A Daily Devotional

[Soldier4Christ]

Our Living Lord
 
"Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also." (John 14:19)
 
We who believe on Christ have the promise of everlasting life because He lives, and we see Him by faith. Christ Himself is "our life" (Colossians 3:4), in fact.
 
He is the very sustainer of our life. He is both the "living water" (John 4:10) that is "springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14) and "the living bread which came down from heaven," such wonderful bread "that a man may eat thereof, and not die" (John 6:50-51).
 
Not only does Christ give us His living bread and living water, but also He provides Himself as the living way to God. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh" (Hebrews 10:19-20).
 
He is also the solid foundation on which we build our lives, and that very foundation is vibrant with life. "To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house" (1 Peter 2:4-5). Our spiritual lives are built on a living stone, nourished on living bread and living water while entering by a living way into the presence of the living God!
 
He "hath begotten us again unto a lively hope |same as 'living hope'| by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:3-4). "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). All this is ours through our loving, living Lord! HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Judgment in the New Testament
 
"In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9)
 
Many critics have decried what they contend is the Bible's inconsistency. The Old Testament is a harsh indictment of human sin and warning of coming divine judgment, they say, whereas the New Testament stresses God's grace and love.
 
The fact is, however, that the Old Testament contains numerous testimonies of the love and merciful lovingkindness of God (e.g., Psalm 103). Similarly, the most striking and fearsome warnings and prophecies of judgment to come are found in the New Testament. The above text for the day is an example, with its revelation of the coming eternal separation from God of all who reject Christ and His saving gospel. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself uttered more warnings of future hell than anyone else recorded in either testament. He said, for example, that those "On the left hand" will be commanded to "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41). Jude spoke of ungodly men "to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever" (Jude 13).
 
And, of course, the very last book of the New Testament, written by John, the disciple who stressed God's love more than any other writer, focuses especially and in detail on the coming period of God's judgment on a rebellious world. The climax of these warnings is Revelation 20:15: "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." God's grace and full forgiveness are free to all who receive Christ, but certain judgment will come to all who refuse. HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Born of God
 
"If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him." (1 John 2:29)
 
This is the first of seven occurrences of the phrase "born of God," or "born of him," in the little epistle of First John. If anyone wishes to know how to recognize one who has truly been "born again," these seven descriptors are available for that purpose.
 
The first such test, in our text, is that such a person is one "that doeth righteousness." The second and third are found in 1 John 3:9: "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." That is, he will not practice sin because God’s own nature has been implanted in him.
 
Another evidence is genuine love. "Love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God" (1 John 4:7). Still another is genuine faith in Christ, which in turn produces genuine love. "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him" (1 John 5:1).
 
Those who are truly born again will not be permanently defeated by the world. "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:4-5).
 
Finally, "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not" (1 John 5:18).
 
The term "born again" is being used very loosely these days, and we need to realize that true regeneration is a permanent, life-transforming miracle accomplished by God Himself in a believer’s life. HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

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 4:8)
 
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" (1 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" (1 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" (2 Peter 1:3).
 
Praise--our speech should be to "the praise of them that do well" (1 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. JDM

[Soldier4Christ]

Root of Bitterness
 
"Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled." (Hebrews 12:15)
 
Bitterness and a bitter spirit should never characterize a person who has experienced the saving grace of God through Jesus Christ. No matter how seriously one may have been wronged, if he has known God's forgiving grace for his own wrongdoings, he should manifest that same grace in his life toward others, even though they do not merit it (for neither did he merit God's forgiving grace himself).
 
Bitterness is a characteristic of the ungodly "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness" (Romans 3:14). A Christian must never try to rationalize it as "righteous indignation" or to think that certain injustices give him the "right" to be bitter and resentful. "If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish" (James 3:14-15). Rooted bitterness will soon "spring up," not only robbing the bitter believer of joy and true fruitfulness, but bearing bitter fruit whereby many others will "be defiled."
 
The antidote, of course, is never to "fail of the grace of God." That is, we need to be "looking diligently," moment by moment, at the wonderful grace of God by which we were saved through faith and in which we continue to live each day.
 
