Our Living Hope

“...and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.”
1 Corinthians 15:17-19

Someone famous had disappeared. The authorities, unable to offer an explanation, presume him dead. There are, however, at least 17 different incidents where this person has been seen. One occasion involves over 500 people. With this kind of evidence, and given the good character of the numerous witnesses, you probably would begin to believe this person is still living. Unless, of course, you are prejudiced in your approach to the evidence.

Such is the case for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. A case so overwhelming that no first century event could be better substantiated. Why, then, is the resurrection suspect? Obviously this is why God has given us such a clear record since all of Christian truth rests firmly upon the resurrection of Jesus.

Christianity is unique and alive. You live because your have a resurrected Savior “Who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3).”

Praise Him, today, Who is your living hope. Allow the knowledge of this living Hope to revitalize you as you move through your day.

For this Reason...

“For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:15-23

You will profit as you give yourself to a study of Paul’s longest prayer and adopt it as a pattern for your own. Paul begins his prayer, “For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers...” (verses 15-16). To understand the reason for Paul’s prayer, read the preceding verses 3-14. Notice the similarities in verses 6, 12, 14.

Paul has just reviewed all of God’s gracious acts with which He composed His great salvation plan. What was the ultimate purpose of all these great benefits extended to believers? That God should be glorified. Paul’s response to these truths as well the good report of the believers at Ephesus was spontaneous thanksgiving and prayer.

Will your life today reflect God’s glory. This is His ultimate plan to be realized through you.

“Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 15:5-6

Celebrate His Lordship

Biblical revelation clearly ascribes Lordship to the Living God, the God of the Bible.

“The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains,
The world, and those who dwell in it.” Psalm 24:1

“Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me.’” Isaiah 44:6

Has it ever occurred to you that where God is concerned, you can use the terms lordship and sovereignty interchangeably? The lordship of God is one of His many perfections which He has revealed to use through the Scriptures - and in our personal experience with Him. Today, celebrate His lordship in your life. How? Read on -

“Many plans are in a man's heart, but the counsel of the LORD will stand.” Proverbs 19:21

This last verse brings to the fore the question, how can God be Lord and yet allow man a free will? The Scriptures teach both of these. Therefore you must believe both, through you may not understand how. By your very nature, you set yourself against God as an unbeliever. Yet He graciously reached out to you. He enabled you to choose to believe in Him.

Now, you can celebrate the Lordship of Christ. Rejoice. Give thanks throughout the day. We love Him because He first loved us.

The Way of the Cross

“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18

Getting and retaining God’s perspective on the cross significantly alters our lives. Self improvement theorists say you can change your reality structure. You need to discover just how well you grasp your present reality. Having made this self-analysis, you are to set about rewriting it. That way you can see yourself as more positive. Change the old for the new.

Understanding that God loves you, that He has given Himself to you in the Person of Jesus Christ, is bound to help you see yourself as the object of His love. If you think you can rewrite reality (what is) apart from the interventions of God in your life, you have set yourself a goal of false and empty expectations.

How very different from the expectations God has set before you in the promises He has given in His Word. Our access to this vast store of God’s great provision for us is through Jesus and His sacrifice. This is the way of the cross, foolishness to some, but an open door to the glories of God the Father for those who believe.

Pray today that the members of your family will enjoy God’s great blessings because they have His viewpoint of the cross of Christ.

Jehovah-Jireh

“Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.’ Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, ‘My father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ And he said, ‘Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’ Abraham said, ‘God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.

Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.’

Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, ‘In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.’” Genesis 22:5-14

Do you sometimes feel that faith is more easily demonstrated than defined? And, if that is true, are you satisfied that your demonstration of faith is God’s provision? Though Abraham was justified by his faith (God counting Abraham’s belief in God for righteousness) and made the hallmark chapter on faith (Hebrews 11), he did not always respond with great faith.

