A Daily Devotional

[Soldier4Christ]

Enough for Me
 
"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past." (Romans 3:24-25)
 
Jesus has done all that is necessary to bring us into right standing with a holy God, if we but believe and accept His free gift of salvation. Jesus saves! It is enough! "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7). The second verse of the hymn "My Faith Has Found a Resting Place" further explains this:

         
        Enough for me that Jesus saves, This ends my fear and doubt;
        A sinful soul I come to Him, He’ll never cast me out.
        I need no other argument, I need no other plea,
        It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me.

 
Jesus, who loved us, said, "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). There is no fear here, for "there is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear" (1 John 4:18). Nor should there be any doubt in Him or His intentions, "in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him" (Ephesians 3:12). Furthermore, "being confident . . . that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).
 
The chorus of the hymn likewise presents a thrilling truth. It paints a picture of a courtroom and the interrogation of a defendant. When asked why one should be forgiven, granted eternal life and entrance into heaven, the argument or legal defense can be given that Jesus has died, and that is enough. No other legal defense or answer need be given. The plea has already been entered, and the court’s findings are guaranteed, "justified freely by his grace." JDM

[Soldier4Christ]

Leaning on the Word
 
"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. . . . These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (1 John 5:11, 13)
 
Our salvation does not find its basis in an emotional experience of the heart, although our emotional tendencies are God-given and not to be denied. Indeed, the salvation experience may be sweet and memorable, but all sorts of religions, non-religions, and cults have emotional experiences, like the Mormon's "burning of the bosom." But experiences alone are subjective and easy to be misinterpreted. Our faith should be a faith from the heart, and it should be founded on the written Word of God. The third verse of our hymn, "My Faith Has Found a Resting Place," presents this timeless truth.

         
        My heart is leaning on the Word, the written Word of God,
        Salvation by my Savior's name, Salvation thru' His blood.
        I need no other argument, I need no other plea,
        It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me.

 
The Bible, God's holy Word, is a book about Jesus and how God, through Jesus, deals with man. Much more could have been written: "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name" (John 20:31). "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). We were redeemed "with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:19).
 
And this is sufficient! Nothing else needs to be done or said or paid! Christ's blood is enough! His word tells us so. JDM

[Soldier4Christ]

I Need No Other Argument
 
"Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:13-14)
 
Each of the four verses of the majestic hymn "My Faith Has Found a Resting Place" repeats the theme that Christ’s blood was shed on our behalf, and it is enough. Nothing else remains to be done. The final verse adds perspective to the other three:

         
        My great Physician heals the sick, The lost He came to save;
        For me His precious blood He shed, For me His life He gave.
        I need no other argument, I need no other plea,
        It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me.

 
Christ was certainly "the great physician," for He "went about all Galilee, . . . healing all manner of sickness" (Matthew 4:23). But His ministry was not only to the physically ill, for as He said, God "hast sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives" (Luke 4:18). His mission was a deeper one, that of healing the sin-sickness of the soul. "They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mark 2:17). "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).
 
As we read in our text, "we have redemption through His blood," and through His blood alone. As a result, we have "forgiveness of sins," we are "delivered from the power of darkness," and we are given a home in "the kingdom of his dear Son."
 
And there we will join in singing "a new song, saying, Thou art worthy . . . for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation" (Revelation 5:9). He has done it all, and He has done it "for me!" JDM

[Soldier4Christ]

The Sleeper
 
"Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." (Ephesians 5:14)
 
The message in our text provides an attention-getting warning to those who claim to be Christians but indulge in or even allow the evil practices of Ephesians 5:3-7. A Christian does not, and indeed cannot, live a life of fornication, or uncleanness, or covetousness, or filthiness, or foolish talking, or jesting (vv. 3-4), for no such person "hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God . . . for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience" (vv. 5-6). Those who practice such things are "fools" (v. 15).
 
While we as Christians must always be willing to bring the saving message of God’s grace to the sinner, we must not be "partakers with them" (v. 7) in their sins and indeed must "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness" (v. 11). Instead, we must "reprove them" (v. 11), pointing out the consequences of their actions and focusing their attention on Christ, who "hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour" (v. 2) in payment of their penalty. All that must be done is to accept this forgiveness. In doing so, we who are "light in the Lord" (v. 8) will shed light in their darkness, for "all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light" (v. 13).
 
As children of the light (v. 8), our lives must exhibit the "fruit of the Spirit . . . goodness and righteousness and truth" (v. 9). We must prove "what is acceptable unto the Lord" (v. 10), "walk circumspectly, . . . wise" (v. 15), "redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (v. 16). The sleeper in our text, whether he be an unbeliever or a professing Christian, is "asleep"--locked in moral insensibility. "Awake, Sleeper!" Paul would say, "and accept the Godgiven remedy for your plight!" JDM

[Soldier4Christ]

Those Who Pass By
November 21, 2010
 
"Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger." (Lamentations 1:12)
 
This heartbroken lament, uttered by Jeremiah, the "weeping prophet," personifies the devastated city of Jerusalem after the Babylonian invasion. She who had been "beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, . . . the city of the great King" (Psalm 48:2), now lay in ruins, and neither the triumphant armies who had ravished her nor the careless peoples living around her cared at all that this was the city of God being chastised for her unfaithfulness.
 
