Friday April 13

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Don Schmidt

John 8:3-4  The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.

In another time and another place this woman would have been stoned to death. In the midst of her sin, she was caught and had the good fortune to be brought to Jesus by these leaders.  They weren’t concerned about her well-being, but were interested in using her and her adultery to set a trap for Jesus.

There she was, in the temple courts, standing with the leaders and Jesus but also surrounded by “all the people who had gathered around (Jesus)” to be taught by Him.  As she stood there, this possibly could have qualified as the worst moment of her life.

I wonder what was going through her mind.  Did she know who Jesus was?  Maybe she had heard of Him or heard Him teach.  Maybe she had been amazed by the miracles He’d done.  If she had known of Him, this would not have qualified as the way she would have liked to meet Him.  That is until this experience unfolded.

Jesus dealt with the leaders and with her.  His comments to them forced the leaders to recognize their own sin.  Imagine her amazement as all of the religious leaders slowly began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 

Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”   “No one, sir,” she said.  “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”  (John 8:9-11)

Jesus not only freed her from condemnation, better still, He offered her the opportunity of leaving her life of sin; no, make that He commanded her to leave her life of sin – just as He does with us.  When Jesus saves our lives and instructs us on the way to go, do we really think or behave as though His words are just suggestions?

I can see her eyes irresistibly drawn to His and her heart filled with the overwhelming desire to follow Him.  She might not have had any idea what the future held, but following Jesus would change everything.  Can’t you see her in the days ahead tearfully sharing her testimony of how Jesus saved her life – both physically and spiritually – and recounting this event, moment by moment, that led to her becoming a follower of Him?!

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Thursday April 12

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Don Schmidt

From Conception to Birth – A video that will stun you!

Image-maker Alexander Tsiaras shares a powerful medical visualization, showing human development from conception to birth and beyond using the newest x-ray scanning technology.

I received an email from a close friend yesterday that contained this video.  It is just under 10 minutes long and will absolutely amaze you.  It graphically illustrates the truth of Scripture in describing how we are made.  Read these verses from The Message and then sit back and prepare to enter a world of wonder that glorifies our God!

Psalm 139:13-16

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I’d even lived one day.

Here is the link to this video.  Please share with others.  Everyone should see this video!http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=fKyljukBE70

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Wednesday April 11

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Don Schmidt

Proverbs 20:12  Ears that hear and eyes that see— the LORD has made them both.

Opportunities – they surround us each and every day.  How many righteous opportunities do we miss because we don’t perceive them?  How many unrighteous ones do we walk into because we don’t perceive their nature either?  Today, let’s focus on the righteous opportunities that are there around us.  This is illustrated by one of my favorite family stories.

When our two oldest sons were little we lived in Wheaton,IL.  Nearby was Morton Arboretum.  We loved to take John & Jamie for hikes there.  In the spring of one year something important occurred.  We were walking through the woods and I asked them what colors did they see?  They answered, “Brown, black, gray.”  I said to look closer and got the same answer of, “Brown, black, gray.”  They just saw soil, leaves covering the ground, tree trunks and tree limbs without leaves – all brown, black and gray.

Then I pointed to a tree and said to look beneath it.  When they started to answer, “Brown”, I said, to look closer – in the leaves to the left of the tree.  All of a sudden they shouted, “Oh, there’s green!”  I pointed to another area and they shouted, “There’s pink!  Blue!  White!”

They began to see the spring flowers in bloom all around us.  They just hadn’t seen the colorful flowers before because they were distracted by the dominant brown, black and gray.  Their eyes were opened, by being trained in what to look for.

We likewise have to train our spiritual eyes and ears to recognize many of the opportunities that the Lord puts in our path.  We can miss so much “color” because of the brown, black and gray of life.  But with the Holy Spirit’s help, we can see and embrace many more of the beautiful and colorful opportunities that are all around us.  Ask Him to train your eyes and ears to perceive them, and He will.

