+Dev+ Michael D. Inman

Date: January 16, 2013 11:40 PM
Topic: +DEV+ God's Purposes
God's Purposes
"This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross." (Acts 2:23)

Scripture Focus: Genesis 50:15-21

There is no doubt that God hates sin. From Genesis to Revelation, we see that God despises wickedness and is committed to the destruction of evil. In the beginning of the book of Job, even Satan needs God's permission to sin, and is only able to torment Job to the degree that God allows. Joseph proclaimed God's sovereignty over sin when he told his wayward brothers that the actions they meant for evil, God meant for good. God uses what He hates to accomplish what He loves.

Nowhere is this seen more clearly than in the crucifixion of Christ. What could God possibly have hated more than to see His Son mocked, tortured, and brutally executed? Yet God ordained something so horrific and painful for Himself and His Son, because it accomplished something that they both loved, something to which the Holy Trinity had joyfully agreed before time began: the rescue of our souls and our adoption into His family. If that love doesn't melt you and fill you with desire to live in obedience to God, what else will?

Insight: "Satan is more remarkably disappointed and put to shame when he finds bounds set to his rage and policy, beyond which he cannot pass." (John Newton)

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Date: January 16, 2013 1:35 AM
Topic: +DEV+ God Loves The Contrite Heart

God Loves The Contrite Heart
"For this is what the high and lofty One says... 'I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and... the heart of the contrite.'" (Isaiah 57:15)
Scripture Focus: Psalm 51

If God is all-powerful and loves His children perfectly, why would He leave remaining sin in our lives to torment us? If He could have saved us and made us perfect immediately, why has He ordained that our lives here on earth be characterized by weakness, unrelenting temptation, and profoundly painful sinful failure?

God thinks differently than we do. We imagine Him to be delighted by our goodness, so we try hard to impress Him. We believe that He loves us best when we obey Him and is horribly disappointed when we sin and let Him down. Think again. God is most delighted by the perfection of His Son, so He is most pleased when we see our huge need for Christ and look to Him for our righteousness. God is lovingly committed to weaning us away from our dependence on our own goodness. Your ongoing struggle with sin today is an invitation to look afresh to Christ and not to your own obedience. You needed His perfection to be saved in the first place, and you will need it many times today.

Insight: "Experience is God's school; those taught by him learn they have no wisdom by their mistakes, no strength by their slips and falls." (John Newton)
Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Date: January 15, 2013 2:07 AM
Topic: +DEV+ God's Choice
God's Choice

"For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want." (Galatians 5:17)
Scripture Focus: Romans 7:14-25

God could have made us perfect - sanctified us - the minute He saved us. He is God, after all, and all things are equally easy for Him. The moment we die or He returns, we will be instantly changed and without sin. Yet God did not choose to do this for us right now. Instead, He has left indwelling sin in our hearts as the battlefield upon which our humility, love, and dependence on Him would grow and flourish.

If the goal of our lives here on earth is increasing sinless-ness, God isn't doing a very good job. Even the apostle Paul calls himself the chief of sinners toward the end of his life, not the beginning of his ministry. However, if God's goal is increasing our humility and dependence upon Him, then He is doing an excellent job. Every moment of every day, our weak, rebellious, sinful hearts show us more clearly our ongoing need to be rescued by a heroic Savior. Our sin takes us constantly to the cross, ensuring that we will never outgrow our need for a champion, our strong redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Insight: "If the evils we feel were not capable of being overruled for good, he would not permit them to remain in us." (John Newton)

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Date: January 13, 2013 11:30 PM
Topic: +DEV+ God's Redemption
God's Redemption

"Surely your wrath against men brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained." (Psalm 76:10)

Scripture Focus: Romans 11:29-36

The story of redemption is not God's frantic attempt to retrieve the broken story line of humanity and steer it back to a positive conclusion. Redemption is the story, the heart of the original script. God is not the author of sin and He never tempts anyone to sin. Yet He ordained the fall in His perfect plan for the world. Since God does all things for His glory and our good, this must bring Him honor, and must work for the best for His children.

We know that God hates sin, and He teaches us to hate sin; yet He decided that we should know Him better as forgiven sinners than we would if we had never sinned. How could we marvel at His patience if we did not provoke Him time and time again, only to find Him faithful? How could we know the cleansing blaze of repentance and restoration if we had not trampled on His love repeatedly, only to be welcomed back into the open arms of a forgiving Father? How could we know Jesus if the need for a perfect life and death as payment for our sin never existed?

