A Daily Devotional

[Soldier4Christ]

The Blood Of Consecration



“And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot” (Leviticus 8:23).

This unique ceremony, conducted when Aaron was being consecrated as Israel’s high priest, is rich in symbolism. The blood was taken from the “ram of consecration” (Leviticus 8:22), which had been slain by Moses, its death signifying the death to self which priests should experience in order to be fully dedicated to the will and service of God. Then the blood was applied to the head, hands, and feet of the priest, thus, in effect, to his whole body, symbolizing cleansing and forgiveness of personal sins, in order that he might be an acceptable intermediary between God and the people. Further, it of course signified that the priest must have ears willing to hear God’s Word, hands willing to do God’s work and feet willing to carry God’s message wherever He led.

In fulfillment, the high priest is Christ, the sacrificial offering is Christ, and the consecrating blood is His own blood, shed at Calvary (Hebrews 9:11–14). As the perfect high priest, His ear was perfectly attuned to God’s Word, His hands worked the perfect work of God, and His feet walked all the way from Bethlehem to Calvary, to accomplish the saving will of God.

But then each believer must remember that he, also, is a member of “an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices” (I Peter 2:5). As believer-priests, we must hear God’s Word, for “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). Our hands and feet must also be ready to do the work of God and walk in His ways, if we would be faithful to our high calling. This is our “reasonable service” as “living sacrifice(s)” presented unto Him (Romans 12:1).

[Soldier4Christ]

Love Your Enemies


"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).

The Lord never promised that the Christian life would be easy! If we are commanded to love our enemies, the presumption is that we shall have enemies. We must expect persecution if we are expected to pray for our persecutors.

This sermon was to His disciples, not to the multitude (see Matthew 5:1), and the Lord is assuming they would inevitably have enemies, just as He did. "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. . . . If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:18,20).

He had even called such persecution a blessing. "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake" (Matthew 5:10). However, we need to be sure that any such persecution comes "for righteousness sake" -- not for any other reason than for upholding, proclaiming, and living the truth as set forth in the Word of God. "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye. . . . But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf" (I Peter 4:14-16).

We can really love our enemies only as we follow Christ's example. "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: . . . Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously" (I Peter 2:21,23). "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:20-21).

[Soldier4Christ]

Who Is Worthy?



“I (i.e. Jacob) am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands” (Genesis 32:10).

Scripture records statements of others who have felt their own unworthiness in the presence of God. John the Baptist told the crowd at the Jordan: “He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear” (Matthew 3:11). The Roman centurion said to Jesus: “I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof” (Matthew 8:. These were men who saw Jesus as the Son of God and themselves as they truly were before Him.

We can never be worthy of the One who is worthy of all “glory and honour and power,” for He is the Creator of all things, and He has “redeemed us to God by (His) blood” (Revelation 4:11; 5:9). However, Jesus chooses to call us “worthy,” if we confess His name before men. “Whosoever, therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. . . . He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:32,37). “They shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before His angels” (Revelation 3:4,5).

The saint has been found “worthy” to have his name confessed before the Father, not because of an actual “work” of confessing his Savior before men, but because the heart attitude of he who confesses the Savior is a heart of faith that leads to salvation. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10).

[Soldier4Christ]

Much More


“Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:9).

The fifth chapter of Romans is sometimes called the “much more” chapter, because of five wonderful “much more” verses. The first is our text for the day, consisting itself of a commentary on the tremendous truth in the preceding verse. That is, because of the tremendous love expressed by God “in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (v., we shall also be delivered completely from the just wrath of a holy God.

Then, there is the truth of verse 10: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Formerly His adversaries, we are not only delivered from God’s wrath on sin, but also delivered from sin’s power, because Christ’s life becomes our life, once we are restored to complete fellowship with Him.

Thirdly, we have more abundant grace. “But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many” (v.15). His grace is far greater than all our sin.

Next, there is verse 17. “For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” Note the progression in these “much mores”: saved from wrath; saved unto righteousness; a life abounding in grace; and, now, a life of victory.

Finally, and in summary: “Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord” (vs.20,21).

[Soldier4Christ]

The Sinning Brother


“But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat” (I Corinthians 5:11).

