DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 1.13.24

Twelve Legions of Angels �Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legionsof angels?� (Matthew 26:53) In 1 Chronicles 27:1-15, David assembled 12 �courses� (i.e., legions) of fighting men to protect him. Each would serve him one month out of the year when the nation was at peace, but presumably all would have reported for duty in time of war. Since each contained24,000 warriors, they combined to form an immense personal army numbering 288,000. By contrast, Christ, David�s greater Son, had at His command �more than twelve legions of angels.� These were not mere soldiers, as those guarding David were; these were angels. Consider the power of just one angel in the days of King Hezekiah. �And it cameto pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses� (2Kings 19:35). Simple multiplication shows that 288,000 such angels could handle 53 billion soldiers. And Christ had access to more angels than that! Humanly speaking, Christ did not have to submit to brutality and death. But Christ was not only human; He was also the offended but loving God who had come to redeem His own. �The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world� (Revelation13:8) had �come to do thy will, O God....By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all� (Hebrews 10:9-10). �He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed� (Isaiah53:5). �All this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled� (Matthew 26:56). JDM ------------------------- BiblicalCreation Is Essential �In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darknesswas upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day,and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.� (Genesis1:1-5) The doctrine of creation is foundational to comprehending the whole Bible. One can�t change the beginning narrative�even tamper with the smallest Hebrew letter�without incurring the consequences voiced by our Lord Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew5:17-19). Biblical creation is essential for correctly grasping and understanding the gospel. The true gospel begins in Genesis when God proclaims, �God created the heaven and the earth� and is further expanded with God�s promise to the serpent that He will put �enmitybetween thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel� (Genesis3:15). Yahweh speaks in Genesis 1 and then speaks right through Scripture until its climax in Revelation 22:18, when He warns, �And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.� Either you believe the book of Genesis to be historically true or you don�t. If you don�t believe the clarity of Genesis, then you are left with believing deceptive forms of a naturalistic worldview (Colossians2:8). CCM ------------------------- TheScars of Sin �But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fettersof brass; and he did grind in the prison house.� (Judges 16:21) The sad end of mighty Samson, who once had been so greatly energized and utilized by the Lord, is also an allegory and a grave warning to every Christian. �But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived,it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death� (James 1:14-15). Satan knows our individual weaknesses and tempts us accordingly. Many Christians have fallen into sin through some Delilah, but probably many more have fallen into sin through pride, or covetousness, or compromise, or apathy. First, sin blinds. We are commanded to grow in Christ, adding to our initial faith the attributes of virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, kindness, and love (2Peter 1:5-7). Otherwise, �he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins� (2 Peter1:9). Then, sin binds. It may not be with chains, as with Samson, but unconfessed sin quickly enslaves its practitioners. �While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought inbondage� (2 Peter 2:19). Finally, sin grinds. Instead of the promised freedom from restraint, a sinful life soon becomes a �grind,� tedious and tasteless, like �the dog turned to his own vomit again� (2Peter 2:22). Samson did return to God again before his death, but he was still blind, and bound, and grinding. God forgives, but the effects of sin are not easily removed. How much better it would be never to yield to the temptation at all. HMM ----------------------- NotGiving, but Sowing “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully, shallreap also bountifully.” (2Corinthians 9:6) As John Calvin pointed out long ago in expounding this key passage, “We are not giving, but sowing” when we contribute of our financial means to the work of the Lord, for it miraculously is considered by the Lord of the harvest as seed sown in the soil of the hearts of men. And it is a rule of the harvest that, other things being equal, the more seed planted, the more harvested. He who is deficient with his seed must necessarily anticipate a meager crop. Of course, a bountiful harvest presupposes not only an abundance of seed but also good soil, properly prepared, watered, and cultivated. It is no good simply to give money to anyone or any cause, any more than it is good simply to throw a seed on a rocky slopeor city street or weed-infested yard. One is responsible to give where God’s Word is honored—not just to give, but to give responsibly. Furthermore, even though an abundant harvest is promised, the motive in giving is also vital. The harvest is souls—not gold! “God loveth a cheerful giver”—not a conditional giver (v. 7). “He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity” (Romans12:8). Often God does bring financial blessing to a Christian who has proved faithful in the grace of giving, but this is so he can give still more and thus lay up still more treasure in heaven. “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be muchrequired” (Luke12:48). “Therefore,” as Paul said, “see that ye abound in this grace also” (2Corinthians 8:7). And as we give, we must never forget that Christ has given more. