A Daily Devotional

[Soldier4Christ]

Fullness Of The Time (#19941025)
by Connie J. Horn

“A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together” (Ecclesiastes 3:5).

There were many times when the Lord commanded that stones be gathered. Gideon was commanded to “build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of (a) rock, in the ordered place” (Judges 6:26). Joshua was commanded to gather twelve stones from the “midst of Jordan” as a sign to future generations “that the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD” (Joshua 4). David gathered “five smooth stones” from a brook to challenge Goliath, the Philistine champion (I Samuel 17). According to Mosaic law, stones were to be gathered for the purpose of execution. Stoning was carried out for various offenses: breaking the Sabbath (which in essence constituted unbelief); immorality; worship of Molech (which required burning one’s children); a man or woman who had a “familiar spirit”; etc.

A time came, however, to “cast away stones.” Under the law, the scribes and Pharisees had a right to gather stones and execute the woman taken in adultery (John . However, Jesus stood between the woman and her accusers and said: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Why were “they which heard it” forced to cast away their stones? Because Jesus, her defender, is the only one who has ever lived “without sin” (II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:22), and because He stood before them as the one who was to bear the punishment for her sin. Stoning is abhorrent to the Twentieth Century mind, but perhaps it is needful at times to remember His punishment, by a method much worse than stoning. “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” (Isaiah 53:5). CJH

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Jostling Chariots And Judgment (#19941026)
by Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings” (Nahum 2:4).

This strange prophecy, found in the midst of the small book of Nahum, could almost be seen as a description of Twentieth Century freeway traffic! In context, however, the entire book of Nahum deals with the coming destruction of Assyria and, especially, its great capital, Nineveh. One of the most viciously aggressive and cruel empires in all history, bitterly opposed to God and His rule as Creator in the affairs of men, the Assyrians had been allowed by God to punish the ten northern tribes of Israel, carrying them into captivity. But their own time of judgment was coming!

Under the preaching of Jonah, Nineveh had experienced a great revival, sparing the city its judgment for over a century. However, it soon became incurably apostate, worse than before, and its most vicious crimes were committed in this later period. Finally, God called Nahum the prophet to announce its coming doom. It was still another century before Nahum’s prophecies were fulfilled, but they were eventually accomplished at the hands of the Chaldeans and the Medes.

There is a possibility that, as is true with many other Old Testament passages, some of Nahum’s prophecies have a near and far fulfillment; the first in the ruin of Nineveh, the second in the great judgments of the last days. Some of the predictions (e.g., Nahum 1:5,8) seem more appropriate for the end-times, unless they are simply poetic exaggeration, as many think. In any case, whether the jostling chariots fought only in ancient Nineveh or also prefigure lethal attack vehicles of the last days, the burning message of Nahum is that apostasy, violence, and cruelty eventually bring terrible judgment and utter destruction. HMM

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The Father Of Glory (#19941027)
by Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him” (Ephesians 1:17).

This is one of Paul’s most personal and precious prayers involving all the persons of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of wisdom,” and the Father is called the “Father of glory.”

One may note many wonderful attributes of our heavenly Father simply by noting the titles by which He is known to the apostles. Not only is He “the Father of glory,” as in our text, but James calls Him “the Father of lights” (James 1:17). To Peter He is the “faithful Creator” and “the God of all grace” (I Peter 4:19; 5:10).

The writer of Hebrews speaks of Him as “the God of peace” and “the Father of spirits” (Hebrews 13:20; 12:9). To John, “God is love” (I John 4:16); to Jude, He is “God our Savior” (Jude 25).

The epistles of Paul are rich with such beautiful ascriptions to the Father. One of the greatest is II Corinthians 1:3, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.”

He is also “the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God” (I Timothy 1:17), and the “one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:6). The heavenly Father is “the God of hope” (Romans 15:13), but He is also “God the Judge of all,” and to the ungodly, “our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:23,29).

Most importantly, the Father of Glory is “God our Father” (I Corinthians 1:3), because He is “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:3), and “truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (I John 1:3). HMM

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The Power In Us (#19941028)
by Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20).

This amazing assurance of God’s unlimited ability to answer our prayers is related to a unique “power [Greek dunamis] that worketh in us.” Paul had used the same word twice before in this same epistle, speaking of “the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe,” and “the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of His power” (Ephesians 1:19; 3:7). “Effectual working” in the original is one word, energeia, from which we get our word “energy.”

Such power working in us is actually nothing less than the presence of God Himself. Its very first occurrence is in the model prayer. “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever” (Matthew 6:13). It is this “power of God unto salvation” which is received when we first believe on Christ through the gospel (Romans 1:16). It has been so ever since the fulfillment of Christ’s promise when He told His disciples that “ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:.

