2024/01/07 – Messianic Psalm #1

Reading: Psalm 2 – Messianic Psalm #1:

Daily-Devotional:                                                                                        

Psalm 2 is the most Messianically-oriented Psalm of all. All twelve verses  have something about the Messiah. It has four stanzas, each of which deals with the Messiah, from the first with the nations conspiring against the LORD and “His anointed” to the last where the final warning is given to the rulers of the earth.

First stanza, Verses 1-3, the Psalmist is the speaker: “Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and His anointed, saying, ‘Let us burst their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us.”’

Why do they plot? They think they are ruling the world, when in fact God is ruler over everything. Just as Herod feared the newborn king and wanted to kill him to stop a rival king, all of the major rulers on earth wanted to keep their power by bursting the bonds of the LORD and His anointed from themselves and casting their cords aside so they could remain in power.

The Jews in control of the Temple in Jesus’s day conspired together to have Him killed – and in the end, Pilate went along with them. They insisted He be crucified, but Pilate asked, “Shall I crucify your King?” They shouted back, “We have no king but Caesar!” They had earlier said Jesus made Himself out to be a king, and if Pilate did not crucify Jesus, he would no longer be a friend to Caesar, an unveiled threat they would expose Pilate to the wrath of the paranoid man at the head of the Roman Empire.

Second Stanza, Verses 4-6, God is the Speaker: “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the LORD has them in derision. Then He will speak to them in His wrath, and terrify them in His fury, saying, ‘I have set My King on Zion, my Holy Hill.”’

God laughs at their folly, but His laughter had a sharp edge to it. He turns to His wrath to terrify them. He says, “I have set My King on Zion!” Zion was the place God had chosen as His footstool in the Holy of Holies of the Temple and the place only the High Priest could enter, and that only on the Day of Atonement.

Third Stanza, verses 7-9, the yet-to-be-Messiah speaks: “I will tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son; today I have begotten You. Ask of me, and I will make the nations Your heritage, and the ends of the earth Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.”’

When Paul and Barnabas preached in Antioch of Pisidia, in the conclusion of his message included this; “We bring you the good news that what God promised to our ancestors, He has fulfilled for us, by raising Jesus; as it is written in the second Psalm, ‘You are My Son; today I have begotten you.’ As to His raising Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption.’ He spoke in this way, ‘I will give you the holy  promise made to David.’ Therefore, He said in another psalm, ‘You will not let your Holy One experience corruption.”’

Paul added that David died and experienced corruption, but the One God raised up had no corruption. Let it be known to you that through this man, Jesus, forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.

David wrote, “All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; all the families of the nations shall worship before Him.” (Psalm 22:27). Ethan the Ezrahite wrote in another Messianic Psalm, “I will crush His foes before Him and strike down those who hate Him.”

Stanza Four, Verses 10-12, the Psalmist speaking: “Now, O Kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear; with trembling, kiss His feet, or He will be angry, and you will perish in the way; for His wrath is quickly kindled. Happy are all who take refuge in Him.”

This is a warning to us as well as to all the rulers of the earth. The Hebrew writer wrote, summing up the picture of coming to Zion with innumerable angels in a festive assembly together with all those enrolled in Heaven, to God the judge of all, the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of a better covenant, whose blood speaks better things than Able’s he calls for all to consider how Jesus suffered and charges us not to refuse Him who speaks. In Hebrews 12:28-29 he writes, “Since we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; for indeed our God is a consuming fire.”

Our service to God is that of reverence and awe. If we are indifferent in our worship, we have not truly worshipped. We may have gone through the motions of worship, but if our hearts are not in it, we will be like those Kings and Rulers who took counsel against the LORD and His Anointed One.

Come together to worship with prayer and praise that rings the rafters with song and thanksgiving! Come to the table where we feast on His broken body and drink the cup of His blood. Come to the house of joy because of His gifts and goodness.

Then take that joy and happiness into the darkness of this world. This is what our Savior wants of us.

