November 30, 2022 ~ Devotions: "The Grace of Giving"

  And So, I Continue . . . . . .

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works.  Psalms 26:7 KJV

1 Timothy 6:17-19 ~ Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19  Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. KJV 

In chapter 6 and in particular these verses, Paul is writing to Timothy who was given charge of the Church of Ephesus. He encourages him to fight the good fight, not to get distracted, and keep the faith. He cautioned him to avoid sin at all costs, and follow after things that are good, to be constant in the fight of faith. In addition, he was to charge rich men not to be so caught up with the riches, and to encourage them to keep their trust in God not the "things" they have amassed in their wealth. Because of God's blessings on them, they were to also bless others and show benevolence to those less fortunate. 

We are not rich by the world's standings, but I can tell you that God has blessed us richly. Sometimes I just can't believe how our lives are touched by so many we know from afar and up close and personal. It is a great sacrifice for some to give, these are the ones God looks on in favour. The widow's mite we wrote of early this month is the prime example. She gave from her substance, her all. Sometimes the rich give of their wealth, no sacrifice. 

We all think how "easy" for the wealthy to give from their wealth. I venture to say that is not the case always, or Paul would not have written this letter - he wants them to know it is a responsibility appointed unto them by God to give. And when they give over and above that wealth, God will return over and over. But not all of the rich are willing to do that; to sacrifice in giving, but oh the blessings when they do.  Not only do they receive more and more but their beneficiaries are blessed as well. There are also those who give with "strings attached." The rich who give but want to hold the purse strings of the church. We see that a lot, don't we? Men full of themselves and what THEY can do with the money given by others. Paul wants Timothy to teach the rich "how to give"; to give and then leave it alone so that God can do the work on others hearts. 

Christians we are the extended arm of our Lord. What we do here on earth should always and ever honor our Lord God and His many blessings in our lives. We are to testify of His goodness to us by giving our all, not just from our substance, but from our hearts a service pleasing unto God.  May your life be blessed, and God be your great guide in all things. May we be blessed with souls saved as a result of what we sacrifice to others for Him.

Paul told Timothy, above all things, preach the truth of the Gospel to see men surrendered to a loving and caring God, whether they be rich or poor. That is our commission. Please be blessed today in all that you do, may God receive honor and glory! Look for someone in need, give and give again. God will take care of you and them. 

How can you give for God today? Make it a point to reach out to someone NOW. You already have someone in mind as you read this. That's the Holy Spirit bringing them to your mind. Obey Him, and do what God has allowed you to do!  Giving is the best ever!

December we will be writing about "The Light of the World" - I pray you will continue to get blessings as we study the Word.

If you don't know Him, come to Him today!

Tom & Linda Milam

Missionaries to America 

and around the world

May we be faithful to be your 

Philippians 2:16 Missionaries.

Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Lord, help us to be worthy of your sacrifice, may we be the ultimate and abundant givers, giving from the heart with joy and pray that others might see Jesus in us. Save the lost, encourage the saints please.  And help us to be wise, studied up, aware, and faithful to You, giving YOU all of our best with an open loving heart for the ministry and people. Help us Lord, to be wise in our homelife and all that is going on with that. Please bless our real estate agent, Lisa. Give her great wisdom and discernment on what to do. Amen.  

November 29, 2022 ~ Devotions: "The Grace of Giving"

 And So, I Continue . . . . . .

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works.  Psalms 26:7 KJV

2 Corinthians 9:13-15 ~ 13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; 14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.  15Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.   KJV  

Chapter 9 - Paul's letter to the Corinthians, is full of wisdom used to encourage the Corinthian Church to continue in the good fight for the Lord. They had agreed to support the Christian work in Jerusalem, and he encouraged them to continue to do so, and it wasn't for their monetary value of giving, it was the action of giving from the heart and the blessings from God for their faithfulness. When we give in light of souls that may be reached, there is no limitation on God's blessings. When we give with an open heart and joy in the ability to do so, the Bible says He will bless us abundantly.  Luke 6:38 - Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

God is in control Christian. If we would just obey the Word, trust in Him for our every provision, and truly apply it to our lives, God not only gives enough blessings for us, but he supplies more than we need, so that we can supply the wants of others. This should be as seed to be sown. When we sow abundantly, he supplies way and above our needs. 

