2nd Look 12/12/11

Devo 1

Luke 1:38 (NLT)

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything You have said about me come true.”

My favorite Christian author is Philip Yancey. His latest book “What Good Is God” is a masterpiece, in my opinion. Other highly recommended books--- “Prayer—Does It Make Any Difference?”, “What’s So Amazing About Grace?”, “The Bible Jesus Read”, “Disappointment With God”, and “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made”. These are all books that can be read over and over again.

In one of his other books--- “The Jesus I Never Knew”-- Yancey points out that the society when and where Jesus was born resembled that of Russia in the 1930s under Stalin. The regime of Herod the Great was one of strife and terror, with daily executions and slaughters that are never pointed out in Christmas cards.

Mary was likely no more than a 13-year old Jewish girl when the Holy Spirit chose her to be the earthly mother of the Savior of the world. Think about the scandal of today when a teenage girl becomes pregnant; imagine what it must have been like back then? Yet, when the angel, Gabriel, told her that she was the “favored one” (Luke 1:28) and after she naturally asked how could this be (Luke 1:34), she responded with words of acceptance.

Despite the potential danger and ridicule that Mary knew she might face, she said “yes” to the Lord’s request. As Yancey pointed out, often a work of God comes with two edges, great joy and great pain, yet Mary embraced both. She was the first person recorded in the gospels who accepted Jesus on His own terms, regardless of personal cost.

Note her affirmation, “I am the Lord’s servant”. The Greek word she used was “doule” (“doo-lay”) meaning “female slave”. Other translations use the word “bondservant”, a word the apostle Paul used to describe himself (38 times, e.g. Romans 1:1, Philippians 1:1). Also Peter, James and Jude used this term that has several meanings:

· Does not expect to be served but to serve others and to serve without being paid back.

· Does not expect to be treated better than their master

· Understands her/his ultimate purpose in life

Does this describe you? Is the Lord calling you to serve Him? Are you saying “yes” or “no”? Pray about saying “yes” and, if you do say “yes”, you will find that everything God says will come true for you!

Devo 2

II Corinthians 5:13-14 (Message Bible)

If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.

Paul writes about the dominating force of Jesus Christ in his life. He has just written about the judgment seat of Christ (verse 10) and then discussing how hard he works in persuading listeners of the need for the gospel of Christ. Yet apparently listeners were accusing him of acting crazy or acting overly serious. As a Christian have you ever been accused of acting in these ways? Maybe a second question: If not, why not?

The Greek word translated here as crazy is “existemi” that has several meanings---to amaze, to astonish, to throw into wonderment---but also can mean “to be out of one’s mind” or “to be insane”. This same word was used several times in the gospels to describe people’s reactions to Jesus’ words and deeds, e.g. Matt 12:23, Mark 2:12, Luke 2:47. It was also the word used in Acts 2:7 and 2:12 to describe reactions to Christians being filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. Those spirit-filled Christians were acting crazy to Jewish observers. Acts 2:13 states that “others were mocking and saying ‘they are full of sweet wine’”.

Paul was viewed by some to be a religious fanatic, perhaps a madman. However, Paul was not concerned what others might think of him because of his enormous faith in the Lord and being unafraid to preach about it. He admits in these verses that his actions are extreme. Paul is an example of a person who has completely sold out his life for Jesus Christ. We see the same thing today where a few Christian people we know are completely sold out for Christ and we are cautious of them. Yes, there is a fine line between legitimate enthusiastic faith and works that can be attractive to others and “crossing the line” into outrageous religious fanaticism that can be very distracting to others and scare them away from the faith.

Would you be able to say with a clear conscience that everything you do is motivated by the love of Christ in your life? Do you have such deep faith that you know without a doubt that Jesus Christ loves you and such knowledge drives you to sell out your life for Him? Indeed, that is extremism, but is this not what the Lord expects of His followers? When He says in Luke 14:33 that “no one can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions”, that is extremism. When He says in Luke 9:23 that “if anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow Me”, that is extremism. These are the measuring sticks that gauge how deep, how committed is your love for and walk with the Lord in your life. How do you measure up? Are you afraid to be an extremist in your devotion to Christ? The vast majority of Christians indeed seem to be afraid. They are afraid of what others will think of them. Proverbs 29:25 says that “the fear of man brings a snare” and that snare is keeping you from fulfilling all that Christ intends for you to fulfill.