Insight: "The unchangeableness of God's love is more illustrated by the multiplied pardons He bestows on us, than if we needed no forgiveness at all." (John Newton)
Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Date: January 10, 2013 11:35 PM
Topic: +DEV+ His Glory
His Glory
"You have neither heard nor understood; from of old your ear has not been open... For my own name's sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you." (Isaiah 48:8-9)
Scripture Focus: Psalm 29, Romans 8:28

It is astounding that the great Maker of all things should stoop down to speak into the lives of the creatures He fashioned. The moment He created Adam and Eve in His image, He began to explain His heart to them, granting them the breathtaking privilege of exploring the mind, desires, and thoughts of their Creator. God never intended His people to figure out life on their own, even before the fall. They were created to love and worship the Wonderful Counselor who would explain their world to them.

In the fall, God permitted the intrusion of another counselor who would capture the hearts and minds of His people and carry them into sin. Why would God allow such a thing? Since He does all things for His own glory and the good of His people, this dark moment in time and all its consequences must demonstrate His glory and benefit His chosen ones. God's love for His people is magnified and celebrated when we know Him as a merciful, forgiving God who invades our lives to rescue us through Jesus.

Insight: "The glory of God and the good of his people are inseparable connected." (John Newton)

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Date: January 9, 2013 11:58 PM
Topic: +DEV+ God Always Gets His Way

God Always Gets His Way

"In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out every¨thing in conformity with the purpose of his will..." (Ephesians 1:11)

Scripture Focus: Psalm 135

God always gets His way. He wouldn't be God if He were too weak to accomplish His own will. On every page, Scripture shouts to us of an awesome Creator God who spoke this universe into existence and sustains each molecule with both hands tied behind His back. Running the universe is easy for God, and no microscopic piece of it escapes His notice or evades His dominion for a millisecond. No cell divides without His consent; no breath is taken but He ordains it. No human thought escapes His notice or confounds His perfect will.

We get confused and frightened because the world doesn't seem to be going the way we think God wants it to. However, if we begin with our hearts and minds fixed on Jesus, our interpretation of the world around us changes

dramatically. God is getting His way right now... in this world, in my life, in my mind, in my heart. Praise Him! He has not surrendered the tiniest particle of His power or authority. He is ruling every corner of creation, and He is doing it very well.

Insight: "With respect to men and all creation, God reigns With uncontrolled dominion over every kingdom, family, and individual." (John Newton)

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Topic: +DEV+ Jesus Marries His Bride

Jesus Marries His Bride

"Then the angel said to me, 'Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" (Revelation 19:9)
Scripture Focus: Revelation19: 1-9

Getting married in Tanzania is a long, drawn-out affair. The parents on both sides must agree. The bride-price, usually in several installments and normally cattle, must be paid and received. Relatives must be informed. A dowry is built up. A marriage house must be constructed and clothes purchased. Arrangements must be made for the huge feast. No preparations may be hurried. Only when everything has been completed can the marriage take place.

John sees all heaven getting excited about the wedding. Jesus, the groom, is prepared. He has given His very life for the bride. As each seal in the book is opened, the bride's preparations move forward, step after step. Beasts must be overcome, trials must be endured. The purpose of it all is to prepare for the great day when the bride will be ready, in every detail. Then Jesus will marry His blood-bought bride, the church - you and me!

We are that bride, dressed in the robes of righteousness He gave us, eager to be with our beloved Jesus forever.

Insight: We look in vain in revelation for a timetable of this world's end. Only God knows that moment. May we be ready for that day!

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Topic: +DEV+ The Lamb is the Lamp

The Lamb is the Lamp

"The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp." (Revelation 21:23)
Scripture Focus: 1 John 1

A friend told of a guest coming one evening. She lit her kerosene tin-can lamp to "clean up" quickly. Just as she finished, the guest arrived carrying a modern, bright pressure lamp that he placed on the table. The poor woman was aghast as its bright light revealed dirt under the table, in the corner, everywhere. She told how, as with her tin-can lamp, she thought her life was fine until Jesus came in. Jesus was not carrying a light; He was the light. The experience made her confront her sin and cry out for cleansing.

John saw that heaven was a place of light with no shadows or darkness at all. The source of the light was Jesus, the Lamb. Jesus is not only the light of the world; He is the light of heaven itself.

In his first letter John wrote, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin" (1:7). A revived believer repents quickly of all sin that the light of Christ reveals.

Insight: Light and darkness do not mix; one always dominates. may we walk in light of Jesus in glory, the light of heaven and earth.

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Topic: +DEV+ I Saw a Lamb

I Saw a Lamb

"Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain..." (Revelation 5:6)
Scripture Focus: John 1:29 - 37

What a dazzling vision - thrones and emerald rainbows, golden crowns and a crystal sea, winged creatures and lightening! John looked about intently for the Lion of Judah. Where were the deafening roar, sharp claws, and teeth ready to rip open the seals? There was no lion.

