The Matter of Alcohol Consumption

621 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ti 3:3 not given to wine, Next on the list of pastoral qualifications is the pastor must not be given to wine. So, you want to be a pastor. How are you doing with alcoholic beverages or any other mind altering substances? Something that a pastor needs to remember is he is the shepherd of the flock. As the shepherd he is on call 24/7. You never know when that phone is going to ring with a bleating sheep on the other end who is crying out for spiritual help, and you better have your wits about you.. This qualification for a pastor does not forbid the use of wine, in fact later on in this letter Paul tells Timothy, 1Ti 5:23 No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities. What is forbidden is crossing that line of impaired judgment. The word “given” here means, “staying near wine,” a “tippler” A what? A tippler, one who drinks by habit or continuously. If you have to have a stash of your favorite alcoholic beverage on hand to soothe your mind or your emotions, you've got a problem and need to get help. Still another issue for the pastor is public consumption of alcohol that could result in the fall of a weaker brother or sister who is struggling with the sin of drunkenness. Ro 14:21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. It's interesting that this qualification is thrown out there by the Holy Spirit. The implication is that these pastors that would lead these early church plants, likely had some sheep with alcohol abuse issues. It was part of their culture. It would be like pastoring a church in Wisconsin. Drunkenness is a serious sin, and needs to be dealt with in the flock. 1Co 6:10, reminds us that drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the very next verse offers hope for the drunkard, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. These newly appointed pastors of these newly organized congregations would need to lead by example, and as the Word was rightly preached, the sheep could have victory over this sin, as they confess it and receive God's forgiveness. Sometimes this is an ongoing struggle, and to the alcoholic AND the CONGREGATION I say, DON'T GIVE UP! Let repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation be your guide and goal.

A Pastor Can't Wait To Share What He HAs Been Taught

620 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; Next on the list of pastoral qualifications is the pastor must be able to teach. The King James says, “apt” to teach. That's a subtle difference but I like it. I like it because it touches on the passion of the gifted teacher. Someone who is “apt” is inclined, disposed, given or prone to do something. They are also able to learn quickly and easily ( a quality that was vital in these early church plants!) A teacher then is one who can't help but to teach others. A teacher of God's Word is a student who has been taught by the Holy Spirit (who uses the Word of God to teach) and then can't help but pass what they have learned on to others. One of the sheer joys of the study of God's Word are those times when the Holy Spirit turns on the light and opens up the the meaning of a passage or passages. When that happens the one who is “apt” to teach, can't wait to share this new insight with others. The key to this is being willing to be taught. Sometimes we can be hard-headed and rigid in our pet doctrines, unwilling to listen to the Spirit's gentle correction, but when one is willing to listen and learn from the Holy Spirit, a whole new realm of biblical clarity is opened up, for the benefit of the teacher, the student, and the Kingdom of God. It's easy to see why this characteristic is important for a pastor of God's flock. Pastors, be teachable! And burn with a desire to pass along your Holy Spirit garnered knowledge of God's Word to others! And whether you are a pastor or not, always pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to you every time you open God's Word. Jesus reminds us in Joh 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” Ask then for the Holy Spirit to teach you. Open your Bible and school is in session.

A Pastor Must Be Fond of Guests

619 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; Next on the list of pastoral qualifications is the pastor must be hospitable. The word means “fond of guests.” A person who is fond of guests, does not view visitors as an interruption, and again we see this modeled in the Good Shepherd, Jesus. He had no place to call His own and His office was wherever HE traveled, and HE never viewed an encounter with another human being as an interruption. He was genuinely fond of guests, even suffering little children to come unto Him! Sometimes we confuse this gift with the notion that the hospitable person is gifted at entertaining others in their well appointed homes, with elegant dinners, and stimulating conversation, but really, it is what it says it is. It is anyone who is fond of guests. Some of the most hospitable people I know have pots and pans in the sink, unmade beds, laundry everywhere, and maybe they have something in the fridge they could throw together for that lunch they insist you stay for. The key is, they are just plain glad to see you. Abraham's attitude is instructive here: Ge 18:2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he RAN from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, 3 and said, "My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. 4 "Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 "And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant." They said, "Do as you have said." Here's a man who WAS “fond of guests.” You want to be a pastor? Be “fond of guests,” Be genuinely glad to see them, because as a pastor, you never know when they will drop in, with a need for conversation and fellowship, and isn't that the nuts and bolts of one on one ministry? Father, You have been so welcoming with us, help us to be welcoming to others.

