August 2019

MARANATHA

08-30-19

The word "maranatha" is a Syriac expression that means: "our Lord comes." It was used as a greeting in the early church. When believers gathered or parted, they didn't say "hello" or "goodbye" but "Maranatha!" If we had the same upward look today, it would revolutionize the church. O that God's people had a deepening awareness of the imminent return of the Savior!

While on a South Pole expedition, British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton left a few men on Elephant Island, promising that he would return. Later, when he tried to go back, huge icebergs blocked the way. But suddenly, as if by a miracle, an avenue opened in the ice and Shackleton was able to get through. His men, ready and waiting, quickly scrambled aboard. No sooner had the ship cleared the island than the ice crashed together behind them. Contemplating their narrow escape, the explorer said to his men, "It was fortunate you were all packed and ready to go!" They replied, "We never gave up hope. Whenever the sea was clear of ice, we rolled up our sleeping bags and reminded each other, The boss may come today."

The hymn writer Horatius Bonar exhorted us "to be ready for the last moment by being ready at every moment...so attending to every duty that, let Him come when He may, He finds the house in perfect order, awaiting His return." The trump may sound anytime. How important for us as Christians to be "packed and ready to go!" As you leave home today, don't say goodbye -- say "Maranatha!"

Our Daily Bread.

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Since the Lord Jesus could come at any moment, are you developing and enjoying an passionate relationship with Him and faithfully serving Him in all areas of your life?

If you do not belong to Him, come to Him NOW, before it is too late!

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

1 John 5:12

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

What Are Your Values?

08-28-19

When a person loves earthly things so much that he can't get along without them, he opens himself to much suffering, both physical and mental. Some people, for example, have taken foolish risks to keep their riches intact. They have died rushing into burning houses or were killed because they stubbornly resisted armed robbers. Apparently they felt that without their material possessions life would not be worthwhile.

Others, when forced to part with their wealth, have been thrown into agonizing despair, even to the point of suicide. In 1975, six armed gunmen broke into the deposit boxes in a London bank and stole valuables worth more than $7 million. One lady, whose jewelry was appraised at $500,000, wailed, "Everything I had was in there. My whole life was in that box." What a sad commentary on her values!

Our Daily Bread.

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” - Colossians 3:1-3

If you belong to the Lord Jesus, your values ought to be eternal ones! You should live every moment of every day with eternity’s values in view! You should recognize that everything you have comes from your Heavenly Father through the Lord Jesus Christ (James 1:17; Philippians 4:19) and that He wants to use them for not only your good but also for His glory. This produces a whole different perspective on life!

If you do not belong to the Lord Jesus, come to Him NOW! “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12).

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

That’s Flypaper!

08-26-19

Once a spider built a beautiful web in an old house. He kept it clean and shiny so that flies would patronize it. The minute he got a "customer" he would clean up on him so the other flies would not get suspicious. Then one day this fairly intelligent fly came buzzing by the clean web. Old man spider called out, "Come in and sit." But the fairly intelligent fly said, "No, sir. I don't see other flies in your house, and I am not going in alone!"

But presently he saw on the floor below a large crowd of flies dancing around on a piece of brown paper. He was delighted! He was not afraid if lots of flies were doing it. So he came in for a landing. Just before he landed, a bee zoomed by, saying, "Don't land there, stupid! That's flypaper!" But the fairly intelligent fly shouted back, "Don't be silly. Those flies are dancing. There's a big crowd there. Everybody's doing it. That many flies can't be wrong!" Well, you know what happened. He died on the spot. Some of us want to be with the crowd to badly that we end up in a mess. What does it profit a fly (or a person) if he escapes the web only to end up in the glue?

Charles Swindoll, Living Above the Level of Mediocrity, pp. 223-4.

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” - Proverbs 14:12; 16:25

Many unsaved people live their lives according to the ways that seem best to them, die and end up in Hell. There is only one way of salvation and that id through the Lord Jesus Christ! “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

There are born-again Christians who live their lives not under the authority of the Lordship of Christ and His Word and experience all manner of problems and even physical death because of very unwise choices. The way that seems right to them brings nothing but sorrow and pain. Those who live their lives in obedience to the Word of God experience the abundant life that the Lord Jesus wants to make real in their lives (John 10:10).

How are you living?

If you do not belong to the Lord Jesus, repent of all your sin (Luke 13:3,5) and receive Him as your Lord and Savior!

“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12).