Instead, there was a little lamb with blood on its fleece, freshly slain but still alive. Every eye in heaven focused on that lamb who quietly took the book. The seals melted away, and all heaven broke into a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation."

Yet again, John saw the new in the context of the old. He'd gone to the Jordan 60 years earlier to repent and be baptized by John the Baptist. While there, Jesus appeared. The Baptist, pointing to Him, declared, "Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world." The crucified, risen Lamb is the full expression of God's power.

Insight: Do not be surprised if you are taken back to your initial meeting with Jesus, and do not be surprised that He is still the same.

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Date: January 4, 2013 1:28 AM
Topic: +DEV+ Worthy is the Lamb
Worthy is the Lamb

"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (Revelation 5:12)
Scripture Focus: 1 Corinthians 2:1-10

A dear friend reminded me to keep my focus on the Cross of Christ. As he neared death, he confided, "I am now beginning to see the meaning of the Cross." It seems that the saints have at least one trait in common: they are all drawn to the Cross. What happened there is the window we have into the very heart of God.

Five minutes at the Cross where my sins are atoned for and where I receive acceptance into the household of God produces more insight into reality than all the flashy philosophies or new religions that exist. As I, in my mind's eye, place my hand on that slain Lamb and plea for cleansing to the root of my being, I begin to understand what grace is. Jesus is many things, but ever and always He is first of all my sin-bearer. All other blessings flow from the fact that Jesus died for me. If my spirit grows cold, I've probably forgotten that I am a sinner. I need to go back to the place where I first met Jesus, at the foot of His Cross. That is my home.

Insight: As you ponder the cross of Christ, again and again, sing that "new song" of heaven, "Worthy Is The Lamb!"

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Date: January 2, 2013 1:10 AM
Topic: +DEV+ The Harvest
The Harvest

"Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field'" (Matthew 9:37-38).
Scripture Focus: Matthew 9:35-38

The beginning of the New Year is always a time of renewal and resolution. For me it's a reminder of a spiritual field ripe for harvest...many are waiting to hear and accept Jesus and His love. First century Christians were consumed with thoughts of the harvest and exhibited an intense passion for Christ and for serving Him with their lives. What is it that consumes Christians today? Probably not bringing our neighbors the news of the gospel. The fields are still ripe, but the granaries are yet to be filled. And there is no absence of harvesting equipment: churches, radio, literature, missions that span the world. Yet, while we focus on bigger buildings and even more dollars to build them, it would seem that the very cutting blades of Christendom are either missing or are so dull that little is being harvested.

Let our prayer be that in this world - confused and tormented as it is - we experience a freshness of God's wind and fire to strengthen and energize us, and to bring many people to the Savior.

Insight: In our highly competitive culture, we Christians must stand out with a positive influence that comes from being fully devoted followers of Christ.

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato
Date: January 2, 2013 8:22 PM
Topic: +DEV+ I Saw a Lamb
I Saw a Lamb
"Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain..." (Revelation 5:6)
Scripture Focus: John 1:29 - 37

What a dazzling vision - thrones and emerald rainbows, golden crowns and a crystal sea, winged creatures and lightening! John looked about intently for the Lion of Judah. Where were the deafening roar, sharp claws, and teeth ready to rip open the seals? There was no lion.

Instead, there was a little lamb with blood on its fleece, freshly slain but still alive. Every eye in heaven focused on that lamb who quietly took the book. The seals melted away, and all heaven broke into a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation."

Yet again, John saw the new in the context of the old. He'd gone to the Jordan 60 years earlier to repent and be baptized by John the Baptist. While there, Jesus appeared. The Baptist, pointing to Him, declared, "Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world." The crucified, risen Lamb is the full expression of God's power.

Insight: Do not be surprised if you are taken back to your initial meeting with Jesus, and do not be surprised that He is still the same.

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Date: December 30, 2012 9:07 PM
Topic: +DEV+ Loving God
Loving God

"Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long...Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119:97, 105).
Scripture Focus: Psalm 119:89-104

Years ago while memorizing Scripture verses, I fell in love with verse 97 of the longest Psalm in the Bible. It has been a daily key to life for me. I have focused, meditated, and passed on to others the power and truth of these words. Through the preaching of one of our pastors during my military years, God inspired my spirit and generated in me a love for His Word. In times of distress I have remembered these words and others hidden in and etched forever upon my own heart.

Beginning the New Year, I am reminded of verses (and paragraphs!) of God's Word that have lived with me through the years. How I commend God's Word to you! How I pray that you will discover a wonderful and fresh love for Scripture. And more than anything, discover HIM above all else in a year that promises to be filled with challenges. I pray you will find the time to meditate on, to contemplate, and to devote yourself to the Bible, a light for your path pointing you daily to the Light of the world, Jesus Christ.

