the dots and comas of life

 An Emoji Devotions for Mon 15 March, 2021

Topic: the dots and comas of life

Highlights: I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

If you have ever came across a story line paragraph without punctuation marks. Even though it contain beautiful story it wouldn't make much sense. It may feel like you are been dragged back by real life punctuations if you really want to move fast and something or some people are slowing you down. Like someone trying to catch up with an event would suddenly bumped into unexpected traffic.

In year 2020 the whole world experienced a backlash holiday from an unexpected COVID 19 pandemic which has reshaped how people live. Now you have to cover your nose, wash your hands and distance yourself from people anywhere even in the bank. An act which looks to the moral like pride if there were no pandemic. May God have mercy!

It makes more sense when we become a gentleman and gentlewoman that people want to see but what's stopping us? A good man or woman will not feel good after making someone else sad. Like looking down on the waiter in the restaurant because something went wrong with your order, or talking rashly to the roadside commuters because they anyhow bumped into you? How has anything or anyone been acting crazy like a punctuation mark lately in your story line? Do you now understand what Jesus went through before he laid down his life for me and you on the cross? See the punctuations that when Jesus said in this world you will have trouble does not refer to blows and jabs from religious fights. It's personal and a thing that defines you as gentleman. Are you having trouble coping with the real world people around you? 

God knows. Yet it is those people who decides in their heart if you are good man or good woman. No, it's not a temptation when same thing happens more than once and you can only say "but God knows my heart!". Summer and winter will not cease but who will save your soul when you are remembered by what we have done? 

Hebrews 9:27 -28 "Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."

Have you waited for Christ salvation or It is just a normal thing to try; to receive Jesus Christ into your life, have you made confessions about him as your Lord and saviour to genuinely show the way you behave is as a Bible believer? You can be the gentleman and gentlewoman the world wants to see. Though it is difficult, Jesus says "be cheerful I have overcome the world". 

Prayer: Lord have pity on me if I have affected other people's lives negatively, forgive me and give me the opportunity to live right. I need the grace of our Lord Jesus to remember who I need to be and not what I want to be. Let me be like Jesus to the world. Amen.

why are you like this?

An Emoji Devotions for Sun, 14 March,2021

Topic: why are you like this?

Highlights: "...and lean not on your own understanding;" Proverbs 3:5-6

It's until you are hungry then you will appreciate food. Then you will know why some hungry people can't walk very well. You always want to know the reason for everything. That's probably why you are like what you are right now. It's possible you don't mutter it out, maybe you always whisper silently in your heart. "Why is everyone not smiling at me?" Is my dress that bad? Why is he covering his nose? You even ask why someone is being nice to you. God says we should stop asking questions and give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus".

Time flies, and soon enough by the time strange things start happening to you, if you do not change your attitude of asking too many questions then you may start knowing the reason why it asking too much questions is bad. Instead of asking questions, follow tha advice of King Solomon in Proverbs 22:28 - 29

"Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors."

Work on the talent God gave you, be yourself and leave what others are saying for God to handle.

The Bible says "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

The new person is you! Be real to yourself and stop asking why. Be in Christ today and all your questions will be solved.

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Prayer: Lord you are my Daddy, my creator, my friend and my everything. Forgive me for my rebellion against you through my inappropriate questions. I have repent today. In Jesus name Amen.

This is, why we should never doubt

 An Emoji Devotions for Fri, 12th March 2021

Topic: This is, why we should never doubt

By H.U. Wenger

Highlights: “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” (2. King 6:16)

If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one.

Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31b – 35; 37 – 39)

The Kingdom of Aram was at war with the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Time and again the King of Aram held counsel with his Generals, but every attack they planned, was known in advance to the king of Israel. The king of Aram asked his staff, who the traitor would be. “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.” “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” (2. Könige 6:12 – 13) At night the king sent a strong force of men with horses and chariots to surround Dothan. When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.  “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (Verses 15 – 17) Elisha then gave a brilliant example what it means to love the enemies. Those, who came to take him captive, were lead to the headquarters for a big banquet and to be released home after the fest.

Gehasi was the long term servant of Elisha. He had seen many wonders the Lord has done, but as soon as he thinks his life in jeopardy, he doubts the might and power of God. He needs sight. I am afraid that so many of us are like Gehasi. As soon as we face a perceived impossibility, we are losing faith.

