+Dev+ Michael D. Inman Pastor

Date: September 8, 2016 at 12:21 AM
Topic: +DEV+  Waiting with Confidence

Waiting with Confidence

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16

Scripture Focus: Nehemiah 1:1-2:8

Nehemiah was a Jewish official in the court of King Artaxerxes. When he heard of the decay of Jerusalem's walls from the remnant of the captivity that returned there, his heart was broken. He cried out to God on behalf of His people. He fasted, prayed, and sought God's heart, purpose and timing. 

Finally, after waiting for four months, he had the opportunity to go to the king to request time and resources to rebuild Jerusalem's broken walls. Nehemiah wrote that "because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests" (2:8). Nehemiah could approach the king with confidence because he knew God - that God is good, that He is the great King whose timing is perfect. 

Waiting on God's timing doesn't mean doing nothing. Nehemiah fasted; he prayed; he petitioned the king. And his confidence in God grew. While you wait for God to act on your behalf, let your assurance in Him - not in the outcome - grow. Jesus made the way through the cross so we can "approach the throne of grace with confidence."

Insight: Is your confidence in the favor of another person to act on your behalf? Or is it in your great and good King Jesus? 

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
  
Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: September 7, 2016 at 12:11 AM
Topic: +DEV+  Watch and Wonder

Watch and Wonder

"Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told." Habakkuk 1:5, ESV

Scripture Focus: Habakkuk 1:1-5

When Jesus entered our world in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago, the scene was no more peaceful then than it is today. There was oppression, uncertainty, corruption and violence. Yet the heavenly host famously proclaimed, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." 

600 years earlier, Habakkuk cried out to God about the violence, sin, and strife of the world in his day. He lamented how the wicked surrounded the righteous. He asked God, "How long shall I cry for help and you will not hear?" That may sound like something a believer in Jesus Christ would cry out today. 

The prophet's lament did not put off God. Rather, He responded to "How long?" with "Look!" God called His people to watch and wonder at the work He was doing in their day. 

When we grieve that today's conflicts seem far from the peace that the Gospel proclaims, we're called to watch and wonder at the work God is doing in and through His people. His favor brings peace through the cross of Christ!

Insight: "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
  
Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: September 5, 2016 at 10:48 PM
Topic: +DEV+  Best for Last

Best for Last

"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through... The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Scripture Focus: John 19:30

How good is "good enough" for God? Can you do enough in a day to make yourself acceptable to Him? There are days where you might say, yes, I can. If you are willing to drop the public perception of goodness that we all have crafted, you'll admit that you can't even live up to your own standards of goodness, let alone God's standards. We all spend a great deal of effort trying to achieve happiness and be good at the same time. It's an exhausting, exasperating pursuit. 

The good news of the Bible - of the Gospel - is that Jesus was more than good enough for us. At the cross He made the great exchange, giving His perfect obedience and goodness for our sin and guilt. And with that, He exclaimed "it is finished." There is nothing more to be done. Ever. 

If you have shifted your faith from your own efforts to the perfect, complete work of Jesus Christ for you, God Himself has promised to make you good enough. I've "saved the best for last" because the word of Jesus Christ is indeed the best and final Word for us.

"I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing." (Ezekiel 34:26)

Insight: Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow... Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."  (Thomas Kern, 1709)

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
  
Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: September 5, 2016 at 1:13 AM
Topic: +DEV+ Sanctified

Sanctified

"May God himself... sanctify you... May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Scripture Focus: Romans 8:28-30

Some of the most compelling movies and books tell the stories of individuals who overcome all odds to succeed. It is only natural that we would think of sanctification in those terms. 

I would define sanctification this way: the process whereby God makes us more and more like Jesus. It continues throughout our lives until Christ comes again or until we go to be with Him. The reality of this process, both according to Scripture and in our experience, is that no matter how hard we work, we can't completely overcome sin. Sure, we put off particular sins for a season or even for the rest of our lives, but then we soon find ourselves wrestling again with anger, jealousy, or fear.

