Category: Devotional

November 1, 2019
Three stories of Old Testament heroes evoke comforting and compelling images of God’s tender care as He intervenes in the lives of His precious Children.

For instance 1 Kings 18 presents the contest for validity between Elijah and 850 prophets at Mount Carmel. Those who witnessed the challenge saw the “Fire of the Lord” fall from Heaven to consume an animal sacrifice—drenched with water—that distinguished the True and Living God from the false god: Baal, and validated Elijah’s position as the “Prophet of the Lord.”

In addition, the Three Hebrew Boys presented in Daniel 3, were rewarded for their faithfulness to God demonstrated in their unwillingness to bow down and worship Nebuchadnezzar’s image as they were commanded. As result, they were thrown into a fiery furnace, which was heated seven times hotter than its normal level. Onlookers saw a fourth person in the furnace, who Nebuchadnezzar described as, “the Son of God.” The three were delivered from the flames–with not even the smell of smoke!

Moreover, 1 Samuel 17 presents the story of David, the young shepherd boy, who defeats the mighty giant Goliath with slingshot. After the victory, the people heralded David’s bravery and conquest. Life was good for the young shepherd boy who would eventually marry the King’s daughter and experience the opulence that accompanies royalty. Unfortunately however, persecution and adversity would soon follow as well.

King Saul sought to kill David, and as he ran for his life, hundreds of other outcasts joined him.

Over time, the Lord leads David to Abigail, the wife of wealthy Nabal.  She gives David and his men ample food and supplies to sustain them in their journey. She also affirms the Lord’s protection along with his succession to the throne as recorded in 1 Samuel 25:29 (KJV):

A man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall He sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.

David’s life appeared to be full of uncertainty and turmoil. Yet he found comfort knowing that he was “bound in the bundle of life with the Lord his God.” In other words, the Lord cared for David and would meet his needs and fight his battles.

In Psalm 23, David illustrates how the Lord, his Shepherd, would keep him safe and secure throughout his life:

The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

The Lord Jesus Christ is our Good Shepherd, and He promised that we as His sheep will never perish, nor would be taken out of His (or His Father’s) hands. ¹

Nearly two thousand years have since passed, and we are still secure today. What a wonderful Savior!

 

For March 5, 2019
The Holy Spirit or the Comforter shares God’s full essence and deity. Terms like the Spirit of Christ, Spirit of God, Spirit of Truth, Holy Spirit, and Holy Ghost are synonymous. Although the Holy Spirit is a person, He has been described using the pronoun “it.”

Thus, consequential notions: “it” can be manipulated by human whim; “it” comes or goes, or “it” can be turned on or off—like an electric current—are not consistent with our Lord’s description of the Comforter  (Greek: parakletos) in John 14:16-18 (KJV):

I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Jesus promises He will be inside us; abiding with us forever. In His description, He uses the Greek word: Paraclete: one who is “called to one’s side” or “called to someone’s aid,” which conveys the idea of Helper and Advocate.³

Additional characteristics worth noting about the Comforter are:

• • He is Christ’s representative, keeping company with us and living inside us to reveal the Lord’s grace and glory each day.
  • As Advocate, He provides us with the means of identification and association with the Lord Jesus Christ; distinguishing us from those who are not associated with the Lord.
  • He is the Spirit of Truth whom the world will not understand or receive.
  • As Teacher, He constantly reminds us of the Lord’s incomparable teachings, and He enables us to share those wonderful truths with others for their benefit.
  • As Helper, He empowers us to emulate the Lord’s impeccable lifestyle so that He is glorified in what we say, think, and do.
  • As Spirit of God, He permeates our hearts and minds with abiding peace, joy, and strength to sustain us through those difficult times all of us will face.
  • As Sprit of Christ, He helps us to fix our minds on Christ as we confidently await His glorious and imminent return.

The Holy Spirit of God—the Comforter—draws us to Christ, brings us to life (quickens us), secures our identity with Christ (seals us in Christ), guides us, makes us one in Christ, and He prepares us for Heaven.

In this way, our victory over the Enemy in this life, and our victory over death in the next are certain. What a wonderful Savior!

 

 

For February 15, 2019
In Matthew 16, the Lord and His Twelve Disciples are in Galilee near Caesarea Philippi, where He asks: “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

Their responses were varied: “Some say you are John the Baptist; others say Elijah; while others say you are Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Not concerned with public opinion. Jesus asks a question that is far more pertinent and personal: “But what about you?” or “Who do you say I am?”

 

Peter’s response, although impulsive, revealed his understanding of the Lord at that time in his life: “You are the Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah) the Son of the Living God!”

With that, the Lord replies:

 

“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:17-18 NIV).

I am glad Jesus Christ is never concerned about satisfying the latest public opinion poll regarding His identity. Even today, some refer to Him as a prophet or a great teacher; others say He was a good man who died a horrible death on a cross.

