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Blinded so he might see Jesus!
Scripture reading for November 7: Acts 8-9
The first 11 chapters of Acts are primarily centered around the life of Peter and his ministry to the Jews around Jerusalem. Chapter 9 gives the account of Saul, a zealous Pharisee, who was a persecutor of the early church and was bent on protecting Judaism and eliminating disciples of Jesus. He is spoken of first as one who gave approval of those who stoned Stephen. (Acts 8:1)
“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus, on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, Why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting,” He replied. So get up and go into the city and you will be told what you what you must do.” Acts 9:1-6
Saul had been hunting down disciples, having them arrested and in some cases put to death. As he traveled on a mission to Damascus, Jesus met him personally. The light of His glory threw Saul to the ground and blinded him. Jesus asked him a simple question, revealing that when anyone persecutes one of Jesus’ followers, He feels it personally! Saul was addressed by first name. Jesus knows each person by name and knows all about who they are. He has plans for those who will be teachable and repent.
Thankfully, Saul repented during the period of blindness lasting three days. God sent a disciple named Ananias to lay hands on Saul to receive his sight back. Ananias was initially afraid of Saul because of his reputation, but God revealed that Saul was His chosen instrument to reach the Gentiles. (Acts 9:15-16) After he was healed and baptized, Saul began to preach the Gospel in the very synagogues that he had come initially to hunt Christians in! What a difference an encounter with Jesus makes!
Paul’s ministry is the subject of Acts 12-28, and he tells his testimony of this ‘Jesus encounter’ several times. Saul became the Apostle Paul who would be a great missionary to the Gentiles and write thirteen New Testament books. His “Jesus encounter” is still being talked and written about over 1900 years later! Many other “sinners” have found Christ through his amazing life-altering encounter with Jesus!
Are You securely attached?
Scripture reading for November 2: John 13-17
Several years ago, I planted two grape vines in my back yard along the fence. I had used these potted vines as a sermon illustration of Jesus’ teaching in John 15. I studied grapes and found that they were one of the most widely grown crops in the world. There are many different varieties and colors and people love to eat them fresh, as juice, or as wine. They also need cultivation and tending to be the most fruitful and healthy. Dead and diseased branches need trimmed off and the vines trained to grow in the arbor. The branches alone will not make lumber but are only good for burning.
Jesus used this great agricultural example to teach his disciples about their need to stay attached to Him! If they would just “abide” in Him, the True Vine, and allow His Word (the sap) to “abide” in them, they would produce much fruit. (John 15:7) Being a branch is all about “abiding”! Abiding branches ask the Father for what they need, and He answers! We must stay attached and draw our nutrients from the Vine and its roots. A branch that doesn’t remain attached is good for nothing but the fire!
Jesus went on to say that His Father is the Gardener Who tends the Vine. (John 15:1) The gardener’s job is to keep the vine healthy and producing fruit. Jesus’ Word is the means of pruning His branches. All fruitless branches are pruned off to keep from wasting precious nutrients so that those branches that are abiding could use those nutrients to produce fruit. Fruitful branches are pruned and trained to maximize fruit production. God is glorified when His branches produce much fruit! (John 15:8) Branches that produce no fruit are trimmed off and are good for nothing but the fire.
As a sermon illustration, I took a branch off this grape vine. It had grown in 4 years to nearly 20 feet long and covered a section of a wooden fence that I planted it near. I put the branch in water and brought it to church. One branch had 12 clusters of grapes on it and a second branch had none! I had cut them off and after just one hour, the were already wilted. They died quickly without attachment!
We must stay attached to the vine and also bear fruit. This takes a relationship with God through His Word and prayer! He wants fruit that will last for eternity! Are you securely attached and producing?
Prophetic ‘white-washers’!
Scripture reading for August 20: Ezekiel 12-15
“Because they have led My people astray, saying “Peace,” when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. . . .I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord.” Ezekiel 13:10-11a, 14.
God hates lies and will judge false prophets! In this section of Ezekiel, God gives him a message for the prophets of Israel who are leading the people astray with the peace, safety, and prosperity lie. These prophets were telling the people what they wanted to hear. This was allowing the people to go on in idolatry and sin and brought God’s wrath upon the nation.
God likened these lying prophets to painters who whitewashed flimsy walls that were poorly constructed. The walls looked clean and white, but they were very unstable. God was going to expose the poor foundation by sending a storm upon the nation that would topple the white-washed walls and bring them down on those who painted them and those who built on a poor foundation. The crashing walls would destroy those who did such shoddy work and those who tried to make their work just look good.
Preachers can put on a show too. They can whitewash by tickling ears just to get a crowd. They can tell how God wants them rich. All they have to do is to give money to the preacher and God guarantees that they will get a hundred times more back. They can tell people that God is love and won’t send anyone to hell. If they just belong to their church or send money, God will overlook all their sins. Others whitewash the truth about the need for repentance from sin and faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. They offer alternatives that don’t require faith in Christ’s blood sacrifice ! Their goal is to make them feel good without any arousal of conviction. These walls are going to crash down when judgment falls! The day of Christ’s return will reveal the broken foundations!