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

Careful Judgment

08-24-19

At a pastor's conference in Spokane, Chuck Swindoll told of being at a California Christian camp. The first day there a man approached him and said how greatly he had looked forward to hearing Dr. Swindoll speak and his delight at now finally being able to realize that desire. That evening Swindoll noticed the man sitting near the front. But only a few minutes into the message the man was sound asleep. Swindoll thought to himself that perhaps he was tired after a long day's drive and couldn't help himself. But the same thing happened the next few nights, and Dr. Swindoll found his exasperation with the man growing. On the last night the man's wife came up and apologized for her husband's inattention to the messages. She then explained that he had recently been diagnosed as having terminal cancer and the medication he was taking to ease the pain made him extremely sleepy. But it had been one of his life-long ambitions to hear Dr. Swindoll speak before he died, and now he had fulfilled that goal.

Source Unknown.

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”

John 7:24

We, who belong to the Lord Jesus, ought to model correct judgment, and we cannot do that, if we do not all the facts and how they relate to the teachings of the Word of God. One of the things we must always remember is to not judge on appearance. “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW! “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

Our Influence!

08-22-19

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., was a member of the U.S. Supreme Court for 30 years. His mind, wit and work earned him the unofficial title of "the greatest justice since John Marshall." At one point in his life, Justice Holmes explained his choice of a career by saying: "I might have entered the ministry if certain clergymen I knew had not looked and acted so much like undertakers."

Today In The Word, June, 1988, p. 13.

“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” – Jesus

John 15:11

As born-again Christians, we cannot expect to influence people to seriously listen to the message of God’s Word from us, if we live as those we are undertakers. The Lord Jesus wants us to experience the fullness of His joy in all situations by being totally surrendered to His Lordship, the control of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:22-23), and the authority of His Word. People around us need to see that the Lord Jesus does make a real difference in our lives. They want real joy and cannot until they surrender their lives to Him. The joy of the Lord in and through us will give us the opportunity to share the Gospel with them, the most important message in the entire world.

If you have not passed from death into life by repenting of all your sin (Luke 13:3,5) and trusting Jesus Christ and Him alone to be your Lord and Savior, I plead with you to come to Him NOW, before it is too late!

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

Where Is Real Joy Found?

08-20-19

Men have pursued joy in every avenue imaginable. Some have successfully found it while others have not. Perhaps it would be easier to describe where joy cannot be found:

Not in Unbelief -- Voltaire was an infidel of the most pronounced type. He wrote: "I wish I had never been born."

Not in Pleasure -- Lord Byron lived a life of pleasure if anyone did. He wrote: "The worm, the canker, and grief are mine alone."

Not in Money -- Jay Gould, the American millionaire, had plenty of that. When dying, he said: "I suppose I am the most miserable man on earth."

Not in Position and Fame -- Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share of both. He wrote: "Youth is a mistake; manhood a struggle; old age a regret."

Not in Military Glory -- Alexander the Great conquered the known world in his day. Having done so, he wept in his tent, before he said, "There are no more worlds to conquer."

Where then is real joy found? -- the answer is simple, in Christ alone.

The Bible Friend, Turning Point, May, 1993.

“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

John 15:11

The only people who can experience real joy in every situation of life are the ones who have repented of all their sin (Luke 13:3,5) and surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ, trusting Him and Him alone to be their Lord and Savior and who walk in intimate fellowship with Him, living their lives in obedience to His Word by being controlled by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:22-23).

Is He your Lord and Savior? If so, are you daily developing a close relationship with Him and living every area of your life in obedience to Him and His Word?

If you do not belong to the Lord Jesus, come to Him NOW!

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Romans 10:13

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

ISOLATION

08-17-19

In 1832, French engineer Ferdinand Marie Lesseps was traveling in the Mediterranean when one of the passengers became sick and the ship was quarantined. Lesseps was an active man, so the confinement was terribly frustrating for him. The many long hours aboard that isolated vessel, however, gave him time to read the memoirs of Charles le Pere, a man who had studied the feasibility of building a canal from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. That volume prompted Lesseps to devise in his own mind a detailed plan for the construction of the Suez Canal. When it was finally built under his leadership some 30 years later, it brought invaluable service to the world. That quarantine had proven to be immensely profitable.

Source Unknown.

“God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”

1 Corinthians 1:9

When Ferdinand Marie Lesseps experienced isolation, the Lord used it to guide him regarding the construction of the Suez Canal, whether he recognized it or not.

When we isolate ourselves and enjoy the fellowship of our Lord, He comforts, gives us His wisdom, strength, and reveals His will to us. He will use us to accomplish great things for His honor and glory. We need to isolate ourselves with Him every day!

If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, do so NOW!

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Acts 4:12

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

Ouch!

