A Daily Devotional

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Halloween

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." (1 Timothy 4:1)

Halloween was a corruption of "Hallowed E'en," the evening before "All Saints Day" in which civil disobedience and sinful license were tolerated prior to the forgiveness and penance sought the next day.

Although the level of debauchery and wickedness has waxed and waned over the centuries, nothing "hallowed" has ever been associated with the practice--until more recent times among evangelical churches. Now we promote a "Harvest Festival" or a "Bible Character Dress-up Night"--much of which encourages the practice of costuming and treats as a harmless alternative.

The difficulty is not with the church activities, but with the timing and the association with that which is evil. That obvious connection with a pagan holiday will undermine resolve to "come out from among them, and be ye separate" (2 Corinthians 6:17).

Yes, no doubt that passage warns against an "unequal yoke" in marriage--but its primary focus is on church and individual purity! "What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (2 Corinthians 6:14-15).

As a parent, I know the pain of restricting my children from participating in the "fun" of Halloween. And as a former pastor, I know the pressure to accommodate the majority of church members who see no "harm" in such things. However, our allegiance and our responsibility are to the Lord, not men (Colossians 3:23).

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The President's Heart

"The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will." (Proverbs 21:1)

A river may seem to meander aimlessly, but it eventually reaches its goal. The twists and turns along the way are constrained by a variety of hydraulic and geologic facts that determine its local speed and direction, but somehow it "just keeps rolling along" toward the sea.

So it is with a king--or with a president, or any leader of a state or nation. He may have a goal in mind (honorable or otherwise) for the nation he governs, but there are numerous people and circumstances along the way that will either impede or help his progress toward that goal. In fact, we ourselves--the Christian citizens of this nation--are an integral component of those circumstances.

But the president's heart is in the hands of God. In fact, "the powers that be are ordained of God" (Romans 13:1). Whether the ruler comes into power by election or inheritance or coup d'etat or some other way (depending upon the nation and type of government), God is in control and will accomplish His ultimate goal.

That is why it is vital that we frequently make "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks . . . for all men," especially for "kings, and for all that are in authority" so that we will all be able to "lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

Our American nation has had many great men as our presidents over the years, and many of our ancestors were indeed men and women of prayer. We do have a great heritage in our nation of both leaders and followers who believed in the Creator God of the Bible and who prayed diligently for their country and the great decisions of its history. We must--must--do the same today!

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Blinded Minds

"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)

The "god of this world" is none other than Satan, who is also called "the prince of this world" (John 12:31) and the one "which deceiveth the whole world" (Revelation 12:9). It is sobering to realize that he and his demonic cohorts have the power to blind the minds of unbelievers, preventing them from comprehending even the simplest elements of the saving gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

However, Christ can make the blind to see! In answer to prayer and through the faithful presentation of the Word of truth, "the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know . . ." (Ephesians 1:17-18).

The Lord desires that people come to Christ; therefore, He gives His witnesses weapons that can even vanquish Satan and open the eyes of the spiritually blind. These are the spiritual weapons of truth and righteousness, peace and faith, the Word and prayer (Ephesians 6:11-18). "(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations |literally 'reasonings'|, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought |same word as 'mind'| to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

Even though Satan is far more intelligent and powerful than we, or those we seek to reach, God still enables us to recapture their minds and bring them to Christ, as we proclaim His truth, in His name, by His grace!

[Soldier4Christ]

Diluting the Word of God

"And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." (Revelation 22:19)

It is a very serious error to try to add some new revelation to God’s written Word, as many cults and false religions do. This is the warning of verse 18 (see also Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:6).

It is even more dangerous, as shown in the above text (the third from the last verse of the Bible), to delete (or even dilute) any of the words of the Bible. Note that the warning emphasizes the words, not just the thoughts. The sad fact is that a great many liberal theologians, especially in the past hundred years or so, have been doing just that, thinking thereby to make Christianity more compatible with modern science and philosophy. But they are literally playing with fire--this same book had just warned that any whose names do not remain in the book of life will be "cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15). Tragically, many of the sections they seek to "take away" are the references to hell.

God has promised to guard His word against any such deletions. "The words of the LORD are pure words: . . . Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever" (Psalm 12:6-7).

There are also many who would not try to take away any of the words from the text, but who then dilute their intended meaning in order to attract unbelieving intellectuals. This also is dangerous. Peter warns against those who would "wrest, . . . scriptures, unto their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:16). We must never forget the words of the Bible are "pure words," meaning just what they say. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God |God-breathed|, and is profitable . . ." (2 Timothy 3:16).