If the success of our sanctification depends on our effort alone, then we have no hope, no movie, and no book. But as this benediction makes clear, it is ultimately God who completes our sanctification. He does it. This is our sure and ultimate hope. God called you to Himself, and He will make sure you are made fit for heaven.

Insight: "I recollect when I resolved never to sin again; I sinned before I had done my breakfast." (Sermon By Charles Spurgeon, 1887)

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site: http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: September 1, 2016 at 10:21 PM
Topic: +DEV+  Powerful Patience

Powerful Patience

"May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." Colossians 1:11-12, ESV

Scripture Focus: 2 Peter 3:1-1

Following Jesus takes patience. What many of us would like is instant transformation; both personally (in our sanctification) and universally (with the return of Jesus). Sometimes even the 60 seconds we wait for a microwave meal seems to take forever. Waiting for the life-long process of our sanctification to be complete can be downright discouraging. 

We find ourselves telling God we want patience and we want it now! As Peter said, dear friends, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). 

The Lord is patient with us, so we can seek to be patient in ourselves, too. Because He is faithful, God will give us the patience we need. He has qualified us; we haven't qualified ourselves, and He will see us through. Patience comes to us as a gift and as a blessing. Jesus obtained it for you, and now He freely gives it to you. That is a great reason to give thanks!

Insight: "I don't have any great counseling formulas, only Jesus. only Jesus. only Jesus." (Jack Miller, Heart Of A Servant Leader , 2004)

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
  
Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: September 1, 2016 at 10:21 PM
Topic: +DEV+ Powerful Patience

Powerful Patience

"May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." Colossians 1:11-12, ESV

Scripture Focus: 2 Peter 3:1-1

Following Jesus takes patience. What many of us would like is instant transformation; both personally (in our sanctification) and universally (with the return of Jesus). Sometimes even the 60 seconds we wait for a microwave meal seems to take forever. Waiting for the life-long process of our sanctification to be complete can be downright discouraging. 

We find ourselves telling God we want patience and we want it now! As Peter said, dear friends, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). 

The Lord is patient with us, so we can seek to be patient in ourselves, too. Because He is faithful, God will give us the patience we need. He has qualified us; we haven't qualified ourselves, and He will see us through. Patience comes to us as a gift and as a blessing. Jesus obtained it for you, and now He freely gives it to you. That is a great reason to give thanks!

Insight: "I don't have any great counseling formulas, only Jesus. only Jesus. only Jesus." (Jack Miller, Heart Of A Servant Leader , 2004)

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site: http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm


Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 31, 2016 at 11:38 PM
Topic: +DEV+ Powerful Endurance

Powerful Endurance

"May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." Colossians 1:11-12, ESV

Scripture Focus: Philippians 2:12-13; 3:8-16

We admire those who "stick to it," yet we often do not exhibit that quality in our own lives. The Olympic athlete who has endured years of training in order to compete impresses us. Yet few if any of the athletes maintain their strict regimen of diet and exercise once the games are done. The same dynamic plays out in just about all of life. It is hard to stick with a trade, a craft, a group or even a marriage for the long haul. It is especially true of the Christian faith. 

Statistics tell us that many who make a profession of faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior drift away. Only 3 in 10 pastors stay in ministry beyond 10 years. What do we do to endure to the end and cross the finish line for the prize? Nothing. God gives us the power to endure through faith in Christ. In addition to giving us the necessary endurance, it is God Himself who has made us saints, qualifying us to inherit His kingdom. 

Are you tired, burned out and thinking of walking away from Jesus? Then today receive His enduring blessing.

Insight: "If Adam in perfection could not keep himself in paradise, how can his imperfect children be so proud as to rely on their own steadfastness?" (Sermon By Charles Spurgeon, 1876)

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site: http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm


Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 30, 2016 at 9:45 PM
Topic: +DEV+ In All Times

In All Times

"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you." 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Scripture Focus: Daniel 3:1-30

Worry robs us of peace. So let's do an honest assessment; how many times did you worry yesterday? Last week? Last year? Can you imagine what life would be like if you never worried and had "peace at all times in every way"? There is no self-help program that will get you there. 

