Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

John 19:19

As Jesus was crucified upon the cross, a sign was inscribed and erected over Him, proclaiming Him to be “the King of the Jews.” While this sign was meant as a taunt, it declared a truth for all to witness: Jesus was and is indeed King! Yet it also should prompt us to ask ourselves: Do I really live as though Jesus is King of my life?

Scripture tells us that the sign was written in three languages—Aramaic, the language of most first-century Jews in and around Jerusalem; Latin, the official language of the Roman Empire; and Greek, the popular language of commerce and culture (John 19:20). In these three languages, witnesses from all across the known world were able to read that Jesus was King. Upon reading the sign, the whole world had to make their choice about who Jesus was to them.

We see a microcosm of that world—and ours—in the range of characters throughout the story of Jesus’ death. In Pilate, we see the proud, indecisive, calculating politician. In the soldiers nailing Christ to His cross, we see those focused on carrying out routine business. In those who mocked the Lord, we see people whose only interaction with the divine is to sneer at Him. In the crowd of passive onlookers, we see those who have no interest at all in eternal matters. But then, amid the darkness, on a neighboring cross we see a desperate and dying thief look to the Savior for hope—and find it. And in Jesus’ nearby family and friends, we see sorrowful but faithful followers standing by Christ and His claims—and witnessing His burial in a tomb that would soon be empty.

All these people saw the sign: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. All of them saw the man on the cross beneath it. Whether hateful or hopeful, all beheld this historic event, and all had to reconcile it and the personhood of Christ with their own lives. As the sign hung proclaiming Christ’s kingship, Jesus hung proclaiming the most powerful love the world has known.

The question remains: What are we to do with this love? Each of us can find a face in the crowd with which we identify, be it one of the proud, the passive, or the faithful. All of us are confronted with the life-changing person of Jesus Christ.

How do the cross and the empty tomb affect your relationships, your work, your purpose, or your identity? If Jesus reigns over you, His death and resurrection change everything about the way you live and the meaning of your life. There is hope for eternity and purpose for today in looking at this man and agreeing with that sign. “Jesus is King”—of the Jews and the Gentiles, of the entire world, and of your life and mine.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Luke 23:32–56

Topics: The Cross Crucifixion Easter

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

My kingdom is not of this world … You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.

John 18:36–37

What will you do with Jesus? On the morning of what is now known as the first Good Friday, the Jewish religious authorities took Jesus to continue His trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. We can see in the details of the Gospel accounts how God sovereignly orchestrated all of these events. The Jews’ determination to secure Christ’s death by crucifixion would actually fulfill God’s plan from eternity. God had also planned Christ’s interaction with Pilate. As they stood before one another, Pilate asked significant questions about Jesus’ identity and authority. These questions formed an examination with eternal ramifications—an examination we all must make. Consider how the hymn writer puts it:

Jesus is standing in Pilate’s hall—
Friendless, forsaken, betrayed by all;
Hearken! What meaneth the sudden call?
What will you do with Jesus?

Pilate believed he was holding an examination on a purely intellectual, natural level. But answering the question “Who is Jesus?” is always a spiritual, supernatural matter. Jesus wasn’t a political king, as Pilate believed, but the heavenly King. He essentially told Pilate, My kingdom doesn’t find its origin in this world. The concern of My kingdom is the spiritual transformation that is brought about in the hearts of My people. The reason why I was born as a King was to testify to God’s truth. But Pilate, blind in his unbelief, had already made up his mind. Jaded and disdainful, he sought to avoid the fundamental question we all must ask: “What will I do with Jesus?” But in trying not to answer, he nevertheless gave his answer: I shall reject His claim on me and His rule over me, and therefore His offer to rescue me.

What will you do with Jesus?
Neutral you cannot be;
Someday your heart will be asking,
“What will He do with me?” ^[1]

Neutral you cannot be. You will either live under Jesus’ rule or you will not. So do not close your Bible in the morning and then live as though this world and its concerns and kings are all that is or all that matters. Do not proceed as though Jesus has no place or interest in your life in this world. He stood friendless and forsaken before Pilate so that you might be welcomed as His friend into His eternal kingdom. There is no option of neutrality—but why would we want there to be?

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

John 18:28–40

Topics: Christ as King Easter Sovereignty of God

FOOTNOTES

¹ Albert B. Simpson, “What Will You Do with Jesus?” (1905).

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear … Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

John 18:10–11

Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane ultimately revealed His submission to the Father. When the soldiers came for Him, Jesus had already resolved to drink the cup of suffering—His death on the cross—so that it might be for us a cup of salvation.

But which of the disciples stepped in, as if on cue? The impetuous Simon Peter, of course—wielding a sword! Peter was no stranger to impassioned acts and words. He had attempted to walk on water to Christ. He had tried to rebuke Christ. He had offered to lay down his life for Christ. And yet, soon after stepping up to Jesus’ defense, he would fearfully deny even knowing Him.

