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Daily Devotions for February 2005
No Christian is greater than his prayer
life. The church has many organizers, but few agonizers; many who pay, but few who pray; many resters, but few wrestlers; many who are enterprising, but few who are interceding. People who are not praying are playing. Two prerequisites of dynamic Christian living are vision and passion, and both of these are generated in the prayer closet. The ministry of preaching is open to a few. The ministry of praying is open to every child of God. Don't mistake action for unction, commotion for creation, and rattles for revivals. The secret of praying is praying in secret. A worldly Christian will stop praying and a praying Christian will stop worldliness. When we pray, God listens to our heartbeat. Hannah's "lips" moved, but her voice was not heard (I Sam. 1:12, 13). When we pray in the Spirit, there are groanings which cannot be uttered (Rom. 8:26). Tithes may build a church, but tears will give it life. That is the difference between the modern church and the early church. Our emphasis is on paying, theirs was on praying. When we have paid, the place is taken. When they had prayed, the place was shaken (Acts 4:31). In the matter of effective praying, never have so many left so much to so few. Brethren, let us pray. Author Unknown
Wednesday, February 2 Reverence in Worship Worship is "The act of paying divine honors to a deity; religious reverence and homage." (Unger) One Hebrew word means "to bow down, to prostrate oneself before another in order to do him honor and reverence." One Greek word proskuneo means "to kiss the hand to (toward) one, in token of reverence, also by kneeling or prostration to do homage; the word most frequently used in the New Testament."(Unger) Unger also makes the following General observations. "It is as natural to worship as it is to live. The feeling and expression of high adoration, reverence, trust, love, loyalty, and dependence upon a higher power, human or divine, is a necessity to man." "Worship is as old as humanity. It has its roots in a necessity of the human soul as native to it as the consciousness of God itself, which impels it to testify by word and act its love and gratitude to the Author of life and the Giver of all good." (Keil, Bib. Arch, p. 55) Reverence is "the feeling or attitude of deep respect; the outward manifestation of this feeling."(Dic.) In the Bible, we see much evidence of such worship. David encouraged the congregation: Now bless the Lord your God. And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord, and the king. I Chron. 29:20 When Jesus was born, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem with the question: Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Matt. 2:1, 2 When they saw Jesus they fell down, and worshipped him, Matt. 2:11. There was the attitude of deep respect for Jesus. Do we need to bow the head and fall down on our knees to worship God
today? Not necessarily, but there should be deep respect, reverence, when
we come to worship God.
Thursday, February 3 Jesus Christ, God's one and only Son, given for the salvation of all mankind. Ph. 2:9-11, "…The Name which is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus, every knee shall bow… and that every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father." As we read the testimonies of Mary, the mother of Jesus; Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist; an elderly man named Simeon; and John the Baptist himself; what commanding reverence we see from each of their statements as they testify of who Jesus is and for what reason He came to earth. And John basically says it all in Lk. 3:6, "And all flesh shall see the salvation of God." Jesus Christ is our Redeemer, Emmanuel, our Mediator, our High Priest, our Savior! Does this begin to strike a sense of reverence in your heart? Ps. 100:1-5, "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness, come before His presence with singing. Know ye the Lord, He is God. It is He that has made us and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. Be thankful unto him and bless His name. For the Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting and His truth endureth to all generations." When I think of the great sacrifice that Jesus made for me; to voluntarily leave Heaven and come to earth to go to the cross to die, be buried and then miraculously raised again the third day; I am in utter humbleness and reverence of Him, my Savior. And when we really meditate in the word and spend some prayerful time with Him on these truths, total and complete reverence to Jesus Christ, the second person in the Trinity, should become the foremost focus in our thoughts, words, and actions as we obediently live for Him each day. Dear Lord, thank you for the great salvation that you brought and bought
for the whole world, including me. Help me to have an undivided and a
whole-hearted reverence and awe for who you are and for what you have
done. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable
in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer!
