Devotionals

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage...” [Hebrews 2:14-16 NKJV]

The devil has been stripped and demoted of this power of death through Christ’s death on the cross, burial and bodily resurrection permanently destroying the devil and taking that power that the enemy wielded through fear and setting those prisoners free, those held in darkness, those captives once held in bondage now free- thank You Jesus-amen! “That You may say to the prisoners, 'Go forth,' To those who [are] in darkness, 'Show yourselves.' "They shall feed along the roads, And their pastures [shall be] on all desolate heights.” [Isaiah 49:9 NKJV] We no longer have to be afraid of death there has been a removal of this stolen power that kept fear, deceit and corruption alive and with Jesus there is a release of the prisoners; to bring out those who have been held in bondage by the devil with this debilitating hold…  The devils demotion is our promotion!

“To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.” [Isaiah 42:7 NKJV]

Our promotion comes with Good News; that with Jesus death on the cross we who repent of our sins and receive Him Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are set free and this means our death to our flesh in the bodily earthly realm brings reunion in the Spiritual realm with Jesus Christ- death has no hold on us. We win, we have victory in Christ we spend eternity with Him, we are victors in and through Christ who conquered death and gave us eternal life. No longer prisoners bound by fear but set free by perfect love from Jesus Christ-amen! “To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.” [Luke 1:74-75 NKJV]  

Ok so why do we still fear death as men? Is it because we fear for our families of not being there to look out for them? Great question especially realizing God has after all called us to be the spiritual leaders of our homes, wife and children. Bros we do our best raising our family in the things of God, washing them in the Word, leading and pointing them to God, teaching them to pray and to always seek God in every situation and then trusting Him who gave us our wife and children in the first place. Bros God knows what He is doing even in our death, He will take what He knows we love and what He gave to us and He will care for them and provide for them until that reunion in heaven… He gave us victory over death- over the devil do you trust Him in and with all things? Do your best and trust Him with the rest-amen!

“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard [Him], God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” Hebrews 2:1-4 NKJV]

Bros we could all drift away like an untethered boat that is not secure to its anchor or moorings… If we don’t check and maintain the anchor lines, if we neglect the very thing that keeps this boat safe from drifting away from its mooring. If we know it, allow it, neglect it and let it slip into unsafe stormy waters of eternal destination we are now neglecting our greatest ability to keep the boat safe… and as well with us regarding sin-we drift into it and drift away from the message of the Gospel then start to neglect our anchor which is Jesus Christ.

Imagine a world where there is no forgiveness of sin, where we couldn’t have the slate wiped clean; where we had to carry that burden throughout our life-the sheer weight alone of that shame and guilt would kill us, we couldn’t bear it. What if we were eternally stuck with every sin we ever committed and no way out; for those who have repented and received Christ this is not true, but for those without Christ who have never heard the Good News or met with Jesus, repented of their sins and received Jesus in their hearts this is temporarily true until that meeting and receiving, and without ever receiving Jesus it is totally true.

How can we escape punishment and eternal death if we neglect salvation through Jesus Christ?

The writer reminds of the danger of neglect, to fall back away from the Words spoken by Jesus. Some were drifting back to Judaism aka legalism… What can this amount to you say? To neglect so great a Salvation is graver than to transgress the law…Stay close to the Lord-pay close attention to the things you have heard.

Jesus spoke about Salvation and it was confirmed by those who heard Him. God bore witness of Jesus both with signs and wonders, various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit-according to His own will? Knowing what we know that the Lord has taught us- how can we neglect the message of the Gospel? Amen!

“For perhaps he departed for a while for this [purpose], that you might receive him forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave--a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. If then you count me as a partner, receive him as [you would] me.” [Philemon 1:15-17 NKJV]

Paul writing from prison to make an appeal to Philemon (Philemon a convert of Paul) to forgive Onesimus and receive him as a brother in Christ. Onesimus was a slave owned by Philemon that had run away and it was thought that he had robbed or wronged his master Philemon. So in the time he was on the lamb he had somehow come across Paul in jail, he might have sought Paul the apostle out knowing that Philemon had spoken of Paul often and thought Paul could help him in some way. Paul led Onesimus to Christ and now as a Christian with a repentant heart Onesimus knows he must return and make things right with his master so Paul appeals to his master Philemon on Onesimus behalf. One of the beauties and great truths of this story is forgiveness and it reads much like the story of Christ paying for our sins and forgiving us of our sins. As believer’s we too are to forgive one another, Paul’s thoughtful letter appeals to Philemon but also to the other Christians around Philemon and the believers in the Colossian church.

