Blog

“And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.” 2 Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬. After the mighty Assyrian army came against Jerusalem, at first king Hezekiah tried to handle the situation himself. Instead of immediately seeking God, he tried to pay off the enemy king and win his favor. But Hezekiah soon realized this enemy could not be bargained with. Of course, after his efforts failed he does the right thing and sends word to the prophet Isaiah. Then they both humbly seek the Lord about this imminent threat against their country. And we know that God miraculously intervenes and destroys the Assyrian army. This is a great lesson for us as we face the challenges in our own lives. Our human tendency is like Hezekiah’s, to try to fix things ourselves. Fallen human nature is prone towards self sufficiency. We are often slow to take our rightful place as humble children of our Heavenly Father who must depend upon Him in the battles we face. By God’s grace, let us always turn first to our Heavenly Father and put the battle in His hands.

“And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful…” Luke‬ ‭10:41-42‬ ‭KJV‬‬. Martha was upset because she was cooking and serving while her sister Mary sat at Jesus feet listening to His wonderful words of life. While it’s true that those domestic tasks were needful and important things, He was expressing to her that there is one thing more important and of utmost need. And that ‘one thing’ is always time with Jesus! We should understand, that of all the needful things for us to do each day, there is nothing so important, nothing so needful for our eternal souls as taking time with Jesus. He longs for our fellowship and knows that our lives cannot be complete and we cannot be prepared for the day, without personal time with Him. It is sad that so many people in religion regard this as unnecessary. They have no time for Jesus other than a few minutes on Sunday morning. But that is one of the differences between religion and true salvation. Salvation brings us to a personal relationship where we recognize our need for daily fellowship with Jesus. But religion leaves people satisfied with an occasional church service. Salvation changes our hearts to where we desire to spend time with Jesus but religion makes people content to fill their time with other things. By God’s grace, let us choose daily time with Jesus.

“I made haste, and delayed not to keep Thy commandments.” Psalm‬ ‭119‬:‭60‬ ‭KJV‬‬. Most of the time when we think of delay, our minds go to sinners, like Felix in Acts 24:23, who think they will wait for a more convenient time. But procrastination is also a very serious problem for many believers. And sadly, it is not recognized as something serious. But we need to understand, delayed obedience is actually disobedience. How many have sat in services hearing the Word of God preached and thought to themselves, “I will start doling that tomorrow or next week”? These are some common spiritual delays: I will put Christ first in my life tomorrow. I will begin daily Bible reading tomorrow. I will start a consistent prayer life tomorrow. I will start to attend church regularly, later on. I will use the gift God has given me tomorrow. I will make things right with that individual some other time. I will stop that bad habit tomorrow. And the list could go on. But the point is, when God reveals needs in our lives, it is so we can act now. By God’s grace, may our attitude be as the Psalmist, “I made haste, and delayed not to keep Thy commandments.”

“whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” James‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬. If we could list some of the most dangerous words spiritually, this word ‘tomorrow’ would be very near the top of the list. Tomorrow is a thief that robs us of time and opportunities today. Tomorrow is a deceiver that tricks us into thinking, we will do then what we should do now. Tomorrow is an enemy that keeps precious souls from coming to Jesus today for the needs of their souls. But as the saying goes: “Tomorrow never comes”. How much work for God is never done, because we put off until tomorrow what we should do today? How many souls are in eternity lost, because they chose to wait until tomorrow to make a choice for Christ? How many opportunities have believers lost because we delayed until tomorrow? For many unsaved people, their attitude towards the Gospel is not a refusal, but a delay. They see their need and they mentally agree to the truth about Jesus, but their attitude is, “Not today, but perhaps tomorrow”. But let us realize, tomorrow never comes. This is why God tells us, “Today is the day of salvation. Now is the accepted time”. So whatever God has called us to do, by His grace, let us cease our delay and do it today. None of us have a guarantee of tomorrow.

Friday Devo
(Part 3) “Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God.” Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬. We have considered from this parable the types of ground and the wondrous possibility of change by the power of God. But we should also understand that each type of ground represents the human response to the Word of God. The good seed being sown is the Word of God, specifically the Gospel message. Some people have a hard hearted attitude and will not receive it at all. Others initially receive the Word, but then as they learn more their attitude changes and they fall away. Some, like the thorny ground, receive the Word and it begins to grow in their heart, but then they let other things push it aside. They don’t give proper priority to the Word. But the good ground is that life which receives the Word of God and allows it to take root and produce spiritual fruit in their lives. These souls do not neglect nor ignore the message of God. All of this is about how we respond to what God says. So let us ask ourselves, “How am I responding to God’s Word? Do I look forward to reading the Word and hearing it preached, and consistently make time for it? Am I striving to walk in obedience to what God says?” Most today, have little or no time for God’s Word. It has no significant place in their lives. Ultimately, our attitude towards the Word is a reflection of our attitude towards God Himself.