Friday, February 4 Respect for Home and Respect in the Home The home was the first institution to be ordained by God here on Earth. The home is also something that God has put together for our good. The Bible says in Genesis 2:24 that man is to leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. In Matthew 19:6, Jesus re-emphasizes the two being one flesh and then gives us something else, Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. It is not God's plan that homes be broken up, but rather it is sin's destructiveness that tears them apart. Fathers and mothers ought to set an example of love and respect for God to their children. As moms and dads build a love relationship with God, God will bring them closer to Himself and closer to each other. Keep in mind that it is God that has ordained the home and anyone who chooses to break the home apart shows great disrespect to God and the things He has made. Respect is something that is seen less and less in the homes today. Many husbands don't respect their wives, wives don't respect their husbands, children don't respect their parents, and parents don't respect their children. Respect has to do with how we treat each other, but we've grown up in a society where most people's focus is on themselves only. The sin of selfishness has done more to advance the cause of Satan than almost anything else. The home is meant to be a place of honor, respect, and love for one another, but more and more homes are turning out to be places of war. As husbands, wives, and children choose to love, respect, honor, and obey God, He will lead them in the right direction. We must first respect God and the things of God, before we can treat others in a way that would be pleasing to Him. Take some time today to think of some way in which you can show respect to your parents, spouse, or children. God keeps homes together; sin tears homes apart.
Saturday, February 5 The Lord's Supper with Reverence With this topic in mind we need to keep the meaning of reverence in mind. Webster in his 1828 dictionary defines reverence as "to regard with fear mingled with respect and affection." He points out "We ought to reverence the Supreme Being, his word and his ordinances." As we read the passage in I Corinthians regarding the ordinance of the Lord's Supper it is obvious that the church was not showing reverence to the Lord nor His ordinance. Paul points out "that he can find nothing to praise in the Corinthian's conduct. When they meet together, instead of the service resulting in spiritual blessing, the fact is that they are worse off afterward than they were before. Why? Because they were carrying over their spirit of divisions even into the worship and fellowship services of the church." (G.C. Luck) Paul endeavors to correct the problem by setting forth the true doctrine by reminding them as to the sacredness of the Lord's Supper. Paul claims to have received this teaching by direct revelation from the Lord. V. 23 He also points out that he had previously told them this: That which also I delivered unto you. V.23 But they were neglecting this truth. They were not showing reverence or respect for the Lord or His ordinance. The Corinthians were observing the ordinance in an unworthy manner referring
to the individual's conduct at the communion service. As a result, this
brought condemnation upon them. Verses 29, 30 Paul explicitly states that
because of such sins, certain Christians at Corinth had already suffered
bodily affliction, and some had died. Not all physical affliction is punishment
for sin, but evidently some is. It is important to remember when we come
to the Lord's Table that we do so with reverence. A heart beating in rhythm
with Christ above, is not out of step with Christ's work here below.
Sunday, February 6
Monday, February 7 Respecter of Persons Our focus has been on the subjects of reverence and respect. Who and what does God expect His people to respect and show reverence toward? Note what God says in Psalm 138:6, Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. Isn't it comforting to know that as high as our God is, He still reaches down to lift up the humble. James 4:10 tells us that they who Humble themselves in the sight of the Lord, He shall lift them up. It's also interesting that God wants nothing to do with the proud and he also wants His people to have nothing to do with them. Look at Psalm 40:4, Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. The Bible mentions on several occasions how that God is no respecter of persons. What God is saying is that He shows no favoritism or partiality. Romans 2:11 tell us For there is no respect of persons with God. In our text today, we see again that God is no respecter of persons and He teaches us to follow His example. Often, we are quick to see when others show partiality and favoritism and slow to admit when we are respecters of persons. In James chapter two, God uses the example of a rich man and a poor man. Many people pay special attention to the man who is wealthy and almost no attention to the one who is poor. Isn't it interesting that when Jesus came into the world He did not come of a rich family, nor did he strive to be a rich person. His eyes were not intent on the wealth of the world, but on the need of the people. Could it be that many people missed the blessing of knowing Jesus Christ because they were respecters of people. Let us not be a respecter of persons, for we are all in need of the same Savior and we will all stand before the same God. Many people know others for what they have; others know people for who they are.
