Daily Living by the Word: Grace for All God’S Children

By Jed N. Snyder CNC D. Min Ph.D.

Gods Word is alive and is the nourishment our spirits need. Daily feasting on the Word will sustain the believer with ability to live completely and fully for the honor of our Lord Jesus Christ. This book gives us a devotional for each day of the year. Readers will be given more strength as they also read directly from their Bibles. As we gain wisdom and knowledge, we will be able to live in joyful victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. It is the authors prayer that we show others the wonder of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 27, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543465891

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Copyright © 2017 by Jed N. Snyder, CNC, D. Min, Ph.D.

ISBN:      Softcover      978-1-5434-6588-4

      eBook         978-1-5434-6589-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®). Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Website

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. [Biblica]

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Rev. date: 11/20/2017

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CONTENTS

Light For The New Year

Getting To Know Jesus Christ

Fear In The New Year?

God Can But May Not

Giving God The Glory

The Early Fruit-Bearing Lessons

Me, Quit?

Who Me, Deceived? Part 1

Who Me, Deceived? Part 2

What Is Failure?

Have Faith

In Memoriam

In The Beginning

Inner Beauty

Interesting Title

I’ve Been Thinking About – Excellence

I’ve Been Thinking About—Families Part 1

I’ve Been Thinking About—Families Part 2

I’ve Been Thinking About-Encouragement

I’ve Been Thinking About-A Godly Legacy

I’ve Been Thinking About—Neighborliness

Giving, Part 1

Giving Part 2

I’ve Been Thinking About – Truth Telling

I’ve Been Thinking About – The World

I’ve Been Thinking About-Rescue

I’ve Been Thinking About…Promises

I’ve Been Thinking About – Love

Ok, Now What? A Renewed Way! Part 1

Ok, Now What? A Renewed Way! Part 2

Facts That Built The Nation

Fact Or Fiction

Finally Home

Dealing With Depression

You Have Cancer!

Worshiping God – Serving Country

Why Me? Why Now? Part 1

Why Me? Why Now? Part 2

What Is Missing?

What Is Good?

What Is A Super Sunday?

Walking In The Way

Love, Love, Love, Love

How Now?

After Easter, What?

Defenseless?

Resolute? Or Resolution?

Sure, I’m Successful

Wonderful!

I’ve Been Thinking About—Fatherhood Part 1

I’ve Been Thinking About—Fatherhood Part 2

I’ve Been Thinking About…Influence

I’ve Been Thinking About…Friends

I’ve Been Thinking About – Words

More Satisfying

Deficit Thinking!

Humility

I’ve Been Thinking About – Travels

I’ve Been Thinking…Poverty

I’ve Been Thinking About— Suffering Part 1

I’ve Been Thinking About— Suffering Part 2

In Defense Of The Weaker Part 1

In Defense Of The Weaker Part 2

New!

The Cost Of Moving Part 1

The Cost Of Moving Part 2

The Centre Cannot Hold

Lord Use Me

Presidential Faith?

Me, Misunderstood?

Freedom Defined

Where?

The Prayer Of Agassiz

What Is Right?

How Now?

A Culture With A Faith-Core

The Next Chapter

We Bow Down

Spiritual Gifts

Full Quiver

Giving And Receiving

What Do I Do With The Light?

One Step At A Time

Walking In The Light

F. A. S. T.

How Does Fruit Come?

What Fruit Does He Want?

Fruit Is From The Vine

Thinking Like God

Traveling

Fearing The Lord

Travel

When The Unexpected Comes

Revenge, Is It Really Sweet?

The Breaking Of Bread

Fellowship

Heritage

Affliction

Dead-Head

Pressure

Martha’s Dilemma

Many Parts, One Whole

Is Real Love Possible?

Would You Like To Get Well?

The Guiding Principle

Humility In Prayer

Less Talking, Please

Model Prayer

Daily Need

Where’s Your Treasure?

Blind Left Hand

What Can I Do About Worry?

When Law And Faith Collide

Did You Ever Notice?

Devoted To What?

Annoyed By A Brave Duo

Godly Men, Humble Servants

Stephen, The Angel-Faced Preacher

He Did Not Threaten

The Sin-Bearer

Seven Facts

Angelic Assistance

Terror When Sin Is In Control

Our Creative God

False Leaders

Lessons From The Vacuum Cleaner

Yearning To Know Christ More

What Is Sound Speech?

