Accuser

"Inter filios die affuit etiam Satan 
Job 2 6 1967 " by Salvidor Dali

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Job1-3; Psalm 135

TO CHEW ON: "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.
And the Lord said to Satan, 'From where do you come?' So Satan answered the Lord and said, 'From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.'" Job 1:6-7

Here we get a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of cosmic persons—God and Satan—in conversation. God draws attention to Job and what a unique, upright man he is.

We recognize the sly, cynical tone in Satan's response. It's the same voice we heard in the Garden:
* Satan to Eve in Eden: "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?'" - Genesis 3:1
* Satan to God about Job: "Does Job fear God for nothing?" - Job 1:9.

Who is this Satan? A Word Wealth article in my Bible explains him in terms of the meaning of his name:

[Satan - satan - means an Opponent or the Accuser; the hater, adversary, enemy; one who resists, obstructs and hinders whatever is good. Satan comes from the verb which means to 'be an opponent,' or 'to withstand.' - Dick Mills, "Word Wealth - Satan" - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 648.]

Where did Satan come from? Wayne Grudem says of the origins of Satan and demons:

"When God created the world, he 'saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good (Genesis 1:31). This means that even the angelic world that God had created did not have evil angels or demons in it at that time. But by the time of Genesis 3, we find that Satan, in the form of a serpent, was tempting Eve to sin (Genesis 3:1-5). Therefore sometime between the events of Genesis 1:31 and Genesis 3:1, there must have been a rebellion in the angelic world with many angels turning against God and becoming evil" - Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 412.

Though no human witnessed Satan's fall, God gave Bible authors insight into it: 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6, and Isaiah 14:12-15.

Satan, as the hater, is the polar opposite of God who is love (1 John 4:7,8). And we align ourselves with one or the other. John says that we prove we are either children of God or children of the devil by the way we live and love - 1 John 3:10-15.

When I read this beginning of Job passage, I often wonder, what would God say about me? Would He recognize me as one of His own, demonstrated by my family trait of love? And how would Satan reply?

Finally, my response to pressure and temptation can change if I realize I am in the fire of a test that God allows because of His confidence that I'll pass that test—as my Bible's commenter on Job explains:

 "God does not allow trials to see if we will fail; He allows trials to strengthen our faith. The trial is, in fact, a statement of God's faith in our faithfulness and integrity" - Charles E. Blair, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 648 (emphasis added).

PRAYER: Dear God, when I am tested, help me to remember that there are bigger issues at play than my comfort and well-being. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 135

The Bible Project VIDEO: Job (Read Scripture Series)




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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Our necessary separation

"The blessing of Abraham" by Julius Schnorr

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Genesis 12:1-20

TO CHEW ON: “Now the LORD had said to Abraham:
‘Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land I will show you.’” Genesis 12:1

Why did Abraham need to live his country / family / father’s house? One reason was certainly to separate himself from the idolatry that had infiltrated his clan. A sidebar article in my study Bible explains:

“Genesis 12:1-3 indicates that God separated Abraham from his idolatrous family in order to make him and his descendants the messianic nation which would bring salvation to all earth’s families” - Dick Mills, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 20.

The theme of God wanting His people to be separate from their idol-worshiping neighbors runs through the Old Testament.

• Moses told the Israelites to utterly annihilate the idolatrous Canaanites when they entered the promised land - Deuteronomy 7:2.

• Joshua, the leader who followed Moses, told the people at his farewell address to not let the names of the Canaanite gods even cross their lips - Joshua 23:7.

• Israel failed utterly in this. In Judges we have the playing out of their disobedient mercy. As a result: “They  (the idolatrous nations) shall be thorns in your sides and their gods shall be a snare to you” - Judges 2:2,3.

• Intermingling of Israel with idol-worshiping people carried on. We see examples in the lives of Kings Solomon (1 Kings 3:1), Ahab (1 Kings 20:32), and Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:13), until finally the remnant of the Israelites who remained were taken into exile.

• Years later, on their return to the land, their leader Ezra attempted to reinforce that separation from the heathen people and practices that continued to plague them - Ezra 9:1, 12:10,11.

In the New Testament, though, Peter had a vision where he was commanded to eat unclean foods and interpreted this as God showing him that no man was common or unclean - Acts 10:28. Does that mean all barriers are down? The nation of Israel has played her role in giving the world Jesus the Messiah. And Jesus certainly died for all and invites anyone and everyone of whatever race, creed, or religion to Him for salvation - John 3:16.

But sin is still just as dangerous, contagious, sneaky, and sly. And so for us too, the principle of separation from all that is opposed to God still applies. Does the old saw we bandy about so freely actually apply here: “Love the sinner but hate the sin”?

