Are you on the right Track?

 An Emoji Devotions for Sat Dec 11, 2021

Topic: Are you on the right track?

Highlights: 

• For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name for ever. For great is your love towards me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead. (Psalm 86:10-13)

• ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.’ (John 14:6- 7)

In Psalm 86 King David lives through great affliction. He trusts the Lord for help, but obviously he has not yet seen the light. Therefore he reminds God that he experience himself as poor and needy, but he expects help from God only and he is sure that the Lord will answer him. “Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me. (Psalm 86:8) Nothing and nobody compares to the Almighty God and to his deeds. Therefore David searches for guidance from him – he wants to know his way and to wholeheartedly live in his truth. His prayer in verse 11 reveals that he is, however, aware that the human heart can be divided. Yes, I want you God and I want to do your will, but right now, there is something I actually want a little tiny bit more. I want to serve you and I want to glorify your name, but please take me immediately out of this horrible affliction … The wish is very understandable, even Jesus himself has been tempted with it on his way to the cross. David therefore prays for the undivided heart. I am willing to remain under the affliction if it honors your will. Your way shall prevail, your will shall be done. No matter what is going to happen, he will praise the Lord, he will glorify his name with all he has, because he knows that everything flows out of the loving heart of God towards him. (Read verses 11 – 13)

Many years later the Lord himself lives in the shape of a human being among us. He is astounding and he does marvelous deeds. By preparing his departure from the disciples he tells them that they should not let their hearts be troubled, but to trust in the Father God and in him. In the house of his father are many rooms and he goes to prepare everything so that they eventually will be where he and his father live. “You know the way to the place where I am going”, he said. (John 14:4) The disciple Thomas did not agree. He denied knowing the destination and the way. Jesus then replied with our second highlight today. He is the way, the truth and the life and nobody will reach the heavenly destination except through him. That means through his redemption, love and mercy. Could anyone who has shown us such love that he died for us and redeemed us with his Father possibly not be good for us? He never promised us an easy life on this earth, but he promised us an eternity in his glory and splendor. For this earth he told us that we will be like sheep among wolves. 

With David we are on the right track whenever we accept that the only way to heaven is to accept Jesus as our Lord and to follow his ways. The same way he has shown the Father to us, we are now to show our neighbors the character of Jesus. Our hearts should never be divided. We are not to search for a pleasant life free of affliction. We are to put our own will and wishes under the obedience to Christ Jesus. So and only in this way, we can glorify the Father and the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth. 

Prayer:  Dear Lord Jesus, let me be like David and like you. Give me the strength to do your 

will, even though I may be afflicted and tempted to take a cowardly way out. Let me be as faithful to you as you are to your word. Thank you for loving me so much! Amen

The evidence of God in plain sight, but do I believe?

An Emoji devotions for Thu, 9th December, 2021

Topic: The evidence of God in plain sight, but do I believe?

By Pastor Hans Ulrich Wenger

Highlights: But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding. (Jeremiah 10:12) 

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:15-20) 

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. (Hebrews 11:3)

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:18-20)

In Jeremiah 10 God slams the idols and the idols makers about their nothingness. “Everyone is senseless and without knowledge, every goldsmith is shamed by his idols. His images are a fraud, they have no breath in them. They are worthless, the objects of mockery; when their judgment comes, they will perish.” (Jeremiah 10:14-15)

 He then makes the comparison with the God of Israel and writes: “He who is the Portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the maker of all things, including Israel, the tribe of his inheritance – the LORD Almighty is his name.” (Jeremiah 10:16) The Old Testament is full with references like this. In Isaiah 46 God slams the Idols of Babylon and declares that he is the only God who makes known the end from the beginning and from ancient times, what is still to come. 

Today we can look back on a long history how God has already done what he has announced long ago; the coming of Christ as redeemer and fulfillment of the law, the pouring out of the Holy Spirit and, perhaps most dominantly, the bringing back of the people of Israel into their homeland of old right before our eyes. Many more events could be mentioned, but what is said is enough to know, that everybody who does not believe what the Holy Scripture says is a fool in his heart. 

The only really reliable information about our time, we can gather only from the Scriptures. We are living in the latter days and have never yet been closer to the return of Jesus Christ to reign with righteousness for one thousand years on the earth. What we call science today is a mixture of known facts and the satanic deception to make it without belief and trust in the true God of creation and salvation. Be it the climate change problem, be it the Covid 19 problem, be it a lot of other questions, we get only confusing and often contradicting answers from science. For people who are awaiting the coming of the King of all Kings it is the trust in the Father and the Son that makes them uplift their heads in joyous expectation. Their visible salvation is nigh. 

