Friday, April 29, 2011

The Assurance of the Believer’s Living Hope


Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on. God has something stored up for you in heaven, where it will never decay or be ruined or disappear. You have faith in God, whose power will protect you until the last day. Then he will save you, just as he has always planned to do.  1 Peter 1:3-5  (CEV)

In this week after Easter it is only appropriate that we focus on the hope we have in living because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Yesterday we discovered the great gift we receive with the believer’s hope, the inheritance.  The inheritance is the eternal life that God gives us.  With that inheritance comes the Assurance of the Hope. 

How do we know for sure that we will receive the inheritance?
The temptations and trials of life are so forceful and threatening, how do we know that we will receive the living hope of eternal life and its glorious inheritance? How do we know that we will not fall and come short of the great day of redemption?
There are two answers:
  • First, there is the assurance of God’s power. God’s power keeps us. The word "kept" means to guard; to garrison; to protect.

It is a military term; therefore it has the idea of might and strength. The might and strength of God’s power protect us throughout our journey in life—through all the trials and temptations of life—and God will see to it that we shall reach the glorious end of life: salvation.  God Himself, in His sovereign and omnipotent power, will see to it that we receive eternal life and the inheritance that is being reserved for us.
  • Second, there is the assurance of faith. We are kept not only by God, but by our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and by our faith in God’s power.

No person shall ever receive the hope of eternal life or of God’s glorious inheritance unless he truly believes in God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Belief in Christ is absolutely essential. But once we have truly trusted Christ as our Savior, we are saved; we shall receive eternal life and the great inheritance of God’s promise.

1Peter 1:3 says  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 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… If we believe that the shed blood of Jesus on the cross covers our sin, then we can believe that the resurrection of Jesus can open the door to our resurrection to a new life and, along with it, the assurance of our inheritance.  Praise God!  We can rest assured that He provided the assurance we need at the same time He provided the inheritance!

A true faith is a continuing faith and trust in God’s power and a continuing faith is diligent and vigilant. It is a faith that loves Christ with all its heart and life. It is a faith that seeks to follow Christ and to please Him in all that it does.  The person who has this kind of faith has the assurance that he will receive eternal life and the promise of the inheritance. God gives the true believer this kind of assurance.

Scripture to Claim:
For the LORD loves justice and will not abandon His faithful ones. They are kept safe forever, but the children of the wicked will be destroyed. Psalm 37:28

Thursday, April 28, 2011

The Inheritance of the Believer’s Living Hope


Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on. God has something stored up for you in heaven, where it will never decay or be ruined or disappear. You have faith in God, whose power will protect you until the last day. Then he will save you, just as he has always planned to do.  1 Peter 1:3-5  (CEV)

In this week after Easter it is only appropriate that we focus on the hope we have in living because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Today we discover the great gift we receive with the believer’s hope.  The inheritance is the eternal life that God gives us, but the inheritance of eternal life involves the most wonderful gifts imaginable.  Pause and reflect on what is yours as a believer:
  • Being adopted as a child of God
  • Being forgiven and made blameless
  • Being given eternal life
  • Being given an eternal spirit
  • Being given a glorious body
  • Being given eternal rest and peace
  • Being given the knowledge of Christ Jesus
  • Being given durable riches and righteousness
  • Being made priests
  • Being given incorruptible crowns righteousness, glory and life

Our inheritance is described in 1 Peter 1:4. It is most descriptive; an astounding picture of the new heavens and earth that are coming and of our life in God’s new and eternal world: To obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you…

This verse tells us our inheritance is imperishable. When you buy perishable items at a store, you know you have to use it up before it expires.  There is an expiration date.  Our inheritance from Jesus has no expiration date.  It is good for an eternity.  It never runs out or spoils and Satan cannot steal it from you.   

The word undefiled means that it cannot be polluted or defiled, dirtied or infected. It means that our inheritance will be without any flaw or defect; it will be perfectly free from sickness, disease, infections, accident, pollution, dirt—from any defilement whatsoever. There will never be any tears over what happens to oneself or over the damage or loss of some possession.