2024/01/06 – The Blessed Person

Reading: Psalm 1 – The Blessed Person:

Daily-Devotional:                                                                                        

“Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law, they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.

“The wicked are not so but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore, the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous; but the way of the wicked will perish.” – Psalm 1, NRSV.

This is the first of the Psalms in the Book of Psalms. Who wants to follow the advice of the wicked or walk with sinners? Who wants to sit with scoffers, mocking people who are working hard – or think of those who mocked Jesus as He hung on the cross? Would you want to be like those who scoffed at Him? Much better is the fate of the thief who asked Jesus to remember him when He comes into His kingdom!

Instead, delight in the law of the LORD and meditate)e on it. Then you will prosper as Joseph did when he entered Potiphar’s house as a slave, but Potiphar saw that the LORD was with him and caused him to prosper in all that he did. (Genesis 39:3)

On the other hand, the wicked are like chaff, driven by the wind. Isaiah wrote, “The nations roar like the roaring of mighty waters, but He will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind,” (Isa. 17:13) for who can stand before the Lord?

The LORD is a righteous judge, treating all fairly. “The LORD has made Himself known, He has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands.” (Psa. 9:16). That is why they do not stand in the judgment. Nor will sinners stand in the congregation of the righteous.

While the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, there is no hope for the wicked; they perish. To perish is to die. God has no protection for them. “When my enemies turned back, they stumbled and perished before You. For You have maintained my just cause; You have sat on the throne giving righteous judgment. You rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked; You have blotted out their name forever and ever.” (Psa. 9:3-5)

They are blotted out of the Book of Life, never to be redeemed because they are destroyed by God – they are, indeed, snared in the work of their own hands, for God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

When Jesus gave His Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12, he blessed the poor, the mourners, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, peacemakers, and those persecuted because of their righteousness, and those who people revile falsely because of Jesus.

The bookends of the Beatitudes are the verses that say, “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” But all of these are blessings of comfort, inheriting the earth, receiving mercy, seeing God, and being recognized as God’s children. The persecuted are to rejoice, as the apostles of Jesus did when they were beaten, for they rejoiced they were counted worthy of suffering for His name. (Acts 5:41)

Are we worthy of these Blessings as the early Christians were? Or are we just lukewarm benchwarmers playing “church”?

2024/01/05 – New Disciples & Healings

Reading: Luke 5 – New Disciples & Healings:

Daily-Devotional:

One day Jesus was standing by the Sea of Galilee teaching people. The crowds pressed in on Him to better hear the Word of God. He saw two boats at the shore; the fishermen were washing their nets. He got into Simon’s boat and asked him to put out a little way from the shore, where he continued teaching.

When he finished speaking, he asked Simon to go out into the deep water and cast his nets for a catch. Simon said, “Master, we worked all night but caught nothing. If you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they did this, they caught a huge number of fish, so many their nets began to break. They called their partners in the other boat to come help them. They filled both boats, so they began to sink.

Simon Peter, when he saw this, fell down at Jesus’s knees, and said, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” He and the sons of Zebedee, James and John who were his partners, were amazed at this catch of fish. Jesus said, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they brought the  boats to shore, they left everything and followed Jesus.

Verse 12: Once, there was a man covered with Leprosy; when he saw Jesus, he bowed, face to the ground, and said, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out His hand, touched him, and said, “I do choose. Be made clean” Immediately, the leprosy left him, and Jesus told him to go to the priests and offer the required sacrifice.

One day, he was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were nearby. They had come from the villages of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him to heal. Just then, some men came bringing a paralyzed man on a bed. They tried to bring him through the door, but the room was so crowded they could not enter.

They went on the roof, removed some tiles, and let him down into the room on his bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” The scribes and Pharisees began to question, “Who is this who speaks blasphemously? No one can forgive sins but God alone.”