Clearly, though, Abraham’s faith grew as he continued to walk with God. It grew to the point where he was willing to offer Isaac as a sacrifice to God, notwithstanding the apparent jeopardy to God’s covenant promise which was to be fulfilled through Isaac.

Make note of verse 5 and verse 8. Without knowing how God’s promises could be fulfilled, and loving Isaac clearly, still Abraham acted in faith and obedience, counting on God to provide. Can you imagine the exquisite joy which engulfed Abraham as God provided a ram for the sacrifice? Abraham sacrificed the ram and named the place Jehovah-Jireh, meaning: the Lord will provide. Paul knew the Lord as Jehovah-Jireh when he penned these words: “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

God will provide all that you need to obey Him. He will not call you to do that for which He has not made provision. Thank Him for His provision today.

Jehovah-Tsidkenu

“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD,
“When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;
And He will reign as king and act wisely
And do justice and righteousness in the land.
In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell securely;
And this is His name by which He will be called,
‘The LORD our righteousness.’” Jeremiah 23:5-6

This Scripture is considered to be messianic and therefore refers to Jesus our Messiah who...
- as God, is Yahweh, the living, eternal true God.
- as Mediator, He places on you His own righteousness.
Your salvation is secure because of His righteousness. Righteousness and salvation are co-themes throughout Scripture.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the righteous man shall live by faith.’” Romans 1:16-17

Celebrate your righteous stand before God, made possible as a gift by His grace. Meditate on the relationship of His righteousness and your salvation.

“For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:17

Jehovah-Shalom

“Then Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them. The angel of God said to him, ‘Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.’ And he did so. Then the angel of the LORD put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight. When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD, he said, ‘Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.’ The LORD said to him, ‘Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.’ Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.” Judges 6:19-24

Shalom - Peace, is and has been a much discussed commodity since the beginning of time. People devote their lives to peace movements. Yet among the most frustrated are those who have been so engaged. Many lack personal inner peace. The pursuit of personal peace has led many to seek political solutions. Others have sought to fill the lack-of-peace voice with better house, better cars, better everything. Having tried this, some have turned back to a simpler lifestyle and to solitude. Where is peace to be found?

Gideon, a servant of the Lord, faced most difficult times. Israel was repeatedly raided by the Midianites and other bedouin tribes. The land was laid waste with all livestock and food supplies confiscated. Then the Angel of the Lord visited Gideon and promised him peace for his nation and peace for himself. The Angel of the Lord who appeared throughout the Old Testament is regarded to be the preincarnate Messiah. This was the Prince of Peace, Himself, offering Gideon peace. “Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace (Jehovah-shalom)...(Judges 6:24).

Jehovah-shalom - The Lord is our peace. Jehovah-shalom is your God, your Savior. Claim the peace that is already yours in Christ, moment by moment. Praise Him.

Yahweh-Nissi

“Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, ‘Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.’ Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set. So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.’ Moses built an altar and named it The LORD is My Banner.” Exodus 17:8-15

Yahweh, the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the name of the God of the Bible, contains something of His very character. Coming from the Hebrew verb to be, it is not a mere statement of existence. It is a dynamic statement of the active, awe-inspiring presence of the Living God. Yahweh is used with other words to form a compound name which emphasizes a particular truth about God. We find one here in our text - notice verse 15.

As Joshua led his men into battle against Amalek, Moses raised the staff of God, entreating God’s intervention on their behalf. Victory of defeat depended upon whether Moses continued to raise the staff of God. A clearer object lesson could not be found. Victory was from the Lord, not gained through military might or strategy.

Moses’ clear understanding of the victory resulted in an altar inscribed Yahweh-Nissi, meaning the Lord is my banner, reminding the Children of Israel of God’s presence and power with them. In your battles, your encounters with sin and wickedness, in whatever form, Yahweh-Nissi: God is with you. He is present with all power. Already He has won the victory for you. Praise Him.

The Prayer of Faith

"Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." James 5:14-16

The prayer of faith has its basis in neither outward circumstances nor inward feelings. It is when sight brings no helpful vision and comfortable emotions are largely absent that the prayer of faith finds its greatest opportunity. Review the names of people and ministries for which you have been praying, adding additional requests. Have you found promises which cover the needs for which you pray? Do these help?

