The Daily Manna

[flightsimmer]

Monday April 5th.

I knelt to pray but not for long;
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.
So I knelt and said a hurried prayer
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done.
My soul could rest at ease.
All day long, I had no time
To spread a word of cheer.
No time to speak of Christ to friends.
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.
No time, no time, too much to do;
That was my constant cry.
No time to give to souls in need,
But at last the time, the time to die.
I went before the Lord.
I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands, God held a book;
It was the book of life.
God looked into his book and said,
"Your name I cannot find.
I once was going to write it down
But never found the time."
Revelation 20:11–15 (NIV84)
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Do you take time for God daily? You need to pray daily, read your bible daily, and study the word daily. The amount of time is not the issue as if you really love God, you will read to know Him better. The better you know Him the more you want to know. However, if you are too busy for God, then may heaven help you at that great white throne judgment because if you do not give your whole life to Him, He will not give you eternal life. It is no salvation just to know God’s name or the name of Jesus or even just show up on Sunday as long as you do not think you have something better to do. God will put everything in your life before you and that will judge your life. If there is time to be with God and you prove it by your faith, which reacts in the truth of your faith that confesses Him before men by how you now act and talk, and then you truly repent of this world by telling God you will live for Him- which does not mean just Sunday morning, and then you participate in the death, burial, and resurrection through your personal obedience to baptism by immersion, You have started on the right road. Narrow Is the Road that leads to heaven.
Maybe you do not have time for God except for an occasional one hour on Sunday. Does God then take time to listen to you?

--
In Christ alone are we Saved
Earl Knopf
Pastor South Venice Christian Church
2390 Seaboard Ave
Venice Fl 34293

Romans 8 For Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

[flightsimmer]

Wednesday April 7th.

It's Monday morning, a day like any other. You wake up, eat breakfast, kiss your wife and son goodbye, and go to work. You put in 8 hours. The day is done. As you drive home, you turn on the radio and search for a station:
"That was Rich Mullins with Awesome God. Hi, I'm Phil Davis on WKMO the big E-Z. And now for the weather: tonight partly cloudy with a sticky 80 degrees. For tomorrow: slightly muggy with a 50% chance of showers.
In the world today: The Bank of America Corp. said Friday it would cut as many as 10,000 jobs as it changes its focus from growing through mergers to becoming more profitable through use of technology and operating efficiency.
And finally tonight, a report from the remote village of Samair, India, where four villagers are dead after contracting a mysterious flu-like illness. Doctors are continuing their investigation into the deaths."
It's not influenza, but 3 or 4 fellows are dead. It's kind of interesting actually. They're sending some doctors over there to investigate it. After a few days have passed, you've forgotten all about it, but on Sunday while you're coming home from church, you hear another radio spot:
"What began with four villagers just days ago has now spread to over 30,000 people in the back hills of India. The center for Disease Control in Atlanta announced today that they are sending in a team of doctors to investigate and analyze this apparent new strain of flu. Officials from the CDC also reported that a main priority for the team would be to try and contain the outbreak before it spreads to the surrounding countries.
By Monday morning when you get up, it's the lead story:
"The "mystery flu" as it is now known has spread to Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. The U.S. President released a statement today saying that he joins everyone in praying for the people of the infected countries and he is confident that all will go well in containing the outbreak and finding a cure. The president announced that the U.S. will provide medical aid to the countries that face this outbreak.
We have just received word that the president of France has closed all borders to that country. No flights from India, Pakistan, or any of the countries where this "mystery flu" has been reported will be allowed into the country. However, this action may have been taken too late; we have just confirmed that there is a man lying in a hospital room in Paris apparently dying of flu like symptoms. The "mystery flu" has hit Europe."
Panic strikes! As best they can tell, once you get it, you have it for a week and you don't know it. Then, you have four days of unbelievable symptoms. Then, you die. Britain closes its borders, but it's too late. It's already in South Hampton, Liverpool, and North Hampton. On Tuesday morning, the President addresses the Nation:
"We interrupt this program to bring you a special news bulletin. The President of the United States is preparing to address the nation. We now go live to the White House"
"My fellow Americans, due to a national security risk, all flights to and from Europe and Asia have been canceled. If you have loved ones that are overseas, they will have to stay there until we contain or find a cure for this "mystery flu". I ask all Americans to pray that a quick resolution to this situation can be found."
Within 4 days, our Nation has been plunged into an unbelievable fear. People are selling little masks for your face. People are talking about what will happen if the "mystery flu" comes to this country, and preachers on Tuesday are saying, "It's the scourge of God." It's Wednesday night, and you are at a church prayer meeting when somebody runs in from the parking lot and says, "Quick, turn on a radio!"
And while the church listens to a little transistor radio with a microphone stuck up to it, the announcement is made:
"We can now confirm that there are two women in a Long Island hospital dying of the "mystery flu". Within hours, it is expected to spread across the county. The center for disease control announced that it has personnel working around the clock to find a vaccine for this new deadly strain of flu. We now have reports of outbreaks in California, Oregon, Arizona, Florida and Massachusetts. It's as though it's sweeping in from the borders."
In a desperate effort to slow the spread of the disease, the President institutes Martial Law. It seems like forever that you are locked up in your house with plastic taped over the windows and ventilation ducts. Nobody is allowed outside but the military patrolling the streets and men in yellow environmental suits going from door to door collecting bodies and loading them onto large flatbed trucks to be taken away and burnt. Things seem very bleak. You and your family spend hours praying for salvation to come. Just when things seem their bleakest, a ray of light pierces the darkness. As you are listening to the new updates on the radio, an announcement comes across the emergency broadcasting system
"This is not a test. I repeat, this is not a test. The President of the United States has activated the emergency broadcasting system to announce that a cure for the mystery flu can be found. The code has been broken, and a vaccine can be made. It's going to take the blood of someone who hasn't been infected, and so the President is asking all Americans to go to your local hospital and have a blood sample taken. It's imperative that everyone be tested. We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this time of national emergency."
You go to the hospital and stand around scared with your neighbors, wondering what in the world is going on and if this is the end of the world. Suddenly, a young lady comes running out of the hospital screaming. She's yelling a name and waving a clipboard. What? She yells it again! Your son tugs on your jacket and says, "Daddy, that's me!"
Before you know it, they have grabbed your boy. "Wait a minute, hold it!"
"It's okay. His blood is clean. His blood is pure. We want to make sure he doesn't have the disease. We think he's got the right type!"
Five tense minutes later, out come the doctors and nurses, crying and hugging one another - some are even laughing. It's the first time you have seen anybody laugh in a week. An old doctor walks up to you.
"Thank you, sir. Your son hasn't contracted the disease. His blood type is perfect. It's clean. It is pure, and we can use it to make the vaccine."
As the word begins to spread all across the parking lot full of folks, people are screaming and praying and laughing and crying. But then the gray-haired doctor pulls you and your wife aside.
"May we see you for a moment? We didn't realize that the donor would be a minor, and we need you to sign a consent form."
You begin to sign and then you see that the number of pints of blood to be taken is empty. "H-h-how many pints?" And that is when the old doctor's smile fades.
"We had no idea it would be a little child. We weren't prepared. We need it all!"
"But..but..."
"You don't understand. We are talking about the whole world here! Please sign. There is no other way! We need it all. Will you sign?"
In numb silence, you do. They offer you a moment alone with your son before they begin. Can you walk back? Can you walk back to that room where he sits on a table to answer his question, "Daddy? Mommy? What's going on?"
Can you take his hands and say, "Son, your mommy and I love you very much, and we would never ever let anything happen to you that didn't just have to be. Do you understand that?"
When that old doctor comes back in and says, "I'm sorry, we've - we've got to get started. People all over the world are dying!"
Can you leave? Can you walk out while your son is saying, "Dad? Mom? Why are you leaving me?"
Next week, when they have the ceremony to honor your son, some folks sleep through it, some don't come because they go to the lake, and some come with a pretentious smile and just pretend to care. Would you want to jump up and say?
"My son died! Don't you care?"
Is that what God wants to say?
"My son died! Don't you know how much I care?"
Matthew 27:45–54 (NIV84)
45 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. 52 The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

