Category: Gospels
Day 4–Angel Guards!
Scripture reading for May 28: Psalm 91:11-13 “For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.”
God was revealed to the psalmist as the “Almighty”. Another description in Scripture is the “Lord of Hosts”, referring to His supreme authority over the angel armies faithful to our Lord. They willingly serve Him and minister to those who are heirs of salvation at His direction. The psalmist wrote confidently of God’s command of His angels, giving them specific instructions to guard individual believers in ‘all their ways’ as they journey through the wilderness of this world to their eternal home in the City of God.
These verses remind us of the greater invisible realm of God’s kingdom where there is a spiritual conflict taking place. Before we were saved, we were dead in trespasses and sins and walked under the control of the prince of the powers of the air, Satan. (Ephesians 2:1-2) We were under God’s wrath and judgment because our rebellious association with the fallen angels. But God’s mercy flowed when we put our trust in Jesus Christ. When we allow God to rule our lives, He commands His angels to guard His people. They are unseen, but there protecting us from harm and evil. They enable us to confront the ‘lion’ and the ‘adder’, powerful foes seeking to kill or destroy us. Instead, we trample them underfoot because God’s angel army stands guard.
As first responders, we are involved in the daily warfare with the forces of darkness that are often invisible. It is encouraging and comforting to know that God is commanding His angel army concerning our protection and empowerment. We are working for the Commander Himself and we are safe in Him. In Christ Jesus, all our enemies are under our feet! (Psalm 110:1) (Matthew 22:44)
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your amazing power and the unseen armies of angels that watch over those who trust You. Protect all responders who are attacked by the prince of the power of the air and empower them to walk confidently. Amen.
Day 3–Good News for ‘Tent-Dwellers’!
Scripture reading for May 27: Psalm 91:7-10 “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place–the Most High, Who is my Refuge–no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.”
In Scripture, our bodies are likened to ‘tents’ that we live in while on earth. John 1:14 states that ‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. . ‘, referring to Jesus coming to earth to live among His people and reveal the heart of the Father God. The word ‘dwell’ actually means to ‘tabernacle’ or pitch a tent. If you remember, the Israelites had a ‘tent’ for God, the Tabernacle, that they carried and pitched for God to dwell in their midst. The cloud of God’s glory would rest over it until it led them in their journey. It was a fire by night bringing light and the comfort of God’s presence. They also had a yearly feast of Tabernacles where they lived in temporary dwellings remembering their journey through the wilderness. (Leviticus 23:33-36)
The psalmist wrote to encourage those who know God by Name and trust in Him as their Refuge and Fortress. Thousands may fall close to you, but the plagues and satanic attacks of this life will not come near you. You will observe the recompense of the wicked only. The psalmist King David wrote in Psalm 37:34 that those waiting on God will look on when the wicked are cut off. If the Lord Most High is your ‘dwelling place’, if His ‘Tabernacle’ is your refuge or secret place, no harm or evil will come near your ‘tent’!
What good news the psalmist brings to first responders on their missions to help the hurting and diseased! These ancient confessions of faith in the Most High God give us comfort and courage to face danger with calm and trust. No plague or evil can harm us as God abides in our ‘tent’.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for these ancient words written down to encourage and teach Your people faith and trust. Help us as faith responders to remember that You dwell in our ‘tent’ by the Holy Spirit. You give us power and courage to share the Good News with those You send us to. Amen.
Day 4–God Personally Cares!
Scripture reading for May 21: Ezekiel 34:15-16“I Myself will be the Shepherd of My sheep, and I Myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them justice.” John 10:14 “I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”
In this passage of Scripture, the Israelites are in Babylonian captivity because the leaders (shepherds) of their nation had failed them and many were sick, injured, and strayed. These lazy shepherds had been feeding themselves and not the sheep entrusted to their care. (Ezekiel 34:2-3) These shepherds had not strengthened the weak or healed the sick sheep. They had not bound up the wounds of the injured or rounded up those who had strayed into enemy territory. Instead of gentle care and correction, they had been harsh and mean. God’s people had become like sheep with no shepherd, and food for wild beasts. (Ezekiel 34:4-5)
God had raised up Ezekiel to speak to the people about this breakdown in leadership and His own plan to shepherd His people in righteousness. This passage reminds us of Psalm 23, where David calls God ‘my Shepherd.’ God would lead His people to green pastures and they would lie down in peace. He would seek the lost and bind up the injured and strengthen the weak. In justice, He would also deal with the leaders, here referred to as ‘fat and strong.’
As those charged with responding to people in need and often weak and injured, we must follow the example of our ‘Good Shepherd’ Jesus Christ. We are called to set aside our own agenda and plans and respond to the call for help from our community members. We use our skills and equipment to care for the hurting. We seek out those lost in a crisis and bring them to better pastures, medical treatment, and connect them with skilled assistance.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for sending Your Son as the Good Shepherd to care for the hurting and wounded. Thank You for calling me and others to represent Your great mercy and love to those who are hurting. Amen.