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Tuesday April 10

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Don Schmidt

Luke 24:45  Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

Have you ever been frightened to the point that it could be described as being terrified?  We use the term ‘scared to death’ rather casually, but taken literally it describes serious fear.  And we’re not talking just being startled or frightened by the unexpected.  We’re talking about a fear provoking reality that is also startling and unexpected.

These words describe the reality experienced by the disciples when Jesus first appeared to the group of them together.  The disciples were excited because the evidence was mounting that Jesus had risen.  He had appeared to Simon!  But their excitement was tempered by that fact that their fear of the Jews caused them to have the doors locked.   I assume they were fearful that those who killed Jesus could be hunting for them.

Then the two men returning from Emmaus shared their wonderful story about Jesus being with them and their eyes being opened when He broke the bread!  Can’t you just feel the electric atmosphere that would have been in that room as they talked about all this?  Their Lord was alive!  Then “lightning” struck!  One minute they’re talking excitedly about how Jesus has risen – and the next minute Jesus appears in their midst and they were terrified!

Think about that.  They were terrified at seeing Jesus appear suddenly in the room.  He didn’t knock on the door – and they didn’t unlock it to let him in – He just appeared!  They thought they were looking at a ghost.  He asked them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?” (Lk 24:38)  Then Jesus showed them His hands, feet and side, and told them to touch Him.  A ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones as He did.

They still were having difficulty believing because of their joy and amazement.  Then He asked them for something to eat.  After eating He explained again what had happened and why and, “Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.”  Think how powerful it was for them to all of a sudden have everything make sense.  Praise God that He does the same for us!

Why was it important for them not to understand what was going to happen to Jesus prior to this?  I don’t know – but I do know that it was!  God has His reasons.  It is so exhilarating to see how this group of frightened men and women were so utterly transformed by an encounter with the risen Christ!  Isn’t it amazing that He transforms us as well when we encounter Him!!

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Monday April 9

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Don Schmidt

Matthew 1:21-23  21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”  22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”

As many of you are aware, we spent a number of years separated by a lot of miles from our family.  But now we are in NE Ohio with 3 of our 4 sons and their families.  Yesterday we got to spend the afternoon with them.  We don’t have to be actively playing with our grandchildren to enjoy them; just being near them is wonderful.  Donna and I watch them play, help them when they need it and just enjoy it all.

They love to see us – and be with us.  There is also the blessing of knowing we live only a few minutes away from each of them.  Last week John and Fabi needed us to take one of their daughters to soccer practice.  We took her and stayed to watch.  Periodically she would look over at us and wave and smile.  Being with her was and is priceless.

Because we live nearby, Fabi could call on us to help.  She also asked if we could stay for supper when the practice was over.  That invitation took a nanosecond to accept.  When we are running errands we can stop by to see any of our children or grandchildren, just because we can and are nearby.

We raised 4 sons and now we have 3 daughters in the wonderful wives John, Jamie and Michael have married.  (We are anticipating a 4th daughter someday when Andrew marries.)  We love them all and count it such a blessing to be with them – even just to hear their voices and watch them in whatever they are doing.  And it is wonderful to help them in any way.  This is the joy of family.

Presence is an incredible component of family and love.  It is not some ethereal concept that we just convince ourselves is there.  How wonderful it is in our Christian faith that “Presence” is at its core.  It is something we have available to us due to the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus.  He saves us from our sins, but better still, Jesus makes us His family!

Jesus is Immanuel, which means “God with us”.  God saves us to Himself.   He promises to never leave us or forsake us.  Even though God is omnipresent, there is a difference in His presence when we are family – His sons and daughters.  The richness described above in terms of presence with earthly family is reflective of the treasure we have here and now with Him.

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Sunday April 8 – Easter

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Don Schmidt

Luke 24:30-32  30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

This incident of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus encountering Jesus is one of the more wonderful ones in the Bible.  They were downcast – even though they were aware that some of the women had been to the tomb and had a vision of angels telling them that Jesus was alive. They didn’t understand what had happened or why.

They had such hope in Jesus and it was snatched away from them in such an incredibly vicious way.  Then as they were walking, something unusual happened to them.  Jesus himself came along and walked with them, but they were kept from recognizing him.  The scriptures are clear that understanding of the unfolding events of Jesus’ suffering and death were hidden from the disciples whenever Jesus spoke about it prior to his death.  It was only afterward that Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures.

