Category: Devotional

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Happy New Year!

For January 1, 2021
Today, people around the world will welcome a new year. With each successive year of the Gregorian Calendar, proposed in 1582 to compensate for the solar year drift of the Julian Calendar, which was instituted around 45   before the birth of Christ (B.C.), we note the time that has passed since the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The term B.C. is used to designate the time before the birth of Christ from the time after His birth, referred to as Anno Domini (A.D.), which is Latin for, “In the year of our Lord.” The time since Jesus’ birth is also referred to as the Common, Current, or Christian Era (C.E.).

Numbering these calendar years is appropriate for paying our respects to the most influential person in human history. In other words, this year, we acknowledge that two-thousand and twenty-one years have passed since the birth of Jesus Christ (although many scholars place His birth somewhere around 4 BC).

We make this distinction because only through Jesus Christ can we, as sin-scarred humans, be reconciled to our holy God. We benefit from Jesus’ atoning work, not by trying to perform good deeds, but by placing our faith in the redeeming works He still performs to God on our behalf.

      • His perfect life satisfies all God’s requirements for conformity to God’s holy Law.
      • His sacrificial death at Calvary remains our perfect sacrifice to absolve us from our sin.
      • Jesus’ resurrection secures God’s acceptance of His redeeming work; now we can have full confidence that He is our accepted way to God, and
      • His ascension, His Spirit, His intercession, and His glorious return provide all the spiritual graces we will ever need to fully experience His abundant life—now and forever.

The Lord promises to embrace us with His eternal power and providence when we surrender to Him. Then we can find the rest that completely satisfies and refreshes our eternal souls,

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28 NIV).

2020 was a difficult year for many. If you are looking for consolation, hope and a new beginning, let me suggest,

      • Others have failed you, so give your heart to Jesus Christ. He never fails!
      • Stop trusting in your human abilities alone. They are finite while God is infinite. Instead, turn to the Lord, and trust in Him completely.
      • Surrender to Jesus Christ so that you can experience and enjoy the fulfilling life of purpose, freedom, and victory He freely gives to all those who trust Him.

When our New Year’s resolutions are Christ centered and God honoring, He performs His perfect work in our hearts, minds, souls. Only then can we truly have a Happy New Year!

What a Wonderful Savior!

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Happy Birthday, Jesus!

For December 25, 2020
Christmas is my favorite time of the year. For on this special day, we honor the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who represents the greatest gift ever given or received.

More than two thousand years ago, in a Bethlehem manger, the Savior of the World was born. Although some may dispute His December 25th birthday, no one can prove that He could not have been born on that particular day either. Other than Scripture, we have no eye witnesses alive today to retell the story.

Any controversy concerning the Lord’s birthday is merely a distraction from the fact that He was born, and for some, the less focus on Christ, so much the better.

Nevertheless, He came to save humanity from sin, and to reconcile us to the Father. This is as the Angel of the Lord announces in Matthew 1:18—21 (NKJV),

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

We were broken—morally and spiritually—before our holy God, without remedy when God decided to cancel the sin debt we acquired from Adam and Eve, by becoming human and shedding His blood to wash away our sins forever. Thus, as Acts 4:12 tells us, there is no other name, besides Jesus Christ, under heaven by which we can obtain salvation (and receive God’s eternal favor as a result).

Just like the shepherds of old, we too can joyfully observe December 25th as eternally grateful recipients of God’s unspeakable gift of grace and mercy. For we now have unimpeded and eternal access to a holy and loving God through faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Yes! On this day, we can be grateful for what the Lord is still doing around the world in the hearts and lives of untold numbers of people—ever since His first birthday.

What a wonderful Christmas present, and what a Wonderful Savior!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

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Still No Room For Jesus!

For December 20, 2020
In Luke 2:7 (NKJV), we read these telling words,

“And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

The world’s fate rested in the hands of two young travelers, Joseph and Mary, his espoused wife, who carried inside her the Savior of the world.

The Savior of the world is a title reserved for dignitaries. However, unlike the celebrities of today who travel with an entourage that provides for their very best, especially securing suitable four-star hotel accommodations.

Not so with our Lord Jesus Christ as there was no room for Him anywhere!

Fast forward two-thousand years, and this has not changed. There is still no room for Him in the public discourse as His teachings are “not relevant” for our modern world. For instance, no one wants to seek first His Kingdom and righteousness, or turn the other cheek when challenged, or love our enemies and our neighbors as we love ourselves, or provide aid to the widow, orphan, and downtrodden.

Instead, in today’s “me-centered” world, we clearly see the mantra: “Hang everybody else…I got to get paid!” being celebrated and perfected in the lives of young and old alike.

However, although we may seem to get by at times, we will never get away. There will be a day of reckoning when God’s righteous judgement will be served. Then, everyone will be required to account for his or her deeds—whether good of bad. Thus, Jesus Christ issues a warning for our proud, self-centered generation,

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? (Mark 8:34—37 NLT)

The Lord chooses foolish things to confound the wise and weak things to confound the strong. He also uses the lowborn and chooses the things that are insignificant to make nothing out of the things that are. (1 Corinthians 1:26ff). In this way, no one can boast except he or she boasts in the Lord alone.1

I praise the Lord for His precious remnant. Those who leave room for Jesus to reign in their hearts as well as in every phase of their human and social interaction. These courageous men, women, boys, and girls continually celebrate our King of Kings and Lord of Lords, because in Him alone, we can find redemption and peace with God.