The centurion says it best. A man who did not believe Said, “Surely He was the Son of God!” His blood was shed upon Calvary and that blood now makes us clean. We need to place our faith in Him and as James says, “Faith without deeds is a dead faith.” That means confession, repentance, immersion, and living with the fact that the Holy Spirit lives within You because of your obedience that comes from faith. God sent His Son to die, don’t you care? Don’t you stand up and shout. Don’t you rejoice? Death has been swallowed up in victory due to the blood that was shed on Calvary. I heard a very prominent evangelist say one day that His blood was spilt on Calvary. NO! NO! NO! it was not spilt. That means it was an accident. I pour out the water in my glass but if I accidently tip it over it is spilt all over. God sent the Son to die and shed and I mean give His blood for our lives. The best known scripture says For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall have eternal life. That is not an accident. Jesus did not come by an accident but by design from God. God poured out the blood from Calvary unto every person that will believe. That is a period. The blood saves. Only the Blood saves. I do everything because I now believe in the blood sacrifice that is the blood covenant from God that whosoever believes in that covenant will have eternal life. Praise God.



--
In Christ alone are we Saved
Earl Knopf
Pastor South Venice Christian Church
2390 Seaboard Ave
Venice Fl 34293

Romans 8 For Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

[flightsimmer]

Thursday April 8th.
Six-year-old Dan decided one Saturday morning to fix his parents pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter, opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on the floor.
He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his hands, mixed in most of a cup of milk and added some sugar, leaving a floury trail on the floor which by now had a few tracks left by his kitten.
Dan was covered with flour and getting frustrated. He wanted this to be something very good for Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad.
He didn't know what to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or on the stove, and he didn't know how the stove worked! Suddenly, he saw his kitten licking from the bowl of mix and reached to push her away, knocking the egg carton to the floor. Frantically, he tried to clean up this monumental mess but slipped on the eggs, getting his pajamas white and sticky.
Just then he saw Dad standing at the door. Big crocodile tears welled up in Dan's eyes. All he'd wanted to do was something good, but he'd made a terrible mess. He was sure a scolding was coming, maybe even a spanking. But his father just watched him.
Then, walking through the mess, he picked up his crying son, hugged him and loved him, getting his own pajamas white and sticky in the process. That's how God deals with us. We try to do something good in life, but it turns into a mess. Our marriage gets all sticky, we insult a friend, we can't stand our job, or our health goes sour.
Sometimes, we just stand there in tears because we can't think of anything else to do. That's when God picks us up and loves us and forgives us, even though some of our mess gets all over Him.
But just because we might mess up, we can't stop trying for God or for others. Sooner or later, we'll get it right, and then they'll be glad we tried.
How many times in this life have you made a mess of something. I cannot count them in my life. I cry when I think of them but God tells me He loves me and has forgiven me. Sin puts us in a mess. A person who commits adultery makes a mess of their marriage. A person who steals and gets caught, might spend some time in jail. That makes a mess of things in lives around them. Today, we can make a mess saying something that is not politically correct and have a ton of responses on social media pointing at the bad response. Things we think of as ok others jump up and point at. The basketball coach that said let us hold the plantation was almost fired. He claims it was not meant to be racial but it was and people raised the roof. I know that social media puts many people on the lookout for slip ups. I think that we just need to love, love, love and forgive everyone even those that are truly hateful. I do not like the KKK or the Third Reich stance but I must love the sinner. Who do you think that Jesus would send the hateful people to hell if they repent. I do not like those that think their social position is above all others and that we all must bow before them. Those that stormed the Congressional chambers are hateful people but Jesus will forgive them if they repent. Once repented and forgiven, the act is forgotten. Can you forget a wrong done to you.

