DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 2.11.23

TheBook “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (Matthew1:1) This verse about the book begins the New Testament. This book and Scripture from Genesis to Revelation contain not the words of mere men but of God Himself. Every word was written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It’s appropriate to thank God daily for givingus His Book and the life-encompassing trove of wisdom it contains that we need for salvation and daily living. The famous 19th-century preacher J. C. Ryle said, “The poorest Englishman who understands his Bible knows more about religion than the wisest philosophers of Greece and Rome.” How we approach this book is no light matter. We must read and study the Scripturesdiligently, having a sound determination to believe and practice all we find in them, praying for the instruction and power of the Holy Spirit in all of it. After this introductory statement to Matthew’s gospel are 16 verses tracing the lineage from Abraham to David to Christ’s family. We shouldn’t think that these verses are useless or less inspired than the others. From these we learn that the sovereign God alwayskeeps His word and promises. The almighty God promised that in Abraham’s seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed and that He would raise up a Savior of the line of David (Genesis12:3; Isaiah 9:7). True Christians should acknowledge this lesson and take comfort that their Father in heaven “which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians1:6) and that “God is not a man, that he should lie” (Numbers23:19). JPT --------------------- TwoDays and Two Thousand Years “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, anda thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2Peter 3:8-9) There are two measurements of time that are key to understanding the thrust of this passage. The word for day is hemera, meaning a 24-hour day as it is used in this passage, and the word for a thousand is chilioi, which also means 1,000 years. We mortals experience time one way; we are constricted to a 24-hour day, one evening and one morning. A thousand years’ worth of days (365,000) seems like a lot of time to us, especially when we look at the pre-Flood ages of people, such as Methuselah. He livedan incredible 969 years (Genesis 5:27). But from God’s perspective, his entire earthly stay was like “one day.” It’s all about perspective, isn’t it? From our perspective, it’s been around 2,000 years (730,000 days) since the Great Commission was given to “go ye therefore, and teach all nations….Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew28:19-20). But from our Lord’s perspective, it’s only been two days! Having a taste of how the eternal God experiences time changes how we live. Are we telling people about the gospel? God is “temporarily” withholding a future fiery cataclysm (2Peter 3:10) because He is “longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (v. 9). Believer, let’s get to doing the work of our Master and Lord! CM ----------------------- FromDarkness to Light “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and Goddivided the light from the darkness.” (Genesis1:3-4) The initial aspect of God’s newly created world was one of darkness in the presence of the all-pervading waters. Since “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1John 1:5), the darkness had to be specially created (Isaiah45:7) before God could then call for the light to appear in the darkness. This would later serve as a striking picture of the entrance of light into the darkness of a soul born in sin. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in theface of Jesus Christ” (2Corinthians 4:6). The light enters our soul by His Word. “The entrance of thy words giveth light” (Psalm119:130). This great theme, contrasting the darkness of the soul without Christ to the glorious light He brings when that soul receives Him by faith, is found often in Scripture. “[Christ] hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1Peter 2:9). “The darkness is past, and the true light now shineth” (1John 2:8). Jesus even called Himself that true light that divided the light from the darkness. “I am the light of the world,” He claimed. “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John8:12). And because we have received the true light, we should henceforth live in the light of His truth. “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light” (Ephesians5:8). “Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light” (Romans13:12). God’s light is good. In the Holy City, “there shall be no night there” (Revelation22:5). HMM ------------------------- PassingOver to the Other Side “He saith unto them, let us pass over unto the other side.” (Mark4:35) After a long day of ministry, Christ commanded His disciples, “Let us pass over unto the other side,“ knowing full well what would come to pass. The story after this verse is a lesson we should take to heart. We cannot expect everything to be smooth on the waters of life in our journey to heaven. In other words, sickness, loss, and disappointment afflict all His children in this fallen world. But throughaffliction, we are taught many important lessons. As the story continues, “there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And [Jesus] was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that weperish?” (vv. 37-38). Indeed, though we might also be in a threatening place, Christ is right there in the boat with us. In fact, this situation in Mark’s gospel must have been extremely threatening, because