• We are not to be yoked together with unbelievers - 2 Corinthians 6:14.

• We are to stay away from the “unfruitful works of darkness” - Ephesians 5:11.

• We are to withdraw from the disorderly Christian brother - 2 Thessalonians 3:6.

• John tells us “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” 1 John 2:15.

Separation from sin, the world, and the idols of our time is still a necessary aspect of our Kingdom of Heaven citizenship:

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (KJV)

PRAYER: Dear Father, please teach me how to live in the world but not of it, to love everyone but hate and avoid sin wherever it makes an appearance. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The love gene

Image: Pixabay

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Matthew 5:38-48

TO CHEW ON: “‘But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.'”  Matthew 5:44,45


The list of do’s and don’ts in our passage today reminds us a lot of yesterday’s list from Leviticus 19. There is even the same motivation: love (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 5:44).

However, Jesus goes further than the command to love one’s neighbor (hard enough) to say that disciples—we—should love even our enemies.

How can He expect this of us?

He showed us how by His example

• By what He said: John 3:16; Matthew 5:44

• Through His life:

 * He had compassion on the crowds, whatever their beliefs (Matthew 9:36; 14:14).

* He cried over Jerusalem whose citizens were rejecting Him (Matthew 9:36).

* He healed the ear of one of the soldiers who came to arrest Him and prayed for forgiveness of those who mocked Him while on the cross (Luke 22:41; 23:34).

• In His death: 

* It’s how His followers (here Paul) understood His death: “ For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”  Romans 5:6-8.

The Holy Spirit gives us this heart transplant. 
It is only through the Holy Spirit that we become carriers of this family love gene.


* “'But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth'” - Acts 1:8

*“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5.

*“But the fruit of the Spirit is love…” Galatians 5:22

*“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 1 Peter 1:22.

Perhaps the extent to which we do (or don’t) love our neighbors and our enemies says something about how much of our lives the Holy Spirit has access to.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, the command to display this family trait of love, even when it feels entirely unnatural, is a wake-up call to me to allow Your Spirit greater control of my life. Please help me in this. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

We are not alone

The Holy Spirit 

descends on Christ 

at His baptism. 

(Photo © 2016 by V. Nesdoly)

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Galatians 3:26-4:7

TO CHEW ON: “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out Abba Father!’” Galatians 4:6

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

On this day, when we cross the threshold of the new year, we may come with a variety of emotions. There may be anticipation over all those crisp new calendars and empty date blocks yet to fill. There may be a feeling of “here we are again” jadedness. Or there may be outright dread of the unknown that we will face in the next 365 days.

Our reading today reassures us, however we’re feeling, we are not alone on this journey. If we have believed in Christ’s atonement for us (…were baptized into Christ have put on Christ - Galatians 3:27), have accepted His buying us back (are “redeemed” - Galatians 4:5), then we are His responsibility. He has adopted us as His sons and daughters. Our hearts witness to this and now recognize Father God as “Daddy” (“Abba Father”).

It’s not on our own that we come to this place of belonging, dependence and security, though, but through the Holy Spirit: “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts…” Galatians 4:6.

We have a companion for the days ahead, a multi-faceted helper, as witnessed to by His many names:

Eternal Spirit - Hebrews 9:14
Holy Spirit - Psalm 51:11; Ephesians 1:13, 4:30
Power of the Most High - Luke 1:35
Spirit of Adoption - Romans 8:15
Spirit of Christ - 1 Peter 1:11
Spirit of Counsel - Isaiah 11:2
Spirit of Glory - 1 Peter 4:14
Spirit of God - Genesis 1:2
Spirit of grace - Zechariah 12:10
Spirit of Holiness - Romans 1:4
Spirit of Judgment - Isaiah 4:4
Spirit of Knowledge - Isaiah 11:2
Spirit of Life - Romans 8:2
Spirit of Lord God - Isaiah 61:1
Spirit of Strength - Isaiah 11:2
Spirit of Prophecy - Revelation 19:10
Spirit of the Father - Matthew 10:20
Spirit of the Lord - Isaiah 11:2
Spirit of the Son - Galatians 4:6
Spirit of Understanding - Isaiah 11:2
Spirit of Wisdom - Isaiah 11:2

(The above list from the NKJV Thompson Chain Bible - “Titles and Names of the Holy Spirit” #3634.)

With such a companion we can go into the year with the confidence of well-taken-care-of children!

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You that I don’t enter 2017 alone, but have the Holy Spirit as my companion and helper. Amen.

