Daily Devotional 11-7-2021
Heb 2:1 For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away. Paul pauses to inject the first of several solemn warnings that are found in the Epistle. This is a warning against drifting away from the message of the gospel. Because of the greatness of the Giver and because of the greatness of His gift, those who hear the gospel must give more serious attention to it. There is always the danger of drifting away from the Person and slipping back into a religion of pictures. This means drifting into apostasy—the sin for which there is no repentance.
Daily Devotional 11-06-2021
1Co 3:18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become a fool so that he can become wise. In Christian service, as in all of Christian life, there is always the danger of self-deception. Perhaps some of those who came to Corinth as teachers posed as men of extreme wisdom. Any who have an exalted view of their own worldly wisdom must learn that they must become fools in the eyes of the world in order to become wise in God’s estimation.
Daily Devotional 11-05-2021
Heb 7:25 Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them. Because He lives forever He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God by Him. We generally understand this to refer to His work in saving sinners from the penalty of sin, but actually the writer is speaking of Christ’s work in saving saints from the power of sin. It is not so much His role as Savior as that of High Priest. There is no danger that any believers will be lost. Their eternal security rests on His perpetual intercession for them. He is also able to save them for all time because His present ministry for them at God’s right hand can never be interrupted by death.
Daily Devotional 11-04-2021
Heb 4:16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need. Now the gracious invitation is extended: draw near with confidence to the throne of grace. Our confidence is based on the knowledge that He died to save us and that He lives to keep us. We are assured of a hearty welcome because He has told us to come. The people in OT days could not draw near to Him. Only the high priest could approach Him, and then only on one day of the year. We can go into His presence at any time of the day or night and obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. His mercy covers the things we should not have done, and His grace empowers us to do what we should…
Daily Devotional 11-3-2021
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. The Ephesian Gentiles had been rescued from that place of distance and alienation, and had been elevated to a position of nearness to God. This was brought about at the time of their conversion. When they trusted the Savior, God placed them in Christ Jesus and accepted them in the beloved One. From then on they were as near to God as Christ is, because they were in Christ Jesus. The cost of effecting this marvelous change was the blood of Christ. Before these Gentile sinners could enjoy the privilege of nearness to God, they had to be cleansed from their sins. Only the blood of Christ shed at Calvary could do this. When they received the Lord Jesus by a definite act of faith, all the cleansing value…
Daily Devotional 11-2-2021
Jas 4:8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. On the other hand draw near to God and He will come near in response. To draw near to God, however, demands His cleansing. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Both “wash” and “purify” are verbs that refer to ceremonial cleansing, a figure that spoke eloquently to Jewish converts. The need for cleansing is clear from the way James addressed his readers, “you sinners” and “you double-minded”.
Daily Devotional 11-01-2021
Luk 6:35 But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. For he is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. Therefore Jesus repeated that we should love our enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return. Such behavior is distinctly Christian and marks out those who are the sons of the Most High. Of course, this is not the way men become sons of the Most High; that can only happen through receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. But this is the way true believers manifest themselves to the world as sons of God. He is kind to the unthankful and the evil. When we act like that, we manifest the family likeness. We show that we have been born of God.
Daily Devotional 10-31-2021
1Jn 2:15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. The writer was not dissatisfied with the spiritual state of his readers. Much less did he question or doubt their salvation, as some expositors of this epistle imply. On the contrary, his readers may even be viewed as having matured in the faith. John wrote precisely because their present state was so good. But he wished to warn them about dangers which always exist, no matter how far one has advanced in his Christian walk. He turned now to a warning. Do not love the world or anything in the world. The “world”, thought of here as an entity hostile to God, is always a seductive influence which Christians should continually resist . In other NT verses “world” means people. The world competes for the…
Daily Devotional 10-30-2021
Php 1:29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, So that being opposed would not come as a surprise, he gave them a reminder. Both believing on Christ and suffering for Him had been granted to them. Suffering for Christ was not to be considered accidental or a divine punishment. Paul referred to a kind of suffering that was really a sign of God’s favor. Believing on Christ and suffering for Him are both associated with God’s grace.
Daily Devotional 10-29-2021
Php 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. As the apostle thinks of the good start the believers have made in the Christian life, he is confident that God will finish the good work He has begun. Good work may refer to their salvation, or it may mean their active financial participation in the furtherance of the gospel. The day of Jesus Christ refers to the time of His coming again to take His people home to heaven and probably also includes the Judgment Seat of Christ, when service for Him will be reviewed and rewarded.