Peter’s reaction to seeing his Master arrested is entirely understandable but utterly mistaken. While Peter was willing to fight for Christ here, he was actually fighting against Christ. He was fighting against the very will of God, who had purposed that Jesus would be the atoning sacrifice for sins. Peter’s example teaches us an important lesson; as Calvin urges, “Let us learn to moderate our zeal. And as the wantonness of our flesh ever itches to dare more than God commands, let us learn that our zeal will turn out badly whenever we dare to undertake anything beyond God’s word.”^[1]

Knowing Peter’s action needed correction, Jesus intervened with a rhetorical question: “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” He was affirming the part of God’s will that He had just prayed to accept, the very action that later led Him to cry out on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Through His suffering, His glory was magnified, and salvation was freely offered to all who might believe. No path that Peter could have orchestrated could have been better than this one, and he was in error to resist it.

When our impatience seeks to interfere with God’s plans, we must learn to put away our figurative swords. We must trust God’s plan, wait on His timing, and act on His command. The more familiar we are with the Scriptures—knowing the great story, promises, and truths found within them—the more we will understand His plans. But even then, there will be times when His ways are very mysterious to us and we are tempted to fight the path He is leading us along. Perhaps you are doing that right now.

Take Christ’s words to Peter to heart: “Put your sword into its sheath!” Trust God’s loving hand, obey His commands, and follow His lead. He is “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2, KJV), and the story He is writing is more glorious than you could imagine or direct for yourself.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Psalm 23

Topics: Easter Faith Self-Control

FOOTNOTES

¹ John Calvin, The Gospel According to St John 11–21 and The First Epistle of John, trans. T. H. L. Parker, ed. David W. Torrance and Thomas F. Torrance, Calvin’s New Testament Commentaries (Eerdmans, 1994), p 156.

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

Being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.

Philippians 2:8–9

In a sense the best summary of the message of the Bible and the most fundamental truth in this universe is simply this: Jesus Christ is Lord.

Most theologians agree that “the name” that Paul refers to in verse 9 can only be “Lord” (Philippians 2:11). Here, the Greek word for “Lord” is kyrios, which is also used as the translation of God’s divine name, Yahweh, over 6,000 times in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament)—the name that is rendered in most English Bibles today as Lord. Paul’s implied use of God’s divine name emphasizes Jesus’ divinity, just after he has reminded us about Jesus’ humiliation during His time on earth.

Comprising four consonants (YHWH), Yahweh is basically unpronounceable in Hebrew—and purposefully so, for Jews did not dare take this divine name of God upon their lips. Yet Yahweh, the indescribable God, came to earth as the incarnate Christ and revealed Himself to men and women. He humbly went to the cross, and then He was raised to the highest place—His rightful place—and given this name “above every name.” Says one commentator, “He hath changed the ineffable name, into a name utterable by man and desirable by all the world.” In the one who bears this name, God’s majesty “is all arrayed in robes of mercy.”^[1]

Old Testament prophecy reinforces this idea again and again. In Isaiah 45, God gives a description that applies exclusively to Himself: “There is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me” (Isaiah 45:21). Paul, once an aggressive opponent of Christ and His followers, applies this very description to Christ, making an impressive declaration of His deity. He points out that Jesus has been publicly exalted to the position that was rightfully His even before He came to earth to suffer humiliation on our behalf. He is now seated at the Father’s right hand. His majesty is there for all who know Him as Savior to see. His identity is unclouded and undoubted.

God is the only Savior—and Jesus is that Savior, of whom it was said, “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Years after Paul had first had his eyes opened to the truth about who Jesus is, we can still catch a sense of awed reverence and love in his words to the Philippians. Jesus Christ is LORD. He possesses the name above all names. Paul never allowed familiarity with this truth to breed complacency about it. Neither must we. Pause now and allow each word to prompt you to an awed praise of this man: Jesus, the Savior of His people… Christ, the long-promised King… is LORD, the indescribable, revealed God. And you get to call Him “brother” (Hebrews 2:11).

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Revelation 1:9–20

Topics: Christ as Lord Deity of Christ Glory of God Salvation

FOOTNOTES

¹ Jeremy Taylor, “Considerations upon the Circumcision of the Holy Childe Jesus,” in The Great Exemplar of Sanctity and Holy Life According to the Christian Institution, Described in the History of the Life and Death of the Ever Blessed Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the World (1649), p 61.

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” … Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:18–19, Romans 12:21

Imagine a child who comes home from school deeply upset by something another child said or did. On the verge of tears over a hurt looming larger than a mountain, it would be easy for her to be thinking that she would never again speak to the one who caused the harm, or to be planning out how she would get her own back one day.

Imagine, though, that her parents suggest she write a simple note, extending both forgiveness and friendship, and the next day, having done so, she is able joyfully to report back: “I did it! I took the note to school, and it worked. We hugged, and we’re friends. It was fantastic!”

This is what it means to obey Paul’s call here to live peaceably “so far as it depends on you.” Sometimes, peace will be elusive; but never let that be because of some lack on our part. And may it never be because we are chasing or plotting revenge. Vengeance is a dish only to be served by God, and never by His people.

Quite frankly, the majority of our disputes are really just grown-up versions of what happens in childhood. Our response in the face of injustice says a lot about what we truly believe. Will we “repay evil for evil” (1 Peter 3:9), which is the way of the world, or will we respond according to the mind of Christ?

