| Devotional | Christ Eternal!
Colossians 1:13-19
Christ existed prior to all creation. He is "the firstborn of every creature" (Col. 1:15). From the original language of the New Testament, this phrase is literally "firstborn of all creation."
The Greek word translated "firstborn" does not mean that He was the first one born; rather, it emphasizes priority and sovere ...read |
| Devotional | Christ in You
Colossians 1:21-29
On the surface, the emphasis of "Christ in you" (Col. 1:27) may not seem so important. But when we grasp the significance of this great truth, our thinking about Christ and ourselves will be changed, and even our prayer life will be changed.
I well remember when I was a young preacher and my father had grasped the gloriou ...read |
| Devotional | Christ, the Great Example
Philippians 2:5-11
It is apparent that there was some element of Jesus' equality with God that He was willing to set aside during His earthly ministry.
One cannot give up the qualities of his inner nature, but he can relinquish the right, in some respects, to outwardly express his inner nature.
Even though Christ was God Himself and had t ...read |
| Devotional | Citizens of Heaven!
Philippians 3:17-21
All of us who have believed in Christ, like the patriarchs, are "looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God" (Heb. 11:10, NASB).
Believers of old were "seeking a country of their own" (v. 14, NASB), and we, too, are seeking a heavenly country. Even though we reside on earth, our leg ...read |
| Devotional | Claim Your Inheritance
Ephesians 1:7-15
An inheritance is something that a person comes into possession of because of his relationship with another. It is not something that is earned; it is a gift.
The believer's inheritance includes life itself. By receiving Christ as Saviour, the believer inherits eternal life.
Jesus said, "He that heareth my word, and beli ...read |
| Devotional | Confidence in God, Not Man
Job 13:4-15
As we read in Job 13, Job again spoke quite forcibly of his refusal to let his "friends" arbitrate his case for him. He declared he would take it to God himself.
Job brushed his "friends" aside and told them that what they knew he knew, that he was not a bit inferior to them.
It goes without saying that Job's words to his ...read |
| Devotional | Considerate Christians
Philippians 4:1-7
The word "moderation" (Phil. 4:5) emphasizes pliability and agreeableness. It is a special consideration given to other people, and it is to be the additive that causes a believer to patiently forbear under injury without desiring revenge.
It is a spirit that is ready to forgive, and it possesses a gentleness of temper. It ...read |
| Devotional | Contentment, Not Complacency
Philippians 4:10-13; 1 Timothy 6:6-11
Nowhere does the Bible suggest that we should be content with unsatisfactory conditions. But because of our personal relationship with Christ we can be content in them.
As different situations arise and we learn our lessons one after another, we will also find it possible to be content in every situation. ...read |
| Devotional | Controlled to Convict
John 16:5-14
The indwelling Holy Spirit helps us to share Christ with others. The Lord promised this in John 15:26,27: "When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the ...read |
| Devotional | Counsel Based on Human Experience
Job 4:1-7
Eliphaz was possibly the eldest of the group and supposedly the wisest also. However, superior age does not mean superior wisdom.
The philosophy of Eliphaz was based on what we will call general observations and spiritual illumination. He claimed to have some kind of vision, on which he laid a great deal of stress. Several times in ...read |
| Devotional | Counsel Based on Logic Alone
Job 11:1-7
Zophar is the most dogmatic of the three. He assumes many things, based on his own intuition, or common sense, and then states his conclusion with a finality that permits no opposition.
For Job to differ with Zophar's conclusions is proof, in Zophar's eyes, that Job is a sinner.
Some people are like that today. They are so sur ...read |
| Devotional | Counsel Based on Tradition
Job 8:1-10
Bildad made no appeal to the revealed will of God but only to whatever wisdom the fathers may have taught.
He asked if God perverted justice. The answer, of course, is no. Then Bildad used this premise to argue that Job must have lost his children because of some transgression on their part. He also charged Job with lack of purity ...read |
| Devotional | Dead Reckoning
Romans 6:11-14
Reckoning is based on absolute truth. We are not called upon to reckon something to be true that is not really true.
It is true that Christ died for us and that when we believed in Him as Saviour, we died with Him. That's a fact. In that He lives, we also live. That's a fact.
So reckoning is based on facts, not on experie ...read |
| Devotional | Dead to the Law
Romans 7:1-6
Everyone who claims he can keep the Law does not have a proper knowledge about the purpose of the Law. It was not given to save anyone; it was given to show everyone their need of placing faith in Christ.
The Law exhibits and expounds God's law of righteousness, but it gives no power to perform it. All it does is condemn us when ...read |
| Devotional | Dealing With Disagreements
Romans 12:14-21
It is not our business to repay people for what they do to us. Vengeance belongs to the Lord, even as it is indicated in Deuteronomy 32:35.
Since vengeance belongs to the Lord, we would be presuming to take the Father's business out of His hands if we tried to repay evil with evil. He takes into full account every injustice d ...read |
| Devotional | Dealing With Disagreements
Romans 12:14-21
It is not our business to repay people for what they do to us. Vengeance belongs to the Lord, even as it is indicated in Deuteronomy 32:35.
Since vengeance belongs to the Lord, we would be presuming to take the Father's business out of His hands if we tried to repay evil with evil. He takes into full account every injustice d ...read |
| Devotional | Dealing With Your Past
Philippians 3:12-14; 1 Timothy 1:12-17
We can do nothing about the past except make necessary confession. And when confession is made, the Bible promises: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
By confession, sin is placed under the cleansing blood o ...read |
| Devotional | Do You Have 'Pet Cares'?
Philippians 4:6,7; Matthew 6:24-34
There are at least three characteristics, or marks, that indicate we have excessive care. The first is being more concerned about things than about God's will for us.
We will never have peace by acquiring things; peace comes only by being in God's will, with or without the possessions we think we so greatl ...read |
| Devotional | Does Christ Feel at Home in Your Heart?
Ephesians 3:14-17
Paul referred to his relationship to the indwelling Christ when he wrote: "I am [have been] crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2:20).
Thus, as Paul prayed for the Ephesians, he prayed that Christ might dwell in their hearts in the sense of being enthroned in their lives--t ...read |
| Devotional | Doing and Teaching Go Together
Romans 2:17-29
We need to ask ourselves if our lives are good illustrations of what we teach.
We teach that people should not steal, but do we steal? We may never rob banks, but are we guilty of withholding money that rightfully belongs to others? Are we totally honest in preparing our income tax returns?
And stealing involves more than ju ...read |
Theodore Epp