Our inheritance does not fade away. It will last forever and ever.  The splendor and beauty of it all—of life and of all the positions and possessions which God shall give us—none of the splendor and beauty shall fade or diminish whatsoever.

Nothing, not even our energy and bodies, shall wear out or waste away.
Our inheritance is in heaven; it is reserved there for us. It is actually being held there by God for us. God is simply waiting for us to finish our task here on earth and to come to Him. Then He will give us our inheritance.

Scripture to Claim:
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… Ephesians 1:18

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Living Hope


What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven--and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you'll have it all--life healed and whole.  1 Peter 1:3-5  (MSG)

In this week after Easter it is only appropriate that we focus on the hope we have in living because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Today we discover the way God brings this hope into our lives.  The living hope comes by the new birth. The translations use the words new birth or born again. There is no hope for eternal life unless a person is born again by the Spirit of God.  A person has to be regenerated and made into a new man before he can ever live forever.

Jesus replied, "I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." "But how can anyone be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked Him. "Can he enter his mother's womb a second time and be born?" Jesus answered, "I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. (John 3:3-7)

The living hope comes only by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead to live forever in heaven with His Father. How does His resurrection give us the hope of living forever? By three things:
  1. First, God has proven that He has the power to raise the dead. There should never be any question about this; for God, if He is truly God, has unlimited power to do anything.  But His power to raise the dead and to keep them from ever dying again is now proven beyond all question: it is proven by the fact that He has raised Jesus Christ from the dead and exalted Him into heaven never again to die.
  2. Second, the fact that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead proves that Jesus Christ is exactly who He claimed to be: the Son of God who came into the world to save men.  God would have never raised Christ if He had been a liar and deceiver.  Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world; therefore, God raised Him from the dead.
  3. Third, Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Perfect Man who lived a sinless life when He was upon earth.  Therefore, He stands before God as the Perfect Man.  What this means is most significant.  Being the Perfect Man, what He has done is acceptable to God.  When He arose from the dead, His resurrection was the perfect resurrection.  Therefore, it can stand for and cover every man’s resurrection.  If we are in Christ—if we really believe in Christ—then God can count us in the ideal resurrection of Christ.  God can raise us up to live with Him forever and ever just as He did with Christ.  Remember why—because Jesus Christ arose and has given us the ideal and perfect resurrection, and the Ideal can stand for and cover the resurrection of all others.

Let the scripture speak for itself: If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.  Romans 8:10-11

Hallelujah!!
Scripture to Claim:
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.  2 Corinthians 5:17

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The source is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.


Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 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, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)

Peter begins his doxology praising the one who should be praised.  God is the author and source of our salvation.  He is the God who gives eternal life.  God is not off in outer space someplace, far removed from us, a god with little or no interest in our welfare. God is near at hand, all about us, living within the spiritual world and dimension, longing to relate to us and to look after and care for us, and to give us eternal life.

Note who our Jesus Christ is: He is our Lord, the One to whom we have surrendered and subjected our lives; the one who sits in the spiritual and heavenly world at the right hand of God the Father. He is Jesus, the carpenter from Nazareth, the man who claimed to be the Son of God and who was sent into the world as the Savior of men.  He is Christ the Messiah who was promised by God to save men.  The truth of our position is that if we follow the Lord Jesus Christ, then the God and Father of Jesus Christ becomes our God and Father.

Jesus shows us this through His life. This was the way His Father took care of Him; and if we follow Christ, it is the way God, even our Father, takes care of us.  He gives us the most wonderful of gifts: eternal life—the living hope of living forever with Him even as Christ our Lord is now living with Him in heaven.

Eternal life can be found nowhere else for it exists nowhere else; it in the Father Himself. Only the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ possesses eternal life.  Therefore, if a person wants to know God and to receive eternal life, he has to come to the Lord Jesus Christ.  You cannot have eternal life apart from God.