Therefore, "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:31-32). Otherwise, we not only hurt both ourselves and others, but we also grieve "the holy Spirit of God" (v. 30). HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Ask What Ye Will
 
"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." (John 15:7)
 
The precious promise in this verse has been an inspiration to the faithful down through the centuries. It becomes even more amazing when attention is paid to the original Greek language in which it was written.
 
Abiding implies a close personal fellowship with someone; in this case, the personal, loving Lord Jesus: "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love" (v. 9). Such an abiding on our part will be evidenced by obedience, love for Him and for the brethren, and joy (vv. 10-14). Our minds and hearts will be in total harmony with His, guided by such a walk and His words.
 
"Ye shall ask" does not carry the proper force in English. This is a command in the imperative mode in Greek--a challenge, if you will. He challenges us to "ask what ye will" (literally, "whatever ye desire") and see Him faithful. Desire speaks of something different than need, indeed it speaks of an "inclination." He is not afraid we will ask for selfish inclinations, for if we "abide" in Him, our desires are His desires, and we will naturally ask for those things which glorify Him. "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples" (v. 8).
 
Notice the word "done," which in Greek stems from the word meaning "to come into existence." God will answer our unselfish prayers, even if He has to transcend natural law or even create something to do so. He even challenges us to "ask" without hesitation, as implied by the Greek construction.
 
If we meet the condition of "abiding" in Him, as a branch "abides" in the vine (vv. 1-5), He will place in us the desire to bring forth much fruit (v. 5) to His glory and to our everlasting delight. JDM

[Soldier4Christ]

Christ Our Leader
 
"For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." (Hebrews 2:10)
 
The Lord never asks us to go anywhere that He has not gone before. He is the captain (literally, the "leader") of our salvation, and we only need follow our divine leader. The same word is used in Hebrews 12:2, where we are exhorted to be "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps" (1 Peter 2:21). "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince |same word| and a Saviour" (Acts 5:31).
 
The same wonderful truth appears under various figures. He is our Shepherd, for instance, and He says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish" (John 10:27-28). He also illumines our path. "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). He guides us along the way by His indwelling Holy Spirit. "When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth. . . . and he will show you things to come" (John 16:13).
 
With such a dauntless leader, a perfect example, a loving Shepherd, a clear light, and an infallible guide, we are (or should be) happy to follow Him, even if the way sometimes seems steep and hard.
 
He is the goal and prize at the end of the journey. For Him, Paul said, "I have suffered the loss of all things . . . that I may win Christ . . . forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:8, 13-14). HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Where to Bestow Our Wealth
 
"And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?" (Luke 12:16-17)
 
God called this rich man, "Thou fool" (Luke 12:20) because, rich as he was in his own eyes, he was "not rich toward God" (v. 21). Instead of choosing to bestow his goods on others in need or on any kind of ministry for God, he decided to build more barns and "there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods" (v. 18). The barns did not need them, however, and neither did the rich fool, for he died the very night on which he made this selfish decision.
 
The intensity of his self-centered nature is pointed up by the fact that he used personal pronouns (I, my) no less than eleven times in three verses (vv. 17-19). Furthermore, no counselor advised him on this course of action. He just "thought within himself" (v. 17) to keep it all for his own comfort and pleasure.
 
Jesus told this parable not just to rebuke selfish rich people, however, but to warn all of us against the wicked sin of covetousness "which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5). "Beware of covetousness," He said, in introducing the parable, "for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15).
 
Complaining American Christians (and almost all American Christians are wealthy compared to multitudes in many other nations) need to hear the ancient word of the psalmist still relevant today: "Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him. . . . Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish" (Psalm 49:16-17, 20). HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

For Us
 
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
 
"Christian" liberals for many generations have scoffed at the biblical doctrine that the death of Christ could serve as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sin of the whole world. Like all other religions, their form of religion assumes that each person is responsible for his own salvation, which must somehow be earned by his own good deeds and religious observances. Some have a very rigid code of ethics, some talk of mental attitudes that ascend to higher planes through meditation, some emphasize only love, others simply feel that the good must somehow outweigh the bad. All rely on human abilities to gain salvation.
 