All our conflicts and hurts pale in comparison with what Jesus faced and felt. Yet when Jesus was reviled, He did not revile in return. When He suffered, He did not curse or threaten. We must not make the great mistake of accepting Jesus’ salvation but ignoring His example, spending our lives trying to clear our names, defend our motives, and explain ourselves, seeking redress for every wrong and revenge for every slight. That is what comes naturally to us; and what frees us from that path is to remember that we can trust God to vindicate His people in due time. Justice will be served, and not by us. So, is there someone you need to reach out to in peace? Is there someone whom you are allowing to experience your wrath instead of your love in some way? Beloved, leave vengeance to God, and overcome evil with good. Today.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

1 Peter 2:18–25

Topics: Forgiveness Justice Peace

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

If you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine.

Exodus 19:5

Obedience has fallen out of fashion. But it is central to the Christian life.

It’s not unusual for us to hear even the best of people express a negative attitude towards authority, for we live in an anti-authoritarian age. Within the church what was once regarded as a sacred view of Scripture’s authority doesn’t rest happily in the minds of some. Yet in seeking to find freedom on our own terms and apart from God’s authority, we also remove ourselves from His blessing.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed the rule of God in the Garden of Eden, they were separated from Him; they forfeited the blessing of His presence. Rejection of God’s law has always brought about, and will always bring about, separation from our Maker and withdrawal of His blessings. In contrast, the restoration of God’s rule always brings about the blessing of communion and fellowship that God designed for His people.

This promise of God’s rule and blessing was fulfilled during Israel’s history in the giving of God’s law. The Israelites’ obedience to the law wasn’t meant to be a desperate attempt to achieve salvation; rather, it was a response to the salvation that had already been achieved for them. God first reached down and took hold of His people, redeeming them and liberating them from bondage in Egypt—and then the law was given to them.

In other words, God didn’t give the law as a mechanism for redemption or provide it as a pathway to becoming one of His people. Instead, having redeemed the Israelites, He gave them the law as a conduit of His grace so that they might know how to live under His rule and truly enjoy His blessing. If that principle is flipped upside down, everything goes wrong. We will live our lives in the fierce grip of legalism, thinking all the time that our endeavors can put us in a right standing before God. But equally, if we forget that God saved us so that we might enjoy life under His rule, and we continue to ignore His laws whenever they do not suit our own purposes, then we will live our lives wondering why blessing seems elusive.

God’s law does not save, but it is “the perfect law, the law of liberty,” and the one who obeys it “will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:25). As those rescued from sin by God, we are to respond to His salvation by choosing to walk in joyful obedience.

When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will,
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.^[1]

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Psalm 119:49–64

Topics: Authority of the Bible Kingdom of God Obedience

FOOTNOTES

¹ John H. Sammis, “Trust and Obey” (1887).

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth…

Acts 2:22

With each passing year, I’ve developed a greater tendency to wake up in the middle of the night. Worry often sweeps in when I am stirred from sleep—and, as is fitting for a pastor, one of my concerns is this: Am I seeing and teaching Christ in and from all the Scriptures?

It is possible to study the Bible without Christ as our focus. We may pride ourselves on understanding it in a very systematic fashion, but in doing so, we run the risk of becoming so enamored with our method that we fail to see Christ.

In Acts 2, when Peter addresses the crowd, he says, “Men of Israel, hear these words.” (His tone seems authoritative, doesn’t it?) And then notice what follows: “Jesus of Nazareth…” Peter doesn’t begin by appealing to the people’s felt needs or by presenting to them all the practical benefits of the gospel, nor does he embark on laying out a set of doctrines or setting forth a series of propositions. Rather, he proceeds to say who Jesus is, why Jesus came, and what Jesus did.

Peter’s teaching was directed to the heart, rooted in grace, and focused on Christ. Such teaching comes at a cost—one that not everybody is prepared to pay. It is much easier to talk about the issues of the day than to truly know and share Christ. Sometimes, in churches that hold the Bible in high regard, we find it more comfortable to talk more of our favored doctrines than of the Christ who often unsettles us and challenges our lifestyles. The hard thing to do, however, is also the right thing to do. What a dreadful waste of energy, to gain insight or provide instruction about almost everything but the saving story of Jesus!

Scripture finds its focus and fulfillment in Christ. The real test of how deeply God’s word is dwelling within us is not our ability to articulate a story line but to see Jesus in all the Scriptures. He is not just the start of the Christian faith but the sum total of it. Aim to go deeper into Christ, not to move beyond Him.

Perhaps this should be our prayer whenever we open the pages of our Bible:

More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love, who died for me.
More about Jesus let me learn,
More of His holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me.^[1]

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Luke 24:13–35

Topics: Jesus Christ Preaching Studying the Bible

FOOTNOTES

¹ Eliza E. Hewitt, “More about Jesus” (1887).

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

John 20:19

When Jesus first appeared to the disciples after His resurrection, they were cowering behind locked doors, fearing what the authorities who had crucified their leader would do next. But locked doors couldn’t stop Jesus! Nothing stopped Him from entering the house and re-entering their lives, proving Himself to be their Savior and their living hope. He was able to be seen, heard, touched, known—and He approaches our lives in the same manner. No matter where we are or what we have done, Christ can enter our lives—our sadness, our darkness, our fear, our doubts—and make Himself seen and known, declaring, “Peace be with you.”