May you seek to be sold out for the Lord such that your love for Him as His love for you manifests itself in extreme ways---how you witness for Him, how you serve others for Him, and how you put Him first in everything you do.

Devo 3

Proverbs 29:25 (NIV)

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.

It is written time and again in the Scriptures that followers of God through Christ are always to fear (reverence) God, but never fear man. Yet, our human nature does the opposite; we have great fear of man and little, if any, fear of God.

The fear of man will prove to be a snare. The Hebrew word for snare is “mowqesh” that means “to bait or to lure”. Think about bait and lure, what comes to mind? Being trapped or captured. What comes to mind when you think about being trapped or captured? You have lost your freedom. That is what the fear of man does to you, it causes you to lose your freedom; freedom to be what God intended you to be and live the abundant life He planned for you.

How is the fear of man manifested? You fear about looking or dressing inappropriately because of what others might say or think? You fear speaking in public? You fear speaking up at meetings? You fear telling the truth, e.g. you didn’t understand something but don’t want to appear ignorant? You fear disagreeing with someone? You fear disapproval? All of these and more are fears we have of what other people might think of us.

The most disturbing manifestation of the fear of man is the fear of being ridiculed or disapproved of or rejected by freely speaking and acting in a Christian manner. Are you afraid of being obedient of God’s Word because of what others might say or think of you? Interestingly, fear of others and what they think of you is strongly connected with the sin of pride. Pride is putting yourself first before God. You are afraid of what others will say or think that will adversely affect your pride, your self-image, and so you don’t say or do anything that will cause this problem for you.

Pastor Dale Campfield of Eastgate Community Church (http://www.eastgatecommunitychurch.com) wrote that the fear of man comes from the following desires/preferences in our lives:

1. needing appreciation

2. being compensated

3. wanting that next promotion

4. feeling esteemed (there’s the pride issue)

5. needing to feel protected

6. avoiding confrontation

You overcome the fear of man by claiming the promises of God that He will be your protector, guide, and strength (Phil 4:13). He is your Father and you are His child (John 1:12). You can claim the promises for standing firm against the potential thoughts and words from others (Psalm 37:23-24, Isaiah 41:10). Jesus promised that if you know the truth (the Word of God), you shall be free (John 8:32). Freedom includes not being afraid of other people that will snare you. Ask God to enable you to overcome your fears and enjoy the freedom of being guided and strengthened and encouraged by the Lord as you interact with others.

“The fear of man is being more impressed with man’s reaction to our actions than with God’s reaction. That ís bondage. When we have the fear of God upon us, we are impressed only with God’s reaction. We are freed from the concern of what people think. That ís freedom! That ís release! That ís great relief!”---Joy Dawson, “Intimate Friendship with God Through Understanding the Fear of the Lord”, p. 33

Devo 4

Matthew 1:18-25 (NASB)

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.” And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

When a child or someone asks you to define Christmas, what would you say? Anything else other than it’s the time of year where the Christian church celebrates and/or commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ? Yet the majority of people in the world think of Christmas either as a non-holiday for them or the time for Santa Claus to visit. No thought nor appreciation for the real reason why Christmas exists.

The real reason why Christmas exists is explained in this passage from Matthew. The key statements of this passage are (1) “……..for He will save His people from their sins” and (2) “God with us”. Two extraordinary, indescribable truths, yet so many fail to grasp their true significance for this life and the life to come. Either people don’t understand, don’t believe, don’t care, or simply take these truths for granted without giving them any thought and how they apply in life on earth and life eternal.

Take time right now to meditate over these two remarkable, almost incomprehensible truths. First Jesus was born for the purpose of saving you from your sins. Okay, so what? So what means that without Jesus there would be no way for your sins to be forgiven. Without forgiveness the penalty for sin is death---eternal death---complete and forever separation from God. Eternal death is oblivion. I know people and you do too who claim that they know that when they die, they will enter oblivion and don’t seem to be concerned about it. Oblivion means to be completely forgotten. Oblivion is a component of being in hell. Yet Jesus came to save all believing souls from oblivion. He was born on earth to be the atonement for the penalty of sin and complete and eternal separation from God. What Jesus did on earth enables you, if you believe in Him, to escape oblivion and have eternal life with Him in heaven. He also promises you an abundant life while living on this earth.