Day 3–Serpent on the Pole
Scripture reading for May 20: Numbers 21: 5-9 “And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loath this worthless food.” Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”
As God’s people wandered in the wilderness for forty years, they became grumpy and complained about the journey and God’s food supply and water supply. They blamed leadership for their issues and by implication blamed God in a deadly fit of unbelief. As a consequence, God allowed fiery serpents of the desert to bite these people and their poison venom brought death. This consequence caused the people to confess their sin of unbelief and ask Moses to ask God for deliverance from the snakes and death. As Moses was faithful to intercede for the people, God told him what to do. He was to make a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. It was lifted over the camp of God’s people. All who in faith would look upon that serpent with sincere repentance would be healed.
As first responders in the medical field look at this story, something should come to mind. The symbol for the medical field is two snakes coiled around a pole. This ancient remedy, according to Jesus Christ, was a symbol of His own crucifixion on the cross where He took the curse of our sins, sickness, and disease in His own body for our healing. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life.” (John 3:14-15) All who bear the sentence of death from Satan’s poisonous lies can find healing and eternal life by looking at Jesus crucified and resurrected.
Prayer: Father God, What amazing mercy You show to us who are sinners bitten by sin’s poison! We look thankfully to Jesus Christ for healing and mercy. Use us to lift His healing banner. Amen.
Day 2–“Who is my neighbor?”
Scripture reading for May 19: Luke 10:29-34, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So, likewise a Levite, when he come to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. . . .” vs 36 “ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor. . .?”
Jesus loved to ask questions and to tell stories that helped those asking questions to figure out the answer for themselves. In this story of the ‘Good Samaritan,’ Jesus was asked by a religious ‘lawyer’ a question concerning how to determine who was our neighbor. God’s law instructed His people to love their neighbors as themselves. But prejudice against the Samaritans ran deep in Jewish culture. The lawyer sought to trap Jesus but Jesus told him a story.
The story was that of a man who was robbed, beaten, and left to die by a road in Israel. Two respected Jews, a priest and a Levite, passed this helpless victim. They purposely moved to the opposite side of the road to avoid facing the need. The third traveler was a ‘Samaritan’ who had compassion and stopped to help, using his own supplies to bind up the wounds. He utilized his own animal to transport him and paid expenses for him at the inn. Jesus asked the lawyer: “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor?”
As first responders, we must take the stance of the third traveler. There is no room for prejudice against anyone of a different race or religion. We must not be in such a hurry that we avoid facing the needs presented or make excuses. All should be done with excellence and compassion, proving us good neighbors.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for asking questions and telling us stories we can identify with. Forgive me when I have made excuses not to help others or been in a hurry. Fill me with compassion. Amen.
Day 3–Keep the Water Flowing!
Scripture reading for May 13: John 4:11-14 “The woman said to Him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never bet thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.””
Firefighting primarily depends on a supply of water. When called to a fire, we always bring a truck with a supply of water with us because we can’t depend on having a water supply handy. If out in the country, tankers holding two or three thousand gallons come to resupply the pumper engine. One fireman is designated to run the pump and insure the pressure is maintained for those fighting the fire on the hose or hoses. If in the city, hoses from the engine are run to the hydrant and a continuous supply can be maintained. If the water goes dry or runs out, firefighters and those who may be trapped are in grave danger.
In today’s devotional reading, Jesus is talking to a woman by a well dug hundred’s of years earlier by Abraham’s grandson, Jacob. The well was deep and getting the water out required a vessel and a rope and strength. Jesus asked a woman there for a drink. The woman was taken aback for Jews did not ask Samaritan women for help. Jesus drew her out of her cultural and ethnic box by inviting her to ask Him for ‘living water.’ She was curious and asked where she might find this water. Jesus again caused her to think by stating that the water He would give her would become a ‘spring of water welling up to eternal life.’ In other words, a never ending supply for eternity!
Firefighting can make us thirsty. Those caught in fires are usually dehydrated. Water is essential for fighting fires, but also for life itself. But Jesus Christ wants us all to enjoy our personal well of water that springs up inside our hearts.
Prayer: Lord, I need a continuous supply of water! Hydrants can run dry, tankers only hold a limited amount. Fill me with living water. Amen.
Day 4–Jesus Alone is Judge!
Scripture reading for April 30: Matthew 7:1-2 “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” John 5:21-23 “For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He will. The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him.”
Another disease of our souls is pride and the judging of others. We all tend to view ourselves through comparison with others. We see the faults of others and the areas of their lives that are broken and judge them in one way or another. We elevate ourselves and fail to use sober judgment on our own faults. (Ecclesiastes 7:21-22)
Jesus, the One designated by the Father as Judge is the only One with the ability to know everything about a person, seen and unseen in the heart. We are instructed not to judge others and pronounce a guilty verdict or pass a sentence. We are guilty ourselves and our judgment is flawed because of sin within. Jesus warned His disciples that the judgment they pronounced on other would be reaped by them and the measure they used would be measured back to them. They were to honor the Father and the Son by leaving all judgment to Him Alone. This requires humility before God and Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the Righteous Judge because He alone took the penalty for sin upon Himself and paid the price of death on all sinner’s behalf. His blood atoned for our sins and all we can do is say ‘thank You’ and in response forgive others instead of holding judgment against them. One day we who are made righteous by Christ, along with the Apostle Paul, can expect the ‘Righteous Judge’ to award us the crown of righteousness. (2 Timothy 4:8)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, the Righteous Judge, I choose to leave all judgment with You. Help me to never act pridefully and judge someone as totally lost or as deserving eternal punishment. Help me to always use a measure of mercy like You have given to me and all who believe on You. Amen.