Insight: God's word is a treasure beyond compare, giving us wealth beyond this world. it transforms, heals, and guides us into a deeper relationship with Him.
Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Date: December 27, 2012 11:38 PM
Topic: +DEV+ Message of Protection

Message of Protection

"I call on you, O God, for you will answer me. ...Show the wonder of your great love. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings." (Psalm 17:6-8)
Scripture Focus: Genesis 6:5-22

I love the secrecy of Christmas gifts. My mom was the champion at buying early and hiding well. The problem was that she usually couldn't find some of those gifts for months after.

When sin spoiled what God intended for His creation, He chose to destroy all that was infected, except believing Noah and his family. We read that Noah was surrounded by wickedness, yet he found favor in God's eyes. In essence, Noah and his family were "hidden," spared from destruction, through God's gracious protection of them. The ark is a picture of shelter from sin as Noah, his family, and the animals were safely hidden inside. (See Genesis 7-8) They were all hidden, but God had not forgotten where He had put them!

When sin attempts to destroy, remember that our "life is now hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). He is our protection from eternal destruction, our hope from despair, our new life from old. It's a message we can hide in our hearts and sing out to others, especially during this Christmas season.

Insight: Christ protects us from sin's grasp by hiding us in Himself, and He is already hidden in God. What a perfect hiding place!

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Date: December 25, 2012 12:38 AM
Topic: The Whole Christmas Story
The Whole Christmas Story
Scripture Focus:

John 1:29-34
“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isaiah 53:3).
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -

Great anticipation and high hope surround the birth of a baby. This was most certainly the case as Mary and Joseph viewed their tiny newborn Son. While Mother was taking in all the details for her mental scrapbook, Dad was perhaps envisioning the first hammer he would place in his grip.

There was another interested party who had both the beginning and the end in sight. God the Father knew that His Son was destined for a cross. Among the titles His Son was to collect were Suffering Servant, Sacrificial Lamb, and Man of Sorrows.

The contrast is almost too much to comprehend. Jesus' disciples certainly struggled with it: How could our hope of salvation be headed for crucifixion? Still today, when we look at a manger scene, it is hard to envision this same Child being forced to wear a crown of thorns.

At Christmas we celebrate the new life and hope that rests in the manger at Bethlehem. But without the cross of Easter, the wonderful expectancy of Christmas offers no abiding life, hope, or joy.

INSIGHT: This Christmas, celebrate the birth of Jesus for all that it means. He is both a King deserving of praise and a Servant willing to die for us.

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato
Date: December 25, 2012 9:32 PM
Topic: +DEV+ Snow in December

Snow in December

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:7).
Scripture Focus: Psalm 51:1-12

I don't know if there is anything more beautiful in the world than a farm after a December snowfall. With only the fence posts and the buildings showing, the entire farm is under a beautiful, pure white blanket. It is awesome, something many have seen only on a calendar.

When David was confronted with his sins, he cried out in the 51st Psalm, "Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." Christ forgives us and makes us absolutely clean. We stand before him now-not just a calendar photo, but the real thing-as white as the newly fallen snow.

There are no sins that Christ cannot forgive. His suffering and death paid the price for all of our wrongdoing. When we confess our sins and ask Christ into our lives, His blood washes away our guilt. And when God the Father looks at us, He only sees Christ's covering. Everything is forgiven.

Snow in December sparkles in the moonlight. Blood-washed saints of God sparkle every day, bringing light into a world of great darkness.

Insight: Thank God for His forgiveness. His mercies are new every morning, and great is His faithfulness.

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Date: December 24, 2012 3:08 AM
Topic: The Original Christmas Tree

The Original Christmas Tree
Scripture Focus:

Isaiah 6:8-13
“Though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land” (Isaiah 6:13).
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -

Decorating the Christmas tree was always a great event with out family. On Thanksgiving weekend we would go to the tree farm, choose and cut own our tree, and bring it home. Everyone helped Dad anchor it in the tree stand. Mom would put on the lights, and the children hung ornaments. With great joy and Christmas carols playing in the background, we stood back to admire our work.

But out in the fields we left behind an ugly stump, never thinking of it as symbolic of Isaiah's “holy seed.” Jesus came from that stump and brought beauty and life. “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse: from his roots a Branch will bear fruit” (11:1).

It was always a sad day when we would take down the dead, dry Christmas tree, stripping it of its decorations. Abandoned outside, its last light came from flames that consumed it. In contrast, we can remember the original Christmas tree from Jesse's stump - Jesus, the light of the world, whose beams can never be extinguished.

INSIGHT: Praise God for His Son, now and everlasting life forever.