That thought leads to the second great truth here—Jesus means “God with us”. Before Jesus came to earth, man was separated from God. There was no way for a holy God to be connected to sinful man. Jesus was born in order eventually to die for the sins of the world. Think of the cross as the connector between holy God and sinful man. Think of the vertical beam as the pathway for man to enter into the presence of God. Think of the horizontal beam as Jesus outstretched arms to gather you into His presence and His presence to enable you to be intimate with God. Immanuel---God with us.

Norman Vincent Peale wrote the story “If He Had Not Come”. A little boy woke up on what he thought was Christmas day. Yet his joy turned to horror when he saw no stockings hanging from the fireplace mantel. No Christmas tree. No Christmas lights, no singing, no time off from work, no joy in the world, not even a church. The little boy saw a man injured in the street, yet no ambulance was available to pick him up because there was no hospital. The little boy was so horrified over all this that he had to find the family Bible. Yet where the New Testament should have started, there were only blank pages. There was no Christmas story, nothing. The little boy began crying terribly when his mother ran into his room to wake him up. He had been enduring a nightmare. He leaped out of bed and saw the stockings, the tree, the lights, heard the music, heard the church bells, and all other aspects of Christmas that is celebrated. The little boy shut his eyes and said, “You came……thank You for coming."

2nd Look 11/28/11

Devo 1

Ephesians 2:1-2, 7-10 (NLT)

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world…So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Biblically, to be dead is not necessarily to be physically dead, but to be spiritually dead. To be spiritually dead is to have your soul separated from God. Some believe that spiritual death makes one unable to repent and believe in God. In Genesis 2:17, God told Adam that he would “surely die” if he ate the forbidden fruit and that death meant both physical eventually and spiritual immediately. Jesus experienced spiritual death on the cross as He was dying for the sins of the world. He cried out “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? (Mark 15:33-34). This is the only time recorded in the gospels where Jesus did not refer to God as His Father because during His time on the cross He was spiritually separated from His Father.

What causes a person whose soul is separated from God to be reunited with God? God’s grace! Spiritual death, even physical death, is not yet eternal death so a person who is separated from God because of his sinful nature still has hope of seeing the light of Jesus Christ and having his soul and spirit reborn and saved. A dead spirit is separated from God, but that spirit can make the decision any time to enter into the presence of God and be saved.

Pastor Scott used the example of the disciple Matthew to exemplify being dead in all his sins, yet being saved in Christ. It is not because of anything Matthew did; it was all because of what Jesus did. Matthew’s story (including all those people listed in his genealogy in Matt 1) is your story and mine. Salvation is a free gift from God. This truth is so simple that so many people refuse to believe it. There is nothing you can do to earn your salvation, to earn your way to heaven, to earn God’s favor. Salvation is free and is a gift from God because of what Jesus came to the earth to do. We celebrate Christmas because:

· “…..it is He who will save His people from their sins” (Matt 1:21)

· “…..I did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentence” (Matt 9:13)

· “…..the son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10)

· "…..just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matt 20:28)

· “…..Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” (I Tim 1:15).

In my early career I wrote a scientific document that the vice-president of my division called a “masterpiece”. I didn’t think it was, but someone of importance for my future thought it was. That simple compliment inspired me to become a writer within my scientific field and also in the church. Paul writes in Eph 2:10 that we are God’s masterpiece. You may not think of yourself as God’s masterpiece, but God says that you are. Doesn’t that thought inspire and encourage you? You are God’s masterpiece because you have accepted His gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, you have been created anew—reborn into the Kingdom of God---so that you will fulfill His will for your life. Put a smile on your face as you meditate upon being a masterpiece of God! Reflect on this poem written by Deidra Foster:

My face might not be as beautiful as others, but my face is still God's Masterpiece.

My smile might not be as bright as others, but my smile is still God's Masterpiece.

My body might not be shaped like others, but my body is still God's Masterpiece.

My laughter might not be as cute as others, but my laughter is still God's Masterpiece.

Everything I have is God's Masterpiece!