This story is a great reminder to all of us of Gods great love, mercy and forgiveness of our sins and that He requires the same from us towards others… Bros has someone wronged you or do you have someone in your circle of past acquaintances that are friends and or are family that you need to forgive today?

Paul says this to Philemon a little further in the story in hope and anticipation that Philemon is going forgive Onesimus. “Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.”[Philemon 1:20 NKJV]  

Bros what a blessing to have that joy and refreshing that comes from honoring the Lord. When we forgive others that have wronged us and or are forgiven ourselves it can bring great times of refreshment and joy to our hearts and souls. There comes a blessing to our hearts when we witness firsthand the Lord doing a work in and through another believer. Life is short and we are not promised tomorrow if you are separated from someone because you have not been able to forgive- now’s the time to forgive, take Paul’s advice; “If then you count me as a partner, receive him as [you would] me.” Let God’s love, mercy and forgiveness prevail in your heart and rejoice like Paul desired to do with Philemon’s forgiveness of Onesimus. Ask the Lord to refresh your heart and give you joy in Him if there be a situation where forgiveness needs to take place in any of your relationships so you too can experience joy and be refreshed in the Lord -amen!

“For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.” [Philemon 1:7 NKJV]

Bros that this might be said by all those who know us, witness our walk with the Lord, our ministry unto the Lord and His People or come into contact with us. What a great witness it would be to have folks feel and be refreshed this way after spending time with us or being served and ministered to by us… Reminds me of over in the book of Acts when the Sanhedrin realized about Peter and John that there was something different about them… it was because they been with Jesus. Good things can result from spending time with the Lord and it will be evident to all. Even as this news of Philemon’s great love and generosity traveled from Colosse to Paul who was in prison in Rome it brought him great joy. Philemon was a man of God, a convert of Paul who opened his house to be a meeting place for the church. He was compassionate, caring, loving and giving to other believers. His love for others carried an immeasurable influence that I am sure he was unaware at the time, but that love for others reached an imprisoned Paul. We can’t know how far the sphere of our influence can have on other believers through our love for the Lord and them as we serve and minister to those around us. Philemon refreshed the believers as he used the gifts the Lord gave him. Bros if we are spending time with the Lord, loving Him, letting Him minister to us, feed us, nourish us and refresh us through His great love for us. This should be an encouragement and example to us to use that same love we receive from Him, which so freely He gives to us to minister and refresh others like our bro Philemon did with the saints in Colosse. Lord we pray that You would indeed fill us with Your great love and use us like You used Philemon to refresh the bros all around us-amen!

“But shun profane [and] idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.”[2Timothy 2:16 NKJV]

Bros as Timothy is cautioned to avoid ungodly teachings that are creeping in, not to get caught up in the dispensers of bad teaching, to argue with them as to give merit to the ungodly and to do so it would open the door to more ungodliness. Much akin to when a lie is told, it can’t hold itself up on its own merit so the only way for the lie to stand is to prop it up with more and greater lies that increase to more ungodliness… The truth of God’s Word will always stand on its own evidence and prevail- God is not a liar. Jesus said… “I am the way, the truth and the life.”[John 14:6 NKJV] Bros we too must always be careful and on guard for the truth because there is a clear and present danger in what’s being taught! There are many false teachers lurking about, even creeping into the churches trying to sell a lie, whether it is for personal gain to fame, financial gain or some cult denying the Deity of Jesus Christ or modern day social club churches that are all about entertaining the masses, tickling the ears. What is always needed yesterday and today more than anything is the teaching of God’s Word; the purity and simplicity of the Scriptures and less of the profane and idle babblings amen! Timothy being young though he was also a gifted teacher of the word and Paul encouraged him to handle the Word right and to turn his focus away from irreverent foolish babblings that take the focus away from the Word of God and lead to more ungodliness. Great wisdom even for us today bros!

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” … [John 1:1 NKJV] And we ought to stick with the Word until the Lord comes and takes us away with Him… The beginning and ultimate end result is and always should be Jesus-so that is where we ought to keep our focus on and in Jesus and His Word. And if you have strayed or got caught up in profane and idle babblings, take some great counsel from Paul and shun them before they increase to more ungodliness and return to your first love. Bros in Christ with such an upsurge in profane and idle babblings all around us it’s important for us to draw closer to the Lord; to be grounded and rooted in Him and His Word and His truth.