Chatting with a friend recently, I was reminded of the many poignant discussions about the “Who is Jesus?” question, which occurred over the course of my life. Upon reflection, these discussions seem to be variations of one central question: “How could anyone believe in a dead man’s religion?”

Those who ask this question are looking through the prism that views Jesus only as the Son of Man, who died on a cross between two thieves one fateful Friday afternoon. But if all we knew about Jesus Christ was His tragic death, then as 1 Corinthians 15:19 (KJV) reads, “we would be most miserable!”

But thank God; death is not all that we know about Jesus Christ!

There is also the Son of God, who arose on that glorious Sunday morning leaving us with a tomb that remains empty today. Objectivity demands that this historical event has to be acknowledged and considered as well.

When we consider both (i.e., Jesus’ death and resurrection) equally and objectively, everything about Him as the God-man becomes crystal clear. Like Peter, we too can understand and acknowledge He is more than just a person who suffered a tragic death on a cross. Also, He is our:

Advocate, Alpha and Omega, Bread of Life, Bridegroom, Christ, Deliverer, Faithful and True, Friend, Good Shepherd, Great God, Great Physician, High Priest, Immanuel, Intercessor, King of Glory, King of Kings, Lamb of God, Light of the World, Lion of Judah, Lord, Lover of Our Soul, Mighty God, Mediator, Messiah, Prince of Peace, Redeemer, Resurrection and Life, Righteous Judge, Rock and Fortress, Savior, True Prophet, The Truth, The Way, and The Word.

Isn’t it amazing how God is not too big to care for each of us individually? He is omniscient, having “all knowledge” of every detail of our lives including the exact number of hairs on our heads as promised in Matthew 10:30. Yet He is small enough to care for us personally by asking even today: “Who do you say I am?”

Ultimately, He wants us to trust in Him completely (by giving Him our hearts as it were). Then He can perform His perfect spiritual work inside us that will forever resolve all false assumptions and presuppositions about Him, and give us fellowship with Him that lasts forever.

What a wonderful Savior!

For January 20, 2019
Many people use the euphemism “the man upstairs” to describe God, although he cannot be described as a mere mortal man. Our awesome God has many distinctive characteristics that set him apart from anything we know or can imagine, just as King David acknowledges in his prayer of dedication and consecration:

Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.   1 Chronicles 29:11 (NIV)

God has never relinquished control of the universe, and the Lord Jesus Christ makes this assertion in His Model Prayer found in Matthew 6:13 (KJV): For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Our God has many distinctive characteristics that help us to appreciate his incomparable majesty and splendor.

• Eternal: Our God is eternal, without a beginning or end. He always was, and will always be, the everlasting God.
• Self-existent: Our God exists in and of himself. He has no creator, but he alone is the source and origin of all life and existence. Our God is the living God.
• Omnipotent and Omniscient: Our God has all power and all knowledge. He is able to do anything that he chooses with an unlimited, perfect, and eternal knowledge of all things past, present, future, actual, and possible, so that the outcome is always perfect.
• Omnipresent: God is everywhere at the same time, without diminishing his being or essence. He occupies both heaven and earth simultaneously.
• Faithful and True: Our God is reliable and authentic in all his ways. He is the embodiment of truth and veracity and the source of all that is authentic and genuine.
• Just and Righteous: Our God is the source of all moral uprightness, and his right judgments evoke our confident assurance in every situation.
• Loving, Good, and Merciful: Our God expressed an unselfish benevolence toward us when we were spiritually dead and morally corrupt. He loves us with an unfailing and unselfish love, and he is merciful by forgiving our sins and securing our eternal fellowship with him through Jesus Christ.
• Holy: Our God is morally and spiritually perfect, and glorious in holiness. This trait is at the very core of his being. The Hebrew term qados, used extensively in the Old Testament, depicts God as the only one with a pure, undefiled quality of essence that separates him (“cut off”) from any other group or class. The Greek counterpart hagios, used extensively in the New Testament, describes God as pure and sacred. Whether studying the Old or New Testament, the message is clear: holiness is predicated on God, because he alone is pure, majestic, and glorious. In other words, only our God is holy and without equal.

Life on this earth is unpredictable and uncertain as recent human and weather tragedies poignantly remind us. Nevertheless, we can rest in the Lord our God because He is not capricious with His exquisite care, and He consistently reveals His veracity, fidelity and incomprehensible grace each moment of the day—without fail.

Ours is not a perfect world, but we can know a perfect God. Did you thank Him for that breath you have just taken? What about the heartbeat that happened within you just now? We take many common occurrences for granted…often feeling entitled to them.

However, we are not entitled. These are merely some of the wonderful blessings He lovingly and graciously bestows upon us to show that in Him “we live, move, and exist” and that “all things work together for our good” as Acts 17:28 and Romans 8:28 tell us.

The blessings of God–especially those awesome provisions made available to us by Jesus Christ–enable us to experience His eternal comfort, strength, and fulfillment.

Today, let us hear the voice of the Almighty God thundering from eternity:

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.   Psalm 46:10 (NIV)