Category Archives: Salvation

Faith / Trusting God, Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Justice / Judgment, Salvation

Justified By Grace, Through Faith; Not Justified by Works

Though it has been discussed for thousands of years, many still find themselves confused by understanding how we are to be reconciled to Yahweh in order to receive forgiveness of sin and salvation… to be with Him forever in heaven when we leave this world. It is not by good works, not by always doing and thinking what is right… for that is impossible for man. Yahweh offers us justification by grace. To receive grace is to receive something which is undeserved. He made a way that we could be forgiven of our sins by sending Yeshua to die for our sins. We must have faith in Jesus, accepting Him as Lord and Savior. Then we are to ask for forgiveness, and repent… that is to turn away from our way of doing things and turn toward Yah’s way. When we truly have faith that believes Yeshua is Lord, and disciple ourselves after Him, we will do good works naturally, consistent with obedience to Yah’s instructions.  Good works come naturally and are the evidence of our faith.

As a quick reference, justification means to be declared “not guilty”. In this context it refers to God declaring us not guilty of our sin due to faith.

Romans 4

Justification by Faith Evidenced in Old Testament

      1What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 4Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 6just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

      7“BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN,
AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED.

      8“BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.”

      9Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 10How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised; 11and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, 12and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.

      13For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; 15for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.

      16For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17(as it is written, “A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. 18In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.” 19Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. 22Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 23Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.

It is easy to say, “I believe in Yeshua” and then to assume we have a right relationship with Yahweh. It is easy to attend a church once a week and then continue living our lives unchanged by the message that the Bible actually teaches. Each of us should ask ourselves, “Do I truly desire to obey Yah’s instructions? Do I change my behavior and attitudes to disciple after Yeshua or do I fit in with the world? What is the objective evidence of my faith?”

These questions should not be approached defensively from a posture of disbelief that someone would ask you these things. You should not accept just a simple statement of “I accept Yeshua” or “I am a Christian” from even yourself. If there is no evidence of your changing your life to disciple after Yeshua and obey all of Yah’s instructions, as best you understand them, then you have reason to be concerned.

If I believe in gravity, I seek to understand all the places and ways in which it may hurt me. I do not simply ignore some places where I may fall off a roof or ladder and pay attention to others. I pay attention to all of them… because I believe in gravity. The same principle applies to our relationship with Yahweh through Yeshua. If you truly believe, you will wholeheartedly seek to understand and then apply all of His instructions in your life… not just the ones that feel comfortable because they are culturally accepted.  If Yeshua is the way to the Father, why would we not follow Him fully, including His example to obey all of the Father’s instructions?

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for justification by faith though grace! Thank You that I do not need to earn forgiveness, because I cannot. Please help me to have a thankful heart and help me to have a passion to follow the example of Yeshua in living out Your law even though I do not do so for justification or for salvation. I do so to follow the example of my Messiah because of my faith and because I love You. Amen.

 Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Father / Yahweh, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Heaven and Hell, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Salvation

Do We Nullify the Law Through Faith?

Salvation, being forgiven of sins and reconciled to our heavenly Father, is not accomplished through works. We cannot be reconciled to Yahweh by perfectly following His law, for that is impossible for all but Yeshua. We receive salvation by the grace of Yahweh, through our faith in Yeshua. Our faith in Yeshua, if genuine, then prompts us to do good works and to follow the law of Yahweh, because we love our Father and because that is the example that Yeshua showed us for how we should live.

Romans 3:21-31

Justification by Faith

      21But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

      27Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.

      31Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.

Verse 31 is a very important verse for people to understand. Many who are predisposed toward dismissing the law of Yahweh as no longer relevant skip over verses like this one and teach falsely that the law no longer matters. As if it has been nullified by faith. Then they often teach a subset of or the law as still valid, like the 10 commandments. They treat the law as if it is a picklist from which they can select what they want to continue obeying and what they want to leave behind. This is quite simply and emphatically not how the law works. Our faith in Messiah establishes in our hearts a desire to follow His example and obey Him. We show we believe in Him and we show we love Him when we follow His example and obey His commands. Yeshua lived out the law of Yahweh consistently and flawlessly. It was by this standard He was judged righteous. He taught His disciples to follow the law as well. Let us be cautious to not dismiss the law as irrelevant like so many wish to do today. Yeshua Himself warned His disciples about this and taught clearly on the matter.