Tuesday, February 8 Reverence and the Pastor When we speak of this subject we are not suggesting that we should refer to our pastor as reverend. We are speaking of having respect for the man and his office. I know very few men in the ministry who ever liked to be called reverend. Biblical terms for the individual who holds this office are: Pastor - And He gave some…pastors and teachers. Eph. 4:11 The Greek word poimen is the term for shepherd, feeder. The term is used in I Peter 5:2 feed the flock of God which is among you. He is the shepherd of the church. Another word is Bishop - If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. I Timothy 3:1,2 The word is used in Phil. 1:1 and Titus 1:7. It is the Greek word episkopos, overseer, and superintendent. This word indicates the character of the work undertaken. He is the overseer of the church. Another word is Elder - And from Meletus he (Paul) sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. Acts 20:17 The Greek word is presbuteros, which speaks of the maturity of spiritual experience. Those appointed to have the spiritual care of, and to exercise oversight over, the churches. He was to be the president of the assembly. These 3 words are used interchangeably in Acts 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5, 7. Paul wrote: And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. I Tim. 1:12 Pastors have a God-ordained ministry, appointed, ordained by the Lord Himself. And He gave…pastors…for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Eph. 4:11, 12 Because of their position as men chosen of God, and because of their office, they are to be respected. It is also important for those called to this position to so live as to warrant such respect, I Tim. 3:1-7.
Wednesday, February 9 Reverence to God in music is a very interesting subject and one that involves every person in one way or another. In the "issues" of life, we need to find out what "God" wants us to do, and music is no exception. Many folks use their opinions or feelings to guide them, instead of finding out what would be "acceptable to God". As mature believers, we should be looking into the Word of God for wisdom to guide us. So, let's ask God a question! "Dear God, how can I reverence Your Holy Name by the music that I sing, play, and listen to? Show me from Your Word I pray. Help me to do what would bring you glory and honor! " The first biblical step is walking in the Spirit so that we don't fulfill the lusts of the flesh. The world's music appeals to our flesh and it becomes very hard to discern what would be acceptable unto God. We need to walk in the Spirit and that involves regular confession of sin, moment by moment prayer, and daily bible study and meditation to know what God wants. The next step is to conform our lives unto the Holy Word of God. If we are obedient Christians, the Holy Spirit will then be able to teach and guide us in the choices of music that are acceptable to Him. There is so much good music God has for us to use and listen to, as we learn to reverence what He desires for us. Rom. 12:1, 2 says it so clearly, "I beseech you therefore Brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, Holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Take some time this week and pray through these 2 verses. Meditate on them. Ask God to show you personally through His Word if the music you use is acceptable unto Him, and be ready to make some changes. I found this to be true in my life and He is still working on me, Praise God! Let's fill our lives with the beautiful music that God approves of, that we can prove unto Him from His Word and not from our opinions and feelings. He will bless and honor those that honor Him!
Thursday, February 10
Some churches have two morning services. One is called "traditional,"
and the other is referred to as "contemporary." In the traditional
service men are expected to wear a dress shirt, tie, suit, or sport coat.
In other words they are to look like gentlemen. Women are expected to
wear respectable and modest dresses, and have their hair combed. In the
"contemporary" service anything goes. In light of the above,
when you go to church you are going into a house of worship and it behooves
each to dress as if the Lord God were in church also, because He is. He
is there even though we do not see Him, He sees us. In respect to the
Lord and His house we should dress appropriately. Every believer should see him or herself as a new person in Christ. Paul said we are a creation in Christ, therefore let's look and act like new creations, 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Friday, February 11 Doing your Job Whether you are the employer or the employee, we need to remember that we are all under the same Master. Our ultimate job is to love God and walk in faith after Him. The boss and the worker must both realize that the way they do their jobs can either please God or displease Him. The Bible tells us in Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. Notice, number one, that whatever we do we are to do it with our whole heart. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. Second, the reason why we do our best is not to receive the praise of men, but to give glory and honor to our God. 1 Corinthians 10:31, Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. As both the employer and employee show respect for God, they must also show respect for one another. In Colossians 3:22 we see that servants are to obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye service, as men pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God. Here again, we find that we are to do our jobs showing reverence to God. Later in Colossians 4:1, God tells the Masters to give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. Again, God tells the boss to do his job keeping in mind that he is to show reverence to God. As we do our jobs, let us continue to remember that our primary job is to please God in all that we do. We cannot please God if we do a half-hearted job on anything. Sometimes some of the greatest difficulties are working for an unsaved person. Don't let your lack of work ethics or your lack of respect for authority be the reason he uses for rejecting Christ and His salvation. It is easy to show respect to your employers and employees when they are around, but how do you treat them when they aren't around?