God wants us to give. This is an ever example of our trust and faith in Him.  We were just advised by our dear friend that she must sell our home, our sanctuary here in Florida. Blessings beyond blessings has she been to us, and we know this is a difficult time for her. But after we got over that first shock, and took it immediately to the Lord, our thoughts were not of soon being homeless, but how she was doing in this hard time. God has blessed us "over and above AND running over" He will not fail us now.  We know that. He has proved Himself over and over, and He will continue to do so. Our lives are not our own, we belong to the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords. His supply is all we need! 

A simple message in Corinthians 9 – one that we try to take part in daily. Nothing we have is our own, it all belongs to God, and He will give us strength and wisdom to carry on His work. Paul wanted the church of Corinth (and us) to see; that there is no limitation on what they could give, and because of that the Gospel would continue and God would receive all the praise honor and glory He more than ever deserves.

But it still takes money to run a church or home; that ever-looming light bill, water bill, mortgage, rent, car payment etc. If we would but copy the example of Jesus Christ, never tiring of doing good and letting us know it is more blessed to give than to receive, there is no limitation on our giving. We thank God daily for His gift of grace, which allows us to give back to others in His name. We are thankful for every opportunity to serve the Lord in giving, as He deserves all the honor and glory. 

Pray with us for our next move here in Florida - we will know soon, I am sure, if we can afford to stay in this home with a new landlord, or if we look for another.  We may be displaced from our little abode but look excitedly to see How God will take care of us. Thankful and blessed, we allow the Lord to take control by taking our hands off.  Hard to do, isn't it? News like we heard at first causes a little panic and concern, but God's ways are not our ways.  We thank you all for your prayers, love, financial support ~ we couldn't do what we do without it. When we give in love and give by grace; God will take care of the rest. We pray His richest blessings on you! And do pray for our dear friend and her family. Times are very hard for everyone. Pray that a good sound independent fundamental church might be raised up for their efforts where they live.  God is working!

If you don't know Him, come to Him today!

Tom & Linda Milam

Missionaries to America 

and around the world

May we be faithful to be your 

Philippians 2:16 Missionaries.

Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Lord, help us to be worthy of your sacrifice, may we be the ultimate and abundant givers, giving from the heart with joy and pray that others might see Jesus in us. Save the lost, encourage the saints please.  And help us to be wise, studied up, aware, and faithful to You, giving YOU all of our best with an open loving heart for the ministry and people. Help us Lord, to be wise in our homelife and all that is going on with that. Please bless our real estate agent, Lisa. Give her great wisdom and discernment on what to do. Amen.  

 

 

November 28, 2022 ~ Devotions: "The Grace of Giving"

  And So, I Continue . . . . . .

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works.  Psalms 26:7 KJV

2 Corinthians 9:11-12 ~ 11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;  KJV

I have learned so much this month on "The Grace of Giving" and I pray it has been a blessing to you as well. The verses used today I felt needed a little more clarification for me - so I read the whole chapter again and felt like the previous three verses before our verses today helped me to understand Paul's point in 11-12 a little better. Not trying to change the original thought on giving for today - but to enhance it always.

Read verses 8-10: 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. 10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

It is clear in Paul's letter he wanted the church to know how important the Grace of Giving was. He praised them on their giving to Christ’s fulfillment of the law, which took the curse of death from us and laid the entire burden of man's sin on our Saviour, Jesus. He bore that burden to death, and through His righteous giving, we have access to eternal life. Through Christ’s death and sacrifice rent the veil of the Holy of Holies and we now have direct atonement for our sins and direct access to the throne of God. 

When you think about any trouble we may face as Christians, it will be nothing compared to those who are suffering without Christ. If they do not accept Jesus as their Saviour, their suffering will NEVER end.  Because Jesus reconciled us to God, we should no longer live to ourselves but for Him.  We owe Him everything and ought to be living a holy, blameless life.  Because God is holy, we should also strive to be holy. We are His emissaries and His whole ministry was to others, and that is what we need to do - give, help others in His name. Not for our glory - but give all glory to HIM!