Perceiving their questionings, He said to them, “Why do you have such questions in your hearts? Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? But so you will know the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” – he said to the paralyzed man – “Stand up, take your bed, and go to your home.” Immediately, he stood, took his bed, and went home, glorifying God. All who saw it were amazed, and said, “We have seen strange things today.”

After this, He saw a tax collector named Levi in the tax booth. He said to him, “Follow me.” He got up, left everything and followed Jesus. Levi gave a banquet for Jesus in his house; there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others at the table.

The Pharisees and their scribes complained to the disciples, saying, “Why do you eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but those who are sick; I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

Then they said, “John’s disciples, like the disciples of the Pharisees, frequently fast and pray, but your disciples eat and drink.” Jesus said, “You cannot make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? When the bridegroom is no longer with them, they will fast.”

This is a passage we prefer to overlook. We are more given to feasting than to fasting. Consider the injustice of world hunger. Some live in astonishing luxury; others subsist in staggering poverty, helpless to save their children from lingering death by starvation.

Denny Kruse, a missionary to Ukraine, and Stan Brian, a member of EEM, got off a plane in Kyiv where they met a Ukrainian friend Andre. His ideas often challenged their traditional ways of seeing the world; they looked forward to a thought-provoking visit with him. They went to a café and offered to buy his lunch. Andre politely refused, saying, “It’s Monday. I’m not eating today.” We teased him, “But you’re already too thin! Why not eat something with us?”

They continued to press him until he stunned them with his reason for his abstinence. “On Mondays, I fast to be in solidarity with those in the world who have no food!” They were amazed that Andre wanted to share their hunger. He voluntarily takes a small portion of their pain and saves a little money to help. Do his meager efforts make a significant impact on the global problem of hunger? They said this is the wrong question! The question should be, “What if everyone were like Andre – a part of the solution?”

Could you and I become more like Andre?

2024/01/04 – Temptation of Jesus

Reading: Luke 4 – Temptation of Jesus:

“We do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

Few are tempted, though some have, to worship Satan. Fewer are tempted to jump from the top of the Empire State Building; again, some have. But have you been tempted to turn stones into bread?

Jesus was hungry; He had fasted for 40 days with absolutely nothing to eat while The Devil was tempting him. Now, major temptations are facing Him. In His hunger, Satan slyly said, “If you are the Son of God, turn these stones into bread.” I ask again, have you been tempted to turn stones into bread?

This is a common temptation to mankind. Red stones from Minnesota are mixed with black stones from West Virginia, heated to a high temperature, and pig iron comes out. This is converted to steel and is used for all sorts of materials from needles to girders. It generates money for many people. Money is sometimes called bread. All mankind yearns for money, even needs money, whether it comes from stones or crops in the field. It is in our materialistic nature.

Jesus resisted this temptation by reminding Satan, “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone.”’ (Deut. 8:3) Jesus had lived for 40 days without bread. That cannot continue for much longer before weakness overcomes Him. Yet He faced two other temptations before receiving nourishment.

The Devil led Him up a high place and, in an instant, showed him all the kingdoms of the world. He said to Jesus, “I will give you all of these, if you will worship me, it will all be Yours.” Jesus had come to establish a kingdom. He did it through blood, sweat, tears, and death. Here was an opportunity to have all the kingdoms of the world without the ultimate price of those things. Yet He resisted the temptation by saying, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.”’ (Deut. 6:13) Anything less than this would compromise His integrity. Further, He knew the Devil was a liar, and it would not be God’s kingdom He would have.

Having been thwarted twice by Scripture, the third temptation in Luke’s account has the Devil quoting Scripture. He took Jesus to the pinnacle of the Temple and said, “If you are the Son of God throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “He will command His angels concerning You, to protect you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear You up so that You will not dash Your foot against a stone.”’ (Ps. 91:11-12)

Here Jesus could show a great exploit that would gain Him many followers. Yet He resisted, saying, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’ (Deut. 6:16)

“All that is in the world – the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches – comes not from the Father but from the world.” (1 John 2:16) The materialistic lust for riches, the desire for people to look up to you as a star, and the lust for fleshly pleasures are things we need to avoid. They do not come from the Father, our God, nor His Son. God has a better plan for our lives.

