Al's Devotional

In his humiliation he [Jesus] was deprived of justice.  Acts 8:33a The Process Of Persecution: Injustice Christians experiencing persecution are following in the footsteps of their master, Jesus. In Acts chapter eight, Philip revealed to the Ethiopian eunuch that the passage from Isaiah 53 he was reading referred to Jesus who indeed was deprived of justice. Today in the Western world, we would describe His trial before crucifixion as occurring in a "kangaroo court!" If disinformation about any group, including Christians, is disseminated long enough, no one will help when that group or person is discriminated against. Discrimination relegates Christians to second-class citizenship with inferior legal, social, political and economic status. Once discrimination takes place, no one will intervene when the mistreatment comes. Examples of such injustice against Christians abound around the world: ID cards in a country where Christianity is an unacceptable ent...

Beloved,   We live in perilous times.  It is wise to consider the Kingdom to which we owe our allegiance, and by which we are governed.  What are our weapons, and what is our goal?  These are not things that man can tell you.  We must resolve in ourselves to which Kingdom we belong.  I believe the days ahead are going to be the darkest of days, but after this comes the dawn. Don't look for things of this world to be our security and safety.  Nevertheless, only a fool would neglect to nail down his shutters at the coming of the hurricane.   In Messiah,   ~Al Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.  Pilate therefore said to him, Art thou a King then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a King...

God Bless you this Sunday! What a privilege to be called a friend of Jesus!  How would this come to pass?  What mighty work, what sacrifice, what secret must I possess to be ushered into that special relationship with He who created all things for His pleasure?  Spurgeon says it well; take a few minutes for the edification of your soul unto righteousness. With love, ~Al Ye are my friends, if ye do whatever I command you . Joh 15:14     There is no title surely that excels in dignity that which was worn by Abraham, who was called " The friend of God ." Lord Brooke was so delighted with the friendship of Sir Philip Sydney that he ordered to be engraved upon his tomb nothing but this, "Here lies the friend of Sir Philip Sydney." There is beauty in such a feeling, but yet it is a small matter compared with being able to say, " Here lives a friend of Christ ." I. Note—WHAT OBEDIENCE...

Good morning, Hosanna, such a beautiful word.  Matthew Henry defines it so well. Blessings, ~Al On the next day, many people that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,  Took branches of palm-trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna; Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.  Joh 12:12 -13     That they cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God (Rev 7:10); so did these here, they shouted before him, as is usual in popular welcomes, Hosanna, blessed is the king of Israel, that comes in the name of the Lord; and hosanna signifies salvation. It is quoted from Psa 118:25 - 26. See how well acquainted these common people were with the scripture, and how pertinently they apply it to the Messiah. High thoughts of Christ will be best expressed in scripture-words. Now in their acclamations, [1.] They ackno...

God Bless you and good morning.   What is the difference between a believer and a nonbeliever?  What is the testimony of a believer and a nonbeliever?  Some think that by establishing elaborate proofs of the Bibles integrity that they will be able to convince the unbelieving mind.  Others think that by making an ironclad argument that they can turn the heart away from unbelief.  Jesus touched down on this topic in the story of the rich man and Lazarus,   Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldst send him to my father's house:  For I have five brethren; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.  Abraham saith to him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.  And he said, No, father Abraham: but if one shall go to them from the dead, they will repent.  And he said to him, If they hear not M...