Matthew 5:17-19

    17“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18“For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19“Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

As you read Matthe 5:17, avoid the temptation to define “fulfill” as to complete and make no longer meaningful. That would make no sense with the statement that He did not come to abolish. Imagine saying, “I did not come to abolish the law, but rather to make it no longer meaningful to observe.” That is nonsense. Quite the opposite is true. To fulfill in this case means to bring it full of meaning, through His death and resurrection and His fulfillment of the prophecies and God’s plan. What sense would it make for Yeshua to say in verse 17 that we no longer have to follow the law and then follow with verse 19 shortly after? None.

19“Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

The law is still our God-given standard by which we should guide our lives. To learn more, read Understanding the Law – What Does It Mean Today?

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for Your gift of salvation and redemption by grace, through faith in Yeshua as our Messiah. Thank You also for Your Law and the writings of the prophets, which guide us on the right path and establish the foundation and context of Your word. Help Your people to have clarity and understanding in studying and applying Your whole word in our lives. Please let the Holy Spirit guide us in our understanding and in godly wisdom. Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Merciful, Salvation

The Law of God Is Good, But It Will Not Save You

In Romans 1, Paul exalts the gospel and writes about unbelief and its consequences. At the beginning of Romans 2, he writes about the impartiality of God, specifically in regard to Jews vs. Gentiles.

As Paul continues in Chapter 2, he emphasizes that being a Jew and being under the law does not save you. He is not speaking out against the law. He is not saying the law is obsolete or should be cast away. In fact, he makes the point that being a doer of the law is good, even for the Gentiles. He is saying that you cannot count on the law to save you. Salvation is through Yeshua for both Jew and Gentile. As Paul states, we are either judged without the law or under it.

Romans 2:12-13

  12For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; 13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.

Similarly, those who claim the name of Yeshua will not be saved by simply claiming it. They are not saved by hearing the message alone; they must accept it. They are not saved by sitting in church. They must truly submit to Yeshua. Their lives should be changed.

Do not think that because you are in a church you are saved or that because another may be outside of church they are not saved. They may be repenting and seeking God.

Romans 2:17-29

The Jew Is Condemned by the Law

      17But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God, 18and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, 19and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, 21you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? 22You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? 24For “THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU,” just as it is written.

      25For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law? 28For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

Yahweh wants our obedience. He wants us to live according to His ways. That is the example that Yeshua lived out for us! He did not just “know” God’s word and tell others what to do. Yeshua did not just claim God’s name and claim to follow Him, but He submitted to and obeyed God in all that He did.  He consistently rebuked those who knew the word and claimed to follow God but did not follow it.

Let us follow Yeshua’s example and seek to know and obey all of God’s instructions.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please grant wisdom, discernment, and humility to Your people so that we would know and choose to submit to and follow all Your instructions. Help us be doers of Your law and instructions rather than just claiming that we follow You and remaining unchanged in our lives. While we are called to discern truth, including what is good and what is bad, let us not focus too much on condemnation of one another without also accepting with thanksgiving that we, too, are sinners in need of Your grace and mercy. We are justified through You and You alone and not through our own deeds. Amen. 

  Shalom. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Encouragement, Faith / Trusting God, Help / Serve Others, Humility, Interceding for Others, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Kindness / Gentleness, Learning To Pray Effectively, Salvation, Thankfulness

For I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel

Paul is a great example. Consider how he engages fellow believers and how he intercedes on their behalf in prayer. He is enthusiastic, encouraging, thankful, and he prays for them often. He seeks fellowship with them. He is not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation for those who believe.

Romans 1:8-17

      8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, 10always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. 11For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; 12that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

      16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”

I ask God that I would be able to be more like Paul in his attitude toward other believers. I pray that believers everywhere would be as well. Imagine if we all were more enthusiastic, encouraging, and thankful and that we prayed often for each other and seek fellowship with one another. This attitude remained while Paul experienced much hardship.

Let us also not overlook verse 16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” It is the death and resurrection of Yeshua, our Messiah, that makes a way for us to be saved, to be reconciled with God. It is not through good works or our own righteousness. Let us remember that with humility and thankfulness.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me and other believers to maintain the attitude of Paul in Romans 1. Help us enthusiastically pray for one another, give thanks for one another, seek fellowship with one another, and maintain humility in remembering that it is You who made a way for our salvation through Yeshua. Thank You! Amen.

I would encourage you also to take a few additional minutes to start praying for others today and to give thanks to God for other believers in Your life or even those you don’t know personally. This is a good practice to do regularly.

Shalom. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, False Prophets / Teachers, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Jesus (hearing from God), Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Parables, Prophecy, Salvation, Sloth / Laziness, Wickedness / Evil

Jesus Prophecies About the Temple Destruction and His Return (Part 4)

Jesus continues His prophetic response to Peter, James, John and Andrew regarding three important questions in Matthew 25:14-46. They are having a private discussion on the mount of olives. The questions were: “When will the temple be destroyed?”, ” What will be the sign of Your coming?”, and “What will be the sign of the end of the age?” (If you missed it, we encourage you to read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 before you read further here in Part 4.)

