DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 4.6.24

 Sodomand Gomorrha “Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication,and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” (Jude1:7) These cities provide two stern examples of God’s judgmental wrath. Their sin had reached such an intensity and had become so widespread that the entire region suffered the “vengeance of eternal fire.” Just like the awful misuse of human sexual potential distortedby the angelic beings cited in the previous verse, these cities had become so perverted that God’s longsuffering and mercy had ended. “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly” (Genesis13:13). Whatever they were involved with had become so heinous and so completely a distortion of everything God created man for that God appears to have reached the limit of human vocabulary to describe it. Their character (wickedness) and their deeds(sins) were “too much” for God. Two classifications are listed. The first, fornication, is cited nearly 100 times in the Old Testament and is referred to over a dozen times in the New—always as a condemnation of sexual behavior outside of the intimate relations of husband and wife. The otherclassification is going after “strange flesh.” Genesis 19 makes it perfectly clear that this “exceedingly” awful sin was homosexual perversion. For these sins God rained down “brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven” (Genesis19:24). The Scripture is precisely clear: vengeance belongs to God (Romans12:19), and He made Himself absolutely clear about His view of widespread fornication and homosexual behavior. This example is a sobering warning for those societies that promote such lifestyles. HMM III -------------------------- ChristOur Intercessor “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at theright hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” (Romans8:34) One of the most glorious truths of the Christian life is that the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose for our justification, now lives to intercede for us before God. The greatest example of intercessory prayer in the Bible is in John 17, wherethe Lord poured out His heart for His disciples. “I pray for them,” He said, “I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine” (John17:9). But that was not all! “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word” (John17:20). And that’s us! That includes us! What is it that He prays for us? First of all, He prays for our security. “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are” (John17:11). Then He prays that we might have real victory over sin and the devil. “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil [or ‘the evil one’]” (John17:15). His next request is: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John17:17). Our sanctification will come, therefore, not through some special experience but through God’s Word. He also prays for true unity among His true disciples: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that theyalso may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John17:21). Finally, He prays for our ultimate glorification. “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me” (John17:24). We can be assured that the Father will grant these requests of His beloved Son. HMM --------------------- Alivewith Christ “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raisedfrom the dead dieth no more; death hath no more domination over him.” (Romans6:8-9) The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead both guarantees the future bodily resurrection of the believer and associates us positionally with Him now. Since He died for our sins, we, in effect, were “dead with Christ.” Therefore, when He defeated death and hell and revived His own dead body in immortal power, He broke any dominion of death over Him or over those who were,positionally, with Him. This is one of the grandest scriptural themes of the Christian life. We were dead with Christ, but now God “hath quickened us together with Christ” (Ephesians2:5). Not only have we been “made alive” (1Corinthians 15:22) with Him, but we have also been “raised” with Him up from the grave and then into heaven where we are “seated” with Him on His throne! “[God] hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians2:6). This means also that we have been glorified with Him and are actually reigning with Him. “The Spirit [Himself] beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:...that we may be also glorified together” (Romans8:16-17). But if all this is only true in position, what meaning does His resurrection life have on our daily lives now? Simply this—that knowing these truths gives us the incentive and power to live them. “If [or literally since] ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not onthings on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians3:1-3). “For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you” (2Corinthians 13:4). HMM ----------------------- TheDoctrine of Christ “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid himGod speed.” (2John 1:10) This apparently harsh instruction seems at first to conflict with the many biblical exhortations to show hospitality, but it needs to be placed in context. The one-chapter epistle of 2 John was addressed to “the elect lady and her children” by John, who alsoextended greetings from “the children of thy elect sister” (vv. 1, 13). These unusual phrases, together with the general tone of the epistle, make it almost certain that John was not referring simply to two individual Christian women, but to two churches,symbolically personified as two noble ladies with the “children” being the new converts in the churches. The warning, then, is primarily against the danger of allowing a false teacher to come into the church, as a pastor or a teacher or even as a visiting speaker, who would not bring “this doctrine.” The doctrine mentioned is obviously “the doctrine of Christ” (v. 9). This doctrine of Christ is not, however, simply a set of doctrinal tenets about the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is not the doctrine about Christ, but of Christ—belonging to Him—His doctrine. The word “doctrine” is didache, meaning literally “teachings.” The meaning clearly is “the teachings of Christ,” that is, not just one or two