The Devotional

Papa “J” says

What to be going to places where integrity is flourishing, then stop being unfaithful to God and to those around you. Proverbs 11:3

While serving as the Supply Officer for a shore station, one of my collateral duties was inspecting other Naval Stations in New England. So I could expect to travel at least twice a year to some Station. One such place was the Naval Security Group Activity Winter Harbor, in Maine. This activity closed in 2002 but during the sixty seven years of operation it was the primary communication center for submarines. Also the station was deemed to be the best in the world because of location. The Radio Reading Room website at http://jproc.ca/radiostor/reading.html if you are interested can provide interesting reading about the history of the station and the Winter Harbor area. What does it take to be the best? Location helps, but along with location there must be a person of integrity. Ensign Alessandro Fabbri who began the Otter Cliffs Radio station in 1917 put location and integrity together and he was able to communicate with Europe, while other stations failed. While there, I said in my heart, “Who am I, that God would allow me to inspect such a wonderful place where so much of the decision and outcome of the First, Second and Cold Wars were adjudicated, since I am the least of those with integrity.”

The Second Epistle of John

2 John 3-6 Is it not awesome how God explains the need to Martha for her and her children to abide in the Commandments of God. We should be encouraged our self to know that God has not abandoned His Commandments. Yes we live by grace through faith in Christ, but this does not give us permission to disobey God. The apostle Paul states in Romans 6:1 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?”

Certainly we should not, and this epistle of apostle John explains to the woman and her children the same thought. John establishes his love for truth, as the truth is in Jesus. Jesus is God. John 1:17. This thought fulfills the first five commandments. To love God with your whole heart, mind and soul. In verse five John completes obedience to the commandments of God by stating simply to the woman that we ought to love one another.

God is pleased with us when we walk according to His Commandments. Nothing has changed. God expects us to live in this love for Him and for that love to flow to our fellow man. Anything less is to break the commandment of God. Impossible to do you say? Yes, you are correct, it is impossible to carry out these two commandments. But when it comes to righteous living, Christ has fulfilled the Law. Walk in the integrity of Christ and expect great things to happen. Ephesians 5:1-2

The Devotional

Papa “J” says

Foolishness is the element of choice for the devil to tie up your child. Fathers who use the measuring rod (rule) of correction will direct them clear of a troubling bondage. Proverbs 22:15

Halfway night on a submarine. Ever been there? Well, yes some reading this have. I know that you, like me, avoided the mess decks during those hours of evil celebration. The heart of man is desperately wicked, so wicked that if exposed is beyond disgusting. Jeremiah 17:9. We need to take this “desperately wicked” phrase to the Hebrew to see what God is saying. The word is aw-nash meaning incurable, or incurably sick. Halfway night on a submarine is about as close as one can get to this truth and survive. The details of this night will not be exposed here. Well you say, “then why do I bring you close without opening the door so you can peak in?” “Okay, I was waiting for you to ask!” There is another place to peak and see what I cannot say. Many will not look at all, and say within themselves that it is not true of them. Others will only crack the door open a wee bit. I do know that none of us reading will throw the door wide open, because even the ungodly will not be brave enough to do that. Even on submarine halfway night the door is only partially open. Notice what Jesus says in Matthew 15:16-20. We do not have to look away from our own heart to find foolishness for it is bound up in each of us. But the power of the Cross and the Risen LORD overcomes. The better celebration is this week. John 20:1-18.

The Second Epistle of John

2 John 1-2 This is a wonderful epistle and like Third John, we will look at them both. These are often overlooked by the church and seldom read by the saints. After the writing of the Revelation, John was released from exile in Patmos, the apostle returned to Ephesus, and it is here where the Elder is writing to Kyria in the Greek or Martha in the Hebrew to this specific friend. A friend who has a sister that is with the apostle and she is mentioned in the last verse 13.

Truth is one of those attributes of God that He is willing to share with His saints, and from John's remarks it is easy to see that he has fallen in love with Truth. Truth is the subject of this epistle and the sub-subject is love. We will spend some time looking at these themes and may God direct our hearts to fall in love with Truth. John 14:6 and 1 John 1:1-4

Truth in the children of God, helps us to love one another. Verse two here helps us to see another important aspect of learning truth. Truth will be one of those attributes we take into eternity with us when we go to be with the LORD. So, is this important, so very important. Verse two states clearly that the truth of God learned here on earth will abide with us forever. The way of truth is Jesus Christ and the way to life in heaven is; in Christ. This is why John is in love with truth.

The Devotional

Papa “J” says

What would you consider to be more lethal than a soldier and his weapon of choice? Proverbs 29:11 concludes it is the fool who has no control over their feelings and vents them, rapidly!

