Daily Devotional 3-6-2022
1Co 1:19 CSB For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the intelligence of the intelligent. The fact that the gospel would be offensive to human wisdom was prophesied by Isaiah: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” As he often did, Paul illustrated his point by an example of Israel who, following humanly wise counsel, formed an alliance with Egypt as a defense against Assyria, when in fact only the miraculous intervention of God was able to save them. How true it is that God delights to accomplish His purposes in ways that seem foolish to men. How often He uses methods that the wise of this world would ridicule, yet they achieve the desired results with wonderful accuracy and efficiency. For example, man’s wisdom assures him that he can…
Daily Devotional 3-5-2022
Rom 15:13 CSB Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. So Paul closes this section with a gracious benediction, praying that the God who gives good hope through grace will fill the saints with all joy and peace as they believe on Him. Perhaps he is thinking especially of Gentile believers here, but the prayer is suitable for all. And it is true that those who abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit have no time to quarrel over nonessentials. Our common hope is a powerful unifying force in the Christian life.
Daily Devotional 3-4-2022
Jas 1:5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him. We don’t have to face the problems of life in our own wisdom. If, in the time of trial, we lack spiritual insight, we should go to God and tell Him all about our perplexity and ignorance. All who are thus exercised to find God’s purposes in the trials will be liberally rewarded. And they need not worry that God will scold them either; He is pleased when we are teachable and tractable. We all lack wisdom. The Bible does not give specific answers to the innumerable problems that arise in life. It does not solve problems in so many words, but God’s word does give us general principles. We must apply these principles to problems as they arise day by day. That is why…
Daily Devotional 3-3-2022
Rom 11:33-36 CSB Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways! (34) For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? (35) And who has ever given to God, that he should be repaid? (36) For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen. As Paul ended his discussion on the revelation of God’s righteousness in His sovereign choice, he burst forth in a doxology of praise to God. He exclaimed, Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! The plan of God for the salvation of all people demonstrates God’s infinite knowledge and His ability to use it wisely. God has revealed some of His judgments and His paths (“ways”) so that…
Daily Devotional 3-2-2022
2Co 6:14-16 CSB Don’t become partners with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? (15) What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? (16) And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, as God said: I will dwell and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Mention of the unequal yoke suggests: “You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together.” The ox was a clean animal and the donkey unclean, and their step and pull are unequal. By way of contrast, when believers are yoked with the Lord Jesus, they find that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. This…
Daily Devotional 03-01-2022
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 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 themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Daily Devotional 2-28-2022
1Pe 4:15 CSB Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. Peter stressed that persecution was no excuse for lawlessness. Christians were not to retaliate. Physical violence was not to be met by murder. Confiscation of property was not to be compensated for by theft. No matter what their trials, Christians were to do nothing that would justify punishing them as criminals. They were not to suffer as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. Even interfering in other people’s affairs is out of place for Christians.
Daily Devotional 2-27-2022
Heb 5:13-14 CSB Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant. (14) But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil. It is unsatisfactory to remain a baby in spiritual matters. This is true because a spiritual infant, living on milk… is inexperienced with the teaching about righteousness. It is not so much that a spiritual “infant” lacks information – though at first he obviously does – but rather that he has not yet learned to put “the teaching about righteousness” to effective use. He lacks the skill which goes with maturity and which results in the ability to make appropriate moral choices. Such ability is exactly what is possessed by those who… have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. That kind of person can handle solid food. Once…
Daily Devotional 2-26-2022
1Co 10:11 CSB These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come. God’s dealings with Israel were more than a matter of historical curiosity for Paul. They were examples and warnings for the Corinthians or people like us, the modern days’ Christians, that the God with whom they had to deal, who was bringing His interaction with people to a close in this fulfilment of the ages, was the same God who disciplined the Israelites with death and would do so again.
Daily Devotional 25-2-2022
Rom 15:4 CSB For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. This quotation from the Psalms reminds us that the OT Scriptures were written for our learning. While they were not written directly to us, they contain invaluable lessons for us. As we encounter problems, conflicts, tribulations, and troubles, the Scriptures teach us to be steadfast, and they impart comfort. Thus, instead of sinking under the waves, we are sustained by the hope that the Lord will see us through.