A Daily Devotional

[Soldier4Christ]

The Nations and the Children of Israel


"Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel" (Deuteronomy 32:7-8).

This is a key part of the "song of Moses" commanded and given him by God (note Deuteronomy 31:19) as the children of Israel were about to enter the Promised Land. It is also a key verse in the whole divine plan of God.

It was written about 3,500 years ago, yet even then Moses could speak of the "days of old" and many generations before his time (at least 2,500 years). He also knew about Adam, and that all the people of all those generations had been "sons of Adam." As far as Moses knew by divine revelation, there had been no humans before Adam.

He also mentioned the division of the nations (Genesis 10) that occurred before Israel even existed. Yet somehow these nations were seventy in number, the same as "the number of the children of Israel" when they migrated into Egypt (Genesis 46:27). Israel's "Promised Land" was pre-ordained to be approximately in the hub of all the nations of the whole world that would later come from them.

The apostle Paul also referred to these promised
"bounds of the people" when he preached to the intellectuals at the cultural center of the world at Athens in his day, stating that God "hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. . ." (Acts 17:26-27).

God does have a purpose for every nation and He "preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed" (Galatians 3:.

[Soldier4Christ]

Faith, Substance, and Evidence`


"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews, known as the great Hall of Fame of Faith reciting the faith and resulting action of many Old Testament heroes, begins with a description of what faith is.

First, we see that it is the "substance of things hoped for." Biblically, we know that the Christian "hope" is a hope so real it has substance in the present. None of the people of faith recited in this chapter actually saw the promises made to them come to fruition, but they so believed in them that they lived in the present as if the future were reality.

The word "substance" occurs only two other times in Hebrews. It is used to speak of Christ as the exact representation of God's essence and nature, "Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person [i.e., substance]. . ." (Hebrews 1:3). It is also translated "confidence," "For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end" (Hebrews 3:14), and speaks of a deep assurance. Putting this altogether, our text could then be rendered, "faith is the essence of our assurance of things yet in the future."

The word "evidence" could be translated "conviction," or even "proof." The word implies a logical, air-tight argument. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof [same word as `evidence'], for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (II Timothy 3:16). This sort of evidence is something we know to be true, something about which we have such conviction we act accordingly.

The first half of the verse brings a future truth down into the present; the second half commits our lives to that truth.

[Soldier4Christ]

The Doctrine of the Few


"The Lord did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people" (Deuteronomy 7:7).

Modern people -- even Christians -- tend to measure success in terms of bigness. God's measure, on the other hand, is based on quality, not quantity. There were undoubtedly millions of people on the earth, for example, when the Flood came in the days of Noah, but only "few, that is, eight souls were saved" as the waters lifted up the Ark (I Peter 3:20).

A few centuries after the Flood, populations had again increased, and great nations had developed in Egypt and Sumeria and elsewhere. But God called one man, Abraham, to establish a new nation, and Abraham obeyed. A number of great nations (Arabs, etc.) came from Abraham, but again God chose only one -- Israel, to inherit the promise. Israel did grow, but as our text shows, even this chosen nation was nearly always insignificant compared to other nations.

In Israel's history, many instances are recorded when God used just a few to battle many. God used Gideon's 300 men to defeat 135,000 Midianites (Judges 7:7; 8:10). Similar deliverances occurred in the days of David, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and others.

In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus told His disciples that "where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20). He also said to them: "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32).

God's criterion is that of motivation rather than multiplication. "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:14). But those few will be faithful servants and will someday hear Him say: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant . . . enter thou into the joy of thy Lord" (Matthew 25:21).

[Soldier4Christ]

The Dominion of Sin


"For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14).

The largest slave owner in history is "sin," for multitudes are still enslaved thereby. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are?" (Romans 6:16). Sin is a hard master, its dominion is vast, and its reward is fearful, for "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23), yet many are content to remain in its bondage to any of a thousand varieties of moral slavery.

