Tag Archives: theology

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The Confirmation from God – John MacArthur

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“How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will” (Heb. 2:3-4).

When Jesus preached the gospel, He performed miracles that made what He said believable. He said, “Though you do not believe Me, believe the works” (John 10:38). Jesus claimed to be from God, then made it obvious He really was from God.

Nicodemus came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “No one can do these signs that You do unless God is with Him” (John 3:2). Jesus confirmed His ministry by His own miracles. Peter reiterated that fact on the day of Pentecost: “Jesus the Nazarene [was] a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs” (Acts 2:22).

God also gave these same confirming signs to His second generation of preachers–the apostles–so no one could dispute the validity of their message. What the apostles said was not their own opinion; it was divine truth substantiated by signs, wonders, and miracles.

Signs, wonders, and miracles are synonyms referring to all the supernatural things the apostles did. But the apostles also confirmed the Word with “gifts of the Holy Spirit.” That’s a reference to the temporary sign gifts described in Scripture, such as tongues and healings, not to the permanent edifying gifts given to the church for all time.

Today God attests to the gospel with the miracle of His written Word. Let it not be said that you neglected Jesus Christ. History confirms that hours of neglect cost Napoleon Waterloo. Neglecting Christ’s salvation will cost you eternal blessing and joy and bring you damnation. Don’t allow yourself to drift past God’s grace.

Suggestion for Prayer: Thank God for His Word, and that through it you have all the truth you need to communicate the gospel.

For Further Study:  Read Acts 5-19 and list all the miracles performed by the apostles to confirm the gospel.

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The Infinite Jesus – Charles Stanley

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Philippians 2:5-11

The virgin birth of Jesus is a miracle, but it does not mark His beginning. Christ existed long before He was born in Bethlehem. As John 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning was the Word [Jesus] and Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Debating the scientific probability of the virgin birth seems rather pointless when we’re talking about the firstborn of creation by whom all things were created (Col. 1:15-16). It isn’t logical to say, “I believe in Jesus” or “I believe in God” and then reject the fact of Mary’s virginity. The God of the Bible is certainly capable of causing such a miracle. And that is exactly what He did. Jesus laid aside His glory, was born a human, and carried out the Father’s redemption plan (Phil. 2:6-11).

If Jesus had come to earth still wrapped in His glory, no one would have been able to look directly at Him. Divine radiance is too great for human eyesight—which is the same reason Moses had to be protected from seeing anything more than God’s back as He passed by (Ex. 33:18-33). But what Jesus didn’t set aside was His deity. He was fully man so that He could experience temptation, pain, and sorrow and thereby know how we feel. Yet He was also fully God, and He came to earth to show us what the Father is like (John 14:9).

Jesus was born of a virgin woman. Those two words convey a wealth of information about His dual nature on earth. One tells of His divinity; the other, His humanity and ability to sympathize with our weaknesses (Heb. 4:15). It adds up to an eternal Savior who looks on us with mercy and love.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning  “Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant.” / 2 Samuel 23:5

This covenant is divine in its origin. “He hath made with me an everlasting

covenant.” Oh that great word He ! Stop, my soul. God, the everlasting Father,

has positively made a covenant with thee; yes, that God who spake the world

into existence by a word; he, stooping from his majesty, takes hold of thy

hand and makes a covenant with thee. Is it not a deed, the stupendous

condescension of which might ravish our hearts forever if we could really

understand it? “HE hath made with me a covenant.” A king has not made a

covenant with me–that were somewhat; but the Prince of the kings of the

earth, Shaddai, the Lord All-sufficient, the Jehovah of ages, the everlasting

Elohim, “He hath made with me an everlasting covenant.” But notice, it is

particular in its application. “Yet hath he made with me an everlasting

covenant.” Here lies the sweetness of it to each believer. It is nought for me

that he made peace for the world; I want to know whether he made peace for me!

It is little that he hath made a covenant, I want to know whether he has made

a covenant with me. Blessed is the assurance that he hath made a covenant with

me! If God the Holy Ghost gives me assurance of this, then his salvation is

mine, his heart is mine, he himself is mine–he is my God.

 

This covenant is everlasting in its duration. An everlasting covenant means a

covenant which had no beginning, and which shall never, never end. How sweet

amidst all the uncertainties of life, to know that “the foundation of the Lord

standeth sure,” and to have God’s own promise, “My covenant will I not break,

nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.” Like dying David, I will

sing of this, even though my house be not so with God as my heart desireth.

 

Evening  “I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers’ skin,

and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.” /

Ezekiel 16:10

See with what matchless generosity the Lord provides for his people’s apparel.