Jesus provides additional strong warnings regarding judgment that will accompany His return. He warns us all to be ready now and expect that there will be consequences when He returns based on how we lived “while the master was away”. We will be held accountable. Those who lived faithfully submitted to Jesus will rejoice and be rewarded. There is no middle ground. We are either submitted to Jesus as Lord or we are not. Our behaviors and attitudes are an indication of our true relationship with Jesus as fruit is an indication of the type of tree that grows it. Those who accepted Jesus in name only, never changing their behaviors to reflect a true submission to Him as Lord will be held accountable just as those who outright rebelled against or rejected God.

Parable of the Talents

      14“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 15“To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. 16“Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. 17“In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. 18“But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

      19“Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20“The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ 21“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

      22“Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ 23“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

      24“And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. 25‘And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

      26“But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. 27‘Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. 28‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

      29“For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 30“Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Be encouraged… the master did not get angry with the man who made only two talents because another made five. The master praised both for their efforts and stewardship. Even the servant who dug the hole may have satisfied the master to a degree if he even had just put it in the bank. God gives each of us talents and abilities and a certain amount of time on this Earth. He expects us to serve Him by using what He gives wisely and not being wicked or slothful.

The Judgment

      31“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32“All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.

      34“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

      41“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44“Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45“Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46“These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Clearly there is judgment when Jesus returns. Just an a parent wants a child to obey when they are not together or an employer wants an employee to obey instructions when the employer is away… so too Jesus wants us to live in obedience to Him even before He returns. The test of how you love your master, parent, or employer is best reflected in how you behave when you think he or she is not around.

Jesus gives us some specific examples of things we can do to show Him we love Him… by loving other people. We can meet physical needs and spiritual needs of others. The physical needs are straightforward to understand. All of them also represent spiritual needs… we must bring the truth of the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ to as many as we can! Jesus compared himself to the bread of life and compared what He offers us to life giving waters that quench us such that we will never be thirsty again. So too loneliness, sickness and captivity can by physical or spiritual. Only Jesus can set people free and meet these needs… but we are commanded to  represent Him! How wonderful a task.

To begin, each of us must accept Jesus as Lord of our lives and turn away from our wrong behaviors and do things God’s way… according to the Biblical standard provided by God. This takes study and prayer to do it properly. We must study the Bible and learn to pray effectively. A godly, Biblical church can be part of that but can not replace additional personal time and  effort by invested by each individual.

It takes commitment to draw near to God and serve Him well. He calls for us to make Him our top priority… not a hobby. Begin now to dedicate your life to God if you, like me, want to hear Jesus tell you the following words when you meet Him:

‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

Get started by learning some key teachings:

Then we invite you to study the Bible with us daily through our devotions via email, Facebook, or on our website Latest Devotions page.

Please pray with me:

Father, please give me courage and faithfulness to use wisely what You have entrusted to me. Let me not simply meet my own needs and wants, but also see the needs of others as clearly as You do. Help me reach out to help others confidently and in Your name. Let me not simply be afraid that someone may be taking advantage of me, but really find tangible ways to help people in Your name. Help me to live a life to which You would consider me a good and faithful servant that I should hear those wonderful words from You, “well done”.  Amen. 

If you have questions or want to know more, please Contact Us.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, False Prophets / Teachers, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Jesus (hearing from God), Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Parables, Prophecy, Salvation, Tribulation

Jesus Prophecies About the Temple Destruction and His Return (Part 3)

Jesus continues His prophetic response to Peter, James, John and Andrew regarding three important questions in Matthew 24:32-51 and Matthew 25:1-13. They are having a private discussion on the mount of olives. The questions were: “When will the temple be destroyed?”, ” What will be the sign of Your coming?”, and “What will be the sign of the end of the age?” (If you missed it, we encourage you to read Part 1, and  Part 2  before you read further here in Part 3.)

The prophecy can be difficult to fully evaluate in part because Jesus does not clearly separate where He is talking about the end of the Age… His second coming… from the signs preceding the temple destruction, which occurred approximately 40 years after these words were spoken. (To study much more detail, consider the commentaries available on BibleHub.com.)

Many people spend a lot of time trying to specifically predict when Jesus will return at the end of the age… the end of the world as it currently exists. While it is important to be familiar with prophecy to recognize the signs of the times so we can properly respond to Jesus’ warning about the times leading up to His return… He also warns us in several different examples that none shall know the specific hour of His coming. Rather the warning is to be prepared ahead of time… prepare now.