So, what was Paul's goal when he wrote this letter? Always teaching and sharing the Gospel. He used a doctrinal teaching in 2 Corinthians on giving that we can learn much from.  He spoke of taking a collection from the Corinth Church for the church in Jerusalem. He spoke clearly on the fact that even if we give much and live in poverty, ultimately, we will be eternally rewarded and blessed, now and in the future. He talked about the giving of the Macedonians who were a good model of stewardship.  They selflessly gave while having the faith to know that God would meet their needs. He used himself of that fact. Through their giving to Paul, he was able to have a life that he used to share the Gospel, knowing he was cared for relieved his burden of where his next bite of food would come to him. Paul equated giving with grace in this analogy; my husband is always saying, "God’s free gift of grace was unmerited and undeserved, and it was costly to the point of His giving His Own Son Jesus Christ."  This is what Paul was saying. Are we willing to give until it hurts? If you do, the rewards are "out of this world".  And don't give grudgingly.

When we give in light of how much Jesus loved us, how can we do anything less in our giving back to God. It is truly a great expression of love and appreciation to the Lord for His sacrifice. I can say, "I'm not going to Hell", because Jesus gave HIS all for me.  Can you? Paul told the Corinthians that to excel in their giving was an expression of their love for God.  Love, like giving, should be in all sincerity and in proportion to what one has been blessed with.  The giver should never feel compelled to give but do so with a joy. 2 Corinthians 9:6b ". . .for God loveth a cheerful giver." The more a person gives, the more enriched they become, and the more God is praised. Give abundantly. Give with joy. Give in appreciation for your life in Christ. Give because there are so many that just need a little helping hand. Look for someone today and Just Give. 

If you don't know Him, come to Him today!

Linda Milam

Missionaries to America 

and around the world

May we be faithful to be your 

Philippians 2:16 Missionaries. 

Lord, help us to be worthy of your sacrifice, may we be the ultimate and abundant givers, giving from the heart with joy and pray that others might see Jesus in us.  Please, save the lost and help us to be wise, studied up, aware, and faithful to You, giving YOU all of our best with an open loving heart for the ministry and people. Amen.

Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

November 27, 2022 ~ Devotions: "The Grace of Giving"

  And So, I Continue . . . . . .

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works.  Psalms 26:7 KJV

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 ~ But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.  KJV

Once Paul had surrendered and accepted his commission from God, he began to travel and present the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was also a writer, and we find that he actually wrote 14 letters to the people he ministered to, all of which are available to us to read over and over and over again. Each time I read these letters; I learn more of how I am to live as a Christian.

These letters were full of good advice on numerous subjects, of which we can learn today. One thing we learn in these verses is that when we work hard the rewards are plentiful, but if we sow as stated here, sparingly, our rewards will be the same, sparingly. It's just as simple as that. The Bible says in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, that you work for what you eat.  "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat."  

Tom and I work every day in the ministry and we're glad to do that. The Lord rewarded us this Thanksgiving bountifully. Our Thanksgiving was held at our grandsons house this year where several families gathered up around the table and ate from the bounty of God's provision. We are truly blessed! Thanksgiving with our great-grandsons, grandchildren, friends, family! Blessed! But there is another crop of which we can apply these verses. Souls. God wants us to reach as many lost souls as we can before it is eternally too late. Time does not stand still for anyone, and soon it will be too late to tell anyone else about the salvation available to them. 

Our desire to reach the lost and the dedication applied to do that absolutely must come from the heart. When God impresses on us His will to go, we must. Some would say, when are Ya'll going to slow down, we say when God puts us down or in the grave. Until then we will give of our substance and our time, sharing the Gospel wherever we go, and we count it all joy to do so. How about you? Are you saved? Will you share the Gospel? Do you understand what Paul is saying here? Make everything in your life count joyfully for the Lord! Don't hold back, give up, or in - just give and serve Him with all your heart and all these things Paul talks about in the letter to the Corinthians will become second nature. It is good to share of our bounty, it is even better to share the saving grace of our Lord and Saviour! Grow the crop of souls as you serve Him every day. These souls will be the only thing you can take to Heaven. Give of yourself to others - Grace Giving - by God's help.

If you don't know Him, come to Him today!

Linda Milam

Missionaries to America 

and around the world

Lord, help us to be worthy of your sacrifice, may we be the ultimate givers, giving from the heart and hope that others might see Jesus in us.  Please, save the lost and help us to be wise, studied up, aware, and faithful to You, giving YOU all of our best with an open loving heart for the ministry and people. Amen.

