A Daily Devotional

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The Living Word/The Word of Life

"Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain" (Philippians 2:16).

There is such beautiful correlation between the Living Word (Christ) and the written Word (the Bible) that certain Scriptures could well apply to either one. Such is the case with our text. The Philippians were exhorted to hold forth the Word of life, which presumably could mean either Christ, the Living Word, or else the Scriptures, which speak of eternal life.

The same dual meaning can be discerned in such texts as II Timothy 4:2 ("Preach the word") and Hebrews 4:12 ("The word of God is quick, and powerful"). In fact, there are many beautiful figures of speech that are applied in the Bible to the ministries of both Christ and the Scriptures in a believer's life.

For example, Christ is "the light of the world" (John 8:12), but also, "the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light" (Proverbs 6:23). Similarly Jesus said, "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35), but He also said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" (Luke 4:4).

The Lord Jesus Christ said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink" (John 7:37). God also promised that "as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, . . . So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth" (Isaiah 55:10-11).

Both are described as the very personification of truth. Jesus said, "I am . . . the truth," and He also prayed to the Father: "Thy word is truth" (John 14:6; 17:17). Finally, both must be received: "receive . . . the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21), for "as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God" (John 1:12).

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He Is Able

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

Despite man's arrogant pride, he is utterly unable to save himself or to make himself acceptable to God. Neither is he able to keep himself saved nor, above all, is he able to defeat sin and conquer death.

But God is able! The word "able" (Greek, dunamai) is closely related to the word for "power" (Greek, dunamis), both speaking of God's spiritual dynamics. He is all powerful, His ability is without limit, and His power "works in us"!

Therefore, "He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him" (Hebrews 7:25). Because the gospel of Christ is the "power of God unto salvation" (Romans 1:16), God "is of power to stablish you according to my gospel" (Romans 16:25).

Even when great troubles and sorrows and temptations come, He is able. "For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted" (Hebrews 2:18). He "is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24).

In fact, He is able to meet every need of our lives and even to use us in His service. "God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (II Cor-inthians 9:.

Finally, "He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day" (II Timothy 1:12). That day will surely come, but then He will give us bodies of glory, for "He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself" (Philippians 3:21).

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Think on These Things

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Philippians 4:.

It is nearly impossible these days to turn on the TV, go shopping, go out to eat, read a newspaper, go online, etc., without our minds being cluttered and our thinking infiltrated by all sorts of improper thoughts. In our text, Paul gives us guidelines for our thinking. Let us investigate them.

True -- or genuine, honest, and sincere. We should concentrate on honesty in all our dealings, for, "God is true" (John 3:33), and Christ said, "my record is true" (John 8:14).

Honest -- or better, honorable toward all. Strive to "lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" (I Timothy 2:2).

Just -- or equitable. "Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal" (Colossians 4:1).

Pure -- without spot or stain. "Neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure" (I Timothy 5:22).

Lovely -- literally, "towards love," i.e., those things which demonstrate love or a response of love. This word only appears here, in the New Testament.

Of good report -- that which elicits praise.

Virtue -- a standard of righteousness. He "hath called us to glory and virtue" (II Peter 1:3).

Praise -- our speech should be to "the praise of them that do well" (I Peter 2:14).

Surely our lifestyle and thought patterns need adjusting as noted above, particularly when the verb tense in the command, "think on these things," implies a life-long habit -- a continuous way of doing things.

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Did He Really Die?

"And Pilate marvelled if He were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether He had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph" (Mark 15:44-45).

The absolute and total physical death of Christ is essential to the gospel. Certain liberals and detractors have for years tried to obscure or deny this vital teaching, claiming that Christ merely "swooned" on the cross and later revived in the tomb, then appeared to His followers who falsely claimed His resurrection.

But to the Christian, the death of Christ is not an option. The Bible teaches that sin had separated each man from God, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God," being declared righteous only "through faith in His blood" (Romans 3:23,25) which was shed on the cross. "Without shedding of blood is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22) of sin. There can be no Christianity without the real death of the real, sinless, Son of God.

It seems that the gospel writers, in recounting the events of the crucifixion, go to great lengths to make sure no one misunderstands. In Mark 15, for example, nearly 20 people are mentioned who no doubt would testify to His death. Consider the likely testimony of the Roman guards who had tortured Him to the point of death (vv.15-23), nailed Him on the cross (v.24), and watched Him die. The executioner (v.25) and the centurion (vv.39,44,45) were trained in killing. They knew how to recognize death. The thieves (v.27), the mocking passers-by (v.29), the chief priests and scribes (v.31), the grave keepers (v.46), all would have had no doubt. Pilate was convinced (vv.44-45) as were His many friends who watched (vv.40,41,47).