Matthew 24:32-51

Parable of the Fig Tree

32“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. 34“Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

36“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 37“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38“For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40“Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41“Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.

Be Ready for His Coming

42“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43“But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44“For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

45“Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46“Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. 47“Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48“But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ 49and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; 50the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, 51and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25:1-13

Parable of Ten Virgins

1“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2“Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3“For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5“Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. 6“But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7“Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8“The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9“But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10“And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11“Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12“But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13“Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

Thankfully, we do not have to fully understand prophecy to understand what Jesus is calling us to do to prepare. We are called to accept Jesus as Lord repenting from our sins, become disciples through constant study and prayer, and then go and make disciples of others. This is how we prepare for the end times… to be ready even though we do not know exactly when it comes. We know enough to recognize that we better devote our lives to Jesus and help others to do the same. That is how we prepare.

Get started by learning some key teachings:

Then we invite you to study the Bible with us daily through our devotions via email, Facebook, or on our website Latest Devotions page.

Click link to continue to Part 4 in this article series.

Please pray with me:

Father, please help me to come to proper relationship with You now. Let me not put it off, assuming it only matters that I am doing what is right when You return. Help me to strengthen my faith, my passion for Your word, to worship You, to spend time with You, to share the gospel with others. Help me to know when I hear from You. Lead me to repent of my sins. Help me to prepare now, this very day. Amen. 

If you have questions or want to know more, please Contact Us.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, False Prophets / Teachers, Fear / Reverence for God, Jesus (hearing from God), Obeying God, Prophecy, Salvation, Tribulation

Jesus Prophecies About the Temple Destruction and His Return (Part 2)

Jesus continues His prophetic response to Peter, James, John and Andrew regarding three important questions in Matthew 24:15-31. They are having a private discussion on the mount of olives. The questions were: “When will the temple be destroyed?”, ” What will be the sign of Your coming?”, and “What will be the sign of the end of the age?” (If you missed it, we encourage you to read Part 1, before you read further here in Part 2.)

    15“Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17“Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. 18“Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19“But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20“But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22“Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. 24“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25“Behold, I have told you in advance. 26“So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. 27“For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28“Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

      29“But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. 31“And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

Jesus provides no specific answer as to when the temple will be destroyed. In fact He answers in a way that intermingles the description of the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age so that it is at times difficult to separate which comments apply for which event. He  answers as if both the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age may be described by a similar answer… as if one is a  foreshadowing one for the other.

Let us break it down verse by verse for more insight.

15“Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

The abomination of desolation refers to the Roman army’s occupation of Jerusalem preceding the city’s destruction and the desecration of the temple resulting from the actions of Antiochus IV Epiphanes in the mid-2nd century BC. Specifically, he set up an altar to Zeus in the Second Temple in Jerusalem, and sacrificed swine on it around the year 167 BC.

The destruction of Jerusalem after the Jewish people rejected Jesus Christ as Messiah may represent a foreshadowing of the end of the world when Christ comes again after many reject Him.

16then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17“Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. 18“Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19“But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!

This section of the prophecy clearly warns God’s people to be prepared. Recognize the signs and move quickly and urgently. There is no time to spare. It will be difficult. In regards to the Roman siege of Jerusalem, those who heeded Jesus’ prophecy were able to get out before the siege began, escaping to the countryside or wilderness. Those who were not prepared… who did not recognize the signs… would have been trapped in the middle of it.

So too we must prepare ourselves for the end of the age… the end of the world. We must be ready for it. The most important preparation is to turn from our wrong behaviors and thoughts (our sins)… to ask Jesus for forgiveness and make Him Lord of our life. (read more: The Message of the Cross – Salvation)

20“But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22“Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

Followers of Christ were not spared the tribulation of the siege of Jerusalem by God removing them from the situation. If they were prepared and heeded Jesus’ prophetic warning to leave, then their time was less hard… but still hard.  So, too, will it be at the end of the age. Christians will not be spared the great tribulation, but can take refuge in knowing what it brings and through personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Jesus encourages us to pray that our part of the tribulation would be more manageable… less harsh… so that we may endure it to the end. We should do as Jesus guides and pray.

23“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. 24“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25“Behold, I have told you in advance. 26“So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them.

Jesus’ comments here appear to apply more toward the end times rather than the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. He warns us clearly to watch out for the deception of false prophets who will claim to be Christ or speak for God. We must study scripture daily, seek God in prayer, and pray for God’s help to recognize the false prophets for what they are… lest they lead us astray. There are many today, leading people away from Jesus, claiming to teach His word. Each of us must heed this warning and take action in our lives to prepare. We must not be lazy in our study and prayer… doing it “when we have time”. We must seek first the kingdom of God.