In our reading today, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego displayed an otherworldly peace in the face of horrifying torture. They were confident that God would deliver them from the flames of a fiery furnace, but they were also at peace if He chose not to rescue them. They knew that God was with them and for them, and that was enough. After all, if the Creator and Sustainer of the universe is on your side, what more do you need? As it turned out, God was indeed right with them. 

Jesus shields us from the fiery flames of God's wrath, flames kindled by our sin and rebellion. On the cross, Jesus absorbed the flames in our place, satisfying God's justice. If you are trusting in Him, you can be at peace in all times and in every way.

Insight: Peace can't be found by looking within - it only comes when we look up to the Lord of peace himself.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site: http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm


Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 30, 2016 at 1:32 AM
Topic: +DEV+  Equipped to do His Will

Equipped to do His Will

"May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will..." Hebrews 13:20-21A

Scripture Focus: Hebrews 10:1-14

Super-heroes or spies like James Bond seem to have all the gadgets they need to fight evil. But sometimes their gadgets fail and they succumb to the enemy. You know that God calls you and equips you to do His will, but do you worry that His equipping won't be quite enough? Might it run out or fail and you will be caught by your enemy, the devil? 

Fear not, because this blessing assures us that through Jesus Christ He will always equip us to do His will. Did you notice in today's reading that Jesus is sitting at God's right hand, not standing? The author of Hebrews is communicating to us that the work of Jesus is not lacking in any way; there is no more work to do; He can sit. We also read that Jesus "has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." "Has made" and "being made" show us both the completion and the process. God is working out in real time what He has already accomplished in eternity. In your struggles with sin, you have even more at hand than a super-hero because you have Jesus.

Insight: "You are secure, not because you are strong, but because God is sovereign..."  (John Piper, Sermon On Hebrews 13:22-25, 1997)

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
  
Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 28, 2016 at 10:49 PM
Topic: +DEV+ Amazing Love

Amazing Love

"Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 6:23

Scripture Focus: John 3:16-18

There is an old country song about looking for love in all the wrong places. Whenever we seek love apart from faith in God, we're looking in the wrong place. We're on a quest to be loved by another, wanting to make ourselves seem lovable, attractive, and fun. Looking for love is wanting to be wanted. It is a desire to be adored by others... in a sense, to be worshipped. 

It's a hard charade to keep up; eventually, our true colors come out. Selfishness and pride begin poking holes in the image we are trying to project, driving away the very people we tried so hard to attract. 

The good news of this blessing is that you don't have to earn the love of God. In fact, you can't. If our quest for love devolves into a desire to be worshipped, we end up trying to steal what is rightfully God's. In response, He graciously gives us His love through faith in Christ. 

Only when we are trusting in the work of Jesus on our behalf can we know that God loves us and is pleased with us. What a great gift! What a great love!

Insight: Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me? (Charles Wesley, 1738)

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site: http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 26, 2016 at 1:24 AM
Topic: +DEV+  May Your Hearts Be Comforted

May Your Hearts Be Comforted

"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word." 2 Thessalonians 2: 16-17, ESV

Scripture Focus: Ephesians 2:8-10

When a kid has had a bad day, what's more comforting than coming home to a batch of warm, fresh-baked cookies? Food is one of the many places we look for comfort. Some look to entertainment, to shopping or to substances for pleasure. But we quickly discover that these kinds of comfort do not last. The cookies are eaten, the movie ends, the credit card bill arrives, we need more. The comfort that we find in things, people and experiences is fleeting. 

So where can we go to obtain lasting comfort? We don't have to go anywhere. As this blessing makes clear, eternal comfort is something that God our Father gives to us. We can't buy it, earn it or manufacture it; it is a gift received by faith. It is by grace we have been saved through faith - faith that Jesus has done everything necessary to bring us into a right relationship with the Creator of the universe. 

We have assurance that in Christ we are loved by God our Father. It is there that we find a deep, unmovable, never-ending comfort which transcends our circumstances.