Now, how does God go about giving us the living hope of eternal life?
We live in a fallen world.  The thinking and honest person knows that he and everything else including the world itself are dying.  The evidences of death and dying are all around us.  How then does God stop this process of corruption and death?  How does God go about giving us the living hope of eternal life?  The point is clearly seen.  Our only hope is the mercy of God.  Man is just so sinful he has only one hope: the hope that God will have mercy upon him.

The word "mercy" means feelings of pity, compassion, affection, and kindness.  It is a desire to succor; to tenderly draw unto oneself and to care for.  Two things are essential in order to have mercy: seeing a need and being able to meet that need.  God sees our need and feels for us (Ephesians. 2:1-3). Therefore, He acts; He has mercy upon us.  How? By doing two things:
  1. God withholds His judgment.
  2. God provides a way for us to be saved.

The scripture says God has great (abundant, overflowing, endless, boundless) mercy. His mercy just flows on and on; it is ever covering us and creating the living hope and presence of eternal life within our hearts.

Scripture to Claim:
It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

Monday, April 25, 2011

The Believer’s Living Hope

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.  (Titus 3:5-7)

In this week after Easter it is only appropriate that we focus on the hope we have in living because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Living requires hope or it is merely existing.  The person who lives without hope is literally walking in death.  God’s great love for us brought a new life filled with hope.

This week’s study will focus on a powerful passage from the book of I Peter.  This doxology is filled with theology which helps us understand the security we have and the hope that it brings.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 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, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  (1 Peter 1:3-5)

This is a rich, rich passage of Scripture. It is one of those passages that is so rich it would take an eternity to grasp all that is taught in it.  But probably the most wonderful things it teaches is the believer’s glorious hope.  What is the great hope of the believer?  It is eternal life; the glorious privilege of living forever with our loving God.  Just imagine living face to face with God forever!  No greater privilege could ever be given man.

Life is worth living with a living hope

  • A living hope means that it is not a dead, lifeless hope.  It is not the kind of hope that we use to stir positive thinking for the moment but does nothing for us beyond the grave.  Despite all the earthly benefit we get from positive thinking and motivational hope, these have no meaning beyond this life and the grave.
  • A living hope means that it is not a probable hope or a wish.  It is not the kind of hope that may or may not come to pass.  The hope God gives is a living hope that is based in a living Lord.  A living hope is active and functioning.  It has a great purpose in every believer’s life.  It acts and works both within the heart of the believer and within heaven apart from the believer.

Eternal life means Eternal Hope!
Eternal life is a living hope because it is reality, not a desire or possibility.  It is an experience that really exists in another world, the spiritual world, which is more real than the world in which we live.  It has been accessed through the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Our hope for eternal life lives, acts, and works within us now, even while we are on earth.  It is not that we are going to receive eternal life; we have already received eternal life.  This is the glorious hope of the believer, the living hope of living forever with God face to face.  Walk in that hope and the peace of God will rule in your heart.

Scripture to Claim:
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.  (Romans 5:1-2)

Friday, April 22, 2011

Good Friday


“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

Early one morning, before the sun had begun to rise and while the evening desert chill was still at its coldest, the elderly Abraham woke up from his sleep and began to prepare for the journey.  He saddled up his donkey and loaded up everything he would need in the next several days.  He brought with him two servants to help him along the way, and he brought his son.

Abraham didn’t know where exactly he was going and wasn’t sure how long it would take. But he knew why he was going – to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac as an offering to the Lord.  Isaac, the only son of Abraham and Sarah, the offspring through whom Abraham was to be the Father of a great nation, was to be killed by hands of father at the command of his God.

After three days Abraham saw the place he knew God had led him to. He asked the servants to stay behind while he and his son went to worship the Lord.  Abraham carried his knife and the flint, while Isaac was given the burden of carrying the wood that he was to be sacrificed on.

Isaac was familiar with sacrifice.  He had probably gone with his father before and helped him lay stones for the altar, cut the wood for the burning, and he there was always an animal to be sacrificed.  And he knew that the animal was the most important part because it was the shedding of blood that brought forgiveness for their sins.