Are you firmly anchored on the Rock of Jesus Christ as Lord? Have you repented of your sins and idolatry and found grace through the blood of Jesus? Are you hungry for biblical truth and sitting under preaching that gives the whole counsel of God? A day is coming when every foundation will be exposed!
2023 reading plan–reminder
Dear friends and fellow pilgrims,
Our reading this year is through the New Testament in a chronological format. This format is taken from the Navigators 5x5x5 reading program found free on their site: navlink.org/newtestament. It is a free download. They encourage that this plan can be followed with five minutes a day, five days a week, and five ways to dig deeper. This is elaborated on their website and with the free download.
I have added a daily Psalm chapter and a daily Proverb chapter that will help us focus on worship and wisdom as well as walking with Jesus through the New Testament. I like the chronological plan, because it spreads the Gospels out over the year, beginning with Mark and ending with John right before Revelation. Please join me in reading! Let’s enjoy the journey, dig deep, and experience the joy of Jesus and worship Him more fully in loving obedience! Pastor John Morse
Onward and upward! A blessed New Year!
Dear Friends,
It has been a privilege to write and finish my 13th year of devotions. What started as a call to my church family to systematically read Scripture has become a spiritual discipline for me to continue my journey through the trials and triumphs of life on earth to one day, by grace, behold our Lord face to face. God, through His Son and His Word, has given us His great and precious promises that we might have all we need for life and godliness on our journey. We overcome by the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, and the word of our testimony of faith in Jesus Christ and His Word. We fight the ‘good fight’ through obedient listening to His voice through His Word and the Holy Spirit and acting on what we hear.
Each day brings us all closer to the Day of Christ–His return for His Bride, the Church. God’s Word encourages us to watch and pray and be found in faith, working when He comes. Jesus calls us to follow Him, for He is the only Way to Father’s House, the Truth and the Life. The Father gives each of His born-again children the gift of the Holy Spirit to prepare them to live and reign in His eternal kingdom. The final invitation of the Holy Spirit and the Bride, the Church, is “Come!” This call is for all who are thirsty and all who will humbly repent and receive the Father’s call through His Spirit-filled Church. The last repeated Word from Jesus Christ is “Surely, I am coming soon.” Are you ready? What a great way to close out a year and begin a new year–with a renewed commitment to follow Jesus, confessing and forsaking sins, and drinking deeply of our Lord Jesus’ thirst-quenching gift! God bless you! Jesus is Lord!
Have a blessed New Year in His Love, John and Mary Morse
“Come.” “Enter the city by the gates.”
Scripture reading for December 30th: Job 40-42, Psalm 150, Revelation 22
Revelation 22:14-17 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. “I Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the Root and the Descendant of David, the Bright Morning Star.” The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” Let the one who hears say, “Come” And let the one who is thirsty come: let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”
The Revelation of Jesus Christ closes with a further description of the Holy City and its river of Life and the throne of God and the Lamb. All His servants come through Him, the Gate, and will worship Him and see His Face and have His Name on their foreheads. God’s glory will light their lives and they will reign with Him forever. If anyone wants to be truly blessed, they must was their robes and respond to the invitation to “Come” that the Spirit and the Bride are offering to any that are thirsty. All may come without cost for the free gift of the Water of Life and eat of the Tree of Life. Jesus Christ, Himself, declares three times that He is coming soon! He assures us that it is He Who has sent His angel to testify about His coming to the Churches! The final prayer of the Bride: “Come, Lord Jesus!”
Psalm 150:1-2, 6 “Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty heavens! Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!” . . . “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for sending Your Son to earth as the Son of God and Son of Man to reveal the way to Your eternal home–prepared for us! We are eager to see the Holy City and our place You prepared for us. But most of all, we long to see Your face and behold Your glory and worship forever! You truly have given us far, far, more that we deserve! Praise our Lord!
Job 42:10-11 “And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had know him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold.”
Love and grace are essentials
Scripture reading for September 15th: Isaiah 56-59, Psalm 70, 1st Corinthians 16
1st Corinthians 16: 11-12, 21 “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act as men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. . . . I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. If anyone has no love for the Lord; let him be accursed. Our Lord, Come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.”
Paul closed this letter of encouragement and teaching to this church family with simple words of truth. Watchfulness was needed because of the false teachers who sough to draw them away from the Gospel truth. They must stand firm in their faith yet show love to all–even to those who might be opposed to them and the truth of the Gospel. But loving our Lord was not an option, but an essential. Paul reminded them that anyone who did not love Jesus and claimed to be a believer was under a curse. God’s grace is a gift to be received and held on to. Paul assured them of this and of his own love for them as he wrote this letter of correction and instruction as their father in the faith.
Isaiah 59:19-21 “”So they shall fear the Name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; for He will come like a rushing stream, which the wind of the Lord drives. And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord. “And as for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the Lord; “My Spirit that is upon you, and My Words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.””
