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daily devotional
Evening...
Matthew 12:20
A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench.
What is weaker than the bruised reed or the smoking flax? A reed that groweth
in the fen or marsh, let but the wild duck light upon it, and it snaps; let but
the foot of man brush against it, and it is bruised and broken; every wind that
flits across the river moves it to and fro. You can conceive of nothing more
frail or brittle, or whose existence is more in jeopardy, than a bruised reed.
Then look at the smoking flax-what is it? It has a spark within it, it is true,
but it is almost smothered; an infant's breath might blow it out; nothing has a
more precarious existence than its flame. Weak things are here described, yet
Jesus says of them, "The smoking flax I will not quench; the bruised reed I
will not break." Some of God's children are made strong to do mighty works for
Him; God has His Samsons here and there who can pull up Gaza's gates, and carry
them to the top of the hill; He has a few mighties who are lion-like men, but
the majority of His people are a timid, trembling race. They are like
starlings, frightened at every passer by; a little fearful flock. If temptation
comes, they are taken like birds in a snare; if trial threatens, they are ready
to faint; their frail skiff is tossed up and down by every wave, they are
drifted along like a sea bird on the crest of the billows-weak things, without
strength, without wisdom, without foresight. Yet, weak as they are, and because
they are so weak, they have this promise made specially to them. Herein is
grace and graciousness! Herein is love and lovingkindness! How it opens to us
the compassion of Jesus-so gentle, tender, considerate! We need never shrink
back from His touch. We need never fear a harsh word from Him; though He might
well chide us for our weakness, He rebuketh not. Bruised reeds shall have no
blows from Him, and the smoking flax no damping frowns.
John 1:1-4
(1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God. (3) All things
were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (4) In
him was life; and the life was the light of men.
In the very beginning, before all else, there existed two living
Beings composed of Spirit, possessing supreme mind, intelligence, and power,
and of perfect, righteous character. They are revealed in the biblical book of
John, chapter one. One was named the Word (the Spokesman-the revelatory
thought). The other was named God. The Word ultimately-almost 2,000 years
ago-was born as Jesus. The Word also was God-the second personage of the God
Family. As a human, Jesus was "God with us"-or God in human flesh, born of a
virgin woman, but sired by God.
"All things" were made by Him. In Ephesians 3:9, it is revealed
that God created all things by Jesus Christ.
The Word and God lived. What did they do? They created. How did
they live-what was their "lifestyle"? They lived the way of their perfect
character-the way of outflowing love. When Christ was baptized, God the Father
said, "You are my beloved Son." God loved the Word. And the Word loved
God-obeyed Him completely.
Two cannot walk together except they be agreed (Amos 3:3). They
were in total agreement and cooperation. Also two cannot walk together in
continuous peace except one be the head, or leader, in control.
God was leader.
Their way of life produced perfect peace, cooperation, happiness,
accomplishment. This way of life became a law. Law is a code of conduct, or
relationship, between two or more. One might call the rules of a sports contest
the "law" of the game. The presence of law requires a penalty for infraction.
There can be no law without a penalty for its violation.
The very fact of law presupposes government. Government is the
administration and enforcement of law by one in authority over the law. This
necessitates authoritative leadership-one in command.
When the only conscious life-Beings existed, God was leader-in
authoritative command. Thus, even when the only conscious life-Beings were God
and the Word, there was government, with God in supreme command. Since they
created other conscious thinking life-beings, this very fact of necessity put
the government of God over all creation, with God supreme Ruler. Bear in mind
the government of God is based on the law of God, which is the way of life of
outflowing love, cooperation, concern for the good of the governed. And this
law of God produces peace, happiness, cooperation through obedience.
Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986)
From A World Held Captive
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From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
daily devotional
Evening ...
Psalm 42:9
Why go I mourning?
Canst thou answer this, believer? Canst thou find any reason why thou art so
often mourning instead of rejoicing? Why yield to gloomy anticipations? Who
told thee that the night would never end in day? Who told thee that the sea of
circumstances would ebb out till there should be nothing left but long leagues
of the mud of horrible poverty? Who told thee that the winter of thy discontent
would proceed from frost to frost, from snow, and ice, and hail, to deeper
snow, and yet more heavy tempest of despair? Knowest thou not that day follows
night, that flood comes after ebb, that spring and summer succeed winter? Hope
thou then! Hope thou ever! For God fails thee not. Dost thou not know that thy
God loves thee in the midst of all this? Mountains, when in darkness hidden,
are as real as in day, and God's love is as true to thee now as it was in thy
brightest moments. No father chastens always: thy Lord hates the rod as much as
thou dost; He only cares to use it for that reason which should make thee
willing to receive it, namely, that it works thy lasting good. Thou shalt yet
climb Jacob's ladder with the angels, and behold Him who sits at the top of
it-thy covenant God. Thou shalt yet, amidst the splendours of eternity, forget
the trials of time, or only remember them to bless the God who led thee through
them, and wrought thy lasting good by them. Come, sing in the midst of
tribulation. Rejoice even while passing through the furnace. Make the
wilderness to blossom like the rose! Cause the desert to ring with thine
exulting joys, for these light afflictions will soon be over, and then "for
ever with the Lord," thy bliss shall never wane.
