I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.

Philippians 1:12-13

Follow Paul through Acts and he leaves you breathless. He’s constantly on the move, going from place to place. One moment he’s stitching tents together, then he’s bringing Eutychus back to life, and then he survives a snakebite and heals the sick on Malta. It’s almost as if you can’t imagine ever being able to keep up with him.

Surely the worst thing that could ever happen to someone like Paul is to be stuck in one house for two years. But at the conclusion of Acts, that’s exactly how we find him (Acts 28:30-31).

You can just imagine the devil’s response to Paul’s imprisonment: Now I’ve shut him down! That’ll get rid of him. He won’t be able to go anywhere for a long while. He’ll just shrivel up and die a prisoner. Not a chance! It was during Paul’s imprisonment that he penned some of his most noteworthy letters under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit—letters that God is still using to transform lives 2,000 years later. And, remarkably, the gospel advanced not only despite Paul’s chains but because of them.

Paul was likely very different from other prisoners. The soldiers who guarded him would have probably said to one another, He is the most remarkable person we’ve ever had. We’re used to people constantly cussing, screaming, agitating, and complaining. But this Paul has joy and purpose, and he just preaches!

As a result of Paul’s daily ministry among these soldiers, word began to spread throughout the entire palace guard: The reason this guy is a prisoner is because of Jesus. They got the point: He’s chained to us, he says, because he’s chained to this man Jesus Christ. And it appears that some of these guards not only heard the gospel but responded to it. As they were then redeployed throughout the Roman Empire, arriving at their new posts as new men, the gospel would advance to different places through them. And so Paul’s imprisonment, which at first appeared to be diametrically opposed to the spread of the gospel, actually proved to be essential to it.

You do not need to be a prisoner, a missionary, or an apostle to be used by God in spreading the gospel, nor do you need to wait for all the circumstances in your life to line up just as you want them to before you talk about Jesus. Whether you are in prison, a hospital, an office, a field, or wherever, and whether you realize it or not, you are never far from someone who needs to hear the amazing story of God’s grace. What are the situations you face that you naturally see as obstacles to sharing the gospel, and how might they in fact be opportunities? Who are the lost and longing people that God has placed in your life today? They need your God. And they might only meet Him through your loving boldness.

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He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”

1 Samuel 4:17

Is God useful for your life or worthy of your life?

At the start of 1 Samuel 4, the Israelite army had experienced a significant defeat after taking the ark of God to the battlefield, hoping to use it as a kind of magic box to ensure victory (1 Samuel 4:1-4). The high priest, Eli, had known better, but he’d agreed to the plan nevertheless.

At that time, the ark was God’s dwelling place among His people. God wanted them to come to the ark to seek His presence, not use it as a talisman. Eli understood this—and so, as the army went out to battle, he sat trembling in Shiloh, waiting for news to come (1 Samuel 4:13). When a messenger finally arrived from the field, the message ended in a devastating punch line: “The ark of God has been captured.” With this news, Eli’s heart trembled, and he died (v 18), a 40-year career coming to a crashing end in a moment.

God’s presence and glory, represented back then in the ark of God, is not to be taken lightly or used for our selfish purposes. What happened at Shiloh has been long remembered. The psalmist writes, “When God heard, he was full of wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel. He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mankind” (Psalm 78:59-60). Jeremiah, too, speaking at a time in the history of God’s people when they were also tempted to “use” God, gave this word of warning: “Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD. Go now to my place that was in Shiloh, where I made my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it because of the evil of my people Israel” (Jeremiah 7:11-12). Shiloh was to serve as a reminder of the repercussions of attempting to use God as a good-luck charm instead of worshiping Him as the Lord.

Centuries later, as Jesus cleansed the temple in Jerusalem, He quoted part of Jeremiah’s warning (Matthew 21:12-13). Once again, the people were using God for their purposes rather than honoring Him. But He came not only to expose sin but to deal with it. In allowing the forces of darkness to nail Him to a cross, the one who was all the glory of His Father (John 1:14) was taken far from the presence of His Father. Therefore, He is worthy of all authority and all honor (Revelation 5:9).

What about you? When you honestly consider your heart’s inclination, do you say to God “You are useful” rather than “You are worthy”? Look with the eye of faith on Jesus cleansing the temple of sinners, and then cleansing sinners so they might live in the presence of God forever, and you will find yourself desiring to spend your days praising Him. “A day in [his] courts is better than a thousand elsewhere” (Psalm 84:10). As you believe this, your life will declare His worth, and you will look to worship Him, not to use Him.

GOING DEEPER

Psalm 84

Topics: Love of God Thanksgiving Worship

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 8:14-15

None of us, of course, are guaranteed to know the date of our death. But we know something just as certain: unless Christ returns first, that day will come. Until then, Scripture says, we will inhabit a creation that is subject to futility, with evil around us, sin within us, and chaos seeming to prevail more often than not. We will see the wicked prosper and the godly struggle. These truths are poignantly expressed in the words of the Preacher of Ecclesiastes: “There is a vanity that takes place on earth.”

By itself, that observation could send us into a spiral of sorrow, sullenness, and despair. But the writer of Ecclesiastes does not leave us there. Instead, he makes a rather surprising recommendation: “I commend joy … to eat and drink and be joyful.” Observation: life is unmanageable. Recommendation: enjoy life’s simple pleasures!