Here is a sober reminder that a Christian brother—one who has accepted Christ as Savior and repented of his sins can again fall into gross sin. This seems so anomalous that we might question whether such a one was ever saved in the first place. Some modern translations even let this question distort the real thrust of the verse. The NASV, for example, calls such a person a “so-called brother,” and the NIV translates the phrase as “anyone who calls himself a brother,” both thus implying that he was not really a brother in Christ.

The Greek word, however, is onomazo which means, simply, “named” or “called,” as the King James version correctly renders it. The thrust of the whole phrase is, “any man who bears the name of brother.” Paul is stressing the anomaly itself. Any brother in the Lord should live in a manner befitting this high calling.

If he does not, however, and if he is not responsive to the pleadings of his brethren who seek to restore him, in the manner of Galations 6:1 (“ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness”), then he should be subject to church discipline, and be removed from the fellowship of the church. “If he neglect to hear the church,” said Jesus, “let him be unto thee as an heathen man” (Matthew 18:17). If such a person later repents, of course, Paul says we “ought rather to forgive him, and . . . confirm your love toward him” (II Corinthians 2:7,8).

In the meantime, knowing that it is possible for a true believer to fall into gross sin, through carelessness, or doubt, or whatever, “let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (I Corinthians 10:12).

[Soldier4Christ]

In The Image Of God


“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them” (Genesis 1:27).

The Lord Jesus Christ “is the image of God” (II Corinthians 4:4), “the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person” (Hebrews 1:3), “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). Human beings were created “in” God’s image. From the beginning we were made to be like Jesus, God the Son, but we miserably failed.

God the Father did not forsake His purposes, however. In the fullness of time He sent His Son to take on our flesh so that the believer might “be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29), “renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created Him” (Colossians 3:10).

Animals do not share this privilege. They were not made to resemble Jesus. Animals have instinct; humans, creativity—like the Creator! He reasons with His human creatures and wants us to reason back (cf. Isaiah 1:18). Like Jesus, we also have authority. He calmed the storm; we tame killer whales and whole herds of cattle. Yet, our rebellion against God shows up in many and varied abuses, but the ingredients are stamped on our beings nevertheless.

The fact that we can worship God and commune with Him in prayer is a tremendous truth. God is tripersonal; each Person of the Trinity communes with the Other. But God also invites us into His fellowship. Let us be what we were meant to be. Let us imitate the Lord Jesus Christ—trusting solely in the merits of His cross, commune with the Father through the Son, and experience the joy of fellowship with the Spirit for all eternity so that “we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (II Corinthians 3:18).

[Soldier4Christ]

Inheriting The Earth

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).

This third of Christ’s beatitudes has always seemed paradoxical because those who now rule the earth seem anything but meek. It has always been the strong and aggressive who control the world, not the meek of the world.

Christ, however, was confirming an ancient promise given through David: “But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (Psalm 37:11). Surprisingly, there are also four other promises in this psalm describing those who are to inherit the earth:

“Those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth” (v.9). “For such as be blessed of Him shall inherit the earth” (v.22). “The righteous shall inherit the land (same word as ‘earth’)” (v.29). “Wait on the LORD, and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee to inherit the land (i.e. ‘earth’)” (v.34).

It is Jesus Christ, of course, who ultimately will receive “the uttermost parts of the earth for (His) possession” (Psalm 2:. However, we also (if we are among the “meek”) are “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17), and thus we also shall inherit the earth with Him.

But how does this quality of meekness equip believers for such an exalted future? In the Bible, meekness does not mean “weakness,” of course, nor is it even an innate mildness that may characterize some unsaved people. “The fruit of the Spirit is . . . meekness” (Galatians 5:22,23), which means that meekness is not a natural human trait at all. It is best defined as the character of Christ, Himself, for He said: “I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29), and Paul measured his own actions “by the meekness and gentleness of Christ” (II Corinthians 10:1). In Psalm 37, it was seen that “the meek” (v.37) are synonymous with those who “wait on the LORD, and keep His way” (v.34).

[Soldier4Christ]

In The Way



“And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of His mercy and His truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren” (Genesis 24:27).

