Heaven On Wheels

“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”‭‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬Today’s verse comes from the Epistle of Paul to the Romans. By “written in earlier times”, Paul is referring to Scripture up to that point, what we consider to be the Old Testament. He’s not telling the people of the church of Rome to ignore Scripture, but rather to study it and know it well as a foundation for their faith in Jesus Christ.This single verse can be broken down into three segments. The first is “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction,” which indicates that the scriptures were written for all Christians to learn from. Using Jesus as an example, we know that He liked to use parables as a way to teach His followers, but He also frequently called on His perfect knowledge of Scripture to make a point. This was especially useful when He was confronted by the Sanhedrin, as they also knew Scripture — but often misinterpreted it. The second section is “so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures”. Here Paul is reminding his readers that as they struggle through hard times, illness, infirmities as they grow older, and eventually the inevitable path to death, they can persevere (from the Ancient Greek ὑπομονή — hypomonē (pronounced hoop-om-on-ay) — meaning “patient enduring, sustaining, perseverance”) through their knowledge of Scripture. The third and last part of the verse deals with what is gained through understanding Scripture — “we might have hope”. We gain comfort from knowing that godly people over the millennia have endured through faith, which strengthens our hope for the future. This verse is preceded by a quote from Psalms 69:9, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me”. Through the endurance and perseverance demonstrated through the life of Jesus and countless examples in Scripture, Paul also seems to be teaching the Romans that hope — even in the face of persecution to the point of death — is with them.Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer: Today’s prayer comes from Knowing Jesus —Heavenly Father, we praise and thank You for the Word of God and the wonderful truths it contains. Thank You for not only unveiling Your gracious character and eternal goodness to us through Your Word.. but that it was written to instruct us on how to live and to teach us all that You would have us learn. Help me to live in this fallen world with patient endurance as I look to Jesus and thank You for the glorious hope I have in Christ Jesus my Lord. Praise His holy name.. for it is in Him alone that we have a blessed hope, AMEN.Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org. Get full access to Heaven On Wheels at www.heavenonwheels.org/subscribe