Do I still believe in the love of God? I am still aware that he gave his only son for my salvation? Do I still cling to the truth that Christ has paid for all my sins on the cross and that I am now his beloved child, who shall inherit his kingdom and to be taken into his glory? Why do I harbor doubts that I might not be good enough for him? Why do my thoughts leave his love and allow fear to enter my heart? Of course I am not enough for him! That is why he saved me, because he wanted me and he is 100 percent for me! Listen to the apostle Paul and you will lose any reason for doubt. It will open your spiritual sight and enable you to live in his love, like Elisha. Seize the authority that has been bestowed unto you!

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus. I am tempted to see my circumstances greater than your might and power. Please forgive me. Thank you that those, who are with me are always more than are with them. Thank you that your love will never leave nor fail me. Thank you, that you will always stand with me and please let me always stand with you. Amen

Seeking the Kingdom of heaven first and making a living

An Emoji Devotions for Thu, 11 March 2021

By H.U Wenger

Seeking the Kingdom of heaven first and making a living – it can be a struggle
In Matthew 6:33 Jesus tells us that we should not care much about our clothing and our food, but rather seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness and so all the worldly stuff will be given unto us.

 The Prophet Haggai depicts for us the struggle the Jews faced who, returned from the Babylonian exile back to Jerusalem. They had the task to rebuild the city and the temple, but it was extremely difficult because so many tasks should have been done simultaneously. Additionally the people of the land did not really welcome them and often they had to physically defend themselves. People were poor and the initial excitement to be back home and to rebuilt the temple had vaporized long ago. In this situation the Prophet Haggai brings the message: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.’ ”Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”  Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.”  “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.” (Haggai 1, 2 – 7; 9 – 11) The prophet makes it very clear: your bad time is not just bad luck, but you are going through a bad time, because you are not seeking the kingdom of God! In Verse 8 God says through the prophet: “Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the Lord. He asks for a leap of faith, so that God will be honored and the bad times will be taken away. 

The wonder actually happened. The people did what the Lord wanted them to do:  So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God. (Verse 14) With the act of obedience the tune changed immediately. Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with you,” declares the Lord. (Verse 13) The temple could be finished, although it did not have the same splendor and glory as had the temple of Salomo. God comforted them with the future glory of the temple in the one thousand year kingdom of Jesus Christ. The same way the glory of the New Testament church is still hidden in Christ, but as soon as Christ will be revealed, the church and every single member of it will be revealed in glory. (Colossians 3:2)

Highlights: “I am with you,” declares the Lord. (Haggai 1:13); So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:31 – 34)

 Prayer: Dear Lord please show me, if I have fallen in the same trap the Jews were caught in. Help me to take the necessary leap of faith. I want and I need your assurance that you are with me. Amen

https://emojidevotions.blogspot.com/2021/03/seeking-kingdom-of-heaven-first-and.html 

PREMIUM: Overcoming spiritually dry times

 An Emoji Devotions for Wed, 10 March 2021

Topic: Overcoming spiritually dry times

By H.U. Wenger

Highlights: Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:23 – 26)

“Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” “Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.” (Psalm 50:14 – 15; 23)
The world is very competitive and for everyone who wants to achieve a distinct goal, there will be some obstacles and hardships. As we watch our surroundings, we always see people, who take it easy. They do not have any remorse to cheat a little, to expand their competence according to the precept that competences and empowerment are not given, but taken. They flourish and what we are avoiding, because we deem it false before our God, seems to serve them to their advantage. Asaph, the writer of Psalm 73 must have been in such a position and he just could not grasp it. He had the conviction that God is good to all who follow him, but what he saw playing out in his daily routine showed him a totally different picture and this is very unsettling to him. “But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” (Verses 2 – 3) Here is what he observes in his own words: “They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.” (Verses 4 – 9) In addition he sees that people flock to them and join them in mocking God. He comes to the preliminary conclusion: “Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.” Although the evidence in front of his eyes is overwhelming, deep down in his heart he knows that he is on the wrong track. He therefore goes into the sanctuary of the Lord and finally comes to the highlight that is stated above.
Out of my personal experience I would like to encourage you for the way of thanksgiving. When afflictions pursue you, when you feel abandoned or even betrayed by God, when nothing seems to make sense anymore, it is a good thing to direct your thoughts to the question: What is still good and positive in my life? If you search honestly, you will find a lot of small and bigger things you still enjoy and can be thankful for. Although you will not feel thankful, but rather complaint-ful, begin to sacrifice thank. It will lead you into the sanctuary of God and your thoughts will be guided to what you know deep down in your heart: “God is good, he is good over my life now and forever and by honoring him, I will surely see his salvation.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you are holding me by my right hand and that you will guide me into glory. Keep my thoughts and feet from slipping. I know that there is nothing better and greater in the whole universe than you and I am glad for the mercy and grace to belong to you as a loved child of yours. Amen.