Prayer: Dear Lord God, strengthen my trust in you and let me not be entangled in the confusion and deception of this world. Thank you that you bring about what you have promised. Let me stand with you and before you and fill me with your Holy Spirit that I will be able to interpret the signs of the time. I praise you and thank you for my present and for my future visible salvation. You are faithful beyond doubt and you will do it. I glorify your holy name. Amen.

Rejecting the fear of the Lord and Idolatry

 

An Emoji devotions for 8th December, 2021

Topic: Rejecting the fear of the Lord and Idolatry

By Pastor Hans Ulrich Wenger

Highlights: So Moses went back to the Lord and said, ‘Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin – but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.’ The Lord replied to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. (Exodus 32:31-34) 

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. no noBut encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today’, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:12-14) 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. (Psalm 110:10) 

The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble. (Proverbs 19:23)

Inspired by God, Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt and let them experience many wonders, provisions and salvations in the wilderness. Finally they arrived at Mount Sinai and God wanted to make a covenant with them. 

He instructed Moses to sanctify them for his appearance on the third day. Nobody was to touch the mountain or to set foot on it, but Moses was commanded to deliver this message to the people:  “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19:4-6)

 “The people all responded together, ‘We will do everything the Lord has said.’ So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.  The Lord said to Moses, ‘I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.’ Now the appearance of the Lord was quite earth shattering and the people trembled and run away. They did not want to stay in the fear of the Lord.  “When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not let God speak to us or we will die.’ Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.’ The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.” (Exodus 20:18-21)

 The story of the golden calf shows us that the avoidance of the fear of the Lord was a fatal mistake. The encounter with the holiness of God puts the Israelites and us  in the rightful place. By staying in the fear of the Lord, I am aware that there is absolutely no messing with God. Many people died in this story, just because the people created for themselves a shiny God of Gold and if it would not have been for the priestly heart of Moses, the whole people of Israel would have been annihilated except for Moses himself.

 God has forgiven them for the time being, but he made clear that the punishment for their sin will come in his time. (Exodus 32:33)

 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided. (Proverbs 16:6) 

The fear of the Lord is the main weapon against evil and we better stay before the Almighty in the fear of the Lord, even if it gets scary and we may have the feeling of dying. All the characters of the bible that stood and fainted before the Lord in fear have been touched by his redeeming touch and love. God is never a fellow or a buddy; he is the Almighty, Holy God and father, the emperor of the Universe and much more. But whoever submits to him in the fear of the Lord becomes his beloved child and gets the right to call him Abba, Daddy. 

To be close to the heart of God leads over the fear of the Lord. 

The Hebrew Christians, and we with them, get exhorted to stay in the fear of the Lord and to watch out that no one gets deceived by tolerating Gods of shining gold and avoiding the fear of the Lord instead of avoiding evil. Today we are surrounded by evil and too often the church and believers are tolerating evil in their lives. The Apostle Paul writes in his epistle to the church in Ephesus: “For of this you can be sure. 

No immoral, impure or greedy person – such a man is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.” (Ephesians 5, 5 – 7) We are to stay in the fear of the Lord and to encourage each other to seek the Lord who is absolutely good and full of love for all his children that turn to him in the midst of the evil by which they are surrounded. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you that you are my father and that I am even allowed to call you Daddy, but beware me from thinking of you as a fellow or buddy. You are the holy, almighty God who has created everything and reigns everything. I praise you and I thank you that I am allowed to stand before you and to serve you. Your ways are holy and I thank you that you lead me on the paths of righteousness for your name’s sake. Thank you that I do not need shiny Gods of gold and help me to destroy them, wherever they want to pop up in me, in my fellow brothers and sisters or in the church. Amen  

What Can you Find

 What can you find

Highlights: 

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Matthew 13:44

You are someone who wants to be seen. You want to be heard at the fore front and see people giving you a standing ovation. So you keep digging, the world will know you are special. You have seen others at their best and you know you so better. All the big names does not seem new to you because you have better potential and assurance that you are special. You wake up and urge yourself to do those things that will get you there. In the midst of all the struggles when you find a hidden treasure on your inside and found A very different valuable. You know it's priceless but you can't value it. Would you be happy to sell give up everything else for that treasure. “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News (gospel), sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. Mark 10:29-30