at least four of the disciples were experienced fishermen and had known the Sea of Galilee and its storms from their youth. But, “he arose, and rebuked the wind, and saidunto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?” (vv. 39-40). By affliction, we are shown our weakness, which we need God to strengthen. All of our trials wean us from the world, make us long for heaven, and cause us to seek Christ’s help. Psalm 119:71 declares, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted.” JPT ------------------------- HolyConversation “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holyconversation and godliness.” (2 Peter 3:11) The picturesque phrase “holy conversation” occurs only twice in the New Testament, both in Peter’s epistles; one in his very first chapter, 1 Peter 1:15, the other in today’s verse. The other is, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” This distinctive King James rendering does not really mean “clean speech” but assumes the older, more precisemeaning of “conversation,” namely “behavior,” especially behavior that involves other people. The Greek word translated “holy” primarily implies “dedicated to God.” Thus, holy conversation simply means living in such a way that our entire manner of life isoriented to honor God and to influence other people to honor Him. These two exhortations of Peter tell us why we should live this way. The first incentive is simply the holiness of God Himself: “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1Peter 1:16). We have become children of God through faith in Christ, and we should therefore behave “as obedient children, not fashioning [ourselves] according to the former lusts in [our] ignorance” (1Peter 1:14). The second incentive given just before the words of today’s verse is the ever-imminent return of Christ, following which, eventually, “the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat” (2Peter 3:10). Incentives, both past and future, are thus given for holy living in the present! Eight of the 13 occurrences of “conversation” (Greek anastrophe) are in Peter’s epistles, stressing his vital concern that Christians ought to demonstrate “all holy conversation and godliness” in their lives. HMM ------------------------ HowRevivals Start - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Thus says the LORD: �Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. �Jeremiah 6:16 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/how-revivals-start/- Listen The first-century church, the one that Jesus started, turned their world upside down. They set their world on fire. On the other hand, the church of today, which is much larger than the first-century church, has considerable resources and technology to use. Yet it seems as though the worldis turning the church upside down. Why aren�t we setting the world on fire? It�s because we need a revival. We need an awakening. Speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, God said, �Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest foryour souls� (Jeremiah 6:16 NKJV). Historically, revivals often began with one person who decided to do something. For example, in 1857, businessman Jeremiah Lanphier decided to start a prayer meeting on FultonStreet in downtown New York. Only a handful of people showed up to pray at the first meeting on September 23. But Lanphier was persistent, and they kept meeting for prayer. Then something dramatic took place. The stock market crashed, and suddenly the prayer meeting grew. Then prayermeetings began popping up throughout New York City. And within six months, ten thousand people were gathering for prayer throughout the city, calling on the name of the Lord. Within eighteen months of that first prayer meeting on Fulton Street, an estimated one million people had come to faith in Jesus Christ. It wasn�t orchestrated. It wasn�ta campaign planned by people. Rather, it was a work of God in which He poured out His Spirit. We need to see that today. Any genuine revival will bring about repentance in the lives of the people, a change in the community, and evangelism en masse. Jeremiah Lanphier was not a preacher. He wasn�t famous. He was an ordinary person who decided to pray. And you can do the same. -------------------------- The Need for Personal Repentance - by GregLaurie � www.harvest.org If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear. �Psalm 66:18 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-need-for-personal-repentance/- Listen I wonder whether people even know what shame is anymore. The things that once embarrassed us are being proclaimed as virtues today. Everything is upside down. Wrong has becomeright. Right has become wrong. And we�ve forgotten how to blush. This is what Daniel was describing when he prayed, �O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You� (Daniel9:8 NKJV). And Daniel personally repented. Throughout the Book of Daniel, we don�t read of Daniel sinning. That doesn�t mean he lived a sin-free life, because he was human like the rest of us. But Daniel lived a godlylife. And this man of God thought it was necessary to personally repent because he didn�t want unconfessed sin to get in the way of his relationship with God. This reminds us that the closer we get to God, the greater the sense of our own sinfulness will be. Just about the time you think you�re reaching spiritual maturity, God willshow you a little more of your heart, and you will realize how far you have to go. The more you know of the Lord, the more you will see that you still need to change. There isn�t some spiritual plateau where we finally will