Check out what the Berean’s did… they verified! “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily [to find out] whether these things were so.” [Act 17:11 NKJV]

“Remind [them] of these things, charging [them] before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [2Timothy 2:14-15 NKJV]”

Bros as Paul is telling Timothy to remind the Christians of these things- encouraging him to teach his congregation not to waste time over unfruitful arguments or terminology that will bear no fruit, be of no benefit to the hearers and essentially turnoff the hearers to the point that it could ruin further chance to minister to them. Things that can be argued to death and really don’t matter and will not help anybody or land the fish. Not saying there aren’t some things that aren’t worth debating or do need to be debated for the correction and edification of the hearers, but for the most part it is as Paul says to the ruin of the hearers clearly unfruitful…It’s better to stay focused on the Word of God- the message of the Gospel, the truth of God. Not debating and getting carried away from the message of God’s Word, but staying on the truth of God’s Word which is very powerful and profitable. When we pull away from Gods word in divisive arguments or debate that this word or that terminology might mean something else with other believers or with non-believers when we argue we can lose opportunities to exhort, reel in or land a fish and you better believe the enemy relishes in these unprofitable and vain escapades… One example might be this; so many times evangelizing on the streets we can be side tracked into a debate with someone that we are trying to witness to and share the Gospel with and it turns into a full blown debate about reckless words to no profit and nothing gets accomplished to the ruin of the hearers…We can get lured into an unfruitful debate with believers or even with unbelievers about spiritual terminology….   “Paul told Timothy to remind the Christians of these faithful sayings, so they wouldn't get involved in disputes over spiritual terminology.” [Pastor Chuck Smith]

Paul further encourages young Timothy to keep doing all for the glory of the Lord, be meticulous in presenting yourself approved to God. Knowing that as Christians our work will be inspected… “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things [done] in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. [2Corinthians 5:10 NKJV]  And so we should make sure we are workers who are not ashamed of what we are doing for the Lord- rightly handling and dividing the Word of God.

 "Swords are meant to cut and hack, and wound, and kill with, and the word of truth is for pricking men in the heart and killing their sins. The word of God is not committed to God's ministers to amuse men with its glitter, nor to charm them with the jewels in its hilt, but to conquer their souls for Jesus." [Spurgeon]   Handle the Sword properly and be efficacious; “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  

“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1Timothy 4:12 NKJV).”

Bros as Paul exhorts young Timothy to be an example to the believers in six areas that he mentions, even though there might be some who might try to deride Timothy because of his age. Paul encourages Timothy to be an example to the believers first in word, reminds me of this scripture about being true to our word, keeping our word… “But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your "Yes" be "Yes," and [your] "No," "No," lest you fall into judgment.”[James 5:12 NKJV] Saying and doing what we say, not saying one thing and living or doing another completely contrary!

Secondly Paul mentions conduct…

Bros have you ever showed some bad conduct and wished you could take it back but you are stuck with the conduct that you let others see in you…You put it on display for the whole world to see… especially in the high tech media loving world we live in today where everyone is video filming or recording every moment of their life and or a normal everyday life moment which you just might find yourself starring in and mostly always unbeknownst to you. We forget our heavenly Father has His eye on us all the time and sees everything, not to mention we are under constant camera surveillance by man! It is important as men that we live godly lives and live our life for the Lord at every moment. Living above reproach… in other words not lending ourselves to the appearance of evil, but living as men of God!

“in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight--[Colossians1:22 NKJV] Thirdly Paul mentions to be an example in love which has a lot of power to do a lot of things but the thing that I love about love is this… “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins.” [1Peter 4:8 NKJV] Fourthly Paul states to be an example in spirit, don’t be lackadaisical which means halfhearted, relaxed, un-spirited, careless, laidback, lazy, but have great zeal for the things of the Lord! Check out the spirit Caleb had… “But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.”[Numbers 14:24 NKJV] He had a different spirit in him because he followed the Lord fully! The fifth thing Paul says is to be an example in faith. Trusting God believing without seeing. “Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” [Luke 18:42 NKJV] Exercise faith there is healing power in faith!

Lastly Paul mentions purity “But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The LORD will hear when I call to Him.”[Psalm 4:3 NKJV] Men ought to be spotless and blameless for the Lord living in purity of mind and heart by following God because you have been set apart. If you are young be an example by following God and His Word, they can despise your youth or age but they can’t deride your walk when you are a living an example of following God and being obedient and following the Lord fully! Goes for older men too-amen!