Luke 7:37–48 (NIV84)
37 When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38 and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41 “Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Maybe we need to read this set of verses more often and apply it in our lives. Give your love to Christ from your sins because He forgives if we but repent.



--
In Christ alone are we Saved
Earl Knopf
Pastor South Venice Christian Church
2390 Seaboard Ave
Venice Fl 34293

Romans 8 For Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

[flightsimmer]

Friday April 9th.

God sees how the world is.
God: I made them with the ability to choose to do good or evil, and they chose to do evil...
God looks off into the distance with a disappointed look on His face.
God: Being perfectly just, I cannot ignore their blatant evilness.
God: In my infinite wisdom, I know the only suitable punishment is death. Justice must be served.
God looks sternly ahead with a clenched fist.
God: But...
God's expression becomes troubled.
God: How can I give them death? I LOVE them. The penalty must be paid. But how can their penalty be paid when the cost is so high?
God hangs His head and a single tear falls. He then raises His head and looks ahead with conviction through tears.
God: *I* will pay the penalty.
And so Jesus was born into this world, to do something for us, something big, something we couldn't do ourselves... Jesus wiped the slate clean.
Satan sees how the world is.
Satan: Ha-ha! All these people are sinners! Not a single one is good! They'll all be thrown into the unquenchable fire!
God: You're wrong, Satan. They're square with the house. Their penalty has been paid in full.
Father and Son, Spirit and Human. Jesus died for us, and it's not just a short bout of pain and suffering to be compared with aeons of the comforts of heavenly realms. God is eternal. He's outside of time. Everything He's ever done is part of Him every "instant" for eternity. From God's perspective, Jesus is on the cross forever for us. To speak metaphorically using the concept of time, Jesus' physical pain and suffering and God's heartache of seeing His innocent son crucified are such a vivid "memory" to God, it's as if the crucifixion is happening right now. He made this a part of Himself forever for us even though He knew even the "best" of us would often spit in His face and say, "I don't need your ways. I don't need your love. I can take care of myself."
How much did God love this world. He loved it so much that He sent the Son to die in its place and put the shed blood from the cross right into our hearts if and I say if we but believe. When that happens, we will live eternally. How great is our God. He created us and then justified us. We need to accept what has been done. Then we are to live forever in that love and give it all away to others. This parable also goes along with yesterday’s devotional. Look them both up at the same time.
Matthew 18:21–35 (NIV84)
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”



--
In Christ alone are we Saved
Earl Knopf
Pastor South Venice Christian Church
2390 Seaboard Ave
Venice Fl 34293

Romans 8 For Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

[flightsimmer]

Monday April 12th.
Should we pray for things we want to happen?
Won't God do what He's going to do and not change His mind anyway? (Num. 23:19, 1 Sam. 15:29)
Numbers 23:19–20 (NIV84)
19 God is not a man, that he should lie,
nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?
20 I have received a command to bless;
he has blessed, and I cannot change it.

1 Samuel 15:29 (NIV84)
29 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.”
We should pray.
God already knows what He will do. (Matt. 6:8)
Matthew 6:8 (NIV84)
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
He also knows how much and how earnestly you will pray. (1 John 3:20)
1 John 3:19–22 (NIV84) 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.
God may do something you like whether you pray for it or not. (Ex. 33:19)
Exodus 33:19 (NIV84)
19 And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
He may not do it no matter how much you pray. (Jam. 4:3)
James 4:3 (NIV84)
3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
However, He may sometimes do something if you pray and not do it if you don't. (Jam. 4:2)
James 4:2 (NIV84)
2 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
You can't make Him do it.
Rather, He has chosen certain things to happen if you pray. (1 John 5:14)
1 John 5:14–15 (NIV84)
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
God knows which things He will do if you pray and which things He will not do no matter how much you pray.
You don't know what God will do.
So pray.
You never know when God will give you a great answer and even one you did not truly ask for. I am reminded of Hezekiah’s prayer with tears that moved God to give him 15 more years and to deliver the city from the hand of the king of Assyria. God will hear your prayer given with earnestness and with His will in mind. To hear means He will answer you. I remember walking the dirt road when life was going down the drain and asking God to send me a woman that will make us both happy. Just a year later, I was with friends and looked over and there was a great looking woman sitting there all alone. I asked her to dance and we have been dancing now 41 years. I also remember walking the sidewalk outside this house praying for God to let me have the preaching job I now have. I have now been here going on 16 years. When God says it will happen, He will show you that He will take care of you.
Isaiah 38:1–8 (NIV84)
38 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”
2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: 5 “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.
7 “ ‘This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: 8 I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.’ ” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down.



