Nurtured like newborn babies

Today's Devotional

 An Emoji Devotions for Sun 11 April, 2021

Topic: Nurtured like newborn babies

By H. U. Wenger

Highlights: Like newborn babies, (quasi modo geniti infants) crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1. Peter 2:2 – 3)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1. Peter 1:3 – 6)

In the old church and in the church year even now, todays Sunday is called “quasi modo geniti infants”, like newborn babies. Babies crave nourishment, but there is not much available that could feed them and make them grow. The reflex to suckle from the breast of the mama is inborn to them. Peter praises God that he has given us a new birth through the resurrection of Christ Jesus. Now, as we became newborn babies in Christ, we need nourishment to grow. Growth is, however, not all we need. We have to learn how to crawl, how to walk, how to behave and how to act in the new life. 

The only nourishment that can bring us forward is the word of God, is the Holy Bible. As I was a child, able to read, it was even for kids unthinkable to go to the worship service without having the own Bible on them. Everybody was asked to read, reflect and examine, whether the speaker was preaching the truth. I must confess that I did not do much searching of the scriptures, but at least I did read the given passages of scripture on my own. Evangelistic preaching is unfortunately often times geared to call people to a decision for Christ, but it does not do enough to teach the newborn Christians that everything they need in the new life flows out of scripture. Scripture is the only pure spiritual milk and without enough of it we succumb to retarded, malnourished and distorted followers of Christ who will often much more react according to generally accepted rules of society than according to the resurrection power of Christ. 

We are born into a living hope through the resurrection of Christ Jesus. The living hope is nothing else but the resurrected Jesus himself. In his earthly life, he only said what he heard the Father say, and he only did what he saw the Father do. Before he left to take his place at the right side of the Father, he told us at least twice: “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20, 21 compare John 17, 18) He oriented himself on the Father and we must orient us on him, if we want to be his children and his disciples. When you are suffering on a unfulfilled life, when you are missing the resurrection power in your daily routine, just turn to studying scripture and begin to live out, whatever scripture tells you. Do not consider what your society or your congregation thinks. Do what you feel compelled to do according to scripture.

 However, do consider that you are born into a living hope and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. Gods’ way to nurture you and me is through his scripture. It is the nourishment we need to grow strong and which enables us to truly be his followers as salt of the earth and as light of the world. By following him like he followed his Father, we will become more and more the city on the hill. The world has become a dark place, full of evil. What God has declared as good, is called bad and what he designated as evil is called bad. In this situation we need to let our light shine, brighter and clearer than ever.

 Therefore let us crave pure 

spiritual milk and proclaim the glory of God with our lives. Good is the Lord – good and full of life is the word of the Lord because his word is he himself. (John 1, 1 – 5) 

Prayer: Father I praise you for your provision, for your goodness, for your love and for your mercy. Open the scriptures to me so that I may grow and become stronger in you. Make true for me what you promise in John 7:38: “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” Amen.

Cure for the burden of my age

An Emoji Devotions for Sat, 10th April 2021

Topic: Cure for the burden of my age

By H.U Wenger

Highlights: Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2. Corinthians 4:16 – 18)

Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone (Psalm 71, 9)

Apostle Paul and his companions go through such big troubles in Asia that they think about their own demise. “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” (2. Corinthians 1:8 – 9) God miraculously saves them and Paul exclaims in the second chapter: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.” (2. Corinthians 2:14) Christ has won all the battles and the apostle knows himself as a part of his triumph and considers it a privilege to suffer with Christ. Every suffering and every trouble is for him not only a difficulty or bad luck, but as well a possibility for the revelation of Christ’s glory.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. (2. Corinthians 4, 8 – 11) 

The writer of Psalm 71 lives with a similar attitude, even if he is more concerned about his old age, he makes very clear that he trusts the Lord unwaveringly and that above all, he wants to praise his faithfulness. “In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. … From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you. … My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long. Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone. For my enemies speak against me; those who wait to kill me conspire together. … As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long— though I know not how to relate them all.

 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone. … Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more. I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you— I whom you have delivered. My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion.”

Paul and the writer of Psalm 71 are not occupied with their own lives, but rather with the glory of God. Every age has its own challenges that are unescapable. We can get lost in turning around ourselves, or we can thrive by concentrating on the bigger truth, on the giver of life and of his might and glory. 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, let me concentrate on your kingdom and its righteousness so that I can minimize the concerns and the sorrows about my sufferings and challenges of my little life. 

Adopted into eternal salvation – do you trust it?

 

Today's Devotional

An Emoji Devotions for Fri, 9th April 2021

Topic: Adopted into eternal salvation – do you trust it?

