A Daily Devotional

[Soldier4Christ]

Heaven Opened
 
"And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." (John 1:51)
 
In Jacob's dream (Genesis 28:12), angels were ascending and descending on a great ladder between earth and heaven. Christ promised a future reality in which He Himself would be the ladder to the opened heaven.
 
But that was to be "hereafter." Until Christ came to die and rise again, heaven was closed, for nothing unclean could enter there and death had "passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Romans 5:12). Even those who died in faith could only be "comforted" in "Abraham's bosom" deep "in the heart of the earth" (Luke 16:22, 25; Matthew 12:40), because "it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins" (Hebrews 10:4).
 
Then Christ died and rose again "to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Hebrews 9:26). In His spirit, "he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth," and "when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive" (Ephesians 4:8-9), leading all pre-Calvary saints with Him into heaven. Then was fulfilled the wonderful scene predicted in Psalm 24:7: "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in."
 
Since that wonderful day when Christ ascended back to heaven, "to be absent from the body" is "to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). Heaven someday will even receive our resurrected bodies. John prophesied it this way: "I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice . . . said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter" (Revelation 4:1). Heaven thenceforth will be open eternally to all the redeemed. "The gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there" (Revelation 21:25). HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Building-Vine-Body
 
"For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:3)
 
There are three wonderful figures in the New Testament which depict the relationship of the individual believer to all other believers and to Christ Himself. Christians are like little branches in the great vine, which is Christ. They are stones in a great building of which He is the foundation and corner stone. They are all members of the great body of which He is the head. In each case, they have been placed "in Christ," and they derive all life and meaning from Him.
 
As a stone lying alone on the ground is useless and ugly, so would be a professing Christian who is not truly in Christ. But we, "as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house" (1 Peter 2:5) as "the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Ephesians 2:19-22).
 
Similarly, a branch without its vine and roots is lifeless. Jesus said: "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).
 
The members of a body are functionless without the head to direct them. "But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him" (1 Corinthians 12:18), and it is intended that we "may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together . . . maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love" (Ephesians 4:15-16).
 
Outside of Christ, we are useless, and lifeless, and without direction. In Him, we become a beautiful temple, a fruitful vine, and a strong body. HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Holy Goodness
 
"|Barnabus| was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith." (Acts 11:24)
 
The Holy Spirit indwells all believers (1 Corinthians 1:22; 6:19, etc.) and the fruit of the Spirit includes "goodness" (Galatians 5:22) among eight other godly traits. One should therefore expect those empowered by the Spirit (Romans 15:19) to demonstrate holy goodness.
 
How does holy goodness manifest itself in people?
 
• Good people delight in God’s holiness (Psalm 37:23).
• Good people expect God’s blessing (Proverbs 12:2).
• Good people secure their children (Proverbs 13:22).
• Good people are satisfied with life (Proverbs 14:14).
• Good people love wisdom (Matthew 12:35).
• Good people are just people (Luke 23:50).
• Good people are full of faith (Acts 11:24).
 
Our Lord Jesus made it clear that the "fruits" borne by our lives provide the identification of our spiritual status (Matthew 7:20) for all to see.
 
The parables of the "talents" and the "pounds" (Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:11-27) teach two different applications of the same principle.
 
In the one case, the same amount was given to everyone and reward was based on how well each did with their resources.
 
In the other case, different resources were granted to each, and the reward was distributed in proportion to the faithful use of what was initially given.
 
In both cases, the "unfaithful" and "lazy" servant was castigated and his initial wealth confiscated. No man "having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62).
 
Good people are productive people. HMM III

[Soldier4Christ]

Babes in Christ
 
"Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men." (1 Corinthians 14:20)
 
The Christian life is entered by the new birth so that everyone who is genuinely born again must begin as a spiritual babe. "Except ye be converted, and become as little children," said the Lord Jesus, "ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3).
 
Furthermore, they should continue to be as innocent children insofar as "malice" (Greek kakia, literally meaning "wickedness" or "evil") is concerned. This is an attribute which should diminish, not grow, in a believer.
 
The sad truth, however, is that many born-again Christians remain spiritual babes in attributes which should characterize strong men and women of God. Paul equated the term "babes in Christ" with carnality, characterized by "envying, and strife, and divisions" (1 Corinthians 3:1, 3). Paul also speaks of those Christians as "children" who are "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine" (Ephesians 4:14). He urges each one to be "speaking the truth in love," so that we "may grow up into him |Christ| in all things" (Ephesians 4:15).
 
