A Daily Devotional

[Soldier4Christ]

Angels Round About

"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them" (Psalm 34:7).

Since God's angels are normally unseen, we have little appreciation of how intimately they are involved in our lives. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14). As in our text, there may well be a protecting angel embracing and delivering us in times of danger. "For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone" (Psalm 91:11-12).

Angels are sometimes called on to rout the enemies of God and His people. "Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul . . . and let the angel of the Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them" (Psalm 35:4-6).

Angels are intensely interested in the salvation and spiritual growth of believers, "which things the angels desire to look into" (I Peter 1:12). "For we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men" (I Corinthians 4:9). There are even occasions when "some have entertained angels unawares" (Hebrews 13:2).

There is "an innumerable company of angels" (Hebrews 12:22); beings of great power and wisdom (II Kings 19:35; II Samuel 14:20). They are not omnipotent, omnipresent, or omniscient, of course, since they -- like us -- were created by God, simply to obey God. "Bless the Lord, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word" (Psalm 103:20).

Finally, we shall be "carried by the angels" (Luke 16:22) into God's presence. Then we can better understand and thank them for all the many services rendered to us here on earth.

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Angels Round About

"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them" (Psalm 34:7).

Since God's angels are normally unseen, we have little appreciation of how intimately they are involved in our lives. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14). As in our text, there may well be a protecting angel embracing and delivering us in times of danger. "For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone" (Psalm 91:11-12).

Angels are sometimes called on to rout the enemies of God and His people. "Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul . . . and let the angel of the Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them" (Psalm 35:4-6).

Angels are intensely interested in the salvation and spiritual growth of believers, "which things the angels desire to look into" (I Peter 1:12). "For we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men" (I Corinthians 4:9). There are even occasions when "some have entertained angels unawares" (Hebrews 13:2).

There is "an innumerable company of angels" (Hebrews 12:22); beings of great power and wisdom (II Kings 19:35; II Samuel 14:20). They are not omnipotent, omnipresent, or omniscient, of course, since they -- like us -- were created by God, simply to obey God. "Bless the Lord, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word" (Psalm 103:20).

Finally, we shall be "carried by the angels" (Luke 16:22) into God's presence. Then we can better understand and thank them for all the many services rendered to us here on earth.

thank you Pastor Rogers if you only you knew how many times i felt literally the angels of the Lord specially in the explosion and then after that guiding me safely in all physical directions and now where I live, surround me with their protection .wow thank you Jesus for that grace that I have to believe in You God gracious mercy is on me because of You and what you did for me at the cross, march on look up and see with your eyes of faith the Power of Your God.love in Jesus .Def :)three people my friends died in that explosion and the only reason I have survived was to get to know all about The Son Of the Living God Jesus Christ who died for me .Jn,3:16

[Soldier4Christ]

Amen sister. The Lord does protect and guide us.

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Amen sister. The Lord does protect and guide us.

forevermore,thank You Jesus...because I believe....

[Soldier4Christ]

Christ the Creationist

"For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be" (Mark 13:19).

In predicting a future judgment on the unbelieving world, the Lord Jesus referred to "the beginning of the creation which God created," thus affirming the Biblical doctrine of supernatural, sudden creation. In the pagan world of His day, evolutionism was dominant almost everywhere. The Epicureans, for example, were atheistic evolutionists. The Stoics, Gnostics, Platonists, and others, were pantheistic evolutionists. None of the extra-Biblical philosophers of His day believed in a God who had created all things, including even the universe itself.

But Christ was a creationist, and the much maligned "scientific creationists" of today are following His example and teaching. He even believed in recent creation, for He said (speaking of Adam and Eve) that "from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female" (Mark 10:6). The pagans all believed in an eternal cosmos, but Jesus said it had a beginning, and that man and woman were a part of that beginning creation, following which, "The sabbath was made for man" (Mark 2:27).

He also believed that the "two accounts" of creation (Genesis 1 and 2) were complimentary, not contradictory, for He quoted from both in the same context. "Have ye not read," He said, "that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female |Genesis 1|, And said For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? |Genesis 2|" (Matthew 19:4-6).

There may be some Christians who are evolutionists, but there is no such thing as "Christian evolution," for Christ was a creationist!

[Soldier4Christ]

The Raging Seas

"Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them" (Psalm 89:9).

There are few things in nature more fearsome or more uncontrollable by man than a mighty storm at sea. Only the One who created the waters of the sea can really control them. But He can! "For He commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof . . . . He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still" (Psalm 107:25,29).