Awaiting the Lord’s help with patience

 An Emoji Devotions for Tue, 9 March 2021

Topic: Awaiting the Lord’s help with patience

By H.U. Wenger

Highlights: Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. … He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness. (Micah 7:8b and 9b)

The prophet Micah depicts in his 7th chapter the misery of the world and especially of the people of Israel in the last days of the world.  He is in misery, searching for good fruits and finding nothing. He moans that the godly have been swept away, people are skilled in doing evil, no neighbor can be trusted, even within the family is betrayal and dishonoring. His words go parallel with what the Apostle Paul writes to Timothy:  But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—  having a form of godliness but denying its power. (2. Timothy 3:1 – 5) Micah is in trouble and with Psalm 11:3 he might have asked: “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” The very Psalm, however, tells us that God is watching and that upright men and women will eventually see his face. This is encouraging, this invites to trust and to await the LORD’S help.  Although Micah’s surroundings are utterly barren, dark and evil, he decides to trust in the LORD by saying: “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” (Verse 7) This confidence enables him even to triumph over his adversaries: “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lord’s wrath, until he pleads my case and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.” (Verse 8 – 9)

There are times of overwhelming darkness in our lives, but Christ Jesus remains always the light of the world:  “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) It may be well worth if you reread the last bible reference more than once. It does not only tell us that Jesus Christ is the light of the world, it tells us that whoever follows him, will never really be in darkness. The darkness may surround and engulf you, but it can never ever take the light of life away from you. With Micah we can therefore be confident and triumph over the blackness: “Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. … He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.”

Prayer: Thank you LORD for being my confidence and my light. Thank you for your promise that no darkness and no evil can ever devour me.  Help me to always cling to the light of life in you! Amen.

God’s Kingdom shall shine - the Lord’s glory shall be radiant.

 An Emoji Devotions for Mon, 8 2021

Topic: God’s Kingdom shall shine - the Lord’s glory shall be radiant. 

By H. U. Wenger

Highlight: You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth: (Acts 1: 8) 

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20 – 21)

A long time ago, John the Baptist went through the land of Israel by preaching: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matthew 3:2). Only a short time later Jesus was touring the same land with the same message. (Matthew 4: 17). Jesus, however, invited to follow him and promised that he would make his disciples to fishers of men. (Matthew, 4: 19) Additionally to his preaching about the kingdom of heaven he gave the people a taste of it by healing the sick, by freeing the demon possessed and restoring the paralyzed. In an amazing teaching in the Sermon on the Mount he showed them the love of God that dwelled in him and made clear, that he wants to bestow the very same love and power to them. As my father has sent me into the world, so I send you into the very same world. (John 17:18; 20:21) You will be like sheep among wolves. The disciple is not any greater than the master. They hated me and they will hate you, because I am not from this world and as my followers are not from the world, but still in the world. (John 15:18 ff). 

Where ever the followers of Christ are living out the love of God and the gospel, there will be a taste of the kingdom of heaven and of the Lord’s glory. The earth is a fallen creation that waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed (Romans 8:19) and it will only turn into a heavenly place, when the prince of peace will reign for a thousand year.

Presently we live in a time that is pregnant with expectations for the revelation of God’s greater glory and a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit, accompanied with signs and wonders. I will greatly rejoice, when such things are starting to happen and frankly, I hope for it too. In the meantime, I believe in the path of obedience. To make the kingdom of heaven visible, it must dwell within me. Whenever I realize that I am not living in the love with which Jesus loves me, whenever I catch myself judging others and not giving them the respect and reference I am receiving from my heavenly father, I need to repent and to turn around. By humiliating myself und the mighty hand of God, his glory will be radiant in my community and his kingdom will become visible and shining. 

Ephesians 5: 1 – 9 shows us the way. Consciously wanting to be an imitator of God as a dearly loved child and live a life of love, like Christ, ready to give myself as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God and withstand everything that is not born out of God’s love.

Prayer: Lord, teach me to be your imitator in love and respect. Fill me with your spirit and please do immeasurably more through the power of the indwelling spirit than I can ask or imagine.