DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 10.29.22

 TheAccounting of God's Glory “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” (Psalm19:1) This is a keynote passage of the Old Testament affirming what’s proclaimed by the apostle Paul in Romans 1:20: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead.” The psalmist uses an interesting set of Hebrew words to make his point. The first is the verb sapar, translated “declare.” It has the meaning to count, list, make record of. In this context, it points to an indisputable record or accounting of the omnipotent and all-powerful Creator exhibited in the heavens. As frail humans, we can barely assess the full impact of this heavenly record. What we can observe with our advanced telescopes shows billions of galaxies and other features and formations beyond our wildest imaginations. However, our mighty God “telleth thenumber of the stars; he calleth them all by their names” (Psalm147:4) and “bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth” (Isaiah40:26). The second word of interest is the verb nagad, translated “sheweth,” which means to explain, announce, and reveal. This verb occurs in the hiphil stem, which is the causative active form—meaning that God’s handiwork inherently, constantly, and actively declares to all humanity His power and greatness. It’s no wonder that in eternity it will be proclaimed in heaven, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation4:11). JPT -------------------- Beguilingwith Enticing Words “And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.” (Colossians2:4) This Scripture is a perfect representation of those who would try to deceive people into accepting the false paradigm of Darwinian evolution, in which nature serves as an imposter diety magically crafting and molding creatures over millions of years. The verse contains two very interesting Greek words that occur rarely in the New Testament. The first word of note is only used twice and is the verb paralogizomai, translated here as “beguile.” It was used by the ancient Greeks to denote persuasiveness of speech or the putting forth of a seemingly plausible argument undergirded by dangerously false information. The second time it’s used is in James 1:22 concerning self-deception: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving [paralogizomai] your own selves.” The second Greek word of note is the highly descriptive noun pithanologia, translated as “enticing words,” and is only used in this one place in the New Testament. It’s a combination of the word pithanos, meaning convincing, persuasive, or plausible, with logos, meaning word or account. The Greeks used it to describe arguments made by sophists, who were noted for affirming false scenarios, trying to make them appear true. In modernEnglish we would say “to talk someone into something false.” Paul indicated he had to make this warning concerning deception because he’d just previously declared “the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians2:2-3). Indeed, all evolutionary deception ultimately steals the glory of Jesus Christ the Creator, “for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (v. 9). JPT --------------------- Beguilingwith Enticing Words “And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.” (Colossians2:4) This Scripture is a perfect representation of those who would try to deceive people into accepting the false paradigm of Darwinian evolution, in which nature serves as an imposter diety magically crafting and molding creatures over millions of years. The verse contains two very interesting Greek words that occur rarely in the New Testament. The first word of note is only used twice and is the verb paralogizomai, translated here as “beguile.” It was used by the ancient Greeks to denote persuasiveness of speech or the putting forth of a seemingly plausible argument undergirded by dangerously false information. The second time it’s used is in James 1:22 concerning self-deception: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving [paralogizomai] your own selves.” The second Greek word of note is the highly descriptive noun pithanologia, translated as “enticing words,” and is only used in this one place in the New Testament. It’s a combination of the word pithanos, meaning convincing, persuasive, or plausible, with logos, meaning word or account. The Greeks used it to describe arguments made by sophists, who were noted for affirming false scenarios, trying to make them appear true. In modernEnglish we would say “to talk someone into something false.” Paul indicated he had to make this warning concerning deception because he’d just previously declared “the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians2:2-3). Indeed, all evolutionary deception ultimately steals the glory of Jesus Christ the Creator, “for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (v. 9). JPT ------------------ Walkthe Same Road - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector�s booth. �Follow me and be my disciple,� Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followedhim. �Matthew 