They are so arrayed that the divine skill is seen producing an unrivalled

broidered work, in which every attribute takes its part and every divine

beauty is revealed. No art like the art displayed in our salvation, no cunning

workmanship like that beheld in the righteousness of the saints. Justification

has engrossed learned pens in all ages of the church, and will be the theme of

admiration in eternity. God has indeed “curiously wrought it.” With all this

elaboration there is mingled utility and durability, comparable to our being

shod with badgers’ skins. The animal here meant is unknown, but its skin

covered the tabernacle, and formed one of the finest and strongest leathers

known. The righteousness which is of God by faith endureth forever, and he who

is shod with this divine preparation will tread the desert safely, and may

even set his foot upon the lion and the adder. Purity and dignity of our holy

vesture are brought out in the fine linen. When the Lord sanctifies his

people, they are clad as priests in pure white; not the snow itself excels

them; they are in the eyes of men and angels fair to look upon, and even in

the Lord’s eyes they are without spot. Meanwhile the royal apparel is delicate

and rich as silk. No expense is spared, no beauty withheld, no daintiness

denied.

What, then? Is there no inference from this? Surely there is gratitude to be

felt and joy to be expressed. Come, my heart, refuse not thy evening

hallelujah! Tune thy pipes! Touch thy chords!

“Strangely, my soul, art thou arrayed

By the Great Sacred Three!

In sweetest harmony of praise

Let all thy powers agree.”

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The Certainty of Judgment – John MacArthur

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“If the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Heb. 2:2-3).

Today the majority believes that God is a God of love and grace, but not of justice. One brief look at Hebrews 2:2-3 ought to convince anyone otherwise. The writer’s point is this: Since the Old Testament makes it clear that transgression and disobedience met with severe and just punishment, how much more so will equal or greater punishment be rendered under the New Testament, which was revealed by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself?

Both the Old and New Testaments confirm that angels were instrumental in bringing the law (Deut. 33:2; Acts 7:38). The law the angels spoke, primarily the Ten Commandments, was steadfast. That meant if someone broke the law, the law would break the lawbreaker. The law was inviolable; punishment for breaking it was certain.

“Every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense” (v. 2). Transgression refers to stepping across a line–a willful, purposeful sin. Disobedience, however, refers to imperfect hearing–the sin of shutting one’s ears to the commands, warnings, and invitations of God. It is a sin of neglect or omission, doing nothing when something should be done.

Hebrews 2:2 also puts to rest the notion that God is not fair. The writer says every sin received a “just recompense.” God, by His very nature, is just. Every punishment He meted out to those who defied Him was a deterrent to the sin He wanted to stop.

God severely punished the nation of Israel because they knew better. That leads to the important principle that punishment is always related to how much truth one knows but rejects. The person who knows the gospel, who has intellectually understood it and believed it, yet drifts away will experience the severest punishment of all.

Suggestion for Prayer:  Ask God to give you an even greater appreciation of the punishment He has saved you from to motivate you to pursue the lost more vigorously.

For Further Study:  Read Matthew 11:20-24, 12:38-42, and Luke 12:47-48 to discover Christ’s attitude toward those who know the truth yet rebel against it.

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What Christmas Is About – Greg Laurie

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Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.— Isaiah 9:7

As we look at our world today, we realize that part of the promise of Isaiah 9:6–7 has not yet been fulfilled. The Son has been given. The Child has been born. But He has not yet taken the government upon His shoulders. We do not yet have peace with judgment and justice. But the good news is that there will come a day when Christ will return. He will establish His kingdom on this earth. And it will be the righteous rule of God Himself.

Before Jesus could take the government upon His shoulder, He had to take the cross upon His shoulder. Before He could wear the crown of glory as King of Kings, He had to wear the shameful crown of thorns and give His life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. The first time, a star marked His arrival. But the next time He comes, the heavens will roll back like a scroll, all of the stars will fall from the sky, and He Himself will light it.

Christ came to this earth. God came near to you so you can come near to Him—to give your life purpose and meaning, to forgive you of your sins, and to give you the hope of heaven beyond the grave. Christmas is not about tinsel or shopping or presents. Christmas is not about the gifts under the tree. Rather, Christmas is about the gift that was given on the tree when Christ died there for our sins and gave us the gift of eternal life.

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The Virgin Birth—Does It Matter? – Charles Stanley

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Luke 1:26-37

I find it interesting that people choose parts of the Bible to accept as true. The virgin birth is often a rejected miracle—the argument I hear is, “As long as I believe in Jesus, the rest doesn’t matter.” But that rationale isn’t logical. Apart from the virgin birth, Jesus would have been just another man and therefore unworthy of anyone’s faith.

Consider the implications if Mary were not a virgin. If that were the case, then the following things would be true: 1) She was a liar who claimed to have been visited by an angel and told that she would bear the Son of God; 2) She was unfaithful to her intended husband and, consequently, 3) Jesus was an illegitimate child with no divine nature. Not only that, but if the virgin birth were a lie, then Jesus was a crazy man who claimed to be the Son of God and died a martyr’s death trying to prove it.

In fact, for Jesus’ death to provide atonement, the virgin birth had to be true. A child born of a man and woman comes into the world with a sinful “flesh” nature (Rom. 5:12), but God required a perfect sacrifice to pay for sin. That message is all through the Old Testament (Deut. 17:1). Only Jesus, who was born of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:18), could have paid our penalty in our place.

