A Look at the Book #476

Daily Devotional – A Look at the Book #476

A Thought for today by Papa “J”

If one could draw a picture of a liar… what might he or she look like? The best picture I can muster up is to go take a look in the bathroom mirror! Yet, God is merciful in that we can overcome. Revelation 21:1-7; but if we reject His mercy Revelation 21:8 applies.

A DAY IN THE PAST, THE PRESENT OR THE FUTURE

Once in firefighter school our group was made to sit in a room where the contents were set on fire. As the blaze began there was little fear and in my mind since I was thinking as I most often do that in a controlled environment and being just a training exercise; “don’t sweat the small stuff”! We were told to kneel with one knee on the floor and the other leg with our foot on the floor. The bunker clothing on the exposed knee became unbearably hot and our gloved hands began to feel uncomfortable too! We could also feel the heat through our face shield and then as if that were not enough our air flasks heated up and the air we were now breathing was hot. If someone were to place water on that fire with us trainees inside we would have been like the steamed lobster in just a minute or two. Or if the fire were not controlled properly the gases that were collecting at the ceiling could have ignited causing a serious explosion. Even if you are not a firefighter trainee, death or injury is all around us at each moment of time and there is no guarantee for tomorrow. Human life is said to be nothing more than a vapor, appearing for a short time and then never to be seen in time again. God who created all things visible and invisible also created eternity. It is a place where your vapor of life will reappear. Eternity has two places of existence. One is called the kingdom of God and the other is called the lake of fire. Again Revelation 21:1-8 applies; also read Revelation 20:11-15.

1 Peter

1 Peter 2: 13-16 – Submission to governing authorities… how are you doing with that? There is a lot of chatter these days about our government and much of it is not good. The apostle Peter explains that we are to submit ourselves under the authority of all local and national ordinances or institutions. Diving deeper into what this means entirely would be as difficult as trying to read or interpret current health care laws under our present governing economy, but here are some thoughts anyway.

For the sake of our testimony of being “In Christ” we are to obey the laws of the land. Even in a harsh rule of government we are to abide in peace with its laws since the law in most cases is established to convict the guilty and protect the non-guilty. This is the will of God because this accomplishes two important issues. One: We are doing what God desires us to do and we are being good citizens. Two: This puts an end to the chatter of ignorant men and women.

In times such as we live today this is not easy is it? Men and women who have the outward appearance and position of integrity and power; but who are inwardly full of all sorts of debauchery, and then they have the audacity to reveal their corruption and deny that they have done wrong. Hang in there saints; it is for this reason you were called, since Christ also suffered for us and He has left us an example to follow of which we will see more of as we move through these passages. 1 Peter 2:21.