(Part 2) “…He spake by a parable: A sower went out to sow his seed…” Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬. As we consider this profound parable, we have seen that the ‘good ground’ did not merely happen by chance. It was good because it was prepared. Perhaps it had been hard ground that someone took time to break up and water and cultivate. Maybe it was once rocky or thorny and someone put forth the effort to clear it. The point is, it required effort to make the ground good. But what if good ground is neglected? What if no one takes time to water it or keep the weeds out? What if it is not protected from enemies who would fill it with rocks and debris? Anyone who has ever worked a garden or farmed a field knows well that when good ground is neglected it will fall to ruin. It will not be fruitful nor productive. May God help us to understand, this is also how it is with our souls. We thank God, that through His mercy, the ground of our hearts was once prepared to receive the good seed of His Word. And if there has been any spiritual fruitfulness in our lives we give God the glory. But let us realize, we each have a responsibility to care for the soil of our lives. We must not neglect this great salvation that has been planted within our hearts. By God’s grace, let us be good stewards of what our Lord has entrusted to us and be careful that we do not neglect the good ground.

(Part 1) “…He spake by a parable: A sower went out to sow his seed…” Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬. This Parable of the Sower was the first parable that Jesus used. We know that the 4 types of ground represent different attitudes of people towards the message of the Gospel. But one thing that is clear from this parable is that all human beings have the capacity for change. This may seem like a common truth, but it is a truth that is denied by many false doctrines of men and disbelieved by many professing Christians. But let us consider, just like the condition of natural ground can be changed, so also can the condition of human hearts. Thank God, as we are is not how we have to remain. The condition sinners are now in, is not how they have to remain. Most believers like to think that they were ‘good ground’. But we should understand, there is no naturally occurring ‘good ground’. Not in this physical world nor in the spiritual condition of people. Good ground has to be prepared so that it is receptive to the seed. The only reason that our hearts were receptive to the seed of Gospel is because God, in His infinite mercy, had worked to prepare our hearts. He sent His Holy Spirit to show us our need and to convict us of our sins. He used people to pray for us. He sent someone to reveal His love to us. Then what seemed impossible happened. We became good ground. By God’s grace, let us be those who join in His work of preparing the hearts of men.

“Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before Me? because he humbleth himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days…” 1 Kings‬ ‭21:29‬ ‭KJV‬‬. Ahab had been one of the most wicked kings in Israel’s history. But there came a time in his life when this proud, idolatrous king finally humbled himself before God. And when he did, God had mercy on him. One of the most tragic things about so much of modern religion is that people are offered religion that does not require humility. They can ‘believe’ a few things and get a suave on their conscience even while they are filled with pride. They are not humbled by their sin against God nor the offer of His grace and mercy to them. Even the thought of suffering eternally does not humble them because in their pride they imagine that they are too good to deserve that. But God’s Word is very clear that God will only look to the broken and contrite heart. Which means, apart from true humility we have absolutely no hope. Today, our only hope for revival and spiritual awakening begins with humility. 2 Chronicles 7:14 reminds us “If My people will humble themselves…” Let us pray that souls will get away from the pride of man’s religion and humble themselves before God, before it is eternally too late. By God’s grace, let us humble ourselves to walk with God.

“Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭1:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬. Many believers do not realize that one of the reasons our Heavenly Father allows us to go through difficult places in life is so that we can receive and discover the great blessing of His comfort. But even as we do this, let us understand there is also another purpose involved. This is not all about us. The reality is that our God loves every soul. He sees the brokenness that sin brings and the suffering of humanity. He longs to comfort, help and save each one. And in His infinite wisdom, He has chosen us, as members of the body of Christ, to be His hands that reach out to and help comfort hurting souls. So we have His Word here that reminds us, we are to comfort others with the same comfort that we have received from Him. Let us be thankful that our Father desires to comfort us, and to use us to bring His comfort to those in need. And let us show by our lives, the reality of our Father’s comfort.

“But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw His glory, and the two men that stood with Him.” Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭32‬ ‭KJV‬‬. As this great scene unfolded on the Mount of Transfiguration, it is amazing that the 3 disciples had fallen asleep. Many hours earlier they had begun this journey with Jesus excited that He had chosen them. And clearly, as we learn later from their own desires, they had many thoughts about personal greatness. They were thinking of the glory they would have as leaders in this great work Jesus was beginning. And with those thoughts of self glory they drifted off to sleep. But it says here, “when they were awake they saw HIS glory.” One of the important lessons they had to learn, and all believers must learn is: All the glory belongs to Jesus. Any time we began to focus on the glory of the creature, we will be incapable of beholding the glory of Christ. Over and over this has happened in church history where individuals and even whole denominations have focused more on the glory of man than the glory of Christ. Prominent religious leaders are glorified. Gifted individuals are constantly glorified. Many glorify their personal theology and doctrines. And of course, this entire world is wrapped up in the glory of the creature, rather than the Creator. But all of this causes people to fall into spiritual slumber. By God’s grace, let us awake from all such slumber so we truly can behold the glory of Jesus Christ.