least-common-denominator statements about Christ to which all nominal Christians could give assent, but the entire body of teachingsthat had come from Jesus. Further, since He taught that all the Old Testament is inspired and authoritative and also promised the same to the writers of the New Testament, this “doctrine of Christ” includes “all the counsel of God” (Acts20:27), from Genesis through Revelation. How important it is not to allow false teaching to get a foothold in a local church. HMM ------------------------- NowFriends - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. —John 15:15 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/now-friends/- Listen Friends reveal secrets to friends. When something really good happens, what do you do? You call your friend. And when something really bad happens, you also call your friend. If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, then you are a friend of God. And because you are a friend of God, He wants to reveal His secrets to you. The Bible says, “TheLord is a friend to those who fear him. He teaches them his covenant” (Psalm 25:14 NLT). God wants to reveal His purpose and plan for your life. God does not play hide-and-seek. He is concerned about revealing His will to you today. God said of Abraham, His servant, “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” (Genesis 18:17 NLT). When you have a relationship with God, He will reveal His plan for your life. Jesus said, “I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me” (John15:15 NLT). We need to learn how to discern the will of God. I have been a Christian since 1970. I wish I could say that after years of walking with the Lord, I have discovered a foolproof plan for knowing the will of God in every situation.However, such a plan doesn’t exist. Like any other Christian, I’ve often found myself stumbling into the will of God. There have been times when God has spoken to my heart, I made a move, and it was what He wanted me to do. But there have been other times when I’ve simply ended up in themiddle of God’s perfect plan. I don’t know that we can always have a foolproof method of knowing God’s plan in every situation. But I do think we can take steps to prepare our hearts to know His will moreeffectively. We start by presenting ourselves as living sacrifices to God. The Bible says, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of allhe has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him” (Romans 12:1 NLT). We tend to want to know God’s will before we decide to give ourselves to it. For instance, when your friends ask if you’ll do them a favor, you probably say, “What kind offavor?” You want to know what they’re up to before you agree to help. In the same way, God asks, “Are you willing to do My will?” And we say, “Tell me what Your will is, and then I’ll tell You whether I’m willing to do it.” Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27 NLT). It is not enough to just hear the voice of God. We need to do what He tells usto do. --------------------------------------- A Spiritually Bankrupt Culture - by GregLaurie � www.harvest.org Don�t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God�s will for you,which is good and pleasing and perfect. �Romans 12:2 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-spiritually-bankrupt-culture/- Listen The culture in which we live today is spiritually bankrupt and hostile to God. We�re living in a world that is hostile to our faith and values as followers of Jesus Christ. That is why the Bible says, �Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the worldoffers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world� (1 John 2:15�16 NLT). As Christians living in a culture that is hostile to our faith, it is tempting for us to try to fit in and not stand out as people who really believe in Jesus, as people whohold certain values. But if you are a child of God, then don�t hide it. Be proud of it. In this day, when it�s acceptable to openly mock and deride Christians, it is a real temptation not to stand up for what you believe. Yet the Bible tells us, �Don�t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learnto know God�s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect� (Romans 12:2 NLT). Instead of being squeezed into the mold of the world, we are to fill our minds with the things of God. We�re to fill our lives with the things that will build us up spiritually.If we do this, God says that He will reveal His will. This is called a conditional promise. We need to do our part, and thus, God will do His. And if we do not do our part, then He will not do His. If you are not willing to �letGod transform you into a new person by changing the way you think,� then don�t expect to know God�s will for your life. But if you are willing to take these steps and make this commitment, then God promises that He will reveal to you His good and pleasing and perfect will. And God�s will foryou is always good. The psalmist David reminds us, �Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!� (Psalm 34:8 NLT). Remember that God is good. Some people have a warped concept of God as being some kind of celestial party pooper in Heaven. They think that God is waiting for them to surrender their lives to Him sothat He can make them miserable. However, that is a warped concept of our heavenly Father. His plan for you is good. It is perfect. And it is better than your plan for yourself. If God gives you many years in life, I think you�ll find, in retrospect, that you were glad you walked in the will of God. I can also guarantee that you�ll regret it if youdon�t. --------------------------------------- Knowingand Trusting �And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seekthee.� (Psalm 9:10) When one really knows the name of the Lord, that one will surely come to trust Him. How could anyone fail to trust God and to believe His Word when they know Him to be the almighty Creator (Elohim), the self-existing One (Jehovah), and thegracious Master (Adonai)? When they further learn that He is none other than Jesus Christ (�anointed Savior�), surely they ought to believe and bow in thankful love, calling Him �Lord� by the Holy Ghost (1Corinthians 12:3). The word for �trust� means �take refuge in.