How can anyone know genuine enjoyment of such pleasures when life is futile and unjust and comes with an expiration date? This is something that is only possible for those who know the truth. We can freely and guiltlessly enjoy the pleasures God gives because we know God; indeed, it honors the Giver of such gifts to enjoy what He gives. The apostle Paul describes God as the one “who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17). The fact that simple pleasures offer no ultimate satisfaction does not mean they offer no satisfaction. It is knowing that there is life beyond the sun that frees us to enjoy our life “under the sun.” As the hymn writer puts it:

Heav’n above is softer blue,
Earth around is sweeter green;
Something lives in every hue
Christless eyes have never seen.^[1]

When was the last time you asked someone, “Are you enjoying yourself?” When did you last ask yourself that question? It is a good, Christian thing to ask! We know both that the world is broken and that every good gift comes from God. So honor Him by enjoying your next cup of coffee, your next day with your spouse, your next day at work, the next thing that makes you smile, as a gift from Him. He’s given these blessings to you for your God-honoring enjoyment, so that you can say with the psalmist, “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

GOING DEEPER

1 Timothy 6:6-10

1 Timothy 6:17-19

Topics: Contentment Giving Joy

FOOTNOTES

¹ Wade Robinson, “I Am His, and He Is Mine” (1876).

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:9-11

Some of us can be far too content with a bumper-sticker mentality that defines our faith in a single, catchy phrase. While such slogans may provide glimpses of what it means to be a Christian, there’s no way a few words can comprehensively sum up Christianity. On the other hand, a person can know all about the Bible’s contents and have a great grasp of complex doctrinal points, and still lack an intimate knowledge of God Himself.

Paul understood that true Christian faith is much deeper than either of these approaches. He therefore prayed that his readers’ love—their agape, the self-giving love of Christ—would develop in two ways: in knowledge and in discernment.

In these verses, the word for “knowledge” refers not merely to a knowledge of the head but also to a knowledge that is only possible as a result of God’s self-disclosure: a cohesive intimacy with Him, similar to the intimacy that is built within the bonds of marriage. When we enjoy this kind of love, we enjoy the privilege of being able to say, “God, it says in the Bible that You will show Yourself to me. Please show Yourself to me!”

Yet Paul also prayed for discernment. He knew that love can go badly astray unless it is directed properly through perception and the ability to make a moral and correct decision. We can err greatly with the best of intentions. The insight we need comes from studying and knowing the Bible. As we cultivate and live in God’s presence through His word, we become more like Him. Our thoughts and feelings conform to the way He thinks and feels. And so, in addition to loving God and therefore wanting to do what is right, we know in the various circumstances of our lives what doing right actually looks like. Are you, then, praying for the joy of this kind of intimate, wise love for God—and praying for it not just for yourself but for other believers too?

Each new day is an opportunity to commit yourself again to becoming fully mature in the Lord Jesus, allowing the clarity of God’s love and the truth of His word to deepen your knowledge and sharpen your discernment. Each day is an invitation to go deeper into your faith and to grow more in love for your God. And, as your love flourishes, so will your life be full of the true goodness that brings glory and praise to Him.

GOING DEEPER

2 Corinthians 3:16-18

Topics: God’s Word Love of God

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Acts 20:24

As he took his leave of the Ephesian elders in Acts 20, the apostle Paul felt an urgent compulsion from the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. He had no idea what would happen to him when he got there, but he had a clear sense that hard times and imprisonment awaited him. Then he made this staggering statement: “I do not account my life of any value.”

This was not masochism—some strange hatred of happiness, health, or physical life. So what, then, did Paul mean by declaring his life valueless? Simply this: that he did not regard his life as so precious a possession as to be held on to at all costs.

People often say, “Well, as long as you’ve got your health, that’s all that matters!” But that is not all that matters! Our bodies are passing away. We’re crumbling even as we live and breathe. We may have our health today, but a day will come when we do not. Unless we’re able to say with Paul, “To live is Christ,” we cannot legitimately affirm with him, “and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). The only way that death can be gain is if Christ is everything. And if Christ is everything, as Paul says He is, then we can declare with him, My life is not ultimate. I don’t need to protect it as the most precious thing I have. I want to spend it for the most precious person I know.

What mattered most to Paul was that he finished his life trusting Christ and carried out to the best of his abilities the ministry Christ had given him. He felt a compelling resolve to complete the task of testifying to “the gospel of the grace of God” everywhere he could reach. There’s a task! There’s a purpose, significance, an agenda, a calling! And this is a task that has been entrusted to all of us—the commission to let everyone we meet know the good news of God’s amazing grace.

How are you, like Paul, to live a life of urgency so that you might keep going until the end? You must run your race with all your might, with the finish line in view. Don’t look for an opportunity to bow out or slow down before the final lap is over. Run with all your strength and run right through the tape, gripped by Christ’s love, energized by God’s Spirit, and guided by God’s word.

GOING DEEPER

Philippians 1:27-30, Philippians 2:1-2

Topics: Death Gospel Jesus Christ

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul.