The remarkable, providential leading of Abraham’s servant to the maiden who was to be the bride of Isaac has been a source of inspiration to every generation of believers.

One very important principle can be gleaned from this wonderful journey: Before the Lord could lead the servant to the object of his quest, he had to start out on his way. “Being in the way, the LORD led me,” he testified.

Abraham himself knew this by experience: “By faith Abraham, when he was called . . . obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went” (Hebrews 11:. God first led him from Ur to Haran, thence to Bethel in the land of Canaan, on to Mamre, and finally, to Beersheba. He had no certain home, but because he was “in the way,” the Lord assured him that “in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 22:18).

Consider also the Apostle Paul, who carried the saving gospel of Christ to the Gentiles. He did not, however, dawdle around waiting for this call. “After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. . . . And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us” (Acts 16:7,9).

The principle is this: Those who truly desire to be called to some special field of service should first be doing what they can where they are. Then the Lord will re-direct them, if it is His will. “Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” (Isaiah 30:21). When we are actively “in the way,” then the Lord can lead us.

[Soldier4Christ]

Mine



“For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10).

What does God own? What belongs to Him? What does God say is “mine”? The answer to these questions is quite simple—everything!


   1. God owns the animal creation, as in our text: “I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine” (v.11).
   2. God owns the world: “If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof” (v.12).
   3. God owns the wealth of the world: “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:.
   4. God owns the land of Palestine: “The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine” (Leviticus 25:23).
   5. God owns all souls: “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine” (Ezekiel 8:4).

God surely does own everything, and has chosen, in His grace, to share it all with us. Why then do we many times not trust our heavenly Father to supply all our needs? “For your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him” (Matthew 6:. Plus, He has promised to supply “our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). He knows what we need today, and He has the wisdom and power to meet that need: “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.” “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:31–33).

It would be helpful if we could continually remember Paul’s familiar words: “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Not some, or most, but all!

[airIam2worship]

Mine



“For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10).

What does God own? What belongs to Him? What does God say is “mine”? The answer to these questions is quite simple—everything!


   1. God owns the animal creation, as in our text: “I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine” (v.11).
   2. God owns the world: “If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof” (v.12).
   3. God owns the wealth of the world: “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:.
   4. God owns the land of Palestine: “The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine” (Leviticus 25:23).
   5. God owns all souls: “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine” (Ezekiel 8:4).

God surely does own everything, and has chosen, in His grace, to share it all with us. Why then do we many times not trust our heavenly Father to supply all our needs? “For your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him” (Matthew 6:. Plus, He has promised to supply “our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). He knows what we need today, and He has the wisdom and power to meet that need: “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.” “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:31–33).

It would be helpful if we could continually remember Paul’s familiar words: “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Not some, or most, but all!

AMEN

[Soldier4Christ]

Modern Science in an Ancient Book


"Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?" (Job 12:9).

The book of Job is one of the oldest books in the world, yet it contains numerous references to natural systems and phenomena, some involving facts of science not discovered by scientists until recent centuries, yet recorded in Job almost 4,000 years ago.

A good example is in 26:7. "He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing." While ancient mythologies may imagine the earth to be carried on the shoulders of Atlas or on the back of a giant turtle, Job correctly noted that it is suspended in space. The force of "gravity" is still not understood, and it is quite reasonable to believe that God Himself holds it in the assigned place in His creation.

There is a reference to the rotation of the earth in 38:14. "It is turned as clay to the seal." This speaks of the smooth turning of the globe to receive the sun's daily illumination.

"The springs of the sea" are mentioned in 38:16, even though it has only been discovered in recent decades that there are springs of water emerging from certain parts of the deep ocean floor. The fact that mountains have "roots," consisting of rocks of the same nature and density as the mountains themselves, is noted in 28:9.

The infinite extent of the stellar heavens, contradicting the ancient pagan notion of a vaulted sky with stars affixed to a sort of hemispherical dome, is suggested in 22:12. "Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!" (see also Isaiah 55:9, etc.).

There are many other scientific insights in this remarkable book and no scientific errors. The logical conclusion, as our text says, is that "the hand of the Lord hath wrought this."