Day 3–Dealing with Offense
Scripture reading for April 29: Matthew 18:21 “Then Peter came up and said to Him (Jesus), “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
One of the most serious maladies of the soul is bitterness coming from unforgiveness. We are to guard our hearts because out of them flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23) When offenses come, (not if) we must handle them promptly and according to God’s example in Christ Jesus. A bitter root of unforgiveness in the heart will yield poisonous fruit coming from the inner man through the mouth and even the body in hurtful words and actions. We must choose to forgive by giving the offense to God and allowing Him to handle what is needed. Only God knows the heart of the person and can truly deal justly with the person and possibly lead them to repentance. When we forgive we exhibit the grace of God in Jesus Christ for all.
Peter was very impetuous. Following a prideful argument with several disciples about who was the greatest, Peter questioned Jesus about forgiving his brother who sinned against him. He asked how many times he was required by law to forgive. He generously offered seven times as a possibility. But Jesus simply astounded him with His answer of ‘seventy-seven’ times. Some versions say ‘seventy times seven’ which is more impossible to remember or count. That was Jesus’ point: don’t keep score, but show mercy!
Paul, writing to the Ephesians, instructed them to be kind to one another and tenderhearted. He understood Jesus’ character and example. It was goodness in God that opened the door for repentance. (Romans 2:4) When we forgive, we loose the person to experience God’s grace. We give a concrete example of Jesus’ grace for us.
Prayer: Father, as responders we sometimes become entangled in offenses like those we help. We need Your mercy and claim forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Form in us a tender heart and kindness towards those who offend us. Help us to forgive promptly and joyfully and pray for those offending. Amen.
Day 2–Refreshing Rest
Scripture reading for April 28: Matthew 11:28-30“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Psalm 4:8 “In peace I will lie down and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
Proper rest is a key ingredient to functioning in your workplace with maximum efficiency and mental acuity. The psalmist stated plainly that he would lie down and sleep peacefully. The stated reason for this was that because he knew the Lord as his protector and peace, he could rest without fear of harm by any enemy. He did not have to entertain worry or fear in his mind about being caught off guard as he slept.
Jesus Christ called those who were burdened down with their fears and worries to come to Him. He promised them rest as they would exchange these heavy loads for His ‘yoke’. As a Jewish rabbi, the ‘yoke’ was the body of teaching and instruction of the teacher. Jesus was God the Father’s Word in human form. Jesus encouraged them that HIs yoke was easy and His burden was light. He would personally instruct them while present with them. When time came for Him to die on the cross and be raised from the dead and enter into glory through resurrection, He would send them Another Helper, the Gift of the Father. This Helper, the Holy Spirit, would empower them to live out His teaching and bring comfort and God’s presence to them always.
As responders, rest and good sleep is very important to our well-being. We would do well to heed Jesus’ invitation to come to Him and find not only sleep for the body, but rest for our souls. We can rest in what our Lord Jesus did to deliver us from fear of death and punishment for sins. We can rest in God’s presence with us always. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the invitation to find relief for our burdens, guilt, and weariness in our Lord Jesus. Teach me Your Word and ways that I might follow Jesus and enjoy peace and rest for my soul. Help me daily to rest and have refreshing sleep in peace with God and man. Amen.
Day 2–Look at the Birds!
Scripture reading for April 21: Matthew 6:26-27, 31-33 “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? . . . Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
As far as first responders go, volunteers don’t get paid or are paid very minimally. Those working in rural areas in law enforcement and as EMT’s are also receiving a smaller salary and finances are usually tight. Besides dealing with the stress of their jobs, finances can also cause worry and rob us of our energy and focus. This has been true throughout time and Jesus Himself spoke to those following Him about faith in God’s ability and promise to provide what is needed.
Jesus asked His followers to look at the birds flying around them. They should take note that these birds had no jobs or fields of their own or barns to store up food. Yet God cared for each one of them and food was supplied daily. Jesus noted that each person was far more valuable than a bird. Jesus warned them that worry or anxiety about these daily necessities would not help to lengthen their lives.
Instead of worry and seeking out of life’s necessities, Jesus offered them simple advice. They were to put effort and focus into seeking God and His kingdom. They should strive to lay hold of His righteousness through faith. If they would pursue God He would bless them with what He already knew they needed. He had earlier taught them to pray to their Father, asking humbly for their daily bread and for forgiveness of their trespasses. (Matthew 6:9-12) All of us can apply these simple instructions on a daily basis. Where we focus our minds and efforts will determine our peace and provision.
Prayer: Lord, forgive me for focusing my efforts on meeting my needs and neglecting to seek You first and Your kingdom and righteousness. Thank you for the lesson of the birds. I rest in You. Amen.