Pay Careful Attention

Fierce Wolves

When Is It Too Big?

A Life Of Giving

How Will We Serve?

Why Are You Compassionate?

Be Comforted And Give Comfort

Dare To Be Different

How Are Christians Different

Happy Are The Sad?

Getting Even?

When We Don’t Understand

Certainly Coming! Soon Coming?

Trouble Ahead

Weary But Not Weary

When Heavenly Minded Is Earthly Good

Where’s Your Treasure?

What Makes You Sad?

Two Promises, Two Times, Two Peoples

How To Give A Christian Testimony

When We Hurt Too Much

Smog In The Air, Smog In The Heart

Soft Clay

Let The Beauty Of Jesus

Believers, But Not Saved

Truth-Telling Versus False Prophets

Severely Tested

Be Holy

Believe And Be Baptized

Knowing Right And Wrong

A Few Good Friends

Exalt The Lord

Planning–To Die?

The Godly Person: A Person Of Humility

Your Praise Quotient?

Parenting A Grandchild

A Strong Partner

Narcissism Versus Humility

It’s Friday…But Sunday’s Coming

Good Giving

Methods Versus Principles

The Seeing Blind, The Hearing Deaf!

Ask Whatever You Will

No Excuse For Their Sin

God Is The Judge Of The World

Come And Die

Quoting Scripture

How The Body Works

Faithful

The Story Of Two Prophets

Good, Better, Best

It Will Be Worth It All

When All Else Fails

How Failing Can Help

Hope? Real Or False?

Honoring The Elderly

A Four H Man

Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda, But Didn’t

Wonderful

When No One Really Cares

When Two Say I Do

Waiting!

Questions

Gracious Lord

What’s Your Sabbath Like?

Amazing Balance

Disappointed!

My Bible And I

The Roots

So Much

Sacrifices Of A Friend

Warning!

Our God: Love, Faithful, Righteous, Peace

Like Barnabas

When Believers Disagree

Faith Worth Talking About

Equality In Christ

By What Authority?

What Is Genuine?

Who Advises You?

What About…Fear?

What About…Comfort?

What About…Children?

Only The Best

What About Love?

Evil Is Present

Rejecting The Best For Something Less

When Is Pain Too Much?

Good Works

The Mass Of Christ

Like Whom?

Serving The Lord

Dependable Service

Permanent Good

I Wonder

Walking The Time Talk

Some Things Never Change

Colossal Failures?

Olympic Take Away - Perseverance Pays

Now What?

Refreshing

What’s In A Name?

Recognition

Spring

Good Stress, Bad Stress

Recognition

Pesky Pollen

Rising Costs

Fresh Start

Embracing New

Quiet

A Primer On Angels

Healing Words

What Is Faith?

In The Beginning God Created

What Kind Of Faith?

Walking Together

Are You Tested Or Tempted?

The Magnificence Of Good Music

Bone Of My Bone

More Than These?

Outreach Ambition

Servant (Deacon) Hearted

God’s View Of Neighborliness

Who Is The Christian’s Enemy?

What Sheep Need

What The Shepherd Anticipates

Learning To Serve

With Open Eyes

Unexpected Pleasure

God Gave

My God Sees Me

Don’t Make A Judas Mistake

Showing Brotherly Love

Living In Peace

Getting What You Need

Where’s Your Security?

Healthy Fear

God’s Favor

Facing Foes?

Cold Or Hot

Don’t Try To Get Even

How Do We Respond?

Privileged People

Faith Like Joseph’s

Our Holy God

His Name Is Wonderful

Do You Really Love Jesus?

Servant-Hearted

Snatched From The Fire

How Urgently?

I Am With You!

Acceptable Lies?

The First And The Last

Unexpected Blessings

Faith, Fascinating And Frustrating

The Cloud Of Witnesses

When Another Person Falls

Open And Abundantly Clear

Forever Salvation

God Spoke

Pay Attention

Some Reminders

Christ Is Unique

Waiting For The Blessed Hope

Revival Changes Things For The Good

No Longer Slaves

Greater Than The Vast Universe

The Full-Of-Wonder God

Our Abundant God

A New Counseling Paradigm

Helping Others

Challenging Scripture

Servants Like Our Master

Enemies Of Christ

Saved To Serve

The Blessed Man

Work Hard Like Paul

Servants Like Our Master

Like A Samaritan?

