Devotionals
A daily word of encouragement, exhortation and edification, drawn from the Scriptures.
Blasphemy of The Holy Spirit
Mark 3:28-30 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: Because they...
Eternal Life – A Gift Or A Reward?
With regards to evangelism it is vital for Christians to understand that an unsaved person’s only defense is a system of works or performance, based on a comparison with others. For example, a family member, when presented the gospel, may cite areas in your life where...
I’ve Had It!
When God saw the extent of the wickedness of man in the days of Noah, He essentially declared, “I’ve had it!” Man’s unchecked flesh had thoroughly corrupted his way upon earth, which had a devastating effect upon the entire planet and all that lived on it. Mankind’s...
Deliverance
The Scriptures reveal our God as Deliverer. David recorded this;(2 Sam 22:1,2) so did Paul(Rom 11:26). The only message in the entire universe that frees sinful, fallen man is the gospel of Jesus Christ. As Christians we need to cling to this liberty that Jesus Christ...
Instruction – A Forgotten Need
The Hebrew word for instruction means correction resulting in education. The word also carries the thought of discipline or chastisement. We must not forget that God’s Word is given “for doctrine, reproof, correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of...
Flashlight or Floodlight?
Revelation 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. In the design of God, every part of the body of Christ has a distinct expression of light, which is...
God Our Father, NOT The Godfather
Luke 11:2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name… The Name of God that Jesus came to reveal was that of Father. Israel knew God as Elohim, Jehovah, Almighty God, and other names, but to know Him as Father was a...
A Lifetime Resolution
Ah yes, it’s that time of the year when we make new year resolutions. This year I will get into shape and get out of debt. This year I spend more time with the family and less time at work. The list goes on and on. While there may indeed be many noble resolutions made...
Praying and Waiting
Before He ascended up into heaven, Jesus told the apostles to wait in Jerusalem until they were endued with the power of The Holy Ghost. During that ten day period of time, we find the apostles assembling a prayer meeting of about 120 disciples that included women,...
Ascension
Acts 1:9-11 The Book of Acts is an incredible book in New Testament history. Luke gives us this account of crucifixion and resurrection in the Gospel of Luke, and here in Acts he continues to describe the events 40 days post resurrection. They had gone from despair to...
The Blueprint for the Church
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. he book of Acts is the book that reveals to us the birth...
A New Year’s Determination
Isaiah 12:1 And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: Would you join me in declaring a New Year’s determination to draw waters from the wells of salvation every day? That is essentially what Isaiah is doing here in Isaiah 12. I am not suggesting that...
Spirit Power
Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. There is no ambiguity about what this text means. The very same...
The Sin Offering
The book of Leviticus is filled with types, pictures, and symbols of the Lord Jesus Christ. As is recorded in Hebrews, the law is a shadow of good things to come. Paul the apostle mentions this very same truth to the believers in Colosse. To state the obvious, a...
The Source Of Confidence
When did Judas Iscariot turn sour? Only Jesus knows for sure. One thing, however, rings loud and clear about the Last Supper (Luke 22:7-16). It’s something that every one of us needs to recognize, and that is the potential for betrayal of Jesus that resides in our...
When Heaven Invades Earth
Matthew 12:18-21 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised...
Obedient Faith
Jesus said that a person’s obedience to His teachings determine whether his life will be built upon a solid rock foundation or upon a shifting foundation of sand, which really offers no foundation during life’s storms. James wrote that we are to be doers of God’s...
The Mystery Of The Incarnation
The celebration of Christmas is not the celebration of something, it is the celebration of Someone, and that Someone is Jesus Christ. Let’s just take a moment to ponder and wonder at what God did when He became a man. Somehow, in a miraculous, marvelous, mysterious...
The Prophecy Of The Incarnation
As we saw yesterday, the very first promise of the incarnation of the Messiah was given in Genesis 3:15: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” This prophecy of...
The Promise Of The Incarnation
The incarnation, or human birth of Jesus Christ, was not His beginning. Jesus Christ is Emmanuel, God with us. He is the Uncreated Word Who was in the beginning with God, and was God Himself! This is what Scripture declares to be the blessed mystery of godliness. God...
Holiness – The Badge Of Discipleship
In both Testaments the Lord declares that His people shall be holy, for He is holy. Our God is a holy God. There is nothing impure or unclean about Him. He is pure because He is holy. The holiness of which we speak implies a separateness, or setting apart. Of course,...
With All My Mind
Included in the commandment which Jesus called “the first and great commandment” (inferring it to be the most important) is the love of the Lord with all our mind (Matt 22:37,38). If we are to do this, we must be constantly prepared to cast down (and out!) all...
The Search For Fruit
In the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament as well, we see that the true work of God in our lives will produce good fruit (John 15:16). In fact, Jesus Himself says that we have been both chosen and ordained to bring forth fruit. Genuine repentance will result in...
20/20 Vision
When Elisha’s servant awoke early one morning, he was alarmed when he saw the city surrounded by enemy horses and chariots(2 Kings 6). This situation had come about because God had given Elisha revelation insight into the King of Syria’s military strategy. The prophet...
Finding Grace
“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” How do you read that? Was Noah looking at God and saw grace in His eyes, or was God looking at Noah through eyes of grace? In other words, did Noah find grace, or did grace find Noah? In new covenant terminology, it is...
Cleaning The Temples
After Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem as King Messiah, He went into the temple area where He saw atrocities done in the name of God. He proceeded to rectify the situation by forcefully confronting and rejecting the wrongs being done, and by restoring the right and proper...
Dealing With Denial
What is denial but the refusal to admit the truth or face reality. It’s a disclaiming of reality or responsibility in some way, shape, or form. In the Christian life there are two kinds of denial – one that is spiritually harmful, and the other beneficial. When we...
The Crown Of The Saints
As if our salvation isn’t enough, Jesus has also promised to reward us for faithful service to Him. Jesus is the Faithful Rewarder. Though made a little lower than the angels, God has crowned man with glory and honor. Each year we see the crowning of God’s goodness....
Faith is not Smart
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith is not to be confused with being smart. Intelligence and being smart are wonderful gifts from God. But to be smart or intelligent fall into the realm of the natural man...
To Those Who Overcome
1 John 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? In our Christmas series entitled “The King is Coming” The Coming King, each church is given a different promise from The King, Jesus Christ. However, each promise is...
Triumph Or Tragedy?
All four of the gospel writers record the historical event we call “The Triumphal Entry”. On this occasion Jesus rode into Jerusalem upon a donkey, symbolizing His first coming as the Prince of Peace, in order to obtain peace for mankind, especially those who have...