--
In Christ alone are we Saved
Earl Knopf
Pastor South Venice Christian Church
2390 Seaboard Ave
Venice Fl 34293

Romans 8 For Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

[flightsimmer]

Tuesday April 13th.
A man's daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with her father. When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows. An empty chair sat beside his bed.
The minister assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit. "I guess you were expecting me," he said. "No, who are you?" said the father. "I'm the new minister at your church," he replied. "When I saw the empty chair, I figured you knew I was going to show up." "Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you mind closing the door?"
Puzzled, the minister shut the door. "I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man. "But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head. I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the old man continued, "until one day, about four years ago, my best friend said to me, 'Joe, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus.
Here is what I suggest. Sit down in a chair; place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It's not spooky because He promised, "I'll be with you always." Then, just speak to Him in the same way you're doing with me right now.'
So, I tried it, and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I'm careful though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm."
The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil, and returned to the church. Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon.
"Did he die in peace?" he asked. "Yes, when I left the house about two o' clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead. But there was something strange about his death. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on the chair beside the bed. What do you make of that?"
The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said, "I wish we could all go like that."
1 Corinthians 15:54–58 (NIV84)
54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

When I pass from this earth into the glory of heaven, I want to go with the glory of Christ looking me in the face and saying come on with me. I remember a classmate in our sophomore year who died of cancer. He was talking to his parents there in the hospital and stopped with a wide open look, he looked at the end of the bed. He said, “OK Jesus, I am ready.” He looked over at mom and dad and said goodbye, see you later and then breathed his last. Jesus came to escort him home to glory. What glory that will be when we all see Jesus in glory (of course you must be born again). A mansion built just for us, streets of Gold, but more than those and other things, we can see God face to face and Jesus as well. Nothing will be better. All the harsh treatments we might have taken from the worldly will not seem like anything when the life is in the hands of Christ. The question is, “Do you know Him personally.” Have you given your life to Him, which is repentance. Have you washed out the old man by immersion into the watery grave of baptism. Most of all, do you believe as Peter said, “You are the Christ the Son of the Living God.” That statement is what Jesus built the church upon. Peter was no Pope and God did not build the church on Peter but on what Peter said. Have you said it?


--
In Christ alone are we Saved
Earl Knopf
Pastor South Venice Christian Church
2390 Seaboard Ave
Venice Fl 34293

Romans 8 For Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

[flightsimmer]

Wednesday April 14th.

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, The Almighty. He asks a believer...
Prof: So you believe in God?
Student: Absolutely, sir.
Prof: Is God good?
Student: Sure.
Prof: Is God all-powerful?
Student: Yes.
Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill, but God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?
(Student is silent.)
Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?
Student: Yes.
Prof: Is Satan good?
Student: No.
Prof: Where does Satan come from?
Student: From...God...
Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student: Yes.
Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?
Student: Yes.
Prof: So who created evil?
(Student does not answer.)
Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?
Student: Yes, sir.
Prof: So, who created them?
(Student has no answer.)
Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son, have you ever seen God?
Student: No, sir.
Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?
Student: No, sir.
Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?
Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student: Yes.
Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student: Nothing. I have only my faith.
Prof: Yes. Faith. That is the problem science has.
Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Prof: Yes.
Student: And is there such a thing as cold?
Prof: Yes.
Student: No, sir. There isn't.
(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)
Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any farther after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.
(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)
Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student: You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly, you have nothing, and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?
Prof: So, what is the point you are making, young man?
Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?
Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life, and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course I do.
Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)
Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an ongoing endeavour, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?
(The class is in uproar.)
Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?
(The class breaks out into laughter.)
Student: Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures?
(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.)
Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.
Student: That is it, sir. The link between man and God is faith. That is all that keeps things moving and alive.
Romans 10:9–13 (NIV84)
9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
This is our confession of faith. From that faith, we stand before all and declare it while we tell Christ that we will live for Him only and then kill the old man in the watery grave of Baptism. We are saved by faith in Grace not by works lest any man boast. I did not die on that cross to save mankind. I cannot even save myself by doing one thing of works. I do all things from my faith and therefore I show you my faith by what I do. See James chapter 2 on that. Grace is God’s gift to man on a cruel cross. The blood saves and is sent into our blood to make us justified before God. There is no forgiveness without the shedding of Blood. See Hebrews 9.22. I can prove there is a God and I can prove my faith in God. How about you? Do you know for sure?



--
In Christ alone are we Saved
Earl Knopf
Pastor South Venice Christian Church
2390 Seaboard Ave
Venice Fl 34293

Romans 8 For Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

[flightsimmer]

Thursday April 15th.
I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December.

I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his theory of evolution.

Neither life, liberty, nor your pursuit of happiness will be endangered because someone says a 30 second prayer before a football game. What's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game.

"But it's a Christian prayer," some will argue. Yes, and this is the United States of America, a country founded because Christians wanted the freedom to practice their religion. Christian churches outnumber all others here, so what would you expect? Somebody chanting Hare Krishna?

If I went to a football game in Jerusalem, I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.

If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer.

If I went to a ping pong match in China, I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.

I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit. When in Rome...

"What about the atheists?" is another argument. What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humor us for 30 seconds. If that's asking too much, bring an iPod or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand. Call your lawyer. Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations.

Christians are tired of letting the courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating and before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now, a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying. God, help us. If that last sentence offends you, well...just sue me.

The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we tell these enemies of religious freedom, "You don't have to pray, you don't have to say the Pledge of Allegiance, and you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right, but you are no longer going to take our rights away. The God you have the right to denounce is on our side."