Able To Deal With Mis-guided Ideas

617 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, Next on the list of pastoral qualifications is the pastor must be s”sober-minded.” The first thing we think of in the matter of sobriety is usually connected to drunkenness, but that's not what is meant here. The matter of “not given to much wine” is addressed later on in these qualifications. To be sober is to be self-controlled. And it's easy to see how the word gets connected to drunkenness. After all, the first thing that someone loses when they have too much to drink is their self-control. The Zodhiates Greek Study Bible defines this concept as follows: One who has a sound mind. A person who limits his own freedom and ability with proper thinking, demonstrating self-control with the proper restraints on all the passions and desires. The opposite of being sober minded is to be one whose insolence and contempt of others breaks forth in acts of wantonness (undisciplined behavior) and outrage. You can see how important this trait is when it comes to shepherding a flock of new converts! We sheep do some pretty dumb things and it serves no purpose to have a shepherd who breaks out into an outrage at every misstep. Think of our great Shepherd Jesus as it relates to self-control. How often He had to deal with the misguided ideas and behavior of His sheep, and kept His cool. Even when He overturned the tables in the temple and drove the vendors out, it was a calculated reaction to a grievous sin. So you want to be a pastor? Get a handle on your emotions. Learn to NOT overreact to situations that come your way. Father, help us all to learn to be disciplined children.

A Life Well-Ordered

618 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, Next on the list of pastoral qualifications is the pastor must be of good behavior. The Greek word used here is “kosmios” a derivative of kosmos, where we get the term “cosmos.” Cosmos is defined as “an orderly systematic universe.” It is the exact opposite of chaos. In short, a pastor ought to be one who has his act together. Plato said that such a person is “quiet in the land, fulfilling the duties which are incumbent upon him and is not disorderly.” A pastor should not be a rabble rouser stirring up trouble outside the flock. Now PLEASE, I'm not saying that Christians shouldn't be stirring the pot outside the walls of the church. Why just proclaiming the Gospel and the Word of God in public settings is enough to stir the pot, and it's part of our call to be “salt and light” in this world as we confront the self-destructive behavior of the world apart from Jesus Christ in accordance with God's Word. But remember, the pastor is a shepherd, and his first responsibility is to the flock, the members of the individual congregations. He is to be given to prayer and study of God's Word, for the purpose of ministering that Word to his sheep! It is as the Apostles urged the disciples in the early church in Ac 6:4 "but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." This “well-ordered” qualification of the undershepherd is a reflection of the Good Shepherd, who was there with God and the Holy Spirit when it all began. Ge 1:2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be,” and there was! What was chaos became the cosmos, a well-ordered universe. Pastors should reflect that character trait of Jesus, as they tend to the oftentimes chaotic lives of their sheep, bringing order and peace to their lives as the Holy Spirit helps the pastor minister the Word. Father, help Your shepherds to prayerfully minister Your Word.

Considering Circumstances and Consequences

617 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, Next on the list of pastoral qualifications is the pastor must be temperate. The King James says “vigilant.” The Greek word means “circumspect, which means to “look around, to be cautious.” The idea being to be careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences before acting.” It's not difficult to see how important this qualification is for the leader of a flock. A real life shepherd is constantly on watch for any and all circumstances that might put the flock or an individual sheep in danger. Likewise a shepherd in the flock of God is ever vigilant against false teaching, and ever vigilant about the cancer of sin doing harm to the flock or a member of the flock. This quality is especially important as the pastor deals with messy situations that can arise between two people, or even two factions in the flock. As he seeks to mediate the dispute, it is important that he listen to both sides of the story. These disputes can involve anything from business deals, to marital conflict, to gossip,...anything that can cause a rift between members of the flock. A vigilant pastor is one who will gather all the facts, and then bring appropriate Scripture into play, seeking to correct any wrong ideas or actions that are creating the rift. The goal of course is restoration to unity. The devil loves to create these kinds of situations in the Body of Christ. To divide and conquer is one of his major tactics. His very name (devil) comes from the Greek word “diablo” which means to divide. A vigilant pastor is one who recognizes this tactic and then takes measures to nip it in the bud. It's not easy to mediate disputes in the flock of God, but it is necessary, and this qualification for a pastor guards against the danger of hasty decisions, that can be made without first having all the facts. Father, help our pastors to be wary of all the devil's schemes, and help them to remain prudent in all things.