"Faint not nor fear,
His arms are near,
He changeth not, and thou art dear;
Only believe and thou shalt see,
That Christ is all in all to thee."
Genesis 3:4
(4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Satan's heresy that "You shall not surely die," when expanded, claims
that we are already immortal, so death has no real hold over us. This idea,
proposed at the very beginning, has thrived throughout history. Mainstream
Christianity calls it the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, while
various Eastern religions contain it in beliefs such as reincarnation. Whatever
its moniker, the belief that human beings possess a spiritual, eternally
conscious, imperishable component is a major tenet of nearly every religion
throughout man's history. In our modern culture, books and movies abound with
examples of the spirits of the dead hovering around the living characters,
giving them comfort, aid, and encouragement. It is taken as given that death is
not the end; somehow, one's conscious spirit will live on when the physical
body perishes.
The Gnostic belief in the dualism of flesh and spirit-with the flesh
being evil and something to be freed from, while the eternal spirit was
good-also originated in the lie Satan told Eve. Gnostics, in general, believed
that the purpose of human existence was to return to the spiritual realm from
whence all originated. Death, then, was seen as liberation of the spirit.
First, consider how this belief affects a person's attitude and way
of life. When Satan undermined the death penalty for disobedience, in addition
to sowing further distrust in what God says, he also blunted one of the keenest
elements of human motivation, continued self-preservation. If life beyond the
grave is assured, how this life is lived makes little difference. It is like
guaranteeing a college freshman that he will receive a doctorate degree,
regardless of whether anything is learned, any work is done, any classes are
attended, or any tuition is paid. While the student may indeed expend some
effort, the motivation to apply himself wholeheartedly to his education will be
substantially weakened. It would be so easy to slack off and postpone catching
up to some time next week. After all, if the goal is certain, why worry about
the details in the meantime?
Spiritually, the result is the same. If one already has immortality,
salvation, or is alread " born again," there is no pressing reason to resist
the pulls of carnality. Resisting Satan matters little. Devoting one's life to
growing and overcoming has no urgency. Sin is no big deal. Why should one study
to come to know God and His truth? Believing that one already possesses eternal
life removes the urgency to live according to the desires and requirements of
the Creator. At best, all that remains is the vague guidance of "just be a good
person."
The Bible teaches that there can be life after death through the
resurrection from the dead. Eternal life is ours only if God supplies it, and
not because we possess an immortal soul:
» God tells us, "Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father
as well as the soul of the son is Mine; the soul who sins shall die." ( Ezekiel
18:4; emphasis ours throughout). God repeats this in Ezekiel 18:20. Clearly, it
is possible for a "soul" to die.
» Paul instructs in Romans 6:23 that "the wages of sin is death,"
not eternal life-not even eternal life in ever-burning hell. As with Ezekiel
18, sin incurs the death penalty. Satan, though, would have us believe that
since death is not a real threat, sin is no big deal. It is only because of
God's grace that we are not struck down immediately-not because of any inherent
immortality within us-as the rest of Romans 6:23 explains: "but the gift of God
is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Eternal life is a gift, not an
inborn quality.
» I Timothy 6:16 says that God "alone has immortality"-not any
member of the human race, Christians included!
» Romans 2:7 promises "eternal life to those who by patient
continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality," again
proving that eternal life is a gift, not a right, and that immortality must be
sought (by "doing good") rather than assumed to have it already.
» Finally, in the "Resurrection Chapter," I Corinthians 15, Paul
explains when Christians receive immortality:
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the
Kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a
mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-in a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and
the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on
immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death
is swallowed up in victory." ( I Corinthians 15:50-54)
It is not until "the last trumpet," when Jesus Christ returns, that
the dead will be resurrected and given immortality ( I Thessalonians 4:16). At
this time, the saints will be changed and given new spiritual bodies ( I
Corinthians 15:49; I John 3:2). Clearly, immortality is not given until the
resurrection from the dead, which does not take place until Jesus Christ
returns.
That God must resurrect a person for him to continue living means
that He retains sovereignty. He is not obliged to grant eternal life to anyone
who demonstrates, once he has the opportunity to know God, that he is not
willing to be subject to His way of life. However, by belittling the truth
about the resurrection from the dead, and telling people that they already have
immortality, Satan can distract them from a basic reason why they need to
listen to God-so that they may be resurrected and continue living!
David C. Grabbe
From Whatever Happened to Gnosticism? Part Three: Satan's Three
Heresies