Maybe you’re a “doubting Thomas,” quick to question matters of faith. To some degree, questions are good and healthy. Thomas was straightforward with Jesus, essentially saying, I’m not going to believe in You unless I can actually put my finger in Your scars. Jesus replied to Thomas, All right, if that’s what it takes for you, here you are (John 20:24-29). Jesus can meet us in our doubts. Or maybe you’re a denying Peter, quick to renounce your identity in Christ and quick to feel condemnation for how you’ve messed up. Jesus took Peter, who had questioned Him countless times but crumbled before the question of a servant girl, and made him the rock on which His church was built (Matthew 16:18). Jesus accepts us despite our shortcomings and uses our lives in transformative ways. Or perhaps you’re a disgraced Mary Magdalene, whose past haunts you, making you feel unworthy of Jesus’ love and acceptance. Yet God did not ordain Jesus’ first recorded encounter after His resurrection to be with a Sunday-school teacher but with a woman who had a sordid past riddled with sin and had even suffered demon possession. It was no haphazard coincidence that the first embrace, as it were, from the resurrected Christ was with such a person. He offers this same redemptive embrace to us.

Jesus can get past locked doors; He can get through to hardened hearts. Through His death and resurrection, He was able to bridge the gap that sin had opened between rebellious humanity and a righteous God. We must receive the salvation He freely offers. It must be fresh in our minds each day.

Have you done this? Have you received Jesus unconditionally and unreservedly? Do you embrace Him daily? Do you rehearse His gospel to yourself each morning? To trust in this way means we give ourselves to God in service. We submit ourselves to His lordship as our Savior. We take God’s promises to heart, and we take the salvation He freely offers. With this belief, you will see that He stands beside you, offering you an eternal, intimate peace that triumphs over and transforms your sadness, your darkness, your fear, your doubts. Hear the risen Christ say to you, “Peace be with you.”

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

John 20:24–29

Topics: Christ’s Resurrection Doubt Peace Salvation

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Romans 8:23

The Christian experience is both wonderful and challenging.

We have received forgiveness. We’re adopted into God’s family. We enjoy a fellowship with one another that runs deeper than natural affinity. We possess a sure hope of heaven, which brings about eager anticipation. We have the Spirit, God Himself, dwelling within us. We are not removed, though, from the realities of life in this fallen world. We know frustration, we know heartache, we know disappointment, and we know groaning.

While we live here on earth, we have a little taste of heaven, but we are not there yet.

Christianity does not make us immune to decay or sin. We get sick, and our bodies fail. We continue to struggle with sin and encounter opposition to our faith. Indeed, as the Westminster theologians put it back in the 17th century, the Christian is involved in “a continual and irreconcilable war” against sin.^[1]

It is possible to tie ourselves in all kinds of spiritual and theological knots over our ongoing battle with sin. We may wonder, “Why is it that I still disobey?” In those moments, you and I need to remember the “three tenses” of salvation, which summarize God’s work in the life of the Christian.

If we are hidden in Christ, then we have been saved from the penalty of sin. We have nothing to fear on the day of judgment because Jesus, by His death on the cross, bore our sins and faced punishment in our place. In the present tense, we are being saved from the power of sin. It’s an ongoing divine ministry; none of us will ever be sinless this side of heaven, but God is at work within us, enabling us to say no to what is wrong and yes to what is right. And finally, there will be a day, when Christ returns, when we will be saved from sin’s very presence.

Every so often we get a little taste of heaven that makes us long for what’s to come. This is why Paul says that we “groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for … the redemption of our bodies.” We should look forward to Christ’s return with zealous expectation!

As Christians, we go out into the world as citizens of heaven, living for the time being as strangers and foreigners. But we’re not going to have to live away from home forever. One day, Jesus will return—and when He does, He will take us to join Him, in our resurrected bodies, in His perfected kingdom. Today, do not live as though this is all there is. Lean forwards, for your best days are still to come. You are not there yet—but most assuredly you one day will be.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Revelation 22

Topics: Glorification Hope Salvation Sanctification

FOOTNOTES

¹ The Westminster Confession of Faith 13.2.

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

Hebrews 1:1–2

There are many ways in which to describe the times we live in: 21st-century, postmodern, globalized, technological. But foundationally and fundamentally, we live in the “last days.” This phrase can sound very strange or exciting, depending on its familiarity. Indeed, there can be a great deal of confusion surrounding the idea of the “last days.”

The New Testament uses this phrase simply to describe the time between the first and second coming of Jesus. Jesus has come, and Jesus will come, and we live between those two great staging posts in salvation history. His first appearance brought His kingdom to earth and ushered in the “last days” as a present reality. His life, death, resurrection, and ascension all point to God’s Spirit at work—and if God’s Spirit is at work, Jesus teaches, “then the kingdom of God has come” (Matthew 12:28).

Jesus therefore speaks in the present tense when He invites a crowd to “receive the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17). He is talking about an entry not into some future realm but into a present reality—the current rule and reign of Jesus Himself.

So the kingdom is now. But the kingdom is also then: something that we look forward to in the future, fully inaugurated by the return of the Lord Jesus. At His second coming, Jesus will fully establish His kingdom. At that time, He will welcome believers to “inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34) and “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9). The kingdom that first arrived with its King in the past will fully come in all its perfection and glory in the future.

The Christian, therefore, lives in this in-between dimension referred to as the “last days.” Those who are in Christ belong to the new creation but have not yet received all of that new creation’s benefits and blessings. For the time being, believers live in the present age, in a fallen world marked by sin, longing for the age to come.