Men and women and their fighting machines (some would argue that women do not fight). Immediately I am reminded to two. One is alive an well today, she was a fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force and the other judged Israel, her name was Deborah. There are others too, the ones who we may never hear about, but they are fighters just the same. So today we see men and women who stand the guard while the other is away. Raising children when there is no father or mother to fill that void. Hammering out a living when there is no one to support those needs. Now I see that this little story goes beyond the original thought! One parent families come into focus, but so; this also is part of the whole. Why would I want to call this woman, or this man a fighter? They do not ride around in submarines, nor do they travel at supersonic speeds battling an enemy seen only by the some technical piece of equipment. Why? Because they fight a much greater battle and too, never see the enemy. Ephesians 6:12. It is time for this nation to return to God and His technical equipment, the Holy Bible. It is MOM and DAD that need rescuing! When mom and dad do what the Bible has commanded them to do. The children will be safe. Those who believe that socialism works are being deceived. Socialism destroys!

Psalm 23

Psalm 23:4-6 The battle is in the valley, where the shadow of death is so strong that you can feel it. One does not have to be in the military to feel the thickness of this looming death and one does not need to walk very far in this valley to know that they are stepping on the grounds of the enemy. Food and water sources are scarce and the shadow of enemies thickens with each passing day. One only needs to be away from the comfort of the Creator to know this truth! Might I asked you today. Where are you? Where are you? Where are you?

I will fear no evil, do you fear? For You are with me is God with you? I am protected by Your Rod and Staff! Does the LORD keep and protect you? You prepare and meet all of my daily needs! Do you know that God provides for you? Don't you know that it is God who freshens your face with the anointing oil of the Spirit of God, or rejoices your spirit with blessings that overflow in good things? Where are you? Where are you? Where are you?

God wants you to know that those who follow Him are followed by goodness and mercy, not for the moment but for all the days of their lives. There is no safer place for a person to dwell, than in the safety of the LORD in the days of their life and then; to dwell in the House of the LORD forever! Yet, far to many of us live in the valley of the enemy with all of the protection that one could ask for. But they fail! but they fail! but they fail! Because they do not trust God.

A Study of Ephesians

The Relationship of God and His Saints

Many folks who read this lesson from the blog or email will miss a great deal of context simply because time does not allow me to fill in a lot of the material I will be discussing during our class. If you have questions please let me know I will be glad to answer you via email. Jesse

Ephesians 2:1-10

Lesson #4

Goal of the Lesson:

• To show that the saints of God have a relationship with God that begins at salvation and that it can never be broken

• To show that salvation is a work of God and not a work of man.

• To show that God's original purpose in creation was to make us like Christ.

This Lesson will help us:

• To see that as saints we have a new identity; in Christ

• To be joyful, because of what God has done for us; in Christ

• To have confidence and hope; in Christ

• To know that we have security; in Christ.

Ever heard the words; “understand who you are” or “be the person you want to be” or other self identifying words that are designed to promote a good self image? But if we are honest with our heart, we often come away from those encounters feeling a little disappointed.

Basically this is because our self image is like that of Adam's race. Genesis 5: 3. When Adam sinned against God, he lost his likeness of God. Genesis 5:1. It should not take a lot of understanding to see that the unsaved person has no chance to resemble God at anytime. But those who have been saved, the life of that person is restored to the image of God once again. 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Romans 5:12-21

So we have this past – before we were saved. In Adam all die

In our present salvation – we are placed by faith; in Christ and we live by faith

Romans 6:1-14

And we now have a future – of life; in Christ.

Well lets see what all of this looks like in Ephesians 2.

Verse 1-3: A simple but humbling statement that all of us need to identify with. Before we we were saved, we were DEAD in sins of trespass. Some might want to say that they do not understand what a trespass is. Written in the soul of every human being are the ten commandments. Ever lie or steal, ever thought about murder. Ever decide to not worship God, ever had an idol. Trespass means to go beyond the Law of God. Romans 2:14 and Galatians 3:19. So all are dead in sin at birth because all are born into Adam who cannot live in accordance with the commandments of God.

Theology has explained this by saying that there is an original sin, or mortal sin of Adam and then there are venial sins, sins that are common to man. That the mortal sin carries the death penalty imposed on Adam in garden to all mankind and that common sins do not carry the death penalty. Sin by definition means to miss the mark of righteousness and the scripture says: Romans 3:23 All sin carries the penalty of death and all are guilty, Jesus Christ came to restore us to God and to His righteousness. 1 John 2:28-29.