My exploration of Galatians is now complete. I don’t know about my readers, but I really received some amazing insights from this epistle, which is usually known to most believers for a couple of verses on Fruit of the Spirit. Although I have done a Bible in One Year reading plan for many years, I will reiterate that Scripture is best understood when you have to research and write about it!To do this summary, here are the key takeaways that I discovered from each devotional; other Scripture references that were in those devotionals are also noted:Galatians 1: Galatians 1:1-2 - Galatians is an early epistle of Paul written to early church groups in the Galatia region of Asia Minor.Galatians 1:3-5 - Begin with grace, believe in Him, arrive at peace and He gets the glory.Galatians 1:6-7; 1 John 3:13 - Do not desert the true Gospel!Galatians 1:8-9 - Let the Gospel of Christ be the Truth that guides us.Galatians 1:10-12, Luke 10:38-42 - Who you serve becomes your master.Galatians 1:13-17 - Belief in Jesus causes radical changes in people!Galatians 1:18-24; Acts 9:26-30 - The true Gospel comes from God and Paul spent many years in obscurity before being called.Galatians 2:Galatians 2:1-2, Acts 11:27-30, Acts 15:1-6 - What God reveals is the most important thing for us to remember.Galatians 2:3-5 - Beware of false brethren who can infiltrate churches and mislead believers.Galatians 2:6-10 - Don’t wait for someone else to make you a great Christian!Galatians 2:11-14; Acts 10:9-16, 30-35 - Be aware that we can all be fearful and subject to the weaknesses of flesh and the opinions of others.Galatians 2:15-21 - We are justified through Faith in Jesus because no one person can come to God through the Law.Galatians 3: Galatians 3:1-5 - God sets us free in Christ to live in the power of His Spirit daily, for His glory.Galatians 3:6-9, Romans 4:9-12, Romans 11:25-27 - Do you believe in God or believe God? Believers are all sons of Abraham!Galatians 3:10-14 - We are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God!Galatians 3:15-18 - A promise from God is guaranteed!Galatians 3:19-22 - The Law points out our need for salvation. Christ is the mediator who fulfills the law and frees us through our faith in Him.Galatians 3:23-29; Exodus 20:15, 17 - We are guarded by the Law and our identity is in Christ.Galatians 4:Galatians 4:1-3; Colossians 2:8 - Legalism binds us back into an immature childhood of faith; Grace removes us from these elemental things and “cause and effect”.Galatians 4:4-7 - We have a wonderful life with our adoption as children of God! God’s timing is always perfect!Galatians 4:8-11 - A Living Christ is not found through religion; the church must be focused on Him!Galatians 4:12-16; 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 - Paul was accepted, but was concerned that he is the enemy because he speaks the truth.Galatians 4:17-20; Matthew 10:16 - We are to be as shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves when legalism sneaks into our spiritual lives.Galatians 4:21-31 - Paul reminds the Galatians and Judaizers that Abraham had two sons from two women - One in bondage and one in freedom.Galatians 5:Galatians 5:1-6 - Faith in Christ Jesus works through love. Do not put on a yoke of slavery again.Galatians 5:7-12; Matthew 16:5-12 - False doctrine is easily introduced, so beware!Galatians 5:13-15; Mark 12:28-31 - We are not released from serving our neighbor when we are liberated by Christ.Galatians 5:16-18 - We walk by the Spirit to not carry out the desires of the flesh or be under the Law.Deeds of the Flesh:Galatians 5:19-21; Luke 16:19-31 - Are you immoral, impure or sensual (in a bad way)?Galatians 5:19-21 - What is your passion? Is it God?Galatians 5:19-21 - Do not let enmities, strife and jealousy take over your life.Galatians 5:19-21 - Do not let your anger result in sin. Pray for God’s justice and for a gift of patience and peace.Galatians 5:19-21 - Do not act from selfish ambition and discord; wisdom and discernment are essential.Galatians 5:19-21 - Envy rots the bones and destroys the soul.Galatians 5:19-21 - Pray for self-control from the Holy Spirit and avoid excess and revelry.Galatians 5:19-21 - The Holy Spirit is our Holy guide and conscience to keep us from practicing the deeds of the flesh.Fruit of the Spirit:Galatians 5:22-23 - Fruit is from the Spirit; Deeds of the Flesh quench the Spirit virtues.Galatians 5:22-23 - Behold the Lamb of God and His infinite Love for us!Galatians 5:22-23 - Joy is eternal, happiness is temporary. Seek JOY!Galatians 5:22-23; Philippians 4:4-7 - God’s peace surpasses all understanding!Galatians 5:22-23, Romans 2:4, Romans 9:12 - Longsuffering and true patience emulate our Lord Jesus.Galatians 5:22-23 - Be kind and leave the unkind judging and opinions behind.Galatians 5:22-23 - Goodness is the moral backbone and strength needed by believers to bring the holiness of God’s kingdom to Earth.Galatians 5:22-23 - Our faithfulness to others is a reflection of God’s faithfulness to His creation.Galatians 5:22-23 - Gentleness results in the perfect emotional balance in the believer.Galatians 5:22-23 - Self-control is not eating salads. It is a mighty power from faith that makes the other eight fruit possible and improves the believer both spiritually and physically.Galatians 5:22-23; Luke 10:26-28 - No law can make us holy, only the Holy Spirit can do that and then we don’t need the law.Continuing Galatians 5:Galatians 5:24 - We are to crucify our sufferings and our desires on the Cross of Jesus!Galatians 5:25-26; Galatians 5:16 - Walking in the Spirit requires introspection, repentance and humility. Do not compare yourself to other believers!Galatians 6:Galatians 6:1 - How do we go to or even know about others trapped in trespass in our closed, individualistic society? I don’t know…I think we are lost. [I struggled with this verse].Galatians 6:2-5 - Rid yourself of the deceit of pride and examine your works, so that you can share the burdens of others and carry your own load.Galatians 6:6-7; Acts 5:1-11; Luke 8:4-8 - We reap what we sow and we should sow into the teaching of the Word.Galatians 6:8-10 - Sow to the Spirit and take the opportunity of this life to do good to all people through the Spirit.Galatian 6:11-13 - Paul writes in big letters at the end of this epistle to get the attention of the churches in Galatia.Galatians 6:14-16; Galatians 2:20 - We are a new creation in Him, by boasting only in the Cross.Galatians 6:17-18 - We can endure through His Grace!I plan to pray all of these things!My next devotional is a personal testimony of God’s shepherding of his two stubborn and rebellious lost sheep (Steve and I) through signs and wonders during the trauma of my Dad’s final illness and passing. After that personal testimony, I will do a deep dive of Psalm 22.Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:Dear Lord: May the Gospel of Truth guide me, may I be discerning and wary of false leaders who attempt to draw us into the law and not the Spirit, may I endure through Your Grace! Amen!References for the actual devotionals are noted at the bottom of each devotional. Get full access to Heaven On Wheels at www.heavenonwheels.org/subscribe

“Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.”‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭22‬:‭6‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬When I look at my childhood and early education, it makes me happy that I was born in the 1950s and brought up in the 60s and 70s. My parents must have done a pretty good job of raising me, since I’d like to think that I still adhere to many of the positive values that they passed along to me in my formative years. Even my schoolteachers, at least up to junior high school, were instrumental in teaching me and my classmates to get along well with others, to respect authority, and to honor our parents and love our country. As a reader of Heaven on Wheels, you know of my admiration for the Books of Psalms and Proverbs; both contain a wealth of wisdom. About Proverbs and wisdom, Wikipedia says this:Proverbs is not merely an anthology but a "collection of collections" relating to a pattern of life which lasted for more than a millennium. It is an example of the biblical wisdom literature, and raises questions of values, moral behaviour, the meaning of human life, and right conduct, and its theological foundation is that "the fear of God (meaning submission to the will of God) is the beginning of wisdom". Wisdom is praised for her role in creation; God acquired her before all else, and through her he gave order to chaos; and since humans have life and prosperity by conforming to the order of creation, seeking wisdom is the essence and goal of life.Today’s Proverb would be a handy piece of wisdom to give to any new parent. All except the most cruel or negligent of parents knows that a child needs training. You don’t just have a child and throw it food from time to time; it’s important to give them some direction. And many parents are smart enough to know that they need to point their child in the right direction so that they’ll grow up to be accepted and respected in society.The Hebrew word for “way he should go” is דֶּרֶךְ (dereḵ), defined literally as a road, but figuratively as “a course of life or mode of action”. Although I never had the opportunity to be a parent, I know enough by observation and experience that a good parent determines the strengths and weaknesses of their child, and takes those into account when training them for life. This takes into account respecting the child’s individuality and career dreams, but within a moral framework that makes them an asset to society. I loved this literal translation of the Hebrew from British evangelist G. Campbell Morgan, who said: ‘Train up a child according to his way.’In every child there are special and peculiar powers. The true business of training a child therefore, is that of discovering what those powers are, and developing them…. Herein is revealed the need for individual work. No two children are alike.” (author’s emphasis) Once a child has been trained in the proper way by his or her parents, the Proverb says that they “will not depart from it”. Now, this is a principle and not a promise. It certainly happened with me and Barb over our lifetimes. As David Guzik points out in Enduring Word, When a child is trained in the proper way, though they may depart for a season (and a long season), in principle they will return and not depart from it.We departed for many years from God’s presence, yet we returned and now refuse to depart from it!Solomon, who is credited as the writer of many of the Proverbs, certainly stopped listening to instruction and strayed from what he had been taught as a child by his father, David. Solomon even knew that young people would have a rebellious streak and choose sin, writing in Proverbs 2:12-17“To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things; From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness; Who delight in doing evil And rejoice in the perversity of evil; Whose paths are crooked, And who are devious in their ways; To deliver you from the strange woman, From the adulteress who flatters with her words; That leaves the companion of her youth And forgets the covenant of her God;”and Proverbs 19:26-27”He who assaults his father and drives his mother away Is a shameful and disgraceful son. Cease listening, my son, to discipline, And you will stray from the words of knowledge.“‭‭Sadly, Solomon didn’t listen to his own advice. Of course, his father David wasn’t exactly a paragon of virtue, setting into place actions that would result in the death of Uriah the Hittite as he lusted after Bathsheba (Uriah’s wife and eventually Solomon’s mother). Perhaps this Proverb is instructive after all, as Solomon simply followed his father’s footsteps… and went a bit further. Solomon Surrounded by His Wives, Joos van Winghe (1544–1603) (copy of), The Bowes MuseumSolomon was said to have 700 wives and 300 concubines, so his faithfulness to one wife was definitely in question. His faithfulness to God was swayed by many of those wives and concubines from foreign lands, who brought with them their own deities and asked Solomon to build temples in honor of them. In Deuteronomy 17:16-17, a king is commanded to not to hoard (multiply) horses, wives, gold, or silver. Solomon failed in all of these areas.God responded by removing all but one of the tribes of Israel from Solomon’s kingdom. Solomon’s own son Rehoboam caused a civil war that resulted in the tribes of Israel and Judah being separated forever. Perhaps if David had been more of an example to his heir to the throne and trained “up a child in the way he should go”, the lives of both David and Solomon would have been less of a disappointment to God.Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:Heavenly Father, thank You for giving many people the responsibility and joy of children You place in their lives. Please guide them in the ways to teach and train them, and I pray that many of today’s young children grow up with godly conduct, make wise choices in their lives, learn to be responsible towards others, and accountable to authority. Keep children away from worldly ways and direct their lives if their parents don’t, and may they never depart from the path of righteousness. I pray this in Jesus’ name, AMEN. Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org. Quotations from Enduring Word made with written permission of the author. Get full access to Heaven On Wheels at www.heavenonwheels.org/subscribe