9:9 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/walk-the-same-road/Listen Can you think of someone you could never imagine converting to Christianity, being at the church, singing a worship song, reading the Bible, and following the Lord? The Bibletells the story of a man no one ever expected to later become a Christian. His name was Matthew, and he had an unexpected and instantaneous conversion. In a moment, he left his world as he knew it. Why was there such an immediate change in Matthew? As we look at his life, we don�t find any record of Jesus having any conversations with him before calling him. We don�tknow of any time when Matthew would have seen a miracle performed by the Lord Himself. Yet Matthew responded to two words that forever changed his life: �Follow me.� And Matthew did just that. Matthew was in a profession that very few liked. He was a tax collector, a man who was working for Rome and had betrayed his own people. But Matthew understood the significanceof Jesus� words. And when Jesus told Matthew to follow Him, Matthew was prepared to do just that. In the original Bible language, �Follow me� means �Walk the same road with me.� It�s also in the present tense, commanding the beginning of an action and its habitual continuation.Putting it all together, Jesus was saying, �I am asking you, even commanding you, to follow me each and every day.� Jesus is saying the same to us right now. Let�s walk the same road together. Let�s take this journey through life together. Let�s finish what we�ve started. So many beginfollowing Christ with great excitement, only to give up later. Yet, the apostle Paul talked about finishing his race with joy (see Acts 20:24 NKJV). That should be the objective of every follower of Jesus. --------------------- MagnifyingJesus, the Word of God �I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: forthou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.� (Psalm 138:2) This verse is a powerful declaration of praise to our mighty God in remembrance of His lovingkindness and truth. The word for lovingkindness (hesed) is also often translated as mercy. Psalm 108:4 says, �Thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thytruth reacheth unto the clouds.� But what about the startling declaration connected to God�s great mercy: �For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name�? Would this not put God and His Word on par with one another? At the beginning of the gospel of John, we have our answer. �In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God� (John 1:1).The literal Greek rendering for the final clause is �and God was the Word.� We have even further clarification by John in his gospel that the Word is the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. �The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us� (John1:14). It is this same person of the triune God (Yahweh Elohim) by which �all things were made�and without him was not anything made that was made� (John1:3). And when Jesus returns in consummation and judgment at the end of this age, the description we�re given is �his eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed witha vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God� (Revelation 19:12-13). Praise be to Jesus, our coming King! JPT ------------------------ Evidence of His Love - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child. - Hebrews 12:6 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/evidence-of-his-love/- Listen More than once, the Bible compares us to sheep. Jesus said, �My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me� (John 10:27 NLT). And in Isaiah 53:6, we read, �Allof us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God�s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all� (NLT). In Psalm 23, David mentions two primary tools that shepherds use to keep their flocks close to them and out of danger: a rod and a staff. A staff was a long, crooked pole that had a number of uses. For example, a shepherd would use it to return a newborn lamb to its mother. Or he would extend it so that thesheep would know he was nearby. It gave sheep a sense of comfort and security. Of course, the shepherd also used his staff to bring back wayward sheep. But when sheep persisted in their wayward ways, the shepherd pulled out his rod. The rod was likea club, and the shepherd reluctantly used it for the sheep�s own good. A sheep that continued to stray not only risked being killed but could also lead other sheep in the same direction. Thus, sometimes the shepherd would break the sheep�s legbecause it�s better to have a broken leg than to become a leg of lamb. God, too, uses His rod and staff in our lives. If we start to go astray and do something we shouldn�t do, the Lord uses His staff. But if we persist, He may use His rod toget our attention. If that has happened in your life recently, it is a great reminder that God loves you. If He has brought some correction, even discipline, into your life, it�s because Heloves you. He�s trying to save you from something far worse. ------------------------- TheAbsence of Sin �Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.