So before we came to faith in God, we were kept by the power of Satan in darkness. We were controlled by the god of this age and kept from the light of the gospel. 2 Corinthians 4:4. But God has shown us grace, or favor in that while we were born into this world with the sin of Adam, God has provided an escape from this death through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, John 3:36 and Romans 1:18

Verses 4-6 Before understanding the Resurrection our position in a relationship with God was hopeless. We were surrounded by death and controlled in that death by the god of this world. Ephesians 2:1-2, but when God who is rich in mercy presented the risen Savior to us and we believed; then by His power to raise Christ from the dead, He also raised us up together with Him. This same power that began working in the crucified Son of God while He was dead in the grave, who was covered in all of the trespass of mankind, God reached in with His eternal power of life and raised Him up out of the grave. In doing so; He also raised us up together with Him and seated us in the heavenly places with Him. Your salvation and mine was sealed in Christ on that Sunday morning one thousand nine hundred seventy seven years ago, next Sunday. The only thing that prevents people from having resurrection life is faith. The grace is provided by God the Father, the faith to believe is assisted by God the Holy Spirit and the Risen Life is proved in God the Son, John 14:1-6.

So Paul to this point has explained our past and present condition concerning our relationship with God. Now he will explain our future life; in Christ.

Verse 7: The riches of God's grace do not end with salvation. The truth is that grace, has been active and working in our life even while we were dead in sin, we were just not able to see it. We move from the common grace of God for all mankind, to the saving grace of God by faith in Christ to the greater grace of God. This is the explanation of Ephesians 2:7. So grace by definition is really the working favor of God to extend to all mankind the opportunity of living in the Resurrection Power of the Living Christ. Ephesians 1:3.

Verses 8 – 9: There is no who deserves to be saved, so to say that people are pre-destined to salvation is the lie of religion. From, Abel to the apostles, and advancing through time to you and me, all have been saved by the marvelous grace of God. Salvation is offered to all, by faith salvation is believed on in the world and those who believe are raised up to glory just like Christ. 1 Timothy 3:16. All of this is a gift of God, not of any works of man. To say that one is pre-destined to have salvation is to say that some have done something to deserve it and this is an error of interpretation. If salvation were only to those predestined then salvation would not be offered freely to all. Romans 6:23. So there is no wiggle room for anyone to boost about how God saved them because the somehow deserved it.

Verse 10: Salvation is designed and crafted by God. So God who is rich in mercy takes each one who comes to faith and prepares us for good works. One: He points us to the cross and the resurrection of His Son. Two: He seals us in the Holy Spirit and blesses us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places; in Christ. The predestination of this work God prepared in eternity past for us to be like Christ. The first Adam failed, the second Adam, who is Christ did not fail and what was prepared in eternity past is restored to all who believe by grace through faith. 1 Corinthians 15:47

Conclusion: For those saved, God is conforming us into the likeness of His Son. He is restoring us to His original design; in Christ all shall be made alive. Romans 8:28-29 and 8:37-39; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.

The Devotional

Papa “J” says

More about the fool. You know the one who believes he or she is what they are by their own achievements. Awe, go ahead and transgress the truth and miss the better blessing! Proverbs 26:11

On a day of training the submarine was inching it's way to the surface using a device called the “EPM”. We were running a loss of power drill and at less than one hundred feet from the surface. Anytime a submarine surfaces in open waters there is danger and adding the simulation of a crippled sub to the event naturally adds more danger. It is similar to changing lanes on the highway without looking to see if another car is passing you. One of the pre-cautions is for the officer of the deck to raise the periscope and look for “shapes or shadows” As he turns the periscope a full 360 degrees several times, he is to report loudly the words; “no shapes, no shadows”. We were at this stage of the operation, when the OOD froze. He stopped reporting and did not move. Our captain, immediately took over and commanded the diving officer for an emergency deep procedure. Along with the chief of the watch we began filling our ballast tanks with water and ordering maneuvering to give us speed. The freighter past over the sub with only a few feet to spare, we could hear the screw making that familiar chopping sound very loudly over our head. Once again, God allowed us to live for another day! Even though one was slothful others reacted wisely. Proverbs 26:13-16.

Psalm 23

Psalm 23:2-3 From the early stages of life a child can learn this Psalm, the truth is that this is an easy Psalm to memorize. But I believe that this could lead us to rote repetition, where the words just roll off our lips and we fail to hear God speak to us. This has been true in all of us to some extent and we miss the blessings that God has. In this short Psalm, God, through the pen of David speaks blessings that provide avenues for trust and participation with God in life.

I would like to think that all of us enjoy the opportunity to lay in the warm grass of spring or summer, also to feel the cool breezes blowing over our face and the warmth of the grass on our backside. Also there is nothing more satisfying then to experience this near the still cool waters of a pond. At early ages of life, this is being alive. At a later age in life, it is the joy of having lived. Anticipation for the young and the experience of the elderly come together and merge as one.

There is another dimension to this. As a saint of God, through Christ the LORD, spiritual refreshment and rest come from abiding, in Christ. Allowing the Holy Spirit to lay us down in those pastures of tender lawn of heaven. Also, we must be willing to let Him refresh us with the refreshment of His quiet cool waters. It is God who restores our soul, it is God who leads, it is God who provides righteousness and He does it all, for His name sake. What an awesome blessing. There is more in these to verses, allow yourself to dwell in them for the rest of the day.