“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” 1 John 5:14-15

“So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

The prayer of faith springs from the naked promise or affirmation of the Word of God, for faith proceeds only from a divine warrant. The prayer of faith is the power which converts into performance.

What Do You Expect?

“And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. Sharing among Believers and the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.” Acts 4:31-33

Have you considered how much of faith is expectation? Count on God to give you the expectations He wants you to have. Then plead those expectations with Him. Do you see a parallel here with His promises? When God makes a promise, we comply with its conditions, claim its fulfillment, and receive the promised favor.

List your expectations in your prayer journal alongside God’s promise you are praying. If you are serious with God, He will not allow your expectations to become a hollow word. Pray these promises from the Word of God. Or, select others for your prayer time today.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

“He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.” Psalm 103:10-11

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

The function of the prayer of faith is to turn God’s promises into facts of experience.

Pray and Believe

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 6:18-20

For whom are you praying a promise from God? God’s work is best understood when you record the interaction you have with Him regarding -
- His promises,
- the person for whom you are praying,
- what you think you understand of how God is at work,
- the very evident response or results.

As we claim a promise of the Word of God, the Holy Spirit imparts the faith to believe that its terms will be fulfilled in the context of our prayer. If you haven’t begun to use a prayer journal, start today. Pray these promises from the Word of God. Or, select others for you prayer time today.

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” John 14:13-14

“...that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:16-19

When God proclaims a fact, faith accepts and acts upon it.

The Promises of God

“For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.” 2 Corinthians 1:20

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful...” Hebrews 10:23

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” 2 Peter 1:2-4

Two things form the very fabric of life: promises and their fulfillment. Your expectation should be high as you pray the promises of God, knowing that - A promise by God is a pledge by God. It proves the warrant and forms the basis of the prayer of faith.

Pray these promises from the Word of God. Or, select others for your prayer time today.

“Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

The character and fidelity of God vouch for the credibility of the promises He makes.

What Do You Need?

“One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, ‘There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?’ Jesus said, ‘Have the people sit down.’ Now there was much grass in the place, so the men sat down, in number about five thousand. Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. When they were filled, He said to His disciples, ‘Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.’ So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, ‘This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.’” John 6:8-14

Which is more astounding? That Jesus fed 5,000 (not including women and children) with the equivalent of five pancakes and two sardines. Or that Andrew was able to talk a small boy out of his lunch. To talk your average four or five-year-old boy out of a McDonald’s hamburger and french fries surely puts Andrew in a class all his own. Seriously, this was indeed a spectacular miracle. The only one recorded in all four gospels.

Central in this scene is the purpose of God to declare Jesus the Son of God with power. Philip’s assessment of the problem was that there just wasn’t enough money around to feed so many. Two hundred denarii or about three-fourths of the average workingman’s annual salary. “There is a lad here,” said Andrew, “who has five barely loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?” Was this a minor report only? Or did Andrew believe Jesus could do anything? Or everything? Surely you would cast your vote for the latter. That allows you to set the optimist against the pessimist.

No question here, though: Jesus is worthy of all the faith and hope you place in Him. Even as Jesus wrought the miracle in providing food for the throng of people, with equal abundance can He meet every need in your life. Love Him today.

God’s Miracle for You

“After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [waiting for the moving of the waters; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.] A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, ‘Do you wish to get well?’ The sick man answered Him, ‘Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.’ Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day.” John 5:1-9

She was the mother of eight, grandmother to 35, and great grandmother to at least that many more. She had lost her husband relatively early and fought a difficult battle with cancer for almost 20 years. The postman never left her mail in the box. He chose to check on her and avail himself of her sunny disposition. People were always coming and going, bringing peanut brittle, peanut anything and everything. She would laugh with delight. Not allowed these favorite foods, they were passed on to the next visitors who came by. She loved people and people loved her, loved her indomitable spirit. Sound like someone you know?

