Category Archives: Devotional

Help in the Battle

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Even the most enthusiastic reader of the Bible would probably agree that the genealogies are not very exciting.  Lists of names, mostly difficult, are hard to get through and even harder to learn anything from.  Still, here and there, we can find a little lesson.  This passage, from the early chapters of 1 Chronicles, that longest stretch of geneaological data, contains a simple, timeless truth.

The sons of Reuben, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh had forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty valiant men, men able to bear shield and sword, to shoot with the bow, and skillful in war, who went to war. They made war with the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them, for they cried out to God in the battle. He heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him.
                    – 1 Chronicles 5:18-20 (NKJV)

Daily we face the onslaughts of the world, the flesh and the devil.  We’re stupid to try to fight these battles on our own.  We’re way too weak and we ought to know it.  So what hope do we have for victory?  The same hope these ancient tribes of Israel possessed.  We can cry out to God in the battle and put our trust in Him.

Paul’s Faithful Sayings #5

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This is the last of five faithful sayings, which all appear in the pastoral epistles.  This is the only one not given to Timothy, but rather to Titus.

“This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works.These things are good and profitable to men.” – Titus 3:8 (NKJV)

The people of God are to be known for doing good.  A righteous life, a life of charity and blessing to others, is the essential outcome of a life-changing faith.  Somewhere I’ve heard it said that “Faith that does not change your lifestyle cannot change your destiny.” 

O how true that is.  Consider the woman I spoke with at an Indianapolis bus stop the other day while handing out gospel tracts.  In an apparent effort to positively identify with my faith in Christ, she smilingly told me, “My baby’s daddy is a preacher.  And he’s trying to get a divorce right now so that we can get married.”  I’m ashamed to say I was so astonished that I was nearly struck dumb at that point.  In disbelief I think I blurted out a “What!?” only to have her repeat herself and cheerfully reinforce the gloomy truth.  No coherent response even entered my befuddled mind.  Where’s Paul the apostle when you need him?  Suffice it to say his counsel is still needed:

“These things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works.”

Paul’s Faithful Sayings #4

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The next of these sayings is found in 2 Timothy 2:11-13 and it goes like this:

This is a faithful saying:
     For if we died with Him,
     We shall also live with Him.
If we endure,
     We shall also reign with Him.
     If we deny Him,
     He also will deny us.
If we are faithless,
     He remains faithful;
     He cannot deny Himself.

 Here it is again with some brief commentary:

This is a faithful saying:
     For if we died with Him,
     We shall also live with Him.

Receiving new life in Christ involves dying – dying to self, dying to our old life.  We are no longer our own because we understand that He bought us and we live accordingly.

If we endure,
     We shall also reign with Him.
     If we deny Him,
     He also will deny us.

The born again person will stick it out.  Some people make emotional decisions for Christ that don’t last.  Let’s not imagine that the evidence for eternal salvation is seen in a raised hand, a prayed prayer or filling out a response card at a Christian event.  Everlasting life is, well, everlasting, and without faith in Christ it isn’t there – regardless of what seemed to be there at one time.

If we are faithless,
     He remains faithful;
     He cannot deny Himself.

God’s faithfulness doesn’t depend on my faith – or anyone else’s.  Whew, that’s a relief.  God would be in big trouble if He had to count on us.  But it’s a big, faith-building truth that we can always count on Him.

Paul’s Faithful Sayings #3

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The next bite-sized bit of wisdom is as follows:

“… Exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance.” – 1 Timothy 4:7-9 (NKJV)

Bodily exercise profits.  Many of us (including myself) can use more bodily exercise than we normally get.  It makes our years in this body more enjoyable and can give us more years to enjoy.  Still, we’ll only get so many of those years.  The rewards of bodily exercise are temporary at best. 

On the other hand, there is exercise leading to godliness.  Like the physical kind of exercise, spiritual exercise takes a little work or discipline, especially at first.  We need to develop beneficial behaviors to fill the void left by the behaviors that offered no benefit – helpful habits to replace the ones that never really helped.

Once the habits are in place an interesting thing happens: they feel good.  When I don’t get enough exercise, my body craves it.  The workout releases stress and is followed by a reassuring sense of comfort and calm.  The same happens spiritually.  Doing the right thing feels good while sin feels terrible.  Bible reading is a joy; prayer an encouragement.  Time in fellowship with other believers is fun while sharing my faith excites me as I never might have guessed.

Best of all, an investment in godliness brings eternal returns.