January 1, 2018
The Book of Proverbs contains the God-given wisdom of Solomon. It promises to teach people “wisdom, discipline and understanding.” Wisdom has the good judgment to rightly apply knowledge and experience. Discipline has the insight to be led by wisdom rather than desire. Understanding has a deeper comprehension of knowledge, so that it is able to know and explain a thing simply.
Conveniently, the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters, so if one reads a chapter a day, it can be read through 12 times a year. That’s 12 times closer to being wise than when the year began!
Yet, the deepest wisdom is to know Christ. As the apostle Paul wrote, “But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24).
December 31, 2017
It’s become my habit to highlight a verse from each of the four daily readings in the One Year Bible on the last day of the year. So, on this last day of 2017, I offer a prayer for all of us from each of the readings:
From Malachi, I pray that we will receive healing and the power to go out kicking up our feet like young calves.
From Revelation, I pray that we will look forward to Christ’s return and be blessed by the promises of His Word.
From Psalms, I pray that we grow in our awareness and acknowledgement of God’s “mighty acts” and “excellent greatness,” so that we are always praising the Lord.
From Proverbs, I pray that as members of His Bride, the Church, we would be be clothed in “strength and honor,” always “rejoicing in time to come.”
I pray these prayers over all of us, knowing that His Word is true, His promises sure, and His ear, always listening, ready to answer the prayers of His people.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
December 30, 2017
John saw the “holy city,” the “New Jerusalem,” come down. This is the very place that Christ went to prepare, saying, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:2-3).
He was following the same pattern as any Jewish groom would in the 1st century. Marriages had two ceremonies in those days: First, the betrothal ceremony and then, the wedding ceremony. The groom and his father would pay the agreed upon bride price at the betrothal ceremony. Then, the groom would return to his father’s house to prepare a place for his bride, usually adding on a room or two to his father’s house. Finally, the groom would go to get his bride and bring her to his father’s house on their wedding day, celebrating with a great banquet.
The “New Jerusalem” is the place that the Lord Jesus has prepared for us! The Father has already paid the price for our betrothal when He sent Jesus to die for us. Jesus has risen and returned to His Father’s house to prepare a place for us. Very soon He will return to take us to be with Him.
As my sweet mother used to sing, “I’m bound for that city, God’s home, that bright city. O yes I am!”
Click below to listen…
“I’m Bound for That City” – Wilda Dillon Combs
December 29, 2017
This is the Great White Throne judgment of God. This is not a trial, for the verdict is already in. This is a sentencing. And the resurrected dead both great and small will “stand” (12) for the verdict, which is the “second death” (14).
There appear to be two resurrections and two judgment seats in Scripture. The “first resurrection” (5-6) is for those found in Christ. They will appear before the “judgment seat of Christ” (2 Cor. 5:10). The Greek word translated “judgment seat” is “bema.” The Greek “bema” is not a seat of criminal justice, but of ceremonial reward, as is seen in those who judge at the olympic games. For Christ has already paid the price for their justification. What remains is the giving out of crowns and reward according to their works of faith.
The second resurrection is for those who died without Christ. They will stand for the Great White Throne judgment and be sentenced.
The modern mind may reject the idea of God and a final judgment. Yet, the Word of God is clear. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27).
December 28, 2017
Since the launching of the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have observed that there are an almost infinite number of stars in the universe. In our own Milky Way galaxy there are over 100 billion stars. And scientists estimate that there are at least 10 trillion galaxies with each containing a similar number of stars. When dealing with such incredible numbers, who could possibly count the stars? The Bible says that God can. He not only knows their number, “He calls them all by name.”
Ancient human observers gave the stars names like “Betelgeuse,” which in Arabic means “armpit,” describing its position in the constellation they called “Orion the Hunter.” Modern astronomers prefer more precise nomenclature, giving the star Betelgeuse the designation “HD39801.” I suppose they ran out of Greek letters and Greek gods rather quickly once the Hubble launched.
But an infinite God has no problem naming an infinite number of stars. He has yet to share these names with us, but I’m thinking that He prefers the ancient names to the modern ones.
December 28, 2017
What was the psalmist’s resolution? To “praise the Lord!” The psalmist directed both his own “soul” and that of his audience to “praise the Lord!” This was a matter of firm resolve. He recognized the tendency of his soul to droop into discouragement and to focus on worldly things. Yet, he was determined that as long as he lived, he would live a life of worship.
In this season of making new year’s resolutions, perhaps we can join the psalmist. Let us resolve that while we “live” and have “being,” we will praise the Lord!
December 26, 2017
Do you know whether your name is in the “Book of Life?” We have many books and records in this world. We keep records of births, graduations, marriage, and even death. But there is no “Book of Life” in this world. This “book” is kept in heaven. It is a timeless book and therefore the names therein were written before time started ticking. Those whose names are in the Book have believed in Christ as the Lamb of God and therefore reject all false world religions. Yet, those “whose names are not written” in the Book are easily deceived by the false religions of the world. They will reject the truth and believe the lie (Rom. 1:25, 2 Thess. 2:11). In the last days, a great worldwide religious delusion will encompass the nations and only those whose name is in the Book will see it for the lie that it is.
Can you “know” whether your name is in the Book of Life? Oh yes! The apostle John explained how you can “know” with confidence in his first epistle:
“Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:12-13).
December 25, 2017
Zechariah’s prophecy told of a time when great numbers of people from the the Gentile nations would seek the One who is known by this description: “God is with you.”
Who is this One? It is Christ Jesus. As Isaiah prophesied (Isa. 7:14) and Matthew confirmed (Matt. 1:23), He is Immanuel, which in Hebrew means, “God with us.”
Today, we see that Zechariah’s prophecy is fulfilled. People from nearly every language and tribe have embraced the “Jewish man,” Jesus, who is Immanuel, “God with us.” Today, we celebrate His coming and look forward to His soon return! Merry Christmas!
December 24, 2017
David asked the Lord for revival and rescue. He did not try and make the case that he had earned or deserved it. But rather, that the Lord should do it for the sake of His own name and righteousness. In other words, he prayed, “Lord revive me because I call on Your name. Rescue me because it shows Your righteousness.”
You may feel unworthy and beyond redemption. You may feel you must put things in order before coming to the Lord. But you couldn’t be more wrong. Stop focusing on your own shortcomings and inadequacies, instead focus on the character and adequacy of God. Your revival and rescue come out of God’s name and righteousness, not your own. Pray according to the character of the Lord.
Upon whose name shall we call? The name of Jesus (Acts 4:12). And upon whose righteousness shall we depend? Christ’s righteousness (Rom. 3:22).
December 23, 2017
John heard a “voice from heaven” describing the Lord’s perspective on the patient endurance of believers during the tribulation. From the world’s perspective they were being persecuted and killed for their faith in Jesus, but from the Lord’s…
1) They were “blessed” – Completely content and satisfied. Happy.
2) They had found “rest” – Both sabbath and shalom. No more striving. No more anxiety. Rest.
3) Their “works follow” – They say you can’t take it with you, yet the Lord says your works of faith will follow you to heaven. Nothing is wasted. Works of faith are remembered and recognized.
So, don’t give up. As the apostle Paul wrote, “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9).