be above it all. It isn�t goingto happen in this life. The more you grow, the more you will realize that you need to grow more. The more you learn, the more you will realize that you need to learn more. But it�s a great pursuit. Is there any sin that you need to repent of? Is there any area of your life that is displeasing to the Lord? Don�t allow it to get in the way of your relationship with God.Get rid of it. Let it go. -------------------------- Sorry Enough to Change - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death �2 Corinthians 7:10 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/sorry-enough-to-change/- Listen Sometimes we confuse remorse or regret with repentance. The person who gets caught in a lie is sorry. The criminal who gets arrested is sorry. But are they repentant? I don�tknow. Maybe the person who lied will just be more careful the next time. And the criminal will plot his next crime with more foresight. But that isn�t repentance. For example, Exodus 9 tells us that Pharaoh, who was hardened in his sin, acknowledged the sin existed. He called for Moses and Aaron and said, �I have sinned this time. TheLord is righteous, and my people and I are wicked� (verse 27 NKJV). That�s good, but then he continued to sin against God, and ultimately God judged him. He never came to faith. Saul, the king of Israel, said at one point, �I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord� (1 Samuel 15:24 NKJV). But does that mean he changed hislife? No. He continued as he had been living, and he threw his life away. The Bible also tells us about a rich, young ruler who approached Jesus, wanting to know how to have eternal life. Jesus gave him the answer, and he went away sorrowful butnot repentant. Even Judas Iscariot was sorry because he betrayed Jesus. But he didn�t do anything with that sorrow. His sorrow did not lead to repentance. It isn�t enough to be sorry. We must do something about it. The Bible says that �godly sorrow produces repentance.� Repentance means that we are willing to change. Repentance means being sorry enough to stop. It is not enough to be sorry. God�s people need to repent of the sins they have committed. Are you ready to turn your back on sin and follow Jesus? He will give you the strengthto do what He has called you to do. --------------------------- The Most Unlikely Spiritual Awakening - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me. �Jonah 1:2 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-most-unlikely-spiritual-awakening/- Listen One of the largest spiritual awakenings in human history swept one of the most wicked cities ever, the city of Nineveh. The people of Nineveh were so bad that they effectively stunk to high heaven. The first chapter of Jonah tells us, �Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai,saying, �Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me�� (verses 1�2 NKJV). We could translate the phrase �their wickedness has come up before Me� to say, �Their wickedness has reached the highest pitch.� The Ninevites� cruelty was legendary. Historical records include graphic accounts of how they treated their captives. When the Ninevites plundered a city, they burned childrenalive, tortured adults, and even skinned people and hung their skin on the walls. They built monuments out of the skulls of those they beheaded. We can see why the city stunk to high heaven. Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, a superpower of the day. With the strongest military power, Assyria had essentially ruled the world for two hundred years. But things wereabout to change. A more powerful military was about to overtake Nineveh and Assyria. Effectively the days of this nation were numbered. Every nation�s days are numbered. We know this historically. Every nation has a moment when it is born and a moment when it dies�or is diminished dramatically. And that istrue for the United States of America. We know that judgment is coming. It is only a matter of time. So, let�s pray that God will send at least one more spiritual awakening to our nation before judgment comes.If God could bring a mighty revival in Nineveh, then certainly He could do the same for the United States. ------------------------------- The'I Wills' of Christ �And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thouclean.� (Mark1:41) When the Lord Jesus makes a promise, that promise is sure to be fulfilled. When He made the above promise to the leper, �immediately the leprosy departed from him� (Mark1:42). The promise may not always be carried out as rapidly as this, but it will come. Look at some of the wonderful �I wills� of Christ. �Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men� (Matthew4:19) is His promise to all His true disciples (that is, those who follow Him). But first they must come to Him, and to those who come He promises, �Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out� (John6:37). Another gracious promise to all who come: �Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest� (Matthew11:28). He also promises special love to those who obey Him. �He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them,...shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him� (John14:21). There is a tremendous promise in John 14:13: �And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.