Insight: "Unconditional love is an illogical notion, but such a great and powerful one." (A.J. Jacobs, 2008)

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
 

Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 23, 2016 at 1:59 AM
Topic: +DEV+ Blessed to Build up Others

Blessed to Build up Others

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 15:5-6

Scripture Focus: Romans 15:1-6; Psalm 69

As I write this, the sports media outlets are abuzz with the latest boastings of an athlete who claims to be the best. Most of the reaction has been to look down on him for his boasting; or, to put it another way, people are proud that they don't boast like him! 

Sadly, Christians often do the same kind of thing. We look down on others for their worship style, clothing, recreational choices, etc. Paul addressed this in Romans 14. His solution? Look to Jesus. To judge those redeemed by Jesus and made in God's image is to insult God. Yet, Jesus willingly took the insults we have hurled at God (directly or indirectly) and absorbed them, removing God's anger from us. 

That alone ought to make us less likely to judge others. Yet we need something more; we need a changed heart, one that willingly endures hardship for others and seeks to encourage. 

God promises to give us the kind of radical heart change we need. He'll equip us to do the very thing He has called us to do. We are blessed to build others up.

Insight: "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up..." (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site: http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.


Date: August 25, 2016 at 2:16 AM
Topic: +DEV+  Eternal Love
Eternal Love

"Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ:  Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance." Jude 1:1-2

Scripture Focus: 2 Timothy 1:8-10; Romans 8:38-39

Can you imagine love "in abundance"? No doubt it would be wonderful and would give you buoyancy in life to surpass just about any circumstance. But no matter how great your imaginings, the abundant love God gives to us in Christ is greater. 

The love between a husband and wife begins at some point in time; both hope it will continue until death separates them. However, they do know that there is always the possibility it will end. The love of a parent for a child also began at a point in time, yet despite the best of assurances, children worry that something they do will cause their parents to stop loving them. Our love is time-bound and tenuous. The love that God gives to us in Christ is abundant; it has no beginning, and it will never end. 

If you are feeling the pain of love lost, lean hard on Jesus. On the cross He removed the guilt of your sin, and that is mercy. In life, He always obeyed God for you - giving you peace with God. If you believe that, you are kept by Him. Receive His abundant love!

Insight: "The best proof that He will never cease to love us lies in that he never began."  (Geerhardus Vos, 1928)

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
  
Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 22, 2016 at 12:59 AM
Topic: +DEV+  Peace and Hope

Peace and Hope

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Scripture Focus: Psalm 131; Hebrews 10:9-14

"There's an app for that." It seems that no matter what you need to accomplish or find out these days, there is an app for that. Our smart phones have given us great confidence in our ability to master life's problems. But dead batteries and power outages both instantly destroy the confidence and hope we have in ourselves and in technology. A few years ago, the San Diego area experienced a three-day power outage; the result was panic. We were all quickly reminded of where our confidence lies. 

Psalm 131 reminds us that hope comes as we put our trust in the Lord. But where do we get that kind of trust? How can we know God is with us and for us? The key is the last word of the Psalm: "forevermore." In Hebrews 10:9-14 we read that Jesus, by sacrificing Himself for us, has made us perfect forever. God's power will never run out on us. No longer do we need to fear His displeasure with us for our failures. Because Jesus has made us pleasing to God, we can place our confidence in Him. There's no app for that!

Insight: In Christ alone my hope is found; He is my light, my strength, my song.  (Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, 2001)


Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 18, 2016 at 11:53 PM
Topic: +DEV+  Rejoicing and Hope

Rejoicing and Hope

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Scripture Focus: Psalm 33

We use the word hope in various ways. We hope our team will win; we might say we have a sense of hope when everything is going our way. But hope is more than wishful thinking or confidence; it is necessary. Dr. Shane Lopez, a senior scientist and researcher of hope, has concluded that hope is like oxygen, and that we can't live without it. 

Lopez has "discovered" what Christians already know: we were made for hope. But where does hope come from? In the benediction of Romans 15, we see that God fills us with hope. We don't manufacture it. One way that God gives us hope is through the joy that comes to us through believing. That is evident in Psalm 33. The psalmist ends by saying that his heart rejoices because of the unfailing love of God. 

