Come Into the Light
One of the church’s greatest strengths should be its fellowship. A church strong in fellowship will be a magnet to the world and a defense shield against the devil. When fellowship isn’t there, the church becomes weak and can repel the lost. Come into the Light, and that starts with coming as a clean vessel.
1 John 1:7
but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Light exposes darkness. In our spiritual life, the light of Christ shines on the areas of our life where we need to repent. When we walk in that light, it means we have a clean conscience, and thus we can have true fellowship with one another because there is no sin holding us back. That is possible because the blood of Jesus cleanses us. That is when the church is at its strongest and can repel the enemy’s attacks. When we walk around with unconfessed sin, it makes us susceptible to skin and diminishes the fellowship.
The Judgment of God
I get emails from subscribers to this devotional with really insightful questions and comments from time to time. Most of them are thankful for how this devotional has blessed them. I am so appreciative of those who take the time to do so. Others send questions that the morning devotional spurred in them and want further clarification. One question last week stemmed from the fear of the Lord and led to a discussion about the judgment of God. Today’s passage shows us that believers will not come into judgment.
John 5:24
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
Jesus is sharing about the power and authority given to Him because the religious elite opposes Him. He tells his listeners that those who “hear His words and believe them has eternal life and does not come into judgment.” Let’s unpack that for a second. First, this is directed at the Pharisees and Scribes who hear Jesus preach and don’t believe Him. They won’t have eternal life but will stand before Him on Judgment day. Second, it is directed at us because if we have the faith to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, we are given eternal life, victory over death, and don’t have to go through Judgment day.
Revival is Coming
The days are getting short, and God is getting serious about sending His Son for the church. Most of the church has been caught unaware, but a remnant has heard the clarion call. Revival is coming, and you need to be ready. There is going to be a harvest of souls, unlike the church has never seen. God is going to need His workers to disciple them.
Daniel 12:10
Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.
These are some of the final words spoken to Daniel. The Angel is telling him what the future is going to hold. In this verse, we learn that there will be a great many people who will be purified, made white, and refined by the fire of the Holy Spirit. These are the people who will come to Christ in the great revival talked about in Revelation 7:9-10. We haven’t seen this yet, but we are starting to see the wickedness. How do we know that this has to do with the tribulation and end times? The wicked don’t even realize or understand what they are doing is evil, but the wise see it clearly.
Sustenance to Your Soul
Food is both essential to survival and an item of pleasure. We need the sustenance to sustain our energy through the day, but at the same time, we can enjoy the preparation, taste, and fellowship that comes with eating. Jesus told His disciples that His food was to do the will of His Father. When we do the will of God, it can be both sustenance to your soul and joy to your life.
John 4:34
“Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.”
The disciples happened upon Jesus talking to the Samaritan woman. He had sent them into town to get some food while He rested at the well. When they came back, Jesus was telling the woman who to worship. This both alarmed and confused the disciples. First, a Jewish rabbi rarely talked to a woman who wasn’t his wife alone. Second, she was a Samaritan, and Jews didn’t associate with them at all because they were considered unclean. For Jesus to be doing both blew their minds.
The Source of Life
The past sins of the Samaritan woman haunted her every day. She couldn’t draw water from the well in the cool of the morning like the rest of the women because of their scornful looks. She had to go in the heat of the day to avoid everyone. It was on one of these occasions she encountered Jesus who changed the trajectory of her life. Jesus showed her that He was the source of life she was looking for.
John 4:10
“Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well gives us great insight into how we should worship. There was a debate between the Jews and Samaritans over which mountain was more holy, the one the Jews worshiped on or the one the Samaritans did. Jesus corrected them both by telling her it wasn’t about the place but the person they worshipped. When you worship Jesus, He gives you living water in your soul that quenches the deepest thirst.
Desire to Do Right
Job is one of the oldest characters in the Bible. He was a wealthy man who had it all taken away in a test by the Devil. Through all the challenges that resulted, Job never lost his faith in the Lord. His fear of the Lord and desire to do right prevented him from falling into sin. He gives a great example of how to follow the Lord through challenges.
Job 28:28
“And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.’
The phrase “the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding” repeats itself throughout the whole Bible. The book of Job is one of the oldest books in the Bible, making this one of the first times it is written. King Solomon repeats this phrase several times in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Several New Testament authors cite these verses. Since it is in the Bible from beginning to end, we need to obey. Fearing the Lord and avoiding evil is one of the crucial things a Christian can do.
Jesus Can Deliver You
The life of a disciple of Jesus Christ is a daily walk that includes many struggles and battles. Foremost amongst those battles is the one with temptation. Peter shows us today that God rescues us from temptation. Just like He rescued Lot from Sodom and Gomorrah, Jesus can deliver you. If you are losing the struggle, look to Jesus to pull you out.
