Our text for today is Job 2:9-10

His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

Echoing this thought, there is a true story I want you to keep in your hearts. It is the story of two women in a concentration camp.

A ray of unexpected hope appeared among the horrors of the Ravensbruck concentration camp from an unusual source: fleas. This devotional describes Corrie ten Boom’s and her sister’s moving experience of giving thanks to God for gifts that are often concealed behind really difficult situations.

The story takes place in a flea-infested barrack. Corrie is perplexed by her sister’s persistence on giving thanks to God for the biting fleas as she struggles to accept the harsh reality of their circumstances. It was perplexing that her sister was appreciative of such an apparently bad part of their lives at a country where hope seemed to have vanished. Corrie, however, follows her sister’s example and practices faith by upholding the biblical precept of being thankful under all situations.

Over time, something amazing happens. The guards stopped invading their area; they were no longer a continual danger of assault and torture. The women felt somewhat safer during this brief but unexpected break. When the guards are not there, the barrack becomes a kind of sanctuary where the ladies study the Bible and build a sense of spiritual comfort and camaraderie.

It’s a remarkable turn of events to learn that the guards avoided their barrack because of the fleas. In actuality, what was thought to be a curse acted as a barrier, keeping the women safe. This tale demonstrates ways in which protection and optimism can appear in the most unexpected ways. 

It pushes us to reevaluate how we view the difficulties we encounter by speculating that every adversity could conceal a protecting grace or blessing that we would only be able to recognize in retrospect. 

It may seem hard, but we must ask with Job, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” Sometimes we must have the faith to say, “Thank God for the fleas.”

Lonnie Davis

Our Text for today is Matthew 6:14-15

“If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

The story that I am about to share moves me. It was written by Corrie ten Boom. Near the end of World War II, she and her sister, Betsy, were cast into the Ravensbruck concentration camp because they helped Jews. Her sister and father died there, but she survived. She wrote the following story about forgiveness:

“It was at a church service in Munich that I saw him, the former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing center at Ravensbruck. He was the first of our actual jailers that I had seen since that time. And suddenly it was all there, the roomful of mocking men, the heaps of clothing, Betsy’s pain blanched face.

“He came up to me as the church was emptying, beaming and bowing. “How grateful I am for your message Fraulein,” he said. “To think, as you say, He has washed my sins away!”

“His hand was thrust out to shake mine. And I, who had preached so often to the people the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side.

What would you do? If it were you sister who died at his cold heart and deeds and he stuck his hand out to you for recognition of forgiveness?

“I tried to smile, I struggled to raise my hand. I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so again I breathed a silent prayer. Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me your forgiveness.

As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.”

So let’s remember that anybody can forgive lovable people who out of character, hurt us. But can you forgive those who are hard to forgive?

Lonnie Davis

Kindness

Our Scripture for today is Genesis 39:20-21.

Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison…But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness…

When I tell Joseph’s story, I talk about how God delivered him from death in the pit. I remember how Joseph was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and then cast into prison. In all of this, God’s hand was protecting him, but do you ever think about how God showed him kindness?

I want God to be merciful to me, but I especially want him to show me kindness. Kindness is almost a lost word in our world. You can be much younger than me and remember the word that follows “Be Kind.” If you ever visited the old Blockbuster stores, you know it is “Be Kind – Rewind.” No, it is much more than that.

Today I want you to think about kindness. Like the word “Love,” kindness is best defined by what it does.

Once I had to give a blood sample for testing. In an act of kindness, Liz went with me. As we sat waiting my turn, an older lady struggled to her feet and began to walk haltingly. Liz got up, took her arm, and walked her to the room. Why did she do that? Because showing kindness to a stranger was a part of who Liz was. 

Kindness is a smile or kind word to someone.
Kindness is a generous tip to a hard-working server.
Kindness is a thank-you note to someone who helped.
Kindness is cooking a meal or a cake for someone going through a hard time.
Kindness is an encouraging card to a friend.
Kindness is giving to someone in need. 
Kindness is checking in with a friend, or coworker. 
Kindness is sending an old-fashioned letter to a friend or acquaintance from long ago. It is letting them know you still think of them. 

I want God to be kind to me. If so, then I need to show kindness to his children.

Lonnie Davis

Our Scripture for today is Hebrews 13:5

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ’Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ “

Let me read part of that again: “Be content with what you have.” Do any of you struggle with that phrase? Maybe not today, but there have been moments when we probably all have. I know I certainly have.

I love the story of the young bride who showed her grandmother all the modern conveniences of her new kitchen. She showed her the ice maker, the microwave oven, the double ovens, and the garbage disposal. She proudly ask, “Grandma, which of all these modern conveniences do you like best?” The grandma thought for a minute and then said, “I think I like running water the best.” 

The secret to being thankful is remembering the running water, the forgotten blessings.