The Matter of Moral Failure

615 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, Last time we talked about the procedure for appointing spiritual leaders (pastors) in these newly planted New Testament churches. New church plants still occur in cultures where the old way of life included polygamy, and sexual immorality, and it is imperative that any indigenous pastors meet this particular qualification of “husband of one wife.” God's original plan for marriage and sexual purity is to be reintroduced to these cultures, who through the course of time have allowed it all to become a bit muddy. But what about pastors in cultures that have been evangelized? What about pastors in the churches of America for instance? Should not the same standard of “husband of one wife,” be upheld? Remember, the main point here is that ALL shepherds of the flocks of God, must be men who cannot be taken hold of (they must be blameless) on the score of sexual promiscuity or laxity. The “post” converted pastor must meet this criteria. A morally compromised pastor must step down or be removed from office. Adulterous lifestyles are just not permitted, and the Bible has much to say about what constitutes adultery, and here's where it gets a little tricky. For example, Jesus said in Lu 16:18 "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery. And in Mt 5:28, He said, "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Now, I do not intend to be the self-appointed “pastor police,” but these two verses tell me that the matter of divorce and pornography addiction need to be addressed by the local congregation as it concerns fitness for the pulpit. The first concern of course is always the restoration of the erring brother, and then congregations must decide in accordance with the Word of God, what there next steps must be. Father, I pray that it would never come to this in Your church, but if it does, grant wisdom, love, and mercy to all involved as the truth of Your Word is applied.

Setting the Sexual Purity Standard

615 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, Continuing a look at qualifications for spiritual leaders in the New Testament church. It's important to realize the settings involved in planting these churches. They were starting from scratch! These new congregations were made up entirely of new converts, and they were coming from cultural backgrounds that were firmly rooted in the ways of the world. One of these practices was polygamy and still another involved temple prostitution, and the use of concubines. These unbiblical sexual practices needed to come to an end, and the Holy Spirit saw fit to begin with the leaders of the congregations. In order to be the pastor of these fledgling flocks, one needed to set the bar high in accordance with God's Word as it concerns marriage and sexual purity. This issue of multiple sex partners is not just some ancient problem in the church. As the gospel is preached to cultures who accept these practices today, many of the converts have multiple wives. What to do? Make them divorce all their wives and disown their children? Or should mercy be extended to these existing arrangements, with a line being drawn in the sand, that says these practices must come to an end? It would seem that the biblical concept of mercy trumping judgment ought to win out. It's a dicey situation to say the least, but the matter of multiple wives must be handled graciously and judiciously, while all other illicit sexual activity must be dealt with immediately, and the indigent pastor must be one who does not have multiple wives. What about the “multiple wives” that come into play in the matter of those who are divorced and remarried that desire the good work of pastoring in the modern day American church? This is a matter that the calling congregation needs to take into consideration, graciously and judiciously, relying on the guidelines found in the Word of God.

Teflon Pastors

614 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, Continuing a look at qualifications for spiritual leaders in the New Testament church. The first qualification of the spiritual leader of the congregation is he is to be blameless. Well, good luck with that one. Especially given the fact that he is likely a recent convert to Christianity and who knows what kind of sins lay in his past! I don't want to say that Zacchaeus would be a qualified candidate to serve as a spiritual leader, but he is a good example of someone, who upon meeting Jesus and being converted, became a man who was blameless or without reproach. He made it clear to all that if they had thought ill of him before as he carried out his tax collecting duties, they would no longer have cause to do so. Lu 19:8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold." In the culture of these church plants, it's likely some of these candidates were former scoundrels like Zacchaeus, who were now blameless! So the pastoral candidate must be a man, who literally is “not able to be taken hold of.” He is that new creation spoken of in 2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. He is a changed man in accordance with Eph 4:20-22, “But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, Ronald Reagan was known as “the Teflon President,” because try as they may, no one could make any attacks on his character stick to him. This is the first qualification of the pastoral candidate. A proven track record of a man touched by Jesus! A man who is still a sinner, but not to the point where people would have cause to speak evil of him.