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The Powers That Be

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." (Romans 13:1)

This day in our country we will vote for the men and women who will lead us for several years. Their beliefs and philosophies will impact our lives far beyond their specific terms in office. The choice we make is both a rare privilege and an awesome responsibility.

There are three perspectives that would be good for us to review as we prepare to exercise this duty.

First to consider is what this will require of us as subjects of those who are appointed over us. We will be required to:

    • Submit to the laws they enact (1 Peter 2:13).
    • Pay the taxes they require (Romans 13:6).
    • Honor their authority (1 Peter 2:17).
    • Pray for them by name (1 Timothy 2:1-3).
    • Fear them if we do evil (Romans 13:4).

Then, there is the anticipated behavior of what we should expect them to do. They should:

    • Be a terror to evil works (Romans 13:3).
    • Exercise the "sword" of judgment against those who do evil (Romans 13:4).
    • Promote a "quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" (1 Timothy 2:2).
    • Punish evil and praise good (1 Peter 2:14).

Finally, all who ultimately are placed in authority over men are there by God's appointment (our text). Sometimes the most unassuming are raised up (1 Samuel 2: or the evil leader is used to demonstrate God's power (Romans 9:17). We must seek God's will in our choices, but we can be assured that He is in charge (Psalm 11:4).

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Taking His Name in Vain

"Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." (Exodus 20:7)

This is one of the Ten Commandments, of course, and is surely going to cause great consternation one day when men and women finally appear before God. Even Christians, too sensitive to use "God" or "Jesus" in careless or profane speech, often use such euphemisms as "gosh," or "gee," or similar expressions. Almost inadvertently, even conscientious Christians, when angered or pressed emotionally, feel constrained somehow to bring spiritual concepts into their exclamations--"for heaven's sake!", "son-of-a-gun!", etc., as well as other euphemisms such as "darn," "heck," and the like.

All of this, while deplorable, is nevertheless a sort of backhanded acknowledgement that God is real and biblical revelation is true. It is significant that adherents of other religions never take the names of their gods in vain! Who ever heard a Buddhist, or a Muslim, or a Hindu do such a thing? If they want to swear, they also will often inadvertently use the name of the true God, or His Christ, in vain. Even atheists frequently sprinkle their conversations with blasphemous Christian epithets, calling on God (who doesn't exist) to send someone to hell (which doesn't exist). "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision" (Psalm 2:4).

In this day of loose and vulgar speech, Christians need especially to control their own tongues. Jesus said, "But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil |or, perhaps better, 'the evil one'|" (Matthew 5:37). Jesus has warned that "every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment" (Matthew 12:36).

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Peter and the Name of Jesus

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

This is the climactic declaration ending Peter's three great messages in the early chapters of Acts (2:14-36; 3:12-26; 4:8-12). On the previous day, he and John had seen the crippled man healed at the temple gate, saying: "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6). Testifying to the crowd that had assembled following the miracle, Peter said: "His name through faith in his name hath made this man strong" (Acts 3:16).

But what exactly is meant by "His name?" In biblical usage, one's name stands for his character and all that he is and does. In his three messages, Peter actually used many different names and titles to refer to Christ. Note the following partial list: the Lord; Jesus of Nazareth; Thine Holy One; Christ; Jesus Christ; a Prophet; the Stone; the Head of the Corner.

To the multitude on the day of Pentecost, he had exhorted: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). To the Sanhedrin, he said: "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole" (Acts 4:10).

Perhaps the most definitive form of "the name" was prescribed by Peter in the concluding statement of his great sermon on the Day of Pentecost: "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36). Thus, He is the "Lord Jesus Christ."

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Asleep in Jesus

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope." (1 Thessalonians 4:13)

The hope of the Christian is the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the rapture of living believers at His second coming. This is the primary theme of this epistle--especially verses 4:13-5:10. In fact, it is significant that this book, possibly the first of Paul's epistles chronologically, is also the one with the largest number of specific references to Christ's second coming.

If it were not for this hope, we would have no hope for the future. "If in this life only we have hope in Christ," Paul said, "we are of all men most miserable" (1 Corinthians 15:19). When an unbeliever dies, he dies without hope. When a believer dies, he is simply "asleep," as far as his body is concerned. At the same time, his soul and spirit go to be with the Lord until the resurrection day. Perhaps it is analogous to the state of dreaming, when the body is asleep in bed, while the person's consciousness seems to be engaged in varied activities far from where the body is resting.