Light Or Darkness?

Under-Shepherds

What Kind Of Example?

The Honest Estimate

Fulfilled Scriptures

Our High Priest

Early Church Lessons

Walking With God

Grieving God

Our Words

Warning From God

Sustaining The Weary

Delivered! What Glorious Freedom

Struggling For The Good Of Others

What Do You See?

Invest If Five, Two Or One Talent

Much Given, Much More Required

A Martha

Another Chance

Who Are The Few?

All Day And All Night

God Our Dwelling Place

Confident Asking

Christ Crucified

Reading The Word

The Wonder Of Jesus

What About Our Love?

The Lord Heals The Brokenhearted

A Universe Of Praise

Splendor And Majesty

The First Commission

In Distress?

One Or The Other

Tears Are Wiped Away

The Blessings And Warnings Of The Revelation

Heavenly Voices Of Praise

Be Strong

God Made Provision

No Room For Jesus

There Is Room In My Heart

Some Disturbing Firsts

Wrestling With An Angel

The Easy Way Or The Hard Way?

Words And Religion Aren’t Enough

What Kind Of Fruit?

Light for the New Year

Psalm 119:11, 18, 27, 105, 130

Last night I needed to retrieve my car from a friend’s house. His place was unusually dark. He said, your car is over there and pointed in a direction. I could not see it, the black color made it even more difficult. Then a flashlight was shone on it and it immediately became visible. As I walked to get into it, once again I could not see. Again, the light was shined, this time where my feet were about to step and I was able to get to the car without incident.

Life is a lot like that. We need a light to reveal what is ahead. We need a light to get to that place where we should be rewarded. What many seem to either not know, or have forgotten, is that for life, the light is God’s Word, the Bible. I urge you to promise yourself a daily diet of God’s Word. I urge to re-memorize those passages that you have forgotten or which have become vague in your mind. What about John 14, Psalm 23, 46, 91? What about John 3, Matthew 5-7? When have you re-memorized those amazing Words from God? Meditate on these.

Please remember these great promises.

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:11,105,130

Please pray these great prayers.

Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. Psalm 119:18, 27

Happily letting the light shine.

Getting to Know Jesus Christ

John 3:16

When a person sets out to accomplish some goal, he needs to dig into whatever resources he has to assist him along the journey. My journey into writing for practical living began as a member of a large (Mom had 10 children) rural northern Pennsylvania family. While Dad was not a real farmer, we lived on their small farm just outside Towanda, Pennsylvania. We had our own cows and chickens and a large vegetable garden. We had apple trees and hickory and black walnut trees. I was too young to do much on that little farm.

When I was just a five or six-year-old child (1949 or 1950), I was taken to a small church with the special name of Church of the Open Bible. At the time, we lived on that 202-acre farm just outside of Towanda. For many years, Dad had been sharing his faith with people along his bakery delivery route. He was also very concerned about the spiritual well-being of his own children.

One evening we attended some special meeting. I do not remember who the preacher was, nor do I remember much of what he said except that I needed to place my trust in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

Grabbing my father’s handkerchief from his pocket with tears streaming down my face I responded to the walk forward invitation trusting Christ. Even though I was very young, this spiritual transaction was for real. I knew that God had forgiven my sins because Jesus had died on the cross in my place. My life was set on a course from which it has never diverted. John 3:16 became very personal to me. "For God so loved…" Jed.

Happy journey of salvation being your blessing.

Fear in the New Year?

Proverbs 3:5-10

As I write this, taxes on the average American family seem about to be climbing. Some of us may only be scraping by now. How will we fare with higher taxes and increased prices of gasoline, food, healthcare and other necessities in addition to the higher taxes? This is a very real, concern for many, especially those on fixed incomes, facing the life-ending years.

While these are extremely vital concerns, it is good for us to remember that it is good for us to remember that wringing our hands will not change much so let’s start in the beginning.

Ask God to provide, that is if you are one who talks with God. Then, if you are one who reads His Word, and I hope you are a daily reader, then look to His Word for promises. Let me help you with a couple.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil…Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. Proverbs 3:5-10

Perhaps you remember that old hymn of the faith.

"Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey."

Verse one says, When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word, what a glory He shed on our way. When we do His good will, He abides with us still and with all who will trust and obey.

Happy trusting and obeying.