Plant, Then Call

613 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; Continuing a look at qualifications for spiritual leaders in the New Testament church. The pastor (bishop) THEN. Important word THEN because it implies that something has to happen first before we even get to these qualifications and that something is what is known as “the call.” The call is nothing more than a God-given desire or yearning to shepherd a local congregation. In short, as we discussed last time, to be a mother hen, devoted to prayer and ministering of the Word. (Applying it to the flock) But how does one know when they are “called” of God to serve in that capacity. I wish I had a cut and dried answer for you. Perhaps we can learn from the New Testament example of Paul and Barnabas. They had been sent out as evangelists, and as they gathered believers in all the cities where they preached, before they left, they appointed elders (men who met the qualifications as set forth in 1 Tim 3 and Titus 1. Ac 14:23 So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. These elders served as pastors (ministers of the Word) and were not appointed lightly by Paul and Barnabas. They prayed and fasted along with the fledgling congregation, seeking guidance from the Lord as to who they should appoint. When they were satisfied with the Lord's answer they typically laid on hands and appointed them to serve in that capacity. Then commended (placed the congregation in the hands of the Lord) Paul and Barnabas did this in EVERY church. Every congregation needs an overseer, a pastor. Someone, first of all with a God-given desire to serve in that capacity, and secondly one who has been screened by the church planters and the congregation, and then selected through prayer and fasting. Remember, elders (pastors) are a gift to the church from Jesus Himself and the giver of the gift needs to be consulted This is an age old process, handed down by the Lord who is the One who builds His church. We would do well to continue to follow this procedure today. Self-appointed pastors are usually a bad accident waiting to happen. Plant, then prayerfully appoint using the criteria found in Scripture.

The Gift of Pastors

612 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ti 3:1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. Stepping aside from our verse by verse exposition of 2 Samuel, to talk about leadership in the local congregation. This matter of qualified leadership was important enough that the Holy Spirit speaking through the Apostle Paul lays down the qualifications to his next generation of leaders...Timothy and Titus. First of all, we need to define the term bishop. Say the word “bishop” and the first thing that usually comes to mind is a picture of a man wearing ceremonial robes and a mitre. It is highly unlikely that the bishops of Paul's day wore such garb. The Greek word for bishop is Episkope. And it means to visit, consider, and provide covering for. Jesus used the word when He wept over Jerusalem and lamented that the people of Jerusalem did not know the time of their “visitation,” (The time of their Bishop.) As the Chief Bishop, He longed to hold the people in His arms like a hen gathers in and nurtures and protects her chicks: Lu 13:34 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! The bishop spoken of in Paul's letter to Timothy then is a Christ appointed shepherd ( Jesus is the One who calls as we read in Eph 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,) This shepherd then is assigned the task of nurturing, protecting, and equipping the local congregation. He is the mother hen, who uses the Word of God for this task. As Peter said in Ac 6:4 "but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." To respond to the God-given desire to be a bishop (a pastor) get's special mention here as a good work. The attitude of desiring to take a group of Jesus followers and nurturing them to spiritual maturity through prayerful study and application of God's Word is a high calling! Thank You Jesus for the gift of pastors!

Choosing Leaders

611 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 20:4 And the king said to Amasa, "Assemble the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself." 5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah. But he delayed longer than the set time which David had appointed him. Rebellion breaks out again with Sheba's revolt against David, and David's desire is to move fast against Sheba, lest he gain any strongholds in the land. If you recall, David had replaced Joab as his “captain of the army” with Amasa. This replacement was prompted by the fact that it would appease the tribe of Judah, who were slow to accept David as the restored king, and I think it also was done because David was not happy with Joab for killing Absalom. This appointment reeks of expediency rather than wisdom. Amasa had been the captain of Absalom's army. An army that outnumbered David yet was soundly defeated due to incredibly inept military strategy. Remember the battle in the woods of Ephraim? More of Amasa's men were killed by the terrain, than by David's men. Good choice Amasa. Is this really the man you want to lead your army David? Apparently the soldiers that Amasa was sent to recruit saw things more clearly than David. Maybe they remembered the 20,000 men who were lost in the woods of Ephraim. At any rate, Amasa had difficulty raising up an acceptable fighting force. Put yourself in their shoes. Would you want to follow this general? This is a good point to remember when filling leadership roles in a congregation. Those who serve in this vital role in the local congregation and beyond should not be chosen for the sake of expediency. It's not suppose to be a matter of choosing the most popular person, or as a way of gaining favor with factions. Rather, the most qualified candidates are to be chosen. This is so important that the Holy Spirit speaks of the process in 1 Tim:3, and Titus 1:5-9. We'll be looking at these qualifications in the days ahead. Father, we are in a war, and it is fitting that we have qualified generals leading the fight. Show us in the days ahead, those things that make for good generals in Your army.