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Date: December 21, 2012 12:16 AM
Topic: +DEV+ See, the Lion

See, the Lion

"Then one of the elders said to me, 'Do not weep! See, the Lion... He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.'" (Revelation 5:5)
Scripture Focus: Luke 9:28-36

My mind goes back to the mountain top where John communed with Moses, Elijah and his dear friend, Jesus. They spoke of how Jesus must die to set people free. Moses knew obedience to the Law could never do that. Elijah, with all his miracle-working power, could not do it. They had no power, whatsoever, to break the seals of sin that bind mankind.

In our time, many believe that they can please God by doing good. Others look for some spiritual experience that will give them power to succeed. If the law of Moses or miraculous deeds could set people free, why would Jesus have had to die at all? How could we ever think we could do enough to earn God's mercy?

Neither Moses nor Elijah nor anyone in heaven nor in the earth or under the earth was able to break the seals of that book. When Moses and Elijah had gone, Jesus remained. Jesus alone is able to cut through that which binds us. Do not weep with John, for Jesus is worthy. See, the Lion. Dry your tears and look! Praise Him now and forever.

Insight: Forgive Us, Lord, For Our Tendency To Look For Self-Help Solutions To Our Spiritual Bondage. Only Jesus-Help Can Set Us Free.

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Topic: +DEV+ Message of Love
Message of Love

"Neither death nor life...the present nor the future, nor any powers...nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (ROMANS 8:38-39)
Scripture Focus: John 15:1-17

As a child I always knew that on May 23rd there would be a note in my lunch kit. I even knew what it would say because it was the same message year after year: "Happy birthday, honey! Love, Mom." It wasn't elaborate, but to my child's heart it was a clear message of absolute belonging and love.

As an adult I deal with messages every day. Some I can ignore, many require a response, but the ones I treasure most are the unspoken ones, especially from family and friends. It may only be a warm smile, or a helping hand, but I know they are saying, "I love you."

God is the master message giver, and His greatest message ever came to us in the person of Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, His living Word, His messages have always been the same: "My child, you are mine and you are loved." It is not a message we deserve, but one that God, in His love, has given. It is full of absolute belonging, love, and hope. If you haven't heard it for awhile, or believed it, listen carefully. You'll hear, "You are loved."

Insight: Jesus Is The Ultimate Message Of God's Love To Us. Let's Remember This As We Begin To Prepare Our Hearts To Celebrate His Birth.

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato
Date: December 20, 2012 12:46 AM
Topic: +DEV+ Who is Worthy?

Who is Worthy?

"Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals 'Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?'" (Revelation 5:1-2)
Scripture Focus: Revelation 5

God prepared John for this moment when the book of the Revelation would be opened. John knew that soon he would understand what God was doing and His intention for the future. So John couldn't be anything other than excited at what was about to be revealed. Things were unfolding marvelously. The book was in plain view, held by God Himself. But it was completely sealed with seven seals. While God looked around for one good enough to open it, a mighty angel boomed out in a voice which reverberated throughout heaven, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?"

The answer was as clear as the question: "No one is found who can do it!" Hearing that, John wept and wept, overcome with disappointment and dashed hopes. God was preparing him for a new sighting of Jesus, this time through the prism of tears.

Who can break the seals that bind me? Not me. Not my pastor. Not my counselor. Not all the philosophers through time. Only One is worthy; His name is Jesus.

Insight: "Worthy Is The Lamb Who Was Slain, To Receive Honor And Glory And Praise!" (Revelation 5:12)

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Date: December 17, 2012 11:41 PM
Topic: +DEV+ Jesus Holds the Keys

Jesus Holds the Keys
"I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades." (Revelation 1:18)
Scripture Focus: John 14:18-29

When Jesus revealed Himself to John, He reminded him that once He was alive, then He was dead, and now He is alive forever. John needed that reassurance. Jesus is alive and active right now, no matter where we are. Not only is He eternally alive, He has ultimate authority, even over the death of those who follow Jesus, and that would include John.

At the time of Revelation, all the disciples, even Paul, had died martyrs' deaths. John had outlived them all. Why? Jesus knew why. He would not allow any of His sheep to die without His consent. He held the keys to John's death. Martyrs were dying all over the Empire. Jesus not only knew, but was mysteriously turning those keys for His ultimate, loving purpose.

What a vision! What a Jesus! John was satisfied. He saw Jesus, and now - come what may - he would proceed without fear. Scene after scene would open and unfold to John, some of it unsettling, some lyrical. But John was prepared because he believed in Jesus all over again. Won't you do the same?

Insight: May we never forget, even for a moment, that Jesus is alive and at work forever and ever.

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Date: December 17, 2012 11:41 PM
Topic: +DEV+ Jesus Holds the Keys

Jesus Holds the Keys

"I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades." (Revelation 1:18)
Scripture Focus: John 14:18-29

When Jesus revealed Himself to John, He reminded him that once He was alive, then He was dead, and now He is alive forever. John needed that reassurance. Jesus is alive and active right now, no matter where we are. Not only is He eternally alive, He has ultimate authority, even over the death of those who follow Jesus, and that would include John.