MORE: Holy Name Day

Today the church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Name. The day’s liturgy begins with this collect:

"Eternal Father, you gave to your incarnate Son the holy name of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart, we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen."

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Adopted child

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Galatians 3:26-4:7

TO CHEW ON: "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Galatians 4:4-5

Of all the metaphors used to describe our relationship with God, the father-child one may be the one we understand best. In the Old Testament God expressed His relationship with the descendants of Jacob that way, repeatedly calling them "My people" (Isaiah 43:1; Isaiah 63:16; Jeremiah 31:1)

In the New Testament, that kinship is expanded to all believers, Jew and Gentile.

• It applies to all who receive Him (John 1:12).

• Our sonship / daughtership is evident when we submit our lives to the Holy Spirit's leadership (Romans 8:14).

• Our family characteristics ("blameless, harmless, without fault, shining as lights") will make us noticeable to the world (Philippians 2:15).

• Our family likeness may cause the world to reject us (1 John 3:1).

However, this relationship is so worth it. It is one of tenderness and trust, shown by how we can address God as "Abba" or Daddy (Galatians 4:4-7). As our Father, we can look to God to:

• Stand in for an absent physical father, and defend us when we're vulnerable (Psalm 68:5).

• Guide us (Jeremiah 3:4).

• Teach and mold us (Isaiah 64:8).

• Hear and answer our prayers to Him (Matthew 6:9).

• Give us good things (Matthew 7:11).

• Take away our fears (Romans 8:15).

• Deal with us fairly at life's end (1 Peter 1:17).

What an incredible inheritance. Who would want to be anyone else's child?

PRAYER: Dear Father God, thank You for making a way for me to be Your adopted daughter. Help me to live in such a way that I will make You and the family proud. Amen.

MORE: Brian Doerksen sings "Father Me"

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.  

"What was it you disputed among yourselves?"

"Jesus and the Little Child" by James Tissot

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Mark 9:30-50


TO CHEW ON: "Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, 'What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?'
But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest." - Mark 9:33-34

Jesus obviously knew about the disciples' argument for He addressed it in the very next verse (Mark 9:35). So why did He ask them?

Perhaps it was because He wanted them to confess this petty discussion. The fact that they kept an embarrassed silence tells us they knew it was unworthy. I wonder how many other similar conversations they had had and never thought twice about them. But Jesus' question put the spotlight on this rather ordinary event.

What if we put ourselves there with the disciples and heard Jesus questioning: "What is it you were discussing?" or even more personally "What is it you were discussing with yourself (i.e. thinking)?" If we are hesitant to answer, could it be we're feeling the disciples' guilt over subjects unworthy of a child of God because they are conversations or thoughts of anger, worry, judgment, self-exaltation, unforgiveness, deceit, hatred...?

Maybe after we answer Jesus honestly in confession, He will give us insights about us and our concerns like He did the disciples here. Most certainly we will be aware of and hopefully avoid hopping on these ungodly trains of thought and discussion when they next pull into the station of our minds.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, as I think about answering Your question, I am aware of conversations with others and myself unworthy of one of Your children. Help me to admit and confess these symptoms of sin. Please change me at a heart level. Amen.

MORE: Jesus on:

Anger - Matthew 5:21-24
Worry - Matthew 6:25-31
Judgment - Matthew 7:1-5
Self-exaltation - Matthew 6:3-4
Unforgiveness - Matthew 18:21,22
Deceit - Matthew 5:37
Hatred - Matthew 5:43-48


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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Do we really love Him?

1 John 4:7 - Treasures of the Bible Illus.

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 John 5:1-12

TO CHEW ON: "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments." - 1 John 5:3

In a class I'm taking at church, we're doing spiritual gifts inventories. I sat down with my questionnaire last night and tried to honestly answer and score myself on 137 questions with "Consistently - 3; Most of the time - 2; Some of the time - 1; and Never - 0."

Sad to say, I found myself answering many with 1 and  0—things I probably should be doing, His commandments, that I seldom or never do.

No doubt that's why today's verse jumped out at me from this 1 John reading. It tells me I show my love for God not so much by the way I proclaim it in song during a praise time, or by what I say to others and myself about my feelings toward God, but what I do of complying with His wishes—His revealed will expressed in the Bible and pressed home to me by the Holy Spirit.

• God wants our obedience to be attentive and wholehearted - Deuteronomy 26:16; 32:46.

• It determines our real success and prosperity - Joshua 1:8; Jeremiah 7:23.

• It is better than sacrifice - 1 Samuel 15:22.

• It assures us a place in God's kingdom - Matthew 7:21; Luke 8:21.

• It is our duty - Acts 5:29; 2 John 1:6.