But this time there was no animal with them to be sacrificed. Confused, Isaac looked to his father and said, “My father! Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” And the bewildered and weary Abraham responded, “God will provide for himself the lamb.”

Today we are able to read that God did provide the Lamb.  For Isaac, it was the ram caught in the thicket. For us today, it is Jesus Christ, God’s own Son.  We read in the first chapter of John that when John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching he prophetically said, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”  Jesus is the Lamb of God.  Jesus is the one that God has provided so that we don’t have to face eternal death. 

My prayer in this season is that we would look to the Lamb; that we would think about the Lamb and the shedding of His blood for our sins.  I pray that we would worship the Lamb, even as they do in the book of Revelation, ascribing to Him all the power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing that are due Him.  Worthy is the Lamb!

I hope you will join us for our Good Friday service this evening at 6:30. Together we will remember He who was led to the slaughter for our sins, and celebrate new life that is found in Him.

Scripture to Claim:
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing." And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."  Revelation 5:11-13

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Looking For A Leader Part IV


Study passage Micah 5:2-9 (See Monday devotional)
1.  God’s leader would have impressive credentials. (Micah 5:2-3)
2.  God’s leader would have a shepherd’s leadership style. (Micah 5:4)
3.    God’s leader would have amazing power. (Micah 5:5-6)

This One will be our peace, begins Micah 5:5.  How these people longed for peace in their lives.  War and oppression had been their course for so long.  As Micah describes the character and compassion of this one who would come to reestablish the throne of David and restore the glory of Israel, he also brings word that God’s leader would be more powerful than all other leaders and able to bring peace. 
Micah spoke of the difficult times in the 8th century B.C.  Sennacherib laid siege to Jerusalem in 701 BC and boasted of his superior strength.  According to Micah 5:5, Judah took measures to protect the nation from the invader.  When the Assyrian invades our land, when he tramples on our citadels, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight leaders of men.  They raised up shepherds and princes to oppose Sennacherib.  The numbers seven and eight could have been a Hebraic way of saying “a large group.”  But none of Judah’s leaders could stop Sennacherib.  They were well aware of the power of the enemy.  The new leader would be much more powerful than all of Judah’s other leaders.

God’s leader is always better.  Micah confidently affirmed that God’s new leader would conquer and impose dominion over Assyria.  They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, the land of Nimrod at its entrances; and He will deliver us from the Assyrian when he attacks our land and when he tramples our territory. (Micah 5:6)  Without a doubt, the Messiah continues to deliver his people from all of their enemies. No person or circumstances can ultimately defeat God’s people.  No matter how many times we have been defeated and driven back, God will be victorious in our lives as well.

God’s leader would have committed followers.   (8) Then the remnant of Jacob will be among many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on vegetation which do not wait for man or delay for the sons of men. Micah 5:7 Micah predicted that God’s ruler would work with a special group of people called “the remnant.”  These were people who remained faithful to the Lord. 

Notice how God’s leader used the remnant.  God used faithful people as a silent influence.  Micah used the figure of dew to describe the silent influence of God’s people.  It covers and impacts everything it falls on.  The remnant of Israel served as a spiritual influence to others.  God’s people are called to live in the world and to exert their influence among the nations like dew from the Lord.

The second figure is the lion.  (8) The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, among many peoples like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which, if he passes through, tramples down and tears, and there is none to rescue. (9) Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries, and all your enemies will be cut off. Micah 5:8-9  God also used these faithful people as a militant army.  They would be used by God to triumph over all their former adversaries.

Judah had many leaders. Some of these leaders were good leaders, but in most cases the kings and other leaders went in the way of idolatry; they forsook the Lord.  Micah looked to God for a better leader and now the ideal leader has come: Jesus is the long awaited Messiah. We celebrate His leadership and His sacrifice this week.  This is the week He became the KING OF ALL KINGS AND LORD OF ALL LORDS! 

Scripture to Claim:
Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:8-11)

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Looking For A Leader Part III


Study passage Micah 5:2-9 (See Monday devotional)

1. God’s leader would have impressive credentials. (Micah 5:2-3)
2.  God’s leader would have a shepherd’s leadership style. (Micah 5:4)
And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth.