1 Samuel 15:34-35

Despite Saul’s promising beginnings as Israel’s first king, before long he floundered and failed. His problem was not a lack of ability but a lack of obedience. So Samuel confronted Saul about his rebellion against God’s word and told him that God had rejected him as king (1 Samuel 15:23). Evidently, Samuel had some affection for Saul, which is why Saul’s failure shook the prophet, causing him to grieve.

Though Samuel enjoyed a privileged and distinctive position as the one who brought the word of God to the people, he was not removed or distanced in his response to all that unfolded. Because the prophet loved those under his care, it was only fitting that he grieved over their sin and suffering. And this sadness also led him to prayer. At one point, dismayed by the people’s actions, he declared, “Far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you” (1 Samuel 12:23). The prophet grieved for them and prayed for them because he cared for them.

Leadership brings with it particular privileges. But those privileges are partnered with perils. Effective leadership requires an emotional investment in those being led—and so the burdens of leadership are in large measure directly tied to those who are being led. Sometimes those people disappoint greatly and sometimes they suffer greatly, and both occurrences will weigh on a good leader. As we see with Samuel, it is not the shepherd’s role to condemn when those in his care stumble and fall. Rather, the role of the shepherd is marked by grief. If it means anything for us to be united in heart, mind, and purpose, then it must mean something to us when those for whom we have affection stumble and fall.

Though this is particularly true of leadership, Samuel’s example should cause all of us to stop and ask, “What makes me cry? What makes me smile? And what do I do when I cry and when I smile?” The answer to these questions is a real indication of where you are in your spiritual progress. Seek to make sure that your life is marked by true affection for those around you, and especially those the Lord has given you responsibility for in some way—a true affection that grieves over sin and suffering in the lives of those you care for. And then be sure to respond as Samuel did: with faithful prayer to the one who promises that, one day, as you stand in His presence, He will “wipe away every tear” (Revelation 21:4).

GOING DEEPER

1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Topics: Grief Loving Others Suffering

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Matthew 7:11

When someone is born again, they begin a new life and are adopted into the family of God. This new child of God, in whom the Holy Spirit now dwells, begins increasingly to display characteristics of the Father. In other words, over time God’s children should grow to resemble their heavenly Father.

One prominent feature of who God is—an aspect of His character displayed throughout Scripture—is His generosity. James says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father” (James 1:17). Paul makes a similar point with a rhetorical question: “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). Our Father is generous, and it is the assumption of Scripture that God’s people will be too. This applies to all of our lives—including, of course, our finances.

God-honoring generosity is displayed in response to God’s grace. This is important, because so much talk of and thinking about finances goes awry at this very point. Any attempt to encourage ourselves to give to gospel work that doesn’t begin with the grace of God is flawed from the start. It almost always results in the kind of giving in which God has no interest: the joyless type. If we give because we’ve been coaxed into it, we will be giving not with gladness but with a grudge. Begrudging giving says, “I have to.” Dutiful giving says, “I need to.” But thankful giving says, “I want to.” That is the approach we should aim to take.

Growing in this kind of generosity requires growing in gratitude for God’s grace. If you want to be more Christlike in your giving, you need to understand that you have absolutely nothing that you did not receive, from your physical existence to your faith in God and everything in between (1 Corinthians 4:7). It is all of grace. Knowing that, how could you and I respond with anything but joyful generosity?

This means that if we are stingy with our investment in gospel ministry, it may reflect a shallow grasp of God’s character and goodness. The what, where, when, why, and how of our giving says something about our relationship with God and our commitment to Jesus Christ. Our banking records can speak volumes.

Ask yourself, then: What do my financial habits say about my commitment to Christ and my grasp of God’s grace? What will change if my giving is an overflow of my gratitude to God for all He has given me? God is a giver, and He gives His children the calling and the joy of being like Him.

GOING DEEPER

Romans 8:31-39

Topics: Character of God Giving Grace

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart … For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment.

Philippians 1:7-9

One of the things my grandfather used to say as I bade him farewell was “I’ll be thinking away about you.” It always struck me as a strange thing to say. But by it he meant, “I care about how you are. I’m under the burden of what you’re doing. I’m interested in where you’re going.”

Paul used similar phraseology when he wrote words like “feel,” “heart,” “yearn,” and “affection” to the Philippian church. Phronein, which means “to think,” is translated in the ESV as “to feel” because this verb is expressive not simply of a mental focus but also of a sympathetic interest and genuine concern. Paul was telling the Philippians that though he was physically separated from them, they were very dear to him and remained in his thoughts and prayers. He was “thinking away” about them.

Paul—that man who had once been consumed by a hatred for Jesus’ followers—came to have this affection because Jesus gave it to him. He and his fellow believers were now bound together by God’s amazing love toward them. The standard and source of his affection was none other than the Lord Jesus Himself. As Bishop Lightfoot wrote, Paul’s “pulse beats with the pulse of Christ; his heart throbs with the heart of Christ.”^[1]

Because the Philippian believers were such an important part of Paul’s life, his love for them moved him to prayer, for Paul understood that prayer is one of the key expressions of love. His love was not revealed in a cozy sentimentalism or in fine-sounding words. Instead, he prayed for his friends, and he did so daily.

