“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” -Psalm 118:24 (KJV)

To awaken each morning and consciously think and repeat Psalm 118:24 is an excellent and affirming way to begin each new day.
      Dr. Robert J. Morgan reminds us that God is in the day-making business. Every twenty-four hours a new day rolls off God’s time-making plan. His compassion and care for us is present every day, ready to be affirmed and assimilated.
      Whatever challenge we face in each day, if we are secure in the belief that God made the day and gave it to us to use and rejoice in, we can be more confident in why we are here at this particular time in history and what the Lord has for us to do. Try, upon awaking, to repeat with sincerity and joy Psalm 118:24. Thus starting the day with God will make your outlook brighter, your anticipation sharper.
      Sir Isaac Watts (1674-1748) used the words of Psalm 118:24 as the basis of his words in the hymn, “This Is the Day the Lord Has Made.” It was set to the tune “Arlington” by musician Thomas A. Arne (1710-1778). The message of the hymn still inspires:
“This is the day the Lord has made; He calls the hours His own;
Let heav’n rejoice, let earth be glad, And praise surround the throne.
Blest be the Lord who comes to us With messages of grace;
Who comes, in God the Father’s name, To save our sinful race.”

      Prayer: Thank you for this new day, Lord. I will rejoice and be glad in it!” Amen! - Ethelene Dyer Jones 06.21.2016

Memory Verse: Faith

“For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast.” -Ephesians 3:8-9 (KJV)

If you ask a person if he/she is going to heaven when death comes, you might get various answers: “I hope so.” Or “I’m living a good, clean life; I hope I will get to heaven.” But Ephesians makes it quite clear that we can never get to heaven by our own merits. We cannot be “good enough,” “clean enough,” or “do enough good works.”
      A person is saved by grace through faith. Grace is the unmerited favor of God. Grace and salvation are gifts to the person who comes in faith to believe that the Lord Jesus Christ gave His life as a sacrifice for sins—meaning an individual believer’s sins.
      “Justification by grace through faith” was the rallying cry of the Reformation.
      Works, no matter how many or how good, cannot save a person. Good works follow faith and acceptance of the grace offered by the Lord Jesus Christ. But good works are not the means to grace and forgiveness.
      John Bunyan who wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress stated: “One of the greatest mysteries in the world—namely, that a righteousness that resides with a Person in heaven should justify me, a sinner on earth.” - Ethelene Dyer Jones 06.20.2016

Memory Verse: The Word

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” -John 1:1 (KJV; NKJV; ESV)

Perhaps you have noted for three days now that I have placed “Memory Verse” on the second line of the title of these daily devotionals. I began on Thursday with Genesis 1:1. Friday’s verse was John 3:16.

      Today’s verse is John 1:1. I am suggesting verses we ought to commit to memory for the value they are in doctrine, life-practice, inspiration and centrality to the Christian message.
I have a book in my personal library by Robert J. Morgan entitled 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know By Heart. The book suggests that the 100 verses he cites for memorization are not all that should be committed to memory, but a beginning. Memorization is “vital for mental and emotional health and for spiritual well-being” writes Dr. Morgan. I hope you will follow as we proceed with many of the verses suggested for memorization, and that the devotional thoughts on the verses will help you to remember them well.
      “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Word is a name for the Second Person of the Trinity. Jesus is His human name. Savior and Redeemer refer to His purpose in coming to earth. He was in the beginning with God. He was then God and He is now God, and will forever be God. He was with God; Jesus Himself said, “My Father and I are One” (see John 17:21). Togetherness characterizes the identity of Father and Son, their purpose and work.
“In the beginning was the Word” echoes Genesis 1:1” “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” “The Word” conveys the idea of divine self-expression, and the Word wants to make Himself known to us. Jesus did this by “the word becoming flesh and dwelling among us” (John 1:14).
     The Word came to dwell among us. As a result, “We have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14b). Jesus, in coming to earth, “has made him (the Father) known.” (John 1:18b).
      “John 1:1 speaks of Jesus Christ’s preexistence: “In the beginning was the Word.”
It speaks of His coexistence: “And the Word was with God.”
It also speaks of His divine existence: “And the Word was God.” (Robert J. Morgan. 100 Bible Verses…Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2010, p. 49).
In John 1:1 we see Christ as:
(1)--the Eternal Word—from the very beginning He was with God;
(2)--the Creative Word—with God, Jesus said “let there be…” and all things were created;
(3)--the Incarnate Word—“and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (v. 14).

Thank You, God, that the Word shows us Who you are. Amen. -Ethelene Dyer Jones 06.18.2016

Memory Verse: God’s Love

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” -John 3:16 (KJV).