Micah used the figure of a shepherd to describe the new leader’s style of leading.  In Micah’s day people lived in a pastoral setting. They knew well the role and responsibility of the shepherd.  But even more, they knew the heart of a shepherd for his flock.  Such a heart was far different than a selfish king or lord over them.  They rejoiced to hear of a Shepherd who would lead them. 

What did a shepherd in ancient Israel do for his flock?  A shepherd literally lived with and for his flock.  He gave guidance, offered protection, and provided for their needs.  No greater picture can be shared than that of The 23rd Psalm: 
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalms 23:1-6)

God’s new leader, the Messiah, would perform the role of a true shepherd.  He would protect and defend, feed and nourish, and guide and direct his people.  Israel’s shepherd would do all three roles in an extraordinary way, for he would do them in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God.  This one who comes will not be dependent on any other except the Lord God.  All that He does will be through the power of Yahweh, His God and Father.

The people will trust the leadership of the shepherd.  And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth.  The new ruler’s power would provide security and stability for Israel.  This shepherd would be known and feared to the ends of the earth.  The original promise to David was that under his descendants Israel would never again be oppressed by wicked people. This ideal was not realized in Old Testament times. Under Messiah’s powerful reign, however, the people of God would enjoy perfect security.  This universal sovereignty is also the subject of other personal messianic prophecies.

We who have received the promised one can learn much from the prophet Micah.  While the reign of Christ is not yet complete on this earth, we have received a great portion of His power.  The Lord is our shepherd and has performed as promised.  We are protected and defended, fed and nourished each day and led by His Word. 

Scripture to Claim:
I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. (John 10:11)

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Looking For A Leader Part II


Study passage Micah 5:2-9 (See Monday devotional)

As Micah the prophet spoke to the people about God’s promise to raise up a leader, he presented characteristics of the one God would provide to set bring the nations to power and victory.  We recognize that these are the qualities of our Lord. 

1.    God’s leader would have impressive credentials. (Micah 5:2-3)
(2) But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.  (3) Therefore He will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has borne a child. Then the remainder of His brethren will return to the sons of Israel.

Micah compared the new leader with the King David.  Yet, according to Micah, this new leader would be Israel’s Messiah and possess much more impressive credentials than King David.  Such credentials would stagger the mind of the people of Judah and Israel.  The family tree was really what it was all about!  Kings came from lineage and had to be able to prove their heritage or establish a new throne from their own.

The Message states the passage, But you, Bethlehem, David's country, the runt of the litter-- From you will come the leader who will shepherd-rule Israel. He'll be no upstart, no pretender. His family tree is ancient and distinguished. 

Micah established a whole new family tree for royalty when he stated that the new ruler would originate, not from the ages of man, but from eternity...from God.  Such qualifications would be hard to better!  The expression “goings forth” in verse 2 comes from one word that means “origin.”  It describes a child originating in the loins of his father.  God’s ruler would have impressive credentials, for he would come from the heavenly Father.  Strangely, though this man with such royal heritage would come from Bethlehem.

God has always worked in unexpected ways according to the wisdom of the world.  Consider 1 Corinthians 1:25-29  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.

God has often raised up leaders from improbable places and backgrounds.  Bethlehem was certainly the least likely place for God’s ruler to originate, yet Micah prophesied that God would raise up a ruler from the little town.  In the eyes of the people, Bethlehem held little prominence, but in the purpose of God this was the place of origination for the King of all Kings. 

Not only would this new ruler originate from God, He would also radiate the character of God.  New vitality would spring out of the dead state of the Judean monarchy.  Micah and the nations longed for a ruler who would be a godly person like David. (v. 3)  Several words in verses 2-3 disclose the unique character of the new ruler.  The word ruler suggests more than an earthly king.  Perhaps Micah reserved the title for one who would be a unique Messiah.