Prayer: Father in heaven, thank You for Your love shown to us in Jesus Christ, Who laid down His life for us. Thank You for the Gift of the Holy Spirit to abide in us always and release Your love in us and through us to a lost world. I love you and pray for grace in my children and grand-children and all offspring to know You and be filled with the promised Holy Spirit. Let it not depart from them forever! Amen!
Psalm 70::4-5 “May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You! May those who love Your salvation say evermore, “God is great!” But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! Your are my Help and my Deliverer; O Lord, do not delay.”
The secret to finding true life!
Scripture reading for August 8th: Hosea 1-3, Matthew 16
Matthew 16: 24-26 “Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”
As Jesus approached the time of His departure and His encounter with death, Jesus called His disciples to a full dedication of their lives in following Him. This was a choice for each person to make freely from their own will, Jesus did not force or coerce anyone. This choice involved taking up a cross and following Jesus, even to death. Those wanting to save their lives must be willing to lose it. Anyone who would lose their life in following Jesus would find life eternal!
Matthew 16:26-28 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay each person according to what they have done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
Prayer: Father God, I look forward to the Day of Christ when He comes with all His angels in the glory of His Father. I know there is nothing I can give for my own soul. I trust solely in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross. I am willing to follow Jesus Christ and take up my cross, dying to myself and living fully for Your will. Indwell me today by the Holy Spirit and lead me into Your will and everlasting peace.
Hosea 2:18-20 “And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety. And I will betroth you to Me forever. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord.”
Preaching ‘Good News’
Scripture reading for March 15th: Numbers 30-33, Psalm 35, Luke 3
Luke 3:15-18 “As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but He Who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of Whose sandal I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire, to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.” So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.”
John the Baptist was Jesus’ cousin, born slightly before Him. John was called by God to be a prophet and to prepare the way for Jesus Christ. In doing so, He confronted the sins of the people and called them to repentance and to baptism as an act of cleansing. This preparation was not the end, but the entrance into a new relationship with God. Jesus Christ would complete the work necessary for the cleansing of all mankind from sin and its power on the cross through offering His body and blood. He would take the keys of death and hell from Satan and open the curtain for all who would believe to be in God’s presence. He would baptize His followers with the Holy Spirit, the gift of the Father, and fire to deeply cleanse and empower them. This all was amazing ‘good news!’
Numbers 31:21-23 “Then Eleazar the priest said to the men in the army who had gone to battle: “This is the statute of the law that the Lord has commanded Moses: only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, and everything that can stand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it shall be clean.”
Prayer: Father God, I thank You for preparing the way for Your Son to bring salvation to me and all mankind. I know that my faith through Your grace has brought salvation. Repentance too is a gift of grace received humbly by faith. Help me to share the ‘good news’ with those headed for the fire of Your judgment, that they might receive the gift of eternal life and be filled with the Holy Spirit and holy fire.
Psalm 35:27-28 “Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the Lord, Who delights in the welfare of His servant!” Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.”
Jesus is alive!
Dear family and friends,
On this Easter Sunday, April 12th, 2020, Mary and I would like to tell you how much we appreciate each one of you. Each person has had an impact on our lives. You are each unique and wonderfully made. God has used each of you to shape us and help us along life’s journey. No one is insignificant. Thank you for being who God made you to be and for loving us and our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is my life mission to love God and worship Him and to love those made in His image. (Matthew 22:37-40) My love for God involves obedience to His Word and following the Holy Spirit each day to do the works He has laid out for me.(Ephesians 2:10, John 15:9-10) My desire follows Jesus’ mission and desire–to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10, Matthew 28:18-20). Jesus Christ is God’s Son, sent to earth in a human body to show us the love of our Father God in Heaven. Jesus came to save sinful mankind from the penalty of sin, which is death.(Hebrews 9:26-28) The first death is the death of our body but the second death follows the Judgment at the Great White Throne for those who rejected Christ’s atonement. (Revelation 20:14-15) Eternal life with God is far better than the second death–the Lake of fire! (Seems obvious!)
Because sin leads to death, Jesus was crucified and died on a cross as a substitute for all who will repent–admit their sins–and ask God for mercy and pardon through Jesus. Jesus’ body was laid in a tomb, sealed and guarded by Roman soldiers. Scripture says He descended into Hell and announced His victory, taking the keys of death and hell from Satan. (1st Peter 3:18-20, Revelation 1:18) Jesus is now alive(Matthew 28:5-7) and reigns at God’s right hand, there making intercession for those who come to Him in faith. He is able to save us to the uttermost,(Hebrews 7:25) because He is alive. We are granted access through the torn veil, His own body! (Hebrews 10:19-22)
If you have not repented of your sins, today is the day to go to Jesus by faith! He will not cast you out but will give you pardon and the gift of eternal life. Receive Him today and join the family of God in thanksgiving and worship! In His Love, John and Mary Morse