From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] daily devotional
Evening ...
John 11:4
This sickness is not unto death.
From our Lord's words we learn that there is a limit to sickness. Here is an
"unto" within which its ultimate end is restrained, and beyond which it cannot
go. Lazarus might pass through death, but death was not to be the ultimatum of
his sickness. In all sickness, the Lord saith to the waves of pain, "Hitherto
shall ye go, but no further." His fixed purpose is not the destruction, but the
instruction of His people. Wisdom hangs up the thermometer at the furnace
mouth, and regulates the heat. 1. The limit is encouragingly comprehensive. The
God of providence has limited the time, manner, intensity, repetition, and
effects of all our sicknesses; each throb is decreed, each sleepless hour
predestinated, each relapse ordained, each depression of spirit foreknown, and
each sanctifying result eternally purposed. Nothing great or small escapes the
ordaining hand of Him who numbers the hairs of our head. 2. This limit is
wisely adjusted to our strength, to the end designed, and to the grace
apportioned. Affliction comes not at haphazard-the weight of every stroke of
the rod is accurately measured. He who made no mistakes in balancing the clouds
and meting out the heavens, commits no errors in measuring out the ingredients
which compose the medicine of souls. We cannot suffer too much nor be relieved
too late. 3. The limit is tenderly appointed. The knife of the heavenly Surgeon
never cuts deeper than is absolutely necessary. "He doth not afflict willingly,
nor grieve the children of men." A mother's heart cries, "Spare my child"; but
no mother is more compassionate than our gracious God. When we consider how
hard-mouthed we are, it is a wonder that we are not driven with a sharper bit.
The thought is full of consolation, that He who has fixed the bounds of our
habitation, has also fixed the bounds of our tribulation.
Luke 2:8-14
(8) And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night. (9) And, lo, the angel of the Lord
came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were
sore afraid. (10) And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring
you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. (11) For unto you
is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (12)
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling
clothes, lying in a manger. (13) And suddenly there was with the angel a
multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, (14) Glory to God in
the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Jesus' birth occurred in September or perhaps early October. This could
not have taken place in December because shepherds would not have been out in
the fields at night then. In Palestine, the rainy season transpires between the
end of October and early April, with the most inclement weather occurring
between December and February. In fact, around Jerusalem, much of the region's
24 inches of annual rain falls during this winter period. Shepherds did not
want to keep the sheep in the rain and cold anymore than they wanted to be
there themselves.
Most translations tone verse 9 down a bit from its intended sudden
majesty. It should read, "And BOOM! an angel of the Lord stood before them."
The angel's appearance was instantaneous and shocking! One second they were
peacefully minding their sheep, eyelids half-shut, and the next, right in their
midst, perhaps hovering just over their heads, stood an angel in all the
brilliance of angelic glory!
Luke writes that "they were greatly afraid." What understatement! Today,
we might say they were terrified out of their skulls! Occasionally, we hear of
a person's supposed abduction by aliens suddenly in the night. Television and
movies have visualized this for us-but what if an angel actually did appear
abruptly before our eyes, radiating light like a huge spotlight and looking
directly at us? Most people would be on their faces in an instant, probably
holding their heads, wondering if a thunderbolt was about to strike!
The angel says to them, "Do not be afraid" (verse 10), trying to shush
their fears a bit, although it is hard to say what success he had. At least he
was able to communicate to them what he needed to say. Evidently, they were
calm enough to listen to his announcement, despite their terror.
What he says is quite interesting: "I bring you good tidings of great
joy." The Greek word for "I bring good tidings" is evangelízomai, literally, "I
evangelize you," and his good news is a matter "of great joy." In a way, this
is the beginning of the preaching of the gospel, as this is the sense of the
Greek term. He is informing the shepherds that God had sent him as an
evangelist to let them know that the way of salvation was beginning to open to
all people. This was great news indeed for the common folk, as these shepherds
were, who have rarely been considered among the worthies of society.
That God sent the first announcement of His Son's birth to shepherds
among their sheep has an appealing, symbolic connotation. Recall that these
shepherds were in the field watching over sheep at night when the angel, a
messenger from God, illuminated them with the good news of salvation. Shepherds
are biblical symbols of spiritual leaders or ministers, and sheep are well
known to represent God's elect. Jesus' parables often employ the image of a
field to signify the world, and the darkness of night stands for the condition
of being cut off from God. This scene is a beautiful foreshadowing of the
pattern God uses to evangelize through the gospel message.
Another intriguing fact, hidden in the English translation, appears in
the last phrase of verse 10: "to all people." In the Greek text, a definite
article appears before "people," so it should read, "all the people." When the
Bible reads "the people," it usually refers to the people of Israel. The birth
of the Savior was to be great joy for all people, of course, but especially for
Israel. If we understand this spiritually, His coming has its greatest effect
on the Israel of God ( Galatians 6:16), the church. Certainly, the church, to
which God has revealed His way most fully, has both the fullest appreciation as
well as the deepest understanding of Christ's coming in the flesh.