Matthew 6:33 33“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

27“For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Jesus is letting us know that when He returns… it will be in a manner very different than we may imagine and very different from every false Christ. The second coming of Jesus shall be like lightning… swift, unexpected, and powerful. There is some thought that even the manner in which the Romans came to conquer Jerusalem can be compared to this prophecy… again as perhaps a foreshadowing of the end of the age.

 28“Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

To be honest, this verse is a bit tougher to understand with confidence. It may refer to wherever a church or nation has rejected God… is dead to God… and is decaying… there God’s ministers of vengeance, the vultures, do their work of destruction so as to leave room for new life.

 29“But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. 31“And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

Verses 29-31 again reinforce that Jesus’ return will not be subtle. It will be magnificent and obvious for those who are prepared to recognize it. His return will not be something that is unclear at all but rather He will come in great power.

All the tribes of the earth will mourn… all those who have rejected Jesus and instead chosen another path fear the coming of judgment. If they do not fear it now… they will fear it as Jesus returns in full power and glory and they can no longer rationalize their denial and rejection of Him.

The angels are sent forth with great fanfare to gather those on the earth who have chosen and submitted to Jesus, for they were scattered.

For those of us who follow and submit to Jesus, this time represents a wonderful time for celebration! For those who reject Jesus , it is a time to dread… judgment comes and they are on the wrong side of it.

Thankfully, we do not have to fully understand prophecy to understand what Jesus is calling us to do to prepare. We are called to accept Jesus as Lord repenting from our sins, become disciples through constant study and prayer, and then go and make disciples of others. This is how we prepare for the end times… to be ready even though we do not know exactly when it comes. We know enough to recognize that we better devote our lives to Jesus and help others to do the same. That is how we prepare.

Get started by learning some key teachings:

Then we invite you to study the Bible with us daily through our devotions via email, Facebook, or on our website Latest Devotions page.

Click link to continue to Part 3 in this article series.

Please pray with me:

Father, please help me to come to proper relationship with You now. Let me not put it off, assuming it only matters that I am doing what is right when You return. Help me to strengthen my faith, my passion for Your word, to worship You, to spend time with You, to share the gospel with others. Help me to know when I hear from You. Lead me to repent of my sins. Help me to prepare now, this very day. Amen. 

If you have questions or want to know more, please Contact Us.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, False Prophets / Teachers, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Jesus (hearing from God), Obeying God, Salvation, Through Prophets, Tribulation

Jesus Prophecies About The Temple Destruction And His Return (Part 1)

Jesus provides prophetic insight into when He returns at the end of the age to his disciples in Matthew 24:1-14. I find it interesting to note that this particular teaching, which may be harder to understand than others is directed in a private discussion between Jesus and some of His disciples, rather than a public forum. Some prophecy can be difficult to fully understand, especially by those who have not yet come into proper relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

      1Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”

      3As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

      4And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. 6“You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8“But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

      9“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10“At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11“Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12“Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13“But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Let us dive in and explore this prophecy from Jesus verse by verse. To study in more detail, I recommend starting by reviewing a variety of commentaries for this scripture on BibleHub.com. You can go verse by verse at:

http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/24-1.htm

1Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him.

As Jesus and His disciples left the temple, it would be natural to expect them to observe the structure in all of its splendor. It was magnificent.

2And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”

Jesus uses a proverbial and figurative expression “not one stone here will be left upon another” to reveal the coming destruction of the temple.  Barnes’ Notes Commentary provides the following historical information:

The temple was vast, rich, splendid. It was the pride of the nation, and the nation was at peace. Yet in the short space of 40 years all this was accomplished exactly. Jerusalem was taken by the Roman armies, under the command of Titus, 70 a.d. The account of the siege and destruction of the city is left us by Josephus, a historian of undoubted veracity and singular fidelity. He was a Jewish priest. In the wars of which he gives an account, he fell into the hands of the Romans, and remained with them during the siege and destruction of the city. Being a Jew, he would of course say nothing designed to confirm the prophecies of Jesus Christ; yet his whole history appears almost like a running commentary on these predictions respecting the destruction of the temple.

3As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

The prediction that the temple would be destroyed had been made in the presence of all the apostles. A “part” now came privately to know more. We know from Mark 13:3, that Peter, James, John, and Andrew were the disciples who came with Jesus to ask about these things.

There were three questions asked by the disciples.

1. When will the temple be destroyed?

2. What will be the sign of Your coming?

3. What will be the sign of the end of the age?

 4And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.