There is no explicit record of the disposition of the lame man in John 5. But he had received no help in 38 years beside the Bethesda pool. In choosing this man, Jesus demonstrated His deep love and compassion for those who are broken in body and spirit. Jesus not only met the lame man’s physical needs, He instilled hope in a man without hope.

Have you a problem which threatens your hope? Ask God for His perspective on your need. Paul’s thorn in the flesh was not taken from him, but God gave him grace to bear it. Identify God’s miracle for you. His healing for you may be in your body - or in your spirit. Or both. Or, for those for whom you pray. Claim God’s miracle for you today.

An Added Dimension

“Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine, and there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. So Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.’ The royal official said to Him, ‘Sir, come down before my child dies.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your son lives.’ The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off. As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living. So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, ‘Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.’ So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, ‘Your son lives’; and he himself believed and his whole household. This is again a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.” John 4:46-54

“We pray best when we are most helpless.” -Charles Wesley
Not only do we pray best. We may even believe best under those circumstances. John 4:46-54 records the encounter of Jesus and the royal official whose child was near death. The royal official was obviously desperate, yet with great hope as he met Jesus. He may even have believed that Jesus would save his son. He likely expected that Jesus would go with him to his home and there heal his son. A natural expectation.

Though expecting a miracle, he thought it would occur in a most natural way. How else could he form his expectation? How do you form your expectations from God? Do you look for the most natural fulfillment of your hopes? It may be that God has some entirely different fulfillment planned for your need or desire.

Where God is involved in your life - expect an added dimension. After all, we have the resources of Jesus, declared by the Scriptures to be the Son of God - with power. Ours is the God of miracles! The royal official left Jesus that day, obeying His instruction. The following day he had the great, good news that his son was recovered from his illness, from the time of Jesus’ statement of the son’s healing. This is a record of fulfilled expectation. Here is the extra dimension. Record yours today.

That You May Believe

“Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” John 20:30-31

When you write a letter to a friend, or call them by telephone, you get around to stating your purpose, if only to visit. In the Gospel of John, this occurs in chapter 20, verses 30-31. John included in his account those miracles which could help people believe in Jesus as their Savior. Jesus was not limited by time, space, natural laws, or even by death. He demonstrated through a series of signs His unique ability and power over those things which ordinary people struggle daily. Belief, trust, and commit are words used to translate the same Greek word which occurs 98 times in this Gospel. John, moved by the Holy Spirit, wants to help you believe.

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3

This life in the Son of God brings all the benefits of a direct relationship with God the Father. The miracles of the Gospel of John declare Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, with power. Declare Jesus to be the Power Source in your life today. Ask the Spirit of God to play the words of John 17:3 across your mind throughout the day. Rejoice!

Created Eternal

“Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.’” John 11:23-27

You were created an eternal person. Who do you trust with your eternity? That is the most important question you will consider today. Any day. You dare not trust your eternity to yourself or anyone else you know - but Jesus - because He is God with unlimited power which He uses on your behalf. No one but Jesus has power over death:

“Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25

“...even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.” John 17:2

Write this Stricture on a card and memorize it today:
“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” Jude 1:24-25

It is Jesus’ limitless power and authority you count on today. Praise Him. Love Him today.

Jesus is Omnipresent

“Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,’
Even the darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day
Darkness and light are alike to You.” Psalm 139:7-12

God is everywhere present. Because you believe in a personal God, you have no trouble with the truth that He is everywhere present. How else would He be God? This is true of Jesus. He is present everywhere. The promises He made to His disciples bear this out:

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.’” John 14:23

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. He is everywhere. He is within each believer. You have a great God. He is beyond your understanding. God has revealed these mysteries to us to believe. And He gives us faith to do that.

Read again the promises Jesus made to the disciples. Claim them for yourself. Be assured of His presence in you now.

Jesus Is...