We cannot treat God’s Word like a religious buffet, where we choose the parts we will believe. Every fact, promise, and principle is included for a reason. The Father placed His Son in the womb of a virgin so that no one could doubt He was something special—the Lamb of God, Savior of the world.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning  “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” / Jeremiah 31:3

Sometimes the Lord Jesus tells his Church his love thoughts. “He does not

think it enough behind her back to tell it, but in her very presence he says,

Thou art all fair, my love.’ It is true, this is not his ordinary method; he

is a wise lover, and knows when to keep back the intimation of love and when

to let it out; but there are times when he will make no secret of it; times

when he will put it beyond all dispute in the souls of his people” (R.

Erskine’s Sermons). The Holy Spirit is often pleased, in a most gracious

manner, to witness with our spirits of the love of Jesus. He takes of the

things of Christ and reveals them unto us. No voice is heard from the clouds,

and no vision is seen in the night, but we have a testimony more sure than

either of these. If an angel should fly from heaven and inform the saint

personally of the Saviour’s love to him, the evidence would not be one whit

more satisfactory than that which is borne in the heart by the Holy Ghost. Ask

those of the Lord’s people who have lived the nearest to the gates of heaven,

and they will tell you that they have had seasons when the love of Christ

towards them has been a fact so clear and sure, that they could no more doubt

it than they could question their own existence. Yes, beloved believer, you

and I have had times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and then our

faith has mounted to the topmost heights of assurance. We have had confidence

to lean our heads upon the bosom of our Lord, and we have no more questioned

our Master’s affection to us than John did when in that blessed posture; nay,

nor so much: for the dark question, “Lord, is it I that shall betray thee?”

has been put far from us. He has kissed us with the kisses of his mouth, and

killed our doubts by the closeness of his embrace. His love has been sweeter

than wine to our souls.

 

Evening  “Call the labourers, and give them their hire.” / Matthew 20:8

God is a good paymaster; he pays his servants while at work as well as when

they have done it; and one of his payments is this: an easy conscience. If you

have spoken faithfully of Jesus to one person, when you go to bed at night you

feel happy in thinking, “I have this day discharged my conscience of that

man’s blood.” There is a great comfort in doing something for Jesus. Oh, what

a happiness to place jewels in his crown, and give him to see of the travail

of his soul! There is also very great reward in watching the first buddings of

conviction in a soul! To say of that girl in the class, “She is tender of

heart, I do hope that there is the Lord’s work within.” To go home and pray

over that boy, who said something in the afternoon which made you think he

must know more of divine truth than you had feared! Oh, the joy of hope! But

as for the joy of success! it is unspeakable. This joy, overwhelming as it is,

is a hungry thing–you pine for more of it. To be a soul-winner is the

happiest thing in the world. With every soul you bring to Christ, you get a

new heaven upon earth. But who can conceive the bliss which awaits us above!

Oh, how sweet is that sentence, “Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord!” Do you

know what the joy of Christ is over a saved sinner? This is the very joy which

we are to possess in heaven. Yes, when he mounts the throne, you shall mount

with him. When the heavens ring with “Well done, well done,” you shall partake

in the reward; you have toiled with him, you have suffered with him, you shall

now reign with him; you have sown with him, you shall reap with him; your face

was covered with sweat like his, and your soul was grieved for the sins of men

as his soul was, now shall your face be bright with heaven’s splendour as is

his countenance, and now shall your soul be filled with beatific joys even as

his soul is.

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Throwing Out the Anchor – John MacArthur

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“For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it” (Heb. 2:1).

While English explorer William Edward Parry and his crew were exploring the Arctic Ocean, they needed to go further north to continue their chartings. So they calculated their location by the stars and began a treacherous march.

After many hours they stopped, exhausted. After taking their bearings, they discovered they were now further south than when they started! They had been walking on an ice floe that was traveling faster south than they were walking north.

That is similar to the situation people who continue rejecting Christ find themselves in. Therefore Hebrews 2:1 says, “We must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.”

Why would anyone knowingly reject Christ? He came into the world as God incarnate, died on a cross to forgive our sins, paid our penalty, showed us divine love, and gives us blessing and joy beyond imagination.

The Greek words translated “pay much closer attention to” and “drift away from” both have a nautical usage. The first means “to tie up a ship” and the second can be used of a ship that has been carelessly allowed to drift past the harbor because the sailor forgot to attend to the steerage or chart the wind, tides, and current. Hebrews 2:1 could be translated: “We must diligently anchor our lives to the things we have been taught, lest the ship of life drift past the harbor of salvation and be lost forever.”

Most people don’t deliberately turn their backs on God; they almost imperceptibly slip past the harbor of salvation and are broken on the rocks of destruction. Be sure you warn those you know who might be slipping past that harbor.

Suggestion for Prayer:  Ask God to strengthen your resolve when you know you need to confront someone regarding his or her relationship with the Lord.

