From: November 13, 2024
“Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation” (Psalm 111:1 ESV).
The Psalmist announced his intent to praise and give thanks to the Lord in the company of the congregation. He describes what he will do, with what motive he will do it, where, and in whose company. He plans to sing, shout, give a thanks-offering (this is a free-will offering above his regular tithes and offerings) motivated by his whole-hearted love. He plans to do it at God’s house surrounded by like-minded fellow worshipers who are doing the same.
I want to go to church with this guy! More than that, I want to worship like this with my “whole heart!” I suppose this begins with an examined heart, asking the Lord to reveal any place where my heart is not fully devoted to Him. I never want to offer half-hearted worship to my Lord. Do you?
PRAYER: Dear Father, we surrender our hearts to You today for Your examination. Reveal to us any place that we are not surrendered and devoted to You. We want to worship You whole-heartedly this day and every day. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: November 13, 2023
“It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies” (Hebrews 11:31 NLT).
Rahab lived in the ancient city of Jericho. She was a business woman who ran a house that offered meals, lodging and other entertainments. Both here in Hebrews 11 and in Joshua 2:1 and Joshua 6:22-25, Rahab was called a harlot. However, that identity did not prevent her from confessing her faith in God. For she hid the Israelite spies when they lodged with her and helped them escape unharmed when the Jericho king sought them. She did this because she was convinced that Jericho would fall to the Israelites because their God was truly God.
Listen to her confession of faith: “For the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath” (Joshua 2:11). Having made her confession of faith, she begged the spies to swear to her that they would spare her and her father’s family and deliver them from death. The spies promised to spare her just as she asked.
And so, when Jericho perished, Rahab’s family was saved. Not only that, but she was included into the tribe of Judah. For she married a Judahite named Salmon and later settled in Bethlehem. She bore him a son named Boaz, who married another non-Israelite named Ruth. Both women are listed in the lineage of Jesus in Matthew 1:5. Both were outsiders that were included in the family of faith, even the family of God. Both were women of faith in God.
We are all sinners and outsiders from God’s family, yet through faith in Christ Jesus, we are made righteous and adopted as children of God. Faith in Christ changes our identity and our future.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for the testimony of Rahab. For it shows Your mercy and forgiveness towards those who would repent and confess their faith in You. It doesn’t matter where or who we’ve been in the past, You stand ready to give us a new identity and future through faith in Christ Jesus. Help us to walk in the new identity today through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: November 13, 2022
I’D RATHER HAVE JESUS THAN ANYTHING
The book of Hebrews teaches that it was “by faith” that Moses chose to be identified with God’s people rather than remain as the adopted son of Pharoah’s daughter. Moses was further commended for his faith in that he considered it better to suffer for “Christ” and look to a greater future reward with God, than it was to own the worldly treasures of Egypt.
For the Lord had revealed to Moses that He would one day “raise up” a Prophet from among his “brethren” who would speak every word the Lord told him to say to them (Deut. 18:15-19). This Prophet would be the Lord’s “Anointed One” (Which from the Hebrew is called “Messiah” and from Greek is called the “Christ”). Of whom, the Lord God had certainly revealed some aspect of to Moses. And for whom, Moses had by faith looked to and “written” about. For didn’t the Lord Jesus Himself say, “If you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me” (John 5:46).
A favorite hymn, written by Rhea Miller in 1922, describes choosing Jesus over worldly and temporal things:
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands.
I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand
Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway.
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You that the Christ that Moses looked forward to, has been revealed to us. For it is by faith in Him that we have become Your children. Now help us to live by faith as we look to that Day when Christ returns. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: November 13, 2017
It was not Rahab’s status, but her faith that saved her. She believed that the Lord had already given the land to the Israelites. She believed the Red Sea crossing story and all the other miracles she had heard of their wilderness journey. By faith she protected the two Israelite spies and made them promise to save her and her family. By faith she hung the scarlet cord in her window as a sign to the Israelites when they returned to attack Jericho. By faith she and her family were the only ones who did not perish when the walls of Jericho fell. By faith she was included in Israel and married into the tribe of Joshua. By faith she bore Boaz who married Ruth and was included in the line of David and mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus as recorded by Matthew. She was saved by grace, but it was through faith that she received these many blessings.
From: November 13, 2016
Hebrews chapter 11 contains a list of people who have “by faith” chosen to trust and identify with God, rather than put their hope into the things of this world. Moses is among those in this faith hall of fame. He could have chosen to life as an Egyptian Prince, but by faith he chose to be an Exiled Pilgrim instead. Everyone who decides to live by faith will feel the same tension. For we are in the world, but not of it (John 17:14-18). Where do you put your hope? In a job, a bank account, or an election? Why not join Moses and the other exiles who live and walk “by faith? Let us put our faith and hope in God!
From: November 13, 2015
Abraham proceeded to obey God’s instruction to sacrifice his son because he trusted in God’s promise concerning Isaac. He had faith in God’s promises and instructions over his own desires. He reasoned that since God had already promised that Isaac was the son by which he would receive the promised generations (Gen.21:12), then God would have to raise Isaac from the dead in order to fulfill it. Of course, God did not require Abraham to follow through with this test of faith. Yet, the quality of Abraham’s faith was revealed by his willingness. His faith led him to put loving God above his love for his son. Abraham’s faith was rewarded in that not only did God provide a goat to die as proxy for Isaac, He also provided His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for the sins of the whole world.