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.” Colossians 1:15-18

Is Jesus Christ eternal? Has He no beginning? This is a basic question. It is essential to the foundation of your Christian faith, whether or not you have considered it. If Jesus Christ is not eternal, then He had a beginning, created and finite. As you are. If created, He is not self-existent and therefore lacks some of the qualities of deity, making Him something less than God.

If eternal, then He must be God. Christ’s eternality and deity cannot be separated. If you do not see Christ as eternal, then the Trinity becomes a Trinity of unequal persons. You can no longer call the Scriptures infallible since they clearly attest to the eternal Christ, the Messiah.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). “In the beginning” means continual existence. When things began, the Word already was. Throughout Scripture, both directly and indirectly, Jesus is seen as eternal and God. The Triune God and His eternal nature move beyond our understanding.

Thank God today that He has revealed this truth to you because you love Him. He has made you a steward of His wisdom.

Jesus Came To...

“And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because He anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives,
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set free those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.’” Luke 4:16-19

“And He began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’” Luke 4:21

Jesus came to -
▸ Preach the gospel to the poor
▸ Heal the brokenhearted
▸ Preach deliverance to the captives
▸ Give sight to the blind
▸ Give freedom to the bruised and downtrodden

Do not fail to take this Scripture literally. Jesus came to do all this. He did - and He does all this. Still! Let Him meet your every need today. Honor Him with your total commitment to Him. Love Him today. And then be like Jesus to someone God brings your way today!

Statement of Reality

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:16-18

Just now, are you conscious of God’s presence? This was Paul’s prayer: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all” (2 Cor. 13:14). As you pray this prayer with Paul today, this is the request, the statement of reality: grace - with you, love - with you, fellowship - with you. Reality, because God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit lives in you: “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.’” John 14:23

An important part of the sacrifice of Jesus on your behalf was to secure the fellowship of the Holy Spirit for you. He is your Partner, your Teacher, your Energizer, your Companion, your Paraclete. Not only does He indwell you. The Holy Spirit (The Paraclete) comes alongside to help you at all times. This is the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

As you pray with Paul today, ask the Holy Spirit to give you a keen sense of what is real. Not the floor on which you kneel, the room in which you pray. But the reality of the grace of Jesus, the love of God, the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

Missions

“Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.’” Luke 24:45-48

A church gave its members a self-evaluation questionnaire to see how concerned they were about missions. Compare for yourself where you might be, considering these examples of the “High” and “Low” criteria:

When it come to a biblical understanding of missions, I...
can explain how every book of the Bible relates to world evangelism.
do not own a Bible.

When it comes to missions education, I...
assist others in understanding what God is doing in missions.
conscientiously avoid any missions emphasis or any missions information.

When it comes to prayer, I...
regularly fast and pray for specific requests from missionaries.
do not believe in prayer.

When it comes to encouraging missionaries, I...
visit them at their assignments.
don’t do anything with missionaries.

When it comes to giving, I...
encourage others and sacrifice myself to give to missions.
take money from missionaries.

When it comes to missionary recruitment, I...
actively educate others to the need for more missionaries around the world.
feel they should stay home and earn a living.

Always remember, the heart of God is for the world. We need a heart for missions - Ask God today to fill your heart with a burden for the world Christ died to save.

God’s Love for Us

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:10-11

Have you ever heard someone say, “I learned to pray at my mother’s knee”? That may or may not have been your experience. But no matter, surely you are learning every day of the vast access, responsibility, variety of expression and opportunity there are in prayer and meditation.

Paul is so helpful as we pray with him: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”
2 Corinthians 13:14

The divine mystery of the Trinity - one God, three Persons - is demonstrated in this short statement of petition, of benediction, of blessing, grace, love, fellowship. All of these are ours as believers. These are the blessings, the privileges which are ours as the children of God. And the mystery: though each Person of the Godhead provides grace, love, and fellowship, it is the expression of one God.

The love of God is expressed in the pardon of our sins. We are accepted in the Beloved (Jesus) and judged to be righteous. Praise God!...Hallelujah!...Amen!