May we be faithful to be your Philippians 2:16 Missionaries. 

Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

November 26, 2022 ~ Devotions: "The Grace of Giving"

  And So, I Continue . . . . . .

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works.  Psalms 26:7 KJV

 1 Corinthians 15:45 ~ 45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [Jesus Christ] was made a quickening spirit.  KJV

If there had not been man, Adam, there would have been no need for a Saviour, Jesus. But there was and there is! From the beginning God had a plan. This plan is perfect in all ways, and we get the benefits.  The gift of His Son was the ultimate gift and sacrifice. Foolishly, there are those who will not accept this Free Gift, and sadly because they choose not to take Jesus as their Saviour, on their last breath, or if the Lord return before death, they will be in Hell for an eternity. These people will not surrender to the Holy Spirits calling to salvation, they reject Him completely. Adam was a living soul, created by God, for His perfect pleasure. God loved Adam and as the generations continue, He loves us just as well. That is why He gave His first love, His Son. There was only ONE WAY TO SALVATION, AND He was willing to give Jesus as a sacrifice to save all mankind. HIS GIFT!

In John, chapter 6:63-65 the Bible says, 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.  64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

Jesus is teaching us the difference between the quickening Spirit of God, and man's own flesh. We must have the Holy Spirit to have true and full, everlasting Christian life. The Christian life was never meant to be lived in our own effort and strength! Actually, it is impossible to overcome and have a victorious Christian life without the help of the Holy Spirit. Paul Said in Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

If only we would lay down our foolishness and pridefulness and accept Jesus, that gift given by grace, and allow the Holy Spirit to enter in, we could do great things for the Lord. 

If we would only learn,

GOD IS NOT LOOKING FOR YOUR ABILITY. HE IS LOOKING FOR YOUR SURRENDER!

His grace and mercy are gifts He gives us by the surrendering of our soul.

He is not looking for our talent, intellect or effort. No. The only thing that He needs is our surrender. I think that this is one of the hardest truths to get across to people. There is something in man that wants to do it all by himself! We think "nothing" could get done unless WE do it. When we do surrender, God gives us the Holy Spirit which indwells every Christian. Allow Him to take control, you will be surprised with what you CAN DO! It is through God’s Word that the Holy Spirit quickens us with new life, so that we become partakers of the Divine nature. The Bible tells us that we are by nature spiritually dead (because of Adam), and that when the miracle of the New Birth takes place, we are born again by the quickening work of the Holy Spirit (because of Jesus). With the Holy Spirits control we are made a "new creature". 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

If you don't know Him, come to Him today!

Tom and Linda Milam

Missionaries to America 

and around the world

Lord, help us to be worthy of your sacrifice, may we be the ultimate givers, giving from the heart and hope that others might see Jesus in us.  Please, save the lost and help us to be wise, studied up, aware, and faithful to You, giving YOU all of our best with an open loving heart for the ministry and people. Amen.

May we be faithful to be your Philippians 2:16 Missionaries. 

Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

November 25, 2022 ~ Devotions: "The Grace of Giving"

 And So, I Continue . . . . . .

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works.  Psalms 26:7 KJV

Romans 12:13-14 ~ 13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.  KJV

The Grace of Giving. There is no greater gift a person can receive than the gift Jesus GAVE US WHEN He died on the cross! In the previous chapters of Romans, Paul's main emphasis is why we need a Savior and how we can accept Him. And now in Chapter 12 he begins to deal with how a Christian ought to live out his salvation. There are many practical points that he identified in Romans 12 on how a Christian should live. It would do us all well to read this chapter regularly and the entire book of Romans often. Make it always fresh in your mind as you go out and mingle among the lost that you might be able to use its verses to bring the lost to the Lord.

As you study through the book of Romans, and particularly chapter 12 and following, it is important to note that salvation is through God’s grace and not our works. A natural result of this salvation is to live a life pleasing to God. This is exactly where Paul means in Romans 12:1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 

Paul says that because of the message that has been presented up to this point, he tells us that it is reasonable that we would be completely sold out to God to be used in whatever manner God chooses. How can we show our gratitude to the Lord for His sacrifice for us? Our salvation has no strings attached and we are not obligated to live any particular way because our salvation does not depend on that. Our salvation was complete when by faith, we accepted Jesus as our Saviour BUT, our desire to be more like Jesus and live a Godlier life will evolve because of our gratefulness to the Lord.