Today, Somewhere in the bombed-out buildings of Ukraine, a mother bows her head and thanks.  In a little house in Israel, amidst the sound of rockets pouring in from angry countries, another mother gives thanks. In a city in America, a father says a Thanksgiving prayer. He knows his bank account is empty and his lights might be shut off tomorrow, but for today, he gives thanks.

How can anyone be thankful in the ruins of war or the threat of rockets flying overhead? How can we give thanks when tomorrow might bring disaster? 

We give thanks because being thankful is not about what you don’t have. It is about seeing what you do have. It is about remembering the running water.

 I am thankful I have a yard to walk in and a roof over my head. I am thankful I have lungs that work and blood that carries oxygen. I am thankful for eyes that see the wonderful things around me.

I am thankful that my family loves me. I am especially thankful that they like me. 

I am thankful that I am here because God wanted me here. He wanted all of us to be here or else we wouldn’t have been born. 

For today, we can say thanks. At least if we remember the running water. 

Lonnie Davis

Our Scripture for today is John 16:32.

“Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.”

Jesus was at the end of his earthly trail. He knew that soon he would be arrested and crucified. He knew, but his apostles did not. Jesus told them, “The hour is coming.” When it did, he knew they would run from him. You will “leave me alone,” he said.

He knew that when the arrest would come, neither Peter, James, John, or any other apostle would stay with him. He would be left alone to face the murders. Then he told them the beautiful words, “Yet, I am not alone, for the father is with me.”

Each time I read those words, they remind me of what real faith is. Real faith is knowing that God is always with you, and feeling it.

Many years ago I knew a Godly man who was describing fighting a grass fire at his house. He told a group of men in a meeting, “We were fighting the fire. It was hard, but we were winning.” One of the men interrupted him, “You said, ‘We were fighting the fire.’ Who else was there with you? He answered, “The Lord.” He wasn’t being cute or pretending. That is the way he thought. 

Sometimes we pray for faith and we work on building our faith, but do we know what faith looks like? Real faith looks like, “Yet I am not alone, but the Father is with me.” It is evident in the phrase, “We were fighting the fire.”

Faith is not just knowing that God is with us, but feeling that God is by our side at all times.

Too often, we are like the little boy going to bed at night. His mother came to tuck him in and he asked her to stay in the room with him. “I’m scared of the dark,” he said. His mother said, “You don’t need me here; Jesus is with you.” The little boy said, “I want somebody who has skin.”

Does God feel real to you? Can you feel his presence? When he does, then that is what real faith feels like.

Lonnie Davis

Our Scripture for today is Isiah 40:31

“Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”

The first thing I want you to notice about this verse is that I left out a word. Here it is: before it starts with “Those who wait upon the Lord,” it starts with “But.” With this one little word, the Holy Spirit tells us that this verse is here because of what he has already said.

 The verse before it reads, “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall.” Then he says, “But those who lean upon the Lord.”

Freshly rested young people with a strong will can stay with a task for a very long time, but even they will wear out. Not so with God!

I am old enough that I have lost many that I have loved. When my brother was on his dying bed, each Friday morning, I would drive five hours to spend time with him. On Sunday afternoon, I would go home. It was my privilege to do that. One Sunday, as I told him I would be back next weekend, he said, “That is so far to drive.” I told him that was all right. 

I didn’t come near the end of my strength. As I walked by his wife, I knew she had been doing much more than this for years. I was visiting with him, but she was his caregiver. I felt the weight of being in her place when my own wife struggled with her final months. 

 We (me, her, and you) are proud to get to be this, but it will eventually sap you of your strength. This is what the scripture means when it says, “Even the youths shall faint and be weary.” 

Now the words “But those who lean upon the Lord” can give us comfort. 

God is our helper. He never grows weary or fails. 

King David wrote, “The Lord is my shepherd.” Psalms also says, “Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you.” (Psalms 55:22).

There may come a day when I will exhaust my loved ones. They will help, but their strength may eventually struggle. Fortunately, I have a helper in God who always, under every strain of life and death, will be my shepherd and my helper. He will never grow tired or weary. AND, He will help those who tend to me.

Lonnie Davis

Believe In Jesus

Our Scripture for today is Romans 10:9

“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

I am a fan of Jordan Peterson. His book, “12 Rules for Life” is worth reading. To listen to him, he sounds so rational, that has caused many to ask him whether he believes in God. Sometime back, he was interviewed by Pierce Morgan and asked whether he believed in God. He seemed to be evasive with his answer. Finally, he was asked, “Do you pray?” He answered, “Yes, all the time.” Morgan followed with, “Who do you pray to?” His answer was that he prays to whatever spirit protects him from Hell. He was not pressed on Jesus, so offered no word.

Though I find his answer to be misguided, we live in a world where many people believe there is a God, but do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

Judaism believes in the God of the Bible, but not in Jesus.