When “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5), we will find ourselves immediately drawn to others who love in the same way. It is the love of family life, for we share the same Father—and one of the fundamental ways in which we will express that love is to pray.

Do you love your children? Pray for them. Do you love your church? Pray for them. As Christ’s love expands your heart and flows through you, the affection you have for those you hold dear will move you to prayer. Be “thinking away” about those you love—and be “praying away” for them too!

GOING DEEPER

1 Thessalonians 2:7-13

Topics: Fellowship Loving Others Prayer

FOOTNOTES

¹ Joseph Barber Lightfoot, Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians (Macmillan, 1898), p 85.

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

He shall be their peace.

Micah 5:5

You can find peace.

The context of the book of Micah was one of great humiliation for the people of God. Foreigners had besieged Jerusalem, and the city’s people could barely lift a finger in their own defense. They longed for peace, but they found themselves in the midst of a war. They were a subjugated people, unable to gather troops together in order to fight back against the enemy. Theirs was a picture of absolute disgrace.

It must have been a very confusing time for God’s people. They were supposed to be a chosen people, set apart for God, the carriers of His great promise to bless and restore the world, but now it appeared that all that was about to be destroyed. They likely would have thought to themselves, Where are God’s promises?

It is in the midst of this perplexing scene that a light finally began to shine in the darkness. Though they were humiliated, the people of God received a glimmer of hope. The prophet Micah declared that the Messiah would come and stand in the place of authority, shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, and grant security to those who trust in Him (Micah 5:4). In Him, Micah said, they would finally find peace.

I have a little booklet in my house called Five Minutes’ Peace.^[1] It tells the story of a mother elephant who just wants five minutes of peace away from her children—but as soon as she attempts to get peace, only more chaos ensues. This is surely something that every mother can identify with! In the midst of chaos, we long for a few moments of respite. So did God’s people—and during a time of great distress, the prophet Micah promised that the Messiah would come to finally bring them what they longed for.

While we all desire peace, it frequently seems unattainable. Look around you and you’ll see that true peace appears to be virtually absent globally, nationally, locally, and personally. You may be thinking to yourself, “If only I could just find peace. All I want is five minutes!”

Is your life marked by fractured relationships, financial distress, personal loss, and other disappointments? If so, there is good news for you: in the Messiah, Jesus, you will find genuine, lasting peace—peace first and foremost with God Himself and then peace with ourselves and in our relationships and communities, as we learn to reflect the God of peace in the way we approach tensions, difficulties, and conflicts. The Messiah has come to bring this peace to all who trust in Him. After all, He is the Prince of Peace. Whatever else you face, you can enjoy the peace with your Creator that He died to win. Then, knowing you are at peace with the only one whose opinion matters eternally, you will be able to walk out into your world to seek, by His grace, to live at peace.

GOING DEEPER

Micah 5:1-9

Topics: Christian Life Jesus Christ Peace

FOOTNOTES

¹ Jill Murphy, Five Minutes’ Peace (Walker, 1986).

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

Philippians 1:7

Commitment to each other is a nonnegotiable in the Christian life.

We see this again and again in the life and writing of the apostle Paul. As he wrote to the church in Philippi, he was unashamed of sharing with them just how he felt about them, because he was so appreciative of the fellowship he enjoyed with them. Indeed, the word “partakers” in this verse actually comes from the Greek word koinonia, a word Paul frequently used to describe a sharing partnership.

Paul described the Philippian church as his “joy and crown” (Philippians 4:1). His heart was filled with love for all the churches who were under his care, but he regarded these brothers and sisters in a special way. They stood out, for they had stuck with Paul through thick and thin. Separated as the Philippians were from Paul when he wrote to them while under arrest in Rome, they could quite possibly have been swept away by other teachers with more impressive personalities, more striking characters, or more eloquent language. But they continued to stand with Paul. Their depth of fellowship was strengthened by their constancy, which filled the apostle with joy and stimulated his outburst of affection.

The example of this early church is a challenging call to contemporary Christianity, which, if we’re honest, is all too often marked by fickleness. Many Christians tend to be uncommitted when times are good and unreliable when times are bad. We so easily treat the opportunities of fellowship, worship, and the hearing of God’s word with an arm’s-length approach. If a teacher or a book appeals to our sense of need, scratches where we itch, or tickles our fancy, then we engage with them for a while—but if things go awry, or if we find our way of life challenged, or if being alongside another Christian becomes costly rather than easy, then the temptation for many of us is to head for new pastures.

Paul shows us a better way—a more Christlike way. We are called to choose commitment to one another through the ups and downs of life. The binding element between Paul and the Philippians is the same element which can bind our hearts.

In seeing one another endure difficulties, in running to one another in the experience of loss, and in receiving from one another the enjoyment of restoration, we will discover that our hearts are actually being molded together in the bonds of the gospel. Through such constancy, we will find God strengthening our fellowship and increasing our joy with other believers.

So, does commitment describe your attitude to those the Lord has placed in fellowship around you? Do they know that you are there for them in the downs as well as the ups? To whom could you write an encouragement, and for whom will you say a prayer, right now?

GOING DEEPER

Philippians 1:21-26

Topics: Christian Living Fellowship Friendship

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer.