Jesus begins an answer in verse 4 that continues for several chapters. We will not cover all of it in one devotion, but rather continue studying it over the course of several devotions as we walk through the book of Matthew.

Jesus provides no specific answer to the first question about when the temple will be destroyed. In fact He answers in a way that intermingles the description of the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age so that it is at times difficult to separate which comments apply for which event. He  answers as if both the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age may be described by a similar answer… as if one is a  foreshadowing one for the other.

Jesus does not provide a distinct and specific description of the events, but instead seems most interested in providing a warning about what is to come. We are warned not to be mislead by the many who claim to come in His name. There are many false prophets who claim the name of Jesus, but we must spend time studying the word and in prayer daily to fully recognize the false prophets from the true ones. Many will be led astray to their peril! We are not to be lazy in our desire to know and serve God or we will be easy prey to be led away from Him by false prophets.

6“You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8“But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

Jesus warns us further not to be frightened by the wars, famines and earthquakes. These events must occur. They are but the beginnings of birth pangs… the beginning of labor. These things can continue on for a long time before the end of the age… the birth of a new one. Knowing what they signal is coming… a new age… can help us to avoid fear as our response… just as knowing about birth pains helps us avoid fear when those pains are experienced in pregnancy. For those who understand pregnancy and birth, this metaphor clearly serves as warning also that more difficulty and pain are to come. The birth pains are more intense than the early labor pains.

9“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10“At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11“Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. .

Contrary to the incorrect belief of many, the scripture indicates believers will experience tribulation, not be called away to Heaven before it comes. God’s people will be hated by all the nations because they submit to the name of Jesus. Under this intense pressure and persecution, many will fall away and betray one another. Many will hate one another. False prophets lead people away from God.

We can be encouraged because Jesus has warned us ahead of time. Those who understand and heed the warning will be better prepared to avoid being misled… being led away from Christ. We can endure tough situations, even finding joy in them, knowing that God has not been defeated… far from it! Jesus told us it would happen. We can look forward with great anticipation for the end of this age and the hope of the age to come.

12“Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold

Lawlessness refers specifically to the law of God… His commands on how we are to live. Jesus summarized God’s commands as loving God and loving your neighbor. As people discard the commands of God, claiming they are no longer relevant… their love grows cold. Some even teach discarding portions of the law because Jesus died for us, but this is contrary to what Jesus teaches. (To learn more, study our teaching Understanding the Law – What Does It Mean Today?)

Matthew 22:35-40

35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38“This is the great and foremost commandment. 39“The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus wants us to continue obeying all the laws and commands of God to the end of the age. By doing so we show love to God and our neighbors and do not allow our love to grow cold.

13“But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

Only the one who endures to the end will be saved. Those that turn away from God and follow their own path when it gets tough will be lost, regardless of whatever prior relationship they had with Jesus. While no one can “snatch” one out of the Father’s hand, all of God’s people must freely choose to submit to Him… and can also freely choose to reject and rebel against Him, even if they once submitted to Him.

John 10:26-30

26“But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29“My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30“I and the Father are one.”

For each of us, our end comes in different ways and different times.  Every day, about 150,000 people a day are dying… meeting their end. Yes, some will make it to the end of the age, but for most of us our end comes before then. Either way, we are each called to endure to the end, submitting our lives to God despite suffering or hard times.

14“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

After His death and resurrection, Jesus gave a clear command to His disciples to go and make disciples of all the nations, confirming again what He said in Matthew 24:14. We should study this command and obey it as well. It not only applies to the disciples, but to all who truly submit to Jesus Christ and therefore commit to do His work and obey His will and honor His kingdom. The command may not be easy to follow, but neither was dying on the cross easy. Jesus’ command should be very important to each of us that declare Him “Lord”.

Matthew 28:16-20

16But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Those of us who serve Christ have our marching orders, a mission if you will. Jesus did not say… “Live comfortably and according to your own desires. When you feel like it and when it is convenient and easy, please consider telling others about me.” Not at all. Quite the opposite. Jesus commands us to go and make disciples of all the world! Do not think that this was easy for the disciples either, but rather it was a challenging task. To study more about the Great Commission commanded by Jesus, review our teaching, The Great Commission – Make Disciples Of All The Nations.

We should consider Jesus’ warnings and instructions carefully and thoughtfully consider how to apply them to our lives!

Of course, the first step, for those who have not yet done so, is to turn from our sins and wrong behaviors, ask forgiveness from Jesus and submit to Jesus Christ  as Lord of our lives. It is a journey that lasts a lifetime, transforming us to be less like our old sinful nature and more like Jesus along the way. Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross. Accepting Jesus as Lord is just the beginning!