2 Peter 2:9
“then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,”
The biggest struggle for a Christian will always be temptation. Giving into sin when our flesh longs for it is difficult to overcome. Fortunately, God rescues those who are His. He provides a way out if we will ask. Unfortunately, most Christians are too busy lusting after the temptation to do anything about it. They can’t take their eyes off long enough to realize the danger or destruction it might bring. If you are struggling with recurrent sin, you need to know that there is a way out.
Speak the Truth
It’s getting harder to tell what is true or not. If you listen to the news, you are bombarded, not with the facts, but with opinion. Reading something on the internet does not make it accurate. Anyone can say anything they want with little censorship. Unfortunately, the same can be said for the church. A lot of what comes out of the pulpit is pop psychology and not the truth of Scripture. You need to sift through all of that to find a minister who will speak the truth.
John 3:34
“For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.”
You will know a minister is sent from God if they do one thing, they speak the Word of God. The prophet Jeremiah tells us that when God sends someone to speak the Word of God, there is a burning in their bones to preach the Word. This separates those who speak in front of people because they are gifted or want to be applauded. When God anoints someone to speak, He gives them the Spirit without measure. That means the Spirit is overflowing in them, and there is no end.
Here Comes the Judge
Being in a courtroom can be intimidating. At the front and center of the room is a large desk elevated above everything else. When the bailiff says, “All Rise!” here comes the Judge in his black robe. All the focus is on him because what he says goes. One day Jesus will sit on the judgment seat and judge the sinner and the saved. What will be the verdict for the life you lived.
John 3:19
“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.”
God didn’t send Jesus into the world to condemn it but to save it. He loves you and wants the best for you. He is only the one who can give you life. He is the only one qualified to save people from their sins is the sinless Son of God. That is why God, in His infinite love, sent Him. He doesn’t want anyone to perish but come to everlasting life. The only way that doesn’t happen is if we reject the gift of grace.
Influence is Overrated
There is a story of a politician in the United States, with millions of followers on social media, who found out that no one listened when they went to use that influence in Congress. They could scream online, and news outlets would cover it, but fellow politicians weren’t impressed. Thus when it came to getting a specific position on a committee, they were passed over. This shows you that influence is overrated, and a person’s heart can be deceptive. Jesus knew this all too well.
John 2:24-25
“But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.”
Once Jesus’ ministry took of people started following Him. They saw His miracles and heard His teachings, and the crowds swelled, but His newfound influence didn’t sway him. He didn’t trust the crowds because He knows the heart of man can be deceptively wicked. In a world where followers mean everything, Jesus saw through it and didn’t trust the fickleness of the human heart. Influence is overrated.
Alleviate the Anxiety
One thing that people aren’t talking about during the COVID pandemic is the alarming rise of anxiety in people. Many news outlets are attributing it to the election but want to diminish the many lockdowns’ effects. People are struggling and don’t know they have an outlet that can alleviate the anxiety and replace it with a sense of peace. The Apostle Peter gives us some insight in today’s passage.
1 Peter 5:7
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
These are some of the most reassuring words you can read in the Bible. If you humble yourself and cast all of your anxiety upon Him, the Almighty God will care for and exalt you. This is where we can see the immensity of God. The one who has all the strength cares enough about us as individuals to pay attention to our fears and doubts. It is too easy for you to minimize God and overemphasize your problems, which only leads to spiritual paralysis.
What to Look for in a Pastor
One of the most challenging decisions people face is finding a good church where they can worship. Does it teach the Bible? Will my family be ministered to? There are so many factors to decide, but the most important should be who is leading. Scripture gives us some guidance on what to look for in a pastor. Peter lays out some of those in today’s passage.
1 Peter 5:2
“shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;”
Peter gives us one of the most comprehensive lists of what to look for in a pastor. A pastor should be the ultimate example of a servant. In this passage, Peter gives us several key indicators. First, a pastor should resemble a shepherd. Jesus referred to Himself as the “Great Shepherd,” and pastors follow that model by caring for the congregation the way a shepherd cares for a flock. Shepherds lead their flocks to greener pastures and protect them from predators. Does your pastor care for your church in that way?
From the Beginning
As I type this, it is just a few hours before the new year. Most of you have already ushered in 2021, but since I live on the West Coast of the United States, we are one of the last ones to see the calendar’s turning. There is always optimism at the beginning of a new year, and rightfully so. Part of that optimism comes from the fact that Jesus will be with us through whatever happens. He was here from the beginning.