For Further Study:   Memorize Proverbs 4:20-22 as your own reminder of how important it is to hold on to God’s Word.

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God’s Gift to Us (Part 2) – Greg Laurie

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For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.— Isaiah 9:6

We celebrate Christmas in order to rejoice over God’s most precious gift to us. The birth of Jesus Christ is a gift from God that came in simple wrapping, as well as a gift we don’t deserve. But the gift of Christ also explains His purpose for humankind.

The gift of Christ was no afterthought. Long before there was a stable in Bethlehem, before Adam and Eve ever set eyes on each other, and even before there existed a garden called Eden, God decided to send His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins.

From the beginning, God knew humankind would fall short of His glory. That is why the Scriptures proclaim that Jesus Christ was slain from the foundation of the world (see Revelation 13:8).

God made a decision from the very beginning that Christ would come to this earth to live and die and rise again from the dead. God’s gift to us proves His purpose to redeem us.

The gift of Jesus Christ is what Christmas is all about. Jesus came near to us so we could come near to Him.

Christmas is not about tinsel or shopping or gifts under a tree. Christmas is about the gift God gave on the tree where Christ died for our sins, giving us the gift of eternal life.

That is what He has accomplished. This is the gift He extends. And if you receive it, you will experience the merriest Christmas of all.

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Hunger and Thirst for God – Charles Stanley

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Isaiah 55:1-5

The story of David inspires us to want an intimate relationship with God. But where does that kind of passion come from? It is not manufactured or created by effort or will power. And we cannot work ourselves into a state of genuine yearning for the Lord—our carnal nature would never allow us to sustain that level of devotion. A hunger and thirst for God is actually a gift from the Lord Himself.

God predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son, so He planted within us an innate desire to know and be known by the Savior. The problem is that many people, mistaking this yearning for cravings of other kinds, pursue things like affection, flattery, or fame. They go through life trying to create whatever kind of personal connection they can to fulfill desires they don’t even understand. All too often, the result is empty relationships, excessive work, and immoral behavior.

People rush from here to there doing their best to satisfy an inborn hunger created by Almighty God Himself—a hunger so powerful that it will be sated by nothing less than intimacy with God. David knew there was only one solution to the constant yearning in his heart. As St. Augustine said, “Our hearts are restless till they find their rest in Him.”

God has created within all of us the capacity to have a deep personal relationship with Him. But our sin nature does not give us the power to generate such intimacy. If you find yourself trying to satisfy your inborn hunger in your own strength, turn to the Lord, who is the author of your desires.

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A Warning to the Intellectually Convinced – John MacArthur

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“How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard” (Heb. 2:3).

I will never forget a lady who came to my office, confessing that she was a prostitute and was desperate for help. I presented the claims of Christ to her and asked if she wanted to confess Christ as Lord of her life. She said yes and prayed, seemingly inviting Christ into her life.

Then I suggested that we burn her book of contacts. She looked at me incredulously and said, “What do you mean?” “If you want to live for Jesus Christ,” I explained, “and you’ve truly accepted His forgiveness and embraced Him as Lord, then you need to prove it.” “But that book is worth a lot of money,” she said. “I don’t want to burn it.” After putting it back in her purse, she looked me right in the eye and said, “I guess I don’t really want Jesus, do I?”

When it came to counting the cost, she wasn’t ready. I don’t know whatever became of her, but my heart aches for her and others like her.

I’m sure you know people like her–they know and believe that Christ is the Savior, they know they need Him, but they are unwilling to make a commitment to Him. Perhaps they even go to church and hear the Word of God. They are like the proverbial man who says he believes a boat will keep him afloat, but never sets foot in one.

Those people are the most tragic of all. They need to be warned–to be given a powerful shove toward Christ. May the Lord use you as His instrument for that purpose in the lives of many who are on the edge of a decision for Christ.

Suggestion for Prayer:  Ask God to soften the hearts of people you know who understand the facts of the gospel, but haven’t yet made a commitment to it.

For Further Study:  Read Matthew 19:16-22. What kinds of questions should you ask of someone who appears eager to become a Christian?

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David’s Devotion – Charles Stanley

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Psalm 42:1-8

Do you want to know who God is and what He cares about most in your life? You may have stored up lots of intellectual information about the Bible; that is important, but it’s not the main issue. You may serve the Lord, which is also necessary. And you may give generously to the church—another significant aspect of Christian life. But what matters most is the depth of your personal relationship with the Lord. Knowledge, service, and tithes can never replace intimacy with God.

The psalmist-king understood this truth, and it strengthened him in times of trouble. When his son Absalom tried to take over the throne, David fled to the desert, where he wrote these words: “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Ps. 42:1-2). He knew that even in raging adversity, he could count on the Lord’s unfailing love being poured down on him (v. 8).

Throughout his psalms, we repeatedly see David’s hunger and thirst for the Lord. It was that passion—not his brute strength, savvy charisma, or remarkable ability to command an army—that made him a great man. And even though he made several significant mistakes, the Bible describes him as a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:14).