Click link to continue to Part 2 in this article series.

Please pray with me:

Father, please help me to come to proper relationship with You now. Let me not put it off, assuming it only matters that I am doing what is right when You return. Help me to strengthen my faith, my passion for Your word, to worship You, to spend time with You, to share the gospel with others. Help me to know when I hear from You. Lead me to repent of my sins. Help me to prepare now, this very day. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Learning To Pray Effectively, Salvation, Satan, Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Warfare – the Battle Is Real

The most basic rule of warfare is perhaps that if you don’t realize or accept there is an enemy moving against you, you will most probably lose. If you don’t fight back with an effective strategy, you will lose even if you take on the enemy. If you don’t properly identify your enemy, you will develop the wrong strategy.

In Ephesians 6:10-18 Paul provides us important guidance about the reality of spiritual warfare. Too often Christians dismiss spiritual warfare and focus only on the things we can see and touch. This leaves us vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. If we do not recognize the true enemy, we will struggle to win against him.

Ephesians 6:10-18

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Some key points upon which to reflect:

  • Our strength comes from the Lord, not ourselves
  • The devil is real and he has strategies he uses to lie, cheat and destroy. He will use more than one strategy against us.
  • Warfare does not always take place in physical world, sometimes it is in the spiritual world. Consider the book of Job.
  • Just putting on one or two pieces of the armor of God is not enough, we need to put on all of them.
  • Prayer and a relationship with Jesus is necessary! Jesus tells us to pray daily and to pray specifically to not let us yield to temptation, and to be rescued from the evil one. Matthew 6:9-13
  • We are to stay alert and pray for others in addition to ourselves. Pray for those preach the gospel that they would preach boldly!

Let’s explore what it really means to put on the full armor of God.

Truth can simply be defined as the real facts about something. Surprisingly the world today proposes that truth is relative when it comes to God or how we live… “True for you but not for me”, etc. This is no more accurate than saying “If I do not believe in gravity, I will not fall off a ladder.” Gravity is true whether or not I believe in or accept it. God lovingly and in great detail shares truth in the Bible and reveals it in the world around us. There is absolute truth.

Righteousness is characterized by living consistently with God’s standards of morality, justice, virtue, etc. As God’s standard is Himself, it is a lofty bar. We will never achieve it to perfection but He is the standard and reference point none the less. We should keep our eyes on Jesus and seek help from the Holy Spirit to keep changing to be more like Him.

The peace that comes from knowing the good news is not a promise that we will avoid conflicts and trials, but rather an affirmation that when we have relationship with Jesus Christ we know He is with us in this life and that we have eternal life on the other side of this world. We can have peace through the mightiest storms.

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1. In this context Paul reminds us that we must trust in God even when we are under attack by Satan. Just because we can not recognize how God is working in the situation does not mean that He is not there. We can be confident He is with us.

Salvation is deliverance from sin and its consequence, which is death. It is not enough to know or acknowledge Jesus Christ. Even Satan and his demons do that. By asking and accepting Jesus into our lives and repenting from our sinful ways we receive salvation through grace.

The sword of the spirit, or word of God, is what Jesus Himself used to defeat Satan when He was tempted in the wilderness. Matthew 4:1-11. We must know the word of God before the attack comes just as a soldier must train and be prepared before he goes to battle.

To be effective we must understand and use all of this equipment daily. It ceases to become “something we do” and becomes “how we do everything” in our lives.

Remember to heed Paul’s warning and guidance for prayer. The battle is not ours alone, but the Lord’s!

18With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, help me focus on the real enemy, Satan, rather than thinking of others in the physical as my enemy. Thank You for Your guidance and power to resist him. Help us as Your people in the application of putting on the full armor as You instruct. Let not the enemy divide Your people, but rather bring us together to resist him and glorify Your name. Amen. 

 Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Am I on the path?, Devotions by John, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Parables, Salvation, Share the Good News

The Parable of the Railroad Tracks

We begin by studying a modern-day parable. While this is not a Biblical parable, it is based on Biblical truth and used to help us understand the urgency of God’s instructions to us. Then we will explore further in scripture.

A car with three men inside came to be stuck on the railroad tracks at a railroad crossing on a cold, rainy night.  The three men had certainly heard of trains and were aware that cars were sometimes hit by trains, but did not really believe it to be likely. While the car was stuck, they remained inside because it was more comfortable than stepping outside. They decided to call a tow truck and wait in the car until it arrived or until the rain stopped.

 A man was walking along in the rain, wet and hurried. He wanted to reach his destination quickly and get out of the cold rain. He saw the car stuck on the railroad tracks and briefly thought about checking to see if they needed help. Instead, he walked on assuring himself that it was not his business to get involved and saying that he was sure it would all be fine in the end. Surely they had a phone. Surely help was already on the way. There was danger, but it was not urgent.

A second pedestrian came by and also noticed the car stuck on the tracks. He was wet and cold, too, but felt God would want Him to check on the men and warn them of the danger. He walked over to the car and spoke with the men inside briefly. He warned them that the trains usually come at night and there was real danger. The men inside did not listen, but actually seemed to get aggravated. One even made fun of the man outside the car and told him to go away. The driver did not want to leave his nice comfortable car, especially when it was uncomfortable outside. So they insisted they would wait in  the car.  Not wanting to offend or be considered foolish, the second pedestrian left quickly and went on about his way, shaking his head and thinking to himself that the fools deserved whatever trouble they brought on themselves.

The third pedestrian came along and spoke the same, true warning as the second pedestrian to the men in the car. He warned them about the danger from the train. He said it was urgent, the train always came about this time of night. The passengers of the car mocked him and told him to go away. They would be fine. The tow truck would be coming soon. The third pedestrian considered leaving, but instead he tried again, warning them of the urgency of getting out of the car. He pointed to the warning lights that now had started to go off and said he heard the train whistle. The driver did not want to hear it and said he was fine. He said the lights often go off on their own, probably a malfunction due to the storm. He did not hear the train whistle over the sound of thunder. Finally one of the men in the car got out of the car, with two remaining behind. The third pedestrian hurried the passenger safely away from the car. When the two remaining passengers saw the light from the train, it was too late, they did not know what to do. The train could not stop. Both men perished. Only the one that responded to the warning was saved and only because the third pedestrian persisted in the urgency of the message.

Who served God best? The man who walked by without saying anything? the second man who tried but quickly gave up when mocked? or the third man that shouted the truth even when others mocked him and pushed him away?

If not for the third man, who persisted in the warning, all in the car would have perished. How sad that people deny the impending danger of the train… of hell. They deny the need for a change … a need to die to self and submit to Christ to be saved and thus they perish. But how glorious that God, in His love for us, has made a way for us to be saved!

Christian evangelism is the sharing of the gospel of Christ with those who have not yet received Jesus as Lord and submitted their lives to Him. To share the good news of the gospel… that God loves us so much He became man in the person of Jesus Christ and suffered, died, and rose again to pay the price for our sins. It is always good news! God provides the answer to all of the wickedness of the world, but we must choose Jesus instead of the ways of the world.

For those of us who submit to Christ, evangelism must not be a casual thing or something we do “if we have time” or “when convenient”. It is not something that only some Christians do… but something we are all instructed to do. Jesus Christ commands us to go and make disciples of all the nations.

Matthew 28:18-20

 18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Followers of Jesus should recognize the urgency of sharing the gospel. Those who do not come to accept the offer of salvation through Jesus will perish… will suffer eternal separation from God. How can they accept and submit to Jesus if no one shares the gospel?

Isaiah 52:7

7How lovely on the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who announces peace
And brings good news of happiness,
Who announces salvation,
And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Romans 10:13-17

13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news of good things!”

When we obey the command of Jesus to go and make disciples of all the nations, not everyone will accept Jesus, but we can trust God that when we obey His command, He will be with us and help it to be effective.

Isaiah 55:10-11

10“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

11So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

Each of us should take time to consider the following in our personal life:

  • Am I a disciple of Jesus? or just someone who accepted Him once and goes to church?
  • Am I constantly learning more about how He wants me to live through studying scripture and prayer and changing my behaviors and attitudes to submit to Him? or am I doing things my way, convinced my way is “good enough”.
  • If I am not a disciple, than how can I go and make disciples of others?
  • If I am a disciple, than am I going and making disciples of others?

To learn more about being and making disciples, please study our teachings, The Great Commission – Making Disciples of All The Nations and The Great Commission – Personal Discipleship Plan.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to be eternally minded, not focused solely on the matters of this world that surround me every day. Help me to see people through your eyes and not my own. Let me have a heart to desire to help others to find Christ, the courage to do so even taking personal risk, and the wisdom to know how to be effective. Help me to remember also that I can not save anyone by myself but it is only through your Holy Spirit that they will turn to you. Help others be willing to make the choice to submit to and follow you when confronted by the truth of the gospel. Help me not give up or be discouraged if I can not see the affects of my efforts to share Christ with others. You may be working in them in ways I will not witness personally. Amen. 

Shalom.

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.