One of the most striking demonstrations of the deity of Christ was in a storm on the Sea of Galilee when "He arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm" (Luke 8:24). Note also the experience of the mariners sailing to Tarshish when they realized that the storm that was about to destroy them had been sent by the God of heaven because of Jonah. "So they took up Jonah, and cast him into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging" (Jonah 1:15).

The Scriptures also compare opponents of the gospel to a raging sea. "The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt" (Isaiah 57:20). Similarly, Jude says that apostate teachers are like "Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame" (Jude 13).

Christ used this same figure to prophesy the turmoil of the ungodly nations of the world in the last days. "There shall be . . . upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring" (Luke 21:25). But just as God the Creator can calm the raging waves of the ocean, so God our Savior can speak peace to the nations and calm each troubled soul. As our text assures us, He rules the ragings of every sea and stills them when the waves arise.

[Soldier4Christ]

A Credible Lifestyle

"And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey" (Mark 1:6).

At times we tend to think of John the Baptist as a wild man, one who would have been either an offense or a laughingstock to those he was trying to reach, but in reality quite the opposite was true. He was greatly respected and believed; some even wondered if he should have been worshiped as "that prophet" (i.e., the Messiah), or revered as Elijah (John 1:21). His "preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" (Luke 3:3) was so effective that not only the common people (Luke 3:10), but also the publicans (v.12), soldiers (v.14), priests, and Levites (John 1:19), as well as the Pharisees and the Sadducees (Matthew 3:7), came to hear his teaching. Many repented and were baptized.

Far from lacking credibility, John's style was what was expected of a prophet. Indeed his ministry and message were in fulfillment of those of Elijah (Malachi 4:5) who himself "was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins" (II Kings 1:. Even false prophets mimicked this style (Zechariah 13:4) to gain credibility.

The point is, we should strive to package our timeless message of the gospel of Christ in such a way as to gain the greatest hearing and the most true converts. This is not to say that we should dress as John or Elijah did, for that would be bizarre in today's world. Nor should we flaunt riches, for both styles detract from the message and induce ridicule and blasphemy.

Perhaps the principle is to dress and act as the hearers would expect a credible, sober conveyer of truth to behave. Let us be careful to "adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things" (Titus 2:10).

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A Credible Lifestyle

"And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey" (Mark 1:6).

At times we tend to think of John the Baptist as a wild man, one who would have been either an offense or a laughingstock to those he was trying to reach, but in reality quite the opposite was true. He was greatly respected and believed; some even wondered if he should have been worshiped as "that prophet" (i.e., the Messiah), or revered as Elijah (John 1:21). His "preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" (Luke 3:3) was so effective that not only the common people (Luke 3:10), but also the publicans (v.12), soldiers (v.14), priests, and Levites (John 1:19), as well as the Pharisees and the Sadducees (Matthew 3:7), came to hear his teaching. Many repented and were baptized.

Far from lacking credibility, John's style was what was expected of a prophet. Indeed his ministry and message were in fulfillment of those of Elijah (Malachi 4:5) who himself "was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins" (II Kings 1:. Even false prophets mimicked this style (Zechariah 13:4) to gain credibility.

The point is, we should strive to package our timeless message of the gospel of Christ in such a way as to gain the greatest hearing and the most true converts. This is not to say that we should dress as John or Elijah did, for that would be bizarre in today's world. Nor should we flaunt riches, for both styles detract from the message and induce ridicule and blasphemy.

Perhaps the principle is to dress and act as the hearers would expect a credible, sober conveyer of truth to behave. Let us be careful to "adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things" (Titus 2:10).

How about being yourself!

[Soldier4Christ]

How about being yourself!

Being ourselves in Christ. 

[Soldier4Christ]

Tragic Ignorance

"And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes" (Luke 19:41-42).

The Lord had finally acknowledged to the Jewish leaders that He was their promised Messiah, riding into the city on a donkey's colt in fulfillment of prophecy (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:1-7), but they refused to accept Him and prepared to crucify Him. Therefore, Jesus wept over the city, for He knew it would soon be destroyed "because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation" (Luke 19:44).

There are many other cases of such tragic ignorance in the Bible. For example, "Samson . . . wist not that the Lord was departed from him" (Judges 16:20), and it cost him his great strength and finally his life.

The ungodly sinners in the days of Noah "knew not until the flood came, and took them all away" (Matthew 24:39). Of the northern kingdom of Israel, it was said: "Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not" (Hosea 7:9). These "strangers" were the pagan Canaanites who had turned the people away from the true God.