At the time of Revelation, all the disciples, even Paul, had died martyrs' deaths. John had outlived them all. Why? Jesus knew why. He would not allow any of His sheep to die without His consent. He held the keys to John's death. Martyrs were dying all over the Empire. Jesus not only knew, but was mysteriously turning those keys for His ultimate, loving purpose.

What a vision! What a Jesus! John was satisfied. He saw Jesus, and now - come what may - he would proceed without fear. Scene after scene would open and unfold to John, some of it unsettling, some lyrical. But John was prepared because he believed in Jesus all over again. Won't you do the same?

Insight: May we never forget, even for a moment, that Jesus is alive and at work forever and ever.

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato
Date: December 16, 2012 8:11 PM
Topic: +DEV+ When We See Jesus

When We See Jesus

"When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: 'Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.'" (Revelation 1:17)
Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 1:28- 2:10

John's experiences on the Mount of Transfiguration and in Revelation were almost identical. On the Mount, when Jesus was set alight with glory, John fell on his face. In Revelation when he realized it was Jesus, he "fell at his feet as though dead." On the Mount Jesus touched him. In Revelation John felt the exciting touch of Jesus, again, along with the same word of comfort: "Do not be afraid." It seems that every meaningful meeting with Jesus has the same eternal ring about it: We see Him. We fall in worship. He touches us. He gives a word for us. Our hearts are comforted and revived.

It took a while until John recognized Jesus. You can almost hear John say, "Jesus, it is you!" It is good to see what He does, but it is infinitely better to see Jesus Himself. Doubts and questions go; hope is restored. Nothing revives the heart like a new vision of Jesus new, yes, but laced with familiar feelings. We realize to our utter amazement that He has been there all the time, even if hidden from view.

Insight: When Jesus seems hidden, recall what you saw when you did see Him. He has not changed. He is faithful.

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferio

Date: December 11, 2012 11:58 PM
Topic: +DEV+ Our Need to See Jesus Again
Our Need to See Jesus Again
"The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place." (Revelation 1:1)
Scripture Focus: Revelation 1:1-5

The Apostle John, now about 95 years old, found his faith tested as the power of Rome crashed on the churches in central Turkey, his churches. A new Emperor arose who demanded that everyone in the Empire, slave or free, acknowledge his divinity.

Those who had made Jesus their Lord could never do such a thing, John included. So dark clouds of persecution released a storm of harassment and death upon Jesus' contented sheep. John was forcefully taken to an island off Turkey's coast where the weight of persecution fell on his aged shoulders. Now, what?

John needed "a revival." He needed to have faith and courage to face the present dark night of testing. He cried out to God for help. God did what He always does when a heart grows desperate; He showed John the only thing that can revive the heart of a disciple. He showed him Jesus, again. That is true revival - to see Jesus, again. As we are buffeted by the icy blast of trials, we are satisfied with nothing less than a new vision of Jesus.

Insight: You and I do not need a new experience, a new insight, a new spiritual gift, a new book. We just need to see Jesus, again.

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Date: December 10, 2012 10:54 PM
Topic: +DEV+ Vision of the Heart

Vision of the Heart

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you" (Ephesians 1:18)
Scripture Focus: Psalm 119:32-37

My parents often warned me, "Take care of your eyes. They're the only ones you get!" They also taught me that I and everyone else was born blind, spiritually blind.

According to the Bible, our hearts, the wellsprings of our beings, are deceitful and beyond cure because of sin (Jeremiah 17:9). St. Augustine put it this way: "Our whole business in this life is to restore to health the eye of the heart whereby God may be seen." How can we do that if the eyesight in our inmost being is damaged beyond repair?

The truth is we cannot. However, through His marvelous grace and love, God has provided the cure in the person of Jesus Christ. He wants to come into our hearts, wash them clean, and repair all the damage that sin has done. Have you ever asked Jesus to come into your heart, into that innermost part of who you are, to restore your spiritual eyesight? If not, will you do it now? God will forgive your sin so you can gaze on Him and see life from a whole new perspective.

Insight: Thou Hast Bid Me Gaze Upon Thee; And Thy Beauty Fills My Soul; For By Thy Transforming Power; Thou Hast Made Me Whole. (Jean Sophia Pigott, 1876)

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato

Date: December 9, 2012 11:31 PM
Topic: +DEV+ Whose Temple?
Whose Temple?

"Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 4:4-7

The other day I heard someone on TV proudly say, "My body is a temple!" He meant that he didn't do anything unhealthy to his body. However, the word temple means "a building used for worship of a god." One had to wonder what "god" this person was worshiping in his temple. The god of self?