This remarkable power of God is thus imparted to us and energized in us by the Holy Spirit. Because of this, we can be filled “with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost” (Romans 15:13). Furthermore, He thereby provides impregnable security for time and eternity, for we “are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (I Peter 1:5).

With such a resource of unlimited spiritual power working in us, God is able indeed to accomplish far more than we can ever imagine, as He works in and through those yielded to His will. HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

From Disciples To Brethren (#19941029)
by John Morris, Ph.D.

“Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God and your God” (John 20:17).

It is interesting to note that our Lord never called his disciples “brethren” until after His resurrection, and our text, which identifies them as such, was the first thing He uttered after rising from the dead, at least as recorded in Scripture.

Until then He had referred to them in a variety of ways, including “little children” (John 13:33), “brethren,” in the sense of brothers in a family (Matthew 12:49), and even “friends.”

“Henceforth I call you not servants: for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you” (John 15:15). Certainly the disciples held a special place in Christ’s heart.

But it was not until He had risen from the dead, He who was “the firstborn from the dead” (Colossians 1:18), the “firstfruits of them that slept” (I Corinthians 15:20), that His disciples, and indeed all who would “believe on (Him) through their word” (John 17:20), could be made “sons of God” (Romans 8:14). “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). This high standing comes as a fulfillment of His determination to “be the firstborn among many brethren” (8:29).

He has re-labeled the “great congregation” (Psalm 22:22; quoted in Hebrews 2:12) the “church,” identifying the individual members as His “brethren,” and is not “ashamed” to do so (Hebrews 2:11). As we see in our text, His God is our God, His Father is our Father; in all ways, we who have believed on Him are His brothers. Oh, what a standing is ours! JDM

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He Counted Me Faithful (#19941030)
by John Morris, Ph.D.

“And I thank Christ Jesus our lord, who hath enabled me, for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry” (I Timothy 1:12).

The testimony of a changed life is perhaps the best evidence that God is alive and active today. The fact that at salvation a dead slave to sin is given life and a new nature, comprises the only rational explanation for one who lives in victory and power after a lifetime of defeat.

Take Paul for example. Our introduction to him is at the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58), after which his ardor for the Jewish traditions and hatred of Christianity caused him to wreak “havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison” (Acts 8:3). This was not just casual opposition, for he was “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). He was a “blasphemer, and a persecutor, [not only of Christians, but of Christ Himself—Acts 9:5] and injurious” (I Timothy 1:13).

However, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I [Paul] am chief” (I Timothy 1:15), he said. Paul “obtained mercy” (v.13), not receiving the punishment he deserved, through “the grace of our Lord (which) was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus” (v.14), even though he was not even seeking God (Acts 9:1–5).

To a greater or lesser degree, God has worked that same work of grace in each life which now belongs to Him. Paul called himself the chief of sinners, but each of us has done or has been capable of equally heinous acts. Through His grace, we are not only rescued from addiction to sin but rehabilitated and empowered and given, as we see in our text, missions to accomplish that are of eternal significance. Let us “thank Christ Jesus our Lord” with Paul. JDM

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Christian Warfare: The Real (#19941031)
by Henry Morris III, Th.D.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood . . .” (Ephesians 6:12).

With the intense, “Finally, my brethren” (used only five other times in the New Testament), we are put on notice that a battle is raging “in high places” in which we are required, “having done all, to stand” (vv.10,13). This battle is against “principalities” (chief ones) and “powers” (authorities) who are “rulers of the darkness of this world” (v.12).

The real, dangerous, and vicious enemy is none other than Lucifer, the devouring lion (I Peter 5: and prince of the world (John 12:31; Ephesians 2:2), whose boundless pride, inestimable beauty, and wisdom (Ezekiel 28) drove him to insurrection in heaven (Revelation 12) to father the lie and begin all murder (John 8:44). His hatred of God and things godly is implacable, and his power over death (Hebrews 2:17), ability to blind minds (II Corinthians 4:4), snatch the gospel from hearts (Matthew 13:39), take foolish people captive at his will (II Timothy 2:26), and even inflict physical injury (II Corinthians 12:7; Luke 13:16), is an awesome and terrible capacity.

Yet we are given the promise that the One in us is “greater than he that is in the world” (I John 4:4). In fact, we are assured that our weapons are “mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds [castles] . . . bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Corinthians 10:4,5). What a magnificent promise! The Creator God lives in me (Galatians 2:20), manifested in the person of the Holy Spirit who uses my body as a temple (I Corinthians 6:19), now specifically providing the full armor (panoplia) of God which enables us to “withstand in the evil day” (Ephesians 6:13).