It’s not enough to read the Bible, volunteer your services, and give money to kingdom work. God wants to know you personally. While physical expressions of our devotion are important, they should be the result of a mature relationship with God. When we seek to know Him first, the rest will follow.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning   “Rend your heart, and not your garments.” / Joel 2:13

Garment-rending and other outward signs of religious emotion, are easily

manifested and are frequently hypocritical; but to feel true repentance is far

more difficult, and consequently far less common. Men will attend to the most

multiplied and minute ceremonial regulations–for such things are pleasing to

the flesh–but true religion is too humbling, too heart-searching, too

thorough for the tastes of the carnal men; they prefer something more

ostentatious, flimsy, and worldly. Outward observances are temporarily

comfortable; eye and ear are pleased; self-conceit is fed, and

self-righteousness is puffed up: but they are ultimately delusive, for in the

article of death, and at the day of judgment, the soul needs something more

substantial than ceremonies and rituals to lean upon. Apart from vital

godliness all religion is utterly vain; offered without a sincere heart, every

form of worship is a solemn sham and an impudent mockery of the majesty of

heaven.

 

Heart-rending is divinely wrought and solemnly felt. It is a secret grief

which is personally experienced, not in mere form, but as a deep, soul-moving

work of the Holy Spirit upon the inmost heart of each believer. It is not a

matter to be merely talked of and believed in, but keenly and sensitively felt

in every living child of the living God. It is powerfully humiliating, and

completely sin-purging; but then it is sweetly preparative for those gracious

consolations which proud unhumbled spirits are unable to receive; and it is

distinctly discriminating, for it belongs to the elect of God, and to them

alone.

The text commands us to rend our hearts, but they are naturally hard as

marble: how, then, can this be done? We must take them to Calvary: a dying

Saviour’s voice rent the rocks once, and it is as powerful now. O blessed

Spirit, let us hear the death-cries of Jesus, and our hearts shall be rent

even as men rend their vestures in the day of lamentation.

 

Evening    “Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy

herds.” / Proverbs 27:23

Every wise merchant will occasionally hold a stock-taking, when he will cast

up his accounts, examine what he has on hand, and ascertain decisively whether

his trade is prosperous or declining. Every man who is wise in the kingdom of

heaven, will cry, “Search me, O God, and try me”; and he will frequently set

apart special seasons for self-examination, to discover whether things are

right between God and his soul. The God whom we worship is a great

heart-searcher; and of old his servants knew him as “the Lord which searcheth

the heart and trieth the reins of the children of men.” Let me stir you up in

his name to make diligent search and solemn trial of your state, lest you come

short of the promised rest. That which every wise man does, that which God

himself does with us all, I exhort you to do with yourself this evening. Let

the oldest saint look well to the fundamentals of his piety, for grey heads

may cover black hearts: and let not the young professor despise the word of

warning, for the greenness of youth may be joined to the rottenness of

hypocrisy. Every now and then a cedar falls into our midst. The enemy still

continues to sow tares among the wheat. It is not my aim to introduce doubts

and fears into your mind; nay, verily, but I shall hope the rather that the

rough wind of self-examination may help to drive them away. It is not

security, but carnal security, which we would kill; not confidence, but

fleshly confidence, which we would overthrow; not peace, but false peace,

which we would destroy. By the precious blood of Christ, which was not shed to

make you a hypocrite, but that sincere souls might show forth his praise, I

beseech you, search and look, lest at the last it be said of you, “Mene, Mene,

Tekel: thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”

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Bearing with an Exhortation – John MacArthur

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“I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation” (Heb. 13:22).

Hell is undoubtedly full of people who did not actively oppose Jesus Christ, but simply drifted into damnation by neglecting to respond to the gospel. These are the kinds of people the writer challenges in Hebrews 2:1-4. They were aware of the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ, but weren’t willing to commit their lives to Him. As a result, they were drifting past the call of God into eternal disaster.

The Word of God always demands a response. Any effective teacher of it must do more than just dispense facts; he must warn, exhort, and extend an invitation. He may have impressive knowledge of the truth, but if he doesn’t have a passionate concern for how people react to it, he is not a worthy representative of Jesus Christ.

Jesus had that kind of compassion. Despite the rejection of His own people, He ached for their salvation: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen ushers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling” (Matt. 23:37). You can feel His heart go out to the people.

Paul had similar compassion: “I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of My brethren, my kinsman according to the flesh” (Rom. 9:2-3). A true teacher is interested in more than just academics; he is concerned that people respond rightly to what is taught.

Just as the writer of Hebrews had to warn and exhort his readers, at times it becomes necessary for us to warn those we are witnessing to. If you want to see unbelieving friends, relatives, or associates come to Christ, warn them. Let them see the passion in your heart and your love for them. Please don’t allow anyone to slip into eternal destruction without being warned sufficiently.