Saturday, February 12 Respect for Parents Scripture places much stress on obedience to parents and the current lack of it in many quarters is surely the cause of much juvenile delinquency. It was a contributing cause of the depravity in the pagan world (Rom. 1:30 disobedient to parents), and will characterize the last days (II Tim. 3:2 disobedient to parents). In Eph. 6:1-4 and Col. 3:20, 21, Paul deals with the relation of children to parents. He begins with the subordinate party. Children are to obey their parents. We note that both parents are included. Mother, as well as, the Father is to be obeyed. What does it mean to obey? The Greek word hupakouo means to listen, attend, and so to submit. In the Lord belongs with the verb 'obey,' and describes the sphere in which this obedience is expected. Paul is addressing Christian families. Obedience to parents is declared to be 'right.' This is not only because it is 'proper' in a general sense…but because it is 'righteous,' according to God's Word which commands it. The second area in which respect is to be shown to parents is Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise. Eph. 6:2 Paul here quotes the fifth commandment of the Decalogue (law) Ex. 20:12. Honor goes beyond obedience to the attitude of the heart which produces obedience. Honor speaks of valuing. How do children value their parents? It is a duty, not an option. This is a commandment of primary importance and also accompanied by a promise. That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. Eph. 6:3 The particular promise involved spiritual prosperity…and temporal prosperity as well. In order for children to respect their parents, the parents likewise
have responsibility to the children. Eph. 6:4 A good father, finding his
son on the wrong track will provide switching facilities.
Sunday, February 13 Many years ago I read a book titled, "Perennial Revival." The whole book was on a continuous revival in Africa. Norman Grubbs, the author, told of a revival among the people where he worked. These new, native, Christians were living in complete transparency one with another and with God. They had learned a spiritual lesson that we American Christians need to learn. They were honest in all their relationships with each other. They were not finding fault with the missionary or other believers. They were practicing what the Bible teaches as best they could. 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5 The Lord is faithful, who shall establish you,
and keep you from evil. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching
you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. 5 And
the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient
waiting for Christ. The above three verses instruct us, as to our relationship
with God and other Christians. We are a family; the body of Christ and
should be defending our brothers and sisters instead of putting them down
and seeking to defeat them.
Monday, February 14 Husbands Honor Your Wives The Bible has much to say on how a man is to treat his wife and how a wife is to treat her husband. One of the very first things God said to mankind is that the man and the woman are to be one flesh. Notice what the Bible says about division. In Amos 3:3 God asks the question, Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Of course we know the answer to be, no. In Mark 3:25 Jesus says And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. Satan's goal is to divide. We allow Satan's influences to come between God and us. Daily, Satan is successful in dividing our churches and our homes. The husband and the wife must stay together, and if they are going to stay together they must work together. The husband is to maintain the leadership in the home according to Ephesians 5:22, 23. As the head of the home, he should be the one who initiates love, honor, and respect. Note what God says in Ephesians 5:25, Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it. What a huge example to follow, to love our wives as Christ loved us and gave His life for us. In 1 Peter 3:7 God says ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. Many times with leadership, comes pride and with pride, comes selfishness. There is no room for selfishness in a marriage. Selfishness takes us right back to where we started, and that was with division. It is vital that husbands not lose sight of their wives. Often times we get busy doing things and we forget about the real needs of our spouse. Let us not forget the love that Christ showed to us, and let us seek to demonstrate that same love to our wives. To show reverence to God is to fear and respect Him and obey Him in all we do. Ephesians 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
Tuesday, February 15
Paul refers to it as the Holy Scriptures. II Tim. 3:15. In the very next verse, Paul tells us All scripture is given by inspiration of God. 3:16 The Bible is the inspired Word of God. By inspiration we understand that God has breathed into every scripture. Nearly two thousand times the writings of the Old Testament declare themselves to be the voice of God. Such phrases as, thus saith the Lord; the Lord said unto Moses; the Lord spake, saying appear again and again. Well over three hundred times the very words thus saith the Lord appear. The New Testament also bears witness to inspiration. The apostle Peter wrote: For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost (Spirit). II Peter 1:21 The witness of Jesus Christ ought to bear more weight than any other. He said It is written again and again. The Scripture cannot be broken, John 10:35. Revere the Bible. What a wonderful Book is the Bible. It is unbreakable, unshakeable, and unmakeable.