Devo 2

Acts 18:9-11 (NLT)

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

Have you ever experienced the Lord speaking to you in a vision? We can be very skeptical of people who claim that God spoke to them personally. Televangelists commonly make this claim. It’s impossible to know if they are telling the truth, or if they are delusional, or if they are lying in order to leave the impression that they have special connections with the Almighty that no one else has. Cult leaders are notorious for claiming that God told them to do this and that. Indeed, beware of anyone who claims that he/she has received a special revelation from the Lord. People who boast of this proclamation most likely are self-centered, unstable psychologically and aim to deceive others.

However, God does speak to us through the listening part of our prayers and especially through His Word (which, of course, people in biblical times did not have so God by necessity needed to speak to them through visions until His Word was written down). You certainly can be praying over some fear/anxiety and be reading biblical passages/verses that speak about not be afraid and, like Paul’s vision, you will feel like God is speaking to you personally. The Bible is totally sufficient in providing guidance to you without the need for any special vision from God. God has revealed His will for you through His Word and no longer needs to speak to people through special revelations.

God revealed to Paul and now reveals to you in this passage several truths that you should never forget:

1. Do not be afraid—The Bible is very clear that you should never fear anyone (Heb 13:6) nor anything (Isa 41:10).

2. Do not be silent—This is in reference to being bold in declaring your faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ (II Tim 1:7)

3. God is with you—You do not need to pray “God, be with me”. He always is with you even if you don’t “feel” like He is. You must rely on your faith that He is always with you (Joshua 1:9, Heb 13:5)

4. No one is going to attack and harm you—I admit that this promise sometimes is difficult to believe. We know of many examples where God’s anointed followers (e.g. missionaries) have been physically harmed/killed. Even this promise to Paul did not last. Yet there also are many more examples where Christians have been miraculously protected from harm and Paul was protected unless he had achieved God’s will for his life. When you think about what a dangerous world we live in (crime, terrorism, natural disasters, accidents, illnesses, etc) it is very reassuring to believe in God’s truths that He protects you from most/all of these dangers (Proverbs 1:33, 12:21, 18:10, Psalm 91, Isaiah 41:10).

You’ve heard the old saying, “the closer you are to the Shepherd, the farther you are from the wolf”. Trust in the Lord that His presence in your life will protect you. Do not fear anyone or anything except fear (reverence) in the Lord. Whatever fears and worries you have right now, lift them up to the Lord and ask Him specifically to guard and protect you. Also ask for sufficient faith that will enable you to trust in His Word that promises to keep and protect you and your loved ones. Amen.

Devo 3

John 1:12

Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—

Bill Glass was an All-American football player (lineman) for Baylor in the 1950s, then became an all-pro defensive end for the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns for 11 years. While with the Browns, Bill studied at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. After football he launched a new career as a Christian evangelist (his ministry now called “Champions for Life) and was a frequent speaker at the Billy Graham crusades. He is still a sought-after motivational speaker.

I heard Mr. Glass speak years ago and will always remember him preaching about his life’s verse---John 1:12. Up until then and even today, I have never heard anyone else claim John 1:12 as their life’s verse. Being led by God to be an evangelist, Mr. Glass focused on this wonderful yet very simple promise that anyone who believes in Jesus Christ is given the right become a child of God. It was his life’s mission to lead unbelievers to Christ and this was the verse on which he based his life and ministry.

To receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, you must believe in Him. Note that the Bible does not state “believe Him”, but believe in Him. That preposition provides the imagery of action, of moving toward, of making a proactive decision. To believe Him has a shallowness or superficial meaning while to believe in Him requires greater depth of intent and definite personal action.

The word “right” (exousia) can also mean "power" or "authority." It is not a legal term, but conveys the imagery of a person becoming person of power because of his/her belief in Christ. Christ does not make you a child of God, but He does give you the power to become a child of God.

Have you ever looked upon a crowd of people and thought of them as children of God? Of course, you don’t know who is or is not a true child of God, but having this thought makes people more acceptable and personal. This thought gives me a deeper feeling of love and caring for others than I would have if I didn’t think of them as children of God. On the other hand, it saddens me greatly to look upon a crowd of people and realize that God is not everyone’s Father and Jesus is not their Savior and they are lost.

Again, God gives you the right or power to become His child, it does not come from your own power. However, it is up to you to receive this power from God and you receive this power through your receptivity to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Plus think about what it really means to be a child of God. A child is an heir to his/her father’s estate. All that belongs to God now belongs to you (read II Cor 2:12). Affix this thought always in your mind—“I am a child of God, now and forever”. What amazing grace!

