Daily Devotional 12-15-2021
Psa 23:1-4 CSB A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I have what I need. (2) He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. (3) He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake. (4) Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me. The psalmist employed the figure of a shepherd to recall the blessings he enjoyed from the Lord. The metaphor was a natural one for David, the shepherd-king. It was also a common metaphor in the ancient Near East, as many kings compared themselves to shepherds in their leadership capacity. The prophecy of the coming Messiah incorporated the same, and Jesus identified Himself as that expected “Good Shepherd”. He is also called the “Great Shepherd” and “the Chief…
Daily Devotional 12-8-2021
Rom 10:14-15 CSB How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? (15) And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. After proclaiming God’s gracious offer in Christ, Paul confronted the natural questions that arise, each additional question building on the key verb from the preceding question. God’s promise of salvation to “everyone who calls” on Him begins the process. How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? Previously, to call on the Lord was equated with trusting Him or believing in Him, but here it follows the believing. When one believes in Christ, he “calls” on Him. Believing, in turn, is based on hearing, and hearing is based…
Daily Devotional 12-7-2021
1Pe 4:19 CSB So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good. Believers could be sure that they were being called on to suffer according to God’s will even if, having committed no crimes, they were suffering solely because they bore Christ’s name. Peter encouraged suffering saints to endure through the exercise of Christlike faith. Just as Christ trusted Himself to His Father who judges justly, so should believers commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Daily Devotional 12-6-2021
Pro 20:6 CSB Many a person proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy person? Loyalty (unfailing love) and faithfulness are desirable qualities, but not everyone who claims to have them actually does. In fact, faithfulness is usually missing. Keeping one’s word and being loyal to one’s commitments are important.
Daily Devotional 12-5-2021
Pro 15:13 CSB A joyful heart makes a face cheerful, but a sad heart produces a broken spirit. This refers to a happy heart. Inner joy shows on a person’s face, but inner grief depresses a person’s morale (crushes the spirit). Happiness and depression are issues of the heart. What a person is inwardly has more lasting impact on his emotional state than do his circumstances. Some people hold up under difficult circumstances better than others because of inner strength.
Daily Devotional 12-4-2021
Psa 24:1-2 CSB A psalm of David. The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the LORD; (2) for he laid its foundation on the seas and established it on the rivers. As the throng nears the city, the announcement rings out that the earth and everything in it belong to God. It is a statement of divine ownership and of Christ’s full right to reign. Then the reason is given. Christ is the One who made the world. It was He who gathered the waters together in one place and made the dry land appear. It was He who formed the rivers, some on the surface of the earth and some beneath the ground. So now He is coming to claim what is really His own but has been denied to Him for centuries.
Daily Devotional 12-3-2021
Psa 91:5-7 CSB You will not fear the terror of the night, the arrow that flies by day, (6) the plague that stalks in darkness, or the pestilence that ravages at noon. (7) Though a thousand fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, the pestilence will not reach you. The psalmist, encouraging himself, expanded on the theme of the Lord’s protection from danger. He enumerated how God delivers a believer from various frightening attacks: (1) God delivers from the fowler’s snare, a figure for insidious attempts against his life. (2) God delivers from… deadly pestilence. (3) God covers him with His wings, a figure of safety and comfort. (4) God protects with His faithfulness, explained here by the metaphor of a shield and rampart. As a result of God’s help in these ways one who trusts in the Lord will not fear… terror at night, attack…
Daily Devotional 11-02-2021
1Co 6:2-3 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? (3) Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Paul reminds the Corinthians that they will judge angels. We know from Jude and 2Peter that angels will be judged. We also know that Christ will be the Judge. It is because of our union with Him that we can be spoken of as judging angels in a coming day. If we are considered qualified to judge angels, we should be able to handle the everyday problems that arise in…
Daily Devotional 12-01-2021
Rom 12:21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good. A scientist once said, “I will never let another man ruin my life by making me hate him.” As a believer he would not allow evil to conquer him. But overcome evil with good. It is characteristic of Christian teaching that it does not stop with the negative prohibition but goes on to the positive exhortation. Evil can be overpowered with good. This is a weapon we should use more frequently.
Daily Devotional 11-30-2021
1Co 10:22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? Not only that, it would not be possible to do this without provoking the Lord to jealousy. As William Kelly said, “Love cannot but be jealous of wandering affections, it would not be love if it did not resent unfaithfulness.” The Christian should fear to thus displease the Lord, or to provoke His righteous indignation. Do we think that we are stronger than He? That is, do we dare to grieve Him and risk an exhibition of His disciplinary judgment upon us?