It seems John even anticipates our groans under the should of it for he continues: "And His commandments are not burdensome."

Why not? Because we're "born of God," children of a new race that overcomes the world (and our selfishness) through new life brought about by faith in Jesus as God's Son. May God continue to change and mature me—all of us His kids—as we grow in faith and increasingly demonstrate our love through obedience.

PRAYER: Dear God, please continue to convict me toward greater love for You through obedience. Please mature me as Your child. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Intimate Holy Spirit

TODAY'S SPECIAL: John 14:1-21

TO CHEW ON: "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." John 14:18

One of the saddest things in the world is kids who don't belong to anyone—orphans. It's hard for me to even imagine being in such a place because my parents have been so foundational to the person I have become.

Here Jesus taps into the language of family and other relationships to describe what the Holy Spirit, who will soon come, will be to His disciples. Let's look at the roles Jesus says the Holy Spirit will play in a disciple's life. He will be a:

1. Helper: "I will pray to the Father and He will give you another Helper…"- John 14:16.  [Helper  is parakletos and means 'beside' and 'to call' = called to one's side. The word signifies an intercessor, comforter, helper, advocate counselor. … In non-biblical literature parakletos had the technical meaning of an attorney who appears in court in another's behalf. The Holy Spirit … gives the strength to endure the hostility of the world system" - Dick Mills, Word Wealth, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1472.]

2. Roommate / Housemate: "He dwells with you..."

3. Tenant of the spirit: "…and will be in you" - John 14:17; 23

4. Parent: "I will not leave you orphans" - John 14:18.

5. Lover who shows His love: "And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father and I will love him and manifest Myself to him" - John 14:21. [Manifest - emphanidzo 1718 - to cause to shine… to appear to come to view, reveal, exhibit, make visible, present oneself to the sight of another" - Op. Cit, p. 1470.]

6. Teacher: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit … will teach you all things…"

7. Prompter: "… and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you" - John 14:26.

Of course the Holy Spirit doesn't barge into our lives but moves in on our invitation, increasingly taking over our life's house and our very personality and character only with our cooperation—that is, our obedience - John 14:15, 21, 23-24.

I challenge myself, and you, to be on the lookout today for instances where the Holy Spirit is these things to us. Perhaps a good project would be to make note of what we discover in a journal.


PRAYER: Dear Holy Spirit, thank You for coming to me in these various ways. Please open my eyes to clearly recognize what You do and who You are in my life.  Amen

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

A history of LIGHT

Creation of Light - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Genesis 1:1-19

TO CHEW ON: "Then God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light." Genesis 1:3

After reading this first chapter of Genesis tens of times, it finally sunk in, recently, that God created light before He created the light-givers: sun, moon, and stars. In fact, light was the first created thing. Perhaps it should not surprise us, then, to see that God is frequently associated with LIGHT.

He is the creator of the physical light-makers in our sky (Genesis 1:17) from whose properties and activities, I think we could argue (though I'm no scientist) come all the other light sources—lightning, electricity, lightning bugs…

Light often characterizes God-generated supernatural activities.

• When the Israelites were pursued by the Egyptians, the cloud by which God led them was a light to them, to help them across the Red Sea (Exodus 14:20).

• Angel visits were sometimes accompanied by light. The "glory of the Lord" shone around the shepherds when they angels told them of Jesus' birth (Luke 2:9). Peter was sprung from prison by an angel whose presence was a "bright light" (Acts 12:7).

The writers of the Bible's psalms and praise songs often referred to God in relation to light.

• "The Lord is my light and my salvation" - Psalm 27:1.

• "In Your light we see light" - Psalm 36:9.

• "For the Lord God is a sun and shield" - Psalm 84:11.

• "You cover Yourself with light as with a garment" - Psalm 104:2.

Light surrounds the life and ministry of Jesus.

• Old Testament prophecies we believe were fulfilled by His coming make many references to light - Numbers 24:17; Isaiah 9:2; 60:3; Malachi 4:2.

• John the Baptist referring to One coming after Him, talked of  "witnessing to the Light" - John 1:7-9.

• Jesus, referring to Himself said, "I am the light of the world..." - John 8:12; 12:35, 46.

Now we, as believers in Jesus, His disciples, followers, children, are possessors of that light - John 8:12.

• We inherit that light - Ephesians 5:8; Philippians 2:15.

• We distribute that light - Matthew 5:14.

In this season of short days and long dark nights (at least where I live), let's thank God for light of all kinds—the physical and the spiritual—which will culminate, one day, in a place where there is no more need for the sun, moon and stars, but God will be our sole source of light - Revelation 22:5; 1 John 1:3.


