Posted on Oct 16, 2015 in Devotions |
Hebrews 4:11
Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone
fall after the same example of disobedience
There has always been a “spiritual rest” for those who put their faith in God. It was available in Joshua’s day as well as David’s. The rest (eternal life) is obtained by those who receive it by faith. The Israelites didn’t originally enter the land of promise because of their unbelief, which demonstrated their lack of salvation (Heb. 3:19).
Jesus, the perfect High Priest, paved the way for us to press on by faith. Josephus, the Jewish historian, informs us that 83 High Priests served and died from the time of Aaron (the first High Priest) until the destruction of the Temple in AD 70. Jesus is a STILL LIVING High Priest. The writer uses a present tense verb in Heb. 4:14. (Note the words “we have” and not “we had”!) “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, LET US hold fast our confession.”
Our High Priest is praying for us right now. Heb. 7:25 says, “He ever lives to make intercession for us.” Therefore press on by faith and “let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).
Posted on Oct 9, 2015 in Devotions |
Philemon 15-16
“For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever,
no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how
much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.”
The name Onesimus, who was Philemon’s slave, means useful. However, he becomes useless by robbing his master and bolting to Rome for cover in that sanctuary city. The Almighty governs his path to cross with Paul’s, who happens to be under house arrest in Rome. Paul led the “useless one” to Christ and then dispatches him back with this biblical letter (Philemon).
When we lead people to Jesus they do not only they become useful, but they also become family! Paul affectionately calls Philemon, “my son” (Philemon 10). Onesimus also becomes the brother of his master, Philemon. When you and I believed in Jesus, we became “sons of God” and “daughters of God.” Not only that, but we became brothers and sisters of the Lord Jesus Christ. Observe the expression, “like His brethren” in Heb. 2:17-18.
“Therefore, in all things He [Jesus] had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted”
Being in Christ is awesome; God places you into His family, Jesus calls us brethren, and we become sons and daughters to those who led us to Christ, and our family multiplies exponentially by an innumerable multitude of brothers and sisters. Not bad for former slaves to Satan!
Posted on Oct 2, 2015 in Devotions |
2 Thessalonians. 1:3-4
“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves BOAST OF YOU among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure”
Who believes in you? Who risked investing in you when no one else would? Would anyone do that for you? Well, thankfully for Paul, Barnabas did! Barnabas, the son of encouragement, brought Paul to the apostles shortly after he was saved when no one believed in him or trusted him. Dr. Luke writes about this in Acts 9:27
But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
It was if Barnabas gave oxygen to Paul’s zealous soul. Paul would later use this zeal to breath life into the universal church. John Maxwell writes, “Encouragement is the oxygen of the soul; everyone needs it and they perform better when they get it.” Barnabas offered it to Paul, and now Paul offers it to the believers at Thessalonica.
Today, find someone you believe in, and boast about that person (as you read Paul just did) to them and others. Give them that oxygen to the soul!
Posted on Sep 23, 2015 in Devotions |
1 Corinthians 15:57
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Do you have a Nike endorsement? Sure you do! The word “victory” in 1 Cor. 15:57 derives from the Greek word “Nike.” Whenever you see the Nike symbol, think about your Christian victory and the unending Nike endorsement from God. The word “gives” also in 1 Cor. 15:57 is in the present tense and means that God “keeps on giving us” the Nike endorsement. 1 Cor. 15:57, “But thanks be to God, who gives us [continually gives us] the victory [Nike] through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Your belief in the gospel, as stated beautifully in 1 Cor. 15:3-4, ensures us this habitual endorsement. Moreover, because Jesus conquered death, and passes that victory [Nike] endorsement on to us, we do not cease to serve Jesus because our eternal award awaits. Paul writes, 1 Cor. 15:58, “Therefore [means conclusion], my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
Live as a victor in Christ as a recipient of the life time Nike endorsement!
Posted on Sep 4, 2015 in Devotions |
Romans 4:11
“And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also”
John Maxwell writes, “A huge difference exists between a legacy and an inheritance. Anyone can leave an inheritance. An inheritance is something you leave to your family or loved ones, and it also fades. A legacy is something you leave in your family and loved ones.” In Rom. 4, Abraham is called “the father of all those who believe” (Rom. 4:11). Why is Abraham given this designation? Rom. 4:20 says about him, “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.”
Abraham, a man of faith, passes down a legacy to all those who believe. We should also adopt the mindset of the American revolutionary, Patrick Henry, whose last will and testament read:
“I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one thing more I wish I could give them and that is faith in Jesus Christ. If they had that and I had not given them one shilling, they would be rich; and if they had not that, and I had given them all the world, they would be poor indeed.”