As we turn our faith towards Him, making room for Him, we can experience all the joy and fulfillment this Christmas Season has to offer—now and forever!

What a Wonderful Savior!

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Unto Us A Child Is Born!

For December 13, 2020
Twenty-seven hundred years ago, world peace was predicted through a special child who would be our Prince of Peace,

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6 NKJV).

Fast-forward, seven-hundred years, and Isaiah’s prophetic words take on human form,

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”(Luke 2:8—14 NKJV).

We welcome the prospect of peace on earth and goodwill towards others. 2020, the year of a “new normal” world taught us about our need for human civility and decency as we witnessed exponential increases in racial, and social hostility and violence around the world.

People who understand the importance maintaining a civil society, exercise civility and courtesy across racial and cultural barriers and realize that no one’s petty political squabbles and personality conflicts should restrict us from embracing others as equals.

I thank God for the Angel’s message, “For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord!” It is only through Jesus Christ that we can find lasting peace and harmony with God and each other as He promised in John 14:27 (AKJV),

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid!”

When Christ becomes our personal Lord and Savior by our faith in Him, His perfect peace engulfs and sustains us forever. He is always faithful despite our lack of faithfulness. His peace never ceases to satisfy the deep longings of our soul. Won’t you receive Him today?

What a Wonderful Savior!

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Can My Sins Be Totally Forgiven…Really?

For December 6, 2020
Unfortunately, we live in an age where forgiveness is becoming an increasingly rare, precious commodity—desired by all of us, while practiced by very few of us.

Unforgiveness along with its menacing co-conspirators, guilt and shame, continue to prevent us from experiencing the optimal, ever-abundant lifestyle our Lord purposed each of us to enjoy daily.

Our floundering is self-inflicted. The Lord identifies Himself as our Mighty Avenger in Deuteronomy 32:35 (NLT), “I will take revenge; I will pay them back.” However, we attempt to usurp His authority by seeking to avenge, harboring grudges, and otherwise expressing ill will toward those whom we feel may have wronged us.

Those people “who knew us back when…,” our Enemy (Devil), and our own consciences draw from those painful and unflattering past experiences to remind us how imperfect we are; even to the point of convincing us that we are worthless and can never be forgiven—not even by our loving and merciful God.

We should consider how all of us are very precious in God’s sight and seek to forgive and to be forgiven. For in Christ, our past is immaterial, erased, and forgotten by Calvary’s Cross, “He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14 NLT). All of us can benefit from receiving such a “clean slate.”

The Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. He is aware of those painful past events few if any are aware of, and yet He loves us and forgives us completely. The Bible teaches the payment for sin is death (Romans 6:23). Someone had to die and shed blood to remediate sin,

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul (Leviticus 17:11 NKJV).

Before Christ, God provided for the sacrifice of animals to temporarily remediate sin, which foreshadowed a more efficacious restitution that would completely wash away our sins, make us righteous before God, and restore our lost fellowship with God forever.

A wonderful illustration of our permanent Atonement is presented in the Suffering Servant model found in Isaiah 53:4-6 (NKJV):

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Chapter 9 of Matthew’s Gospel relates how when devoted friends brought a paralyzed man to Jesus for healing, Jesus says in verse 2 (NLT), “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.” Then Jesus goes on to declare in verse 6 (NLT): “’So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.’ Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home.’”

Until this time, no person would dare to claim they could forgive sin because only God had the power and the authority to do so. Yet, Jesus insists that He forgives our sin.

He is so empowered and authorized because He satisfies all the statutes of the Old Testament Law, and as did the Suffering Servant, He offers Himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin—past, present, and future.

Jesus Christ is our Eternal Prophet, whose life and teaching give us moral and spiritual direction as Moses foretold in Deuteronomy 18:15-22. The Bible, which contains His teachings, is our perfect guide to living in this New Testament Age. As we read, study, memorize, and apply its principles to our lives, we grow into His productive people of faith and grace.

Jesus is also our Almighty King, who governs our hearts and minds through His Holy Spirit (and His Word). We love Him, willingly surrender to Him, faithfully serve His church, and minister to those He describes as the “least of these” (Matthew 25:34-40). He is our Sovereign Lord, and we are subjects of His eternal Kingdom. He is the focal point of our love and gratitude as well as the “author and finisher” of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

But even more, He is our Great High Priest, in whom we have the forgiveness of sin, because  He redeemed us by paying sin’s price Himself,

Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever (Hebrews 7:27—28 NLT).

Jesus’ sacrificial death covers sin because He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). By fulfilling these attributes, He is fully capable of saving “to the uttermost” all those who come to God by Him, seeing He lives forever to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25).

Can my sins be forgiven…really? Most assuredly, and most emphatically—YES!

What a Wonderful Savior!

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