“I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

These plans that God has for us, for our welfare and our future hope for an eternal life of knowing Him, are far better than the things this world offers!

2024/01/03 – Luke 3: Ministry of John the Baptist

Reading: Luke 3: Ministry of John the Baptist

Daily-Devo:

The Word of God came to John, son of Zebedee, in the wilderness. This wilderness was Northeast of the Dead Sea where the Quran Commune who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls lived. John had been with them for some years, for his parents were old when he was born. Luke 1:80 says he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel. That day has now come.

He went into the region around the Jordan River, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Isaiah prophesied, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness; Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. Fill every valley, and make every mountain low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

John said to the crowds coming to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not say, “We have Abraham as our ancestor.” God is able of these stones to raise children to Abraham. The axe is at the root of the trees; every tree not bearing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

He was explicit in what he said to those who asked, “What shall we do?” To the crowds, he said whoever has two cloaks give to one who has none, and whoever has food, do likewise.

Even tax collectors asked him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” He said to collect no more than the amount prescribed. Soldiers asked him, “What shall we do?” He said do not extort money by threats or false accusations and be content with your wages.

All were questioning if he might be the Messiah. John answered them all, I baptize you in water, but one is coming after me who will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and he will gather the wheat into his granary and burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.

It is evident that trees being thrown into fire if they are not bearing good fruit and the chaff being burned with unquenchable fire are symbols of judgment, despite those who pray to be baptized in fire.

When Jesus was baptized among the people, He was praying; the Holy Spirit descended on Him as a dove. A voice from Heaven said, “You are My Son, the Beloved; with You I am well pleased.”

Jesus was about 30 years old when He began His work.

Then there is His genealogy. He was (as was supposed) the son of Joseph and from there going back 75 generations to Adam who was called the Son of God. Most scholars believe this was the genealogy of Mary. The Jews did not normally name mothers in genealogies, as they did not pay much attention to women. Joseph was the son-in-law of Heli, the father of Mary. Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus came from Abraham to David, to the carrying away into Babylon, to the Messiah, 42 generations in all. That genealogy began with Abraham and went forward; Luke’s genealogy began with Joseph and Heli and went backward to Adam and God. Mary’s great-ancestor, Nathan, was the son of David, giving Jesus two lines to David: the legal line through Joseph of the house of David, and the physical line from Mary to Nathan, the son of David.

Confusing? No wonder Paul warned about involvement with genealogies!

2024/01/03 – Luke 3: Ministry of John the Baptist

Reading: Luke 3: Ministry of John the Baptist

Daily-Devo:

The Word of God came to John, son of Zebedee, in the wilderness. This wilderness was Northeast of the Dead Sea where the Quran Commune who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls lived. John had been with them for some years, for his parents were old when he was born. Luke 1:80 says he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel. That day has now come.

He went into the region around the Jordan River, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Isaiah prophesied, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness; Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. Fill every valley, and make every mountain low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

John said to the crowds coming to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not say, “We have Abraham as our ancestor.” God is able of these stones to raise children to Abraham. The axe is at the root of the trees; every tree not bearing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

He was explicit in what he said to those who asked, what shall we do? To the crowds, he said whoever has two cloaks give to one who has none, and whoever has food, do likewise.

Even tax collectors asked him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” He said to collect no more than the amount prescribed. Soldiers asked him, “What shall we do?” He said do not extort money by threats or false accusations and be content with your wages.

All were questioning if he might be the Messiah. John answered them all, I baptize you in water, but one is coming after me who will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and he will gather the wheat into his granary and burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.

It is evident that trees being thrown into fire if they are not bearing good fruit and the chaff being burned with unquenchable fire are symbols of judgment, despite those who pray to be baptized in fire.