No research institution, no person, no set of circumstances can sustain the weight of our need for hope because they are all constantly changing. The only One who can give us certain hope is our unfailing, never-changing God. That is more than enough reason to rejoice!

Insight:  "God loves us not because we are loveable but because He Is Love."  (C.S. Lewis, The Weight Of Glory, 1945)

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
  
Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 17, 2016 at 11:53 PM
Topic: +DEV+ We Need Love

We Need Love

"May... the love of God ... be with you all." 2 Corinthians 13:14

Scripture Focus: 1 John 4:7-11

We all desperately long to be loved. Siblings fight for the attention of their parents. Young men (and old men!) will go to great lengths to win the love a woman. Women will likewise try to win the heart of a man. Teens will do just about anything to be accepted by their peer group. When we feel unloved or rejected, we may slip into depression and self-destructive behaviors. 

While the love we give and receive is wonderful, it is not the love we are seeking; it all falls short. We long to be fully known and fully loved. Yet because we know our own imperfections and secret sins, we try hard to appear acceptable and worthy of love. 

The good news of the Gospel is that the love we long for is poured out on us by God Himself. He made the first move! Even when He knew all your darkest secrets, He set His affection on you. He loved you so much He sent His Son to live the life of perfect obedience that you can't and to absorb God's wrath in your place. Nothing and nobody can separate you from that love.

Insight: "Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You." (Augustine, C. 400 AD) 

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site: http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm


Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 16, 2016 at 12:46 AM
Topic: +DEV+  Possessio

Topic: +DEV+ Possession

Possession

"So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them." Numbers 6:27

Scripture Focus: Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 6:19b-20a

As a dad, I continue to marvel at the way my kids seem hard-wired for independence. From the time they were toddlers and now as teens, they have expressed their frustration to me when they are unable to accomplish some task or project. In those situations I may ask if they've used all the resources at their disposal, knowing full well they haven't because they haven't yet asked me to help. The answer is always the same: "Yes, but I still can't!" Then I remind them that I'm there to help. They were in distress because they were acting like orphans. 

When God put His name on the Israelites, they were acting like spiritual orphans, running after false gods and running away from the One true, living God. In your distress, do you also forget that God, your Father, has put His name on you? 

It would cost millions of dollars to have your name put on a stadium. It cost God an infinite sacrifice to put His name on us. The eternal Son of God was abandoned for our faithlessness so that we might be adopted through Him.

Insight: "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:18

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site: http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 17, 2016 at 2:14 AM
Topic: +DEV+  Grace

Grace
"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ...be with you all." 2 Corinthians 13:14

Scripture Focus: Acts 15:1-11

It is fascinating to me that the Apostle Paul ends 12 of his 13 letters with benedictions, or blessings. Each benediction summarizes what Paul labored so hard to proclaim: we all need God's blessing, and we can't earn it. It has to come from God to us. 

In today's reading, a debate went on about the conditions necessary to receive God's blessing. Some were arguing that it was necessary to keep the law of Moses and be circumcised in order to be saved. You might as well say you must jump across all 21 miles of the English Channel to be saved! Some may jump farther than others (the world record is just under 30 feet!), but we all fall short of the goal. No one can perfectly keep the law of Moses. The debate in Acts ended with this: we are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

It seems that each day we try to earn God's favor, and each day we fall short. Paul doesn't end his letter with "keep the law." He ends with the sweetest refrain we can ever hear: "the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all."

Insight: Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. (John Newton, 1779)


Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
  
Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.
As the Father hath loved me!

Date: August 16, 2016 at 12:46 AM
Topic: +DEV+  Possession

Possession

"So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them." Numbers 6:27

Scripture Focus: Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 6:19b-20a

As a dad, I continue to marvel at the way my kids seem hard-wired for independence. From the time they were toddlers and now as teens, they have expressed their frustration to me when they are unable to accomplish some task or project. In those situations I may ask if they've used all the resources at their disposal, knowing full well they haven't because they haven't yet asked me to help. The answer is always the same: "Yes, but I still can't!" Then I remind them that I'm there to help. They were in distress because they were acting like orphans. 