Why, then, does the time between Christ’s first and second comings seem so long? Why the delay? It is because God has deliberately delayed Jesus’ return so that more people have the opportunity to hear the words He has spoken, to repent, and to believe (2 Peter 3:9). The last days are the days of opportunity to enter the kingdom before the door is closed.

Since we know in which age we live and whose arrival will bring it to a conclusion, “what sort of people ought [we] to be?” (2 Peter 3:11). Scripture tells us: “Make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation” (v 14-15, NIV). In other words, if “the last days” draw to a close today and the Lord Jesus returns in His glory, make sure that you will be found living in a way that pleases Him and seeking ways to speak words that proclaim Him.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Luke 17:20–37

Topics: Kingdom of God Second Coming of Christ

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

Being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Colossians 1:11–12

Almost everyone appreciates a good gift. Family, freedom, leisure, a warm bed, and a refreshing drink all make for a grateful heart, and we’re all naturally able to express at least some measure of gratitude for them. “Thank you” is a phrase we learn young.

The American revivalist Jonathan Edwards helpfully distinguished between what he referred to as “natural gratitude” and “gracious gratitude.”^[1] Natural gratitude starts with the things we’re given and the benefits which accompany them. Anybody is capable of natural gratitude. Gracious gratitude, though, is very different, and only God’s children can experience and express it. Gracious gratitude recognizes the character, goodness, love, power, and excellencies of God, regardless of any gifts or enjoyments He has given. It knows we have reason to be grateful to God whether it’s a good day or a bad day, whether we’re employed or unemployed, whether the daily news is upbeat or overwhelming, whether we’re completely healthy or facing a terminal diagnosis. Such gratitude is only discovered by grace, and it is a true mark of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life. Gracious gratitude enables us to face all things with the awareness that God is profoundly involved in our lives and circumstances, for He has made us special objects of His love.

When Jonathan Edwards died as a result of a smallpox vaccination, Sarah, his wife, wrote to their daughter, “What shall I say? A holy and good God has covered us with a dark cloud.” Notice the honesty in that. There’s no superficial triumphalism. But her husband was not taken out by chance; it was the overruling sovereignty of God that determined the right time to bring Jonathan home to his eternal reward. And so Sarah continued, “But my God lives; and he has my heart … We are all given to God: and there I am, and love to be.”^[2]

Amid grief, we will never be able to speak words like these from natural gratitude, which cannot help us in loss. Such reflection can only flow from gracious gratitude. You may be facing difficult or even heartbreaking circumstances at the moment; and if you are not, then that day will come, for this is a fallen world. But in those moments, you can cling to God’s love and choose to trust God’s goodness, expressed most clearly at the cross. Then, even in the darkest hours, you will know the joy of His presence and always have cause to give thanks to Him. There is strength, dignity, and worship in being able to say, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21).

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Romans 11:33–36

Topics: Thanksgiving Trials

FOOTNOTES

¹ “A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, in Three Parts,” in The Works of Jonathan Edwards, ed. Sereno Dwight, revised and corrected by Edward Hickman (1834; reprinted Banner of Truth, 1979), 1:276.

² Sarah Pierpont Edwards to Esther Burr, April 3, 1758, in Memoirs of Jonathan Edwards by Sereno Dwight, in Edwards, Works, 1:clxxix.

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace.

Jeremiah 8:11

When faced with a serious medical condition, none of us want to receive treatment from an incompetent doctor. Imagine going to a physician whose remedy for gangrene is simply to put a nice bandage on it, offer you a sticker for your troubles, and tell you to have a pleasant afternoon. That may make you feel better, but it would not treat the problem—and soon enough you would feel considerably worse!

In the Old Testament era, the prophets’ role was to speak God’s word and call God’s people to obey His covenant. God would put His word into the prophets’ mouths, and they would announce what God said—not what they themselves had in mind. And often, their message was Look out! Judgment’s coming. Not exactly an agreeable declaration!

Because God’s message was so challenging, false prophets became numerous—and in a way, they had the best of both worlds. They were known as prophets and could go around making great statements, and yet they could also tell people whatever they wanted to hear. The false prophet was like a bad doctor, telling the people that everything would turn out fine when, in reality, the prognosis was grim. It is marvelous to hear that all is well and that your land is one of peace—unless the enemy is about to appear over the horizon. Then, you need to be prepared.

While true prophets spoke of God’s coming judgment, their message also warned the people against complacency and encouraged them against despair. God has always guaranteed His commitment to His people, promising a wonderful future for them. Their only hope in the face of judgment would be in finding refuge not apart from God but in God.

False prophets still abound in our time. Their words are heard in the flattery of the average commencement speaker: “You are the greatest group of young people this community has ever seen. The future is in your hands. You’re ready to soar!” But similarly shallow words are also spoken in far too many churches, with teaching that consists of vague generalities and supposedly inspiring half-truths for the hearers—and a half-truth is also a half-lie.

We need true prophetic voices in our day as much as God’s people did in Jeremiah’s. Our churches, and our nation and world, need those who have the courage to speak truth, even if it brings mockery and rejection: to speak of sin, to insist that God has ethical standards, to warn of judgment, to announce Jesus’ future return, and therefore to be able to point compellingly to the only one who can save.