There can be no doubt Christ surely died, and He died "to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).

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The Urgency of Christ's Work

"I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work" (John 9:4).

It is striking how often the Lord Jesus used the term "must" in connection with the different aspects of the work He came to do. Since He is our example, we also must be serious and urgent about our Father's work. Even as a boy in the temple He told His parents, "I must be about my Father's business" (Luke 2:49).

Then early in His ministry, as He went from place to place, He said: "I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent" (Luke 4:43). Toward the end of His earthly ministry, He said one day: "I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem" (Luke 13:33). He also said to His disciples that "He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day" (Matthew 16:21).

He had told the great teacher of Israel, Nicodemus: "Ye must be born again." To explain how this could be, He then said: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:7,14,15). Before we could ever be born again to everlasting life, therefore, Christ must be lifted up on the cross to die for our sins.

Still, all "the scriptures must be fulfilled" (Mark 14:49), and accordingly, "He must rise again from the dead" (John 20:9). Yet, even this did not fully complete "the works of Him that sent me," for Christ had said that "the gospel must first be published among all nations" (Mark 13:10). Therefore, we also must work the works of Him who sent us, before our days of opportunity are gone.

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Singing Garments of Life

"The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing" (Psalm 65:13).

This is the concluding verse of the beautiful 65th Psalm, climaxing a remarkable series of testimonies about God's providential care of His creation. In this final figure, the lands are pictured as clothed in beautiful, living garments -- garments which shout and sing in joyful praise to their Maker.

The figure would be better appreciated in Biblical times, or in certain lands (e.g., New Zealand) today where flocks of sheep are so abundant that they literally seem to cover the pasture lands in wool. The flocks first provide a metaphorical garment for the pastures, then literal clothing for men and women. Similarly, the fertile valleys are everywhere arrayed in golden grain, which later provides food for both the animals and human beings.

And "the sounds of the earth are like music," as the song so eloquently expresses it. For those with ears to hear and eyes to see, praise is everywhere being offered up to our great Creator and faithful Sustainer, by the very creation itself.

Jesus also spoke of the beautiful garments of creation: "And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" (Matthew 6:28-30).

The verse following our text, therefore, appropriately exhorts: "Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: . . . All the earth shall worship thee" (Psalm 66:1,4).

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Living in Christ

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21).

Our daily lives involve many activities -- walking, talking, working, resting -- and all are joyfully transformed and energized as we do them in the name and in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. Like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, when "Jesus Himself drew near, and went with them," we can testify: "Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way?" (Luke 24:15,32).

Or, like Andrew and another disciple (probably John) who "abode with Him that day," and then soon desired to bring others to Him (John 1:39-42), our love for the Lord and concern for others grows as we abide with Him. With Mary of Bethany who "sat at Jesus' feet, and heard His word" (Luke 10:39), we can listen to Him by the Holy Spirit through the inspired Word of God, and thus choose with her "that good part."

We can even say with Paul, "I am crucified with Christ," but nevertheless "alive unto God through Jesus Christ" (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:11), if indeed we resolve by His enabling "that henceforth we should not serve sin" (Romans 6:6).

Finally, like all the early disciples and those of every generation who "love His appearing" (II Timothy 4:, as we live daily in Him, walking and talking with Him, we can "look for Him" (Hebrews 9:28), knowing that one day we shall "meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (I Thessalonians 4:17). Even if we die before He returns, "to die is gain," for "whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him" (I Thessalonians 5:10). "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:1-2).

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Forget Not His Commandments

"My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments" (Proverbs 3:1).

It is vitally important that, even though we are saved by grace and not by the works of the law, we never forget that God's law is essentially a statement of God's holiness. We should desire to know and follow God's commandments simply because they are "holy, and just, and good" (Romans 7:12), not because we seek salvation through them.

It is noteworthy that the anonymous writer of the longest chapter in the Bible (Psalm 119), in which practically every verse refers to the Scriptures, stressed seven times that he would never forget the laws and commandments of his Lord. May the Lord teach us to share the same determination. Note:

"I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word" (v.16).

"For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes" (v.83).

"I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me" (v.93).

"My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law" (v.109).

"I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts" (v.141).

"Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law" (v.153).

"I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments" (v.176).