[Soldier4Christ]

The Avenger of Blood


"Appoint out for you cities of refuge, . . . and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood" (Joshua 20:2-3).

Our modern criminal code makes an important distinction between premeditated murder and accidental homicide. But millennia before the American penal code, or even English Common Law, the Mosaic Law made special provision for the manslayer. "Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither" (Numbers 35:11).

The Mosaic law had provided for swift justice to follow criminal activity: "And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot" (Exodus 21:23-24). In fact a particular person would be designated to meet out retribution on the one who had killed another: the avenger of blood. "The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him" (Numbers 35:19). But someone who had accidentally killed his neighbor could flee to one of the appointed Cities of Refuge strategically placed around the nation and thus escape from the avenger of blood.

We are told that the roads to the Cities of Refuge were strictly preserved, every river was bridged and every obstruction was removed. This is a beautiful picture of the road to Christ Jesus. It is a road so hard, that no self-righteous man can ever tread it, but so easy, that every sinner, who knows himself to be a sinner may by it find his way to heaven. Like the ancient manslayer, we are under condemnation for our sins. The avenger of blood is swift of foot and upon our heels. If any today is outside the refuge of Christ, let him run with all speed to Him for salvation that "we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us" (Hebrews 6:18).

[Shammu]

The Avenger of Blood

AMEN brother!!

Abner died as a fool because he was in the gate of Hebron, one of the cities of refuge when Joab killed him for the killing of Joab’s brother Asahel.  2 Samuel 3:22-37.

[Soldier4Christ]

The Cave Men


"They grope in the dark without light, and He maketh them to stagger like a drunken man" (Job 12:25).

The godly patriarch Job lived in the early centuries after the Flood, and he frequently makes passing reference to the events of those difficult times. The twelfth chapter of Job is especially intriguing in this regard.

For example, verse 12 may refer indirectly to Shem, who lived 502 years after the Flood (Genesis 11:10-11). "With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days is understanding." The coming of the Flood is suggested in verse 14: "Behold, He breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening." The latter clause could even refer to God's shutting the door of Noah's Ark (Genesis 7:16), thereby shutting off forever the ancient wicked world to him and his descendants. The next verse describes the Flood itself. "He sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth" (Job 12:15).

Then verse 20 seems to refer the later confusion of tongues at Babel. "He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged." Finally, verses 23-25 sketches the plight of those forced to scatter from Babel into the uncharted wilderness. "He enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again. He . . . causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. They grope in the dark without light. . . ." Job 30:3,6 also refers to them, "fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste. . . . To dwell in the cliffs of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks." The remains of some of these cave dwellers have been found in their cave homes by modern anthropologists. However, they were not primitive "ape-men," as evolutionists have imagined, but fugitives from Babel.

The Bible, not anthropological speculation, gives us the true histories of early man and the ancient nations.

[Soldier4Christ]

Stand Ye Still


"Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem . . . to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you" (II Chronicles 20:17).

The Ammorites and Moabites and Edomites had organized "a great multitude" seeking to destroy Judah under King Jehoshaphat. But the king and his people came together to "seek the Lord" in prayer for deliverance, and God answered. "The Spirit of the Lord" spoke through Jahaziel, assuring them that "the battle is not yours, but God's" (see II Chronicles 20:2,4,14,15).

Then the Lord sent what may have seemed a strange instruction. "Stand still," He said. Just watch God do it! And He did. All their enemies were constrained by the Lord to fight and destroy each other, without the Israelites having to fight at all. Similarly, at the Red Sea when everything looked hopeless, "Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord" (Exodus 14:13). So they did, and all Pharaoh's armies were overthrown in the midst of the sea.

In Isaiah's day, when Israel was tempted to call on pagan Egypt for help against pagan Assyria, God said concerning Israel's armies, "Their strength is to sit still" (Isaiah 30:7). As the ship was being buffeted in the storm, and the sailors in panic were about to flee in the lifeboat, Paul said: "Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved" (Acts 27:31). So they stayed, and God spared every man.

There are times for action, of course, but the principle is this. When we have done all we can, and the situation seems hopeless, this is the time to sit still and trust God to work it out in His own good way. "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). Got any rivers you think are uncrossable? God specializes in things thought impossible!