Suggestion for Prayer:     Ask God to give you wisdom regarding when to warn the people you are witnessing to.

For Further Study:   Read Hebrews 3:7–4:13, 6:4-8, 10:26-31, and 12:25-29 noting the pattern the writer followed in presenting these other warnings.

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The Message of the Manger – Charles Stanley

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Luke 2:1-7

Sometimes it is difficult to see how God can bring good from our bad situations. But He draws value from even the most disastrous of circumstances, such as when the conquering Romans (the bad) literally paved the road for the gospel (the good).

Before the rise of Rome, the predominant world power was Greece, whose attractive culture led many to desire Hellenization. In addition, as Alexander the Great conquered lands, he forced subjugated men to serve in his military. So they could understand orders, he made conscripts learn common Greek. On discharge, these men took the new language home, thereby helping to create a shared tongue between people groups. This was the perfect set-up for spreading the revolutionary message that would erupt from Israel a few centuries later.

The Romans paved roads throughout the territories they had conquered and then guarded land routes and seacoasts from encroaching enemies. Doing this ensured the relative safety of early Christian missionaries who carried the gospel.

Perhaps Joseph and Mary traveled one of those roads on their trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Whether they did or not, God again turned hardship—a forced census—into blessing: Jesus the Messiah was born at precisely the time and place prophesied.

From the moment in Eden when Satan’s defeat was promised until the instant Christ fulfilled that prophecy on the cross, the Father continually brought good from bad situations. He was advancing His plan to save the world. The Romans made the roads, but God paved the way for a Savior.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning  “I remember thee.” / Jeremiah 2:2

Let us note that Christ delights to think upon his Church, and to look upon

her beauty. As the bird returneth often to its nest, and as the wayfarer

hastens to his home, so doth the mind continually pursue the object of its

choice. We cannot look too often upon that face which we love; we desire

always to have our precious things in our sight. It is even so with our Lord

Jesus. From all eternity “His delights were with the sons of men;” his

thoughts rolled onward to the time when his elect should be born into the

world; he viewed them in the mirror of his foreknowledge. “In thy book,” he

says, “all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when

as yet there was none of them” (Ps. 139:16). When the world was set upon its

pillars, he was there, and he set the bounds of the people according to the

number of the children of Israel. Many a time before his incarnation, he

descended to this lower earth in the similitude of a man; on the plains of

Mamre (Gen. 18), by the brook of Jabbok (Gen. 32:24-30), beneath the walls of

Jericho (Jos. 5:13), and in the fiery furnace of Babylon (Dan. 3:19, 25), the

Son of Man visited his people. Because his soul delighted in them, he could

not rest away from them, for his heart longed after them. Never were they

absent from his heart, for he had written their names upon his hands, and

graven them upon his side. As the breastplate containing the names of the

tribes of Israel was the most brilliant ornament worn by the high priest, so

the names of Christ’s elect were his most precious jewels, and glittered on

his heart. We may often forget to meditate upon the perfections of our Lord,

but he never ceases to remember us. Let us chide ourselves for past

forgetfulness, and pray for grace ever to bear him in fondest remembrance.

Lord, paint upon the eyeballs of my soul the image of thy Son.

 

Evening  “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in

and out, and find pasture.” / John 10:9

Jesus, the great I AM, is the entrance into the true church, and the way of

access to God himself. He gives to the man who comes to God by him four choice

privileges.

1. He shall be saved. The fugitive manslayer passed the gate of the city of

refuge, and was safe. Noah entered the door of the ark, and was secure. None

can be lost who take Jesus as the door of faith to their souls. Entrance

through Jesus into peace is the guarantee of entrance by the same door into

heaven. Jesus is the only door, an open door, a wide door, a safe door; and

blessed is he who rests all his hope of admission to glory upon the crucified

Redeemer.

2. He shall go in. He shall be privileged to go in among the divine family,

sharing the children’s bread, and participating in all their honours and

enjoyments. He shall go in to the chambers of communion, to the banquets of

love, to the treasures of the covenant, to the storehouses of the promises. He

shall go in unto the King of kings in the power of the Holy Spirit, and the

secret of the Lord shall be with him.

3. He shall go out. This blessing is much forgotten. We go out into the world

to labour and suffer, but what a mercy to go in the name and power of Jesus!

We are called to bear witness to the truth, to cheer the disconsolate, to warn

the careless, to win souls, and to glorify God; and as the angel said to

Gideon, “Go in this thy might,” even thus the Lord would have us proceed as

his messengers in his name and strength.

4. He shall find pasture. He who knows Jesus shall never want. Going in and

out shall be alike helpful to him: in fellowship with God he shall grow, and

in watering others he shall be watered. Having made Jesus his all, he shall

find all in Jesus. His soul shall be as a watered garden, and as a well of

water whose waters fail not.

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Christ’s Superior Destiny – John MacArthur

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“To which of the angels has He ever said, ‘Sit at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet’? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb. 1:13-14).