When God put His name on the Israelites, they were acting like spiritual orphans, running after false gods and running away from the One true, living God. In your distress, do you also forget that God, your Father, has put His name on you? 

It would cost millions of dollars to have your name put on a stadium. It cost God an infinite sacrifice to put His name on us. The eternal Son of God was abandoned for our faithlessness so that we might be adopted through Him.

Insight:  "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:18


Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
  
Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 15, 2016 at 2:01 AM
Topic: +DEV+  God’s Pleasure

God’s Pleasure

"The LORD make his face shine upon you...  the LORD turn his face toward you..." Numbers 6:25-26

Scripture Focus: Zephaniah 3:17

When our children were little, they often called out, "Daddy, watch me!" Sometimes, I would stop what I was doing to watch them, but other times I could not. In the blessing of Numbers 6, God promises that He will never be too busy or too tired to look on His children with favor. 

To me, this promise is remarkable because it came right after the Israelites had spit in God's face by choosing to make and worship a god of their own imagination, a golden bull. Of course, each time I choose to go my way rather than God's, I spit in His face, too. 

God is so different from us; His love is simply amazing. He promises to look on us with favor despite our arrogant rejection of Him. Rather than ignore our rejection, He sent His Son, Jesus, to receive the punishment our sin deserves. On the cross Jesus cried out, "My God, why have you forsaken me" (Mark 15:34)? But there was no answer. In that moment, God had turned His face away from His beloved son so He could turn His face toward us and rejoice over us with singing.

Insight: NO JESUS, NO PEACE; KNOW JESUS, KNOW PEACE.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
  
Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 11, 2016 at 11:05 PM
Topic: +DEV+  The Lord’s Peace

The Lord’s Peace

"The LORD... give you peace." Numbers 6:26

Scripture Focus: Romans 5:1

“If only...”. With those two little words, we send our hearts on a never-ending quest for contentment and peace. We tell ourselves that if only we had that house, that relationship, that job or that vacation, then we would be happy, content, at peace. But the little peace we might experience from those things quickly fades away. 

The Hebrew word for peace is shalom, and it means much more than the absence of conflict. It means that we are at peace with God and experiencing the sum total of all God's good gifts to His people. While on their journey in the wilderness, the Israelites often said "if only;" if only we had leeks and meat and different leaders. Yet God promised the blessing of His shalom to this group of whiners. He secured the promise of peace by sending Jesus into the world to pay for all their "if onlys". There was no shalom for Jesus as He died on a Roman cross. 

As fellow whiners with Israel, we can only come to experience peace from God when we have true peace won for us through Jesus Christ.

Insight: For sin and a peace that endureth, thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide... Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside."  (Thomas O. Chisholm, 1623)

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
  
Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Elaine, embrace the power of the resurrection and the life!

Psalms 2:6-7 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

Acts 13:33-34 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.

Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

The central fact of the gospel message is the resurrection of Yeshua (Jesus), declared in Psalm 2, the begotten Son of God. In 1952, Dead Sea scrolls were discovered in Cave 4 called the "Messianic Apocalypse". The Messiah's ministry of resurrection is reiterated in these ancient documents with an obvious reference to Isaiah 61:1-3. The scroll identifies someone who "... will heal the wounded, and revive the dead and bring good news to the poor." It is clear that at least some of the authors of these documents clearly understood the central nature and ministry of the coming Messiah, most certainly based on their intimate knowledge of the prophetic writings in the Tenach (OT)...that ministry, the resurrection of the dead.

This reality of the resurrection of Yeshua and His power to raise the dead cannot be overestimated. Death is the inevitable result of sin. Yeshua became sin, bearing all of it in His body, and then was raised from death to eternal immortal glory. This wonderful fact has proliferated throughout the world, the most important and powerful message ever delivered to mankind.

An illustration from our own time reveals the pervasive hope of Messiah's resurrection and victory over death. D.L. Moody the great 19th-century revivalist was called on early in his ministry to deliver a funeral message. Searching the Gospels to find a funeral sermon given by Yeshua, he quickly discovered his search was in vain. Instead of ministering at funerals, Yeshua broke up every funeral he ever attended! Death could not exist where He was. And when the dead heard His voice they sprang to life, for He truly is "the resurrection and the life."