� We can trust our Lord for protection from harm, from want, from all the attacks of the wicked one, and finally, from hell itself. That trust is well placed because the Lord never forsakes those who truly trust Him.The Word confirms this truth over and over again. �(For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers� (Deuteronomy4:31). �I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread� (Psalm 37:25). These are gloriouspromises, always fulfilled�that is, with one exception. The only man who always fully trusted God, who was altogether righteous, and who perfectly manifested the Father�s name to His disciples and to the world�that One was forsaken! �My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?� He cried, as He died on thecross (Matthew 27:46). And it was because He was willing to be forsaken and to suffer hell itself in our place�dying for our sins�that God can make and keep His promise never to forsake anyone who seeks Him and puts their trust in Him, through Jesus Christ. HMM ------------------------ Nothing Better - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. �Colossians 3:15 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/nothing-better/- Listen In the Old Testament, we find the story of Gideon, a man whom God chose to lead the Israelites into battle. But Gideon was hardly a trained warrior. In fact, he was overwhelmedby the task and asked God to confirm His word. In effect, Gideon said, �Lord, I will make You a deal. Tomorrow morning, I�ll lay a fleece on the ground. And in the morning, if this really is Your plan, there will be dewon the fleece but not on the ground. Then I will know that it�s Your will.� The next morning, there was dew on the fleece and not on the ground, just as Gideon had asked. But he thought that it might have been a coincidence. So, he went back to Godand basically said, �Tomorrow morning, I�m asking that it will be the other way around. Then I will know that it�s Your plan.� So, the next day, there was dew on the ground but not on the fleece. God had confirmed His will to Gideon. In the same way, you might say, �Lord, this seems to be Your will, so I�m asking You to please open the door circumstantially.� However, don�t base your entire situation oncircumstances because circumstances can sometimes lead us in the wrong direction. Colossians 3:15 tells us, �And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful� (NLT). The Amplified Bible puts the same verse this way: �Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [decidingand settling questions that arise].� I have learned to listen to the peace of God. I�ve been in dangerous situations and have felt God�s peace. Then there have been other times when I didn�t have God�s peacein a situation. Instead, I had turmoil in my heart. I�ve learned to listen to that because I�ve made some mistakes by not listening to it. If we want to know the will of God, then not only do we need to ask God to give us His peace, but we also need to ask Him to open doors through circumstances, confirming HisWord. We also must remember that God will not lead us into something that is contrary to what Scripture says. And just as important as the will of God is the timing of God. Sometimes, He doesn�t do things as quickly as we want Him to. At other times, He does things so quickly thatwe have a hard time keeping up. But God is not a distant force with no plan or purpose for you. You are uniquely created in the image of God, and He has a custom-designed plan just for you. He wants to revealHimself to you. And He wants you to enter into a friendship with Him. Can you imagine anything better than that? ---------------------------- FilthyDreamers �Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.� (Jude1:8) The King James translators supplied the term �filthy� for the dreamers that Jude denounces because of the �likewise� that introduces their condemnation. The prior verses had condemned certain angels and the populations of Sodom and Gomorrha because of theirperversion of God�s sexual design. These dreamers not only �stain� the flesh but have become so arrogant that they give �no standing� to any authority and �blaspheme� those who have any �glory.� Not even Michael the archangel had that kind of attitude; Jude notes in the next verse that Michaeldidn�t rebuke Lucifer when he was carrying out God�s mission for Moses� body. Some people are way out of line! Jude�s whole message is focused on those who are attempting to resist, undo, damage, distort, or otherwise disrupt the work of God�s people. In the context, these dreamers are not merely inattentive fools who wander in and out of churches seeking some personal �fulfillment�; they are enemies within�those who may have positions of influence and who are actively seeking to hurt the ministry and mission of God�s kingdom. Peter calls them �presumptuous� and �selfwilled,� no better than �natural brute beasts� who mouth off about �things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption� (2Peter 2:10-12). Strong words, but a fitting description of those who would dare to set themselves against the omnipotent and omniscient Creator. As David so aptly says: �The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God� (Psalm14:1). Dialogue with these dreamers is futile. The solution is: �Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine� (2Timothy 4:2). HMM III ----------------------- Backward Motion - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. �1 Timothy 4:1 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/backward-motion/- Listen A number of years ago, I was with some friends who were riding a three-wheel-all-terrain vehicle. I was a seasoned dirt biker at the time, and I asked the person who ownedit if I could take it for a spin. He said, �Greg, be careful. You can dump that thing, and it can hurt you.� I thought, �Oh, please. It�s like a big tricycle.� I didn�t put any of my gear on, and I didn�t wear a helmet. And then I went tearing up a hill just like I would on my dirtbike. And sure enough, it flipped on top of me. I was sliding down the hill, upside down, in slow motion. I had every intention of going over the top of the hill, getting a little air, and having a nice three-point landing on those big, fat tires. Instead, I was going downhillin the opposite direction. It was a painful lesson, and I felt silly. That experience reminds me of backsliding. No one plans on doing it, but it happens. Show me any Christian who has fallen away from their faith, and I will show you a Christianwho took a series of steps into gross or open sin before the time they fell. You don�t call up a Christian friend and say, �Instead of going to church, do you want to go backslide and totally abandon our faith?