A Daily Devotional

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The Father of Glory

"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).

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Follow Me

"And He saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him" (Matthew 4:19-20).

It was not unusual for a man with a political cause or message to develop a following in the Israel of Jesus' day (see Acts 5:35-37, for example). It was even common for a Jew to follow a religious "master," calling him Rabbi and becoming his disciple.

But what made the disciples leave the lives they knew and follow Christ? Perhaps they hoped He would lead a successful rebellion against Rome, but He had done nothing to make them think so. Nor had He promised them a life of luxury and ease, but rather hardship and hard work in their new occupation as "fishers of men."

However, John the Baptist had prepared the way for the Lord. He had trained at least most, possibly all, of the men who would eventually become Jesus' disciples. "John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as He walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus" (John 1:35-37). Training by John even became a requirement for a potential replacement for Judas (Acts 1:20-22).

But a credible witness in John was not their only reason to follow, for they had a great body of compelling evidence. For example, Luke records in Peter's case, Christ had already gained local recognition (Luke 4:14-15). Jesus had been to Peter's house for dinner where his mother-in-law had been healed (4:38-39). Christ had used his boat for teaching (5:3) and had miraculously directed them to an overwhelming catch of fish (5:6). In response, Peter and his partners "forsook all, and followed Him" (5:11).

We have a much surer testimony and much more evidence. Should we not do likewise?

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The Resurrection and the Believer
January 24, 2007

"And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence" (Colossians 1:18).

The resurrection of Christ is no less crucial to the gospel than the death of Christ. If He did not rise from the dead, then we who believe in Him "are of all men most miserable" (I Corinthians 15:19).

Christ's resurrection assures us, first of all, of our justification. Speaking of Abraham's faith and the imputation of God's righteousness to him, Paul writes: "For us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:24-25).

God imparts to us the power to serve Him effectively through the resurrection, "that |we| may know . . . what is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead" (Ephesians 1:18-20). As the passage continues, Paul declares that through the resurrection Christ is now "the head over all things to the church, Which is His body" (vv.22-23 and also in our text).

In His resurrected and glorified state, Christ continues His ministry to us. "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens. . . . Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:14,16).

Finally, Christ's resurrection assures us that we too will one day be resurrected, if we should die before He returns. "He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus" (II Corinthians 4:14).

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Arrows in the Hand

"As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth" (Psalm 127:4).

This is the central verse in the 101 verses contained in a remarkable group of fifteen psalms called "The songs of degrees" (Psalms 120-134). The central verse in the central psalm of this group is the preceding verse: "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is His reward" (Psalm 127:3). The origin of these psalms and this peculiar superscript has always been uncertain. Four are said to be by David, one by Solomon; the other ten are anonymous.

A reasonable supposition, however, is that they were composed by King Hezekiah, after he had been miraculously healed of a lethal illness. "I will add unto thy days fifteen years," God had said, and gave Hezekiah a miraculous sign as confirmation, causing the shadow on the sun dial of Ahaz to go "backward ten degrees" (II Kings 20:6,10). In thanksgiving thereof, the king proclaimed, "Therefore we will sing my songs . . . all the days of our life in the house of the Lord" (Isaiah 38:20).

It is significant that the word for "degrees" is the same in both cases. It apparently means "steps" or "ascents." The shadow miraculously ascended ten steps back up the sun dial after it had gone down, and Hezekiah's life was miraculously extended 15 years. Perhaps, therefore, "my songs" mean the ten songs the king composed in commemoration of the ten degrees. He then added five songs of David to round out the total to 15, corresponding to his added "days of our life." And right at the center was his great testimony to the blessing of children. He was childless at the time, but he had a son three years later (II Chronicles 33:1) by whom He was able to continue the Messianic line promised to David through Solomon.

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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).

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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).

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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).

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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).

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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).

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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).

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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).

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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).

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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.

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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!

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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).