believes in Him can have forgiveness. Even the people you don’t like or disagree with.

Jesus hung out with the people that the religious leaders and those who considered themselves “righteous” looked down on. He went to the sinners who needed His help. He never condoned their sin or joined them in their sin, but He loved them even while they were yet in their sins. In doing so, He gave us the example to imitate.

Much of what follows in Ephesians 5 is a list of things we should not do if we are trying to imitate God. Take some time to read that today. Paul also mentions a few things positive things in there. But the overarching theme is that to be an imitator of God, you should love others as He has loved you.

I’m still striving to get to the point where I can say sincerely that I have “Nailed it!”

Imitators2025-03-01T10:02:04-06:00

Transfiguration

Luke 9:28–36 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.) While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen.

I’ve always loved the account of the Transfiguration. Peter, John and James got to be with our Lord when he gave them a glimpse of His glory, His power, His greatness, partially showing His divine nature. Moses and Elijah appeared with the Lord in a glorious way, chatting with Jesus about His departure. A cloud came and enveloped them, the Father admonishing the disciples from the cloud to listen to Jesus. And then it was just Jesus and the three disciples standing there.

The presence of the cloud reminds me of the way God showed His presence to His people during the Exodus, and Mt. Sinai and throughout the time they were in the wilderness.

Exodus 40:34 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

But, like many of the accounts in Scripture, the Transfiguration raises some questions in my mind. How did they know it was Moses and Elijah? Were they wearing nametags? We are not told how they recognized them, but Scripture affirms they were the ones with Jesus, representing the Law and the Prophets, whom Jesus was fulfilling.

And why does this account appear in Matthew, Mark and Luke, but not in the Gospel of John, especially since he was one of the eyewitnesses? Peter mentions it in his second letter.

2 Peter 1:16–19 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

While John does record the account of that event, I think He does make reference to it in his Gospel.

John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

They did see His glory that day, and heard the Father affirm that Jesus was His Son. He was pleased because Jesus was accomplishing what He was sent to do: earn our forgiveness and reconcile us to the Father. Powerful stuff to consider on this Transfiguration Sunday.

Transfiguration2025-02-27T19:49:38-06:00

Grace

Just this week someone asked me if grace was a one-time thing. He was having a discussion with someone who thought that grace was only given to help us be saved and then we were on our own.

I would hate to live with that mindset. That would mean that the new life to which God calls us would be something we have to do without any help! But that is the opposite of what God tells us in His Word.

Ephesians 2:6–10 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 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.

When God’s grace reaches out to save us, those who believe live in a state of grace. That means it is ongoing, from now on. Those who have put their faith in Jesus by the power of God’s grace have the certainty that He will continue to be gracious to us. Grace is God’s doing, something He gives and keeps on giving. It is always available, especially during difficult times when we tend to be more aware of our need for God. We will find grace each time we go to God.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

2 Corinthians 12:9  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

That “power” is God’s grace, an ever-present reality in the lives of His people. God’s grace is what keeps us connected to Him even when we stumble and fall.

John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

And we have the assurance of God’s Grace through the means He uses to bring it to us. You are constantly being renewed and forgiven by God through the the sacraments and the preaching of the Word. You are reminded of and strengthened in God’s Grace when we read the Word, when we remember our Baptism, and each time we receive the body and blood of Jesus in, with and under the bread and wine. These means assuring us that His death was our payment for sin and strengthen our connection to Him.

I like the way the hymn writer tells us God’s grace is new each morning:

It is Thy work alone That I am now converted;
O’er Satan’s work in me Thou hast Thy pow’r asserted.
Thy mercy and Thy grace That rise afresh each morn
Have turned my stony heart Into a heart new-born.

The Lutheran Hymnal #417 stanza 2

Grace2025-02-28T19:57:28-06:00

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