Ask God to raise up individuals who are prepared to challenge their hearers with God’s word and in submission to God’s Spirit. Pray that when you hear God’s word truly preached through such a voice, you would guard yourself against complacency, be willing to listen, and be ready to take refuge in God, your only hope. And pray that in your neighborhood and your workplace you would be that voice.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

1 Thessalonians 5:1–11

Topics: False Teachers Prophecy Truth

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

Ephesians 1:3–4

The Bible gives no direct answer as to why God allowed the fall to happen in the Garden of Eden. It simply states that God is in control of all things—even of that.

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, however, we are given a glimpse into God’s eternal plan. We see that God was at work before our world existed and was not caught off guard by the fall. When the kingdom was spoiled as a result of Adam and Eve’s rebellion, God already knew it would happen. Before Adam and Eve were created, before they were disobedient, God had already planned the rescue.

When we think about God’s rescue mission, which ultimately culminated in the cross, we ought not to see it as something supplied in a moment of crisis. Rather, we should see the cross as grounded in the eternal mind of God, who had determined from all of eternity to call a people to Himself through Jesus and to restore under Him everything that would be spoiled by the fall.

God’s purpose in this plan was and is “in accordance with his pleasure and will,” and it is “to the praise of his glorious grace” (Ephesians 1:5-6, NIV). The motivation in God’s eternal plan was not only a desire to make men and women happy—although men and women do become ultimately happy as a result—but a concern for His name. He was determined that everything should be brought under the feet and control of His Son, the Lord Jesus, as it ought to be. Thus, God’s eternal plan of redemption is about Him rather than all about us. It concerns us. It transforms us. But it is all about God. Until the gospel moves us to praise Him and live for Him, we have not properly understood it.

God is this world’s center. Since the fall, men and women have refused to accept His authority and instead expend their energies in trying to depose Him, with catastrophic results. There is no part of this present life that is not covered with the dust of death, because man has determined that he does not like the idea of God at the center.

Will you readjust your life and acknowledge God’s right to oversee every aspect of it? Will you live for His praise rather than yours and for His cause rather than yours? The paradox is this: it is in seeking His glory instead of your own that you will experience the joy that comes from making your life orbit around the Son—joy from living the way that God planned for you and all creation from eternity.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Ephesians 1:3–14

Topics: Providence of God Redemptive History Worship

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of  Jephunneh … tore their clothes and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey.”

Numbers 14:6–8

On May 3, 1953, an airliner bound for London from Singapore crashed 22 miles northwest of Kolkata, India, with no survivors. Fred Mitchell, who had become the director of China Inland Mission ten years before, was traveling on that aircraft. In his biography, Fred was described as “an ordinary man from a village home with working-class parents, who spent the greater part of his life as a chemist in the provinces—and who walked with God.”^[1]

Until Caleb the son of Jephunneh became a spy, appointed by Moses to scope out the land that God had promised to give His people, there was nothing to indicate that he was particularly significant or distinguished, either. But it was almost certainly in those ordinary experiences, along the humdrum track of his life, that God forged and developed the character that is revealed in Numbers 14.

Crisis tends to reveal character. When the Israelite spies came back to report on their discoveries in Canaan, they announced that the cities were fortified, and that “we are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we … we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers” (Numbers 13:31, 33). And the people responded by accusing God of bringing them to a land where they would be killed (14:3).

Caleb’s commitment to God stands out. He was prepared to resist the tide of popular opinion. When the spies recommended not entering the promised land, he stood against them. When everybody was rebelling against God, he would not join them. He, along with his faithful friend Joshua, were the only men to advise courageous obedience to God.

Caleb was certain of what could be accomplished by God’s power. He did not deny the truth of what the other spies had to say; he simply looked at it from a different perspective. He was confident not in his ability nor in the ability of the Israelites but in the power of God and the trustworthiness of His character. He was a man of faith in the midst of fear. He knew that a grasshopper helped by God is a grasshopper that can do great things.

Although we may feel that our lives are simply routine, we can always seek God in the ordinary. In the most mundane moments, He will forge our character so that we too can become people of courage in all circumstances. God is not looking for giants through whom to achieve His plans. He is looking for ordinary people who are prepared to trust Him, step out in faith, and courageously obey. There is nothing to stop you being that person today.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Numbers 13:25–33, Numbers 14:1–25

Topics: Biblical Figures Faith Faithfulness of God

FOOTNOTES

¹ Phyllis Thompson, Climbing on Track: A Biography of Fred Mitchell (China Inland Mission, 1953), p 12.

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.

2 Corinthians 12:12

When we think about the period immediately following Christ’s resurrection and ascension, when the apostles flourished in ministry and the church was born, it’s easy to imagine the “signs and wonders and mighty works” that were performed—and to wish we had been there to see them, to have our faith strengthened and our ministry furthered by them.

Without question, both the quality and quantity of supernatural events in that time were special and unrepeatable. The apostles were supernaturally gifted in a way that contemporary Christians are not. It is important to notice, though, that the early church did not make these experiences the touchstone of their faith. We can’t focus solely on the miracles and lose sight of their context: those who were filled with God’s Spirit were immediately concerned to understand and proclaim God’s word, which empowered them to have “utmost patience”—or, as some translations say, “great perseverance”—throughout their lives. What built the church was not so much the miracles of the apostles as the faithful, bold endurance of those apostles.