Thank God for your salvation by turning your life over to Him. There are many people who have made a profession of salvation by faith, yet they never have learned how to live for God. When we as soul winners lead a person to the Lord, we must be careful to disciple them for Christ. As my husband always says, "It is one thing to come to Christ, it is an entirely different thing to follow after Him!"  We need to point them to a good church who will teach them from the Bible how to live for Christ. If you do not have assurance of your salvation. . .today could be your day. There is so much value in the book of Romans for all people, the lost soul will see the way to the cross and salvation, and the saved soul is clearly dealt with when it comes to righteous Christian living. 

Verses 13 and 14 are Paul's way of showing us that we can share the love of Christ by giving, with joy, and if others do not treat you properly, pray for them, ask God to bless them. We cannot be stingy in what God has given us nor should we be angry when some may treat us badly. It is hard, I am human just like you. Sometimes I want to grab some folks, shake some sense in their heads, and MAKE them do right.  Never gonna happen. That is the Holy Spirit's job. I have seen men turn completely away from all that is Holy, because someone did that. We must pray! Leave it alone and LET GOD!  One of the wisest men ever recorded, Solomon, says it like this: Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. Paul is showing us in verse 14, we can do more for our enemy by praying for them, as difficult as it may be.

How can we do our part? Trust in the Lord, be saved, then serve the Lord and work daily on your Christian Walk and Character. It will go a lot further than you think in building your Christian Character and for winning souls!

Have a wonderful, blessed day! May God be your every blessing.

Tom and Linda Milam

Missionaries to America 

and around the world

Lord, help us to be worthy of your sacrifice, may we be the ultimate givers, giving from the heart and hope that others might see Jesus in us.  Please, save the lost and help us to be wise, studied up, aware, and faithful to You, giving YOU all of our best with an open loving heart for the ministry and people. Amen.

May we be faithful to be your Philippians 2:16 Missionaries. 

Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

November 24, 2022, ~ Devotions: "The Grace of Giving"

 And So, I Continue . . . . . .

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works.  Psalms 26:7 KJV

Romans 12:4, 8 ~ 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.  KJV

What a wonderful message for Thanksgiving Day! It is NOT about us at all, it is all about God!  We are all made to serve the Lord. Did you know that? We were made for HIS PLEASURE! All things were made and created for His pleasure. 

Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

He created man for one purpose, to pleasure Him and serve Him. Yet, He instilled in us the ability to make choices and knowing we would not always make good choices, He made a Way that we could be saved from our sin, through Jesus Christ, His Son. Sometimes I am a complete failure.  I hurt the ones I love the most, I disobey God in the most ridiculous ways, I am a disappointment to some, I am in some ways right up there with Paul; 1 Timothy 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

But there is one thing I know. That no matter what I have done or not done, no matter where I have gone or haven't gone, no matter the path I take, I cannot separate myself from God.  He is my Lord, and His Son became my Saviour. On August 13,1968 I bowed my wretched head and accepted the free gift of salvation!  I traveled many a mile knowing I was saved yet did not live for Him and Him only. I committed sin upon sin either by ignorance or willfully, but He was waiting for me. He did not leave me nor forsake me! He brought me to the cross for my GOOD and HIS pleasure. I thank Him and praise Him for allowing me to live a great life and if He were to take me today, I have the assurance of heaven. Even though I would be leaving ones in life I love the most, I know His will, will be done in my life! He forgave ALL my sins. People may not have forgiven me, and for that I will always be sorry. But THE ONE that means the most to me, has forgiven me. This forgiveness, salvation, and peace can be had by every soul. Just Call upon Him Who is patiently waiting. He loves us so much! 

We are blessed beyond measure to be able to reach our local community and beyond with the Word sharing the glorious Gospel of God's only begotten Son for the sole purpose of the salvation of mankind. The radio station and the printing ministry has an outreach beyond anything we can imagine. As we serve in these ministries, we realize we could not do what we do without the love, prayers, and financial support from those who believe in us. May God give you all a special blessing for your faithfulness in your giving for Him.