God bless us one and all, especially those who denounce Him.

God bless America, despite all her faults.

God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God.

May this be the year the silent majority is heard and we no longer need fear lawsuits for politely expressing our faith in public.

In God WE Trust

Romans 3:21–28 (NIV84)
21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

The world seems to forget that we also have rights as guaranteed by that same document they yell is there right do with us the true Christian. Our world is headed straight into the face of the Saviour coming in the clouds to take the church home. Those left behind will be at the mercy of Mr. 666. He will make all evil soar to new heights and those without Christ left behind will love him until the mid-point of the 7 year period. Then the evil will take full hold of man and destroy whatever this world even once was. Without the Christian in the world, Evil will have a heyday. I can rejoice, however, because during this time I will be with Christ in glory. After the 7 year period that Christ allows Satan his final reign, (there will be those that realize that they missed the mark and repent and seek God) Christ will return for that thousand year reign on earth. Imagine Christ in the White House of the world. Yet, so many will hate him during that time that at the end God will let Satan out of hell for one last battle called Armageddon. Everyone will chose their side but the battle will not happen because once chosen all those that chose Satan will be sent to the depths of hell for eternity. My friends, there is no such thing as a Purgatory. It is made up by a church to appease and then ask for money. I remember one day as I was walking into the church to do some work, that I got a call from a Bishop of the Catholic church in Minnesota. He told me that my cousin Marilyn was in purgatory and I needed to send him one thousand dollars to buy her out. I told him that he was headed to hell for such blasphemy and he needed to pray for salvation. He hung up for some reason. Satan does not like the word thrown in his face. Read the temptations of Christ and see if I am telling the truth. We have but two choices, heaven or hell and each one is final depending on your choice. I chose life.

--
In Christ alone are we Saved
Earl Knopf
Pastor South Venice Christian Church
2390 Seaboard Ave
Venice Fl 34293

Romans 8 For Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

[flightsimmer]

3 Wherefore, brethren, look you out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. Acts 6:3-6

We are introduced to Stephen in this passage. He was one of the original deacons whose assignments were to wait on tables and see to it that the daily ministration of foods and services was handed out fairly to all who had come to Christ and had become members of His church. Stephen according to this passage of Scripture was well-known by the church as a person "full of faith and of the Holy Ghost". He was a man who could be trusted with the material distribution of goods and services as well as with the wisdom to counsel those who brought their questions to him for answers. As we will learn, he was a man who knew the history of Israel from their beginning to the time he was living in. He under stood Moses and his standing with God and other patriarchs of the Jews and Christ and His standing with the Father. This gave people of faith confidence in him and faith in Christ. The unregenerate Jews feared him and consulted together to get rid of him and eventually they did. What a mighty God we serve. Since this man's time there have been countless others who have stood up for God knowing the consequences but not fearing them just as he did. May we the church do the same today.
God bless and go and have a great day.
The Daily Manna (April 19, 2021)

 

[flightsimmer]

3 Wherefore, brethren, look you out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. Acts 6:3-6

We are introduced to Stephen in this passage. He was one of the original deacons whose assignments were to wait on tables and see to it that the daily ministration of foods and services was handed out fairly to all who had come to Christ and had become members of His church. Stephen according to this passage of Scripture was well-known by the church as a person "full of faith and of the Holy Ghost". He was a man who could be trusted with the material distribution of goods and services as well as with the wisdom to counsel those who brought their questions to him for answers. As we will learn, he was a man who knew the history of Israel from their beginning to the time he was living in. He under stood Moses and his standing with God and other patriarchs of the Jews and Christ and His standing with the Father. This gave people of faith confidence in him and faith in Christ. The unregenerate Jews feared him and consulted together to get rid of him and eventually they did. What a mighty God we serve. Since this man's time there have been countless others who have stood up for God knowing the consequences but not fearing them just as he did. May we the church do the same today.
God bless and go and have a great day.
The Daily Manna (April 19, 2021)

 

[flightsimmer]

Wednesday April 21st.
When temptation comes, ask for the strength of Jesus Christ to resist it. If Satan ridicules you saying, "Oh shut up, you love that sin. You don't *really* even want Jesus to help you resist it!" you can send him packing even if your sinful desires make you feel like you still can't mean it when you deny that you love the sin. Say, "But I love Jesus more!"
Recall the story of Job where God and Satan have a conversation about him. At the time you are tempted to sin, consider the possibility that God and Satan are having a conversation about you at that moment. God is saying, "Consider my servant, (insert your name here)..." Satan would love to see you screw up so that he doesn't have to hear about you from God. Don't you want to annoy that scoundrel who rejoices when innocent children are taught to do evil?
James 4:1–10 (NIV84)
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Satan loves that very first saying he used in Genesis. Did God really say? Better yet today, he says don’t read it let your pastor or counsel tell you what it says. Maybe you let a Pope tell you. You must seek out the word for the Bereans were more noble than the Thessalonians (acts 17.11) because they searched the scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was right. If Paul could not be trusted as using the scriptures only, why do you let others tell you what it says. Read it in the power of the Holy Spirit and you will know if what someone says it right or not. Look up all scriptures I use and see if how I apply them is right. If you think different, let me know and we can discuss in the name of Christ what they might truly mean. Do not take anyone’s word for the Scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NIV84)16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.