Many Christians have, at times, felt alone and confused, longing for someone who would care, saying with the psalmist: "There was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul" (Psalm 142:4). But no one has ever been so alone or has suffered so intensely and so unjustly as the one who was the very "man of sorrows" (Isaiah 53:3). He was "smitten of God, and afflicted" in the day of God’s fierce anger, for "the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:4, 6).
 
Just as there were those who passed by suffering Jerusalem, some gloating and others unconcerned, so there were those who passed by and viewed the suffering Savior as He hung on the cross. "And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads" (Matthew 27:39).
 
There are multitudes who still pass Him by today. Some revile Him; many ignore Him, altogether uncaring that He loved them and even died to save them. Soon, however, "every eye shall see him, . . . and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him" (Revelation 1:7). Their indifference will be turned quickly into mourning in that day. "Is it nothing to you?" the Lord would ask. HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

His Age-Long Imminent Coming
 

"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." (Romans 13:11)

The apostle Paul wrote these words over 1,900 years ago, and yet Christ still has not returned. The early Christians were looking for Christ's return in their own day, and so have many believers in every generation since, yet we still wait.

This attitude of age-long watchful expectancy is both scriptural and salutary, for Jesus said: "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh" (Matthew 25:13). In fact it is impossible to correctly predict the date of His coming, for He clearly said: "In such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh" (Matthew 24:44).

In his first epistle, Paul reminded the believers how they had "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven" (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10). Years later he exhorted Timothy to "love his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8). He had written Titus that each Christian should be "looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). To the Corinthians he said: "We shall not all sleep,  but we shall all be changed" when Christ returns (1 Corinthians 15:51), indicating he thought it possible that he himself might witness Christ's return. "We which are alive and remain shall be caught up . . . to meet the Lord in the air," he had also said (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

There are many other such references, so it is clear that the early Christians were indeed watching for Christ, as He had commanded. We must not set dates, and we must "occupy till |He| come|s|" (Luke 19:13), but we also must continue to watch, "for yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry" (Hebrews 10:37). HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Matthew the Publican
 
"And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him." (Matthew 9:9)
 
Matthew was chosen to be the inspired author of the longest record we have of the life of Christ, yet he says little about himself. Almost everything we know about him--from the Scriptures at least--is found in this one verse.
 
As a publican, or tax collector, he would normally be greatly disliked by other Jews (note Matthew 9:11), yet Jesus chose him as a disciple. Matthew responded immediately to what seemed almost an off-handed invitation from Jesus, and his whole subsequent life was changed.
 
Matthew reports a similar response by Peter and Andrew. When Christ told them to follow Him, "they straightway left their nets, and followed him." Similarly, when He called James and John, "they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him" (Matthew 4:20, 22).
 
But there is more to this than meets the eye. John and Andrew had first been disciples of John the Baptist, who had directed them to follow Jesus (John 1:35-37, 40). Probably this was true of the rest of the disciples too. When the eleven had to select a man to take the place of Judas, the criterion was that he must be one who had "companied with us all the time. . . . Beginning from the baptism of John" (Acts 1:21-22).
 
Evidently all the disciples had been baptized and prepared by John, who had himself been called "to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17). Matthew’s remarkable call, like that of the others, must have been preceded by an unrecorded history of his own personal repentance and faith. He must have come to John as one of the "publicans to be baptized" (Luke 3:12) and thereby been gladly ready to go when Christ called him. HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Coming or Given?
 
"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37)
 
This promise of the Lord Jesus illustrates the beautiful yet paradoxical complementarity of the gospel. The Lord Jesus gladly receives all who voluntarily come to Him. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," He says (Matthew 11:28). Yet those who come to Him do so because they have been given to Him by the Father.
 
Is this a contradiction? No, because both statements come from Christ. There are many Scriptures which teach that believers have been chosen by God, then drawn to Christ. On the other hand, there are many Scriptures which teach that one may freely accept or reject Christ and is responsible for his own decision. Yet the Scriptures themselves seem unaware that they pose a problem. For example, Peter preached on Pentecost, saying, "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain." And again, "the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord . . . to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before |i.e., 'predestinated'| to be done" (Acts 2:23; 4:26, 28). In these passages,  divine predestination is joined with human decisions without a hint that these concepts conflict with each other. Once again, God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts.
 