This seventh reference is actually the closing verse of this remarkable 119th Psalm. It beautifully points up the urgency of not forgetting the commandments of God. He will seek us when we stray and bring us back home to Him, for we remember and love His law.

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Get Your Mind Ready

"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (I Peter 1:13).

We have been born again (I Peter 1:3), Peter tells us, to an incorruptible inheritance in heaven (v.4), which is secure (v.5) even though the intervening time is difficult (vv.6-7). Such a salvation as we have is both mysterious and hard to understand, pondered by both the saints of old (v.10) and angels (v.12). Yet we have it with more complete understanding and fulfillment than even the prophets ever dreamed possible.

Our rightful response to this knowledge and experience is given in our text. We are to "gird up the loins of |our| mind." Just as the flowing robes worn by the men of New Testament times had to be bundled up and tied at the waist to allow for rapid, unencumbered movement, so the Christian is expected to be ready to be on the move, to discipline his or her mind by the renouncing of all sinful and/or confining habits and attitudes.

To do so we must "be sober," be clear-headed, calm, and in control. We must "hope to the end," or more explicitly, "hope to the utmost degree" in our ultimate glorification at the return of Christ. The construction of "hope" implies a command to "fix our hope" on Him, a sure hope, not a wishful hope. This is the "grace that is brought |present tense| to the believer."

Furthermore, we must renounce "the former lusts in |our| ignorance" (v.14), being "obedient children" of our Father.

It is not enough simply to eliminate sinful patterns from our lives. "But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy" (v.15).

A mind that is disciplined and purified is ready for action and victory.

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Be Diligent

"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge" (II Peter 1:5).

The importance of diligence is urged by Peter as basic in the development of the seven other virtues listed by him -- that is, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity -- as vital additions to our faith. Diligence is seldom considered as a particular Christian attribute, but it is essential if we really desire to develop the other Christian virtues in our lives. They do not come by wishing or hoping. Peter also exhorts us to "give diligence to make your calling and election sure" (v.10), and then to "be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless" (3:14).

Essentially the same Greek word is also translated "study" and "labor" and "endeavor." Paul commands: "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (II Timothy 2:15). He beseeches us always to be "Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3). We are even told to "labor therefore to enter into that rest" (Hebrews 4:11).

There are many other such exhortations in which Christian diligence is urged or shown in reference to other Christian virtues. There is one key verse, however, in which diligence itself is commanded as a Christian duty: "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11). Here the word "business" is the same as "diligence." That is, each Christian is commanded to "be diligent in diligence!"

Christian salvation is received solely by grace through faith. The Christian life, however, demands diligence. Can we not, as our text commands, give all diligence in our service to the Lord who gave His life for us?

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Mt. Ararat and the Resurrection

"And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat" (Genesis 8:4).

The story of Noah's preservation through the awful Flood has been recognized by all Bible students as a beautiful picture of the resurrection. It is, of course, a true story which actually happened the way the Bible describes, but is also a beautiful analogy.

The Flood was sent as a judgment upon the sinful world of Noah's day (Genesis 6:5-7,11-13,17). The "wages of sin" (Romans 6:23) has always been death. But God provided a way of salvation (i.e., the Ark which Noah built) to those eight souls who believed Noah and his family (Genesis 6:8-9,14-16,18-22).

Although the analogy is not perfect, it does beautifully illustrate the fact that the punishment for sin is still death, and that God has provided a perfect way of salvation to those who believe in His Son Jesus Christ and in His death on the cross.

In that light, it is interesting to note the date in our text, which has great significance. The calendar was changed by God at the time of the Passover, another beautiful prefigure of Christ's work. The seventh month became the first month (Exodus 12:2), and the Passover was to be observed on the fourteenth day of that month (v.6) each year following. "Christ our passover" (I Corinthians 5:7) was sacrificed for us on that day (John 19:14) and rose again the third day, the seventeenth day of the first (formerly the seventh) month.

This was the anniversary of the landing of Noah's Ark on the mountains of Ararat, providing its inhabitants new life following judgment of the world and its destruction because of sin. What a blessed picture of our new resurrection life based on Christ's death for our sins.

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Faint Not

"For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds" (Hebrews 12:3).

The Christian life and ministry can grow wearisome and hard at times, but with Christ Himself as our example, the Lord admonishes us not to faint, but always to press on.

If our prayers seem to go unanswered, He reminds us that "men ought always to pray, and not to faint" (Luke 18:1). When we grow tired and are tempted to quit, the Scriptures assure us that "in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Galatians 6:9).