John 3:16 is the most-memorized verse in the Bible. Children learn this Bible verse at their mother’s knees and in Sunday School or catechism classes. Adults who have learned the verse quote it silently for consolation or aloud for testimony and affirmation. Countless sermons have been preached on this text and numerous lessons taught on its truth. Devotional thoughts on the verse are so numerous that the writings could fill volumes. And here is still one more devotional to add to the number.
      The Amplified Bible version of John 3:16 reads: “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only-begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish—come to destruction, be lost—but have eternal (everlasting) life.” Eugene Peterson’s The Message Bible reads: “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.”
      An inspiring story is written of evangelist Henry Moorhouse and how John 3:16 affected him. Moorhouse, who at age sixteen in 1859 when revival was sweeping England, was gloriously converted. Moorhouse, already a gambler, gang leader and thief, and one who had spent time in prison, heard the message of Jesus. He heard Evangelist Richard Weaver preaching in the busy city of Manchester, England in the Alhambra Circus tent on a night in 1859.
      Entering to ridicule, instead Moorhouse’s mind was arrested by hearing the glorious name of Jesus in an impassioned message by Rev. Weaver. On the spot, Henry Moorhouse gave his heart to the Lord, realizing that Jesus loved even such a sinner as he. Almost immediately, the 16-year old convert, Moorhouse, began associating with members of the evangelistic team that went throughout England preaching the gospel. Others who had a great influence on Moorhouse were the Rev. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, honored pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London and Henry Gratton Guiness, Principal of London’s Est End Institute. Appearing in many towns, the evangelistic team made up of the Rev. John Hambleton, preacher, Edward Usher, singer, and the young Henry Moorhouse, a disciple, gave testimony of forgiveness and grace and touched many who heard. Even at the tercentenary of the William Shakespeare Festival at Stratford-upon-Avon, Hambleton, Usher and Moorhouse went fervently among the crowd with placards that read: “Christ for Me! Praise the Lord! Mercy’s free!”
     When Rev. Dwight L. Moody and his evangelical singer, Ira Sankey, were in England conducting revivals, they met the young and spirit-filled Henry Moorhouse. Moody told the young man that if he were ever in America, he would be welcome to preach in the church where Moody was pastor.
      In 1868, Henry Moorhouse did come to America and made his way to Philadelphia. Rev. Dwight L. Moody was away, but the elders in the church where Moody was pastor decided to allow Moorhouse to preach, for he told them Rev. Moody had invited him to do so. For three nights he preached mightily, using John 3:16 as his text each night. Upon his return, Moody’s wife told her husband: “The young preacher tells even sinners that God loves them. His preaching is different.” Upon hearing the young man expound again on John 3:16 on the fourth night, Moody’s own heart was deeply touched. He testified later: “I never knew up to that time that God loved us so much. This heart of mine began to thaw out; I could not keep back the tears. I just drank it in. So did the crowded congregation. I tell you, there is one thing that draws above everything else in the world and that is love.” (from Richard E. Day: Bush Aglow: Life of Moody. Philadelphia: Judson Press, c1945, p. 145). From that time forward, Rev. Dwight L. Moody’s evangelical preaching took a new turn. He wanted to make sure everyone to whom he preached could hear of the amazing love of God for all people, for we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And Moody heard this challenge from a young preacher who died at age 40 on December 27, 1880. Moorhouse’s last words on his deathbed, even in his suffering, were: “Ask prayer for me to suffer for Christ better than ever I preached for Him. I only want to glorify Him.”
      “How much did Jesus love me?” asked the evangelist in a heart-felt appeal. “He loved me this much” (he said, stretching out his arms and hands in a wide sweep from his body). “He loved me this much; and He stretched out His arms and died for me!” - Ethelene Dyer Jones 06.17.2016

Memory Verse: Beginnings

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Genesis 1:1 (KJV).

In the beginning was God.
He spoke and all things created came into being.
First there was chaos, a void, darkness covered the expanse of nothingness.
God hovered in power over the face of the abyss.
God spoke. He said, “Let there be light!” And light shone, brilliant, iridescent, in splendor.
God separated light from darkness. Day and night were born by the power of His voice.
The light period He called Day and the dark period He called Night.
God spoke again: The firmament, Heaven, separated from the waters, Sea.
God’s mighty voice spoke again: Earth appeared. The Seas gathered in ordered confines.
God commanded the Earth to bring forth vegetation, trees, fruit, and verdant growth.
By then it was the third day of creation. What a mighty God is at the helm of Creation!
God spoke and the universe embraced Day and Night, with lights to characterize each.
Beautiful and resplendent, the daytime and nighttime, ordered, arranged by God Almighty.
God thought awhile and spoke into being all the Sea creatures, great and small.
God thought further and fashioned all the Earth animals, each in its special habitat.
“Who will watch over all this marvelous Creation?” God asked.
And on the sixth day of creation He made Man, a real person, fashioned in His own image.
While a deep sleep came upon the man-made-in the image-of-God, God created a woman.
God introduced the Woman (Eve) to Man (Adam), and it was love at first sight.
Adam exclaimed: “This is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh!” He was happy, indeed.
Then God surveyed all that He had made in the first six days of Creation.
He saw that it was all very good. He was exceedingly pleased with what He had created.
And the seventh day He hallowed, and rested from His work of creation.
The Man and Woman rested in the beautiful Garden called Eden.
In the beginning the world was fresh, new, radiant, resplendent, perfect, complete.
The Creator God saw that all was very good; He was pleased with His noble creation. - Ethelene Dyer Jones 06.16.2016

The Lord’s Judgment on Boastfulness

“Thus says the Lord, ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight,’ declares the Lord.” -Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV).

