Opening the Word

Devotional: Put Away Defilement
Devotional: Put Away Defilement

Devotional: Put Away Defilement

Read Numbers 5:1-4
“Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell” (v. 3).
Cosmo, our beautiful Bouvier Des Flandres dog, got too close to the kitty cat with a beautiful white stripe down its tail. The kitty, not quite as happy about playing, raised that fluffy tail and unleashed a spray, covering poor Cosmo. The odor of burnt coffee, rotten eggs, and burning rubber seeped from every part of him. My mother firmly refused to allow him inside the house. If she could have put him outside the “camp,” I know she would have. Why? She did not want her carpet, clothes, sofa, or even the porch to take on Cosmo’s odor.
In Bible days, God directed the Children of Israel to place the defiled outside the camp. While my mother was concerned about the odor, God was concerned about walking in His holiness in the midst of defilement. Even for His special people, the Israelites, if they touched a corpse, contracted leprosy, or hemorrhaged, God wanted them out of the camp. He wanted to ensure they would not contaminate others.
Today, the blood can deliver us from the defilement of sin. “Its saving virtues ever are the same. It cleanseth still, and always will” (Phoebe Palmer). Are we spraying bad attitudes, ungodly speech, and sinful be- haviors in the camp? Cleanse yourself in the blood of Jesus! (Pamela Kuhn)

A rotten stench does not stop with its source; it permeates the atmosphere of anything in his circle of influence.

This devotional is the Monday, December 28, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.

Herald & Banner Press2015-12-29T12:00:15+00:00December 29th, 2015|Categories: Opening the Word|Tags: holiness, sin|0 Comments

A Young Lady Freed
A Young Lady Freed

A Young Lady Freed

Read Acts 16:16-18
“And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour” (v. 18).

I cannot imagine what the girl in today’s scripture was going through. An evil spirit possessed and controlled her. If that was not bad enough, some money-minded people had enslaved her for their profit. How tragically sad, indeed, that people would take advantage of someone mired down in sin.
Still today people are trapped in sins. Try as they might, they cannot free themselves. Others take advantage of their bondage, and they are helpless to do anything about it.
The gospel brings good news. Regardless of the depths of your sins, and regardless of who has contributed to your slavery, God has power to free from sins. The Apostle Paul emphasized, “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” Despite there being too much sin in the world, God’s grace over super-abounds in saving from sins. When we can do nothing about our sins, God can. When sin has us trapped, God can release us from sin’s death grip, giving us hope and eternal life.
A young lady was freed from sin in Acts 16:18. Just like her, you can be set free, and “if the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (MDA)

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
— Robert Lowry

There is power in Jesus’ name!

Sunday, December 27

Herald & Banner Press2015-12-22T09:00:39+00:00December 22nd, 2015|Categories: Opening the Word|Tags: Demon-possession, salvation, sin|0 Comments

Devotional: The Savior's Birth
Devotional: The Savior's Birth

Devotional: The Savior's Birth

Read Luke 2:1-7
“And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered” (v. 6).
The young mother was desperate. It was the day before Christmas, and she had no gifts for her small children. She had prayed for a miracle. She was discouraged and frustrated — a bit disappointed in God. However, God had seen her need and heard her prayer. That evening, church friends came bearing gifts and food for their Christmas dinner.
As we read the Christmas story, we bask in the wonder and awe of the season because He came to earth to save lost humanity. God worked faithfully to carry out all His plans — to the minute detail! Even having to travel at an inconvenient time, the delay in Bethlehem, staying in a stable, was all part of His plan. No doubt Joseph and Mary wondered, “Why, God? Why right NOW?”
It seems like when it rains, it pours. Troubles seem to multiply until we feel like we are drowning in our circumstances. God sees our needs. He sent His Son to come to our aid! Be encouraged — Jesus came to be the answer for all the troubles we face. God is faithful, he hears and answers our prayers — in His time. (Sue Colburn)

God kept His promise — and His Son, Jesus Christ, came to our world!

This devotional is the Thursday, December 17, 2015 entry of Opening the Word. Order your copy!