When Jesus was baptized among the people, He was praying; the Holy Spirit descended on Him as a dove. A voice from Heaven said, “You are My Son, the Beloved; with You I am well pleased.”

Jesus was about 30 years old when He began His work.

Then there is His genealogy. He was (as was supposed) the son of Joseph and from there going back 75 generations to Adam who was called the Son of God. Most scholars believe this was the genealogy of Mary. The Jews did not normally name mothers in genealogies, as they did not pay much attention to women. Joseph was the son-in-law of Heli, the father of Mary. Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus came from Abraham to David, to the carrying away into Babylon, to the Messiah, 42 generations in all. That genealogy began with Abraham and went forward; Luke’s genealogy began with Joseph and Heli and went backward to Adam and God. Mary’s great-ancestor, Nathan, was the son of David, giving Jesus two lines to David: the legal line through Joseph of the house of David, and the physical line from Mary to Nathan, the son of David.

Confusing? No wonder Paul warned about involvement with genealogies!

2024/01/02 – Luke 2: Jesus Is Born

Reading: Luke 2: Jesus Is Born

Daily-Devo:

Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem, but Joseph and Mary lived in Nazareth of Galilee. The time of his birth was near, so the Lord arranged for Augustus to call for a census of all the world. Every person had to go to the city of his nativity, so Joseph went to Bethlehem taking Mary with him, for the time for the birth of her son was near. (There is no mention of a donkey; there may have been one, or they may have walked.)

She gave birth to Jesus, her firstborn, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. Some teach that she was a perpetual virgin, but Scripture speaks of his brothers and sisters. Scripture does not support the immaculate conception of Mary’s mother as pronounced by Pope Pius IX in 1854. This is the doctrine that Mary was conceived without original sin because of the immaculate conception of her mother. Why would this doctrine not include Mary’s father as well; if he had original sin, would it not pass to Mary?

Back to Luke, who said there were Shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem watching their sheep that night. An angel stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. The Shepherds were terrified, but the angel said, “Fear not! I bring you good news of great joy for all people of the world. To you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. You will find a child in a manger.” Suddenly, a host of angels were saying, “Glory to God in the Highest, and peace on earth among those He favors.”

The angels left, and the shepherds hastily went to Bethlehem and found Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. They told the parents what the angels had said. All who heard it were amazed, but Mary treasured these words and pondered them in her heart. Others may have been amazed for a short time, but Mary thoughtfully considered what the Shepherds said. On the eighth day, the baby boy was circumcised and received His name, Jesus, the name that is higher than all names.

On the 40^th day, he was taken to the Temple in Jerusalem for the purification of Mary. They offered the sacrifice of the very poor, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

There was a righteous man in Jerusalem, Simeon, who looked for Israel’s comfort. The Holy Spirit rested on him and revealed to him he would live to see the Messiah. Simeon took Jesus in his arms saying, “Master, my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory in Israel.”

Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was being said about Jesus. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed – and a sword will pierce your soul too.”

There was also a Prophetess, Anna, a woman of great age who lived in the Temple, fasting and praying night and day. She came and began to praise God and speak about the infant to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Others may have ignored the words of the elderly Simeon and Anna, Mary kept these things in her heart. She would often bring them out to ponder over as her child continued to grow and become strong.

Luke says nothing about their flight into Egypt following the visit of the Magi recorded in Matthew. He merely says they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

They did take Jesus to the Passover when He was twelve years old. He stayed behind when his parents joined a caravan of returning worshippers. At the end of the day, they looked for him among the crowd, but could not find him. The next day, they returned to Jerusalem; on the third day, they found him in the Temple, asking and answering questions among the teachers of the law. All were amazed at His understanding and His answers.

His mother said to Him, “Child, why have You treated us like this? Your father and I have been searching for You in great anxiety!” He replied, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be about the things of MY Father?” They did not understand what He said to them. Nevertheless, He went home with them to Nazareth and was obedient to them. Mary treasured all these things in her heart. Jesus increased in wisdom and years – and in favor with God and man.