Luke 23:8-9

Jesus’ arrival at Herod’s palace on the first Good Friday was an occasion of great delight for the intrigued king. As ruler over the districts where Jesus had conducted His public ministry, Herod would have routinely received news of Jesus’ miracles, teaching, and influence. And so, following Jesus’ arrest, Herod “questioned him at some length” and hoped “to see some sign done by him.” But Jesus wouldn’t speak. At the time when Herod was ready to do business with Jesus, the Son of God “made no answer.”

Why didn’t Jesus respond? Was He not missing an evangelistic opportunity? No—Jesus knew Herod’s motives and his condition and that, in actual fact, Herod’s heart was hardened and unrepentant. And so Jesus called Herod out by responding in silence, thus giving Herod the opportunity to display his true colors. And that’s exactly what happened: the silence infuriated the king so much that he “treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate” (Luke 23:11).

There had been a time in Herod’s life when he hadn’t already been hardened by sin’s deceit. As he listened to John the Baptist preach, Herod “was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly” (Mark 6:20). John’s preaching stirred Herod. But when the preacher’s words began to confront Herod with his own sin—his adultery, his lustful heart—then, at that point, he didn’t want to hear any more (Matthew 14:4-5).

What happened to Herod can happen to us. Herod was trapped by his sin, and when faced with his problem he refused to change. Rather than responding in humble repentance, he attempted to cover his sin, so much so that as time passed, he was less and less in a position to respond to the good news of the gospel. Ultimately, Herod’s rejection of John’s preaching resulted in a hardened heart that could only ridicule and mock the one of whom John had spoken. As Sinclair Ferguson writes, “Unless we silence sin, sin will silence our consciences. Unless we heed God’s word, the day may come when we despise God’s Son—and then God will have nothing more to say to us.”^[1] In the words of the hymn writer, Herod stands as a warning to:

Wait not till the shadows lengthen, till you older grow;
Rally now and sing for Jesus, ev’rywhere you go.^[2]

Sin is deceitful, and it will harden you (Hebrews 3:13). So examine yourself. Are there areas of your life about which God’s word has spoken clearly, but you are resisting rather than repenting? Resist no longer. Seek forgiveness and commit to change, and know that you need never fear the silence of Christ.

GOING DEEPER

James 4:4-10

Topics: Power of Sin Repentance Sin

FOOTNOTES

¹ Let’s Study Mark (Banner of Truth, 1999), p 90.

² John R. Colgan, “Mighty Army of the Young” (1891).

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

Exodus 14:13-14

When we live by faith, we discover this great truth: God’s promises are enough.

On their way out of Egypt, Moses and the Israelites were confronted by an insurmountable hurdle: the Red Sea. After striding out of Egypt “defiantly” (Exodus 14:8), God’s people found themselves pursued and soon to be overtaken at the edge of the waters—and as “Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel … feared greatly.” In their terror, they “cried out to the LORD” and began to berate and criticize Moses (v 10-11).

What would faith do in this situation? Exodus 14:13 presents us with Moses’s response to the people: “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD.”

What a dramatic expression of faith on the part of Moses! He has little going for him at this point: the Egyptian chariots are at his back, the sea stretches out ahead, and he is surrounded by complaints and criticisms—and all he has is his staff and the command and promise of God.

But that was enough for Moses. All of his trust and confidence rested in his belief in God’s promises. If God had said it, Moses believed it—and God had said that He would bring the people out of Egypt, to Mount Sinai on the opposite side of the sea, and on into the promised land (Exodus 3:7-12). It was not Moses’ job to be concerned over the particulars. It was his job to trust and obey.

And the waters parted.

When the Egyptians tried to pursue the Israelites along the path through the sea, they were engulfed, never to be seen again (Exodus 14:27-28). Why? Because faith and presumption are two different things. The Egyptians were not living by faith in or in obedience to God. They had simply assumed that they could experience what the people of God experienced. They were wrong.

If God had said it, Moses believed it. And so can we, and so must we. We don’t have to worry about whether or not God will part the sea, but we do have to take God at His word and act accordingly. Some of us have never known the joy of standing, as it were, on the edge of dangerous waters and seeing God’s deliverance, because we’re so worried about how God is going to handle every little detail. We retreat in anxiety and hold back in doubt rather than standing firm. God has promised to take you to the promised land of eternity with Him. What is insurmountable to you and me is nothing to Him. And so He says, Don’t worry about the route by which you get home. I’ll take care of it. Just do what I told you, and trust in Me. His promises are enough. It is your job today simply to trust and obey.

GOING DEEPER

Exodus 14:1-31

Topics: Faith Promises of God Trust

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:6

When God begins a work, He always completes it.

In Acts 16, we meet Lydia, a successful woman with her own business and a nice house in Philippi. She had an interest in religion—and then she was changed (Acts
16:14-15). What happened? God began a work. Later in the same chapter, we see a Philippian jailer come off his night shift also radically changed (v 30-34). What happened? Again, God began a work. We can imagine, then, that when Lydia or the jailer were tempted to give up, the word of God through Paul’s letter to Philippi was there to remind them: “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” In other words, You didn’t start the work within you, and you aren’t going to finish it. If you feel that you can’t keep going, you’re right. You can’t. But God did, and He can, and He will.