This Thanksgiving as last year, is going to be a little different. We are gathering at one of our grandchildren's home, Jared and Brie, and their twin boys are the hosts and hostess this year! I don't have a Turkey roasting in my oven, pies and desserts lined up on the buffet, all those wonderful sides smelling our house up getting ready for all the family.  Not this year. As our families have grown through marriages, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren we realize we are getting older, and we are ready to pass the mantle to the younger ones. Those times when everyone gathered up at Papa and Grandma's house, are fewer and farther between. We thank the Lord for all the years we have had with them under our roof.  God has been exceptionally good to us!

And how can I not say thank you to all of our wonderful friends scattered around the world. You are our blessings, and we thank you for always for being a part of our lives in any capacity! God is truly good to these old missionaries. Thank you all.

Have a wonderful, blessed day! May God be your every blessing.

Tom and Linda

Missionaries to America 

and around the world

Lord, help us to be worthy of your sacrifice, may we be the ultimate givers, giving from the heart and hope that others might see Jesus in us.  Please, save the lost and help us to be wise, studied up, aware, and faithful to You, giving YOU all of our best with an open loving heart for the ministry and people. Amen.

May we be faithful to be your Philippians 2:16 Missionaries. 

Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

November 23, 2022, ~ Devotions: "The Grace of Giving"

 And So, I Continue . . . . . .

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works.  Psalms 26:7 KJV

Romans 8:32 ~ He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?  KJV

When we consider the absolute staggering truth of this magnificent verse of Scripture, there should never be one doubt in our minds of God's depth of love towards us, and the enormous gift of grace He has bestowed on ALL who trust in the Son of His Love. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? This is amazing love, grace, and truth! He is our Amazing God!

The glory that is contained in this astonishing reality should never become so familiar to us that a Christian is not left profoundly humbled and deeply amazed when reflecting upon the reality that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, so that all who believe on Him would not perish but have everlasting life. He asks so little of us really, just have Faith in God. Trust Him, don't go down to your death bed having a "hope so" salvation. . . You can know for sure that you have this salvation spoken of in this verse. (See November 22, 2022, devotion for a verse-by-verse way that you CAN KNOW that you are saved and on your way to heaven.)

He gave us a Way out of the devils grasp and did it freely knowing what this evil world would do to His Son. Many like to think of our sacrificed Jesus, neatly hung on the cross, but this depiction is a lie. The Bible says in Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Jesus was beaten, mauled, spit upon, stabbed, beard ripped from His face. . .He was literally flayed open with the whip of choice at that time. There are many who have different ideas about that whip, but if you study Roman history, the sole purpose of that whipping was to bring degradation, humiliation, and mock the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords as well as bring excruciating pain as they have whipped him unmercifully showing organs, bones, with flesh ripped by the whip. O How my mind goes wild as I think on that.  Until you by faith believe in Him Who died for all, and I mean ALL, for me and you! His blood was shed and now covers all of our sins for eternity and beyond! Thank you seems so small, but we are truly THANKFUL!

I wanted you to see the tools that were most likely used by the Roman Soldiers to Whip our Lord. These are artists renditions of that whip. There is no detail in the Bible that describes the total damage they did to His body, but these whips allow us a vision of what happened to Jesus, and if you read up on punishments enforced by the Roman Empire during His time, you will be shocked! Such absolute cruelty; from beheadings to being eaten alive by wild beasts in an arena for all to watch. Jesus' death was prophesied of in Chapter 53 of the book of Isaiah and Isaiah was quite detailed on what would happen, 800 years before Christ was ever born.  All of this for you and I. HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR US! That is truly "Grace Giving." Have you given YOURSELF to Jesus yet? Don't wait until it is to late! Surrender today, take Him as your personal Saviour. You will never regret it! Let us know how we can help.  

Lord, help us to be worthy of your sacrifice, may we be the ultimate givers, giving from the heart and hope that others might see Jesus in us.  Please, save the lost and help us to be wise, studied up, aware, and faithful to You, giving YOU all of our best with an open loving heart for the ministry and people. Amen.

With love and prayers,

LKMilam

May we be faithful to be your Philippians 2:16 Missionaries. 

Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Tom and Linda Milam

Missionaries to America

and around the world

November 22, 2022, ~ Devotions: "The Grace of Giving"

And So, I Continue . . . . . .