The Bible uses the term "sleep" to describe death only in the case of Christians--never for non-Christians (see John 11:11; etc.). There is genuine sorrow, of course, when a believer dies, but that sorrow is softened and sublimated by the "blessed hope" of Christ's return (Titus 2:13). "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him" (1 Thessalonians 4:14). The souls of those whose bodies are asleep have gone to be with the Lord, and will return with the Lord when He returns. "The dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (vv. 16-17).

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Twice Dead

"These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots." (Jude 12)

We often speak of people who have been "born again" through faith in Christ as being "twice born" men or women. Jude, however, here speaks of certain people who are "twice dead." Such people already, Jude says, "were before of old ordained |or 'forewritten'| to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness |or 'anarchy'|, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ" (Jude 4).

Apparently there are some people who, even while still living, have already been consigned to hell, and thus are not only "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1, the innate condition of all men until they are born again), but twice dead, already participating in the second death. These are apostate teachers who have known and understood the gospel of the grace of Christ and have even for a time presented an outward appearance of teaching and believing biblical truth--perhaps even believing mentally that they had become disciples of Christ. But then they became apostates, repudiating true creationism and the doctrines of salvation by grace through the saving work of Christ their Creator, even though they had formerly taught these truths. "There remaineth no more sacrifice for sins" (Hebrews 10:26), and they are forever apostate.

This description of such teachers in Jude (vv. 4-19) is a searing condemnation of such deceivers, as well as a sober warning to any who might be tempted to heed their false teachings. Rather, Jude exhorts us to "earnestly contend for the faith" (Jude 3).

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Blessed in Christ

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3)

This little phrase, "in Christ," conveys a world of doctrinal truth with great blessing to the believer. Positionally speaking, God has actually "raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6). God in effect sees us as "in Christ," and this wonderful position, at God's right hand, implies great honor.

It is well to note similar phrases throughout Scripture. Paul assures us that we were "chosen . . . in him before the foundation of the world" (1:4), "accepted in the beloved" (1:6), and "created in Christ Jesus unto good works" (2:10).

He is the one "in whom also we have obtained an inheritance" (1:11), and "in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit" (2:22). We have the glorious future promise that God will "gather together in one all things in Christ" (1:10), "according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places" (1:19-20).

Therefore, in our exalted position in Him, in the heavenly places, we do indeed enjoy "all spiritual blessings." This doctrinal truth provides us with the incentive and power to live a practical Christian life that is genuinely consistent with our high calling and position in Him.

This is the basis of the many New Testament exhortations to the believer to live daily "in Christ." For example, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him" (Colossians 2:6). Therefore, since "ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. . . . For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:1-3).

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The Christian Rest

"There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his." (Hebrews 4:9-10)

This is an important New Testament affirmation that God's work of creation was "finished from the foundation of the world" (Hebrews 4:3). The reference is to Genesis 2:1-3, where the writer has told us that God had "rested from all his work which God created and made," thus completely denying the contention of theistic evolutionists that the processes of "creation" (that is, evolution) are still going on.

In addition, it makes a significant comparison between the believer's rest and God's rest. The word "rest" here is not the usual word for "rest," and is used only this once in the New Testament. It means, literally, "sabbath rest," or "keeping of the Sabbath." In the context of chapters 2 and 3 of Hebrews, the concept of rest is being expounded with several meanings. The original warning was in Psalm 95:11, where it referred both to the Israelites entering into the promised land under Joshua and to God's own rest after His work of creation. Psalm 95 is repeatedly quoted in Hebrews, where other meanings are also implied: the keeping of a weekly Sabbath in commemoration of God's rest after creation; the promised future rest to the world and its believing inhabitants--possibly in the millennium but certainly in the new earth; and the believer's present spiritual rest after he puts his faith in Christ, no longer trusting in his works for salvation.

With such a rich investiture of meaning in the fact of God's past rest and the promise of our future rest, it is appropriate that there should be a perpetual weekly commemoration and expression of faith in that rest in every generation, until its ultimate fulfillment in the eternal rest in the New Jerusalem.

In the meantime, we are urged to "labour" to "enter into that rest" (Hebrews 4:11).

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Wars and Rumors of Wars

"And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet." (Mark 13:7)

Most major cities and our nation's capital have many memorials to honor the veterans and their sacrifices in past wars. Some of those memorials are magnificent, stressing the glory and joy of victories won. Others are somber and heartrending, stressing the pain and sacrifice necessary to gain and hold onto freedom. All seek to honor the people involved, for the cost is and has been enormous.