John 1:1
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
As the Apostle John starts his Gospel, he lays down some vital theology. Jesus is God’s revelation to humanity, which is why John calls Him the Word. Jesus was there from the beginning with God because He is God. He didn’t just appear when Mary gave birth to him. It is essential to have the mindset that Jesus was there from the beginning and part of what we call the Trinity. That consists of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Employ Your Gift
Most people discover early on in their adult life what they are talented at. Some are good with numbers and others are good with people. Your career typically tends to fall into the area of your talents. When you start to follow Jesus you are given a gift. It is a special talent or ability with the specific purpose of serving the church. Peter encourages you to employ your gift as an act of obedience.
1 Peter 4:10
“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
Peter has a huge heart for the church to work efficiently. He understands how easy it is to get off track and distracted. If each person would employ their gift the church would flourish and thrive. It’s when we withhold or use it in other areas where the church struggles. The key is to use the gift to serve others and give God the glory. When this happens you will find an incredible sense of purpose and joy.
Ready for Jesus to Return
I’m old enough to remember the seventies’ cheesy Christian movies called “A thief in the night” and the “Left Behind” movies of the nineties. One of them scared me to death and left me thinking the rapture had come, and I was left behind more times than once. There is a fixation on the end of the world and the rapture. Are you ready for Jesus to return? Nothing is stopping Him from coming back at any moment.
1 Peter 4:7
“The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.”
It seems like the end of the world is right around the corner with everything that has happened this year. All we need is for the trumpet to sound and Jesus to appear on the clouds, and we are heaven-bound. With that being the case, it is essential that sound judgment and spirit-filled prayer be ever-present in your life. Nothing is holding Jesus back from returning for His Bride, and 1 Corinthians 15 tells us that it will happen in the twinkling of an eye.
Sent with Power from On High
The Christian lives the victorious life. You have victory in your life because your sins are forgiven, Christ's righteousness has been deposited in you, and eternal life is secured. Those are assured of every believer who puts their faith in Jesus. Sadly, many...
Hold Fast to the Path
My son is really into mountain biking. That makes my heart glad because it is also my favorite form of exercise and enjoyment. We have been riding the local trails and enjoying one another’s company. One of the keys to mountain biking is staying on the designated trail. Build up too much speed, and you could go barreling off the path and crash. Job reminds us to hold fast to the path in following Jesus.
Job 23:11-12
“My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside. “I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.”
Very few people have suffered as much loss and testing as Job. He had his family and immense possessions taken from him because the Devil wanted to test him. Job never wavered from following God through all of the trials, even when his wife told him to curse God and die. Job looked at being obedient to God as holding fast to the path. He didn’t waver or stop but kept going in the direction God had for him.
What a Glorious Sight
My kids are still at the age where they like to look at Christmas lights. Sadly, fewer people are putting them up. Our house is one of a handful that makes an effort to hang the lights outside. We spend the good part of a morning putting them up. It’s no easy task, but once they are hung, and we turn them on for the first time, it was well worth it. What a glorious sight it was when the shepherds saw those angels in the sky on that first Christmas.
Luke 2:12-13
And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God.
The angel who appeared to the shepherds gave specific instructions on how to find the baby. Swaddling clothes were long strips of narrow cloth mothers would wrap firmly around their child to keep them warm and give them the feeling of the womb. Poor families typically did it because they used clothes that had worn out. He was laid in a manger, which is an animal feed trough, because Bethlehem was so busy due to the census. This served as an excellent replacement for a cradle. Jesus was well taken care of considering the circumstances.
The Savior is Born
It is the day before Christmas and the expectation of celebrating is growing. The house and the tree is decorated and we are headed to church to celebrate by observing communion. The Savior is born and joy fills our hearts. No outward circumstances can impact our feelings because we know God’s plan of redemption was successful. Thank you Lord for sending your Son Jesus Christ.
Luke 2:10-11
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Israel was looking for the Messiah to come. They knew He would come from the lineage of David and be born in the city of Bethlehem. This is what threw the Scribes off when they encountered Jesus because He was born in Bethlehem but from Nazareth. The night of His birth an angel appeared to the shepherds and declared three things, prophecy has been fulfilled, the Savior has come, and He is the anointed Messiah. Everything they had hoped for had happened.
Poor in Spirit
How many times have you walked by someone who was down and out? Maybe they were dirty and living on the streets or so destitute they looked different than you. When the angel appeared the shepherds in the field the night of Christ’s birth, it was God’s way of showing that He came for those poor in spirit.
Luke 2:8-9
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
Shepherds were looked down upon in the Jewish community. They were dirty from their work, gone a long time, and always ceremonially unclean so that they couldn’t worship at the temple. Any good and respectable Jew would hire a shepherd to watch their sheep. So the fact that God revealed His glory to them out in the fields and bot peculiar and powerful. Peculiar because they were so low on the social totem pole, but powerful in that God shows He comes to those who are poor in spirit.