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works.  Psalms 26:7 KJV

Romans 6:22-23 ~ 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  KJV

How can I know that I am saved? How can I know my sins are forgiven? What must I do to be saved! 

The Scriptures show us in numerous verses how we can have God's forgiveness and be saved, and a have a home in heaven, but we will focus on Paul's statement here in Romans Chapter 6. You should read the entire chapter; it will help you. The entire book of Romans from chapter 1 to chapter 16 - Paul outlines carefully, how a person can be saved, live for Christ, and avoid sin. It does not mean that we will not sin, we live in a sinful body in a sinful world. But it does assure us that if we will but obey God to the best of our ability, avoid sin at all costs, and if you do commit sin, we immediately ask for forgiveness and turn away (repent) from that sin, God will help you.

Some people live on the fact that they are saved, and I don't doubt them. That is between them and God. But they think, "I'm saved, no matter what I do or don't do, I'm going to heaven." Then they live like the devil, making no changes in their lives. Let's just obey God! One of the most important things we should do, as Christians, is go to church, and the Bible teaches us how important it is to gather up with fellow Christians.  Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.  We need that sweet fellowship, a place we can come apart from our busy life in a world full of sin. He is coming soon, we know that. Signs that the Bible has recorded for us, are everywhere. We need to go to church, sing the blessed old hymns that will prepare our hearts for the message of God from the man of God. But it is just not important to us.

How can we take our Christian walk and our salvation so cavalierly knowing that we have that assurance of salvation because of the cruel sadistic death of our Saviour on the cross?  Jesus knew He would die, and it would be a horrible death, but He came willingly and died for you and me, so how can we do anything less than live a godly life. He is our Saviour; we are His servants.  He expects our new life in Christ to be different than it once was. What does verse 22 say? ". . .being made free from sin. . . Once we accept Jesus as our Saviour; sin no longer holds us in bondage of the devil. He has given us the power to overcome and serve God fully and completely. 

And you know what the best part of our salvation is?  It is FREE, . . .The gift of God. . . we deserve what we have earned; our "wages" should be death, it is truly what we all deserve. BUT His gift emphasizes God's unmerited favor! Grace Giving!

I know today that I am saved. I am not perfect, but I am saved. I am going to Heaven, and until I get there, I will serve Him.  How about you? Wouldn't you like to have this gift of which God gave for all.  It doesn't matter if you are Gentile, Jew, Greek. . . it really doesn't. You may be a Baptist, Muslim, Hindu, Catholic, Christian; you will not get to heaven by being part of some religionist organization!

It takes a personal decision with a personal Saviour. 

Below are a few verses that will make your journey to Heaven clear.

YOU can KNOW for sure that YOU are going to Heaven:

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5:13

REALIZE THAT YOU ARE A SINNER

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23

REALIZE THERE IS A PRICE TO PAY FOR SIN

For the wages of sin is DEATH; Romans 6:23a

REALIZE JESUS PAID THE PRICE FOR YOU

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

REALIZE SALVATION IS A FREE GIFT REQUIRING ONLY A HEART DECISION

. . . The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. - Romans 6:23b

REALIZE YOU MUST NOW CALL UPON JESUS TO SAVE YOU

 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  Romans: 10: 10 & 13

Be saved by repenting of your sins and receiving Jesus Christ into your heart.  Call upon him today!

“…. the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”  Rom. 2:4b

Call out to Him to save you, and to forgive you, and to give you a new heart set on Christ. Because of what Jesus did, you can indeed find complete forgiveness from God!  This is what it means to be “born again”.  

Then be diligent to read your Bible, pray to God, and attend a solid, Bible-believing Bible-teaching church, where you can grow in your faith and serve God. Eternity is real.  Are you ready??? Are you forgiven??? Have you turned from sin and received eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ? Or will you continue on the road to hell? If you made a decision for Christ, please let us know. We want to rejoice with you and get you some material that will help you as you begin your new life in Christ.

Lord, help us to be the ultimate givers, giving from the heart and hope that others might see Jesus in us.  Please, save the lost and help us to be wise, studied up, aware, and faithful to You, giving YOU all of our best with an open loving heart for the ministry and people. Amen.

With love and prayers,

LKMilam

May we be faithful to be your Philippians 2:16 Missionaries. 

Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Tom and Linda Milam

Missionaries to America

and around the world