� Some foolish person might do that, butgenerally, a Christian wouldn�t plan on that. The Bible specifically warns believers about falling away. The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, �Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn awayfrom the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons� (1 Timothy 4:1 NLT). We need to keep our guard up. We need to be careful because any believer could potentially fall away spiritually. There are a lot of people who may be in church and think they�re walking closely with the Lord. But in reality, they�re backsliders. The Bible clearly warns against the sinof backsliding. Speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, God said, �My wayward children . . . come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts� (Jeremiah 3:22 NLT). God also said, �Your wickedness will bring its own punishment. Your turning from me will shame you. You will see what an evil, bitter thing it is to abandon the Lord yourGod and not to fear him� (Jeremiah 2:19 NLT). Maybe you�re thinking, �That is so dramatic. But I don�t think I�ve actually backslidden. I�ll admit that I�m not as active today spiritually as I was ten years ago. I stillgo to church�when I can find the time. I still read the Bible�when I get around to it. And I still obey God�unless it conflicts with what I want to do.� As Christians, we�re either moving forward or backward. We�re either climbing or slipping. And the moment that we stop progressing as believers will be the moment that webegin to backslide. ---------------------- Strongand Courageous �And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed:for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.� (1Chronicles 28:20) This admonition�to be strong and of good courage�is found 11 times in the Bible�thrice on the lips of Moses, five times in Joshua, then twice from David, and once from Hezekiah. Although these all involved specific challenges confronting God�s people at thetime, the principles behind them indicate the need for courage of conviction for God�s people at all times. The first occurrence is in the command given by Moses to the Israelites just before his death as they were about to enter the promised land. �Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go withthee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee� (Deuteronomy31:6). In the next verse, Moses gave a similar exhortation to Joshua, their leader. The next-to-last occurrence is in our text, containing almost the same words as in the first occurrence, with David this time exhorting Solomon to build the great temple in Jerusalem. Whether entering a new field of service for God or beginning a great workfor God, the people of God will encounter opposition and must be strong and courageous to carry it through. The word �courage� occurs more in Joshua than in any other book of the Bible, and this specific exhortation is given five times: three by God, once by the people to Joshua, and once by Joshua to the people. In all these, the context stresses obedience to theWord of God, especially in resistance to sin and pagan belief systems. Especially significant is God�s command: �Be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law...that thou mayest prosper� (Joshua1:7). HMM ------------------------- Stepping Toward a Fall - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. �Proverbs 16:18 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/stepping-toward-a-fall/- Listen I heard about a sign on a road near an airport runway that read, �Keep moving. If you stop, you are in danger and a danger to those who are flying.� We could apply the same principle to the Christian life: We need to keep moving forward spiritually. If we stop, we�re in danger and a danger to others. There is a natural tendency to go in the wrong direction. As a result of putting our faith in Jesus Christ, we have a new nature. But we also have an old nature that fightswith the new nature. The apostle Paul wrote, �And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can�t. I want to do what is good, but Idon�t. I don�t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway� (Romans 7:18�19 NLT). We make a choice whether to build up our spiritual lives or neglect them. And when we neglect the things of God, we are feeding our old nature. It�s a battle, and every daythe battle rages. Simon Peter never thought that he would fall away from the Lord. He somehow believed that even if everyone else abandoned Jesus, he never would. He didn�t understand his ownweakness, and as a result, he fell�and he fell hard. There are several steps that led to Simon Peter�s fall. The first was self-confidence. He said to Jesus, �Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you� (Luke 22:33 NLT). And according to Matthew�s Gospel, he also said, �Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you� (26:33 NLT). Peter was boasting, and he was doing it at the expense of others. He was boasting of his devotion and commitment. Yet Proverbs 16:18 warns, �Pride goes before destruction,and haughtiness before a fall� (NLT). We need to recognize that we have the potential to fall. We have the potential to sin. We don�t need self-confidence; we need Christ-confidence. We need to trust in Him andstay as close to Him as we can. Peter�s next step down was a lack of prayer. When Jesus and His disciples went to the Mount of Olives, Jesus told them, including Peter, to watch and pray. Instead, they weresleeping. This was a result of the sin of self-confidence. Lastly, Peter followed at a distance after a crowd of men arrested Jesus and led Him away. And a distance from the Lord in closeness and fellowship will always be at the foundationof all spiritual regression. In Peter�s defense, he was still following. But it was at a distance, which means that it was a half-hearted commitment. Although this is a story of failure, it is also a story of restoration and forgiveness. Peter received forgiveness and a second chance. Have you fallen away from the Lord?Jesus is ready to forgive you of every sin that you�ve ever committed.