Elaine, are you feeling dead and worn out today? Then be reminded that your Savior is Life and that He brings it abundantly wherever He is, and that death is overcome in His Presence. So GET IN HIS PRESENCE! Repent, pray, worship, read, dance, delight, intercede, seek Him with all your heart and soul. His Life is waiting to refresh, restore, and revive you.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Negev Desert, Israel

Editor's Note: Watch George's message: Which voice will you listen to in the last days?

Date: August 10, 2016 at 2:38 AM
Topic: +DEV+  We Need A Pardon
We Need A Pardon

"The LORD... be gracious to you." Numbers 6:25

Scripture Focus: Psalm 51:1-9

In tradition, on November 27, The President granted a pardon to “Popcorn” the turkey. Instead of being Thanksgiving dinner, Popcorn now lives at the Mount Vernon Estate. 

The Israelites needed a pardon. Just eight months after promising to obey God perfectly (Exodus 19:8) they failed miserably (Exodus 32:1). According to the terms of the covenant, they no longer had any right to receive God's blessing (32:5-6). Before we point our fingers at the people of Israel, we need to look at our own hearts. Like Israel, we are called to love God wholeheartedly and to love others selflessly, yet we find ourselves doing just the opposite. We deserve to be cut off from God. We need a pardon! 

On November 28, the Presidential family ate turkey for dinner; another turkey died in Popcorn's place. In love, God sent His Son to absorb the punishment we all deserve: death, separation from God Himself. Jesus was counted among the wicked so the wicked could be counted among the pardoned and receive new life - life much better than Popcorn's!

Insight: Come, thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace; streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise."  (Robert Robinson, 1758)


Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
  

Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 9, 2016 at 1:52 AM
Topic: +DEV+  Bad Memory

Bad Memory

"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."  Hebrews 8:12

Scripture Focus: Hebrews 8

I heard an interview with someone famous who said, "I keep a journal in my desk of every single person who has ever wronged me. Every slight, every insult, every rejection. This way I can look back on them and remember who is on my side." 

Isn't that unsettling? If I remembered every slight against me and cut those people out of my life, I'd have nobody left! Nor would I be in anyone's life with all the mistakes I've made. For some reason, people like to keep tabs and hold grudges. 

Praise God our loving heavenly Father does not operate that way. In fact, His gift to us is His own bad memory. Think about how difficult it is to rebuild a relationship with someone you've wronged. You feel like you have to start all over. But God tells us that He holds no grudges. Keeps no lists (1 Corinthians 13:5b). If we are in Christ, God looks at His perfect Son, and goes blank on our sins. He doesn't remember them! Knowing this, we can run into His presence with great confidence and with a clean slate in Christ.


Insight: "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more." Isaiah 43:25


Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
  
Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 4, 2016 at 11:26 PM
Topic: +DEV+  Pleasant Places

Pleasant Places

"The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance."  Psalm 16:6

Scripture Focus: Psalm 16

This Psalm made more sense to us when we had children. Before kids it's easy to see God's commands and boundaries as gates keeping us out from all the fun. The boundaries don't feel very pleasant. Is God cramping our style? But through the eyes of a parent, I see that God's borders are indeed gifts to us. 

As our daughters went from crawling and walking, gates became literal life-savers. Our first mobile home had steep stairs with a hard concrete slab at the bottom. our daughter used to stand at the gate, peering through the holes, wishing for more freedom. But four-year olds don't use freedom well. Thankfully, we were there to place some limits around her, for her own safety. These were not to keep her from fun, but to keep her from danger. 

Psalm 16 is David coming to this conclusion. He realizes God is our refuge. His boundary lines are the very gifts He gives His children to keep them safe. If we truly knew the steep stairs of life on the other side, we would more readily see our freedom within His boundaries as more pleasant.

Insight: God's boundaries are always pleasant. He knows the dangers beyond them.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm
 

Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.
  