Herald & Banner Press2015-12-15T09:00:06+00:00December 15th, 2015|Categories: Opening the Word|Tags: birth, christmas, savior|0 Comments

Devotional: Jesus Raises Jairus' Daughter
Devotional: Jesus Raises Jairus' Daughter

Devotional: Jesus Raises Jairus' Daughter

Read Luke 8:41-56
“But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole” (v. 50).
What would you say is the opposite of faith? My first thought would probably be “doubt.” In this verse, however, Jesus juxtaposes faith and fear: “Fear not: believe only.”
“What’s wrong with fear?” you might wonder. “Isn’t fear a natural human response?” I certainly find it comes naturally to me. Actually, when faced with a perplexing situation my response most times is more akin to panic.
A certain amount of caution is wise. But when we allow fear or worry to gain the upper hand, it can blot out the truths of God’s wisdom, His power, and His goodness. Instead, all we can see is our big, scary problem.
Charles Spurgeon said it well. “The very essence of anxious care is the imagining that we are wiser than God, and the thrusting ourselves into His place to do for Him that which He has undertaken to do for us. . . . Anxiety makes us doubt God’s lovingkindness, and thus our love to Him grows cold. We feel mistrust, and thus grieve the Spirit of God, so that our prayers become hindered, our consistent example marred, and our life one of self-seeking.”
A little worry can work like termites, almost unseen but totally weakening the structure of faith. So, when we are faced with that undesirable diagnosis, that unforeseen roadblock, that unexpected sorrow, “Fear not: believe only.” (Ashlee Englund)

We must keep our eyes on God.

This devotional is the Sunday, December 13, 2015 entry of Opening the Word. Buy your copy today!

Herald & Banner Press2015-12-08T09:00:30+00:00December 8th, 2015|Categories: Opening the Word|Tags: faith, fear|0 Comments

Devotional: Provision in Time of Need
Devotional: Provision in Time of Need

Devotional: Provision in Time of Need

Read 1 Kings 19:1-8
“And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee” (v. 7).

When my father died in December 1947, my mother was left a widow. She had me, a boy of three-and-a-half years, my older brother of seven-and a-half years, and my younger brother of one-and-a-half years. She had no profession or trade by which she could earn a living, and farmers were not yet covered by Social Security. She was left with two small farms; one an eighty-acre tract with a house and out buildings, and a forty-acre tract with no improvements. She could not cultivate the farms and had only a small welfare check on which to try to feed her three boys and herself. She leaned heavily on the Lord for provisions.
Elijah found provisions for his need from an unexpected source, and it was sufficient for his long journey. The threat from Jezebel brought great fear to him, such that he asked God to take his life. The death of my father left my mother in a perplexing condition. For her to ask God to take her life would have left three boys as orphans. Therefore, she could only look to God for “provision in time of need.” Just as God provided for Elijah, so He provided for my mother and her boys. (Larry DeOrnellis)

It is possible that God permits us to pass through times of need to enable us to experience His provisions.

This devotional is the Monday, November 30, 2015 entry of Opening the Word. Buy your copy today!

Herald & Banner Press2015-12-01T09:00:43+00:00December 1st, 2015|Categories: Opening the Word|Tags: Elijah, needs, Opening the Word|0 Comments

Relieving Anxiety
Relieving Anxiety

Relieving Anxiety

Read Luke 12:22-27
“Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these” (v. 27).

“Faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God” declares A. W. Tozer. Could we not further affirm that Christianity is like an admiring and obedient child smiling into the face of a fully trustworthy father?
A child who has encountered a miserable bully or some baffling dilemma simply and honestly declares that when his daddy gets home, he will take care of this problem. This may be an exaggerated confidence in his father’s ability; however, that child’s assurance rises out of his loving devotion and his father’s proven faithfulness.
In the dilemmas of life, Jesus calls us to gaze into His face and live at rest. He knows our needs and our problems. He has not forgotten us. He is absolutely capable and absolutely trustworthy. And thus, in contrast to an anxious and contagious negative outlook, the believer is urged to live in the quiet assurance, “My Daddy is home! He will take care of this.” (Blake Jones)

Be still my soul; the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide.
In ev’ry change He faithful will remain.
— Katharina von Schlegel

Today I will cultivate the gaze of my soul into the trustworthy face of my Heavenly Father.

This devotional is the Thursday, November 26, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.

Herald & Banner Press2015-11-24T10:50:42+00:00November 24th, 2015|Categories: Opening the Word|Tags: anxiety, faith|0 Comments

Devotional: Loyalty in Adversity
Devotional: Loyalty in Adversity

Devotional: Loyalty in Adversity

Read Proverbs 17:14-19
“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (v. 17).
People that are consistent in loving their friends and their God through adversity are made out of good metal. Following my father’s death in the Snow Belt area of western New York, my mother was left alone to take care of the home place. She was totally devoted to God, her family, church, and lost souls. One wintry Sunday morning, the car doors were frozen shut. There was no way to enter the front seat of the car. The back doors opened, but the locks froze so the doors would not stay closed securely. At nearly eighty years old, with love and determination, she walked through deep snow to the barn, found some clothes- line, and climbed into the back seat. She then took the clothesline and tied the two back doors securely shut. She then carefully crawled over the back of the seat and slipped up under the steering wheel of the car. She warmed up the car and drove to church. By the time she arrived at church all the locks had thawed. She joyfully opened the front door of the car, got out, and enjoyed a great Sunday school and worship service. Later she called me and shared with me that she was not too old to crawl over the back of the seat of the car so she would not miss church. (Walter Hedstrom)

Loyalty in adversity is still a priceless commodity!