08-15-19

Alexander de Seversky, U.S. aviator and engineer, was once visiting a fellow flyer in the hospital. The young man had just lost his leg; de Seversky, who had had an artificial leg for some time, tried to cheer him up. "The loss of a leg is not so great a calamity," he said. "If you get hit on a wooden leg, it doesn't hurt a bit! Try it!" The patient raised his walking stick and brought it down hard on de Seversky's leg. "You see," he said cheerfully. "If you hit an ordinary man like that, he'd be in bed for five days!" With that he left his friend and limped into the corridor, where he collapsed in excruciating pain. It seems the young man had struck de Seversky on his good leg!

Today in the Word, October 29, 1992.

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”

Psalm 19:14

With good intentions, we can bring tremendous hurt with the words we speak or our actions and attitudes. It is very important that we speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and that our actions and attitudes convey the love of the Lord Jesus. We must in every situation, yield to the Lordship of Jesus and let Him live out His life through us. The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), the character of the Lord Jesus, must dominate every aspect of our relationships, if we are going to be successful in leading lost people to salvation in Jesus Christ and the discipleship of fellow believers.

If you do not belong to Him, come to the Lord Jesus NOW! Repent of all your sin (Luke 13:3,5) and receive Him as your Lord and Savior, before it is too late!

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

Intentions

08-13-19

On June 13, 1889, the Spokane newspaper printed an editorial pleading for the establishment of a fire department. Seattle had recently been ravaged by fire, and the paper desired to prevent the same calamity from happening in Spokane. Nothing, however, was done. Two months later Spokane burned to the ground.

Source Unknown.

“Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”

Proverbs 27:1

Many times we know what needs to be done and we have good intentions regarding them, but we prolong until sometimes it is too late.

Many a born-again Christian has had good intentions concerning sharing the Gospel with an unsaved friend or relative, but put off doing so, thinking they will do so later. Then suddenly they receive news that the person has died. Opportunity is lost and a soul goes to Hell without having heard the message of the Lord’s love for them and the way of salvation from the person who is supposed to be their friend. Are you guilty of doing so?

We need to be ready to not only witness to lost people but to do at all times what our Lord wants us to do to serve Him; good intentions are not good, if we do not act on them!

If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW! “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved’ (Romans 10:13).

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

You Will Make a Difference!

08-10-19

That great American hero, editor, school teacher, and Presbyterian clergyman Elijah Lovejoy left the pulpit and returned to the press in order to be sure his words reached more people. The Civil War might have been averted and a peaceful emancipation of slaves achieved had there been more like him. After observing one lynching, Lovejoy was committed forever to fighting uncompromisingly the awful sin of slavery. Mob action was brought against him time after time; neither this nor many threats and attempts on his life deterred him. Repeated destruction of his presses did not stop him. "If by compromise is meant that I should cease from my duty, I cannot make it. I fear God more that I fear man. Crush me if you will, but I shall die at my post..." And he did, four days later, at the hands of another mob. Not one of the ruffians was prosecuted or indicted or punished in any way for this murder. (Some of Lovejoy's defenders were prosecuted! One of the mob assassins was later elected mayor of Alton!)

However, note this: One young man was around who was deeply moved by the Lovejoy martyrdom. He had just been elected to the Illinois legislature. His name was Abraham Lincoln.

Paul Simon, "Elijah Lovejoy," Presbyterian Life, 18:

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 15:58

If you walk close to the Lord each day, allowing Him to give you His grace, strength, wisdom, allowing Him to produce His faithfulness through you, you will make an eternal difference in many lives for His honor and glory.

If you are not one of His, come to the Lord Jesus NOW! “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

INITIATIVE

08-08-19

He was born in Columbus, Ohio, 1890, the third of eight children. At eleven he quit school to help with the family expenses, and got his first full-time job at $3.50 per week. At fifteen he got interested in automobiles and went to work in a garage at $4.50 a week. He knew he would never get anywhere without more schooling, so he subscribed to a correspondence home study course on automobiles. Night after night, following long days at the garage, he worked at the kitchen table by the light of the kerosene lamp. His next step was already planned in his mind--a job with Frayer-Miller Automobile Company of Columbus.

One day when he felt ready, he walked into the plant. Lee Frayer was bent over the hood of a car. The boy waited. Finally, Frayer noticed him. "Well," he said, "what do you want?" "I just thought I'd tell you I'm coming to work here tomorrow morning," the boy replied. "Oh! Who hired you?" "Nobody yet, but I'll be on the job in the morning. If I'm not worth anything, you can fire me." Early the next morning the young man returned to the garage. Frayer was not yet there. Noticing that the floor was thick with metal shavings and accumulated dirt and grease, the boy got a broom and shovel and set to work cleaning the place.

The rest of the boy's future was predictable. He went on to a national reputation as a racing car driver and automotive expert. In World War I he was America's leading flying ace. Later he founded Eastern Airlines. His name--Eddie Rickenbacker.

Bits & Pieces, December, 1989, p. 22ff.