� (2Peter 3:13) For thousands of years the followers of God have battled against �principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world� (Ephesians6:12) led by Lucifer, that old serpent, the arch rebel and self-appointed accuser of the saints of God. Although assured of the ultimate victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, Christians have often suffered cruelly at the hands of Lucifer and his followers. As Christians, the aching longing in our hearts for peace is really none other than the Holy Spirit Himself grieving at sin, and our own new, holy nature �groaning� to be free in its expression of the divine nature. It is the nature of the child of God to �hungerand thirst after righteousness� (Matthew5:6). It is the normal thing for one �raised� up and already seated �in heavenly places in Christ Jesus� (Ephesians2:6) to long for the shackles of the �body of this death� (Romans7:24) to be loosened. Under ordinary circumstances, our spiritual being��the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness� (Ephesians4:24)�knows that we are �strangers and pilgrims on the earth� (Hebrews11:13). Such knowledge openly declares that we �desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city� (v. 16). If we have lost sight of the place that Jesus has gone to prepare for us, we become both forlorn and despoiled. But if we treasure the great truth that we will spend eternity with our Lord in His �new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness,� we are comforted and encouraged, recognizing that both sin and all its effects will be absent. HMM III ------------------ Walk This Way: Walk in the Light (Ephesians 5:1, 7-10) By Michael A. Milton, PhD Paul wrote to the Ephesians Church, announcing God�s will for them and for us: �Be imitators of Christ. . . Walk in light.� - Ephesians 5:1, 7-10 (ESV). One of the most remarkable and necessary features of life is light. Artists like Monet (1840�1926), Van Gogh (1853-1890), J. M. W. Turner (1775-1851), and John Constable (1776-1837) remind us how stunning light is�dappled with touches of amber oil througha forest, or reflected in the softer creamy light of the moon painted over the inky blue of a bay in the evening. We know how essential light is when we lose it. When the electricity goes out in your home, you scramble for the flashlight, lanterns, and candles;let's face it, we need light. In Ephesians 5, the Apostle Paul uses the metaphor of light to describe how believers should imitate our Lord Jesus (�light� is ubiquitous in the Bible; �phos� in the Greek, and �Orr� in the Hebrew; light is a remarkable word with rich theological meaning). God created light and separated it from darkness in Genesis 1:3-4. Jesus said, �I am the light of the world� (John 8:12; 9:5). The Apostle Paul tells us that we are to be imitators of Christ in Ephesians chapter 5:1. The Apostle explains how one imitates Christ. Paul explained that we have to walk in love. Then, Paul transitions in verse 8 and declares believers must �walk in the light,� not in the darkness. As God did in Genesis 1:3,4, and as our Lord did in (John 8:12; 9:5), John contrasts the light and the darkness in a way that helps us understand how we should walk, that is, how we should follow the Lord Jesus Christ, and live our lives to be �imitators of Christ.� We can�t produce light. The Creator is the Lord of light. Jesus is light. His children must receive and reflect the One who is the �light of the world.� For just as the light of the moon is expressed with soft strokes across the water and becomeslike dazzling diamonds flung across the sea, we who follow the Lord reflect the incomparable power of Jesus Christ. There are two vital, God-revealed truths that we should remember about walking in the light. The first feature of light is this: Firstly, the light reveals what the darkness conceals. The world was in darkness when Jesus Christ came. Isaiah prophesied that a light will arise and shine, a light for the Gentiles (Isaiah 60:1-3. �Darkness� in the Scriptures is often associated with degrading sexualpractices contrary to God�s will in Creation and in Scripture (e.g., Leviticus 18:22). The Bible declares misuse of God�s gift of marital intimacy abominable (e.g., Deuteronomy 22:5). The supposed alternatives to God�s will are not only disobedient but, like all sin, demeaning. Nevertheless, the light of Christ doesn�t merely judge such sin but mercifully offers forgiveness and new life. We must only turn in repentanceand faith to Jesus Christ. The illuminating presence of the Lord Jesus forgives, restores, and provides the purity we need. Secondly, the light ensures security while the darkness engenders dread. In the natural world, darkness has an important place. God divided the light from darkness and provided a cycle that regulates our bodies and all creation. However, a darkness that is imposed upon light is different. When Jesus died on the cross, the earth went dark. This was an imposed darkness to cloak the inconceivable at Calvary. At the birth of our Lord, earth was covered in