PRAYER: Dear God,  thank You for physical light, the light of mental understanding, but most of all for the spiritual light that overcomes sin and all the darkness that descended on the world and in us as a result. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Playing catch with God

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ephesians 3:1-21

TO CHEW ON: "...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge..." - Ephesians 3:17-19


In her book Theology in Aisle Seven, Carolyn Arends tells of the time in a pre-concert prayer meeting when she prayed something like, "'God, we invite you here among us.'" The next person to pray—the church's minister—contradicted her theology when he prayed, "'We know we do not have to request your presence because there is nowhere you are not. So we celebrate the fact you are already here with us now'" - Theology in Aisle Seven, Kindle Location 141.

In a way Paul's prayer for the Ephesians when he requests that God make them able to comprehend Christ's love for them, is his subtler request for his readers of what Carolyn desired. We all want to feel God is with us, to sense His presence, to know He wraps us in a loving hug.

Paul gives us the key to how that begins when he says "...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith..."

But what about those times God feels distant, or even absent?

Though Carolyn was a little miffed at having her theology so publicly corrected, the minister's words set her to search out these things and brought her to some life-altering realizations. Attending to the words of Jesus when He talked about the Kingdom of God coming near (Matthew 4:17), she discovered:

"...for the biblical writers, heaven is close. In fact the 'first heavens' is a term used to describe the earth's atmosphere. So when Jesus describes the invisible (but very real) realm that God inhabits, he lets us know it's not only out there, but also as near as the atmosphere surrounding our bodies and the air we breathe" - Arends, Theology, KL 161.

She found another piece of the puzzle when a colleague shared an article about a father and son playing catch and related such an activity with fathering and being a child. "They do not call it a game of throw," her friend said, "but catch."

Arends concludes:

"God is the initiator. We love because he first loved us. We're here because he thought of us and welcomed us into his world. Yes, he stands at the doors to our hearts and knocks, but we need only let him in" - Arends, Theology, K.L. 174.

Doesn't all that help us comprehend His love and presence a little better?

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for being here, all around me, as present as the air I breathe. Help me to catch the signals of Your nearness in the blessings that flow through my day, the prickly lessons, and the sadnesses that keep my heart soft. May I affirm Your presence by throwing my thankfulness back to you. Amen.

MORE:  But don't we need to catch God's attention?

More Arends: "I suspect I have sometimes unconsciously used spiritual disciplines as smoke signals to get God's attention. Now I am learning that they are simply ways of letting him capture mine" - Carolyn Arends, Theology, K.L. 16.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Baby King

"The Magis" by Isabella Colette

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Chronicles 17:1-15

TO CHEW ON: "And I will establish him in My house and My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever." 1 Chronicles 17:14

It's hard to see a king in a newborn baby. But that's what the angel told Mary her Son would be:

"'He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end'” - Luke 1:32-33.

The angel's words echo what God said to David in our reading today. Though the promise of David's established kingdom was fulfilled in the near term by his son Solomon and descendants, the long-range fulfillment of that forever kingdom finds its fulfillment in Jesus:

Psalm 2:6-8

“Yet I have set My King

         On My holy hill of Zion.”

         “I will declare the decree:

         The LORD has said to Me,

         ‘You are My Son,

         Today I have begotten You.

Ask of Me, and I will give You

         The nations for Your inheritance,

         And the ends of the earth for Your possession.

Psalm 89:35-37

Once I have sworn by My holiness;

         I will not lie to David:

 His seed shall endure forever,

         And his throne as the sun before Me;

 It shall be established forever like the moon,

         Even like the faithful witness in the sky.”  Selah  

Do we think of Jesus as our king? In our attempts to make Jesus accessible, perhaps we have glossed over the fact of His identity as a sovereign ruler. Human royalty can only be approached according to protocol. Does the respect and dignity with which we would enter the presence of a human king impact our relationship with Him?

The wonderful thing is that we are part of His household—His kingly line. The writer of Hebrews tells us "But Christ as Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of hope firm to the end" - Hebrews 3:6.

Do we conduct ourselves as the King's children, with the awareness that we are representatives of His dynasty. Are we confident in His power? Do we live with hope in His ultimate victory?

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I want my relationship with You to be based on reality. You are in truth a King. Help me to keep that in mind as I approach You. Help me to live a life that reflects my royal lineage. Amen.


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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Living with integrity

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 15:1-5


TO CHEW ON: "Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?