The Heaven On Wheels podcast is back from a short hiatus! In this episode, the words of the Apostle Peter provide inspiration in the form of HOPE. It can be so easy to feel desperation when the world is going crazy, but 1 Peter 1:2-9 points out that we’re just being tested and refined for our eternal reward.PLEASE share this podcast with friends, family and co-workers! You can do God’s work by letting others gain inspiration from the daily devotional newsletters and occasional podcasts. Our charitable focus is one that you can support from anywhere in the world. HopeForHaiti.com seeks to help bring hope to the poor of Haiti through a tested mix of education, healthcare, infrastructure, access to clean water, and economic opportunity. Music is licensed from TunePocket.comPhoto by Gabriel Lamza on Unsplash Get full access to Heaven On Wheels at www.heavenonwheels.org/subscribe

Do you worry to excess? We have a lot of reasons to be anxious, and there have always been things to worry about. This week, our words of inspiration offer some words of advice as well as the best possible remedy for anxiety!This episode of Heaven On Wheels marks the first time that those who subscribe for free to our online ministry are being notified of the podcast through email! If you haven’t yet subscribed to the podcast and our daily Biblical inspiration message, today’s your chance. Just click the Subscribe button and you’ll receive an email every day. You can always unsubscribe at any time.Oh…be a nice person and click that Share button in the lower left corner. Someone you know needs God’s word today!Music is licensed from TunePocket.comPhoto by Taylor Deas-Melesh on Unsplash Get full access to Heaven On Wheels at www.heavenonwheels.org/subscribe