Spiritual growth, of course, can come only through spiritual food and spiritual exercise. "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2). "But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:14).
 
Christians should become mature, both in understanding and in behavior. The last reference to growth in the Bible applies to each Christian: "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

The Deep Sleep
 
"And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof." (Genesis 2:21)
 
This is the first of seven occurrences of the unusual term "deep sleep" (Hebrew tardema) in the Old Testament. In each case it seems to refer to a special state induced by the Lord Himself in order to convey an important revelation to, or through, the person experiencing it.
 
In Adam's case, God made a bride for him during his deep sleep from whose seed would be born all the nations of the earth. "And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man" (v. 22). The covenant God made with Adam and Eve delegated dominion over the earth to their descendants.
 
The second deep sleep was that which "fell upon Abram" (Genesis 15:12) when God passed between the sacrificial animals and established His great covenant with him, promising that from his seed would be born the chosen nation. "And I will make of thee a great nation" (12:2). The Abrahamic covenant also delegated the central land of the earth to Isaac's descendants (15:18-21) and promised that "in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (12:3).
 
But Adam was a type of Christ and Abraham was a type of Christ, and their deep sleeps pre-figured His own deep sleep of death on the cross. There He became the last Adam and the promised seed, dying to give life to His great bride and living again to establish a holy nation of the redeemed, fulfilling all of God's ancient covenants, and instituting the eternal New Covenant in His own blood.
 
When Adam fell into a deep sleep, a bride was born; when Abraham fell into his deep sleep, a nation was born. But when Christ slept deeply in death on the cross and in the tomb, death and hell were judged, and a new world was born. HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Mindful of the Words
 
"That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour." (2 Peter 3:2)
 
There has long been a tendency for certain Bible teachers to water down the doctrine of verbal inspiration by arguing that it is the "thoughts" of Scripture that count--not the precise words. They forget that the transmission of specific thoughts requires precise words. Ambiguous language is bound to produce fuzzy thinking and uncertain response.
 
Thus the apostle Peter, in his last chapter, urged his followers to heed the words written by the Old Testament prophets. And Paul--in his final epistle--stressed that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3:16). That is, all the writings are "God-breathed." The "Scripture," of course, means the writings, the actual words written down--they are "God-inspired," not just the concepts.
 
Similarly John, in his last chapter, warned of the grave danger incurred by anyone who would either "add to" or "take away from," not just the ideas, but "the words of the book of this prophecy" (Revelation 22:18-19). Actually, "he which testifieth these things" was not just John but the glorified Jesus Himself (see Revelation 22:16, 20).
 
In fact, Jesus frequently quoted passages from the Old Testament, sometimes basing His entire thrust on a single word (e.g., John 10:34, 37; arguing on the basis of the word "gods" in Psalm 82:6). In that connection, He stressed that "the scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35), referring to the actual words written by Moses and the prophets.
 
Near the end of His earthly ministry, He made a startling promise: "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away" (Mark 13:31). Thus the actual words of the Bible have come ultimately from God, and we do well to learn them and make them a part of our lives. HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

The Ministry and the Word
 
"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:20)
 
We, as emissaries of God, must be about the business of imploring people to "be reconciled to God," for God "hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ" (v. 18) and has a desire to see many others likewise reconciled.
 
Paul tells us that God "hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation" (v. 18) and "committed unto us the word of reconciliation" (v. 19). What is the difference?
 
In the first case, the word ministry is translated from the Greek word which means service. The right to serve is given to us by God, just as a gift is given. Prior to this passage, we are taught the "ministry" (4:1) which we have is, in reality, a "treasure in earthen vessels" (4:7). We always should remember that God does not need us to do His will, but that in His grace He has chosen to use us in various ways.
 
In the second case, the teaching is different, for it is the magnificent word (Greek logos) being dealt with. Christ is referred to as "the Word" (John 1:1). The "word of God is quick |alive|" (Hebrews 4:12), and through it we are "born again" (1 Peter 1:23). A study of this theme demands that the logos is no less than the eternal Word of God--that aspect of the triune Godhead which communicates directly to man, whether written or incarnate. Here it is the "word of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:19) which is committed to us.
 
The verb "commit" literally means "to place," and implies a deep and important trust, a wholehearted commitment. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down |same verb| his life for his friends" (John 15:13).
 