Nevertheless, the Bible clearly teaches that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23) and, as our text emphasizes, "Christ died for us." This pungent phrase, "for us," appears repeatedly in the New Testament. Listen to this refrain:
 
"|God| spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all" (Romans 8:32). "For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us" (1 Corinthians 5:7). "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13). "Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:2). "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity" (Titus 2:14). "Christ also suffered for us" (1 Peter 2:21). "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us" (1 John 3:16).
 
Hereby we perceive His great love for us! He was delivered up for us, sacrificed for us, made a curse for us; He gave Himself for us, suffered for us, and laid down His life for us. We were helpless, lost in sin, altogether unable to pay for our sins, but "Christ died for our sins" (1 Corinthians 15:3), and we are saved! HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Never Forsaken
 
"Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." (Deuteronomy 31:6)
 
The promise that God will never leave nor forsake His people occurs often in Scripture. It was given here through Moses to the children of Israel as they were preparing to enter the land promised long ago to Abraham. Two verses later, it was then repeated personally for Joshua, who was to be their leader in the coming battles.
 
Essentially the same promise had been made to Jacob as he began to assume his God-ordained role. "Behold, I am with thee," God had said, ". . . for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of" (Genesis 28:15). It was again repeated directly to Joshua by God. "As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee" (Joshua 1:5).
 
David passed on the same promise to Solomon as he became responsible for the kingdom and for building the great temple. "|God| will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD" (1 Chronicles 28:20). "I the God of Israel will not forsake them" (Isaiah 41:17) was the Lord's promise still later to the faithful Israelites.
 
And we can rejoice today in this same wonderful promise. "He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Hebrews 13:5-6). This remarkable verse has five negatives in the Greek, so that it could even be rendered literally as something like: "I will never, never leave thee, and never, never, never forsake thee." Surely this is one of the greatest of God's "exceeding great and precious promises" (2 Peter 1:4). HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Take Heed
 
"And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you." (Mark 13:5)
 
In the account of Christ’s great prophetic discourse on the Mount of Olives, as recorded in Mark chapter 13, the Lord Jesus warns us no less than four times to "take heed!" This fourfold admonition (Mark 13:5, 9, 23, 33) must be important and demands our attention!
 
First of all, our text warns us not to be deceived by human claims of spiritual authority and prophetic insights, for there would come many deceptive teachers claiming to be the returning Christ. When Christ does return, all His saints will know beyond question, for they shall all "meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
 
His second warning tells us to be prepared for persecutions (Mark 13:9), for "In the world ye shall have tribulation," and "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (John 16:33; 2 Timothy 3:12).
 
His third admonition warns of false christs and false prophets who will even "shew signs and wonders" (Mark 13:22-23). Many will be deceived unless they remember that neither prophecies nor exorcisms nor other wonderful works suffice for acceptance by Christ, if those who perform them are "work|ers of| iniquity" (Matthew 7:22-23).
 
The fourth "take heed" is a sober warning against trying to predict the time of His return. "Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is" (Mark 13:33). Such a warning is pointless if certain prophesied events must take place first, for then there would be no need to watch for Him. In the same discourse, as reported by Luke, Jesus gave a final such warning, speaking of this very danger. "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged . . . with . . . cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares" (Luke 21:34). HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Created to Rule the Day
 
"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)
 
It seems that throughout history, mankind has ignored or distorted the purpose for which God created the sun. Many cultures have even worshiped the sun, teaching that the sun was the source of all being, even human life. Temples were built in its honor, human sacrifices were made to appease it, whole civilizations were dedicated to its worship.
 
The nation Israel, which had lived among sun-worshiping Egyptians for centuries, was warned not to "lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and . . . |see| the sun, and . . . be driven to worship" (Deuteronomy 4:19) under penalty of death, "For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God" (Deuteronomy 4:24).
 
One of mankind's primary purposes is to worship God, but the sun was created by God for man's benefit. He is a God of grace and desires to "freely give us all things" (Romans 8:32).
 
The purpose of the sun is no mystery. Its Creator says that along with the moon and stars it is "to divide the day from the night . . . and . . . be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years . . . to give light upon the earth" (Genesis 1:14-15).
 