God has a long-term plan for His people: that each of us will see and share in the glory of His Son. That is the end to which He is working (Romans 8:28-30). So we, like Lydia and the jailer, have both the need and ability to stay in the race of faith for the long haul.

While it always remains true that God gives all of us many gifts, our lives nonetheless can seem to be filled with disappointments. We continue to give in to sin. We struggle with doubts, and life’s circumstances make it hard to keep going in faith. But we can and will continue on the journey, because Scripture promises us that our God “began a good work” and that He will finish it. As we stumble along the way and face difficulties, we’re tempted to go back down to the bottom of the mountain, trade our hiking boots for slippers, and head back home. But there’s a view at the top that’s worth every ache and pain along the way! And so the word of God comes to us again and again, saying, Come on, just a little farther. Don’t be concerned about all of your tomorrows. God Himself is helping you. Keep walking the way today.

God finishes what He starts. And if you are trusting Christ, then He has started something eternal in you. When you feel overwhelmed at the journey ahead of you, or when the route today looks too steep, find encouragement in these words:

My name from the palms of His hands
Eternity will not erase;
Impressed on His heart it remains,
In marks of indelible grace.
Yes, I to the end shall endure,
As sure as the earnest is giv’n;
More happy, but not more secure,
The glorified spirits in heav’n.^[1]

GOING DEEPER

Psalm 121

Topics: Faithfulness of God Glorification Sanctification

FOOTNOTES

¹ Augustus Toplady, “A Debtor to Mercy Alone” (1771).

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

Psalm 2:1-6

As far back as 1939, the Dutch theologian Johan Herman Bavinck observed, “It looks more and more likely that our culture, based as it is on self-satisfaction, will at a certain moment collapse and then we as humanity will face a worldwide calamity that will occur without warning. It may yet take a while, but there’s no doubt it will come.”^[1]

If Bavinck were here today, perhaps he would find our present circumstances to be something of a fulfillment of that prophetic word. For materialism, instant gratification, and individualistic autonomy were all sold to us as the path to satisfy ourselves—and, these things having failed, where do our societies turn?

We shouldn’t misunderstand all the troubles of our world as being explicable in worldly terms alone. Mankind, the Bible tells us, is opposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. As we consider our circumstances in light of the Scriptures, we recognize that this is what the psalmist meant when he wrote, “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed.”

If we do not want to be buffeted and bowled over by opposition and persecution, we must remember that God is sovereign and that He cannot be defeated. The unfolding of His purposes from all of eternity is at the very heart of biblical Christianity. He is the Maker. He speaks, and He decides. Even the calamities of our world are all part of the plan God has predestined to take place. He has set His King to reign, and nothing can thwart His purpose. As His people, the church should therefore sound not retreat but reveille! We must remind ourselves and others of who the enemy is: our battle is primarily a spiritual one, waged not “against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness” (Ephesians 6:12). And we must remind ourselves and others of who the victor is and always shall be: the King God has appointed—His Son and our Savior.

As we consider the amazing juxtaposition between our sovereign God and this world full of rebellion, we ought to turn to Him in prayer. Indeed, Paul reminded his readers to pray “at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Ephesians 6:18), encouraging them with the truth that “the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4). We can pray boldly and live bravely because God stands sovereign. He is advancing His purpose—and nothing and no one can ultimately stand against His desire to glorify His King and bless His people.

GOING DEEPER

Ephesians 6:10-20

Topics: Redemptive History Sovereignty of God Victory

FOOTNOTES

¹ The Riddle of Life, trans. Bert Hielema (Eerdmans, 2016), p 85.

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Luke 24:25-27

What are you expecting a life of following Jesus to be like?

Luke does not introduce to us a great variety of post-resurrection appearances by Jesus. He instead chooses to focus our attention on the interaction between the risen Christ and two individuals walking along the Emmaus road—individuals who were wavering between faith and fear as they tried to make sense of life in light of the crucifixion.

Jesus’ death had confronted these early believers with a problem—namely, that their hope in Jesus as the Messiah had died with Him. Indeed, Luke records for us that they “had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21, emphasis added). These individuals had expected that when the Messiah came, He would bring victory, peace, and justice that would roll down like a vast and overwhelming river (Amos 5:24). But this hope had come to a crashing halt at the cross, where injustice seemed to have triumphed.

Yet something even better was about to happen: “While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them” (Luke 24:15). Aware of their perplexity and hopelessness, Jesus, “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets … interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”

It wasn’t that these people were unbelievers. It wasn’t that they didn’t know certain things the prophets had said. But in their reading of the Old Testament and in their thinking about messiahship, they had failed to grasp the big picture. They had not been paying attention to all that the prophets had spoken. They had focused on only one side of the story. They had warmed to the idea of victory—but they had failed to see that glory and victory lay at the end of a path of suffering, even death.