However, if you are reading this and know that you are not a child of God, what are you? You are a slave to sin (Romans 6:6, 16, 20). You are not an heir. You are judged to be an unbeliever (John 3:18) and face final judgment (Rev 20:12-15). Yet this does not need to describe you, all you need to do is to receive Christ as your Savior and believe in Him. Please pray about this, talk to a believer whom you trust, and make a life-changing decision that will affect not only the rest of your life on earth, but also your life for eternity.

2nd Look 11/21/11

Devo 1

Ephesians 1:4-5 (NLT)

Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.

I cannot comprehend the truth expressed in verse 4, can you? God making the world is incomprehensible enough much less the thought that before creation God loved you and me and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. Really, can anyone understand the depth of this thought? Well, no, you cannot, but of course there are innumerable things in life and natural creation that the finite human mind cannot comprehend. Yet we accept them without worrying about having to understand. So it should be with biblical truths such as Ephesians 1:4.

Who is Paul writing to when he affirms these unbelievable words? The answer is in Eph 1:1---to the saints specifically living in Ephesus and also to all people who believe in Jesus Christ. Saint means holy and holy means separated unto God and unto Jesus Christ. Saints were/are dedicated Christian people, but they are still people, not perfect. So Paul’s outrageous claims about God’s love and choosing His people are directed toward those who He knows believe or will believe in Him.

Note that salvation is not originally based on your choosing God, but God choosing you. This truth disturbs many people because it suggests that God does not choose everyone. Theologically, these verses describe the Doctrine of Election and such doctrine is very controversial. You may have heard of the term ‘Calvinism’, named after John Calvin, that strongly espouses the doctrine of election, that God extends His grace and grants salvation only to chosen people or “the elect”. Another name for this theology is “predestination” (read Romans 8:28-30). It is up to you to determine whether you believe or not in the doctrine of election, based on Ephesians 1:4-5 (and other passages). One of those other passages is I Cor 1:27-30 where Paul writes that God chose particular kinds of people—the foolish, the weak, and the low—to be part of His church.

The Bible teaches both the doctrine of election and the doctrine of salvation. William MacDonald in his book Believers Bible Commentary (page 1908) writes that both doctrines are found in John 6:37 where the first half of the verse speaks of God’s sovereign choice while the second half speaks of salvation offered to everyone. I Tim 2:4 speaks of God’s desires that everyone be saved, but He also knows that not everyone will believe in His salvation.

What helps me to believe in the doctrine of election is a verse from Matthew 22:14, “Many are called, but few are chosen”. Many people are called/invited to enter the Kingdom of God, but only those who have been chosen will actually believe in Jesus Christ and accept the invitation. God knows beforehand who these people are and indeed many people have a problem with this. However, keep in mind that the world revolves around God, not around human beings. Many people hear the call of God through various means---creation (Romans 1:18-23), other people sharing the gospel, their own conscience---but only a few of those hearing the call will truly respond. Everyone has ears but only a few listen and respond (Matt 11:15, Mark 4:9, Luke 8:8, 14:35). It is God who draws certain people to Him; otherwise they cannot come on their own (John 6:44).

The doctrine of election causes people to question God’s fairness, that people really don’t have choice (we are God’s robots), and that evangelism is unnecessary. If you read Romans 11, you will better understand God’s fairness/mercy to all. If you read Romans 10 you will see the need for evangelism, and Romans 9 deals with the question of choice.

I believe that anyone attracted to the gospel of Christ has been chosen by God, even if you are still wavering in what you truly believe. Before the creation of the universe God thought of you. He did not choose you because you chose Him first; He chose you so that you would choose Him, does that make sense? He did not choose you because you were already holy and without fault, but he chose you so that you would become holy and without fault. The Scripture says that God decided in advance to adopt you into His own family by bringing you to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. It is up to you whether or not to believe this.

Devo 2

I Peter 1:3-5 (NLT)

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by His power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

Many Christians read this passage and it goes right over their heads. In other words, you read these words, but can you really grasp and explain them? For example, do you really understand what Peter meant when he wrote “we have a priceless inheritance…….”? Do you really understand “God is protecting you by His power until you receive this salvation…..”?