This warning and exhortation are greatly needed today, when false prophets are multiplying and ancient pantheism and occultism are being revived as a so-called “New Age.” HMM III

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The Lord's Controversies (#19941101)
by Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD’S controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with His people, and He will plead with Israel” (Micah 6:2).

There are four references in the prophetic books of the Old Testament to the controversies of the Lord. Three of these speak of controversy with His own people, the other of controversy with the ungodly nations of the world.

The Hebrew word means a serious conflict that must be completed. God’s opponent in such a case must eventually either yield or be destroyed, for “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).

The Lord first pleads with His adversary, as indicated in our text, speaking of His love and desire for reconciliation. “O my people, what have I done unto thee?” He cries (Micah 6:3). But if His pleadings are ignored, punishment is sure. “The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways” (Hosea 12:2). When God’s people turn away from Him, they fall into grievous sin and invite His certain wrath. “Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. . . . Therefore shall the land mourn” (Hosea 4:1,3).

Now, if God has a controversy with His own people, what of other nations? God will seek reconciliation with His own backslidden people, but the God-despising nations of the world face utter destruction. “A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, He will plead with all flesh; He will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD. . . . And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other” (Jeremiah 25:31,33). HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Ready? (#19941102)
by Connie J. Horn

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2).

When Jesus returns, there will be no more time for warnings. “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. . . . Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 24:40–44).

“They that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut” (Matthew 25:10). The wise virgins of the parable of Matthew 25 can be likened to the wise man of Matthew 7 who knew the Lord and who evidenced that relationship by not only hearing the sayings of the Lord, but also doing them. Jesus has deliberately told us He has gone to prepare a place for us: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). He has also said “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).

How does one prepare for the Lord’s return? The answer is in the Lord Jesus Christ. A body was “prepared” (Hebrews 10:5) for Him, “by the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10). To repent is to face squarely the fact that it is my sin that necessitated Jesus saying: “This is my body, which is broken for you” (I Corinthians 11:24); “this cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:20); and to turn from that sin. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20) CJH

[Soldier4Christ]

Be Instant (#19941103)
by Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine” (II Timothy 4:2).

Paul’s “charge” to young Timothy, just before the great apostle’s martyrdom, was urgently needed by Christians in those early days of persecution and incipient apostasy, and his words are even more appropriate today.

The admonition to “be instant” is worth special note. The Greek word, ephistemi, is translated in various ways (“be present,” “be at hand,” “come upon,” etc.). The main idea is simply to be there, doing what needs to be done at the time it is needed. In this particular context it is stressing the Christian’s responsibility to be there with the right words from the word of God—words of exhortation, of doctrine, of reproof if needed, yet words given patiently, even when rebuffed by the hearer. “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Colossians 4:6).

Furthermore, the charge applies not only to those times when we are officially on duty, so to speak. It applies on Monday, as well as Sunday, on off-hours as well as work time. Be instant out-of-season, as well as in-season! The Christian must always be “on call” when God calls.

The apostle could rightly issue such a charge because He himself had set such an example. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: . . . Thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience” (II Timothy 4:7; 3:10). It is touching that Paul could then use the same word (ephistemi) concerning his own coming death, when he said, “I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand” (II Timothy 4:6). He was as ready to die, as he had always been to speak, for the Lord! HMM

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Secret Faults Vs. Presumptuous (#19941104)
by John Morris, Ph.D.

“Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression” (Psalm 19:12,13).

David, the author of this majestic psalm of praise to God for His revelation of Himself and His nature to man, voices his own frustration at his inability to mold his life totally in accordance with God’s revealed plan. He recognizes and asks for God’s forgiveness, for his failures to measure up, and asks for strength to avoid habitual sin patterns and willful rejection of God’s way.

God had already made a careful distinction between these types of sins. “The priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. . . . But the soul that doeth aught presumptuously . . . the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken His commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall he upon him” (Numbers 15:28,30,31).

Paul also recognized such a difference. Keep in mind that all sin is abhorrent to God and must be repented of, resulting, of course, in His forgiveness. But Paul claimed that even his blasphemous, murderous persecution of the church was done “ignorantly in unbelief” (I Timothy 1:13). His plea of ignorance did not excuse his guilt, but through it he “obtained mercy” (v.13) and “grace” (v.14).

This is a “pattern to (us) which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting” (v.16). Let us not be guilty of willful, presumptuous sin, but on these occasions when we do fall, we can be thankful that our “long-suffering” (v.16) Savior still affords us such mercy. JDM

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What Sort Of Work (#19941105)
by Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is” (I Corinthians 3:13).