Like the two sides of a coin, only one of which can be seen at a time, they are complementary truths, harmonious in the mind of God, but incapable of full comprehension by human minds. We can praise the Lord both for free salvation available to all who desire it and also for the comforting assurance that those who come have been "chosen . . . in him" (Ephesians 1:4) before the world began. HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

The Pilgrims
 
"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia." (1 Peter 1:1)
 
These "strangers" to whom Peter wrote his two epistles were actually "pilgrims." He used the same Greek word (parepidemos) in 1 Peter 2:11: "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts." The word means a resident foreigner, and its only other New Testament usage is in Hebrews 11:13, speaking of the ancient patriarchs who "confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
 
We give honor today to the American "pilgrims," as they called themselves (thinking of these very verses), who left their homelands in order better to serve God in a foreign land. The "pilgrims" to whom Peter was writing likewise had been "scattered abroad" for their faith (note Acts 8:4).
 
For that matter, every born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is really just a pilgrim here on earth, ambassadors for Christ in a foreign land. "For our conversation is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20). That is, we are citizens of heaven (the Greek word translated "conversation" in this verse is politeuma, meaning "a community" or "citizenship"), and are here only for a time to serve our Lord until He calls us home.
 
And while we are here, we may endure many trials and sorrows just as did those Massachusetts pilgrims. But He nevertheless supplies our needs--just as He did for them--and we ought to abound in thanksgiving, as they did.
 
Thus, Christians all over the world have cause for thanksgiving every day. Since we are "enriched in every thing," through our Savior, this "causeth through us thanksgiving to God" (2 Corinthians 9:11), and we should be "abounding therein with thanksgiving" (Colossians 2:7). HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

The Faithful Creator
 
"Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator." (1 Peter 4:19)
 
This is the only verse in the New Testament describing the Creator as faithful. God had a very specific purpose in creating the universe and especially man, and He will surely accomplish that great purpose.
 
The Scriptures repeatedly stress God’s faithfulness. With respect to the physical universe, "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth" (Psalm 119:89-90). As far as His promises to His people are concerned, "know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations" (Deuteronomy 7:9).
 
The faithful Creator is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, and He rebukes the compromising church of the last days with these majestic words: "These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God" (Revelation 3:14). Although many professing believers will prove unfaithful to Him, "yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself" (2 Timothy 2:13).
 
The triumphant book of Revelation comes directly "from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness" (Revelation 1:5); and when He finally returns to earth in power and glory, His very name shall be "called Faithful and True" (Revelation 19:11). He is both Alpha and Omega, and thus all His "words are true and faithful" (Revelation 21:5). Our salvation is sure, therefore, because "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:9). "Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it" (1 Thess alonians 5:24). HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Adam's Failure--Christ's Strength
 
"By the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." (Romans 5:18)
 
When Adam rebelled against God, he experienced many new things--things which have haunted mankind ever since. All of these things were experienced by Christ in an intense way as He redeemed fallen mankind and the cursed creation.
 
Adam had never seen or experienced death (Genesis 2:17) until he sinned (3:19, 22). God had ordained nakedness (2:25), but sin distorts everything (3:7, 21). Before sin, Adam and Eve had known only blessing (1:28), but the universal curse followed (3:14-19). They had known joy and fellowship, but now they knew sorrow (3:17) and separation (3:23). They had lived in a garden (2:8), but now the plants would bring forth thorns (3:18). Prior to sin they had been assigned work to do (2:15), but now they would sweat (3:19) as they toiled. The angel's weapon kept them from returning to the Garden (3:24) and outside violence reigned (4:8, 23; 6:13). Childbearing originally was created to be easy and frequent, but now was to be accompanied by sorrow (1:28; 3:16).
 
Likewise, Christ experienced death on the cross (John 19:30), but by His resurrection He conquered death (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). In this death He experienced nakedness (John 19:23; Psalm 22:18); the full thrust of the curse (Galatians 3:13); sorrow (Isaiah 53:3); and separation from God (Matthew 27:46). Cruel thorns were placed on His head (John 19:2), and He sweat great drops of blood (Luke 22:44). The soldier's weapon pierced Him (John 19:34), finally ending a series of violent acts (Luke 22:63; Matthew 27:26, 29-30; Isaiah 52:14; etc.). But through His suffering He overcame the curse and redeemed His fallen creation. As a result, many children have been brought forth (Hebrews 2:9-10), children reborn into a glorious state through His suffering. JDM

[Soldier4Christ]

Inspired Words
 
"Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." (Luke 21:33)
 
The doctrine of plenary verbal inspiration, wrongly considered antiquated by many modern neo-evangelicals, is actually essential to the Christian faith. "All scripture |that is every word written down or inscribed| is given by inspiration |literally 'breathed in'| of God," not man! (2 Timothy 3:16).
 