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor” (2Corinthians 8:9). HMM ------------------- WitheringMan “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the peopleis grass.” (Isaiah40:7) This passage compares people to fleeting flowers. Both have a finite earthly existence. Each generation of flowers, for example, shrivels and falls from the plant, its glory fading and then vanishing. Likewise, each generation of man—indeed, each individualperson—shrivels and fades in a single lifetime. The psalmist said it this way: “My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass” (Psalm102:11). Science confirms this. Biologists track a relentless accumulation of mutations, or DNA differences, during a person’s lifetime. These contribute to the typical symptoms of aging and many cancers. But biologists have also tracked mutations that accumulate acrossgenerations. They show that mankind as a whole will also wither. Perhaps Peter had this in mind when he wrote, “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away” (1Peter 1:24). We each and all need a Savior! The process of aging reminds us of life’s brevity. What will happen afterward? The gospel is the only message that offers a real cure for the terminal illness toward which our individual aging and collective withering point. To those who trust Christ, it promiseseverlasting life in bodies that never fade. So, how should you “prepare to meet [your] God” (Amos4:12)? “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts3:19). BDT ------------------- Proofsof the Pudding “If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.” (1John 2:29) The little book of 1 John provides a treasure trove of “proofs” that demonstrate the reality of the invisible spiritual change brought about by the new birth. There are two emphases: proofs based on personal experience and proofs based on intellectual awareness. Here is a short list of proofs we experience. •Obedience to God’s commandments (1John 2:2-5) •Experience of God in our lives (1John 2:13-14) •Obvious “antichrists” in the world (1John 2:18) •Worldly ignorance of Christianity (1John 3:1) •Sinners’ ignorance of righteousness (1John 3:6) •Our love for fellow Christians (1John 3:16-18) •The indwelling Holy Spirit (1John 4:13) •Our love for godly behavior (1John 5:2) Here are proofs we have intellectual confidence in. •The Holy Spirit’s anointing (1John 2:20) •The holiness of Jesus Christ (1John 2:29) •The Father’s love for us (1John 3:1) •Our eternal bodies to be like Christ (1John 3:2) •Hating a brother is like murder (1John 3:15) •Scripture’s message of eternal life (1John 5:13) •Assurance that we belong to God (1John 5:19) •Assurance that Christ has come (1John 5:20) These evidences are primarily for the believer. That is, they are intended to assure the believer’s heart and mind of his security in Christ. John’s list is not intended to be complete but only to focus our thoughts on the obvious. When you count yourblessings, remember these. HMM III -------------------- Walls of Protection - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org That�s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone�s duty. �Ecclesiastes 12:13 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/walls-of-protection/- Listen As a pastor, I have talked to a lot of people who are facing death. And as I�ve listened to the regrets that people have, I have yet to meet anyone who said, �I regret thatI became a Christian when I was eighteen.� On the other hand, I�ve heard a lot of people say, �I regret that I didn�t do this sooner. I regret all the wasted years.� Don�t let that happen to you. After trying everything the world had to offer, King Solomon summed up his experience by saying, �Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone�s duty. God will judgeus for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad� (Ecclesiastes 12:13�14 NLT). Solomon was saying, �Listen to a seasoned pro. I know what I�m talking about here. If you leave God out of the picture, then your life will be empty, meaningless, and futile.But if you want to live a life that is full, a life of purpose, then here it is: fear God and obey His commands.� That�s what will keep you on track with God�s plan for your life. Fear God and obey His commands. However, a lot of us don�t like commands. We see them as restrictive. But if we want to live a life that is full, we must recognize there is structure, there are parameters,and there are absolutes. It would be like someone saying, �I don�t like traffic laws. I�m not into stoplights. And I don�t like those dotted lines down the road. They really bug me. I�m going to drivewherever I want to drive and go wherever I want to go. I want my freedom.� Instead, what they�ll get is the freedom to have an accident. They�d better stay in their lane and hope the other drivers do so as well. Those lanes and traffic laws are therefor our protection. They exist so that we can go where we need to go. We might look at the commandments of God and think they�re ruining our lives. But God didn�t give us His commands to make our lives miserable. Rather, they are walls and barriersof protection to keep evil out. That is what Solomon was saying. It�s for our own good. Yes, the Bible does say that we shouldn�t do certain things. The Bible does tell us to stay away from particular things. But when it tells us not to do something, it alsotells us to do something else instead. For example, the Bible says, �Don�t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life� (Ephesians 5:18 NLT). There is the don�t. It goes on to say, �Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts� (verses18�19 NLT). There is the do. God�s plan is always better. Yes, He tells us what we should avoid. But it is for our own good. ---------------------- Rules to Live By - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. �1 Corinthians 9:27 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/rules-to-live-by/- Listen When athletes have the privilege of representing their countries in the Olympic Games, they agree in advance to play by the rules. This includes an anti-doping code. If athletestest positive for performance-enhancing drugs, even after they�ve won a medal, it will result in their disqualification because they didn�t play by the rules. In the same way, God gave us rules to live by. And if we don�t live by them, the result will be disqualification. It is not for us to take the Bible and choose which partsof it appeal to us and then cast off the rest. For example, someone might say, �I like this part about forgiveness and God�s love and grace. But I don�t know if I really like these things that God says about personal obedienceor taking up the cross.