Who may dwell in Your holy hill?" Psalm 15:1

Though none of us can ever earn God's love and favour with our goodness—and we know that—striving to please Him has its place. Perhaps striving is the wrong word, for when we become His children, our relationship takes on a Father-child dimension, where wanting His approval is as natural as the longing to hear the "well done" of our earthly dads.

In Psalm 15 David asks, "Lord, who may abide...who may dwell with You" and then lists 11 attitudes and actions God's kids cultivate to live in sweet harmony with their heavenly Father.

God's child:

1. "Walks uprightly" ("those whose walk is blameless" - NIV). Does this mean we have to be perfect? I don't think so. What it does mean, I believe, is that our consciences are clear. We don't habitually commit or cover over known sin.

2. "Works righteousness" ("works rightness and justice" - Amp).

3. "Speaks truth in his heart" ("speaks and thinks the truth in his heart" - Amp; "speaking the truth from sincere hearts" - NLT).

4. "Does not backbite with his tongue ("does not slander" - Amp; "refuses to gossip" - NLT).

5."Nor does evil to his neighbour" ("Nor does evil to his friend" - AMP).

6. "Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend" ("casts no slur on others" - NIV 2010).

7. "In whose eyes a vile person is despised" ("those who despise flagrant sinners" - NLT).

8. "He honours those who fear the Lord" ("honours the faithful followers of the Lord" - NLT).

In regard to 7 & 8, I can't help but think how we, even us followers of Jesus, are influenced by the star worship of our society. Oh to rather be starstruck with the people who impress God!

9. "He swears to his own hurt and does not change" ("keep their promises even when it hurts" NLT).

10. "Does not put out his money at usury" ("lends money without charging interest" NLT). Footnote: "Usury - The Levitcal law prohibited demanding interest on loans to the poor (Leviticus 25:36)" New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 695.

11. "Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent" ("who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent" - NLT).

Such a list speaks for itself. Note how it impacts every part of life from our thoughts to how we do business. Depending on our circumstances, we'll notice different items on it. What jumps out at you today?

PRAYER: Dear God, please help grow in me the qualities of integrity, authenticity, fear of You, and compassion. I want to be a woman of godly character. Amen.

MORE: "Maker's Handbook"

Another reason we adopt the principles and standards of the Bible to direct our living is because by doing so, we live life the way God designed it to work best. Theologian J. I. Packer says:

"The Christian accepts the moral standards which are set forth in the Bible, acknowledging them as standing in a ‘maker’s handbook’ relation to his own nature and as circumscribing the only way of life that can lead him to ultimate fulfilment and felicity" - J. I. Packer in "Conscience, Choice and Character"

********

Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Are you one of the peculiar?

Artist A.P.s sketch of "That they (the older women)
may teach the younger women" - Titus 2:3-4

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Titus 2:1-15

TO CHEW ON: "Who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works." Titus 2:14

Paul gives Titus instructions on what to teach the various people in his congregations about lifestyle and attitude. I don't know if following his teaching would have set them apart from their unbelieving peers. Probably. For in the second half of Titus 2, when Paul is explaining why they should live this way (because they are looking forward to the return of Jesus - vs. 13), he calls them "His (God's) own special people." He is reminding Titus and all the Christ-followers that though they may no longer fit in with their neighbours, they fit in with God.

These days, when our everyday contact with the world through personal interaction, TV, the internet, and radio may far exceed our contact with people of faith, we may also feel like misfits. At such times it is good to remember that we too are "God's own special people." As such we are:

1. His special treasure (Exodus 19:5).
2. Chosen and holy (Deuteronomy 14:2).
3. Exalted (Deuteronomy 26:19).
4. Blessed with strength and peace (Psalm 29:11).
5. Guided as a flock (Psalm 78:52).
6. Included, even though we're Gentiles (Acts 15:14).
7. Characterized by zeal (Titus 2:14 - today's focus verse).
8. A people with God's law written on our hearts (Hebrews 8:10).
9. Called "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9).
10. A people with whom God chooses to live (Revelation 21:3).

If you're feeling isolated, odd, "peculiar"—the word the King James Version translators use to describe the people of God in 1 Peter 2:9—encourage yourself today as you review how God looks at you. As Bible teacher Dr. Dan Hayden says in an article called "A Peculiar People":

"Christian friend, I hope that you are encouraged to know that you really are 'peculiar'. You belong to a special group of people who are the unique possession of God. You are a member of His eternal family. And that means, of course, that you are the special object of His love and care. It also means however, that we are to live consistent with who we are."  - Read all of "A Peculiar People."

PRAYER: Dear God, I'm so encouraged to review what it means to be part of the company of Your people. Help me to live in such a way that I will bring credit to You and my fellow citizens of this "holy nation." Amen.