Webster’s dictionary tells us that “boast” means “to puff oneself up in speech; to speak vaingloriously; to speak or assert with excessive pride.” Some synonyms of “boast” are to brag, to talk big, to gloat, to vaunt, to exult.” The wise writer of Proverbs wrote: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18, ESV). Jeremiah, often called “the weeping prophet” because of his lamentations over his nation’s rebellion, downfall and judgment at the hands of God, nonetheless sought to teach and preach that there was a way to follow God that was pleasing to Him and that would bring peace to the people. We are not to boast in wisdom—what we know; or strength—how strong we are to withstand whatever occurs; or riches—how much we own. Rather, if we boast, we are to take pride in the Lord whom we can know personally; whose steadfast love encompasses us; and who executes love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. These we can count on, for God is the author of love, justice, and righteousness.
      I read in the “Helping Hands” Missions prayer letter that on March 16, 2012, the scripture from Jeremiah 9:23-24 was read and assimilated by Dr. Brenda Kowalske, missionary doctor to Uganda, on the eve of her signing papers for the land there that would become the “Village of Eden,” a mission project to help with the spiritual, educational and medical needs of the people in the area where she and her workers were opening a bold mission project to reach people for the Lord. That was four years ago. Prayerfully and deliberately, and with help from Christian groups in Georgia and elsewhere, she, with God’s help and the help of many people who believe in the project, has proceeded under God’s direction to build and expand VOE (The Village of Eden) until today it cares for many sick people, houses orphans, has an excellent school, and an active church. Dr. Kowalske took literally the promise from Jeremiah 9 that God’s intention is to exercise love, kindness, and justice. And the amazing thought is that He invites us to be the instruments by which His knowledge and love are made known, even “as the waters that cover the sea.” Dr. Kowalske well-named her mission outreach “Helping Hands,” for such it has been in the places in the world, like Uganda and Brazil, where she has opened ministries to reach people for the Lord.
      Our area of ‘helping hands’ may be closer home. We are not to boast of what we do—but of God’s work through us his servants to make this world a better place to live. - Ethelene Dyer Jones 06.15.2016

Lessons from the Psalms: Revive Us Again

“Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love; O Lord, and grant us your salvation.” -Psalm 85:6-7 (ESV) [Read Psalm 85]

     Psalm 85, attributed to “the sons of Korah,” is asking God to revive the people and the land, a community lament, believed to be based on the incident recorded in Exodus 34:1-10 when Moses was commanded to take two more tablets of stone on which God would again write the commandments. Moses had been so angry and disappointed when he came down from Mount Sinai with the first tablets of stone on which God had written the ten commandments and found the people worshiping the golden calf fashioned from their own jewelry melted down (see Exodus 32:19), that he had thrown the stones in anger and broken them. Then followed Moses’ heart-rending prayer: “But now, if you will, forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written” (Exodus 32:32). But God had not finished with Moses, nor with His chosen people, although He had purged them with about three thousand falling on that awful day of their worshiping the golden calf (see Exodus 32:28b).

     Move forward to the time of the writing of Psalm 85. The Psalmist is appealing to the people to remember God’s dealing with them and is pleading for a current outpouring of God’s blessing consequent upon the people’s not turning back to folly (v. 8). It is always good to remember God’s work in the past and plead that He will again revive so that “Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way.”

     We ourselves are now in the midst of remembering. During the week leading up to Resurrection Sunday, many of us meet in our churches to recall with reverence and awe the Lord’s passion and His death on the cross that brought about the fulfillment of what the Psalmist wrote in 85:10-11: “Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky.” The Psalmist could not have known all the implications of fulfillment of his words. On a day of atonement in the far distant future from the time the psalm was written, the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross would be bring to fruition the promise when “Steadfast love and faithfulness meet”—and indeed they met as Jesus on the cross uttered “It is finished!” (John 19:30).

     Renewal and revival for us came at the cost of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. Poets, writers and ministers have tried through the ages to express the depth of love and the great cost of what it means for us to be revived—to come from death in sin to life of forgiveness, when “steadfast love and faithfulness meet” in our own spirit and life.

     The third stanza of “O Sacred Head Now Wounded” by Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676) [words translated by James W. Anderson, 1804-1859]. set to the minor music “Passion Chorale” by Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612) and harmonized by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) gives a poignant statement of how we should respond when we think of the price Jesus paid:

     “What language shall I borrow/To thank Thee, dearest Friend,

       For this Thy dying sorrow,/Thy pity without end?

       O make me Thine forever,/And should I fainting be,

       Lord, let me never, never/Outlive my love to Thee."

      Prayer: May it be so, Lord. O, revive us again!”       Ethelene Dyer Jones 03.25.2016