There is deliverance, however, for those who desire to be set free, because the grace of God can break the dominion of even the most besetting sin. As the psalmist prayed: "Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me" (Psalm 119:133). After his great testimony to the perfections of the "law of the Lord" (Psalm 19:7-11), David could pray in sincere faith: "Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me" (Psalm 19:13).

Liberty from sin's bondage is thus mediated by instructions from God's Word, but the incentive and power to obey it is God's gracious gift through faith in Jesus Christ, who Himself received sin's wages on our behalf. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Christ has broken the power of sin by conquering death itself. "Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him" (Romans 6:9).

Because Christ alone has defeated sin, we are set free in Him alone. "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John 8:36). "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin" (John 8:34), but "Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness" (Romans 6:18).

[Soldier4Christ]

Our Guide Unto Death


"For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death" (Psalm 48:14).

No true believer has been left alone to wander aimlessly through his Christian life without guidance. We have a Guide and we have a map. The Guide is the Holy Spirit and the map is the Word of God. "Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth. . . . for He shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you" (John 16:13-14).

This assures us of being led in the right path. "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye" (Psalm 32:. God's eyes are far better to depend on than our own eyes. Our Lord even warned us about avoiding those whom He called, "blind guides" (Matthew 23:16), "And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch" (Matthew 15:14).

God's guidance can also be depended upon when facing extreme difficulty and hardships. "And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought . . . thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water" (Isaiah 58:11). "Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah . . . from the hand of Sennacherib . . . and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side" (II Chronicles 32:22).

David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, pleaded with God on many an occasion for guidance, but with a great desire that his requests would come from pure motives and not selfish desires. "For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me" (Psalm 31:3). He wanted God to be glorified when the deliverance came.

Since God is for ever and ever, we can be assured of His guidance, not only throughout life, unto death, but on into eternity, and forevermore!

[Soldier4Christ]

The Ages To Come

“That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7).

People may ridicule Christians for believing in “pie in the sky bye and bye,” but the sober truth is that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

Why should we get enamored with the philosophies and projects of this present world, when the Scriptures tell us that “the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God,” and that both the wisdom and “the princes of this world” are going to “come to nought” (I Corinthians 3:19; 2:6).

Anyway, should we not “lay up for (our)selves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Matthew 6:20), instead of foolishly “supposing that gain is godliness” (I Timothy 6:5). Christ “gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world” (Galations 1:4), not to make us more comfortable living in it. In fact, “all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life . . . passeth away: . . . but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (I John 2:16,17).

God has not promised us pie in the sky, but He has promised to show us “the exceeding riches of His grace.” He has assured us that there will be “glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end” (Ephesians 3:21). “And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

Therefore, like Moses, we choose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season,” for we have “respect unto the recompense of the reward” (Hebrews 11:25,26).

[Soldier4Christ]

Labor And Profit

"Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:11).

One of the inequities of human life seems to be that there is no dependable relationship between the diligence with which one labors and the reward he receives for that labor. Some men may work hard all their lives, yet live in poverty; the “idle rich,” on the other hand, may inherit their wealth.

The trouble is that perfect equity can never be achieved in such matters while man’s entire dominion is in bondage to sin and death, under God’s curse (Genesis 3:17–20). As long as one’s goals and motives in working are only “under the sun,” there is bound to be “vanity and vexation of spirit,” no matter what his current economic and social status may be. The accounts are not to be settled in the fallible ledgers kept here on earth, but in God’s books.

“Labor not for the meat which perisheth,” said the Lord, “but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life” (John 6:27). To bondslaves, Paul said, “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).

It is important to remember that, when all accounts are settled at His judgment seat, the “profit” we receive is not based on quantity, but quality, of services rendered. “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it . . . and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is” (I Corinthians 3:13).

Not “how much,” but “what sort!” There is little profit under the sun, but, if we are “abounding in the work of the Lord . . . (our) labor is not in vain in the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:58).

[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!

[Soldier4Christ]

But God

 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)” (Ephesians 2:4,5).