This devotional is the Friday, November 20, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.

Herald & Banner Press2015-11-17T09:00:47+00:00November 17th, 2015|Categories: Opening the Word|0 Comments

God's Example
God's Example

God's Example

Read Hebrews 6:9-12
“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shown toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (v. 10).
Let us face it, life is not fair. As a matter of fact, neither is God. He is holy, altogether lovely, and not fair. Did He give you what you deserved? A good friend of mine, Augusta, grew up extremely poor. She married to get away, and her life turned out worse. One day an evangelist stopped by their trailer, told the simple gospel message, and Gussie prayed through. Her husband left her with the children, declaring that religion was the problem. Her limited education made it hard to find a job, yet she felt compelled to give the gospel to those who didn’t know. She worked among the drunks in the slums, held street meetings, and helped get some churches started. With her children grown, she totaled her assets — an ancient little travel trailer with no vehicle to move it.
One of her boys ended up stationed in Germany. That year the U.S. government decided to send mothers to the boys instead of bringing them home. Gussie boarded a plane, flew to Germany, toured Italy, visited the Sistine Chapel, breathed the fresh air of the Swiss Alps, and saw many castles in Bavaria. It didn’t cost her anything. You can never out-give God. (Joyce Cooper)

God delights in doing “special” things for His own.

This devotional is the Monday, November 9, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.

Herald & Banner Press2015-11-10T09:00:54+00:00November 10th, 2015|Categories: Opening the Word|0 Comments

Christ's Example
Christ's Example

Christ's Example

Read Philippians 2:3-10
“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” (v. 7).
There is an account told about the Civil War general, George B. McClellan. He fancied himself to be a great military leader and enjoyed hearing the people call him “a young Napoleon.” However, his performance was less than sensational. President Lincoln commissioned him General-in-Chief, hoping this would get some action, but still he procrastinated. One evening, Lincoln and two of his staff members went to visit McClellan, only to learn that he was at a wedding. The three men sat down to wait, and an hour later the general arrived home. Without paying attention to the President, McClellan went upstairs and did not return. Half an hour later, Lincoln sent the servant to tell McClellan that the men were waiting. The servant came back to report McClellan had gone to bed!
His associates angry, Lincoln merely got up and led the way home. “This is no time to be making points of etiquette and personal dignity,” the President explained. “I would hold McClellan’s horse if he will only bring us success.” This attitude of humility and willing service helped to make Lincoln a great man and a great President. It is that same attitude which made Christ our perfect example. (Marshall Mosley)

Would you rather have a great reputation or a great reward in heaven?

This devotional is the Sunday, November 8, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.

Herald & Banner Press2015-11-03T06:00:14+00:00November 3rd, 2015|Categories: Opening the Word|0 Comments

Stewardship of Our Time
Stewardship of Our Time

Stewardship of Our Time

Read Ephesians 5:14-21
“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (v. 16).
“She looks so young. She can’t possibly be a grandmother!” I thought as I chatted with one of my former high school students. What a shock to learn how many grandchildren she had!
I am often taken aback to realize just how old I am. Perhaps it is because I had no children of my own whose growth would have marked the passing of the years. I don’t like to admit remembering events that happened more than a half century ago. I cringe when I read a news item about an “elderly person” who is younger than I. Elderly? Me? Yes, the majority of my lifespan has come and gone. I am definitely a senior citizen!
Young person or senior, we occasionally need to remember we have been allotted a finite number of days to live on this earth. Let us pray with the psalmist, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (90:12). (Joyce Cooper)

Another day begun!
Lord, grant us grace that we,
Before the setting of the sun,
Redeem the time for Thee.
Another day of toil!
To Thee we yield our powers;
Keep Thou our souls from guilty soil
Through all the passing hours. — John Ellerton

“Be careful to make a good improvement of precious time” (David Brainerd).

This devotional is the Saturday, October 31, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.

Herald & Banner Press2015-10-28T09:00:19+00:00October 28th, 2015|Categories: Opening the Word|0 Comments