MORE: God's goal for His people

"What is He after, then? What is His goal? What does He aim at? When He made man, His purpose was that man should love and honor Him, praising Him for the wonderfully ordered complexity and variety of His world, using it according to His will, and so enjoying both it and Him. And though man has fallen, God has not abandoned His first purpose.


Still He plans that a great host of mankind should come to love and honor Him. His ultimate objective is to bring them to a state in which they please Him entirely and praise Him adequately, a state in which He is all in all to them, and He and they rejoice continually in the knowledge of each others love—men rejoicing in the saving love of God, set upon them from all eternity, and God rejoicing in the responsive love of men, drawn out of them by grace through the gospel."
- J. I Packer, Knowing God, p. 97-98 (1975 edition).

Kingdom children

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 9:43b-62

TO CHEW ON: "And Jesus...said to them, 'Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you'll be great.'" Luke 9:48

In our passage today Jesus again confronts His disciples (and us) with the upside-downness of the kingdom of heaven. The disciples are arguing about who will be the greatest. Jesus answers by putting a child before them and making the startling statement, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me."

In a passage that speaks of the same event, Matthew reports Jesus saying, "Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" Matthew 18:3.

What qualities of children make them good kingdom citizens? I can think of at least five (and [Ha!] they all start with 't' just like a sermon).

Children are trusting. Look at how a child lays its head on the shoulder of a parent and falls asleep. That's how we are to trust God .

Children are transparent. They easily show their feelings and live without trying to be someone they are not. Jesus told His disciples to live with such lack of guile: "Let your yes be yes, your no, no."

Children are teachable. Think of the ways a child develops physical skills, picks up language and attitudes. Such a teachableness is the key to entering the kingdom  and continuing in it.

Children are tolerant. They don't discriminate against people because of shabby clothes or poor social standing. We should be just as accepting.

Children are telling. A little child full of good news finds it impossible to keep that news inside. We are to be just as overflowing with the good news that our sins are forgiven, our friendship with God is restored and that we have eternal life.

I ask myself, am I nurturing within me these childlike qualities? Are you?

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me relate to You as a child to a trusting parent. Help me to live these qualities in my relationship with others too. Amen.

MORE: Converting To Childhood

Jesus: “... unless you are converted and become as little children
you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 18:3

You lose sophistication and veneer
and become clear
sing, skip and play
easily laugh and cry
then fall asleep without a care
for Daddy is nearby.

No longer do you worry
about whether there will be
food to eat, clothes to wear
how to get from here to there.

You’re malleable clay again
learning your family’s ways and graces.
And once again you fit
into small places.

© 2007 by Violet Nesdoly — all rights reserved.

***********

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

The begets

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 3:15-38

TO CHEW ON: “…the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er…” Luke 3:28

When you make a puzzle, the nondescript blue pieces that fill out the sky are as important as the detailed and colorful ones that bring the picture to life. The genealogy of Jesus that traces His ancestry through Joseph to Adam contains a lot of those nondescript pieces with names mentioned nowhere else in the Bible. We know nothing more about these people other than that they’re part of Jesus’ family tree. But each name on that list is significant because each played a part in establishing Jesus as the Son of Man and a legitimate stand-in as a sacrifice for the human race.

You are also part of a human genealogy. If you had the knowledge, you could trace your physical roots back to the first man, Adam.

Did you know you have another family tree as well? If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and been born again you have a spiritual genealogy (John 3:1-18). Whose names are on that list – your parents? Grandparents? A Sunday school teacher? A TV pastor? John or Paul from the Bible?

Let's spend some time today, thinking about and thanking God for the people who helped birth us into God’s forever family. And we might ask yourselves, have we begotten anyone?

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for my spiritual parents. Help me to beget spiritual children of my own. Amen.

MORE: Children of God

¹¹ He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: ¹³ who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:11-13, New King James Version)

How to live as Abba's child

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Romans 8:1-17

TO CHEW ON: "...you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out Abba, Father." Romans 8:15

Chances are if you come across an article or a book that promises to teach you the secrets of success in your chosen occupation, you'll read it. If your primary job is mothering, an article titled "Six Things You Must Know to Be a Successful Mother" would pull you in, as would "Decor Tips that Make Your Home Sing" if you are an interior decorator. For the Christian, Romans 8, our reading today, would be such an article. (Thus the title "How to live as Abba's child.")

In it Paul sets up life as a choice between two options. We can choose to live according to the flesh, i.e. governed by our physical and emotional life. Or we can choose to live according to the Spirit - governed by the Holy Spirit who indwells us.