� God gave us the Bible. And we are to live by everything that it teaches. The apostle Paul wrote, �Don�t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training.They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preachingto others I myself might be disqualified� (1 Corinthians 9:24�27 NLT). Paul was saying, in effect, that he was afraid he would be a hypocrite. And what criticism do we typically hear about the church, and Christians in general, more than anyother? It�s something along the lines of this: �There are so many hypocrites in the church. I would become a follower of Jesus, but I see so much hypocrisy.� Of course, we know this is often an excuse that nonbelievers hide behind. But unfortunately, there is also truth to that statement. There is hypocrisy. And we all have beenhypocritical at times. Yet Paul was saying, �I don�t want to be disqualified in the race of life. I want to practice what I preach.� The Christian life is like running a race�and it�s a long-distance run. We need to obey the rules, and we also need to pace ourselves. It doesn�t really matter whether we�veheld first place for nine-tenths of the race. We must cross the finish line. Otherwise, it means nothing. Maybe you�ve been disobeying God. Maybe you�ve been compromising in an area of your life and have been doing things that you shouldn�t do. You know it�s wrong before God. God is asking you to repent, to turn from it and get back on track again. Even if you�ve done things you regret, even if you�ve made a big mistake, God gives second chances. If you are genuinely sorry and willing to turn from your sins, then God will forgive you. And you will have another opportunity to obey Him. --------------------------- Falling Short - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org So I said, �Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?� �Ecclesiastes 2:2 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/falling-short/- Listen Shortly before his death at age thirty-three, comedian Chris Farley said in an interview, �I used to think that you could get to a level of success where the laws of the universedidn�t apply. But they do. It�s still life on life�s terms, not on movie-star terms. . . . Once I thought that if I just had enough in the bank, if I had enough fame, that it would be all right.� But it wasn�t all right, was it? Farley overindulged himself and needlessly threw his life away. He may have been laughing on the outside, but apparently, he was crying onthe inside. Solomon, too, gave pleasure a try. He said, � �Come on, let�s try pleasure. Let�s look for the �good things� in life.� But I found that this, too, was meaningless� (Ecclesiastes2:1 NLT). �No fear� is a popular slogan for T-shirts. The problem is that we�re not afraid of what we ought to be afraid of. We ought to fear God. When the Bible tells us to fear God, it means that we should have reverence for God. We should honor God and respect Him. To fear God means to recognize that He is God Almightyand never take His offer of forgiveness for granted. Maybe you�ve tried to play by the rules, but you�ve failed. You�ve tried to clean up your life and live by God�s commandments, but you�ve fallen short. When I became a Christian, I was full of doubt. Even as I was praying to ask Jesus Christ to come into my life, I thought, �I�m the one person this is not going to work for.I�m not a Christian type of person.� I thought certain kinds of people were predisposed to become Christians, the kind of people who were naturally upbeat and optimistic. I wasn�t one of them. But I qualifiedbecause I was a sinner. That is the kind of person God is looking for. We have all sinned. We have all fallen short of the glory of God (see Romans 3:23). If that is the case, then who will get into Heaven? Without Jesus Christ, no one will. We can�t do it on our own. We can�t be flawless. God knew that we would fall short. But He loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth. Jesus was more than a good man; He was the God-Man who went tothe cross willingly, laid down His life, and shed His blood for us. He paid the price of sin for us. He came to pay a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay. That is why Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. It sounds radical, but it came from Jesus Himself. He said, �I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can cometo the Father except through me� (John 14:6 NLT). Jesus�and Jesus alone�is uniquely qualified to connect us with the Father in Heaven. --------------------------------------- AssuranceBefore God �And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.� (1John 3:19) There is a chain of reasoning in this context that is important to understand. Our hearts will be �assured� before God (1John 3:19) if we love the brethren in �deed and in truth� (v. 18). A lack of that heart assurance condemns us (v. 20). If our heart does not condemn us, then we will have �confidence toward God� (v. 21). It is worth noting that John uses the word �love� 26 times in this little letter. The word �know� is used 31 times, but the word �assure� is used only once (our text) and the word for �confidence� just four times. In each case, the promises of boldness in prayeror trust in answered prayer are based on our obedience. Apparently, the key to an effective relationship with God, especially the key to a confidence in our prayer life, is a ready, visible, and instant response to God�s requirements for the believer. To the degree that we abide in Him (2:28), we will be confidentwhen He returns. Our ready love for the brethren will keep us bold before God in our prayers (3:21), and our Christlike lifestyle will give us boldness at the judgment (4:17). Meanwhile, absolute and steady belief in God�s salvation will remove any doubt that God hears us when we pray (5:14). There is a continuing loop in these messages. We gain confidence as we �do� truth. We find more boldness as we understand God�s answers to our needs and prayers for others. That, in turn, increases our confidence that God is listening to our prayers, makingour hearts all the more confident in our relationship with our heavenly Father. HMM III ----------------------------- After Man�s Own Heart - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Don�t be misled�you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. �Galatians 6:7 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/after-mans-own-heart/- Listen Saul, the first king of Israel, had tremendous potential. He started out very well in the race of life, and if he had paced himself and played by the rules, he could havebeen one of the great heroes of the Bible. As we read his story, he looks like one of the good guys. But suddenly and almost unexpectedly, he changed course. He began his reign in victory but ended it in humiliatingdefeat. He lost his character, his power, his crown, and his very life. Saul�s life is a powerful example of what not to do. Up to that point in Israel�s history, the nation had judges like Samson who fought for them and led them. Then they had the prophets who revealed the will of God to them.But the people wanted a king. Other nations had kings, and they wanted one too. So, God gave the people what they asked for. He gave them Saul. If David was a man after God�s own heart (see 1 Samuel 13:14), then Saul was a man after man�s own heart. This reminds us that we should be careful what we pray for, because God just might give it to us. It�s wise to follow the example of Jesus when He said, �Pray like this: OurFather in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven� (Matthew 6:9�10 NLT). God knows best. And if the Lord says no, then it is for our own benefit. As for Saul, in many ways he had some fine qualities. He had everything he needed to be a good leader. The Bible gives us these details about Saul and his family: �There wasa wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. . . . His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel�head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land� (1 Samuel 9:1�2 NLT). We know that Saul came from a good family because his father, Kish, was well-known and influential. Not only that, but the Bible says the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul,and �God gave him a new heart� (1 Samuel 10:9). Everything was going Saul�s way. The Spirit of God came upon him, and he was ready to do what God had called him to do. However, Saul squandered his resources and opportunities. He summed up his life with these words: �I have been a fool and very, very wrong� (1 Samuel 26:21 NLT). Saul had a tremendous beginning but a tragic ending. He stands as an example of what happens when someone rebels against God. His life reminds us of the fact that sooner or later, our sins will find us out. It may not happentoday or a week from now. It may not even happen a month or a year from now. But the Bible teaches that ultimately, we will reap what we sow. ------------------------------- The Destructive Power of Sin - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would chooselife, so that you and your descendants might live! �Deuteronomy 30:19 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-destructive-power-of-sin/- Listen The Philistines, the enemies of Israel, had mounted an attack against them, and fear was immobilizing the people. As a result, they went into hiding. Meanwhile, King Saulwas trying to rally his troops. God had told Saul to wait until the prophet Samuel arrived to offer a sacrifice and ask the Lord for direction as to what they should do next. But Saul grew tired of waiting. When Samuel didn�t show up as soon as Saul thought he should, Saul essentially said, �Why do I have to wait for some prophet to do this? Ican offer a burnt offering as well as anyone else. I�ve watched him do it.� Then Saul proceeded with the offering the way he thought he should do it. And when Samuel arrived, there was trouble. We pick up the story in 1 Samuel 13: �Samuel said, �What is this you have done?� � (verse 11 NLT). �Saul replied, �I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn�t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. So I said, �The Philistinesare ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven�t even asked for the Lord�s help!� So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came� � (verses 11�12 NLT). Saul had been on a roll. Everything was going beautifully. But then he started to self-destruct. What he did may seem like a small thing to us, but God had said not to doit. And who are we to say something is small if it is a big deal to God? The problem is that we want to edit the Bible. We try and rationalize something by saying, �Maybe it is a sin, but it is not as bad as other sins. Therefore, it is okay. Besides,everyone else is doing it.� It always starts that way. Little sins always turn into big sins. If God says don�t do it, then that means don�t do it. All too often we underestimate the power of sin. Saul was no exception to this. He was disobeying the Lord, and that led to his downfall. Samuel told him, �How foolish! . . . You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.But now your kingdom must end� (verses 13�14 NLT). At first blush, this reaction may seem a bit extreme. But we must remember that God looks on the heart. And He could see that Saul�s heart already had turned away. Sin can seem small when we start to fall into it, but it can become big in the end. Think of the messes that people make of their lives because they disobey the Word of God. Like Saul, we unnecessarily bring trouble on ourselves when we don�t obey God. Yet God says that He gives us a choice: life or death, blessings or curses (see Deuteronomy30:19 NLT). We choose how we want to live.