We cannot embrace Jesus as Messiah apart from the cross. Jesus was very clear: victory surely awaits, but only for those who take His words in Luke 9:23 to heart: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Are you willing to follow the path of suffering in order to enjoy a life with Christ in His glory? Are you at risk of turning away from God because He has not given you a victory in this life that He never promised? Be sure to see the whole story, so that setbacks and suffering do not defeat your faith or destroy the joy that comes from knowing that at the end of a hard path following a crucified King awaits the victory of seeing His face and living in His eternal kingdom. However hard or good the days of this life are, something better is always lying ahead.

GOING DEEPER

2 Timothy 4:6-8

Topics: Jesus Christ Joy Suffering

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have obeyed your voice in all that you have said to me and have made a king over you. And now, behold, the king walks before you, and I am old and gray; and behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day. Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you.”

1 Samuel 12:1-3

Leadership of any kind is very vulnerable. If you work at the front of a classroom, lead an industry, operate in politics, or serve in pastoral ministry, you’re routinely in the spotlight and before people’s scrutiny—and that can be a challenge.

As King Saul was coming to leadership, the role that Samuel had played as judge was about to change. Recognizing this pivotal moment of transition in Israel’s history, Samuel used the opportunity to establish his legacy. He had enjoyed a privileged position, but he didn’t focus on his skills and strategies as Israel’s leader. Instead, he highlighted his character: that he had walked before the Lord from childhood, that he was upright before the people, and that, as a result, he had been able to enjoy and convey God’s faithfulness and goodness through it all.

After recounting his track record, Samuel did something that so many leaders fear to do and fail to do: he put himself in the dock and asked the people to testify regarding the integrity of his leadership. He was willing to stand there while they determined whether his office had been marked by any bribery or self-promotion. That’s a risky prospect! As the people considered Samuel’s questions, they found nothing against him, either in his character or in the authority and influence that had been entrusted to him: “You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man’s hand” (1 Samuel 12:4). He had used his position neither to grow wealthy nor to dominate. Samuel’s leadership was vindicated.

Because leadership comes with such focused attention, we must pray for leaders diligently and, if the Lord sees fit to place us in a leadership role ourselves, enter such roles thoughtfully, considering the purpose for which God has called us. James warns us not to take our leadership responsibilities, especially within the church, lightly or carelessly: “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1).

Are you under the care of godly leaders? Then know that as they serve the Lord faithfully, they need your prayers, encouragement, and support! Be sure to pray for them regularly and seek to build them up frequently. Are you a leader yourself? Then follow Samuel’s pattern: walk before the Lord as you lead, so that your leadership is marked by honesty and integrity and so that your example is truly worth following.

GOING DEEPER

1 Timothy 3:1-13

Topics: Christian Living Leadership Prayer

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:3-6

Our prayers tell us a great deal about ourselves and about our view of those around us.

Paul and the Philippian believers enjoyed a partnership grounded in the gospel. Theirs wasn’t a static fellowship based on a little bit of common belief. Rather, it was a deepening friendship that blossomed as they continued “striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” and to “work out” their salvation “with fear and trembling” (Philippians 1:27; 2:12). The Philippians’ lives were marked by progression both in their relationship with Paul as their servant and their relationship with Christ as their Savior. Because of this partnership, Paul could be thankful, prayerful, and joyful.

If a church is to grow spiritually, the relationships among its people must be those of genuine thankfulness. Such gratefulness shouldn’t depend upon the perfection of others; we are all far from perfect. Indeed, our imperfections should fuel our prayers for each other! Even so, true, heartfelt thankfulness allows fruitful ministry to continue.

Paul’s partnership was reflected in Paul’s prayers. As he prayed for the Philippian believers, his prayers were comprehensive: “… in every prayer of mine for you all.” He didn’t just pray for those who were doing well or those who were in his inner circle; he prayed for everyone. We need to do the same! Indeed, if we pray for those who are often hardest to pray for, we will discover that they can actually become some of our best companions. We may even think they have changed, only to discover that we have changed, simply because we added prayerfulness to thankfulness.

Joyfulness comes as we partner in prayer with each other. Inevitably, some prayers involve pain. Our hearts ache as we get under the burden of our brothers and sisters who may be agonizing over their kids, their marriages, the loss of their jobs, their illnesses, or their bereavements. But at other times, instead of feeling like swimming against the tide, prayer can be like going with the waterfall as we rejoice together. When together we bring our situations, needs, and triumphs before the throne of grace, that fellowship brings joy. That’s how Paul felt about the Philippian believers. He prayed sorrowful and hopeful prayers alike with joy because of their shared partnership.

We can learn from Paul. He knew that fellowship with other believers could create thankful, prayerful, and joyful people. How are your prayers for those with whom God has brought you into gospel partnership going to reflect Paul’s prayers for the gospel partners in his life?

GOING DEEPER

Philippians 1:1-11

Topics: Fellowship Prayer Thanksgiving

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

Genesis 16:1-2

Life is difficult, and living as a Christian does not mean we are spared those difficulties. As we face illness, unemployment, heartache, broken relationships, and other challenges, we are confronted by this fundamental question: Will we walk the path of faith or will we try to take matters into our own hands?

Abraham was a man who was just like us—he experienced both triumph and failure in his walk of faith. God had promised to make his family a nation and to bless the world through someone from that nation (Genesis 12:1-3). Though childless, elderly Abraham and his wife, Sarah, would have their “very own son” who would be their heir (15:4). Abraham “believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (v 6).