For two one-syllable words, the opening words of this passage speak endless volumes of truth. Before they appear, there is nothing but wrath and death. Then, suddenly, there is rich mercy, and great love, and grace, and salvation, and eternal life! The difference is God!

The world before God intervened was dead in trespasses and sins and completely helpless. Instead of the “universal fatherhood of God,” all men were “children of disobedience” and “children of wrath” (vs.2,3), living “according to the course of this world” and “according to the prince of the power of the air” (that is, the devil) (v.2).

But God! Note that the word does not say “But man.” Salvation is all of God and all of grace. It is God, and God alone who “hath quickened” those who were “dead in sins.” Instead of walking according to the course of this world, He has made us “sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (v.6). It is not humanistic works by which we are saved, but by “the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Jesus Christ” (v.7).

All of this has been made possible by an even greater divine intervention: “And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him, they took Him down from the tree, and laid Him in a sepulchre. But God[!] raised Him from the dead” (Acts 13:29,30). Jesus Christ, who rose victorious over sin and death and Satan, “is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him” (Hebrews 7:25). Because He has done all this, we can enjoy, throughout “the ages to come . . . the exceeding riches of His grace” (Ephesians 2:7).

[Soldier4Christ]

Whom I Serve

“And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith He unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:20,21).

In this episode, Jesus was confronted by a group of Pharisees who stood for theocracy, and another of Herodians who wanted the dynasty of Herod to be re-established in the place of the Roman procuratorship. If Jesus concluded that it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, then the people would be angry; if Jesus sided with the Pharisees, He would be charged with sedition by the Romans. What a predicament!

Jesus’ answer was to render tribute based on ownership. If taxes were based on money, and that system was Roman, then we should obey the constraints of citizenship and pay the tax. On the other hand, whatever is due to God, because of ownership, should be paid to Him.

Interestingly, the marks of ownership were the “image” and the “superscription” of the object under question. The image of God was a special gift of God to man at the creation (Genesis 1:26). We are warned against making graven images of God or of any creature, because there will almost inevitably develop a desire to worship that image as a “god.” The true God is invisible-not body, but spirit.

Regarding titles of ownership, we decide how we shall be labeled. If we have decided to follow Christ, we gain the superscription “Christian.” Paul put it simply when he was in the midst of the storm at sea: “For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve” (Acts 27:23). Even though he was shortly to be imprisoned by Caesar (v.24), and was in no way advocating rebellion against Caesar’s authority, there is no doubt as to where his true allegiance lay.

[Soldier4Christ]

The Witness Of Conscience
“And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst” (John 8:9).

This is the first of 32 occurrences of the word “conscience” in the New Testament. Through this pricking of their consciences, Jesus had prevented a mob from stoning a woman charged with adultery, for through it, the accusers recognized their own unworthiness to judge another.

A conscience can be a reliable guide, however, only if it is a good conscience. The Scriptures, on the other hand, speak of some who have a “weak conscience” (I Corinthians 8:7,10,12), which may become a “defiled conscience” (Titus 1:15) and eventually a “seared conscience” (I Timothy 4:2) or even an “evil conscience” (Hebrews 10:22).

If used properly, however, the conscience is a blessing. God has given us a conscience to help guide us. The question is, what makes a conscience “good?” There are two references in Scripture to a “pure conscience” (I Timothy 3:9; II Timothy 1:3) and six to a “good conscience” (Acts 23:1; I Timothy 1:5,19; Hebrews 13:18; I Peter 3:16,21), but none of these tell how such a conscience is acquired.

The answer to this vital question appears to be found in the Apostle Paul’s testimony before Felix: “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:16). The “exercise” (literally ‘training’) which had produced such a conscience in Paul, he said, was this: “So worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets” (Acts 24:14). A lifelong study of the Scriptures, accompanied by absolute faith in their veracity and authority, had produced in Paul a strong, pure, good, reliable conscience, and it will do the same for us.