“For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.” [1Thessalonians 1:5 NKJV] 

Bros they were not only Holy Spirit led but also filled by the Holy Spirit. That was their power source… power beyond their control spoken into the hearts of the Thessalonians. Ordained by God not by man, notice not only in word, but the emphasis in power and the Holy Spirit. Same as we can do nothing apart from God, their ability to minister and for the hearers to receive was not in the strength of their words but from the power that comes through the Holy Spirit-Gods truth, the power of Jesus Christ merged into and working into hearts through mortal beings enabled this ability.  

“It is a message by the Holy Spirit, a living Person, who works within the hearts of the hearers, to convict, to comfort and to instruct. If the preacher only speaks, then it is a matter of word only, but when the Holy Spirit works through the word, a great spiritual work is accomplished.” [Pastor David Guzik]

In much assurance, declaring and preaching and also believing what you are preaching. Our witness ought to be based on and in what we believe-the true and living Word of God. Share and declare the Word of God that is where the power is, in God’s Word-not mere words of ours, not that our personal words lack merit but the power that comes through speaking and declaring Gods Word. The Holy Spirit doing the work, we are just carrying the message, bringing the Word, we are the laborers that the Holy Spirit uses, it’s His power that accomplishes everything the Lord desires, the Holy Spirit working in us and using us to accomplish His goal. This is why our desire should be to always be vessels of honor that are clean, free of sin, so we will always be ready spiritually in our hearts to be used to bring glory and honor to the Lord-amen!

“Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.”[Colossians 3:5-7 NKJV]  

Bros we see this list of idolatries that Paul is telling the Colossians must be put to death in each of their lives when they came to the Lord. As also with each of us we must put to death such sinful behavior immediately upon conversion, our flesh must be mortified, such sin must be put aside and should not be allowed to exist in our lives if we are to follow Christ. We must regard ourselves as dead to the old sins and alive in Christ because of our resurrection with Christ we have a brand new life. If we allow the old man to come back, to be disobedient to the Lord-how can we look forward to the richness of what God will do in our lives as obedient sons? We no longer are bound by these things bros yet do we allow them to have a place in our Christian life? And if so, it will greatly hinder or destroy our ability to walk with the Lord. Have we not completely mortified our flesh-maybe leaving some to live on…? Check this reminder of what happened to Saul when he did not obey the Lord when he was given very specific instructions; “Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed [are] you of the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD." But Samuel said, "What then [is] this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?" And Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed." Then Samuel said to Saul, "Be quiet! And I will tell you what the LORD said to me last night." And he said to him, "Speak on." So Samuel said, "When you [were] little in your own eyes, [were] you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel? "Now the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, 'Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.' "Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the LORD?" And Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.”But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal." So Samuel said: "Has the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, [And] to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from [being] king." [1Samuel 15:13-23 NKJV] Bros better to mortify the flesh; “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if [there is any] wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” [Psalm 139:23-24 NKJV]

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ [who is] our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” [Colossians 3:1-4 NKJV]

Bros as we read and take these verses into our mind and heart we must always be vigilant in looking at ourselves in the position of the believer and to ask ourselves if we are raised with Christ are we seeking those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Here is something for us to consider “…but as He who called you [is] holy, you also be holy in all [your] conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." [1Peter 1:15-16 NKJV] Are we in the position of pursuing or chasing after holiness in our lives? “Pursue peace with all [people], and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled…” [Hebrews 12:14-15 NKJV]  Have we come to the position where we set our thoughts on the Lord?

In these verses we are told the secret of having the peace of God and also peace with God!

 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord [is] at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things [are] noble, whatever things [are] just, whatever things [are] pure, whatever things [are] lovely, whatever things [are] of good report, if [there is] any virtue and if [there is] anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” [Philippians4:4-9NKJV]  Set your mind on the Word of God and the things of the Lord. It is easy to go astray and get caught up in the things of this life which are temporal. But set your mind on the eternal things above-not on things on the earth…

You did indeed die-the old man is dead, gone and buried, don’t allow yourself to go back into the graveyard and dig him up…! Leave him where he belongs-alone in death, he doesn’t need your company ever and you don’t ever need his! Our life is hidden with Christ in God, not in past pleasures, indulgences which are sin, which is death and kept us separated from God. But now alive in Christ, having received Christ, we are hidden with Christ and no longer walking in deliberate sin-but found in Christ. Washed and cleansed from the bondage of sin. Bros run the race with endurance being hidden in Christ, we are covered in Him and this should compel us to want to hold our position in Christ and maintain that position in our daily lives. So that when Christ appears that we also will appear with Him-amen!