We acknowledge, of course, that problems of transmission and translation exist, but these are relatively trivial in the entire context. We also acknowledge that the process of inspiration may have varied, but the end result is as if the entire Bible had been dictated and transcribed word by word.
 
This is the way Jesus Christ--the Creator, the Living Word, the Author of Scripture--viewed the Scriptures. "The scripture cannot be broken," He said (John 10:35). "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matthew 5:18). "Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: . . . And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself" (Luke 24:25, 27). The Bible therefore, every word of it, is divinely inspired, verbally without error, infallibly true, and of absolute authority in every area of our lives. The words of Christ who taught  these truths are forever "settled in heaven" (Psalm 119:89) and "shall not pass away."
 
It is mortally dangerous, therefore, "unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book" to "add unto these things" as the cultists do, or to "take away from the words of the book of this prophecy" as the liberals do (Revelation 22:18-19). Would it not be much better to say with the psalmist, "Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors" (Psalm 119:24)? HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Lack of Knowledge
 
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." (Hosea 4:6)
 
This grave judgment spoken almost three thousand years ago reflects a timeless principle that is just as applicable today as when it was penned. When people die without being saved, it is not that God did not want them to be saved, for He would "have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). He is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
 
The problem is that when men lack the knowledge that would bring them to Christ for salvation, it is because they have already rejected knowledge that would have led them to the knowledge they need. Paul writes that "in the last days" men would be "ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3:1, 7). And the next verse tells why. It is because they "resist the truth" (v. 8). "They shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (4:4).
 
Peter says that those who question God’s Word in favor of an assumed naturalistic view of history "willingly are ignorant" (2 Peter 3:5), and Paul says that if they refuse to see the evidence of the Creator in His creation, they are "without excuse" (Romans 1:20). Whether or not they have read God’s Word, they have an intuitive knowledge of God and His law in their consciences (Romans 2:15), with their thoughts "accusing or else excusing one another."
 
The Lord Jesus promised that "unto you that hear shall more be given" (Mark 4:24). But then He also warned, "He that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath" (v. 25). HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Dangerous Counterfeits
 
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
 
Human beings are very gullible, and counterfeiting is a profitable occupation for many deceivers. But spiritual counterfeits are the most dangerous of all, and at times the most difficult to detect. There are many false gods, and this is the subject of the very first of the true God's Ten Commandments: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). We are warned also to "beware of false prophets" (Matthew 7:15) and "false Christs" (Matthew 24:24). There are those who preach "another Jesus" (2 Corinthians 11:4), and many who come preaching "another gospel" (Galatians 1:6) rather than the true saving gospel of Christ.
 
There are also counterfeit Christians who are "false brethren" (2 Corinthians 11:26) as well as "false teachers" (2 Peter 2:1-2) and "false apostles" (2 Corinthians 11:13). They preach "peace; when there is no peace" (Jeremiah 6:14), and some will even "shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect" (Matthew 24:24).  Satan himself is the greatest counterfeiter, for he "deceiveth the whole world" (Revelation 12:9) in his attempt to become a counterfeit god. Thus we are warned to "try the spirits whether they are of God" (1 John 4:1) and to "prove all things"--to test them by God's Word.
 
In this scientific age, it is especially important that we not be deceived by "science falsely so called" (1 Timothy 6:20). So-called evolutionary "science" is not supported by any real scientific evidence and is contrary both to common sense and the Bible. Many professing Christians have "erred concerning the faith" because of evolution (1 Timothy 6:21) which has been made the pseudo-scientific rationale for a multitude of false philosophies. May God help us to hold fast only to that which is good! HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Faithful Sayings
 
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." (1 Timothy 1:15)
 
The adjective "faithful" is usually applied either to God or to those godly men and women who remain true to their words and convictions. However, there are eight New Testament references to words (or "sayings") that are faithful.
 
Six of the references to sayings that are faithful are found in Paul's pastoral epistles as he gave counsel to young pastors Timothy and Titus, the first being our text for the day. Here are Paul's faithful sayings: (1) "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"; (2) "If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work" (1 Timothy 3:1); (3) "Bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things" (1 Timothy 4:8); (4) "If we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us" (2 Timothy 2:11-12); (5) "They which have believed in God |should| be careful to maintain good works" (Titus 3:8). The sixth reference is a command that any "bishop" must continue "holding fast the faithful word |same as 'saying'| as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers" (Titus 1:9).
 
The final two references are in the Bible's last two chapters, stressing that the words of Revelation are indeed true and believable. After stating His glorious promises for the future life, Christ told John: "Write: for these words |i.e., 'sayings'| are true and faithful" (Revelation 21:5). Then, after the magnificent description of the Holy City, the angel said: "These sayings are faithful and true" (Revelation 22:6).
 
All the Bible's sayings are true, of course, but these that are specifically called "faithful" surely warrant our special attention. HMM