By H. U. Wenger

Highlights: But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” (Isaiah 43, 1 – 2)

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? 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? (Romans 8, 31 – 32)

In the Gospel of John, chapter three, Jesus explains to the Pharisee Nicodemus that everybody who wants to get into the kingdom of heaven must be born again. In chapter 1 of the same Gospel John makes clear that whosoever receives Jesus and believes in his name, has the right to become a child of God, born of God, and that means born again. In the Old Testament God has always searched for the children of Israel. With accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we spiritually become seed of Abraham and with that a non-Jewish Jew. This is exactly why the promise of Isaiah 43 applies for you and me. But, do I believe it? How many times do we fear human beings, cooperations, judgment of society and much more? How easily do we fear to not be enough, to be inferior and deficient? And yes, without being HIS child, I am weak, not enough and deficient, but he redeemed me with his father, he created me in his image, he knows me by my name and he explicitly assures me that I belong to him. I am one of his genial thoughts and he created me for exactly the time within which he has put me into being. He has made me wonderful and special and all my days were written in his book long before any one of these days came into being. He does not promise me a life free o suffering and trouble, but he promises to me that no challenge will be able to destroy me. Therefore: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41, 10) Could we wish for a better new family? 

As we turn the focus to ourselves we are feeding disbelieve. By turning our eyes to Christ according to Hebrew 12, 2 we are building up our belief and trust together with anticipation of the future joy. : “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” We need to firmly hold to the promises God has given us in the same way that Jesus trusted the promises the Father had given him. Doubts are a distraction from the fact that we cannot find any life outside of Christ Jesus and with that an open door for back sliding into sin. Jesus has achieved a prefect victory and therefore the only thing that can be against us are defeated entities, that must flee before the God given faith and its power. Therefore, let us rejoice and move forward as participants of his glorious victory!

Prayer: Dear God, let me never forget that you have accepted me as your child through the sacrifice of your son, Christ Jesus. Thank you that you are my Father through him. I repent of all wavering thoughts and thank you that you remain my Father forever. I long to see the glory of your salvation with my eyes and I thank you for the powerful faith you have given me. 

Adam, where are you? Man, woman, where are you

 An Emoji Devotions for Thu, 8 April 2021

Topic: Adam, where are you? Man, woman, where are you?

By H.U Wenger

Highlights: But the Lord called to the man: “Where are you?” He answered: “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” (Genesis 3:9 – 10)

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrew 4:13)Adam and Eve lived in the best possible environment, surrounded by the purest and deepest love, but through the seducing words of the serpent they began to crave for more.

 But, is there actually more available than they had? No, no not really, but I think they were not aware of it. They were just put into that magnificent garden, knowing nothing of heartache, stressful moments, loneliness, the power of love and missing something. God has shown them his perfect love, but they themselves had not yet grown their own love for God and for everything he had provided for them. First John 4:18 tells us: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” Adam was very conscious that he had crossed a line that he was disobedient to the word of God and he feared his punishment and his nakedness. Moments ago, he was perfectly clothed in the love of God and never wasted a thought about his nakedness.

Now, as he knows himself guilty, the very same nakedness makes him be afraid of his own creator, of his father. The same principle applies still today. As soon as we tolerate sin in our lives, we cannot rejoice anymore in the love of God. It separates us from him and makes us afraid and it really should. Hebrews 4:13 shows us that nobody, no creature can hide from God. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. We do not know what would have happened, if Adam and Eve would have run to God immediately after they realized their nakedness, telling him, we have sinned against you and it has become a terrible, live shattering problem. Can you help us? We know, however, what is happening today, when we ran towards him and confess our sins. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Think of his perfect love to us and approach him now to confess, not just your own sins, but all sins you have taken with you from society or from your philosophy.

 Whatever in this world you may support that it is not in the Lord’s will, will backfire on you. How can I be a Christian and support people or institutions who are for abortion, same sex marriage, bashing Israel, taking down the authorities, practices that lead to vice, immorality and unrighteousness? Whenever things like those are in our lives, let us run immediately to the Lord, give account to him and repent. Let us get rid of everything he despises. It will lead all of us into a holier live and bring us deeper into his love, so that we will not have any fear anymore, not matter what is going to happen. Only Jesus Christ can set us free. Let us love him, as he has loved and loves us. To him be glory, praise, adoration and exultation. In him alone we can get what we need for life eternal. Let us seize everything than brings us closer to him. Let us throw out everything that separates us from his holiness. Halleluja!

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I do thank you that absolutely nothing is hidden from your eyes. Help me to fully trust your love and always run towards you, when I am or feel guilty. Let me never forget that you are absolutely and unchangeably good and that you have mercy and grace for me no matter what may have happened in my life. Thank you for your love and your patience with me.