What if I tell you that today marks the end of your struggles It's time to find Jesus in your inside and give up everything for him. Psalm 34:8-9

Prayer: Lord in heaven, who do I have in this world but you. You are my one and only treasure. I will give up everything else just because of you. Lord Jesus stay with me every time. Amen 

Twelve Baskets

An Emoji Devotions for Sun, 5th December 2021

Topic: Twelve Baskets

Highlights: 

They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. Matthew 14:20 NLT

How come there were twelve Baskets of leftovers after five loaves and two fish were eaten by five thousand in addition to women and children? Jesus gave the food to the disciples, and the disciples were serving people one by one. Someone took heavy portion of the loaves at once and passed on the the rest to the next person and once it gets to them, they have enough also to take and pass to the next person. In the end it was a miracle that fed over five thousand people to satisfaction.

As the disciples were still baffling about the big miracle, some folks among the crowd who had too many bread and fishes left with them began to return them to the Disciples: "Sir I have loads of bread here and many fish left with others. we even overfeed ourselves and please where can we drop the leftovers? 

They fetched to for up to twelve Baskets as they collect the leftovers from people. Twelve is an important number in Christianity and in adulthood. It means a completeness.

A little boy gave up his food to begin this story. Have you considered giving today. As Jesus multiplied to feed thousands, He will multiply what you give. As the little boy received complete abundance (financial, health, protection) for a reward. Be rest assured that you will not be forgotten when you give to the Lord. 

The gospel is helping many lives including yours. No matter how little it may seems towards the big project. Give!

Prayer: Lord please give me an opportunity to give unto you something that you will use to bless your Kingdom in Jesus name. Amen 

Give your 5 and 2

 

An Emoji devotional for Saturday, 4th December 2021

Topic: Give your 5 and 2 

Highlights: Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. John 6:11

Andrew said to Jesus, ‘Here is a boy who has five small loaves of barley bread and two fish. That's a drop in a bucket for a crowd like this".   (John 6:9) 

The term 5 & 2 came from the above verse. There were many crowd gathering together and a little boy carrying some food to school saw them. He went to see, and he saw Jesus performing miracles and teaching people amazing things about God. As the little boy pressed into crowd to see more of Jesus, he overheard Jesus saying "where can we buy bread to feed all these people". 

As many as the crowd were, Philip answered, ‘A man could work for eight months to get 200 coins. But he still would not have enough money to buy bread for all these people. There would not be enough bread for each person here to have even a little piece.’

But the innocent little boy said "take all - I mean all my 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,  loaves and 1 & 2 fishes. They were so little, that Andrew had to call them little loaves and little fishes which means they may not be enough to feed an adult. But a little boy gave them all to Jesus.

What are your 5&2, are they so little in your eyes. It's time to give it to the Lord. The good news is that the Lord will not only take it from you and eat, He will multiply them to feed thousands. Whatever you are giving to Jesus will also put your name in the book of remembrance in heaven and earth. 

He said in Matthew 10:32 that “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven."

The future belong to the Lord. Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. (Psalms 34:8). As no one will ever forget this little boy, It's time to write your name in heaven's book of remembrance with your 5&2. 

Prayer: God I'm waiting for the right time but who knows the right time but you. My times are in your hand. Accept me, as I take a bold step of faith to give you little of what I can afford. Let my offering be a sweet smelling offering, holy and acceptable unto you. Honestly, I trust you. In Jesus name. Amen. 

Just Do It

 

An Emoji Devotional for Fri, 3rd December, 2021

Topic: Just do it

Highlights: Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. Luke 19:30

When there is something important you need to do - Do it. Why would you keep the host waiting for you. It is your action they need not excuse. So someone was giving excuse on why he buried one talent Matthew 25:18

It is very simple, God does not like excuses. He wants action. There is no later, do it now. Mark 7:28 A Phoenician woman told Jesus that she will do anything to become favored and blessed by God - “Lord, even puppies eat the crumbs that children drop from the table.”

Some will give rebellious excuses to criticize Jesus but the woman knows that Jesus loves those who get things done. She got her miracle.

Do not use excuse to lose opportunity. Don't keep Jesus waiting. He is depending on you to play your part so that He can also play his part. Jesus will never be blamed, it's you that need to do your duty.

Prayer; Dear Lord. I am an excuse giver. acknowledged my excuses. I have played the pity party all these while. Lord Please forgive me. From now, please Give me your support and power to be resourceful in the face of opportunities. In Jesus name. Amen.