Is not this also a real danger facing many church and para-church organizations of the end times, typified by the church at Laodicea? The Lord says to such churches: "I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" (Revelation 3:16-17).

May God deliver each of us from tragic ignorance of our need before Him. We should pray with the psalmist, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24).

[Soldier4Christ]

The True Gospel

"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel" (Galatians 1:6).

There is only one true gospel (meaning "good news") in Christianity, but there are many false gospels. Various cults have proposed such concepts as the social gospel, the prosperity gospel, the full gospel, and others, but it is dangerous to attach adjectives or other modifiers to the gospel unless these are specifically attached to it in the Scriptures. There are enough of these, however, to emphasize that the true gospel does have many facets. God's "good news" is always about Christ -- His person and work -- but His work is from eternity to eternity, and He is both the mighty God and perfect Man. Therefore, with Paul we can say: "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation" (Romans 1:16).

The gospel is the "everlasting gospel," focusing on Him as the one "that made heaven and earth" (Revelation 14:6-7). It is also the "gospel of the kingdom" (Matthew 4:23), focusing on Him as the coming "King of kings" (Revelation 17:14).

It is the wonderful "gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24), and "the gospel of your salvation" (Ephesians 1:13). Thus it also is the true "gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15), reconciling man to God.

Because Christ is God, this "gospel of Jesus Christ" (Mark 1:1) is surely the one true "gospel of God" (Romans 1:1). This is the gospel which we have been commissioned by Christ to preach "to every creature" (Mark 16:15), so we need no other. And since it is, indeed, "the glorious gospel of the blessed God" (I Timothy 1:11), we should never desire another. It meets every spiritual need for time and eternity.

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Please Pastor Roger here is what Galatians 1,:3-5 says."Grace to you and peace "FROM" God the Father "AND"our ,Lord Jesus Christ,4:Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will Of our  God and Father,5:to whom BE glory forever and ever.Amen..NKJ....Pastor Roger Jesus Christ was on a mission Here on earth under God the Fathers  comand He strips himself in the plan of God  so that God the Father could do the work through Him It was God the Father working miracles in Jesus through Jesus it was God saying to words to Jesus the Gospels are the Words of the almighty God and Father God and Jesus were one on the earth till the garden of Gethsemane and  the cross and then Jesus was on his own to die all by Himself.and then resurrected to return to were he was before in God but not until then On the earth He was on a mission he was carrying God Himself , and  i wont see that triune God till the end of my God and Fathers plan... come Lord Jesus come...God the Father "who is Spirit "walk among men on the earth "through "Jesus the man..until Jesus got his Glorified body back at resurrection and went back as God" of" God the Son Jn1:1 is the truth of course but for us we have to go through the plan first in all respect to the Will of our God and Father.love in Jesus .Def.

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Please Pastor Roger here is what Galatians 1,:3-5 says."Grace to you and peace "FROM" God the Father "AND"our ,Lord Jesus Christ,4:Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will Of our  God and Father,5:to whom BE glory forever and ever.Amen..NKJ....Pastor Roger Jesus Christ was on a mission Here on earth under God the Fathers  comand He strips himself in the plan of God  so that God the Father could do the work through Him It was God the Father working miracles in Jesus through Jesus it was God saying to words to Jesus the Gospels are the Words of the almighty God and Father God and Jesus were one on the earth till the garden of Gethsemane and  the cross and then Jesus was on his own to die all by Himself.and then resurrected to return to were he was before in God but not until then On the earth He was on a mission he was carrying God Himself , and  i wont see that triune God till the end of my God and Fathers plan... come Lord Jesus come...God the Father "who is Spirit "walk among men on the earth "through "Jesus the man..until Jesus got his Glorified body back at resurrection and went back as God" of" God the Son Jn1:1 is the truth of course but for us we have to go through the plan first in all respect to the Will of our God and Father.love in Jesus .Def.

good night Pastor Roger ,,good night every one God is Love in Jesus Christ our Lord peace be with youall.love in Jesus.Def

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Jesus gave Himself freely (0k.OK.so you know that i know.thank you. :)the "plan "was under God comand thats all.. as the Spirit guides us today ..God was guiding Jesus on earth....

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Jesus Christ came that we would" know "the Father. and believe in him that he had sent Himself  that was is work and that he would give his life as the Father plan  for atonement for humanity.to a Righteous God only Jesus could do it .