When the devil wants to deal with you

 An Emoji Devotions for Wed, 7 April 2021

Topic: When the devil wants to deal with you

Highlight: 

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Proverbs 4:7

The Bible says "Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly." Proverbs 14:29. Let's talk about people with great temper over little things; they don't have friends because they always have issues with people around them.  If such person will not calm down because they got angry with another fellow and will not accept apologies because they feel they are on their right, such person is on the verge of destruction. Our Lord Jesus said in Matthew 23:11 that  "The greatest among you must be a servant". Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:8   

When the devil wants to deal with somebody, he makes them arrogant and proud so that their eyes is closed to see the embarrassing mistake that will hunt them and their memory for life will not escape the torture. All these things begin from the day they start behaving in opposed to the nine (9) fruits of the Spirit written in Galatians 5:22-23: Though the nine fruits look simple but lack of a single of them is very dangerous. Let's take for example two from the nine fruits of the spirit. Love: Anyone who does not love others will stand a chance of living among fake people because bitterness is the opposite of loving and it causes trouble and defiles many. Hebrews 12:15. Second fruit is Joy; someone who have no joy is always sad or they tend to make other people sad, they seldom make mockery to belittle others and they don't have people to associate with them because they pretend a lot, even when they suffer on their sick bed nobody will bother about them. So when the devil wants to deal with a person, it makes them self sufficient enough to not yielding to anyone's advise and also makes them arrogant. 

God wants us Cherish wisdom, and wisdom will exalt us; and to embrace wisdom, and wisdom will honor us. Proverbs 4:8, because wisdom is the principal thing and it's found in the word written in Bible.

This is the opportunity for you to give your life to Christ because it is only Jesus that will give wisdom if you are in the category of people who are arrogant and proud. Confess him as your Lord and savior today and ask for His mercy to transform your life. Find a Bible believing church to join and fellowship with the community of believers because you must dissociate yourself from people who will lead you astray. Start reading your Bible and follow the right path. It may be hard in the beginning. There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. Proverbs 14:13 & Matthew 7:13

Prayer: Lord please teach me the right path to follow and let me learn to grow in your Grace. Do not give devil any chance to have it's way in my life. I plead  for your spiritual security by the mercy of your Love in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today and Tomorrow (Hans Wenger Birthday special edition)

 An Emoji Devotions for Tue, April 6 2021

Topic: Today and Tomorrow (Hans Wenger Birthday special edition)

Happy birthday to our dear Pastor Hans Wenger. May your joy continue to abound in Christ Jesus always. Amen

Highlight: 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8

How far back does this ‘yesterday’ go? We can only travel as having a taste of today and we all don't know what tomorrow looks like. But with Jesus in our heart we have amazing and most remarkable lives.  Some may have works to do,  exams to write, or somewhere to go tomorrow. While others are free or with business to handle today. The one lesson of our changeful lives ought to be for each of us to learn existence of that which does not change. There's a lot in life that does not change truly. Day and night will remain the same, 24 hours will not change and we don't even know what the next person beside us is thinking. Yesterday is over, you can't get it back but there is a special someone who do not change. He is always taking us for who we are and be with you and me today and tomorrow. He will not deny you and will give you Hope on any situation surrounding you. It is no private anymore, the whole world knows that That special someone is Jesus. Your relationship may never be the same again with same person but with Jesus you will never be a loser.

As the moon rises slow and silvery, with its broad shield, out of the fluctuations of the ocean, so the one radiant Figure of the all sufficient and immutable Lover and Friend of our souls; Jesus remain forever our defender and reigning kinb. Proclaim him your permanent friend today by accepting him as your Lord and savior and he will give you peace and certainty for tomorrow. 

Prayer: Thou that moves all things and thyself unmoved, thou that changes all things and thyself unchanged. I worship you my master and friend and commit myself to you Lord Jesus. Thank you in Jesus name. Amen.

Natural influence

An Emoji Devotions for Mon 5 Apr, 2021

Topic: Natural influence

Highlight:

Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them.

Proverbs 29:20 NIV

What an hopeless situation for someone who does not have a natural influence over their urge to speak. Natural influence is the process that cause changes on our natural resources. For example when it rains the weather is cool, the river flows and the temperature is calm while on the other hand, lack of rain causes draught and imbalance in nature. In life when anyone opens their mouth to speak, you know their level of temperament (the animal nature that affects their behavior). Our Lord Jesus said it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles and dishonors a man. Matthew 15:11. What does this mean? It means that all our words and deeds were first conceived in our heart before being done. Since the heart is the foundation of our words it is also influenced by nature. That's why we need to guide it with all diligence from things that pollutes, corrupts and dishonor. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23. Jesus is the living water that gives supernatural spring in our heart. John 4:14

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalms 119:11 The influence that produces genuine faith that God will approve as righteousness can only be found in His words (Holy Bible). In Joshua 1:8 God said, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Joshua 1:8 ESV

Instead of blaming God under our trials, let us open our ears and hearts to learn what he teaches by his words. And if we would govern our tongues, we must govern our passions. If you have not yet surrender your life to Jesus Christ, you cannot attain illumination of the Spirit of God in the root of your heart. You need to totally surrender your life to Him now by genuine repentance from things that pollutes and retrieve back the image of righteousness by confessing that you accept Jesus as your Lord and savior and then ask His Holy Spirit to illuminate you. We should engage God through prayer for our words to be profitable as it is only the Spirit of God can illuminate our life.

"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;"

 James 1:19 ESV

Prayer: Blessed Jesus, Holy and Righteous I worship you. Please illuminate my heart by your Spirit so that my speech and words will be profitable in Jesus name. Amen

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