Date: August 4, 2016 at 1:01 AM
Topic: +DEV+ Expecting the Worst, Getting the Best

Expecting the Worst, Getting the Best

"Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast." John 21:12

Scripture Focus: John 21

Put yourself in Peter's place as he crawls up on the beach, soaking wet and standing before Jesus. One of the most difficult places to stand is in the presence of someone you've betrayed. Peter's denial, "I do not know that man," was still ringing in his ears and as he approached Jesus, probably expecting the worst. Perhaps he'd get a tongue-lashing or maybe the silent treatment. 

Instead, Jesus invites Peter and the others to a meal. In Palestinian culture, inviting someone to a meal was a sign of honor. It signified peace and reconciliation. Peter didn't deserve honor. When his friend and his Lord was being led away to an awful death, Peter lied to save his own skin. But here Jesus invites him to a meal. 

Jesus serves breakfast to His betrayer. We are tempted to think that "what goes around comes around," but Jesus shows us a different way. When we reflect on all the ways we've fallen short of what Jesus wants for us, we might come to expect the worst, too. Yet, Jesus is prepared to give us the best: a meal, restoration, Himself.

Insight: "Come, come let us return to the Lord; in brokenness of heart we consecrate our lives." Matt Redman, 2003

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site: http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm


Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 3, 2016 at 2:39 AM
Topic: +DEV+ A Strong Tower

A Strong Tower

"The name of the Lord is strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." Proverbs 18:10

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 18

I recently read James A. Michener's book "The Source." A thick history about a fictional town in Palestine, it gave me a new understanding of how important walls and towers were in ancient culture. Without them, you could not defend yourself from the constant threat of invasion. You needed fortification if you wanted to build a community, engage in commerce, or raise families in relative safety. 

In the midst of Proverbs 18, a chapter that reminds us of all the ways people can be foolish, we find a verse about the name of the Lord being a fortified tower. In the midst of our messiest battles - lawsuits and quarrels and family problems and harsh words and injustice - there is a safe place: in the name of the Lord. 

Contemporary culture can feel like it's invading those who put their trust in the name of the Lord. But Proverbs 18 reminds us what a safe place He is. Our eternal safety is taken care of precisely because Christ left the safe tower of heaven and subjected Himself to the world's sin and foolishness.

Insight: "God's love is the wide net spread beneath the most dangerous of our days." (Barbara Brown Taylor)

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site: http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.

Date: August 4, 2016 at 1:01 AM
Topic: +DEV+  Expecting the Worst, Getting the Best

Expecting the Worst, Getting the Best

"Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast." John 21:12

Scripture Focus: John 21

Put yourself in Peter's place as he crawls up on the beach, soaking wet and standing before Jesus. One of the most difficult places to stand is in the presence of someone you've betrayed. Peter's denial, "I do not know that man," was still ringing in his ears and as he approached Jesus, probably expecting the worst. Perhaps he'd get a tongue-lashing or maybe the silent treatment. 

Instead, Jesus invites Peter and the others to a meal. In Palestinian culture, inviting someone to a meal was a sign of honor. It signified peace and reconciliation. Peter didn't deserve honor. When his friend and his Lord was being led away to an awful death, Peter lied to save his own skin. But here Jesus invites him to a meal. 

Jesus serves breakfast to His betrayer. We are tempted to think that "what goes around comes around," but Jesus shows us a different way. When we reflect on all the ways we've fallen short of what Jesus wants for us, we might come to expect the worst, too. Yet, Jesus is prepared to give us the best: a meal, restoration, Himself.

Insight: "Come, come let us return to the Lord; in brokenness of heart we consecrate our lives." Matt Redman, 2003

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

We are in urgent need of Prayer and financial partners,
If you would like to become a prayer partner and or a financial partner with monthly or one time gifts.
A freewill offering to Restoration Ministry may be made via PayPal at our web site:    http://www.rollanet.org/~restore/donations.htm

Michael D. Inman

- "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." John Stuart Mill, 1867

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." ~Maj. Gen. James Mattis~

- "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

 Psalms 144:1 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight.