June 8 – A Different "Stand Your Ground"

“Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so;
2 Corinthians 11:16 (NASB) 

From time to time we may be recipients of hostile attacks on our faith in Jesus Christ.  While we wish to not reply in kind manner, we can be ready to defend the truth of our salvation by grace through faith. The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the church in Corinth to correct several errors in their behavior and thinking. One is laid out in the 11th chapter of 2 Corinthians. Paul’s apostolic authority was challenged and he is pressed into this defense. The apostle knew that his claim to be an apostle was incontrovertible. Today many people who have no right to the title yet still claim to belong to the God’s family. If we are confident to declare, “I am a follower of Christ Jesus,” let’s only say it after we’ve searched our hearts as in the presence of God. Charles Spurgeon would advise; “May it be that we can give proof that we are following Jesus, if we can say from the heart, “I trust Him wholly, trust Him only, trust Him simply, trust Him now, and trust Him ever,” then the position that the saints of God hold also belongs to us.”

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May 16 – A Part of The Family of God

“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:16 (NIV)

The popular Southern Gospel song, “Family of God” includes the lyrics “I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God.”  Our verse selected today reminds us of this important work of the Holy Spirit. When we believe and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are brought into the family of God. God puts within us His Holy Spirit to live in our hearts. It is the Holy Spirit who makes the knowledge of our joining the family of God very real to us. Others might tell us this fact and we can read and sing about being children of God but in order for it to become really meaningful for you and I we need to hear confirmation from the Holy Spirit.  How wonderful that the Spirit of God Almighty testifies with us that we are His children. Children of God by Spiritual re-birth and by God the Father’s adoption of us into his family. There need be no question about it and no doubt at all. Let's just listen to Him and let Him convince us each day that we have been adopted and full members of God's family of love.

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February 21 – Sowing Tears, Reaping Joy

“He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.”  Psalm 126:6 (ESV) 

After seventy years as captives, the Children of Israel were allowed to return to their homes in Jerusalem and the country surrounding what was, and is called Mount Zion by many.  This psalm is a song of Ascents. It is a song of praise to God by the Hebrew people who had come back from their captivity. We can understand how those who had been away from their homes as exiles were thrilled to be back ascending the mountain to Jerusalem. Their mouths were full of happiness, joy, and praise to God. We may not have been exiled from our earthly homes but we can praise God for the great things he has done for us by bringing us into His family. We were strangers to His family but He has made us His children. Has not He shown us so often how much He loves us and how He will take care of us? We may have been weeping as we tended to the tasks God has given to us.  He promises that the result will be wonderful.  Like those who sow seed with tears of sorrow, God promises we will return with joy at harvest time. 

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September 20 – In the Family

“For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”  Matthew 12:50 (ESV)

These words were spoken by the Son of God.  He was involved from the very beginning of the creation of the universe.  We have a wonderful relationship with our Father in the family of God because of what His Son, Jesus has done for us.  Jesus makes this clear in this statement recorded in the Gospel of Matthew.  Even though He is the Son of God and is all-powerful, is every where present, and is all knowing, He is willing to accept us, His creatures into this eternal family relationship.  For it is by faith you are or can be His brother or His sister and a member of His family.  You are not just His creature, you are not just a far-off relative, you are related to Him as His brother or His sister.  He calls us to live in a way that is pleasing to Him throughout each day by doing the will of His Father who is also our Father.  Our relationship with God our Father is direct, just as a son or daughter, without any mediator other than Jesus, the Son of God. 

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October 13 – A Choice Freely Made

“Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” James 1:18 (ESV)

We have good reason to be glad that God has given us the revelation of Himself in the Bible. We have been considering the gifts that have made us a part of God and that means we belong to the family of God. Of all His creatures, we who believe are the ones consecrated like the gift of firstfruits* of a harvest. We are born again when we believe in Jesus as Savior. Our verse today tells us that God has given us birth through His Word, the Word of Truth. This is accomplished by Him through our believing what has been recorded in the Bible. When we believe in what God has said in His Word He responds by choosing to give us new life.

July 2 - In the Family

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,” Ephesians 2:19 (NIV)

Our verse today is one of many in the Bible that tell us the truths about our God and what happens to us when we believe in Jesus Christ. It is uplifting and encouraging to know that when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior we are brought into a new relationship.  We become members of God's family and this involves a close relationship to God and to other members of His family. Let's not forget, today, that we belong to God. We are not outside, we are in the family. We can depend on Him to demonstrate His love to us. We can talk to Him and He will respond. He will show us how true our verse is today and that we can depend on this promise of kinship with God and our Lord Jesus Christ. 

May 12 – A Part of The Family of God

“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:16 (NIV)

Our verse selected today reminds of on an important work of the Holy Spirit. When we believe and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are brought into the family of God. God puts within us His Holy Spirit to live in our hearts. It is the Holy Spirit who makes the knowledge of our joining the family of God very real to us. Others might tell us this fact and we can read about being children of God but in order for it to become really meaningful for you and I we need to hear it from the Holy Spirit.  How wonderful that the Spirit of God Almighty witnesses to us that we are His children. There need be no question about it and no doubt at all. Let's just listen to Him and let Him convince us each day that we have been adopted and full members of God's family of love.

June 4

“My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long—though I know not how to relate them all.”  Psalm 71:15

We have as much reason as the psalmist did to tell others how good our God is. The writer felt the urge to talk about the righteousness of God and about His salvation. He recognized that he didn’t understand everything about the righteousness of God. Nor did he comprehend how great God’s salvation is. Isn’t that true for us, too? There is no human being who can comprehend all it means to be brought into God’s family. What Jesus did for us on the cross and what God does for us when we believe is far greater than we can understand. And yet we can thank God for what He has done and we can tell others about it even though we don’t understand it all.

March 21

“Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”  John 12:23-24 (NIV)

There were many things that happened during the last days that Jesus lived just before His crucifixion that are recorded for us. We read of some Greeks coming asking to see Jesus. The verse for today was His reply. He was not interested in being a public hero. He had a burden on His heart for you and me. He knew that by dying for us He could bring us into the family of God. He was more interested in that than in being a public figure. By dying Jesus produced great results.  Let’s thank Him for being faithful.

February 21

“The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy.” Psalm 126:3 (NIV)

This psalm is a song of praise to God by the people who had come back from captivity. We can understand how those who had been away from their homes as exiles were thrilled to be back home again, free to begin living in their own places. They were full of joy and praise to God. We may not have been exiled from our earthly homes but we can praise God for bringing us into His family. We were strangers to His family but He has made us His children. Has not He shown us so often how much He loves us and how He will take care of us? We were not worthy but He is a great God. We can join with the Old Testament saints in singing this song.

February 20

“The people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.” Isaiah 43:21 (NIV)

We read how God has a special purpose in the way He deals with people. In the Old Testament He had a chosen people, and here we read the purpose He had in mind. I believe that God has the same purpose in calling out a people for His name today. After Jesus died on the cross God wanted the news to be spread around the world with an invitation for all who believe to become part of His family. God has been forming a people for Himself and His purpose is the same as it was for Israel. God wants us to praise and glorify Him. Is that too much to ask? We are loved by Him and He has a great future for us. Why shouldn’t we praise Him?