The Word has been carefully placed in our trust, to guard, believe, and to apply. The privilege of sharing it with others is a rich and gracious gift. JDM

[Soldier4Christ]

The Sun of Righteousness
 
"But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall." (Malachi 4:2)
 
This is the very last of the numerous Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. After this, there were four centuries of silence from heaven, as far as inspired Scriptures were concerned. Thus this prophecy must have special significance.
 
The Messiah ("Christ") is called "the Sun of righteousness" in contrast to "all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly" that "shall burn as an oven" when "the day cometh" (v. 1)--that "great and dreadful day of the LORD" (v. 5), and it "shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts" (v. 1).
 
The "Sun of righteousness" clearly refers to the coming Savior, for He will come "with healing in his wings." The sun does not have wings, of course, so many commentators think this word refers to the rays of the sun, with their lifesustaining energy. However, the Hebrew word means "wings," and nothing else. It is as though the sun is rising rapidly on great wings, dispelling the world's darkness with its light, dispensing healing to its sin-sick soul.
 
The "Sun of righteousness," of course, can be none other than God Himself, for "the LORD God is a sun and shield" who "will give grace and glory" to "them that walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:11). It is the Lord Jesus Christ, the "light of the world" (John 8:12) coming "from heaven with his mighty angels |his 'wings'?|, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God" (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8).
 
But "you that fear my name" in that day "shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, . . . when I make up my jewels" (Malachi 3:17). In the last prophecy of the Old Testament, Christ is the rising Sun; in the last prophecy of the New Testament (Revelation 22:16) He is "the bright and morning star." HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

The Old Rugged Cross
 
"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (Galatians 6:14)
 
As we ponder the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ, a fuller understanding should bring us to an ever-deeper reliance on and identification with Him. To assist us in examining the work of Christ on the cross, let us use the beloved hymn "The Old Rugged Cross." Here we will find its words reflecting a deep and abiding love for Christ and His cross. The next four days we will, in turn, study each of its four verses, but today, note its chorus:
 
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
 
Our text reminds us that there is no worth in any deed of our own, including even a full adherence to the law of Moses (Galatians 6:12-13). Only through the cross and the salvation by grace made possible by the cross do we have any standing before God. We must cherish the cross, and cling to it! Thus, we can say with Paul that this "world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world"--its sinful allurements and the recognition of men of no value.
 
"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8). All our legitimate accomplishments: those true trophies or "|crowns| of rejoicing" (1 Thessalonians 2:19) done in His power and for His glory will be cast before His throne (Revelation 4:10) in recognition of His worth and kingship. His cross made it all possible. So I'll cherish the old rugged cross. JDM

[Soldier4Christ]

On a Hill Far Away
 
"And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha." (John 19:17)
 
The Hebrew word golgotha and the Latin word calvarie actually mean "skull." The Romans had selected a place of execution outside Jerusalem (Hebrews 13:12) but near the city (John 19:20), near a public highway (Matthew 27:39), and easily visible from some distance away (Mark 15:40). This has led many to speculate that it was on a hill, as in the first verse of the well-loved hymn "The Old Rugged Cross."
 
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
 
Truly His cross involved great suffering: "Christ also suffered for us. . . . Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed" (1 Peter 2:21, 24). Likewise, it involved great shame: "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Galatians 3:13). But this suffering and shame was not in vain, for as we see in both passages above, it was on our behalf. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).
 
However, God's dearest and best, indeed God's "only begotten Son" (John 3:16), was slain, not so much for "friends," but for enemies! A world of lost sinners put Him on the cross. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us . . . when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son" (Romans 5:8, 10). So I'll cherish the old rugged cross. JDM

[Soldier4Christ]

Dark Calvary
 
"Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour." (Matthew 27:45)
 
The second verse of the grand old hymn "The Old Rugged Cross" contains much truth, rich and deep.
 
Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
 
The world despises the cross, and the One on the cross. "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not" (Isaiah 53:3). But yet, even in His bloodied and broken form, there is a wondrous attraction, for "surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: . . . he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed" (vv. 4-5).
 