God Can But May Not

Daniel 3:16-18

My spirit is refreshed when I read about Daniel and his three friends. When, ill-advisedly, the great emperor builds a statute of himself and commands worship from all of his citizens, these three young men stand firm. While staying polite (respectful) they remind us that God is in charge and can do as he wills. But it is not always his will to rescue people from difficulty. Thousands of our fellow-believers have been martyred. God always could rescue, but under many circumstances he did not.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up. Daniel 3:16-18

The faith of these young men stood firm even if they were to be burned to death by the henchmen of this evil emperor. They knew that God is greater than fire. They knew that God was aware of their situation. We can also understand that they knew that God is greater than the emperor. This courage is exemplary. We all can be challenged by the faith of these youths.

Our Lord Jesus prayed that the cup of suffering might pass from him but humbly stated that he wanted God, the Father’s will to prevail.

As we take a stand, we should know that we may suffer. We should still know that God is not defeated. He will prevail.

Happily, trust God when times may be tough.

Giving God the Glory

Daniel 2:46-47

Most of us will never see the exalted position that God gave to Daniel, but the mindset that allowed God to honor Daniel as he did, can, indeed, be our mindset. Daniel has already shown that he intended to keep himself holy before God. He had politely asked his supervisor to be permitted to eat vegetables instead of the fancy, god-devoted foods that the king’s privileged group ate. We are told that when Daniel successfully passed this challenge, God gave him and his three friends exceptional ability to advise the king, including that Daniel was permitted to interpret dreams.

When the king had this dream, he wanted to test the integrity and honesty of his advisers. What he asked was that they reveal and interpret his dream. None could do so and all were in danger of being executed, but for God. Daniel and his friends earnestly sought the God of heaven, the God of Israel and he gave Daniel the answer. Daniel gave God all the credit for his ability. The king then began his owe journey to faith.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar… said to Daniel, Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery. Daniel 2:46-47

We may never see such dramatic evidence of God’s work through us, but we do know that Daniel’s God is our God.

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

As we honor him, even in front of the most powerful men and women, God is willing and able to empower our words and acts so that the listener or observer will be drawn to God’s love and may receive Christ as Lord and Savior.

Happy honoring.

The Early Fruit-bearing Lessons

John 15:1-10

My experience with plants and animals was intricately interwoven with nearly ten years that we spent with New Tribes Mission in Bolivia, South America. We spent 8-9 months a year in a boarding school called Tambo, (New Tribes Mission School near Comarapa, Bolivia). We spent the rest of the time in a remote village. At the boarding school, as I grew older, I helped with the gardening. In my teen years, the boarding school gave me the unenviable job of slopping the pigs and caring for scores of chickens. I, as a teen, became proficient in caring for, and even in butchering cows and pigs. I also cared for the chickens, gathering eggs, nurturing the chicks, and eventually preparing the chickens to become part of the menu of the schoolchildren.

If we fast-forward through Bible College and graduate school days until God gave me my special bride, Betty Cook, we come to the establishment of our home in North Syracuse, New York where she was church secretary and I was the Youth Director. There we had our first home garden. In every location to which we moved after that, one of the first questions has been, where can I plant my garden. The most recent location, after a few years in New York, Vermont and a longer stay in South Carolina, and Lexington, Massachusetts is now back in South Carolina where I have been able to get my hands dirty, my muscles sore and my taste for fresh vegetables satisfied.

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:1-5

Happy fruit-bearing to each.

Me, Quit?

Acts 15; Matthew 28:18-20

Albert Einstein is supposed to have said, It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer. Einstein’s emphasis on staying in the midst of challenges is a good focus for us.

Two godly men had such sharp disagreements over Mark that they parted ways, picked teammates, and went to separate ministries. Maybe you can take heart when you realize that Acts chapter 15 speaks so candidly of these differences. But Paul did not quit, nor did Barnabas, and later in the New Testament, they came together again in unity. Even Mark, who later wrote the gospel bearing his name, redeemed himself from the reputation of quitter.

Do you have a reputation of giving up? The great baseball slugger, affectionately known as Babe Ruth said, You just can’t beat the person who never gives up. While he was known for his homeruns, he also had many strikeouts. Don’t quit on your marriage, education, job, or rebellious teen. Before you give up on anything that is good, know that God has shown you a new direction.

Jesus gave us the Great Commission and with that great challenge, he gave this promise, I am with you always to the end of the age. The problems will not be bigger than His presence. He is trustworthy.