Wednesday, February 16
Thursday, February 17 The title, "The Spirit of Christ," in verse 11 has a very significant meaning and purpose, as it is mentioned this way in only one other passage of scripture, Romans 8:9. "The Spirit of Christ" is specifically the Holy Spirit, as He relates to Jesus Christ the Son, in the work of Salvation. As we read in verses 1-2, we see the three persons of God mentioned by Peter, as God the Father, the (Holy) Spirit, and Jesus Christ. This whole passage deals with the salvation of God the Father's elect, who are sanctified through the Holy Spirit, and covered by the blood of Christ. Throughout the scriptures, over and over again we see the plan of God the Father, for those that will believe, the salvation from God the Son, for those that will and do believe, and the continuing work of God the Spirit, for those that will and have believed. What we begin to realize is that God is three in one and all have a part in salvation; one God, three Persons, three in One. In our physically limited, sinful, finite minds, we cannot even begin to comprehend this concept, but it is taught in God's Word, over and again. And those that are saved believe and accept this truth of the Trinity, and the Spirit of Christ. The key to understanding this doctrine is the "illumination of the Spirit" in our hearts that comes through salvation. Without the "Spirit of Christ" in our lives, there is no way to believe unto salvation and to understand the purposes and truths of God for salvation, and more specifically, who He is, in the persons of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The power of the Spirit creates the glorious truth of the indwelling presence of God within the believer and also of the believer within God. The Spirit of Christ indwells the believer. We can look at the spirit of a person and tell if he has the Spirit of Christ. If he does, then he bears the fruit of Christ's Spirit. The Spirit and His fruit are seen in the life of the believer. The true believer proves that he is "In Christ" by the life which he lives. Sadly, the opposite is also true for those that have not the Spirit of Christ. Their spirit and their fruit is not of Christ, rather it is of the world. Please read Luke 13:23-28.
Friday, February 18
Saturday, February 19 The Personality of the Holy Spirit What is the Holy Spirit? Is it a force or some kind of influence? Is it something that is a part of all men that we call the conscience? These are questions that are often asked by people who seek to understand what the Holy Spirit is and what He does. Today let us start off by saying that the Holy Spirit is not an "it". What we're saying is that the Holy Spirit is not a force or influence or some kind of conscience that all men posses. The Holy Spirit is a Person, an actual Person. Notice what Jesus says in John 14:26, But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. This verse helps us to understand that even Christ referred to the Holy Spirit as a person. Also, notice the personal masculine pronoun that Jesus uses, He, not "it". In this verse, we also see some of the personal acts that the Holy Spirit performs. He teaches and reminds. Some of His other activities include convicting men of sin (John 16:8-11), guiding men in truth (John 16:13), glorifying Christ (John 16:14), speaking and calling men into service (Acts 13:2), and interceding on our behalf (Rom. 8:26). How unfortunate it is that men treat the Holy Spirit in the way that they do! Notice that the Bible records several different ways in which the Holy Spirit can and has been treated. He can be tempted (Acts 5:9), lied to (Acts 5:3), grieved (Eph 4:30), resisted (Acts 7:51), insulted (Heb. 10:29), and blasphemed (Matt. 12:31). Now seeing that the Holy Spirit is an actual Person, let us ask ourselves two questions. Who is the Holy Spirit to us? And how do we treat Him?
Spirit of Prophecy In today's text, we read Revelation 19:10 … the testimony of
Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. The Bible is a Christ centered book,
and the Bible is a product of the work of the Spirit of God. We read
in 2 Peter 1:21… the prophecy came not in old time by the will
of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Jesus challenged the religious leaders in Israel, John 5:39 Search
the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they
are they which testify of me. Jesus did not rise to spiritual leadership
in Israel through normal channels. He did not study at the feet of
some great Rabbi, or some of the best schools in the world like the
apostle Paul, or Moses. Jesus was a simple carpenter until He entered
public ministry.
Monday, February 21 The Holy Spirit, Comforter Four times in John 14-16, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the Comforter. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth. John 14:16,17 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, he shall testify of me. John 15:26: Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. John 16:7 Thus, Jesus tells us the Comforter is the Holy Spirit and He was sent by the Father at the request of the Son, Jesus Christ. The Greek word for Comforter, parakletos is literally called to one's
side, i.e. to one's aid…and suggests the capability for giving
aid. It was used in a court of justice to denote a legal assistant,
counsel for defense, an avocate. One who pleads another's cause, an
intercessor, and advocate, as in I John 2:1, of the Lord Jesus. In
the widest sense, it signifies a succourer, comforter. Christ was
this to His disciples. The word another is allos, another of the same
sort, not heteros, different. The Lord Jesus had been an unfailing
source of inspiration and strength to His followers. Now another was
coming to take His place. The immediate emphasis is upon the abiding
presence of the Spirit - forever. It is the Holy Spirit Who indwells
every believer. One revealed truth from the Bible is worth more than
all the wisdom of men.