There is another definition for temple. It's "a place in which God specially dwells," as in the Old Testament tabernacle. These are the kind of temples we believers in Christ are: dwelling places for God. When we ask Jesus into our hearts, the Holy Spirit makes His home in us. We honor God by giving our bodies to Him, in gratitude for the high cost with which we were redeemed, the incalculable price of Jesus' blood. The Holy Spirit changes us so that we no longer live our lives for ourselves. Instead we live for Him.

But there is more! The Holy Spirit shines God's glory out from us, transforming us into living revelations of the Light of life to the world around us. Our lives speak loudly of His goodness.

Insight: Holy Ghost with light divine; shine upon this heart of mine; see to thee I yield my heart; shed thy life through every part. (Rowland Hill, 1782)

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."

Date: December 8, 2012 1:29 AM
Topic: True Story - If You Love Horses You'll Like This Story

Faith expects from God what is beyond all expectation.
Because of Love (Please read all the way to the end)

A brother and sister had made their usual hurried, obligatory pre- Christmas visit to the little farm where dwelt their elderly parents with their small herd of horses. The farm was where they had grown up and had been named Lone Pine Farm because of the huge pine, which topped the hill behind the farm. Through the years the tree had become a talisman to the old man and his wife, and a landmark in the countryside. The young siblings had fond memories of their childhood here, but the city hustle and bustle added more excitement to their lives, and called them away to a different life.

The old folks no longer showed their horses, for the years had taken their toll, and getting out to the barn on those frosty mornings was getting harder, but it gave them a reason to get up in the mornings and a reason to live. They sold a few foals each year, and the horses were their reason for joy in the morning and contentment at day's end.

Angry, as they prepared to leave, the young couple confronted the old folks "Why do you not at least dispose of The Old One." She is no longer of use to you. It's been years since you've had foals from her. You should cut corners and save so you can have more for yourselves. How can this old worn out horse bring you anything but expense and work? Why do you keep her anyway?"

The old man looked down at his worn boots, holes in the toes, scuffed at the barn floor and replied, " Yes, I could use a pair of new boots.

His arm slid defensively about the Old One's neck as he drew her near with gentle caressing he rubbed her softly behind her ears. He replied softly, "We keep her because of love. Nothing else, just love."

Baffled and irritated, the young folks wished the old man and his wife a Merry Christmas and headed back toward the city as darkness stole through the valley.

The old couple shook their heads in sorrow that it had not been a happy visit. A tear fell upon their cheeks. How is it that these young folks do not understand the peace of the love that filled their hearts?

So it was, that because of the unhappy leave-taking, no one noticed the insulation smoldering on the frayed wires in the old barn. None saw the first spark fall. None but the "Old One".

In a matter of minutes, the whole barn was ablaze and the hungry flames were licking at the loft full of hay. With a cry of horror and despair, the old man shouted to his wife to call for help as he raced to the barn to save their beloved horses. But the flames were roaring now, and the blazing heat drove him back. He sank sobbing to the ground, helpless before the fire's fury. His wife back from calling for help cradled him in her arms, clinging to each other, they wept at their loss.

By the time the fire department arrived, only smoking, glowing ruins were left, and the old man and his wife, exhausted from their grief, huddled together before the barn. They were speechless as they rose from the cold snow covered ground. They nodded thanks to the firemen as there was nothing anyone could do now. The old man turned to his wife, resting her white head upon his shoulders as his shaking old hands clumsily dried her tears with a frayed red bandana. Brokenly he whispered, "We have lost much, but God has spared our home on this eve of Christmas. Let us gather strength and climb the hill to the old pine where we have sought comfort in times of despair. We will look down upon our home and give thanks to God that it has been spared and pray for our beloved most precious gifts that have been taken from us.

And so, he took her by the hand and slowly helped her up the snowy hill as he brushed aside his own tears with the back of his old and withered hand.

The journey up the hill was hard for their old bodies in the steep snow. As they stepped over the little knoll at the crest of the hill, they paused to rest, looking up to the top of the hill the old couple gasped and fell to their knees in amazement at the incredible beauty before them.

Seemingly, every glorious, brilliant star in the heavens was caught up in the glittering, snow-frosted branches of their beloved pine, and it was aglow with heavenly candles. And poised on its top most bough, a crystal crescent moon glistened like spun glass. Never had a mere mortal created a Christmas tree such as this. They were breathless as the old man held his wife tighter in his arms.

Suddenly, the old man gave a cry of wonder and incredible joy. Amazed and mystified, he took his wife by the hand and pulled her forward. There, beneath the tree, in resplendent glory, a mist hovering over and glowing in the darkness was their Christmas gift. Shadows glistening in the night light.