Scripture to claim:
And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. (Matthew 2:6)

Monday, April 18, 2011

Looking For A Leader


Micah 5:2-9
(2)  "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity."
(3)  Therefore He will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has borne a child. Then the remainder of His brethren will return to the sons of Israel.
(4)  And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth.
(5)  This One will be our peace. When the Assyrian invades our land, when he tramples on our citadels, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight leaders of men.
(6)  They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, the land of Nimrod at its entrances; and He will deliver us from the Assyrian when he attacks our land and when he tramples our territory.
(7)  Then the remnant of Jacob will be among many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on vegetation which do not wait for man or delay for the sons of men.
(8)  The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, among many peoples like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which, if he passes through, tramples down and tears, and there is none to rescue.
(9)  Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries, and all your enemies will be cut off.

Looking for a Leader
People are constantly looking for good leaders. They want strong persons to lead in government.  Corporations search for competent people to manage their business.  Churches look for effective pastors and other leaders.  Nevertheless, leaders sometimes fail.  Such was the case in Israel and Judah.
Kings had risen and fallen in Israel and in Judah with regular monotony.  Only a few kings in Israel had been godly leaders.  Often the historian would remark about a king of Israel, “And he did evil in the sight of the Lord” (1 Kings 15:26). The kings of Judah were not much better than the kings of Israel.

When Micah prophesied, Jerusalem was under attack, and the king was being insulted.  Micah predicted that a new ruler would come in Judah, and he would be far better.  He brought a message of hope for those who felt powerless to do anything because they were not in positions of power.  The condition of America today is much the same.  While we elect people filled with promises of change, it seems things just get worse.

God’s people need to look beyond present times and earthly rulers to a greater ruler, just as Micah did.  While we look at those around us to find one who can stand out and lead, Micah spoke of one who is coming who would be God’s man in authority. 

Through the centuries and millennia, God has raised up men and women who were empowered to bring together God’s people and lead them back to Him.  Such leaders are not common but history records their strength of character, wisdom and ability to correct the wrongs of a nation and establish a new course.

The people awaited their Messiah.  Jesus is the Anointed One!

Scripture to claim:
"May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep which have no shepherd." (Numbers 27:16-17)

Sunday, April 17, 2011

From Coronation to a Cross


Matthew 21:1-14
Jesus Christ spent the last week of His life doing his Father’s business, cleansing the Temple, and teaching.  All in the span of seven days, Christ will go from exaltation to coronation, from vilification to crucifixion, and finally from resurrection to glorification.  It is the most remarkable week in divine and human history since the creation itself. 
The events of that first Palm Sunday mark the beginning of the Passover, and the week of passion for Jesus.

  I.     The CoronationMatthew 21:1-6
When Jesus is Who we want Him to be.

A. The Preparation was with Purpose.

B. The Prophecy was Fulfilled - Zechariah 9:9

A king came riding upon a horse when he was bent on war; he came riding upon a donkey when he was coming in peace.
Hosanna!” – an Aramaic term that means “Save us now!”

C. The Praise was irrepressible! - Luke 19:40


II.     The CrowdMatthew 21:8-11

Jesus would be both acclaimed and condemned by the same people.

The Jewish people had prepared their own agenda for their Messiah.
The inner despair of our frustrated expectations can cause us to give up on Jesus, quit praising him, and live self-seeking lives.

III.     The Call to Commitment - Matthew 16:24-25
When Jesus says what we don’t want Him to say.

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

The time for miracles is over. The time for commitment is now.
The road to Christlikeness often leads to a cross.

IV.     The Condemnation - Matthew 27:22-23
When Jesus is NOT Who we want Him to be.


V.     The Cross - John 12:32
“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (John 12:24)
The Cross was His Destiny – For Us.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Pay it Forward - Receiving and Giving Comfort


Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2Corinthians 1:3-4
God is the God of all comfort, but God often chooses to use those who have been comforted, to comfort others.