But after years and years of waiting, Abraham’s faith wavered. Presumably, on a monthly basis, their hopes would rise and collapse—and with every passing month and year, Sarah grew older, sadder, and more impatient. So it was that they reached a crisis of faith. They knew that God is real, that God is all-powerful, and that God had promised them a son, but they also knew they didn’t yet have a son. Would they allow the questions of their hearts to overturn their faith or would they allow their faith to overturn the questions of their hearts?

The verses above narrate the sorry conclusion: they took matters into their own hands, and the solution that they adopted was self-effort. In their doubting and despair, Sarah ordered Abraham to sleep with her maidservant, Hagar, in hopes of bringing about the promised child, and Abraham complied.

It was the wrong decision. Doubting that God would keep His promise, they instead sought to bring it about by their own (immoral) actions. They made their decision based on expediency. They didn’t ask, What is right? They asked, What will work? They allowed pragmatism to be their guide over and against faith—and in doing so, they brought about more suffering, more pain, and more heartache for themselves and for Hagar. They thought that intervening would simplify things; instead, it complicated everything.

Whenever we set faith aside and apply self-effort, we complicate our lives. Whenever we seek to take things into our own hands and make our own plans instead of trusting God to keep His promises, we end up with chaos and heartache. Faith and waiting go hand in hand. Do not lose heart as you sit in life’s waiting rooms. It is always right to wait upon God, and it is always right to wait for God. In what area of your life do you need to live this out today?

GOING DEEPER

Job 1:13-21

Topics: Faith Faithfulness of God Patience

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

The story is told of a pastor who was moving his study to his new home—and therefore had to relocate his library of hundreds of books. But he was not without help. He had brought his four-year-old son along with him to carry some materials up the stairs. Not wanting to overtax the boy’s small frame, this father had given his son a sheaf of papers and a couple of magazines to bring up. But as the pastor was coming back down the stairs, having just deposited a tall stack in the study, he heard his boy crying halfway up the stairs.

He rushed over to his little boy and found him struggling with a huge, oversized concordance. The father said to the son, “I never gave you this to struggle with. I never meant for you to carry such a heavy thing by yourself!” He then picked up his boy, picked up his boy’s problem, and carried them both up the stairs.

How often we struggle with so much that God never gave us to carry on our own! We decide that we’d rather worry about this or fret about that, when God is not asking us to bear any of our burdens alone. Our Father desires that we cast all our anxieties on Him (1 Peter 5:7). Whether it is directly through the work of His Spirit or whether it is through the burden-sharing love of His people (Galatians 6:2), He wants to take you and your problems and carry both.

Picture that pastor picking up his son and his son’s burden. Isaiah presents us with just such a picture of our God: one who is not only willing but also fully able to help us in our time of need. We have no cause for worry, fear, or dismay. He has committed Himself to strengthen and uphold us. He promises, “Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save” (Isaiah 46:4).

What burdens are you carrying today? You have a God who is always near and infinitely strong. He will help you. He will carry you. All you have to do is ask Him.

GOING DEEPER

Isaiah 41:5-16

Topics: Character of God Christian Life Dependence on God

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

http://www.truthforlife.org

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi…

Philippians 1:1

What is meant by the word “saint”? How does one become a saint? What role do saints play in the church?

While there are certainly individuals in church history who have been strikingly effective and particularly used by God, in the language of the New Testament there is no basis for titling someone “Saint So-and-So” while the rest of us are called by our ordinary names. Biblically, saints are not a special group of outstanding Christians who have done something peculiarly pious. Saints are normal Christians who follow Jesus.

“Saint” is simply the New Testament word used to describe every believer. In the introductions to Paul’s letters, he frequently addressed the recipients as “saints.” The word means “set-apart ones” or “holy ones,” and all Christians are those who have been set apart from what they once were in sin and set apart for Christ. They are His treasured possession—His saints.

And if you are in Christ, so too are you.

The key to becoming a saint, then, is not building up a résumé of good deeds; it is being “in Christ Jesus.” The Bible says that by nature, we are “in Adam,” and unless we are placed into Christ, we remain in Adam and will die in our sins (1 Corinthians 15:22). Jesus came to do all that Adam failed to do and undo all that Adam did in the fall. People are brought from their experience in Adam to a new experience in Christ by His atoning death on the cross. Paul puts it this way: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Here is the real question about sainthood: not “Am I in church?” but “Am I in Christ?” It’s good to be “in church,” but just as someone can be “in a garage” and not become a car, someone can be “in church” and not be a Christian. If we are not in Christ, we are still the same old stuff—religiously painted up and spiritually interested, perhaps, but fundamentally unchanged.

Are you in Christ? If so, then you are a saint! All the benefits and blessings of being in Christ Jesus accrue to you, and you have the privilege of living for Him. Paul’s addressing of ordinary Christians as saints stood as a reminder to them: This is what you are, and this is what you should live as. You are different. You are not to be like the world. You are His. Rejoice today, this moment, if He has set you apart for Himself, and live in freedom to the praise of His glory.

GOING DEEPER

Ephesians 1:1-14

Topics: Christian Living Jesus Christ Security in Christ

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

http://www.truthforlife.org