� He even emphasized it in the next verse: �If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it� (John14:14). He has also promised to come back again, and we can be certain He will do as He said: �And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also� (John14:3). But probably the greatest of all His promises was given in His intercessory prayer. �Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory� (John17:24). HMM --------------------- Greetingsfrom Peter �Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith withus through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.� (2Peter 1:1-2) All too often we skip over the introductory verses of greeting in a Bible book, but many times these verses contain rich information. Such is the case in today�s verse. We first notice the strange paradox in Peter�s identification of himself. He is both the authoritative �apostle,� the officially commissioned ambassador of Jesus Christ, as well as His �servant,� or bondslave. Historically, we know that Peter was one of theinner circle of disciples in whom Christ placed great responsibility, but he was also the one who denied Christ at His trial. Christ had bought him with His blood as a slave would be bought, forgiven him much, and had sent him out on a lifelong mission. The letter is written to those �that have obtained like precious faith,� i.e., the same kind of precious faith possessed by the apostles, implying equal standing and privilege before God, obtained through His righteousness. Peter uses two descriptive names for Christ, calling Him both �God and our Savior,� referring to His dual divine/human nature and role. Peter�s prayer for us (possessors of like precious faith) is moving. He desires the sanctifying and sustaining grace of Godfor us, the peace of God that brings joy even in the face of adversity, and that both would be multiplied. These traits would come �through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus, our Lord� (today�s verse). Much of the rest of the book deals with false teachersand false knowledge, but Peter would have us grow into �full knowledge� (literal translation; see also vv. 3, 8) of God through the walk of grace and peace. JDM ---------------------------- Where Revival Starts - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights �Jonah 1:17 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/where-revival-starts/- Listen Tarshish is about as far away from Nineveh as you can get. Yet that�s where Jonah went when God told him to go to the city of Nineveh and preach. He boarded a boat going inthe opposite direction. As a result, God sent a storm that was so bad, it even alarmed the seasoned sailors. They tried to figure out why this storm had come and realized the culprit was a passengernamed Jonah. They brought him up on deck and asked him what was going on. Jonah told them he was an Israelite and served the Lord God of Israel. This was the miracle-working God, the same God who parted the Red Sea, drowned the entire Egyptian army,and sent supernatural food from Heaven. So they said to Jonah, �What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?� (Jonah 1:11 NJKV). Jonah told them that if they threw him overboard, the storm would stop. They kept trying to row to land with no success, so eventually they threw him overboard. Then a greatfish swallowed Jonah. Now, was this God�s way of getting even? Was He saying, �All right, Jonah. You messed up. It�s payback time�? That is how some people see God. But God doesn�t deal with peoplethat way, especially His own children. This wasn�t about getting even. This was about disciplining one of His own kids. Because God loves us, He will discipline us when we go astray. God�s discipline is preparationfor a future task. His discipline tells us that He has something more for us to do. And if you are one of God�s kids, He will discipline you. God was preparing Jonah for his greatest work yet, and He revived and recommissioned Jonah. In the same way, revival starts with you. It starts with me. And nothing can happen through us until it has first happened to us. ----------------------------- February 10, 2023 Not Yet �These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; forhis hour was not yet come.� (John 8:20) This is the last of seven times in the gospel of John that the phrase �not yet� is used in reference to the forthcoming death of Christ. Although this was the very reason He came into the world, the event itself could not be hurried. When His mother wanted Him to provide wine for the wedding, He said, �Mine hour is not yet come� (John 2:4). When His brothers urged Him to show His mightyworks in Jerusalem, His answer was �My time is not yet come� (John 7:6, 8). When His enemies tried to take Him at the feast of tabernacles, �no man laidhands on him, because his hour was not yet come� (John 7:30). Even when He preached His great promise of living water, John noted parenthetically that �theHoly Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified� (John 7:39). But His hour did come, and they did lay hands on Him and put Him to death. Then He was glorified, and the Holy Spirit was given. And now we await another great time that has not yet come. John speaks of this also: �Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and itdoth not yet appear what we shall be: but...we shall be like him� (1 John 3:2). In that great time to come, all things will be made subject to Christ. �But now we see not yet all things put under him� (Hebrews 2:8). These great promisesand others associated with them have not yet been accomplished�the world is far from being in subjection to Him, and we are far from being like Him. But the hour will come, just as the first one did, and it will be glorious. For �eye hath not seen, nor earheard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him� (1 Corinthians 2:9). HMM ---------------------------