First, realize that you are saved in Christ not because of anything you did to earn this salvation. You are saved because of God’s mercy. Never forget that. Yes, you made the decision to accept God’s merciful offer of salvation, but that decision was enabled because of the mercy of God. Never forget that. You cannot allow pride and ego to interfere in your thoughts and sharing with others about your salvation. You did nothing, God did it all. Salvation means that you will never face eternal death; that you will live in heaven forever because Jesus defeated the penalty of sin—eternal death—through His suffering and dying for you and then being raised from the dead. Never forget that.

What is the priceless inheritance for the born again believer? It is everything that God has to offer. If you are in Christ and Christ is in you, you have everything Jesus has. The imagination wilts at what that everything is----all knowledge and wisdom, peace and contentment, indescribable joy, perfect love, timelessness, dimensionless experiences---all God’s treasures in heaven are yours. And, unlike the uncertainty of earthly inheritances (how much, worth, legal technicalities), your inheritance in heaven is unchangeable, undeniable, and undefiled.

Not only is the Christian inheritance in heaven guarded, but also while still on earth Christian people are themselves guarded/protected (read John 10:28). You are eternally secured. Nothing can take this inheritance away from you. Your faith saves you permanently. You’ve heard of the three stages/phases of salvation—justification, sanctification, and glorification. This passage is referring to the third phase—glorification—you will always be saved and forever free from sin and death because of the power of God behind you. Glorification of all believers will occur some day—on the last day—that all humanity who has ever lived on the earth will see. Boggles the mind, doesn’t it, but our finite minds simply need to believe that someday this will happen.

Peter wrote to fellow believers being persecuted and executed for their faith in Christ. He gave them hope that is living and lasting. May you also feel/sense that hope as you think through the meaning of these words by going deeper than the surface of the words themselves.

“If you...come to Christ, He will appear as a Lion, in His glorious power and dominion, to defend you. All those excellencies of His, in which He appears as a lion, shall be yours, and shall be employed for you in your defense, for your safety, and to promote your glory; He will be as a lion to fight against your enemies. He that touches you, or offends you, will provoke His wrath, as he that stirs up a lion. Unless your enemies can conquer this Lion, they shall not be able to destroy or hurt you. Unless they are stronger than He, they shall not be able to hinder your happiness.”--Jonathan Edwards


Devo 3

Judges 20:1-2 (NASB)

Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh. And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.

Recently, while teaching on basic doctrine about the church, I was asked if the church was part of the Old Testament. I knew that the Greek word for church in the New Testament (“ekklesia”, meaning “called out assembly”) would not be in the Old Testament, but wasn’t sure if there might be a similar Hebrew word for church. So I did some research and came up with the following.

“Ekklesia” can also be translated as “assembly” or “congregation”. Judges 20:1-2 contain these words. The original Hebrew word used for congregation in verse 1 is “edah” that can mean congregation, company, assembly, and people. The original Hebrew word for assembly in verse 2 is “qahal” that also means congregation, assembly, company, and multitude. Edah is used 149 times and Qahal 123 times in the Old Testament all in reference to people being together. Therefore, the idea of people being together for the purpose of praising and listening to God and supporting one another is a very old concept. Indeed “church” existed in the Old Testament.

Another connection between the concept of church in the Old and New Testaments is the fact that “ekklesia”, the Greek word for “church” is closely related to “ekklesiastes”, in turn which is related to “qoheleth” that is translated in English as “preacher”. Indeed the poetic book, Ecclesiastes, written by King Solomon later in his life, focuses on the preacher, e.g. Ecclesiastes 1:1 says, “The words of the preacher (qoheleth), the son of David, king in Jerusalem”.

We all know what a preacher does in a church. Preacher is also closely related to Teacher; in fact, many Bible translations use Teacher rather than Preacher in Ecclesiastes. Note what Ecclesiastes 12:9-10 says: “Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.” Is this not a true description of a preacher/teacher in the church today?

There is at least one other connection between church in the New Testament and congregation/assembly in the Old Testament. In Acts 7:37-38, Luke writes, “This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’ He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received living words to pass on to us.” The Greek word used for “assembly” in this passage is “ekklesia” which indeed is translated in the King James Version as “church”.