An Example of Caring For Widows

610 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 20:3 Now David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten women, his concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in seclusion and supported them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood. (2 Sam 20:3) There is so much wrong here in regards to the treatment of women. Concubines were nothing more than trophies and chattel of powerful men. I do not intend to excuse David's use of concubines, Solomon's use of concubines, or any other example found in Scripture. The practice of accumulating concubines is sin, plain and simple. It is not the way God intended relationships to be between a man and a woman. Remember, by definition a concubine is any illicit lover. Because of the sin of Absalom, these women were now relegated to the status of widowhood, in that they would never know a man again. That's the facts. They are indisputable. So how can we make some good out of this situation? The only good thing I see here is the fact that David “supported” them. They lived out there days with their material needs being met by David. We can use it as an example of how to treat widows in the church today. Jas 1:27 reminds us that, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” And in 1Ti 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. It starts with our own households, our own families. Believers are to make the effort to care for their own who like these concubines, through no fault of their own, find themselves in unsupported situations. It is part of pure religion before God to visit the unsupported in their time of trouble. When things get a little wobbly for those who are alone, we need to be pillars of support to help them through. Father, you have a heart for the unsupported, give us that same heart.

The Matter of Concubines

609 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 20:3 Now David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten women, his concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in seclusion and supported them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood. (2 Sam 20:3) Let's talk a little bit about concubines. The term concubine is first introduced in the Bible in Ge 22:24. Nahor, (Abraham's brother) had a concubine named Reumah. A concubine is defined as a “paramour,” which means an illicit lover. What makes the lover illicit is God's parameter of sexual activity being restricted to one man and one woman in marriage. Jesus made it clear when he was discussing marriage with the Pharisees in Mt 19:4 And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' 5 "and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? 6 "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." In biblical times, God's people became greatly influenced by the world and it's ways, and the practice of collecting concubines became widely accepted. These concubines by definition, had a recognized social status in the household, but it was below the status of the wife. These concubines were also status symbols and often used for political purposes. The more concubines a king had, the more powerful he was perceived to be. Solomon had 300! These 10 concubines that David left behind were assigned the task of keeping house, but Absalom violated them and therefore David was not allowed by Levitical law to use them as paramours.. (Funny how that Law was applied here, but the one man, one woman law ignored!) This whole situation was a royal mess, but then that's what usually happens when we ignore God's Word. The world and it's ways continually press upon us seeking to get us to conform to it's ways. Let this be a reminder to us all of the admonition found in Ro 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. That perfect will is one man, one woman, till death do us part.

In the Midst of tragedy

Today, we are all numb. Those senseless acts of violence that happen in other places, has hit very close to home. The shootings on the Trestle Bridge early Sunday evening in Menasha Wisconsin has given us all a grim jolt of the reality of the existence of evil in this world. Evil that shows up even on what is called the “friendship trail' a walkway over the waters of Little Lake Butte Des Mortes that connects Neenah to Menasha. A place where families and friends often find themselves strolling on warm evenings just enjoying each others company and their placid surroundings. It is a throwback picture to more innocent unhurried times, but that innocence was shattered abruptly by fatal gunshots on this warm Sunday evening. In the 23rd Psalm, David reminds us that we all walk through “the valley of the shadow of death,” and what he meant by that is death can come upon any of us as sudden as a flash flood in the dried up river beds know as Wadi's which are common to Israel. And with this backdrop he writes: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever. “And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” This is our blessed hope for the victims who knew and were known by Jesus, may it be a very real source of comfort for those left behind: Oh Father God, how our hearts break for the families of all the victims. We pray now for the aftermath of this tragedy. Be with the counselors, be with the teachers, be with the students, be with the first responders, be with any and all who are personally involved in this event and help them through the turmoil that must come in the days ahead. Help us all to treasure our loved ones anew, realizing that every day we have with them is a gift. And thank You Lord for the blessed hope we have through faith in Jesus Christ.

Yield Your Tongue To Jesus

608 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 20:1,2 “ And there happened to be there a rebel, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, (Bik' ri) a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet, and said: "We have no share in David, Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; Every man to his tents, O Israel!" 2 So every man of Israel deserted David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem, remained loyal to their king. (2 Sam 20:1,2) What? Another rebellion? This time from a Benjamite! The tribe that gave us King Saul and Shimei, (the curser of David when he left Jerusalem the first time) now gives us another brash rebel named Sheba. Once again we see the seed of bitterness and unforgiveness brewing and growing in the hearts of men. The removal of Saul from the throne has left a burning ember of hatred and disdain for David in many a Benjamite, and the cruel words of Judah was the spark that set off a raging fire. All the Israelites (who felt that they had been slighted by David) join in the rebellion. Unwieldy tongues are a great problem for all, but it should not be so for followers of Christ. Listen again to what the Holy Spirit says in Jas 3:5-12, “ Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. Take heed here my friend, “No man came tame the tongue.” It can only be tamed by Jesus. Maybe we should always start our day with a prayer that yields our tongues to Jesus, asking Him to help our words to be a source of continual blessing, rather than cursing to others.