“At the name of Jesus every knee [will] bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth” (Phil. 2:10). That great promise confirms that Jesus Christ is destined to be the ruler of the universe.

Yet notice this about Christ’s rule: “When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, that God may be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28). Christ is subordinate to His Father, but only in His role as the Son. While the eternal Son is equally divine, He is officially in subjection to God.

Eventually God will put all kingdoms, authorities, and powers of the world in subjection under Christ when He comes in glory at His second coming. “He will rule [the nations] with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS'” (Rev. 19:15-16). Christ’s eternal destiny is to reign over the new heavens and the new earth.

But what about the angels? While Christ has the greater destiny, it is their destiny to serve forever those who will inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14)–and that’s us!

Angels protect and deliver the believer from temporal danger. They rescued Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom. They went into the lions’ den with Daniel and protected him. In addition to being forever in God’s presence, our destiny is to be served by angels forever–service that begins the moment of our salvation.

Suggestions for Prayer:  Thank God for the many ways He takes care of you: by saving you, having Christ intercede for you, giving you the Holy Spirit to teach you, and sending His angels to serve you.

For Further Study:  Read 2 Kings 6:8-23 and note the amazing way that angels served the prophet Elisha.

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Because Christ Came – By Dr. Charles Stanley

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This time of year, church services typically focus on the amazing narrative of Jesus’ humble birth. Unfortunately, this story can become so familiar that we take for granted the miracle of God taking on human flesh and walking among us. We also have difficulty understanding the profound impact Christ’s advent (or coming) had on humanity’s relationship to the Father. Let’s examine just a few benefits we can enjoy because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

 

1. Complete Assurance of Forgiveness

Under Old Testament law, God prescribed sacrifices and other rituals that would serve as reminders about the seriousness of sin.

In what way was the system limited, according to Hebrews 10:1-4?

Why do we no longer have to offer animal sacrifices (Heb. 9:11-12; 24-26)?

 

2. The Guarantee of Eternal Life

First John 5:13 says, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (emphasis added).

Read 1 John 5:1-13, paying special attention to verses 1-5 and 11-12. What “things” does John mention to help a person know if he or she possesses eternal life?

Sum up the analogy Jesus used in John 10:27-29 to indicate the secure nature of our relationship with Him.

Even when believers sin, they don’t forfeit eternal life. Why not (Romans 8:1-2; 33-39)?

 

3. Personal Access to God’s Presence

The Hebrew temple was divided into sections. Only Jewish men were allowed into the inner court; Gentiles and Jewish women were restricted to the outer courts. Access to the Holy of Holies, where the presence of the Lord dwelled, was even more limited.

How often did someone enter the Holy of Holies (Heb. 9:6-7)? What rituals had to be observed beforehand?

What happened when Christ rose from the dead (Matt. 27:50-51)? Explain the symbolic significance of this event.

Read Hebrews 10:19-22. Who is now the high priest for all believers? Why can we approach the throne of God confidently?

Reflect on how limited access to the Father would have been under the old covenant, especially for a Gentile or woman. How does this impact your perspective on spending time alone with God?

 

4. The Indwelling Holy Spirit

Old Testament saints experienced the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit resting on them, often to help in carrying out God’s specific plans. But His presence in their lives was not guaranteed.

The first two kings of Israel, Saul and David, both had the Spirit of God rest on them. Why did the Spirit depart from Saul (1 Sam. 15:22-23; 16:14)?

Under the New Covenant, what is the requirement for receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, according to Acts 2:38?

For believers today, fellowship with God is available all the time. How does 1 Corinthians 6:19 describe the relationship between the Spirit and a follower of Christ?

The Holy Spirit performs many functions in the life of a believer. He reminds us of Christ’s words (John 14:26), is a deposit guaranteeing eternal life (Eph. 1:13-14), intercedes on our behalf (Rom. 8:26), and equips us to speak the gospel boldly (Acts 4:31). One of the Spirit’s most important functions is that He changes our nature and empowers us to live righteously.

Describe the benefit of being a “new creation” in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).

 

5. Freedom from the Law

Because of the advent of Christ, followers of God no longer have to carry out the rituals described in Exodus and Leviticus. For instance, Christians don’t have to avoid certain foods for spiritual reasons or make animal sacrifices to atone for our sins.

The Galatians—mostly Gentile believers—were under pressure from some of the Jewish Christians to follow the old covenant ritual of circumcision. What was Paul’s reminder to them (Gal. 5:1)?

List two cautions regarding freedom from the law (Gal. 5:13, 18).

Meditate on the fact that you don’t have to follow spiritual rules to earn your salvation (Rom. 3:28). How does that make you feel?

 

This doesn’t mean that believers have permission to live unrestrained lives, but that we are now governed internally. The Holy Spirit changes our fundamental nature so we no longer want to sin—we desire to please God with our lives (Jer. 31:31-33).

Fill your mind with biblical truth and surrender to the Spirit’s leading. He will give you the power to resist sin and accomplish God’s will (Gal. 2:20-21).