While this teaching might seem esoteric to some readers, to me, it is very important to realize that the concept of church that Christians hold to dearly since Christ established it (Matthew 16:18) is closely related to the Old Testament concepts of assembly and congregation. I like what a fellow named Bridge Willard wrote: “Church isn’t where you meet, it isn’t a building. Church is what you do. Church is who you are. Church is the human outworking of the person of Jesus Christ. Don’t go to church, be the church.” What are you doing to “be the church”? What purpose of the church do you feel strongest about? What can you do to make your congregation even stronger?

2nd Look 11/14/11

Devo 1

James 1:2-4 (Phillips)

When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives my brothers, don't resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Realize that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance. But let the process go on until that endurance is fully developed, and you will find you have become men of mature character with the right sort of independence.

The book of James is not afraid to “get into your face”. Here’s an example. After one verse of introduction, he moves right into an area of life that happens to all of us. He writes about trials and temptations that he knows are common to every single person who lives life on this earth. He states somewhat matter-of-factly that (1) not if trials and temptations occur in your life, but when they occur; (2) that you will face not one but all kinds of trials and temptations; and (3) these problems will cause inconveniences and frustrations and pressures—they will “crowd into” your life!

Anyone who reads these words for the first time is incredulous that you are to face your problems as friends, not intruders; in fact you are to welcome them. Oh, come on, that’s not right! Well, from a limited perspective, if God were not around, indeed that would be a laughable statement. However, from an eternal perspective, from the viewpoint of God, welcoming trials and temptations as friends is a profound statement, full of wisdom. Why? Because trials and temptations produce at least three qualities in you that have eternal value—

§ They test your faith that reveals your true character

§ They produce in you the quality of endurance (perseverance)

§ They produce in you mature character that gives God the opportunity to mold you into His likeness

The Greek word for endurance is “hupomone” that the scholar, William Barclay, defined as “having the quality to stand, to face the storm, to struggle against difficulty and opposition, to make progress against a trial, rather than merely waiting out the difficulty with passivity”. Furthermore, Barclay commented that these trials and temptations are not meant to make you fall and fail, but to make you stronger as a person and to make you soar. So, as best you can, rejoice in these trials knowing what their real intent is and what they will be producing in you.

Is there anything better in life that becoming what God wants you to become? He uses both joyful and sorrowful events of life to perfect (mature) you. Yet your growth into a mature person does depend on how you react to your problems. Of course, you will experience fear and anger and depression. You will have doubts and you will plead with God to help you. But, you need to find ways to replace all these normal and nature human reactions and emotions with the attitude of faithful expectation that the Lord is in control and is using these trials and temptations for a higher purpose in your life.

Have you not experienced a serious illness where after healing had occurred you realized what a joy it is to experience the ordinary things of life that you could not enjoy while ill? God used your illness to refine you so that you developed a much more mature perspective about life. You didn’t realize the benefits of your illness initially, but now you appreciate aspects of life that you never appreciated before.

To conclude here is a quote from Gil Rugh, pastor of Indian Hills Church in Lincoln, NE: “God is in the process of making us everything we should be as His children. He intends for us to be mature, functioning in every part of our being exactly as He intends. For this to be accomplished, trials are necessary. They build in us endurance, a steadfastness under pressure which will develop us as mature men and women in Christ. What a tragedy that trials often become the occasion for complaining and discouragement. We become obsessed with getting out from under the pressure rather than from learning to stand firm and thus become everything that God intends us to be (Romans 5:2-5; II Thessalonians 1:4 and I Peter 1:6,7).” Amen.

Devo 2

James 1:5-6 (NLT)

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

Wisdom is one of those words that you think you know what it means until you try to articulate that meaning. It’s a principle or character trait that we may not know how to define it, but we know it when we see it in others. Rarely does a person see wisdom in him/herself; indeed, you are not supposed to (Prov 3:7). There are various descriptions of wisdom. A dictionary definition of wisdom is “the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; to have insight, common sense, and good judgment, and the sum of learning through the ages.”

Biblically, wisdom is looking at life from God's point of view and associated with the fear (reverence) of the Lord (Prov 1:7, I Cor 12:8, Eph 1:17). Wisdom gives you pause and to ask the question "What would Jesus do?” Wisdom is clarity of vision. Charles Swindoll said: “You look at difficulties and tests as God looks at them. You look at family life and child rearing as God looks at them. You interpret current events as God would interpret them. You focus on the long view. You see the truth even though all around you are deception and lies.”