Tuesday, February 22 This particular name for the Holy Spirit is one that is shown in the Old Testament, as well as the New Testament. The Spirit of Glory, is the Holy Spirit, who has Glory, or Who is Glorious. In the Old Testament, the Glory of God was represented by the Shekinah light, that luminous glow which signified the presence of God in Exodus 33:15-34:9. It is also spoken of in Ezekiel, chapters 8-12, when the Shekinah Glory of God, was being slowly and incrementally withdrawn from the temple and from the nation of Israel. Until Christ came, the work of the Holy Spirit in people's lives was limited, but the promise that Christ then gave was that, when He departed, the Comforter would come. And that is what we see in our text today. In verse 14 …The Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you. The important thing to recognize about the Spirit of Glory is this. He only rests on those who truly know Him and follow Him. He is given to those who have truly placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ to save them, as a guarantee of their decision of faith. Then He guides them in the truth of His Word and in the path that He has planned for them. That's why Peter says back in verse 12, Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. If we are genuine believers, we will face trials, for which we can rejoice for His Names sake. However, there are many who claim to know Christ and yet have never experienced His spirit, nor have any evidence of the Spirit of Glory, or who don't have any spiritual trials and are not reviled for the Name of Christ. Perhaps they have never really accepted Christ as Savior, or else the Spirit of Glory has been quenched in their lives, and His grace is being incrementally withdrawn from them. Do you know for sure if the Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you? If so, you can rejoice and be glad for He will guide you and help you through each trial that you face. Verse 19, Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Wednesday, February 23 Some old sage has said, "Wisdom is the right use of knowledge." I have known people who had a head full of knowledge and very little wisdom. On the other hand, I have known people who had very little knowledge, but were filled with wisdom. Maybe the old sage was wrong? Solomon asked for wisdom and was the wisest man to ever live. God gives wisdom to those who seek it. In Isaiah 11:2, "The Spirit of Wisdom" is the wisdom given to Solomon. The King desired qualifications that would help him lead the nation and settle problems between individuals. Solomon's book of Proverbs is filled with wisdom, as a matter of fact, wisdom is recorded 54 times in Proverbs. Ecclesiastes records "wisdom" 28 times. Wisdom is recorded 54 times in the New Testament, however, it also includes worldly wisdom that is not acceptable to God. Godly wisdom profits a person or a nation. The word "wisdom" is not mentioned in 2 Corinthians 7:8-10, but it is intimated in that a person who has godly sorrow will be led to repentance and salvation. As a youth, Jesus "increased in wisdom and stature," Luke
2:52. In Acts 6:3 the deacons were chosen because they were full of
the Holy Spirit and wisdom. It is important to note that being filled
with the Holy Spirit stands along side of wisdom. And remember the
wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, I Cor. 1:20.
Thursday, February 24 The Holy Spirit is a Divine Person Not only is the Holy Spirit an actual Person, but he is a divine Person. He is deity. In Acts chapter five, we find that Peter says to Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost... why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. In this passage, it is clear to see that the Holy Spirit is God. He is co-equal to the Father and the Son. Though there is only one God, He is three distinct Persons. In Matthew 28:19 Jesus identifies the three distinct Persons, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Spirit is the third Person in the God-Head (Trinity). The Holy Spirit possesses all the same attributes as the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit is eternal (Hebrews 9:14), "Omnipotent" all-powerful (Romans 8:11), "Omnipresent" present everywhere (Psalms 139:11), and Omniscient" all-knowing (1 Corinthians 2:10-11). Aside from the Holy Spirit being called God and possessing all the same attributes of the Father and the Son, He also performs works that only God can do. Such works of deity are attributed to Him like; creation (Genisis 1:2), the inspiration of the Scriptures (2 Peter 1:21), and the raising of the dead (Romans 8:11). As we go through the day, let us be challenged to meditate on the person, ministry, and work of the Holy Spirit and as we meditate on Him, let us not forget His relationship to us. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Friday, February 25 From time to time, I think about the idea of a free will. What does
it mean? I am not sure. We need to appreciate that what we are by
nature has a great impact on our desires and choices in life. For
example, if we are normal and healthy, psychologists tell us that
self-preservation is one of our strongest natural instincts. We are
free to choose to hurt ourselves, but no one in his or her right mind
has that desire or ability. The apostle Paul speaks of this instinct
in Ephesians 5:29 when he writes under the inspiration of the Spirit
of God … no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth
and cherisheth it… I believe this instinct is good and comes
from the original creation. However, in the original creation, this
principle was subordinate to our love for God and His honor. Sadly,
since the fall, each individual exalts self above all else.