moral shadows, a depraved spectacle of cultural degeneration that deepened the darkness and further marred the image of God in humankind. When Jesus Christ came, He not only proclaimed his self-identity as theLight of the World, but His transforming power spread globally. The Acts of the Apostles document how the light of Christ permeated the darkness. History adds to the Biblical record. For the Apostle Mark brought the gospel to Egypt. St. Thomas was martyred for establishing the church in India. The disciples of the disciples, such as Augustine of Canterbury (in 597 AD), brought the gospel to England. On it went � generation after generation, from shore to shore. That which we call Western Civilization emerged in part by the light from the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet, today spiritualdarkness threatens our security. To cast off the light, preferring intellectual and moral darkness, is to suffer a greater judgment than those who had only known darkness. But greater is He that is in us than he who is in the world (1John 4:4). Intersecting Faith and Life: We who have been redeemed by the Light of the world must not hide our light. We must release its healing beams to the uttermost parts of the earth; and those closest to us. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Light of the world. You are the reflector. Let Him shine. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. ----------------------- Is True Happiness Possible? - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the LORD will be joyful - Proverbs 16:20 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/is-true-happiness-possible/- Listen I�ve never met someone who said, �I really don�t want to be happy. I want to be miserable.� A few people might feel that way, but most of us want to be happy. Jesus understood our basic human desire for happiness. Thus, He made happiness the subject of some of the first promises He ever offered. We find those promises in what wecall the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. Here, Jesus describes how we can be blessed or happy. Certainly, this world isn�t going to make us happy. There are people who have everything supposedly necessary for contentment and fulfillment but still feel empty. In the Beatitudes, Jesus tells us how to experience personal happiness�real and lasting happiness. Yet, the happiness the Bible speaks of is different from our culture�s definitionof happiness. Happiness in our culture depends largely on good things taking place in our lives. In other words, if the bills are paid and the skies are blue, then we�re happy. But if we�refacing some kind of challenge, then we�re unhappy. Happiness depends on what is happening in our lives. But the happiness the Bible offers us is something different. We can translate the word �blessed,� which Jesus used in Matthew 5, as �happy.� It comes from the Greek word mak�rios, which was a description of the Mediterranean islandof Cypress. Because of its geographical location, balmy climate, and fertile soil, the Greeks believed they could find everything they needed for happiness and fulfillment there. It was a self-contained happiness. In the same way, the happiness that God has in store for us doesn�t depend on what is happening to us externally. This means that we can be happy regardless of our circumstances. ---------------------- Spiritual Poverty - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven �Matthew 5:3 The Bible doesn�t commend poverty, but neither does it condemn wealth. Rather, the Bible says, �For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, cravingmoney, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows� (1 Timothy 6:10 NLT). When Jesus said, �Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,� He wasn�t saying, �Happy are the poor.� He wasn�t suggesting that we live in completepoverty to be happy. Rather, the word Jesus used for �poor� means �to shrink, cower, or cringe,� as first-century beggars did. However, Jesus wasn�t speaking about physical poverty. He said, �Blessedare the poor in spirit� (Matthew 5:3 NLT). In other words, blessed are those who see their spiritual state before God. Before we can come into a relationship with God, we must realize that we are spiritually destitute. We must realize that we are not good. We do not go to Christ to improve our lives a little; instead, we go to Christ to be saved from Hell and the results of our sins. We cannot save ourselves. We go to God ashopeless, helpless sinners. The great British preacher Charles Spurgeon said, �The way to rise is to sink self; the lower we fall in our own esteem, the higher shall we rise in our Master�s estimation.� Regardless of our education, wealth, social standing, accomplishments, or religious knowledge, we must admit that we�re sinners. C. S. Lewis wrote, �Whenever we find that our religious life is making us feel that we are good�above all, that we are better than someone else�I think we may be sure thatwe are being acted on, not by God, but by the devil.� Blessed are the ones who see their real condition before God and acknowledge it.