So Jesus joined them as they walked along, and said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

Then, since it was nearly evening, they stopped for the night and strongly urged this man walking with them to stop and stay with them.  It’s apparent that they were deeply moved by what he had said to them, even though they didn’t know who he was.  Because they insisted that he stay with them, they experienced the wonder of God in having their eyes opened to see this man was Jesus – raised from the dead.

Isn’t it fascinating that God would have Jesus appear to these two men but prevent them from recognizing him?  It was important for them to listen to the message of this stranger and understand the “why” of what happened to Jesus.  The events that happened to him were foretold in Scripture and they needed to understand it – rather than simply see Jesus and get excited.  When God opened their eyes to recognize Jesus, they understood!  The life, death and resurrection of Jesus were fulfillment of God’s purpose.

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Saturday April 7

Posted on April 7, 2012 by Don Schmidt

Matthew 5:16  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Remembering Johnny Hart:  Johnny Hart was a Christian and the cartoonist who created the comic strip “B.C.”  He passed away at his drawing board 5 years ago today on Holy Saturday – or as he called it, “kick butt Saturday”  in view of Christ’s victory over the underworld.  While Johnny was alive B.C. appeared in 1300 newspapers with 100 million readers.  It was considered the most widely read strip in the world.

Because Johnny periodically included his Christian faith in the strip, some newspapers censored them.  One of the B.C. cartoons the LA Times first refused to run was his Palm Sunday 1996 strip featuring the famous character Wiley sitting against a tree, tablet in hand, writing a poem entitled “The Suffering Prince.” Here’s the poem:

Picture yourself tied to a tree,
condemned of the sins of eternity.
Then picture a spear, parting the air,
seeking your heart to cut your despair.
Suddenly—a knight, in armor of white,
stands in the gap betwixt you and its flight,
And shedding his ‘armor of God’ for you—
bears the lance that runs him through.
His heart has been pierced that yours may beat,
and the blood of his corpse washes your feet.
Picture yourself in raiment white,
cleansed by the blood of the lifeless knight.
Never to mourn,
the prince who was downed,
For he is not lost! It is you who are found. 

Over the years I have been blessed by so many of his strips.  I didn’t realize until yesterday that today was the anniversary of his passing – and that it was on Holy Saturday.  How fitting for him to meet Jesus on such a special day!

Here is a link to one of Johnny’s Good Friday cartoons where he addresses the question of why call Friday “Good”:  http://thezagrodnys.com/2012/04/05/good-friday-cartoon-bc/

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Friday April 6 – Good Friday

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Don Schmidt

Luke 22:61-62  The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter.  Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”  62And he went outside and wept bitterly.

I cannot imagine the pain that Peter experienced after he denied Jesus the third time and the rooster crowed – and he saw Jesus look right at him.  Their eyes met!  Peter knew – that Jesus knew that it had happened just as Jesus had said it would. Then Peter went outside and wept bitterly.  It was bad enough that Jesus had told him a few hours earlier that it would happen; but to have Jesus witness it and to look right at him at that very moment is pain and a sense of failure beyond imagining.

Peter had some other difficult moments.  When he walked on water he sank.  When he rebuked Jesus for talking about his coming suffering and death, Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!”  In the garden when Jesus was being arrested, Peter drew his sword and cut off Malchus’ ear, earning a rebuke from Jesus.

I find it so encouraging that in spite of these events, Jesus didn’t reject Peter and send him packing!  Jesus chose him because he believed in him.  When Jesus spoke to him of the denials, he also said, “And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”  After Jesus’ resurrection, the angel told the women who had come to the tomb, “But go, tell his disciples and Peter.”  Then Jesus appeared separately to Peter.  Think of what each of these would have meant to Peter as he struggled with his actions of denying his beloved Lord.