Yet, Jesus said that "such things must needs be!" Some wars are more observably "necessary" than others, like wars to stop the spread of evil or to bring judgment on evil nations (1 Samuel 15:2-3, etc.).

But all wars have their sources in the wickedness of men (James 4:1). One of the chief responsibilities of national leaders is to wield the "sword" of national power against those who do evil (Romans 13:4).

It is for those reasons that we honor the soldiers who demonstrate strength in the battle as King David and his "mighty men" did (2 Samuel 23:8-22). It is for this reason that we erect monuments to commemorate great victories (Judges 6:24) or signal events in the battles for freedom (Joshua 4:5-7).

War is hideous and touches the lives of all involved. Yet it "must be" until the day when "they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Micah 4:3).

Until that day comes, honor the memory of those who have given their lives and their livelihood to serve in this necessary duty.

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Good, Very Good, and Not Good

"And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." (Genesis 1:31)

Six times during the creation week, God saw His handiwork and pronounced it "good" (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25). Finally, when it was all finished, He surveyed all He had just completed, and judged it all to be very good!

That is the way with God. And if He can make a flawless universe, we can be confident He knows what He is doing with us. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10). What God does must be, by definition, good! We can affirm, therefore, with confidence (even though it must often be by faith rather than sight) that "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

There is, of course, an important scientific principle also established by this verse: Whenever we see anything in the world which is not good (e.g., sin, suffering, death), we can know that such things constitute an intrusion into God's perfect creation. They were not "created" as a part of the primeval creation, nor will God allow them to continue their intrusion forever. They all eventually must be eliminated when God makes His "new earth." In the meantime, this principle tells us that the great sedimentary rocks of the earth's crust, containing as they do the fossilized remains of billions of dead animals, plants, and people, must have all been formed sometime after the end of creation week. At least most of them must therefore have been formed at the time of the great Flood (Genesis 6-9) when "the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished" (2 Peter 3:6).

Because of sin, the present world is groaning in pain (Romans 8:22), but the first world was all "very good."

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When Christ Is Welcome

"Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD." (Psalm 118:26)

This is the climactic verse of Psalm 118, one of the great Messianic psalms. It was fulfilled, at least in a preliminary way, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a small donkey just one week before His resurrection, thereby acknowledging that He was fulfilling Zechariah's prophecy: ". . . behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding . . . upon a colt the foal of an ass" (Zechariah 9:9).

As He rode into the city, many "took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord" (John 12:13). Many Christians even today still commemorate that occasion on what they call Palm Sunday, one week before Easter.

But most of the people--now as well as then--doubted and soon repudiated Him altogether, crying out for Him to be put to death. He knew, of course, that this is what would happen, and He had already said: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, . . . ! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: . . . Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Luke 13:34-35).

The prophecy applied especially to the nation as a whole, but the principle certainly applies also to individuals. When anyone sees in his mind's eye the Lord Jesus coming, if he will welcome Him gladly rather than turn Him away, then Christ will indeed come into his heart, "having salvation" and bringing "joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Peter 1:, and he can say with deep thanks: "Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD."

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Waiting

"Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?" (Mark 13:4)

Within a week of His approaching death, Christ sat down with His disciples to talk of the future. He would be leaving, terrible persecution would come, but He would return. Purposefully no date was given. Their curiosity was no doubt great, but Christ had other charges for them. Instead, Christ focused on other issues, and His instructions apply to us just as surely as to the disciples.

Whether things are going well or not, we must not be misled into a false sense of security. The disciples were looking at the beautiful and serene temple and grounds, but Christ predicted unprecedented destruction. "There shall not be left one stone upon another" (v. 2).

Nor should we allow ourselves to be deceived by false prophets (vv. 5-6). Scripture gives ample information to allow us to identify and shun these "wolves in sheep's clothing." But to our shame, false teachings permeate our churches and television airwaves.

Furthermore, when natural calamities and world turmoil cascade in on us (vv. 7-8), we must not be frozen with fear. These things must come (v. 7). Persecution must come also (vv. 9-12). We must not allow ourselves to be intimidated in our witness or tripped up by bitterness.

Instead, we must "endure" and remain loyal to Him (v. 13). We must be at work to spread the gospel to all nations (v. 10) in spite of the opposition. And, "Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is" (v. 33).

As the events in the Middle East escalate and take on a character which could lead to the sort of conflagration Jesus prophesied, let us commit ourselves to the attitude of heart and life He commanded.