A Look at the Book #454

Daily Devotional – A Look at the Book #453

A Thought for today by Papa “J”

Religion is controlled by mankind and religion will always ignore the obvious. It is time for religion to shut up and hear that the restoration of the Kingdom of God is at Hand; made possible by the Resurrection of the Christ! Matthew 17:1-13

A DAY IN THE PAST

On one of the destroyers I was on; the USS Gearing DD-710 the First Class Petty Officers had their own private Mess. This was a compartment in the front of the ship where we could hang out during our off time; one of the rules was that we were not allowed to sleep in this room. We read, watched movies or television (if in port), played cards and even drank coffee and ate snacks. One boilerman first class ignored the no sleeping rule and most everyday would be found sleeping. The door to this compartment was always locked if no one was there, so one morning during some off time at sea, I unlocked and opened the door, it was a bit smoky inside and here was the boilerman sound asleep with his feet up on the table and his shoes were ablaze. The problem is that I woke him up and immediately he screamed in pain. His feet were blistering inside his burning shoes! Someone had gone in and found the man asleep and wrapped newspaper and a bag over his feet and set them on fire and walk out; locking the door behind him. (A padlock) The poor boilerman could not walk for nearly a month, but he did not sleep anymore in the First Class Mess. No one owned up to setting fire to the man’s boots, but there was only one who I suspected to do something so drastic. Many years had past since that day when I visited a certain First Class Cook in Bath, Maine in his retirement, who admitted to me that he was the culprit who did this deed. The heart of man is desperately wicked above our wildest imagination. Jeremiah 17:9-10

James 4

James 4:11-12 – There is evidence that we give little thought to these few verses here in this epistle. If we do not like a person we might find our self saying things like; “your ways are admiral” sort of a blessing laced with arsenic. This sort of conduct with our mouth is unacceptable even when we comment about the unbeliever. James is writing to us about our conduct among those of us who we know are believers in Jesus.

Notice what the apostle Peter has to say about our individual conduct with the brethren. 1 Peter 2:1-2. With malice, guile and hypocrisy we speak in envious ways that produce evil and break down relationships. We do this without the thought that Christ Jesus our LORD rescued us from this fire (James 3:6). Peter goes on the say that this sort of heartburn can be quenched, or put out. But only by the sincere milk of the Word. If you taste and see that the LORD is gracious, and you have, haven’t you? Then STOP speaking evil of your brother or sister whom Christ died and rose again for.

There is but ONE lawgiver whose standard is purer and higher. He is able to save and purify, or able to simply destroy. His ways are not our ways, neither are His thoughts like our thoughts. In Isaiah 55:1-13, this prophet shares with his readers opportunity for experiencing the abundant life that God invites His children to enjoy. This is a personal invitation that if acted upon by each of us will reap national blessing and eternal benefit. What’s in your spiritual wallet?