Let us live by faith and then leave a legacy of faith.
Posted on Aug 21, 2015 in Devotions |
Acts 7:55
“But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw
the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
Jesus is usually characterized as sitting at the right hand of God. What would cause Him to stand up? Meet Stephen. He is described as a Spirit-filled man whenever he’s mentioned biblically. He was chosen as one of the seven original deacons in Acts 6. One qualification for the seven is that he had to be “full of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:3). Consider then Acts 6:5, “And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit.” In Acts 7, Stephen preaches a sermon where everyone comes forward…to kill him. Acts 7:55 reports about him, “But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”
So the question must be asked – why did Jesus arise? He stood up to greet the church’s first martyr who lived and died being full of the Holy Spirit. He stood up up to meet the man who was filled with faith, and was faithful to the end! That is why Jesus rose from His seat! Will Jesus stand when you go home? Today, and every day, you should purpose to live a Spirit-filled life that will cause Jesus to rise when you go home.
Posted on Aug 14, 2015 in Devotions |
1 John 5:4-5
“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.
And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that
Jesus is the Son of God.”
We who believe are called overcomers in 1 John 5:4-5. Since we are born again, which can either mean “ born from above” or “born a second time,” we have the new capacity to live victoriously over this world’s system. Think about this concept. You are no longer a slave of the Old Nature but can have victory over the sin that enslaved you. However, this victory does not come through your own might but by the power of God.
Take a moment and thank Jesus for His triumph over this world, which permits us to do the same. Jesus said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation [pressure]; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Because He overcame, we can say with Paul, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:57). Thank God who gives you victory over sin.
Posted on Aug 7, 2015 in Devotions |
Luke 24:32
“And they said to one another, ‘Did not our heart burn
within us while He talked with us on the road, and while
He opened the Scriptures to us?”
When was the last time you had a good case of biblical heart burn? As the two unnamed disciples walked with Jesus, who was traveling incognito, He gave them a Bible lesson they would never forget. The two verbs, “He talked” and “He opened” are in the imperfect tense. This means that the entire time that Jesus talked and opened the Scriptures, their hearts were aflame.
How do you keep the fire burning in your life? The answer to this question is to faithfully and prayerfully read God’s Word daily. As you open up the Scriptures let it speak to you, and as you learn from it – speak to others and talk to them about the living Word. Then you will have the joy of biblical heart burn, and feel what the two disciples felt on those seven endless miles.
Posted on Jul 31, 2015 in Devotions |
Mark 6:6
“And He marveled because of their unbelief.”
My dear friend, what causes Jesus to be amazed? Only twice in the Bible is Jesus astonished. Once, He marvels at the unbelief of those from His hometown of Nazareth (Mark 6:1-6). The second time He marvels at the faith of the centurion.
Positively, He’s in awe of a centurion. This non-Jewish man was well liked by the Jewish community. Actually Jewish elders went to Jesus in behalf of this man’s servant who was sick (Luke 7:3-5). Since the Jews considered Gentiles as unclean dogs, this is incredible. Would you have anyone from a different ethnicity go to bat for you? How do those outside your nationality view you?
The centurion exhibited such great faith in Jesus that Luke records, “When Jesus heard these things, He MARVELED at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, ‘I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel’ (Luke 7:10).
Jesus honors those who trust Him to do the impossible. Moreover, He marvels at those who exhibit great faith in His ability. I pray that God will cultivate a loving heart in you toward all people and that your faith will cause Jesus to marvel.
Posted on Jul 24, 2015 in Devotions |
Matthew 18:1
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying,
“Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
The disciples may have ask this question out of pride, yet this is a fair question – who will be the greatest in God’s Kingdom? Jesus’ object lesson to answer their question was a little child. The early church fathers said that Jesus picked up the little child of Peter to make His point. Why would he use a small child? Here are five reasons:
- A little child would be the least significant person in the Jewish and Roman cultures.
- A little child doesn’t seek great social status.
- A little child is humble.
- A little child is totally dependent upon others to meet his needs.
- A little child believes whatever he is told (faith).
There are two key lessons to be learned from Matt. 18:1-5. First, salvation demands a child like faith. A person is born again when he humbles himself and believes that Jesus died for his sin personally and rose from the dead. Those who place their trust in Christ will be in the Kingdom. Two, a Christian needs to display a child like humility to be great. Jesus would demonstrate this after He rose from the dead. He did not parade His greatness before His disciples. Instead, He cook them breakfast with His nail scarred hands showing them that even God Himself – the greatest in the Kingdom is humble! Practice and remember, “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:4).