The Expression of God

“No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.” John 1:18

Here is Jesus, the revealer of the Father. Here is the expression of God the Father, His love and compassion, demonstrated so that we can see Who God is, what He is like.

Here is Jesus showing us God in His holiness, His righteousness, His patience, His power, His wisdom, His faithfulness, His very heart, His grace. When you pray with Paul: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ...” (2 Cor. 13:14), all of the above is included.

Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in an exercise of love for Jesus because He revealed to you -
God’s holiness _________________
God’s righteousness _____________
God’s patience ________________
God’s power __________________
God’s wisdom _________________
God’s faithfulness ______________
God’s heart ___________________
Fill in the blanks with words of love, praise, thanksgiving.

Now, pray with Paul:
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14). With whom? Start with your list in your prayer journal. No prayer journal? Maybe you need to start one.

Our Needs Met in Christ

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.” 2 Corinthians 13:14

How often have you prayed this prayer? In the sense that it is a benediction or a blessing? Normally you would expect to hear a minister conclude a service with this prayer. If and as you pray this prayer with Paul, what is involved? This statement of 23 words is freighted with biblical truth. It is at once a confession of the Christian faith and a tightly worded recital of God’s provision in Christ for all our spiritual need.

God: the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, are all petitioned in this prayer to provide blessing. The past, the present, and the future are all assumed in this statement. The grace of Jesus Christ exists and is available, and has purchased eternal salvation and is operative in our lives as believers. The love of God the Father was and is manifest with Christ and the Holy Spirit in the revelation of Himself. Praise God that He is a self-revealing God. How would we have discovered Him?

The fellowship, the friendship of the Holy Spirit! Is all of this reality in your life today? Praise the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. And share our great God with - Who will it be today? Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you.

Ice Can Sink a Boat

“How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!
When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah.
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD’;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.” Psalm 32:1-7

Tony was a professional salt-water fisherman. He explained how he cruised out to sea each morning, coming back each evening with his catch. “Is there a part of the year you can’t go out?” I asked. “The winter - too risky. Below freezing, the spray starts forming ice on the bow. The added weight makes the boat lie lower in the water. Inexperienced guys fishing in winter have allowed so much to build up on the bow that in heavy seas the bow starts to dip beneath the waves. One dip too deep, and she goes down. Only thing to do for it is to grab an ax and knock the ice off once in a while. If you forget and let it build up, you’re dead.”

Think of that bow-ice as representing sin. Little by little it builds up until you can’t stay spiritually afloat a moment longer. We modern believers face a similar challenge. Little by little, day by day, let’s keep the “ice” off our bows. Let’s not wait until it’s too late, until our “bow” dips too deep to recover.

The Music Played On

“...but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” 1 Corinthians 2:7-8

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.” 1 Corinthians 2:12-14

The natural man does not have a clue about solving the mystery of Christ. His attempts to figure out God’s mind by using his own reason are futile. Use your imagination for a moment, if you will:

Imagine a family of mice who lived all their lives in a large piano. To them in their piano-world came the music of the instrument, filling all the dark spaces with sound and harmony. At first the mice were impressed by it. They drew comfort and wonder from the thought that there was Someone who made the music - though invisible to them - above, yet close to them. They loved to think of the Great Player whom they could not see.

Then one day a daring mouse climbed up part of the piano and returned very thoughtful. He had found out how music was made. Wires were the secret: tightly stretched wires of graduated lengths, which trembled and vibrated. They must revise all their old beliefs: none but the most conservative could any longer believe in the Unseen Player.

Later, another explorer carried the explanation further. Hammers were now the secret - numbers of hammers, dancing and leaping on the wires. This was a more complicated theory, but it all went to show that they lived in a purely mechanical and mathematical world. The Unseen Player came to be thought of as a myth.

But the pianist continued to play.

Think about it -
The exact age of the human race is unknown, but it certainly is old enough to know better!