--
In Christ alone are we Saved
Earl Knopf
Pastor South Venice Christian Church
2390 Seaboard Ave
Venice Fl 34293

Romans 8 For Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

[flightsimmer]

Thursday April 22nd.
A little girl walked to and from school daily. Though the weather that morning was questionable and clouds were forming, she made her daily trek to the elementary school. As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up along with thunder and lightning. The mother of the little girl felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school, and she herself feared that the electrical storm might harm her child.
Following the roar of thunder, lightning, like a flaming sword, would cut through the sky. Full of concern, the mother quickly got into her car and drove along the route to her child's school. As she did so, she saw her little girl walking along, but at each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up and smile. Another and another were to follow quickly, and with each, the little girl would look at the streak of light and smile.
When the mother's car drove up beside the child, she lowered the window and called to her.
"What are you doing? Why do you keep stopping?"
The child answered, "I am trying to look pretty; God keeps taking my picture."
May God bless you today as you face the storms that come your way.
Romans 1:17–21 (NIV84)
17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Out of the mouth of the little children comes such innocent truth. It is plain and without doubt. We need to come to God as little children and trust Him for our salvation. We also need to trust Him as He reveals Himself to us even in the lightning. In verse 16 of Romans 1, we find that the gospel, which is the good news, is the power of God unto salvation. That means that no one here can give us salvation. No church has salvation as it can only preach and teach salvation, which is through the blood. I can put my name on the role of a church but unless I get my name written in the Lamb’s book of life, I will not be a member of heaven. Heaven is so great, even though I have never been there, I know because the bible simply says so. Think about it. I will have a new mansion built just for me. I know it is great because I have a home here that I love and the one there will be so magnificent that I will be amazed. I see heaven by what is made here by God as a picture of that which is in heaven. I see the streets of gold in my mind because I know what gold looks like. We know what God looks like because we have seen the heart of His Son. Jesus says, if you have seen me you have seen the Father. God loves you so much that He does take a picture of you even before the foundation of the world. He knows if you will end up in heaven before you are born. He does not determine it but He knows your choice. I know what Christ looks like because I see people here living like Christ. Have you seen the risen Christ in the eyes of your heart? Without that picture, how do you know you are heaven bound. Give it all to God because He already knows your heart. Let Him take a picture of you doing good deeds that come from your faith.

--
In Christ alone are we Saved
Earl Knopf
Pastor South Venice Christian Church
2390 Seaboard Ave
Venice Fl 34293

Romans 8 For Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

[flightsimmer]

It's the end of the week so triple down on this devotional to make it last in your heart until Monday.
Friday April 23rd.
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day, a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole.
Then, it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no further.
So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.
The butterfly then emerged easily, but it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.
The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.
What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives too. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, we would not be as strong as what we could have been.
"I asked for strength, and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for wisdom, and God gave me problems to solve.
I asked for prosperity, and God gave me a brain and brawn to work.
I asked for courage, and God gave me danger to overcome.
I asked for love, and God gave me troubled people to help.
I asked for favors, and God gave me opportunities.
I received nothing I asked for but everything I needed!"
2 Chronicles 1:8–12 (NIV84)
8 Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. 9 Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
11 God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”
When we see Jesus and know that He is working in us to work and to will His good deeds, we are like Solomon who truly wanted to do as God desired. However, Solomon started loving himself more than he loved God. Finally, he came back to God and gave God all the glory. I am getting old and in my life, I know I have been given struggles to make me stronger for preaching the good news. I have been in so many different churches, most of them only once due to their errant teaching or cold demeanor, that because I was there, I know what is now right before God. I struggled with legalism in so many churches that I even thought is best for God to leave me alone as I could not live right. Then one day He showed me that I was saved by Grace through faith not by any of the works laid before me by churches I had been part of. Now, I am not against those churches, but if they had preached the death, burial, and resurrection for salvation, I might still be part thereof. Once I saw a glimpse of the truth, I had to search it all in the book to find the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The obedience that comes from faith, does not save me if I try and do the obedience before faith. Jesus came to struggle and the bible says He learned obedience from what He suffered. We also learn to obey, because we will not give up when we do struggle. I stand pat in the word now because I struggled with it for so long before that day I gave my life to Christ at that Muldoon Road church in Anchorage Alaska. It was because of struggle with legalism that I gave it all up for the grace of the Gospel. If God had let my church membership be something before faith, I might not be the man I am because I had to truly go through so much to find out the love of God that surpasses all understanding. How about you. Will you now stop struggling and let God birth you anew in His Spirit?
--
In Christ alone are we Saved
Earl Knopf
Pastor South Venice Christian Church
2390 Seaboard Ave
Venice Fl 34293

Romans 8 For Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

[flightsimmer]

Monday May 3rd.
Ruth went to her mailbox, and there was only one letter. She picked it up and looked at it before opening it, but then she looked at the letter again.
There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address. She read the letter:

Dear Ruth:
I'm going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon, and I'd like to stop by for a visit.
Love Always,
Jesus

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. "Why would the Lord want to visit me? I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer."
With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets. "Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to offer. I'll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner." She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Five dollars and forty cents. "Well! I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least."
She threw on her coat and hurried out the door.
A loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk...leaving Ruth with grand total twelve cents to last her until Monday.
Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.
"Hey lady, can you help us, lady?"
Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway. A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags.
"Look lady, I ain't got a job, ya know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it's getting cold, and we're getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us, lady, we'd really appreciate it."
Ruth looked at them both.
They were dirty, they smelled bad, and frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to.
"Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I'm having an important guest for dinner tonight, and I was planning on serving that to Him."
"Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway."
The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned, and headed back into the alley.
As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart.
"Sir, wait!" The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them. "Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest."
She handed the man her grocery bag.
"Thank you lady. Thank you very much!"
"Yes, thank you!" It was the man's wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering. "You know, I've got another coat at home. Here, why don't you take this one." Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders. Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street...without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest.
Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door and worried too. The Lord was coming to visit, and she didn't have anything to offer Him.
She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox.
"That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day." She took the envelope out of the box and opened it.