Saturday, February 26 The Presence of the Holy Spirit This Psalm has been attributed to David and is one of the great penitential Psalms. Penitential means proceeding from or expressing penitence or contrition of heart; as penitential sorrow or tears. Another word for it is repentance, being sorrowful on account of sin or transgressions. It opens with a general cry for pardon, which comes out of a deep sense of sin, and an equally profound desire for forgiveness. It is the prayer of David as he repents of his sin with Bathsheba. In his prayer, David cries out Cast me not away from thy presence; take not thy Holy Spirit from me. 51:11 Before Jesus was glorified and before Pentecost, the Spirit was not poured out upon all flesh. The Holy Ghost was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:39 In the Old Covenant, His work in the heart of men was therefore altogether different from what it is now. It was characterized in this way: (1) The Spirit was not given to all. God clothed with His Spirit those whom He called to a special ministry; (2) The Spirit was temporarily given, and could be withdrawn; (3) The work of the Spirit in the heart of man was not as yet complete. Thus, David was concerned that God would remove the Holy Spirit from him. That God would withdraw His comforts, counsels, assistances and quickening. Under the New Covenant it is different. When a person accepts the
Saviour, the Holy Spirit indwells that individual and Jesus said He
would abide forever. John 14:16 He can be grieved and quenched Eph.
4:30; I Thess. 5:19, but His presence remains with us. If you are
headed in the wrong direction, God allows U-turns.
Sunday, February 27 The phrase, "Spirit of God" is mentioned elsewhere in the scriptures, but let's take a look at this particular passage today. I personally love how Genesis starts out in verse one, "In the beginning, God…." This truth is directly opposed by our society and it's thinking today. All we ever hear much anymore is man's version of evolution, "millions and millions of years ago." To these evolutionists, we as genuine believers, boldly shout, "Not So!" Either God's Word is completely true and trustworthy, or it's not. And we as believers, with the "Spirit of God" in our lives, can shout from the rooftops with clear testimony to the fact that "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." What a glorious truth we see here! The Trinity, God the Father, God, Jesus Christ the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit, were all involved as "Creator" of the universe and the world as we know it, including you and I. Verse 2 says "…And the Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters." This describes the Spirit of God, as He is omnipresent, literally being everywhere at the same time, as the creation was taking place in 6, literal, 24-hour days. John 1:1-4 says this about the Son, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men." It is great cause for personal excitement when we see in God's Holy Word, what He has done for those that already have received Christ, and for those who will place their faith and trust in Christ to save them for all of eternity. The Spirit of God took an active part in our being created. He also takes an active part in convicting the world of sin, and He is given as a guide and comforter to those who have confessed Christ as Savior! Praise God! Praise God for His Creation and making us! Praise God for His Son in saving us! Praise God for the Holy Spirit of God as He lives within us and guides us moment by moment! Dear Spirit of God, Creator, Sustainer, Comforter, Indweller, may
we forever sing this song unto You! Praise God from Whom all blessings
flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly
host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
The Spirit of Understanding
In Ephesians 4:18, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated
from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because
of the blindness of their heart: Paul tells us the Jewish nation was
stumbling about in ignorance and blindness because of their hard hearts.
This is also true for the gentiles who reject the new birth. The other
side of the coin is found in Eph. 1:18, The eyes of your understanding
being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling,
and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. The
born-again believers are enlightened, that is, his or her eyes, mind
and heart are opened to know where they are going. Having accepted Jesus
as their Lord and Savior they understand the hope of eternal life looking
forward to the inheritance that awaits them in glory. We only have an
earnest of what is ahead for us in eternity.
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