There will come a time, however, when the sun will no longer be needed by God's people, for in our eternal home "there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light" (Revelation 22:5). "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof" (Revelation 21:23).
 
Best of all, we shall be with Him. JDM

[Soldier4Christ]

The Voice of the Lord
 
"The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty." (Psalm 29:4)
 
This solemn phrase, "The voice of the Lord," occurs seven times in Psalm 29, centered especially on the awful judgment of the great Flood in the days of Noah. "The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters" (v. 3). It occurs many other times in the Old Testament as well, with a wide variety of applications and circumstances.
 
The very first time it occurs, however (and this is also the first occurrence of "voice" in the Bible, indicating thereby that it is God's voice--not man's--that we must hear if we seek guidance for life), is in the Garden of Eden immediately after man brought sin into the world. "And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden. . . . And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" (Genesis 3:8-9). Mankind is lost and separated from God, but God calls unto each of us as He did to Adam, and we desperately need to hear His voice if our lives are to be fulfilled and spiritually fruitful.
 
In contrast to this scene of alienation, the final occurrence of a "voice" in the Bible is a beautiful scene of reconciliation when God again speaks to lost mankind, this time in glorious restoration of that broken fellowship. "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God" (Revelation 21:3).
 
To hear His voice then, however, we must first hear Hisvoice now, through His Word. Jesus said, "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life. . . . the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live" (John 5:24-25). HMM

[Soldier4Christ]

Salvation in the Details
 
"Make thee an ark of gopher wood. . . . The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits." (Genesis 6:14-15)
 
The Bible is a unified book with one Author, God, who uses words interconnected in specific literary ways to communicate His message. The Flood perfectly exemplifies how truth can be gleaned from careful study of literary clues in the text.
 
Genesis 6-9 are unusual in their level of careful detail, compared to all the preceding chapters. In Genesis 1-5, God accounts for about 1,600 years of history with very little narrative detail. Yet God takes four chapters--a snail's pace--to set the stage for and describe the single year of the Flood. Several clues point us to the reason why:
 
(1) The exclusivity of God's salvation: Only Noah and his family were saved out of an entire world of people that were in rebellion and under judgment.
 
(2) The grace in God's salvation: Surprisingly, God spared the animal "kinds" that lived on land. God could have destroyed the animal world and then re-created it, yet He chose to save the animals on the Ark.
 
(3) The success of God's salvation: Judgment and salvation were accomplished exactly as God planned. The Ark didn't sink, the animals didn't starve, and the passengers and crew didn't suffocate because God knew and planned for every detail of the Flood--including the exact size of the Ark to hold all the animals and people for a year (today's verses).
 
Peter echoed this message (2 Peter 2:1-9) to encourage his readers to trust God. If God didn't miss a detail in Noah's salvation, surely He can save you. God doubly encourages us to trust Him, both by Peter's exhortation and by the level of careful detail in Genesis 6-8. NTJ

[Soldier4Christ]

The Patriarchs
 
"And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs." (Acts 7:8)
 
The word "patriarch" comes directly from the Greek and means "first father." Thus the patriarchs begotten by Jacob were the first fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel.
 
The Genesis patriarchs are types of all fathers. Adam was the patriarch of the human family. Through his sin, death came into the world, and death was first mentioned when God warned Adam he would die (Genesis 2:17).
 
But if Adam is the dying father, Noah can be called the righteous father. The word "just" (or righteous) is first used where it says "Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" (first mention of grace), and then "Noah was a just man" (Genesis 6:8-9).
 
Abraham is the believing father, for "he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness" (Genesis 15:6). This is the first mention of "believe." Abraham is thus a type of all who are justified by faith. The first mention of sowing (symbolic of witnessing) is with Isaac, the sowing father. "Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him" (Genesis 26:12; compare Matthew 13:23).
 
Jacob was named Israel because "as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed" (Genesis 32:28). A single Hebrew word, only used here, is translated "power as a prince." Jacob, able to prevail in prayer with the angel of the Lord, is the powerful father.
 
These are the honored patriarchs "of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came" (Romans 9:5). May all who are fathers today, like they, be believing, righteous, sowing fathers, powerful with God and men. HMM