Peter was a mixture, just like you and me – lots of potential and lots of things to work on.  In spite of difficulties noted above, Peter was the one who did walk on water. He was the disciple who first acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God.  He spoke for all the disciples to the crowd inJerusalemon the day of Pentecost. He was rescued from prison by an angel.  He was also the one who received the vision from God regarding the gentiles who then received the gospel at Cornelius’ house.  Peter was one of God’s chosen servants who never gave up and God used him mightily.  What an example he is for us!

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Thursday April 5 – The Last Supper

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Don Schmidt

John 13:4-5  so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Today we commemorate the Last Supper.  Some of the precious memories my family and I have of this special day are of the service that was held each year at St. Luke’s Anglican Church in Akron, Ohio.  The church had a semi-professional dramatic ministry called The Fisherpeople.  This ministry, founded years ago by a wonderful St. Luke’s couple, Bob and Suanne Crowley, has been powerfully used by God through the years to communicate His message through drama and comedy.

The Gospel of John expands so wonderfully upon this intimate evening with Jesus and his disciples.  Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and this evening meal was critically important in preparing his disciples for what was about to happen.  Jesus knew what the coming hours would bring.  The Fisherpeople were able to bring this rich, intimate evening to life.

This service at St. Luke’s was set up in the round.  All of the chairs surrounded the table where the disciples reclined and interacted with Jesus.  They weren’t up on a stage – but within a few feet of those sitting in the front rows.   It’s amazing how powerful it is to be in an intimate setting, seeing these actors, in costume, portraying Jesus and the 12 disciples living this event right before us.  The lights would be down and we were no longer observers but participants in the Last Supper.

Seeing and hearing Jesus interact with the disciples; hearing him teach; hearing him share with Peter the details of his coming denials – we became a part of it.  Watching the disciples relate to each other; seeing them respond as Jesus informs them that He is going to wash their feet – and then He does it.  It’s one thing to read about it or hear it – it’s another to see it being done right in front of you.

After washing the disciple’s feet, Jesus invited everyone in the audience to come get their feet washed.  I am in tears just thinking of how moving it was.  The disciples washed our feet!  Then when Jesus shared the first communion with them, we all were invited to come and share in that as well.  We all got to live out being a part of that special time.  What a powerful way to communicate the truth about our Lord!

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Wednesday April 4

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Don Schmidt

James 1:13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;

In yesterday’s devotional we saw how the older brother reacted to his father’s response to the return of his younger brother.  His negative reaction revealed much that was going on in his heart that both he and his father might not have been aware of.  Even though he was apparently doing things ‘right’ on the outside, his heart contained much that was not ‘right’.

In the Lord’s prayer there is the passage, “and lead us not into temptation”.  I heard a Bible teacher many years ago paraphrase this in a very helpful way, “Lord, let there not be anything in my heart that would cause you to put me to the test.”  God does not tempt anyone with evil but He does provide testing situations that will bring things into the light that need to be exposed and dealt with.  The return of the younger brother and his father’s response afforded the older brother just such an opportunity.

We might not realize it but this is a primary way that God deals with us.  He allows circumstances to come into our lives that reveal what is going on within us.  Frequently these circumstances involve unpleasant or difficult things.  We might respond rightly – or in the event we don’t He makes us aware of what is within us and gives us the gift of an opportunity to repent!

We have a choice to make.  Are we going to recognize our need for repentance or are we going to ignore what the Holy Spirit is showing us about ourselves?  And if we see the need for repentance and fail to do so, the problem becomes worse!  How we respond affects how brightly our ‘light’ shines in this world.

Think of the illustration of a light and a rheostat or dimmer switch.  The brightness or dimness of a light is controlled by amount of resistance set by the rheostat.  Sin in our lives is a major ‘dimming’ factor.  When the sin is repented of, the spiritual resistance it created is removed and our light increases in brightness.

Hopefully, when the Holy Spirit uses this process in our lives to reveal our sin, we will recognize His working and repent.  When we see this, we can cultivate a heart of gratitude for such workings of the Holy Spirit.  If He didn’t reveal and allow us to see our sin and enable us to repent, we would never change.  This ongoing process is vital in His transforming us into the image of Jesus – and isn’t that what we’re about?!

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