This key verse of Scripture gives the principle by which God will evaluate our works in that great future day when all believers will be assembled before “the judgment seat of Christ” (Romans 14:10; II Corinthians 5:10). The non-believer will be judged elsewhere, while this will be a judgment of believers only, for when the purifying fire tries our works, “if any man’s work abide . . . he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved” (I Corinthians 3:14,15).

Note carefully the basis for determining rewards or loss of rewards. It is not the amount of work done—not the number of witnessing contacts or souls won to Christ, not the number of students taught in a school or the amount of money given to missions. Neither are rewards based on the type of work done; menial labor is no less eligible for heavenly rewards than is the ministry of the gospel.

The criterion of the eternal value of a believer’s work on earth is what sort it is! That is, what is the motivation of the work, the sincerity, the dedication? The Greek word translated “sort” definitely conveys the meaning of quality, rather than quantity of results or type of occupation. No matter the nature of the work, or its size. The question is, what sort is it? Jesus knows that “he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much” (Luke 16:10), and so He will “give every man according as his work shall be” (Revelation 22:12).

Therefore, “whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23,24). HMM

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The Family Of A Disciple (#19941106)
by John Morris, Ph.D.

“Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee. And He said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting” (Luke 18:28–30).

Unfortunately, this and parallel passages have been wrongly used all too often to justify the abandonment of responsibilities to family in the name of following Christ.

But Christ is not here advocating repudiation of family. Instead, He insists that our allegiance be to Him and to His will. Nothing must be allowed to usurp His rightful position of supremacy in our lives. While it is true that for some a life unencumbered by family duties may result in more efficient ministry (I Corinthians 7:1–9,25–38), family relationships and responsibilities are of great importance to Him (vv.10–24; see also many other passages).

Consider the case of Elisha. God had instructed Elijah to train Elisha to take his place as prophet (I Kings 19:16). Finding Elisha plowing in his father’s field (i.e., family duties) with twelve yoke of oxen, “Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him” (v.19).

Elisha knew immediately that he was facing a dramatic change in his life. He did not refuse, argue with, or try to alter the call, but he did recognize a responsibility to his parents. “let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee” (v.20). Elijah agreed. To solidify his determination to leave, Elisha immediately sacrificed a pair of oxen, using as fuel the plowing instruments he had been using. He was, in effect, making a clean break with his former life, yet honoring and respecting his parents.

“Then he arose and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him” (v.21). JDM

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Scattered Abroad (#19941107)
by Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8:4).

God has given two great commissions to His people, both of which would require worldwide effort to accomplish. Both, however, were so resisted that God Himself had to step in and force them to be obedient.

Immediately after the great flood, God gave the following command: “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” (Genesis 9:1). This was an extension of the Edenic mandate given to Adam in the beginning, a commission to fill the earth and exercise dominion over it, under God (Genesis 1:28). Noah’s descendants, however, decided to stay in Babel and “make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” As a result of this rebellion, “the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth” (Genesis 11:4,9).

Over 2000 years later, the Lord gave His disciples another great worldwide commission. “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Then followed the coming of the Holy Spirit, and soon “the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly” (Acts 6:7).

But they remained in Jerusalem, instead of spreading out to “the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:. Therefore God once again intervened, and “there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem: and they were all scattered abroad . . .” (Acts 8:1). Then, finally, began their full obedience to the great commission, for “they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word,” and eventually some “of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues” will stand in saving faith before the Lord (Revelation 7:9). HMM

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The Election Of God (#19941108)
by Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God” (I Thessalonians 1:4).

As important as our national and local election processes may be (and we are commanded to pray for those in authority—I Timothy 2:1,2), God’s election is far more significant. Even those officials who are elected or appointed for life (e.g., federal judges) are in a much inferior category in comparison to those who are elected for eternity!

It is worth noting that none of the great leaders whose careers are described in the Bible—Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, Paul, the twelve apostles, etc.—were chosen by any human election, but rather were chosen and appointed by God Himself. In fact, all “the powers that be are ordained of God” (Romans 13:1). One of the most absolute monarchs of all time, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, was eventually forced to acknowledge that “The most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of men” (Daniel 4:17).

The closest thing to any human election process mentioned in the Bible seems to be the casting of lots to choose between two or more possibilities. For example, when the disciples needed to select someone to replace Judas, “they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:26).

This system of casting lots is mentioned often in Scripture, and it seems like a haphazard way of making decisions, but at least it was preceded by prayer (Acts 1:24) and God used it. “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD” (Proverbs 16:33). Today we cast ballots instead of lots and, judging from the types of men and women who are often elected, it is doubtful whether our modern method works any better. At any rate, each election should be preceded and followed by much prayer. HMM