Paul did not want the focus of his ministry to be on the many marvels he performed or the significant trials he endured but on the resolute faith God had given him and the truths he preached. Observing Paul’s ministry, seeing his burdens, and hearing the cries of his heart, it’s easy for us to see that the signs and wonders God performed through him were not meant to be flashy exhibitions of Christian showmanship. Rather, they were born out of suffering and adversity, they took place in a life that was stretched to the limits, and they underlined the truth of the message that was being preached.

Knowing this context would have caused Paul’s followers to ask not so much how he did such miracles but how he could demonstrate such steadfast faith. How could he carry on with “utmost patience” while suffering? Only by his faith in Jesus Christ and his knowledge of God’s word.

What enables us to stand up to tests and to face challenges in the Christian life with patient endurance? Is it miracles? Signs? Wonders? No—while God’s special favor may be a help to us at some point, it’s actually a solid, experiential grasp of basic Christian doctrine that will undoubtedly be the light to our path when all else seems dark (Psalm 119:105), the root of faith that runs deep, the anchor for our souls (Hebrews 6:19). When God’s truth settles in our hearts and minds, we can say with confidence, “How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in His excellent word!”^[1]

What will sustain you? It is not outer experiences but inner faith. The Spirit’s work within you will always be a greater miracle than anything God may do around you. May others look at you and see not just the wonders He works in your life but also your utmost patience through trial and the power of His Spirit as you submit to the truth of His word.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

James 5:7–11

Topics: Faith Perseverance Spiritual Gifts

FOOTNOTES

¹ Anon. (possibly Robert Keene), “How Firm a Foundation” (1787).

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg,

http://www.truthforlife.org

When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood” … He departed, and he went and hanged himself.

Matthew 27:3–5

What happened to Judas after he betrayed Jesus? “He changed his mind.” This phrase has also helpfully been translated, “He was seized with remorse” (NIV). Judas’s heart was altered, seemingly instantaneously—and with it, so was his perspective.

The Judas we see in the Garden of Gethsemane, leading a procession of armed men to arrest Jesus with boldness and barefaced animosity, is not the Judas we see here, hours later, before the chief priests and elders. His hardened heart was replaced by a spirit of regret that gripped his soul.

Consider Judas’s experience for a moment, and let it be a reminder that sin always offers false hope. The moments before we sin very often feel radically different from those that follow. It’s the same drastic change that Adam and Eve felt in the Garden of Eden following their disobedience. All they knew in the moment before eating the fruit, all they anticipated in that act of rebellion, became dust in their mouths (Genesis 3:6-8). In the same way, all that seemed so attractive to Judas in handing over Jesus to His enemies quickly became nothing to him.

When we sin, all of the bewitching, intoxicating influences—all that drew us to rebel—passes away in a moment. What glittered turns out to be fool’s gold. Only the naked fact remains: I have sinned against a holy, loving God.

With such radical remorse, we have a choice: repent and be reconciled to God, or despair and condemn ourselves. Tragically, Judas chose the latter. His guilt was so great that surely every face he saw accused him, every sound he heard pierced him, every reverberation in his soul condemned him. He attempted to alleviate his guilt by returning his payment to the chief priests—yet lifting the weight of the bag of coins off himself wasn’t enough to lift the weight from his heart. Feeling isolated and beyond reach, he died a dreadful death.

Maybe today you’re also feeling weighed down by your sin. Maybe you’ve sought to fix matters yourself, but the weight still bears down. If so, know this: Judas’s story doesn’t have to be yours. You can turn to Christ. He offers freedom and forgiveness: a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light (Matthew 11:28-30). This is what Christ died for—the redemption of sinful betrayers like Judas.

Judas’s example stands as a reminder to us next time sin beckons us. What sins are proving particularly tempting to you at the moment? Remember, how they look beforehand is not how they will feel afterward. For moments of temptation, here is help, and for moments of guilt, here is hope. God’s forgiveness stands waiting for our remorse and repentance. All you must do is turn to Him.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Psalm 51

Topics: Easter Effects of Sin Forgiveness Repentance

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

1 Corinthians 4:7

We call it by different names, disguising it in many ways—but jealousy is often one of the “tolerated” evangelical sins. You are unlikely to find it on a “Top Ten” list of sins that a pastor is warning his church against or mentioned very often when believers share their struggles with each other. It is on God’s list, though, and it is often mentioned in the Scriptures. In fact, jealousy is found in the midst of some of the most sordid sinful behaviors that the New Testament epistles address, because it is meant to be taken so seriously (see, for instance, Romans 13:13).

Not much has changed since Paul wrote to the Corinthians. The average local church still contends with far too much chaos and division caused by jealousy—and one of the dangers of jealousy can be the way it causes us to doubt that God knows what He is doing in apportioning gifts.

Everything you have, Paul tells these proud, disunited, envious church members, you received—and the Giver of the gifts, the Creator of the universe, does not make mistakes. So how could they—and we—walk around arrogantly as if they would make a better job of being in control of creation? Did we determine our height, girth, speed, or any of our abilities? Who made us unique? God! Our DNA is divinely planned. Our circumstances are exactly as God intends, and He does not make mistakes. Envy is a sin because it is the attitude that suggests that God is not good or does not know what would be for our good. Envy is how idolatry feels.