Even if it is the temptation to give up on overcoming bad habits, (Christians often call these hidden sins) or the horror of conquering an addiction, we have promises that are reliable. God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear.

It was Sir Winston Churchill who said to the boys at that private school, never give up, never give up, never, never, never.

Happy not quitting! Don’t give up!

Who Me, Deceived? Part 1

Jeremiah 17:9-10

A few weeks ago, a friend invited me to fish at his little pond near Chapin, SC. He had stocked it with brim and bass some years before so there are many large-enough-to-keep fish to be caught. I went to a big box-store and bought myself a very inexpensive rod, reel and some beginner’s hooks and lures. Then I went to my backyard and found earthworms.

I know very little about fishing but I know that brim are easy to catch and bass are more difficult. I thought that I would be able to catch some brim and maybe a bass or two. The first outing I brought back five brim big-enough-to-eat, the second time one nice-sized bass. (I threw back some smaller brim, if you can believe that!)

Now why am I telling you this fishing tale? I want you to remember that I caught these fish by deceiving them. I hid the hook in the earthworms. They were attracted by the smell, wiggling and sight of these little worms. They were deceived and ended up dead. They become a good lesson for each of us.

Today we are urged to trust your instincts! This is usually not very good advice. Maybe you are smarter than fish but most of us are relatively easily deceived. The Bible even tells us not to trust our own hearts.

The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve. Jeremiah 17:9-10 (NLT)

I know that this is not a very popular verse. But may I ask you a couple of very serious questions?

Happy not being deceived.

Continued in Part 2

Who Me, Deceived? Part 2

Psalm 119:11,130.

Why are so many guys deceived by pornography and so many girls willing to sell their naked bodies for money? Could you agree that the sight, wiggle and smell of pornography can deceive guys much like my little earthworms deceived those fish? (We talked about catching fish by deceiving them with a hook hidden in an earthworm in part 1 above.) If pornography didn’t sell then both men and women would not so easily give into the temptation.

Why are so many people deceived by alcohol? I just heard of a university graduate celebrating his degree and nearly killing himself in a car accident resulting from him being in a drunken stupor. Did the taste, smell, and effect of the alcohol not deceive him? What about gambling, eating disorders, false religions? We can be deceived.

You know that I could go on and on about our being deceived, but let me give you a solution. One of my favorite Bible verses is found in Psalm 119 and it is verse 130. The entrance of your Word gives light, it gives understanding to the simple.

All of us risk illness, dehydration and death if we neglect feeding and cleaning our bodies for too many days. We risk illness and death spiritually if we neglect nourishing and cleaning our spiritual selves as well. There is no substitute for repentant, restitution, and reconciliation for us after we have become dirty.

So please, if you don’t want to be flopping around on the end of a hook that has deceived you, read, meditate, memorize, and apply God’s Word. Another one of those favorite verses says, Your Word is a lamp unto my path and a light unto my feet.

Happy not being deceived. Happy not flopping-on-the-end-

of-a-hook.

What Is Failure?

1 Peter 2:21-25

For those who may not know, John Wooden was one of the most successful basketball coaches in university history. He knew about change. He coached hundreds of ball players to change so they could function better both personally and for the team. We are told that he said, Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.

We all know that we all fail. A failed examination shows that one does not have mastery of the subject matter. A failed marriage shows that one does not have sufficient mastery of this part of life. When a car fails to start, most of us do not abandon it, and go buy another. We change or fix the part that failed. When a basketball player fails to hit a free throw, he does not quit the game. He may throw several hundred practice free throws until he fails infrequently. Failure is actually part of success if it encourages us to change and become more like what we know to be ideal.

The great apostle Peter failed miserably but repented and was re-commissioned to serve effectively and powerfully for the rest of his life. I and II Peter in the New Testament are evidences of a failed man who changed and overcame his failures.

On the other hand, the failure of Judas Iscariot of the New Testament, who betrayed Jesus, led to his suicide. While not all refusal to learn and change after failure, will be this dramatic, all failure that does not produce positive change will produce a downward spiral that will be destructive and lead to both spiritual, and ultimately physical death.

Failure is thus the refusal to change after making a bad decision, or doing something that is not effective.

Happy learning from failure. Happy changing.