Dear Ruth:
It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal. And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat.
Love Always,
Jesus

The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed.
1 Peter 2:15–17 (NIV84) 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

What do you have that is so important that you cannot use it for the Love of Christ? All you have comes from God. All you are comes from God. All of you are Christ to use as a weapon against Satan. Show proper respect to everyone. That means black, white, red, brown, or yellow. That means what it means so stop thinking like the Jew as they think they are the only nation God loves. God may have had a great hand in the making of America as one nation under God but man has stopped being servants of God and wants God to serve them. We must live as servants of God forever and ever Amen. Jesus comes to each of us via the Holy Spirit when we become saved by faith and then we live for Christ. The Holy Spirit renews and regenerates us. Jesus is with us daily as Galatians says, it is no longer I who lives but it is Christ who lives within me. I feel Him sometimes as He brings tears to my eyes over some truth sung that I have just heard or a message I am listening to on my Sirius preaching station. God rips my heart open often to really know His glory by His truth that smacks me. God knows your good deeds even before you do them so give Him all the glory in all things. You do not know when Christ may be testing you in this life to see how you will respond.

--
In Christ alone are we Saved
Earl Knopf
Pastor South Venice Christian Church
2390 Seaboard Ave
Venice Fl 34293

 

[flightsimmer]

Tuesday May 4th.
There was once a spider who lived in a cornfield. She was a big spider, and she had spun a beautiful web between the corn stalks. She got fat eating all the bugs that would get caught in her web. She liked this home and planned to stay there for the rest of her life. One day, the spider caught a little bug in her web, and just as the spider was about to eat him, the bug said, "If you let me go I will tell you something important that will save your life." The spider paused for a moment and listened because she was amused. "You better get out of this cornfield," the little bug said, "The harvest is coming!" The spider smiled and said, "What is this harvest you are talking about? I think you are just telling me a story." But the little bug said, "Oh no, it is true. The owner of this field is coming to harvest it soon. All the stalks will be knocked down, and the corn will be gathered up. You will be killed by the giant machines if you stay here."
The spider said, "I don't believe in harvests and giant machines that knock down corn stalks. How can you prove this?" The little bug continued, "Just look at the corn. See how it is planted in rows? It proves this field was created by an intelligent designer." The spider laughed and mockingly said, "This field has evolved and has nothing to do with a creator. Corn always grows that way." The bug went on to explain, "Oh no. This field belongs to the owner who planted it, and the harvest is coming soon." The spider grinned and said to the little bug, "I don't believe you," and then the spider ate the little bug for lunch.
A few days later, the spider was laughing about the story the little bug had told her. She thought to herself, "A harvest! What a silly idea. I have lived here all of my life, and nothing has ever disturbed me. I have been here since these stalks were just a foot off the ground, and I'll be here for the rest of my life, because nothing is ever going to change in this field. Life is good, and I have it made."
The next day was a beautiful sunny day in the cornfield. The sky above was clear, and there was no wind at all. That afternoon, as the spider was about to take a nap, she noticed some thick dusty clouds moving toward her. She could hear the roar of a great engine, and she said to herself, "I wonder what that could be?"

Luke 12:35–48 (NIV84)35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”
42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 “That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Are you living like Christ is coming in the next few moments or are you like the spider and think you have it all figured out and can sit around in your own lavish way of living. Christ will judge all men and is coming at a day and hour that you do not know. I think the church has even become lack a deistical in love and service unto God and bowing before the Christ that died to save them. I would like you to read these two scriptures with great perseverance and understand that you must be ready when He comes. You must be found doing as Christ taught us. Your love for God and His Son must be shown in your actions. You must be living Monday thru Saturday as you think you are living on Sunday. No man who says he knows Christ without doing as Christ desires truly knows Christ. Do you have enough oil in your tank of life to be ready when the groom comes. The oil is the Holy Spirit and you receive the holy spirit by your obedience. See Acts 5.32 and Acts 2.38 to see how you get the Holy Spirit. You cannot be saved at the moment you see the skies open and Christ appears. That is then too late. Get down on your knees and get enough oil by repenting of your life, confession of the name of Jesus before the church and the world, as well as then be immersed to put off the old and put on the new. Your obedience is what shows your faith to all.
Matthew 25:1–13 (NIV84) “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
9 “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
11 “Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’
13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Do you know when Christ is returning. No. No one knows and if you hear or read of someone who says they know then call that person a heretic to their face because if Christ does not know then no man can know.
--
In Christ alone are we Saved
Earl Knopf
Pastor South Venice Christian Church
2390 Seaboard Ave
Venice Fl 34293

 

[flightsimmer]