When we are playing piccolo in the orchestra of life, we may find ourselves looking across at a big tuba a few chairs away, being played with deep, loud notes, and be tempted to say to ourselves, “Nobody can hear me. My sound is not good enough.” From there flows a sense of bitterness about our place and a sense of envy of the tuba player’s. But ours is the piccolo sound for a reason. It is the instrument we were meant to play—so let’s play it with joy and excellence!

In our endeavors to use the gifts God has given, why are we jealous of one another? Why do we let discontentment rob us of the joy He has freely offered? Why do we allow what He has done for someone else to blind us to what He has done for us—not least in giving us eternal riches in His presence? Here is the truth that we each need to rehearse: “God gave to me exactly what I require, I am composed exactly as He planned, and all that He has, and has not, given me is for my good and His glory.”

Do not allow jealousy to consume you. Instead, live out joyfully the role for which you were created. For you are His workmanship, recreated in Christ Jesus for good works, which He has prepared for and gifted you to do (Ephesians 2:10). Let that be enough for you today.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

1 Timothy 6:6–12

Topics: Grace of God Jealousy Sin

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org

The man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God … But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”

Genesis 3:8–9

Across ethnic, linguistic, and geographical boundaries, children everywhere enjoy the fun of playing hide-and-seek. It is a universal and innocent game. But the first game of hide-and-seek in this world was neither fun nor innocent. It was something deadly serious.

After Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the garden, they hid from each other behind fig leaves and from their Creator behind the trees of the garden. They attempted a cover-up—and God came seeking them with a simple question: “Where are you?”

This question turns on its head the common assumption that man is looking for God, who is hiding somewhere in or beyond the universe. Instead, we discover the opposite: we are the ones who are hiding, and God is the one who comes seeking.

The question may seem like a strange one for God to ask these first humans. After all, doesn’t God know everything already? But God asked where Adam and Eve were not so He could gain new information but because He wanted to help them understand their situation. God came to draw them out more than to drive them out.

Imagine the many ways God could have reacted in response to Adam and Eve’s rebellion. If He had responded strictly in judgment, He could have instantaneously brought about the sentence of death that He had warned them of (Genesis 2:16-17). But it is in God’s nature always to have mercy; so He came instead with a single question. This is the first glimpse of God’s grace after humanity turned their backs on Him. God did not immediately give them what they justly deserved; rather, out of His immense kindness, He granted what was not deserved: an opportunity to respond and return.

None of us would feel comfortable if those closest to us could see all of our deepest thoughts and previous actions. We may hide the truth from each other, and perhaps even from ourselves. But to hide from God is futile. There is simply no way to hide and nowhere to shift the blame to.

We must not believe the lie that God won’t see the “little” sins we keep hidden from others. He sees. Ultimately, He sees into our souls and knows exactly what we have done and where we stand. Wonderfully, we do not need to pretend that we can hide. He comes to us in mercy, not in judgment, for “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:17). Are you burdened by some besetting sin or secret shame? Are you seeking to hide from God what you have been hiding from others? There’s never been a better time to stop hiding from Him. Step into the light. Uncover what cannot remain hidden before Him—so that He might cover it with His blood and so that you might know you are both known and forgiven. He is a kind and saving God who desires a relationship with us.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

1 John 1:8–10, 1 John 2:1–2

Topics: Grace Mercy Sin

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg,

http://www.truthforlife.org

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.

James 1:13

When we come to faith in Jesus Christ and the bonds of sin are broken, a number of things become true of us immediately. We are transferred from death to life and indwelt by God’s Spirit. We’re placed within His family. We are redeemed, changed, and born again. Sin no longer reigns in our lives.

It does, however, remain.

In trusting Christ, we are not living a life of ease whereby we are exempt from attacks from the Evil One or the subtle tendencies of our own hearts. Instead, from the point of conversion through to the point of seeing Christ and being made like Him, the Christian is involved in “a continual and irreconcilable war”^[1] against temptation.

Scripture is full of warnings about temptation: that enticement to sin and evil that we all experience. Temptation is not simply the lure of things which are wild and unthinkable, but the impulse to take good things which God has given us and use (or misuse) them in a way that sins against God. In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis alludes to this subtlety of sin when Screwtape urges his apprentice devil to “encourage the humans to take the pleasures which our Enemy [namely, God] has produced, at times, or in ways, or in degrees, which He has forbidden.”^[2]

Scripture is clear that God is never and cannot be the source of temptation. When James says that “God … tempts no one,” he has built his statement on God’s character. God is incapable of tempting others to evil because He Himself is insusceptible to it. Tempting others to evil would require a delight in evil which God does not possess.

The word translated “tempt” can also be rendered “test.” So what our fallen nature might turn into a temptation to sin is also a test that can strengthen our faith. When we face a time of testing, which God allows, we should remember that His purpose is not our failure but our benefit. The devil longs for us to fail, but God longs for us to succeed. He is for us, and He is working all things, even trials and temptations, for our good.

So what temptations are you regularly doing battle with (or giving in to)? Learn to see those as temptations but also as opportunities—as moments to choose obedience, to please your Father, to grow to be more like Christ—to gain a victory in your ongoing war. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

1 Peter 1:13–21

Topics: Character of God Sin Temptation

FOOTNOTES

¹ The Westminster Confession of Faith 8.2.

² The Screwtape Letters (1942; HarperCollins, 2001), p 44.

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg

http://www.truthforlife.org