Have Faith

Hebrew 11:6

Having served as a Hospice Chaplain I am familiar with many issues relating to faith. A Chaplain is charged to affirm and assist patients, staff, family and friends in areas of faith. This is a challenging responsibility as life is being examined. Let’s take a quick glance at the matter of faith. Without faith we cannot please God

It has become fashionable today to speak of faith as an end rather than as a means or path to an end. But faith in faith is rather frivolous. Faith to make any real sense, must be faith in something and ultimately someone behind the something. When a doctor recommends medication, the patient is expected to place faith in that. When you put the key in the ignition of your car and turn it, you place your faith principally in the car manufacturer. Thus, faith is a path to an end not an end.

Reaction to a proposal for faith in someone usually happens in one of the following ways;

• Naivety – being gullible and easily led and misled

• Nay-saying—being unconvinced even when presented facts

• Neglect—delaying making a decision (actually this is temporary nay-saying)

• Navigating—placing one’s live in a new course based upon faith in the person and proposal. This we call having trust.

It should be clear to us that all have faith. The real question is what is the focus of our faith? Again, there are only limited options. These are not mutually exclusive, but they will be prioritized.

• Faith in oneself

• Faith in some other person

• Faith in God

I place faith in God as revealed in the Bible and specifically as revealed in Jesus Christ.

Happy having faith in God and his Word.

In Memoriam

Joshua 24:14-15

For millions of people worldwide, the funeral memorial service at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey was a sad glad time for closure on a pre-mature death of an unusual person. No one can dispute the immense influence of the life of Whitney Houston. Where was the family of God in her later years? Did they reach out, but she reject them? Were they so star-struck (maybe thinking that money can buy happiness) that they overlooked her desperate attempts at finding peace? Some might even question where the Jesus Christ of whom she so beautifully sang – Yes, Jesus loves me…the Bible tells me so- was in the last days of her life. Some things we may learn from the memory of Whitney Houston.

• Talent does not by itself bring happiness.

• Money does not buy peace.

• Decisions in life have consequences.

• The greater the popularity, the greater the need for family, church family and real friends.

Additionally, I want all to know that God respects his image in the humans whom he has created and for whom he in love gave his Son, that he will allow us to wander from the path that would be best for us. God wants us to follow him, because we choose to follow him. Like the New Testament prodigal son, he allows us to wander even to the pigpen if we so choose.

The powerful challenge that Joshua threw down to his people should be contemplated by all.

Serve the LORD! And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:14-15

Happy choosing. May your choices bring you joy, peace, and love.

In the Beginning

Genesis 1:1, John 3:16

On Sunday, July 13, 1958, there I was, not quite 14 years old, seated in a Chapel being taught the Bible by Mr. Betlem. We recently came across a notebook of things that man taught me. That little notebook from Bolivia is over 50 years old, but the content is as fresh as today’s newspaper.

Mr. Betlem was speaking from the first verse of the Bible. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. He taught us that the Bible is correct, or we can believe in atheism, but not both. Either creation is a fact or we can believe in evolution, but not both. Matter is not eternal. In the beginning God created. If matter is eternal, the Bible is not God’s Word.

Mr. Betlem, went on to say these words defeat atheism, evolution, and the idea that we are not unique. By joining John 3:16 to Genesis 1:1, he showed the truth by which I have lived. God loved that little old sixth-born of the unknown Snyder clan. We can know that we are valuable. God fought and won the battle over Satan and sin, because Jesus loves you.

I likely muttered some simple word of thanks to Mr. Betlem after that service in the 13th year of my life. Today I would like to shout, thank you.. When I get to join him in the presence of the Lord in paradise, I will find him and tell him thanks.

Some of you who read this column may be teaching 13-year-old boys in Sunday School Don’t get discouraged. You may never know in this world that some kid is writing notes. You will not know the profound impact of your words upon that tender heart.

Happy teaching!

Inner Beauty

Mark 7:6, 1 Samuel 16:7

I once heard of a Royal Air Force pilot who was badly burned in a fiery accident. His facial features were entirely changed. As it became time for him to leave the hospital, he became afraid of how others would receive him.

His courage was greatly strengthened when his girlfriend married him just before he left the hospital after months of reconstructive surgery. She said nothing had changed but a few millimeters thickness of skin. She loved him, not his facial membranes. "She became my mirror. She gave me a new image of myself…. Even now, regardless of how I feel; when I look at her, she gives me a warm, loving smile. That tells me,