His death substituted for ours. He was the sacrificial "Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). This Lamb is none other than God the Son, who willingly "took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: . . . and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:7-8). Remarkably, even God the Father "despised" Him as He hung on the cross, for God is holy, and for our sakes had "made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). The apex of Christ's suffering came, as we see in our text, when God the Father separated Himself from His beloved Son, "forsaking " (v. 46) Christ to suffer for three hours the awful pangs of hell which we deserved. So I'll cherish the old rugged cross. JDM

[Soldier4Christ]

Stained with Blood So Divine
 
"But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, . . . one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith there came out blood and water." (John 19:33-34)
 
As with many of the great hymns, the verses of "The Old Rugged Cross" tell a story when considered in sequence. The first verse states the general doctrine of the cross; the second speaks of the necessity of the incarnation to accomplish the cross' purpose; the third, quoted below, gives details of the crucifixion and what it accomplished, and the last verse rehearses the results, both now and in the future.
 
In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see;
For t'was on that old cross Jesus suffered and died
To pardon and sanctify me.
 
That old rugged cross was stained with blood, as is obvious from our text. But this blood was special, for "ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold. . . . But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world" (1 Peter 1:18-20).
 
The divine Lamb of God suffered and died on the cross, "in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:14), "that he might sanctify the people with his own blood" (Hebrews 13:12).
 
But the old rugged cross was not the only thing stained that day, for "the blood of Jesus Christ . . . cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). The saints in heaven are portrayed as having "washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:14). "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18). So I'll cherish the old rugged cross. JDM

[Soldier4Christ]

I Will Ever Be True
 
"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)
 
The concluding verse of our song, "The Old Rugged Cross," contains a commitment to follow Christ in this life and looks forward to life with Him in eternity.
 
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true,
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He'll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I'll share.
 
When coupled with the preceding scriptural verse, our text mirrors these thoughts: "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (v. 1). In this life, we have both the victorious examples of many that have gone before (Hebrews 11), and Christ Himself. Both He and they have suffered joyfully, and so can we: "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, . . . But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye" (1 Peter 4:12-14).
 
Once Christ fully "endured the cross," He rose from the dead in victory over death to take His rightful place "at the right hand of the throne of God." He now calls us to be "crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20), "in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins" (Ephesians 1:7). He'll call us some day to Himself, where we shall "sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6), "and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:17). So I'll cherish the old rugged cross. JDM

[Soldier4Christ]

The Stars Also
 
"And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also." (Genesis 1:16)
 
On the fourth day of Creation Week, God made the two lights for day and night, and then--almost like an afterthought--"he made the stars also." Nothing, of course, is an afterthought with God, but this emphasizes the relative importance of these parts of His creation. Whether or not the earth is the geographical center of the universe, earth is the center of God's interest in the universe. This is where He created man and woman in His own image, and where He will reign over His creation in the ages to come.
 
The primary purpose of the stars, as well as the sun and moon, was "to divide the day from the night; and . . . be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And . . . to give light upon the earth" (Genesis 1:14-15). They could not fulfill these functions, of course, if their light could not be seen on the earth, so we can be sure that these heavenly bodies and their light rays were created--like Adam and Eve--"full-grown," in a state of functioning maturity.
 
All that can be known scientifically about the stars must be determined from their light intensity and spectra. (Their distances can be measured geometrically only to about 300 lightyears.) Any other information--any greater distances, size, temperature, etc.--must be derived by inference, based on some theory of stellar evolution.
 
Although the stars all look alike (even through a telescope, they all appear as mere points of light), these calculations have shown that each one is unique, as revealed long ago in Scripture: "one star differeth from another star in glory" (1 Corinthians 15:41). Those who believe can learn more about them in the ages to come, for "they that be wise shall shine . . . as the stars for ever and ever" (Daniel 12:3). HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Power from Grace
 
"And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all." (Acts 4:33)
 
The apostle Peter observed that believers are to be ministering our "gift" to one another as "good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1 Peter 4:10). The words for "gift" and "grace" are very closely related. "Grace" is the most frequent translation for the Greek word charis, and charisma is most often rendered "gift."
 
"The working of his mighty power" (Ephesians 1:19) appears to be "the manifestation of the Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:7) displayed among God's people by means of the gifts that the Holy Spirit has graced us with. Paul's ability to minister was "according to the gift of the grace of God given unto |him, Paul| by the effectual working of his power" (Ephesians 3:7).
 
Thus, when we preach the gospel, we are using "the power of God unto salvation" (Romans 1:16). When our lives radically change in response to the "new man" created in us by God, we do so by "the grace of our Lord" which is "exceeding abundant with faith and love" (1 Timothy 1:14). When we access the strength to rise above our infirmities or difficult circumstances, we experience that the Lord's "grace is sufficient for thee…. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
 
"And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God" (Philippians 1:9-11). HMM III