Do you have questions about how to depend on the Holy Spirit for holy living?

Trust the Lord to reveal the answers to you in His timing.

Prayer: The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus radically changed the way in which humanity can relate to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Express your gratitude to the Father, and ask Him to show you how to meditate on His gifts in the midst of this year’s Christmas festivities.

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Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Morning  “Come unto me.” / Matthew 11:28

The cry of the Christian religion is the gentle word, “Come.” The Jewish law

harshly said, “Go, take heed unto thy steps as to the path in which thou shalt

walk. Break the commandments, and thou shalt perish; keep them, and thou shalt

live.” The law was a dispensation of terror, which drove men before it as with

a scourge; the gospel draws with bands of love. Jesus is the good Shepherd

going before his sheep, bidding them follow him, and ever leading them onwards

with the sweet word, “Come.” The law repels, the gospel attracts. The law

shows the distance which there is between God and man; the gospel bridges that

awful chasm, and brings the sinner across it.

From the first moment of your spiritual life until you are ushered into glory,

the language of Christ to you will be, “Come, come unto me.” As a mother puts

out her finger to her little child and woos it to walk by saying, “Come,” even

so does Jesus. He will always be ahead of you, bidding you follow him as the

soldier follows his captain. He will always go before you to pave your way,

and clear your path, and you shall hear his animating voice calling you after

him all through life; while in the solemn hour of death, his sweet words with

which he shall usher you into the heavenly world shall be–“Come, ye blessed

of my Father.”

Nay, further, this is not only Christ’s cry to you, but, if you be a believer,

this is your cry to Christ–“Come! come!” You will be longing for his second

advent; you will be saying, “Come quickly, even so come Lord Jesus.” You will

be panting for nearer and closer communion with him. As his voice to you is

“Come,” your response to him will be, “Come, Lord, and abide with me. Come,

and occupy alone the throne of my heart; reign there without a rival, and

consecrate me entirely to thy service.”

 

Evening  “Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine

ear was not opened.” / Isaiah 48:8

It is painful to remember that, in a certain degree, this accusation may be

laid at the door of believers, who too often are in a measure spiritually

insensible. We may well bewail ourselves that we do not hear the voice of God

as we ought, “Yea, thou heardest not.” There are gentle motions of the Holy

Spirit in the soul which are unheeded by us: there are whisperings of divine

command and of heavenly love which are alike unobserved by our leaden

intellects. Alas! we have been carelessly ignorant–“Yea, thou knewest not.”

There are matters within which we ought to have seen, corruptions which have

made headway unnoticed; sweet affections which are being blighted like flowers

in the frost, untended by us; glimpses of the divine face which might be

perceived if we did not wall up the windows of our soul. But we “have not

known.” As we think of it we are humbled in the deepest self-abasement. How

must we adore the grace of God as we learn from the context that all this

folly and ignorance, on our part, was foreknown by God, and, notwithstanding

that foreknowledge, he yet has been pleased to deal with us in a way of mercy!

Admire the marvellous sovereign grace which could have chosen us in the sight

of all this! Wonder at the price that was paid for us when Christ knew what we

should be! He who hung upon the cross foresaw us as unbelieving, backsliding,

cold of heart, indifferent, careless, lax in prayer, and yet he said, “I am

the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour … Since thou wast

precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee:

therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life!” O redemption,

how wondrously resplendent dost thou shine when we think how black we are! O

Holy Spirit, give us henceforth the hearing ear, the understanding heart!

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Christ’s Eternal Existence – John MacArthur

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“Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay a foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Thy hands; they will perish, but Thou remainest; and they all will become old as a garment. And as a mantle Thou wilt roll them up; as a garment they will also be changed. But Thou art the same, and Thy years will not come to an end” (Heb. 1:10-12).

Jesus Christ is no creature. To be able to lay the foundation of the earth and create the heavens in the beginning implies that He must have existed before the beginning. The apostle John testified to this when he said, “In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1). Christ is eternal.

Jesus is also immutable, which means He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever.” We need to hang onto this truth as we approach a day when much of what we know will change drastically.

One day what looks so permanent will fold up. Like the people Peter warned, we are tempted to think that “all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation” (2 Pet. 3:4). But Hebrews 1:11 tells us that one day Jesus will discard the heavens and the earth, just as we would a useless garment.

Even more amazing, verse 12 specifies that Christ will roll up the heavens. Revelation 6:14 says, “The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” During the time of the tribulation, the heavens, as if stretched to all corners, will roll right up like a scroll.

But we can be confident that although creation will perish, Jesus will not, and He will create a new heaven and a new earth. Living creatures, worlds, and stars are subject to decay, but not Christ. He never changes and is never subject to change. What confidence that should give us for the daily issues of life we face each day!

Suggestion for Prayer:  Thank the Lord for His unchanging plan for your life and His ability to keep it.

For Future Study:  Read 2 Peter 3 and develop an approach to answering charges unbelievers make about biblical prophecies regarding the end times.