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
From The Birth of Jesus Christ (Part Two): Nativity
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From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
daily devotional
Evening ...
John 4:48
Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
A craving after marvels was a symptom of the sickly state of men's minds in
our Lord's day; they refused solid nourishment, and pined after mere wonder.
The gospel which they so greatly needed they would not have; the miracles which
Jesus did not always choose to give they eagerly demanded. Many nowadays must
see signs and wonders, or they will not believe. Some have said in their heart,
"I must feel deep horror of soul, or I never will believe in Jesus." But what
if you never should feel it, as probably you never may? Will you go to hell out
of spite against God, because He will not treat you like another? One has said
to himself, "If I had a dream, or if I could feel a sudden shock of I know not
what, then I would believe." Thus you undeserving mortals dream that my Lord is
to be dictated to by you! You are beggars at His gate, asking for mercy, and
you must needs draw up rules and regulations as to how He shall give that
mercy. Think you that He will submit to this? My Master is of a generous
spirit, but He has a right royal heart, He spurns all dictation, and maintains
His sovereignty of action. Why, dear reader, if such be your case, do you crave
for signs and wonders? Is not the gospel its own sign and wonder? Is not this a
miracle of miracles, that "God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him might not perish"? Surely that
precious word, "Whosoever will, let him come and take the water of life freely"
and that solemn promise, "Him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out,"
are better than signs and wonders! A truthful Saviour ought to be believed. He
is truth itself. Why will you ask proof of the veracity of One who cannot lie?
The devils themselves declared Him to be the Son of God; will you mistrust Him?
Ephesians 5:8
(8) For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk
as children of light:
Ephesians 5:8 says that the converted persons are "light in the Lord" and
should "walk as children of light." This light is revealed in all goodness,
righteousness, and truth. This is what others should witness in us and be
guided by as an example. Each of these three terms covers a different aspect of
our witness.
Righteousness conveys legality. Psalm 119:172 defines righteousness as
keeping the commandments of God, thus righteousness implies conformity to law.
It is a narrower term than either truth or goodness. It indicates uprightness
and a manifestation of justice. It can literally mean being right. God uses the
illustration of a plumb line in Amos to portray what He means by righteousness.
The person who is righteous has been measured against the standard of God's law
and found to be in alignment. Therefore righteousness should be a
characteristic of a Christian. He is fair and just in his dealings with others,
plays life by the rules and respects others' rights and possessions.
Earlier, in Ephesians 5:6, Paul speaks of deceit, things done in secret,
and the hidden things of darkness. "All truth" is their opposite. The character
of the life of the Christian is without deceit. Nothing is hidden, underhanded,
or dishonest; nothing smacks of hypocrisy or pretense. The life of those
walking in the light will be open, aboveboard, and transparent; it has nothing
to conceal and never pretends to be something it is not.
New Testament goodness, agathosune, is a versatile and strong word that
can be used either of the act or the intention motivating the act. It can be
gentle or sharp, but the intention of the good person is always the well-being
of the recipients of his goodness. An English word that covers some aspects of
the Greek word is "benevolence." This "inclination to do good" seems to be
Paul's intent in Ephesians 5:9.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones, in his Darkness and Light, a commentary on Ephesians
4 and 5, writes that this goodness is "indicative of a perfect balance in the
various parts of the personality. A good man is a balanced man, a man in whom
everything that is noble and excellent works harmoniously together" (p. 402).
Thus he can be gentle or sharp, but what he does always has the right balance
and is good.
Such a person tries to promote the happiness of all around him. He is not
selfish or self-centered, but because he has this balance himself, he desires
that others have it too. This is how God is. God looks upon us in our misery,
the result of sin, and in His goodness leads us to repentance. Sometimes the
path to repentance for us is sharp and painful, but it is always good.
On the more gentle side, God "makes His sun rise on the evil and on the
good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" ( Matthew 5:45). Although
men are evil, He does this kindness out of His goodness.
In the converted person we see a pale reflection of this goodness. The
good man is one who thinks about love, beauty, and truth-not just in the realm
of majestic mountains, surging seas, gorgeous flowers, and sunsets, but more
specifically in his fellow man. He wants to alleviate suffering and to mitigate
wrongs. He consciously looks for ways to benefit others. Because he is not out
to gratify himself, His works are the opposite of the self-centered works of
darkness. The good person is the benefactor of the weak, helpless, and those in
trouble-and sometimes even of the evil.
In the presence of Cornelius and his family, Peter says of Jesus, "God
anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about
doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with
Him" ( Acts 10:38). The Scriptures speak frequently of Jesus healing all who
came to Him without qualification who they were. He sharply rebuked those who
had the power to do good but did not. Though He at times ate with the
"respectable" of the cities and villages, He was known to keep company with
publicans and sinners. He flatly states that He did not come for those who were
well, but for those who needed a physician ( Matthew 9:12-13). As a man Jesus
continued to follow the same pattern He established as God above, and in so
doing He gave us a perfect example to follow within our contacts and power.
John W. Ritenbaugh
From The Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness
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