Bedded down about the "Old One" close to the trunk of the tree, was the entire herd, safe.

At the first hint of smoke, she had pushed the door ajar with her muzzle and had led the horses through it. Slowly and with great dignity, never looking back, she had led them up the hill, stepping cautiously through the snow. The foals were frightened and dashed about. The skittish yearlings looked back at the crackling, hungry flames, and tucked their tails under them as they licked their lips and hopped like rabbits. The mares that were in foal with a new year's crop of babies, pressed uneasily against the "Old One" as she moved calmly up the hill and to safety beneath the pine. And now she lay among them and gazed at the faces of the old man and his wife.

Those she loved she had not disappointed. Her body was brittle with years, tired from the climb, but the golden eyes were filled with devotion as she offered her gift---

Because of love. Only Because of love.

Tears flowed as the old couple shouted their praise and joy... And again the peace of love filled their hearts.

This is a true story.

Willy Eagle

This is an Inspirational message sent to a small group of people. My hope is that it will make your day just a little bit better.

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."

December 7, 2012 1:46 AM
Topic: +DEV+ Thirsty?
Thirsty?
"Let them give thanks for his unfailing love for he satisfies the thirsty, and fills the hungry with good things." (Psalm 107: 9)
Scripture Focus: John 4:4-15

On traveling through Colorado several times, I've learned through experience (that is, the hard way!) how the high altitude and the low humidity give one a deep thirst which, if not properly quenched, affects the whole body.
Jesus surely knew this kind of thirst, walking as He did through the hot, dry desert paths of Israel. When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, He was thirsty, but He knew immediately that the thirst she suffered from - a thirsty heart - was deeper yet. Eventually the woman recognized Jesus was offering her Himself, the thirst-satisfying Giver of eternal life.
Heart thirst is common to everyone. Trying to walk through life without Christ's living water is like trying to hike through the desert without real water - the end results of both are deadly. If you have never asked Christ to quench your heart thirst with His salvation, won't you do it now? If you already have trusted Jesus, but are still trying to satisfy your soul with something other than Him, won't you come to Him today?
Insight: Like the woman at the well i was seeking; and then i heard my savior speaking; 'draw from my well that never shall run dry.' (Clara T. Williams, 1875)

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.
Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."

Date: December 5, 2012 11:22 PM
Topic: +DEV+ The Heart of Obsession
The Heart of Obsession

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)
Scripture Focus: Luke 12:16-21

A comic on a bulletin board shows an irate artist standing at his easel late at night, palette and brush in hand, shouting at his wife, "Workaholic? Brokers and salesmen are workaholics. Artists are obsessed. There's a difference!"

Difference? Perhaps. But less like apples and oranges, and more like Fuji and Gala. Obsessive immersion in one's profession can begin innocently as we start up the career ladder. In time it may seem to take on a life of its own. Could it be that we become obsessed, not so much with trying to get ahead, as with unwittingly attempting to fill an unrelated void of unmet needs in our hearts?

Longer hours and greater success, however, aren't meant to satisfy our deepest desires and longings. The remedy is not working harder, but letting go and resting in Jesus. When we give Him our striving, needy hearts, He fills them with contentment and peace. Jesus said, "My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled" (John 14:27).

Insight: O Soul Are You Weary And Troubled?; No Light In The Darkness You See?; There's Light For A Look At The Savior; And Life More Abundant And Free. (Author Unknown)

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."

Date: December 3, 2012 11:11 PM
Topic: +DEV+ Interrupted!
Interrupted!

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." (Proverbs 16:9)
Scripture Focus: Acts 8:26-39

List-making is my style of planning. Every morning I think about what needs doing, who needs calling or seeing, and I write out my "to do" list. It's encouraging to check off the "dones" at the end of the day. All too often, however, something unforeseen happens and, suddenly, the list is history as new plans overtake the old. Rather than viewing these disruptions as annoying and inconvenient, I have gotten better over time at seeing the Lord's fingerprints on them.

You can be sure that Phillip was doing something or going somewhere when that angel told him he was needed elsewhere. Perhaps there would be one less soul in heaven had Phillip decided he was too busy that day for something not on his schedule.

How we view interruptions says a lot about how loosely our hearts hold our agendas and how tightly they cling to Jesus who reigns as King of the Universe. The closer communication we live in with Him, the easier it is to see the blessing instead of the bother, in a calendar correction.

Insight: Channels Only, Blessed Master; But With All Thy Wondrous Power; Flowing Through Us, Thou Canst Use Us; Every Day And Every Hour. (Mary E. Maxwell, 1900)

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

Michael D. Inman
- The Only Thing Necessary For Evil to Triumph is for Good Men to do Nothing -- Edmund Burke...
"If the First Amendment fails, use the Second one."