Wednesday May 5th.
One day, God was looking down at Earth and saw all of the rascally behavior that was going on. He decided to send an angel down to Earth to check it out. So, he called one of His angels and sent the angel to Earth for a time.
When he returned, he told God, "Yes, it is bad on Earth; 95% are misbehaving and 5% are not."
God thought for a moment and said, "Maybe I had better send down a second angel to get another opinion." So God called another angel and sent him to Earth for a time too.
When the angel returned he went to God and said, "Yes, it's true. The Earth is in decline; 95% are misbehaving and 5% are being good."
God was not pleased. So, He decided to e-mail the 5% that were good, because He wanted to encourage them, give them a little something to help them keep going.
Do you know what that e-mail said?
No?
Oh, so you didn't get one either?
I am pretty sure that I have used this one before but it says so much. I want you to think, are you saved or are you a church goer only. All can go to church but only those that have been born again truly will go to heaven. I get an email from God daily as it is called the bible. I do send you out an email about God and Christ to ask you to think about your salvation. Let us put it right to the point. Do you deny yourself of this world and live only for Christ as that is the mark of a Christian. Have you crucified this life and you do that by burying it in the death, burial, and resurrection through immersion of baptism. You must crucify the whole self in that water. It is not sprinkled but buried to wash away the old and to make new because the old is gone. Do you follow the way of Christ only. Do you love your neighbor as yourself. These things do not save you but you are not saved unless you do them.

Mark 8:34–38 (NIV84)
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Think on these verses. Where are you in them? Have you denied your lusts and desires for the sake of the kingdom and have you crucified your life here by burying it in believers baptism? What are you doing with your life? All too many think only of Christ on Sunday morning some of the time so Do you love God all the time? If you only loved your spouse for one hour on one day a week, how would your marriage be going, I wonder? Its called believers baptism for a reason. You must believe first of all.



--
In Christ alone are we Saved
Earl Knopf
Pastor South Venice Christian Church
2390 Seaboard Ave
Venice Fl 34293

 

[flightsimmer]

19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do: for whatsoever things He does, these also does the Son likewise. John 5:19

29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father has not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him. John 8:29

5 I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5

12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. (Philippians 4:12-13)

To me it is a remarkable admission on Christ's part that He is not on His own and acting on His own. He is acting (not pretending) but acting as God intended when He sent Him to us to identify both with us and the Father. What Jesus is showing us is that this is possible even in this carnal world. We are not alone even as Christ was not alone and we can do all things through Christ Who gives us the strength to do it. He also must show us His will for we cannot do those things that go against His will even as Christ could not go against the will of God and at the same time please the Father. Pleasing the Father is what it is all about. When Paul made this declaration concerning his ability to do all things he was not bragging on Himself but on Christ who in turn celebrated His relationship to the Father in heaven. It is remarkable to me the number of folks who claim this relationship that don't appreciate it enough. Whatever Christ did as a result of His relationship with the Father we can do aa a result of our relationship with Him as well so long as it is in His will for us to do it.
God bless and go and have a great day.
The Daily Manna (May 24, 2021)

 

[flightsimmer]

23 And in that day you shall ask Me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you.
24 Hitherto have you asked nothing in My name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:23 - 24

This adds a new dimension to the prayers of Jesus Christ's followers. Think for a minute and see if you know what it is. It is asking God for our daily needs in the name of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Up to this point in time those who prayed prayed to the Father only and solely in the Father's name. Now Jesus instructs His disciples to pray in His name and earlier in John 14:6 He told them that no man can go to the Father to be saved unless they do so in Him alone. So great is the mission of Jesus Christ that every thing is laid on His shoulders up to and including salvation. Our Joy depends on His relationship to God because He is God.
God bless and go and have a great day.
The Daily Manna (May 25, 2021)

 

[flightsimmer]

14 Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in Me.
2 In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
4 And whither I go you know, and the way you know. John 14:1-4

The promises of Christ are many and, He intends to keep them all. We are so blessed to have Him in our lives though many of those of this world believe He is a curse. He is our blessed Lord and Savior but only to those who believe in Him.
The word "troubled" here means agitated. It is the perfect word that describes what the disciples were feeling at the time Christ spoke these verses into the narrative that becomes a biography of His life, acts and sayings. He chooses His words carefully for they must reflect what God is saying through Him. Christ does not want His followers to be agitated by His words, He wants them to be comforted.
He wants us to be comforted in these days of riots in the streets.
Are you troubled about something? Are you agitated? Take that thing or those things to Jesus Christ. You will find comfort and soul peace in Him and through Him. There's room at the cross for you and there is plenty of room in the family of God for you. His House is not yet full and the invitation is still being extended-"Come and dine, the Master calls, come and dine.
God bless and go and have a great day.
(The Daily Manna-May 26, 2021)

 

[flightsimmer]

7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steps down before me.
John 5:7

Only John considered this important enough to include in his gospel about Jesus. This man was more "troubled" than the pool he was trying to reach and had tried to reach for years. He was alone and he was weak and he had little hope of ever getting to the source of healing for him. Sounds like a lot of people in the world today.
Have you ever seen those ads on TV making appeals for help for the helpless? I suspect you have if you watch TV at all. They run from appeals for wo many dollars a month for animals to Jews in Russia. Most of them are legitimate and from well-meaning organizations. These are those folks today who are reaching out to "the man by the pool". This man was over 40 years old. He had been a cripple for his entire life and he had never met Jesus before this day. It appears to me that Jesus intentionally sought him out to heal him which He did without carrying him to the pool. He healed him with His words.
This same Jesus is on His throne in heaven today carrying out His healing ministry. He loves us. We will all be healed someday but we may have to wait for it until Jesus passes by. Some of us are being healed now and some will be healed later but, we will all be healed. Isn't that exciting? It is to me.
Some may even have to wait for eternity but at some point we will all be healed.
God bless and go and have a great day.
The Daily Manna (May 27, 2021)