Islam is the world’s second-largest religion, with over 1.8 billion followers. Muslims believe in one God and believe that Jesus was a prophet of God, but they do not believe that he was the Son of God.

Hinduism is the world’s third-largest religion, with over 1.2 billion followers. Hindus believe in a supreme being and reincarnation here on earth, but not in Jesus.

To all these billions of people we must say with Peter,

“Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:10,12).

Lonnie Davis

Our Scripture for today is Hebrews 11:6.

“Without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

In any study of faith, this verse must always be considered. It is more than just a call to faith; it’s a roadmap for our spiritual relationship with God. Let’s delve into the four fundamental parts of faith found in this powerful scripture.

Part 1. “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him.”

This principle places faith not as an optional aspect of spirituality but as its very foundation. It’s a reminder that our journey with God begins with the belief in His existence and presence in our lives.

Part 2. “For he who comes to God.”

The verse continues. “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God

Do you see that phrase, “comes to God?” Coming to God isn’t passive. It involves an active effort. Like the Prodigal Son of Luke 15, we need to head toward God, to come to God. Seeking Him is an ongoing process. It’s about engaging with God, exploring His teachings, and embracing His presence in our daily lives.

Part 3: “Must believe that He is.”

Our verse then adds part 3. “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is.”

At its core, faith starts with the belief that God exists. This is more than just acknowledging His existence; it’s about recognizing the role He plays in our personal lives. This belief forms the bedrock of our faith, shaping how we perceive the world and our place in it.

Part 4. “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Finally, the verse gives us part 4. “And that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Faith believes in the promise of reward. This isn’t merely about tangible or worldly rewards but also about deeper, spiritual fulfillment. It assures us that our efforts in seeking God are not in vain and that there is value in our spiritual pursuit. 

Hebrews 11:6 is a verse that every believer ought to put into their heart. It urges us to not only believe in God’s existence but to actively seek Him, promising that such a pursuit leads to divine rewards. 

Lonnie Davis

Our Verse for today is Genesis 3:8

“When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden. “  Genesis 3:8

No one can see God. He is invisible. He is Spirit. Yet right from the beginning of the Bible story, he reaches out to mankind. That’s why the Lord God made himself known, “walking” with Adam in the Garden.

God revealed himself first in a Garden of Eden.  The Old Testament has many other examples of this, and in the New Testament the Son of God became a man and lived among us. So it should not seem strange that he should reach out to Adam and Eve. His appearance show us God’s intense desire to establish fellowship with us.

God came out of his dwelling, entered human time and space, and came to Eden so that he could walk with the first man and woman in the Garden. Maybe Adam and Eve heard the crackling of twigs and the rustling of leaves. But we do know that when the cool evening breezes were blowing, Adam and Eve heard the LORD God walking about in the garden.

God is invisible. He is Spirit. Yet right from the beginning of the Bible story, he reaches out to make himself known. That’s why the Lord God was “walking” in the Garden.

In the New Testament the Son of God became a man, so it should not seem strange that he should reach out to Adam and Eve. These appearances show us God’s intense desire to establish fellowship with us.

Adam and Eve walked with God in Eden as surely as Peter, James, and John walked with Jesus in Galilee.

As Adam and Eve walked with God, they asked questions and enjoyed conversation. Can you imagine what this must have been like? God was interested in what Adam had done during the day, and he listened to whatever was on Eve’s mind. God spoke to them. Yes, God spoke to them. The man and the woman were literally walking in fellowship with God.

When God appeared to Adam and Eve, he did for them what he does for all his people. We cannot see God, but Jesus Christ gives us access to the Father when we come in faith. This is God’s way of creating a relationship with you. His presence today is as real as it was when he appeared ito Adam. 

After all, his name is Immanuel means “God with us.” Matthew 1:23

Lonnie Davis

Our verse for today is Matthew 18:1-3.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 

So yes! I want to be childlike? Usually when we say someone is childish it is an insult. Not according to Jesus. According to Jesus, childlike is a desired state.

Obviously, Jesus is not saying that we need to be afraid at night or unable to provide for ourselves, but there are many things about being a child which we ought to immulate.

We ought to live a joyful life. One of the things we all enjoy about children is their laugher. According to several studies, children laugh much more often than adults. The average number of laughs per day for children is around 300, while for adults it is only 17. This doesn’t mean they laugh at jokes more, it means that they laugh at the things in life.

In joy, make me childish.

We ought to be forgiving. 

Children who get upset with one another over whose turn it is, or whose toy to use, in the space of a few minutes make a new bond of friendship and forgive one another.

In forgiveness, make me childish.

This list could go on and on, but maybe you ought to do your own list. What is it about a child that you admire? Today we would all be served by going back to our spirit of youth. The poet said, “Age is not a state of mind…” Maybe not, but sometimes it is. 

Today, let’s go back to being a child, at least part of the day.

Lonnie Davis