When James wrote about asking for wisdom, the context for this request is with respect to why you are going through trials in your life and the testing of your faith (James 1:2-3). The wisdom that God generously gives is greater understanding why you are going through what you are experiencing. He helps you see what you are becoming through the trial(s)—maturing your character and softening your heart so that you will be able to help others in your future going through what you have gone through (II Cor 1:4-7). The wisdom gained through trials in your life produce other admirable character traits—gentleness (James 3:13), discretion (Prov 8:12), power (Prov 8:14), control of your speech (Prov 10:31), humility (Prov 11:2) and self-control (Prov 19:11).

James 1:5 makes it very clear that God will not rebuke you for asking why He is putting your through whatever trial(s) you are facing. He wants you to be honest with Him and He wants you to be open to His ultimate will for your life for which trials help you to become who He wants you to be. Being given wisdom is a gift from God. People with the gift of wisdom are problem solvers, decision-makers and counselors. They are looked to for advice and counsel. It helps to give greater purpose and meaning for your life.

However, James 1:6 says that if you ask for wisdom for facing your trial and understanding its potential eternal benefits to you, you must be sincere in really wanting to know God’s intentions. Pastor Scott said: “Listen to me church family: You’ve got to really want to know God’s wisdom, because He’s going to tell you. You have to ask in faith, not doubting. Some of you are living that exact life because you’re not in true submission to God in the midst of your trial. I know what I’m talking about. To humble yourself and say, ‘God, teach me whatever You want to teach me. I don’t want to have to come back this way again.’ If you don’t really want to know what God wants to teach you, He’s not going to answer. You’re going to say, ‘I keep asking for wisdom, but He’s not telling me.’ He’ll tell you when you’re ready to know—when you really want to know what He’s teaching you.”

St. Augustine wrote: “Patience is the companion of wisdom”. Pray for patience as you ask God for wisdom in facing your trials and be sincere in your desire to learn and achieve godly wisdom through patient endurance as you proceed through your trial(s). Such wisdom will result in incredible blessings for you in your future and for others of whom benefit from your wisdom.

Devo 3

II John 6

And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

Have you ever read II John? It is only one chapter and only 13 verses. Have you ever heard a sermon preached from it? Have you ever been part of a Bible study class where the topic for discussion is II John? Do you ever see any of the 13 verses in II John quoted in any Christian writings? My guess is that you would answer “no” to all these questions. II John is probably as obscure a book of the Bible as any in the New Testament and ranks with certain obscure Old Testament books like Obadiah. Yet II John is part of the canon of the Bible so it’s there for a purpose, either to teach you something, correct you, reprove you, or train you in righteousness (II Tim 3:16).

So what Is II John’s purpose? I selected verse 6 as the key verse of the 13. It defines love. Not as I Corinthians 13 defines love, but much more succinctly and directly. Love is living your life according to God’s commandments. God’s commandments were given not to restrict you or to overwhelm you or to make your life miserable. His commandments are given in order for you to live a holy life, a life free from any kind of encumbrance, and a life full of blessings and honor and peace.

Love and keeping God’s commandments are also emphasized by Jesus in John 14:21 and 14:23. If Jesus asked you personally, “Do you love Me?”, what would your answer be? “Yes”, you would reply. “Oh, really?” He would say…….”then why are you not following My commandments?” You know deep in your heart whether or not you are following His commandments. Plus, basically, His commandments involve loving God and loving others as yourself. Are you?

John writes “this is the commandment”. Not a commandment, but the commandment. It is the same commandment since the beginning of mankind. The commandment? That you walk in or according to His commandments. Your main purpose in life is to live your life as best and as close as you can in obedience to the commandments of God. That’s how you demonstrate and prove your love for Him.

However, guess what? You cannot fulfill this commandment on your own. No, you cannot. You need the Spirit of Christ in you and not quench Him. What is the number one fruit of the Holy Spirit? Love (Galatians 5:22). God will see not your human nature, but His nature in you and seeing His nature in you will enable you to fulfill this commandment.

Pray everyday for God to forgive your sins and for the Holy Spirit to fill you and lead for the rest of that day. That is the key to living the obedient Christian life.