Found in this passage are clues on how to live that Spirit-governed life.
1. First, we need to be "In Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). That means we've accepted Him as Saviour (from the law's demands - Romans 8:2-4) and Lord.

2. We need to "set our minds" on the things of the Spirit. How does this look practically?

• We submit our thoughts to God's scrutiny (Psalm 19:14).

• We fill our minds with worthy things. One way to do this is to read, memorize, and meditate on Scripture (Joshua 1:8).

• We direct our minds to God's goodness to us (Psalm 48:9) .

• We take to heart the advice of Bible writers on how else to direct our thoughts (Philippians 4:6-8).

3. We even entrust our physical health and well-being to the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11).

4. We get and follow God's leading (Romans 8:14).

5. We have the assurance that God is our Father (our Abba "Daddy" Father) and we are His children and heirs (inheriting both suffering and glory - Romans 8:15-17).

Now to put all that into practice!

PRAYER: Dear Holy Spirit, I pray that You will direct and govern my life today. Help me to set my thoughts on the right things. Father God, I want to experience Your leading and tender care as my Abba Father. Amen.

MORE: "Abba Father" by Hillsong



(From the archives)

Kingdom children

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 9:43b-50

TO CHEW ON: "And Jesus...said to them, 'Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you'll be great.'" Luke 9:48

In our passage today Jesus again confronts His disciples (and us) with the upside-downness of the kingdom of heaven. The disciples are arguing about who will be the greatest. Jesus answers by putting a child before them and making the startling statement, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me."

In a passage that speaks of the same event, Matthew reports Jesus saying, "Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" Matthew 18:3.

What qualities of children make them good kingdom citizens? I can think of at least five (and [Ha!] they all start with 't' just like a sermon).

Children are trusting. Look at how a child lays its head on the shoulder of a parent and falls asleep. That's how we are to trust God .

Children are transparent. They easily show their feelings and live without trying to be someone they are not. Jesus told His disciples to live with such lack of guile: "Let your yes be yes, your no, no."

Children are teachable. Think of the ways a child develops physical skills, picks up language and attitudes. Such a teachableness is the key to entering the kingdom  and continuing in it.

Children are tolerant. They don't discriminate against people because of shabby clothes or poor social standing. We should be just as accepting.

Children are telling. A little child full of good news finds it impossible to keep that news inside. We are to be just as overflowing with the good news that our sins are forgiven, our friendship with God is restored and that we have eternal life.

I ask myself, am I nurturing within me these childlike qualities? Are you?

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me relate to You as a child to a trusting parent. Help me to live these qualities in my relationship with others too. Amen.

MORE: Converting To Childhood

Jesus: “... unless you are converted and become as little children
you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 18:3

You lose sophistication and veneer
and become clear
sing, skip and play
easily laugh and cry
then fall asleep without a care
for Daddy is nearby.

No longer do you worry
about whether there will be
food to eat, clothes to wear
how to get from here to there.

You’re malleable clay again
learning your family’s ways and graces.
And once again you fit
into small places.

© 2007 by Violet Nesdoly — all rights reserved.

Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.

Adopted child

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Galatians 4:1-20

TO CHEW ON: "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Galatians 4:4-5

Of all the metaphors used to describe our relationship with God, the father-child one may be the one we understand best. In the Old Testament God expressed His relationship with the descendants of Jacob that way, repeatedly calling them "My people" (Isaiah 43:1; Isaiah 63:16; Jeremiah 31:1)

In the New Testament, that kinship is expanded to all believers, Jew and Gentile.

• It applies to all who receive Him (John 1:12).

• Our sonship / daughtership is evident when we submit our lives to the Holy Spirit's leadership (Romans 8:14).

• Our family characteristics ("blameless, harmless, without fault, shining as lights") will make us noticeable to the world (Philippians 2:15).

• Our family likeness may cause the world to reject us (1 John 3:1).

However, this relationship is so worth it. It is one of tenderness and trust, shown by how we can address God as "Abba" or Daddy (Galatians 4:4-7). As our Father, we can look to God to:

• Stand in for an absent physical father, and defend us when we're vulnerable (Psalm 68:5).

• Guide us (Jeremiah 3:4).

• Teach and mold us (Isaiah 64:8).

• Hear and answer our prayers to Him (Matthew 6:9).

• Give us good things (Matthew 7:11).

• Take away our fears (Romans 8:15).

• Deal with us fairly at life's end (1 Peter 1:17).

What an incredible inheritance. Who would want to be anyone else's child?

PRAYER: Dear Father God, thank You for making a way for me to be Your adopted daughter. Help me to live in such a way that I will make You and the family proud. Amen.

MORE: Brian Doerksen sings "Father Me"

Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.