God expects us to “comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” The comfort God extends to us is designed to be shared with others.  John Henry Jowett, who lived almost 200 years ago, said, God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.
God gives us comfort when we need Him the most.  He does not desert us in our time of need!
Hebrews 13:5 says, “‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord
is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’”
It is so easy to get tunnel-vision and see only what is around us and what affects our lives—if things are going well for us then everything is OK.  If our world is crumbling, the whole world is cumbling. Yet, as the people of God, we need to have our eyes trained on others around us and those who are in the world...so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
This verse shows us the means through which God brings us comfort.  Look at the word We in this verse.  “We” are the people who bring God’s comfort.  The phrase “So that we can comfort” points to the means God uses to provide encouragement to people.  The way he often brings comfort is through His people.  
Those comforts in suffering that we found helpful are those handholds that we share with other other sufferers.  This passage teaches us that our suffering, and the comfort we receive through our suffering, becomes the very strength with which we overcome.  Then we can help others learn to trust God to help them overcome. 
Are you trusting in the Lord, or are you trying to do it all in your own power?  God wants to fill you with power to overcome and persevere no matter what the circumstances.  He desires to carry you and comfort you.  He wishes the best for His children because He loves us so very much.  Trust Him to work through you.  Don’t go on believing you can handle it all on your own.  He is waiting to rescue you.  He is waiting for you to call on your “God of all comfort.” 2 Cor. 1:3
Receive the comfort of the Holy Spirit.  Accept His healing power and bask in the warmth of His loving touch then pass it on by helping others.  Every day, people around us are slammed with troubles and problems…many of them are looking for something or someone to help but they are looking in all of the wrong places.  Take your eyes off of yourself and see the needs of others.
Scripture to Claim:
…and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.  2Corinthians 1:7

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Who is the God of all Comfort?

What words describe the mighty God who calls Himself our Comforter?
·      Sovereign
·      Shepherd
·      Omniscient
·      Omnipotent
·      Tireless
Excerpts from Dr. Charles Stanley:
The Picture of Our Comforter Eternal:
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.”  (Isa 40:8). People live for only a short time, and the world will one day pass away. But the Lord is everlasting—He always has existed and always will exist. This is the significance of “I AM,” the name which the Lord revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14. Not only is God everlasting, but so is His Word. Its principles are not only powerful, they are eternal.  \
Sovereign: Behold, the Lord GOD will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold,
His reward is with Him and His recompense before Him.” (Isa. 40:10) At all times, He is in control of every situation. From our limited perspective, it may not look as if He is sovereign.  We don’t always understand His purposes for allowing difficulty and trials. However, we can turn to Him with confidence in the midst of heartache or trouble, knowing that He has the power to change everything.
A Shepherd: “Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arms He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.” (Isa. 40:11)  A shepherd cares for and protects his flock. When Jesus spoke about being the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), He was revealing the heart of God the Father. The Lord desires to carry us through hardship and difficulties in life.
Omniscient: “Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or as His counselor has informed Him? . . . The nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust” (Isa. 40:13, 15).  God is transcendent—He reigns over all that exists. We can only see to the horizon, but He observes the entire world at once.  Isaiah wrote that the Father can measure the oceans and the heavens with the palm of His hand (v.12).
His wisdom and knowledge are more than we can comprehend. There is nothing He does not know (v.13). You may wonder if God has forgotten about you or is unaware of your needs. But He does see your situation; you and I never have to inform Him about anything.
Omnipotent: It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. He it is who reduces rulers to nothing, who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.” (Isa. 40:22-23)  We worship an all-powerful God. He controls the authorities and rulers of this earth—He sets them up and brings them down. Nothing compares to the Lord; man’s arrogance and accomplishments fail to impress Him (v.25).  He not only created all the stars, He knows them each by name (v.26).We are foolish to turn to worldly things for comfort when we can rely upon our all-powerful God.
Tireless:  “mount up with wings like eagles” Isa. 40:31  The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. Humans run out of energy, but God never does. We can approach Him with the same situation over and over, and He still listens to us patiently. The Lord doesn’t always respond instantaneously to our need; sometimes He allows us to come to a point of desperation. His ultimate desire is for us to depend upon Him completely.
Scripture to Claim:
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.  James 1:17

Devotional Archive