The world today is obsessed with making money and spending it to accumulate "stuff". In this episode of Heaven On Wheels, we listen to the words of Paul to his protege Timothy about the futility of focusing all of your time and effort on those things that make no difference in the eternal scheme of things. Those listeners with RVs know that there's always something you want to buy to make life easier or more comfortable, but that can result in the need to upgrade to a bigger vehicle -- it seems like a never ending spiral of spending. If we have a rig that's right for us, why not be content with what we have and spend our time and talent on less accumulation and more giving?https://bible.com/bible/116/1ti.6.6-10.NLTWhat can you do that costs nothing but time and can save a life? Donate blood. Our charity focus points out how important it is to keep a supply of red blood cells, platelets and plasma available for use in hospitals and also when responding to disasters. One nationwide group of blood donation centers is run by Vitalant, although there are many other facilities that are waiting for your call. Want to listen to past episodes or learn more about the Heaven On Wheels ministry? Visit our website!--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/steve-sande/message Get full access to Heaven On Wheels at www.heavenonwheels.org/subscribe

It's just about time for Valentine's Day, so love is the perfect topic for this episode of Heaven On Wheels. Love is a pervasive theme in the New Testament, with Jesus Christ representing God's love for humanity. We can show our love and blessings to others each and every day by making them -- not ourselves -- our priority. Love is at the heart of Christian faith, and providing assistance to others who are not as fortunate as ourselves is love in action.Our charity focus this week is Assistance League of Visalia, California, a gateway to Sequoia National Park. Assistance League volunteers help both the young and old. They provide disadvantaged children with new clothing for school, run a reading program for kids, and paint colorful maps of the United States on playgrounds to give the youths a perspective on geography. For seniors, volunteers make clothing protectors for those in adult care facilities.Want to listen to past episodes or learn more about the Heaven On Wheels ministry? Visit our website!--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/steve-sande/message Get full access to Heaven On Wheels at www.heavenonwheels.org/subscribe

In this episode of Heaven On Wheels, we take a different approach at glorifying God. Rather than focus on just one charity during the podcast, we look at how smashing our idols -- the earthly distractions that take us away from God -- helps us to be more focused on doing the Lord's work each and every day.We humans have a lot of Idols in our lives, all of which are worldly things. Celebrities, sports teams and players, gadgets, cars, self-improvement, RVs, foods, sex, drugs, rock n’ roll — you name it. They’re all things that, for some people, become all-consuming passions that take them away from God and focus them on the world… and that’s not what we are supposed to do as children of God.Our admonition from God to worship Him alone comes from some of the earliest parts of the Old Testament, in the Books of Exodus and Deuteronomy. It's a foundation of Christianity, and one that all of us have to work hard to live up to. Want to listen to past episodes or learn more about the Heaven On Wheels ministry? Visit our website!--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/steve-sande/message Get full access to Heaven On Wheels at www.heavenonwheels.org/subscribe

Have a little over five minutes available in your busy day? Grab some Biblical inspiration and an idea of how to do some good in the world! This episode of Heaven On Wheels focuses on "The Power of Prayer" from the Book of James, Chapter 5 (https://bible.com/bible/111/jas.5.13-16.NIV). Join your host Steve Sande for a quick talk about how confession and prayer can spark spiritual, emotional and physical healing in your life and the lives of others.Our charity focus this week is NextStep Domestic Violence Project, an organization seeking to end domestic violence and abuse in the area near Acadia National Park in Maine. We're happy to let you know that the Heaven On Wheels website is now up and running! For more information on our mission, links to all episodes of the podcast, and more, just point your favorite web browser to https://heavenonwheels.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/steve-sande/message Get full access to Heaven On Wheels at www.heavenonwheels.org/subscribe

We're back today with a short inspirational message for you from Romans:“When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.”‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.12.13.NLTThis week we turn our focus on Feeding South Dakota, an organization near many national and state parks. Last year alone, the group distributed almost 15 million meals in the fight against hunger on behalf of children, seniors, and families. If you’re listening to this podcast and know of a deserving charity, send us a link at [email protected] On Wheels is now available on all major podcast networks! Help us grow our listener base and increase our impact by sharing the podcast with friends or family, and be sure to subscribe! Our website is under construction, and you'll soon be able to visit it for inspiration, past episodes, and links to our highlighted charities.Music is licensed from TunePocket.com--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/steve-sande/message Get full access to Heaven On Wheels at www.heavenonwheels.org/subscribe