When God has entrusted us with a certain ministry, we need to learn to say, as with Paul: "Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not" (II Corinthians 4:1). As we see God's mercy-drops of blessing begin to fall, we then can say, as he did: "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day" (II Corinthians 4:16). We can even encourage others to faint not, as He did: "Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory" (Ephesians 3:13).

The same Greek word is translated "weary" in II Thessalonians 3:13: "Be not weary in well doing." Finally, even when God has to rebuke us, we must learn to take it patiently. "Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him" (Hebrews 12:5).

But with all these strong exhortations to faint not, we also need to know just how we can obtain the needed strength to keep on keeping on. The answer is in God's great counsel to Isaiah: "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).

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Blessed Is He

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity" (Psalm 32:1-2).

What true believer is there who is not eternally thankful for the truths found in our text? Sins of omission, sins of commission, sins of deliberate action, sins of the heart, youthful sins, covert sins, "big" sins, "little" sins, etc. What a thrill to know that the penalty for our sins has been paid in full, if we but accept His free gift. What rejoicing and freedom forgiveness brings.

Note that there are three different expressions for wrongdoing in our text -- transgression, sin, and iniquity. The differences in these words are not insignificant, but precise differentiation is beyond the scope of this discussion. Suffice it to say that they can be understood to mean the whole gamut of sinful activity.

Likewise there are three separate aspects of God's forgiving grace mentioned, "forgiven . . . covered . . . not imputed." In every way possible our sin is removed from us, and no more payment is necessary.

However, God's forgiveness must be conditioned on the individual's action. A lack of action results in the bearing of the sin, the guilt, and the consequences, again specified in a three-fold manner. "My bones waxed old . . . my roaring . . . thy hand was heavy upon me" (vv.3-4).

In keeping with the pattern of the psalm, three such actions are mentioned. "I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord" (v.5). The result? "And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin."

Because of all this, we should have a three-fold response: "Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart" (v.11).

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Without Natural Affection

"Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful" (Romans 1:31).

This phrase "without natural affection" is the translation of one Greek word, astergeo. It was a characteristic of many pagans of the ancient world. Significantly, it is also prophesied to be a characteristic of the humanistic pagans of the end-times. "In the last days . . . men shall be . . . without natural affection" (II Timothy 3:1-3). These are the only two occurrences of this word in the New Testament.

The word stergeo ("natural affection") is one of four Greek words for "love," but it is never used at all in the New Testament. It refers to the natural love that members of the same family have for each other. It is such a common characteristic of all peoples that there was apparently no occasion to refer to it at all -- except when it is not present, when people lose their instinctive love for their own parents and children, and thus are "without natural affection." One thinks of the widespread abortionism of these last days, as well as the modern breakdown of the family in general.

Another Greek word for "love" is eros, referring to romantic love, or passion. Like stergeo, eros also is never used in the New Testament. The other two words, however, are used frequently. Phileo, referring to "brotherly love," occurs over thirty times. It indicates fondness, based on a community of interest with the person or persons so "loved."

The fourth "love" word, of course, is agape, which is used over 300 times. This is the type of love called out of one's heart by the preciousness of the object loved, the love that impels one to sacrifice his own interests for the benefit of the person loved. This is the love of Christ, who "loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). And this is the love generated by the Holy Spirit in the believer for "the fruit of the Spirit is love . . ." (Galatians 5:22).

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A New Name

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it" (Revelation 2:17).

This intriguing promise is one of seven promises in Christ's letters to seven representative churches -- promises made "To him that overcometh." Although there are various opinions as to who constitute these overcomers, I John 5:4 would indicate that "whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."

On this assumption, all who have been truly born again through faith in Christ will someday be given a new name by their Lord. No one will know what his new name will be until he receives it, and even then it may remain unknown to everyone else.

It would be reasonable to assume, however, that each new name will reflect the Lord's evaluation of the character and service of the one who receives it. We have the primitive examples of Abram, Sarai, and Jacob being given new names by God, perhaps to serve as types of this coming investiture. Abram became "Abraham" (meaning "Father of Multitudes"), Sarai became "Sarah" (meaning "Princess"), and Jacob became "Israel" (meaning "Prevailing Prince with God"). See Genesis 17:5,15; 32:28.

Whatever each of our new names will turn out to be, our Savior will also know them, of course, and this will perhaps be how we will be addressed by Him from then on in the new earth. This should be a great incentive to godly living and faithful service here on this present earth, for we surely desire to receive a good name there from our Lord on the future earth.