“…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”

Luke 10:27

The born-again child of God ought to have the greatest initiative of everyone because they have been rescued from Hell and eternal damnation by the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, they should be driven daily by a passionate love for Him to serve and glorify Him in every way possible in every area of their lives. His initiative should be theirs and Jesus said regarding Himself, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

How strong is your initiative to bring lost people to Christ?

If you are not one of His, come to Him NOW!

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Romans 10:13

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

Ingratitude

08-06-19

Adnrew Carnegie, the multimillionaire, left $1 million for one of his relatives, who in return cursed Carnegie thoroughly because he had left $365 million to public charities and had cut him off with just one measly million.

Samuel Leibowitz, criminal lawyer and judge, saved 78 men from the electric chair. Not one ever did bother to thank him.

Many years ago, as the story is told, a devout king was disturbed by the ingratitude of his royal court. He prepared a large banquet for them. When the king and his royal guests were seated, by prearrangement, a beggar shuffled into the hall, sat down at the king's table, and gorged himself with food. Without saying a word, he then left the room. The guests were furious and asked permission to seize the tramp and tear him limb from limb for his ingratitude. The king replied, "That beggar has done only once to an earthly king what each of you does three times each day to God. You sit there at the table and eat until you area satisfied. Then you walk away without recognizing God, or expressing one word of thanks to Him."

Ingratitude denotes spiritual immaturity. Infants do not always appreciate what parents do for them. They have short memories. Their concern is not what you did for me yesterday, but what are you doing for me today. The past is meaningless and so is the future. They live for the present. Those who are mature are deeply appreciative of those who labored in the past. They recognize those who labor during the present and provide for those who will be laboring in the future.

Homemade, December, 1984.

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18

As a child of God, purchased with the precious blood of your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, how often do you thank Him for your salvation, His Word, His guidance, His wisdom, daily strength, the provision of all your needs, etc,? How much of your daily life is marked by gratitude?

If He is not your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW!

“ For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

I Stand With Jonah

08-03-19

D.L. Moody often told this experience: "Mr. Moody, what do you do with that?" "I do not do anything with it." "How do you understand it?" "I do not understand it." "How do you explain it." "I do not explain it." "What do you do with it?" "I do not do anything with it." "You do not believe it, do you?" "Oh, yes, I believe it." "Well, you don't accept anything you can't understand, do you?" "Yes, I certainly do. There are lots of things I do not understand, but I believe them. I do not know anything about higher mathematics, but I believe in them. I do not understand astronomy, but I believe in astronomy...A man told me a while ago he would not believe a thing he had never seen, and I asked him if he had ever seen his own brain? Did you ever notice that the things at which men cavil most are the very things on which Christ has set His seal?"

When a liberal preacher declared that the story of Jonah and the whale was a myth, reporters asked Mr. Moody his opinion of the question. His reply, contained in four words, was telegraphed far and wide: "I stand by Jonah."

H. Lindsell, The Bible in the Balance, p. 26.

“Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.”

Psalm 119:160

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”

Proverbs 30:5

Yes, God’s Word is true from beginning to end. Jesus affirmed the truth regarding Jonah when He spoke concerning His own death and resurrection (Matthew 12:40). We can trust His Word regarding every subject and aspect of life. When we do so and conduct every area of our life in obedience to His Word, we experience His richest blessings!

If you are not one of His, come to the Lord Jesus NOW, while you still can!

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Acts 4:12

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!

Indecision

08-01-19

Former president Ronald Reagan once had an aunt who took him to a cobbler for a pair of new shoes. The cobbler asked young Reagan, "Do you want square toes or round toes?" Unable to decide, Reagan didn't answer, so the cobbler gave him a few days. Several days later the cobbler saw Reagan on the street and asked him again what kind of toes he wanted on his shoes. Reagan still couldn't decide, so the shoemaker replied, "Well, come by in a couple of days. Your shoes will be ready." When the future president did so, he found one square-toed and one round-toed shoe! "This will teach you to never let people make decisions for you," the cobbler said to his indecisive customer. "I learned right then and there," Reagan said later, "if you don't make your own decisions, someone else will."

Today in the Word, August, 1991, p. 16.

“And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,” (Deuteronomy 10:12).

If you are going to serve the Lord, experience His richest blessings, and glorify Him in every area of your life, you cannot let others, no matter how much you love them, make decisions for you. You must make the decision every day to love the Lord, put Him, His Word and His will first in every decision you make. To do that may cost you some friendships and other things too, but you will not regret making Him your first love and following Him wholeheartedly. All that He gives you in return will be so much satisfying than the “costs” you experience.

If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, come to Him NOW! “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12).

Pastor Fred Johnson, Editor of Daily Insights

LOVE & LIVE PASSIONATELY FOR CHRIST!